Douluo: The Ultimate Self

After hearing Yang Xiong's words, Lin Gong thought deeply for a long time before responding: "Xiao Xiong, it is extremely dangerous for you to absorb a ten-thousand-year soul ring for the first time. You must be prepared to face the possibility of death at any moment."

"I have great confidence in your physical resilience. Even if it were all the soul rings within ten thousand years, I believe you could handle them. But a ten-thousand-year soul ring is an entirely different matter. You need to mentally prepare yourself."

Yang Xiong nodded, but at this moment, he felt a slight sense of unreality around him, as if his body had begun to feel numb.

Yang Xiong was startled. He was clearly with Lin Gong—how could this happen? Could it be that he had been ambushed by some kind of spirit beast?

Especially since this mental paralysis seemed unusually eerie, causing one to fall victim without even realizing it. The enemy was undoubtedly far stronger than an ordinary ten-thousand-year spirit beast.

As Yang Xiong's body seemed on the verge of being completely controlled by this mental paralysis, his movements gradually became restricted, and the soul power throughout his body seemed to dissipate.

Even when Yang Xiong gritted his teeth and exerted all his strength to resist the numbing effect, it seemed to originate from deep within his soul. No matter how hard he tried to circulate his soul power, he remained completely immobile.

At this critical moment, Yang Xiong's eyes turned purple, and a beam of purple light suddenly shot out from them. The purple energy instantly spread throughout his body, forming a massive Tai Chi diagram. The paralyzing effect that had originated deep within his soul vanished in an instant. A giant Tai Chi appeared in his mind, its core located at the brow of the silver giant in his consciousness.

Though Yang Xiong had shaken off the paralysis, he immediately spat out a mouthful of blood, as if his spirit had suffered a severe blow. His head throbbed painfully, as though it might split open.

When Yang Xiong looked around again, he was kneeling on one knee, gasping for breath, his lips and the ground stained with blood. He could even feel two drops of blood trickling from his eyes, and his entire body was drenched, as if he had just endured an extraordinarily brutal battle.

When Yang Xiong surveyed his surroundings, he saw Lin Gong sitting nearby with an amused expression, as if watching a spectacle.

Yang Xiong quickly scanned the area: "Teacher Lin, be careful—just now, it felt like I was attacked by a spiritual-type spirit beast."

Lin Gong chuckled: "What spiritual-type spirit beast? You're overthinking things. That was just me testing your mental strength. I didn't expect your mental fortitude to be much stronger than I imagined."

Yang Xiong was puzzled: "How is that possible? Was that mental paralysis caused by you? Aren't you a plant-type soul master?"

Lin Gong replied: "Don't ask so many questions. Calm down and focus on recovering. Withstanding mental attacks isn't easy, and such injuries don't heal quickly either."

Upon hearing this, Yang Xiong sat cross-legged on the ground and began meditating to slowly recover his body.

It took a full three hours before Yang Xiong felt his mental strength return to normal. This mental attack had been even more taxing than battling Yao Mei during the Spirit City skirmish.

Yang Xiong looked curiously at Lin Gong: "Teacher Lin, I'm becoming increasingly curious about you. How do you possess such an attack method?"

A bitter smile crossed Lin Gong's face: "Little Xiong, do you remember why I joined the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect?"

Yang Xiong's eyes widened: "Could it be because of the head soul bone?"

A hint of pride appeared on Lin Gong's face: "The name of my head soul bone is the Wisdom Soul Bone of Mental Paralysis. It originates from my eighth soul ring, which comes from a sixty-five-thousand-year-old Demon Eye Tree with the ability to induce mental paralysis."

Yang Xiong couldn't help but exclaim: "Mental paralysis effect? Can a plant-type soul bone have such an effect—and as a head soul bone, no less?"

Lin Gong sneered: "You think you've seen it all? My head soul bone is a group attack skill capable of inducing widespread mental paralysis. It's also a rare plant-type soul bone. Its value far exceeds the head soul bone from the soul master tournament. Otherwise, why would Ju (Chrysanthemum) Douluo and those others have kept an eye on me?"

Yang Xiong was shocked. Plant-type head soul bones were already exceedingly rare, let alone ones with a group-wide mental attack skill. In terms of value, this was truly terrifying.

"Teacher Lin Gong, why did you attack me just now? I thought I was being attacked by a ten-thousand-year spiritual-type spirit beast!"

Lin Gong fell silent for a moment before speaking: "Didn't you say you wanted to absorb a ten-thousand-year fourth soul ring? The mental attack I just unleashed was roughly equivalent to what a ten-thousand-year spirit beast could produce. Normally, the mental oscillation from a ten-thousand-year spirit beast should be similar to that attack. You managed to withstand it, albeit barely."

"But even so, you still need to be extremely cautious. Absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring involves not only physical energy clashes but also mental oscillations. Especially since you're aiming for a top-tier ten-thousand-year soul ring—it will likely be difficult. I'm not sure if you'll be able to pull it off."

Hearing this, Yang Xiong smiled instead: "Teacher Lin, soul master cultivation has always been about defying the heavens. Only by breaking through limits can one grow stronger. You know my aspirations well."

Lin Gong sighed: "Very well, think whatever you want. Perhaps I'm really getting old—I no longer dare to push my limits."

Yang Xiong understood fully that Lin Gong's actions were for his own good. Normally, a soul bone skill was a closely guarded secret, something no one would willingly reveal. Only Lin Gong's absolute trust in him had led to the disclosure of his head soul bone skill.

…

After a sleepless night, the two began venturing into the mixed zone of the Great Star Dou Forest.

After enduring the mental attack the previous day, Yang Xiong felt both body and mind surprisingly refreshed. He seemed to have begun grasping the threshold of mental control.

Over the years, Yang Xiong had practiced the Purple Extreme Demon Eye, but he hadn't used it much, rarely engaging in mental battles with enemies or researching methods to cultivate his mental strength.

However, after this confrontation, he seemed to have gained some experience in mental combat. Perhaps true progress in mental strength required not only personal cultivation but also frequent mental clashes, much like physical training.

The two soon entered the mixed zone of the Great Star Dou Forest.

The forest was densely packed with various plants, making visibility extremely poor. If the outer zone was relatively safe, with spirit beasts posing little threat, the mixed zone was a different story.

Even Lin Gong, who usually acted casually, became exceptionally serious upon entering. The spirit beasts here varied widely in age—some were only a few hundred years old, while others reached ten thousand years or even thirty thousand years.

Compared to the outer zone, the spirit beasts here were far more formidable. Their overall combat strength was significantly higher, and they were more ferocious and aggressive. No wonder even Lin Gong treated this area with great caution.

Here, Yang Xiong encountered a greater variety of spirit beasts, many of which had excellent attributes, including some rare top-tier spirit beasts.

Yang Xiong couldn't help but sigh. If he had known earlier, he would have come to the Great Star Dou Forest for his first three soul rings. Some of the spirit beasts here were simply too good—and too rare. He even spotted several Dragon-type spirit beasts.

Yang Xiong and Lin Gong spent over ten days searching the mixed zone of the Great Star Dou Forest, but Yang Xiong still hadn't found a spirit beast suitable for him. Either their age was too low, their bloodline too weak, or their attributes didn't meet his needs. Even Lin Gong was growing frustrated.

"Little Xiong, what kind of spirit beast are you looking for? That Thousand-Pound Ant we encountered yesterday was excellent—a rare ten-thousand-year spirit beast. Both its strength and earth attributes were perfect for you," Lin Gong said, exasperated.

Yang Xiong replied helplessly: "Teacher Lin, can't we find something fiercer? That Thousand-Pound Ant is too weak."

Lin Gong shot him a disdainful look: "What do you know? If a Thousand-Pound Ant reaches ten thousand years, its bloodline mutates. These ants can lift several times, even dozens of times, their own weight. They're one of the best choices for strength-type spirit beasts."

Yang Xiong rolled his eyes. Lin Gong was so excited over a ten-thousand-year Thousand-Pound Ant. If he knew there were three ninety-thousand-year Thousand-Pound Ant Kings in the Great Star Dou Forest, who knows what he'd think?

However, as Yang Xiong and Lin Gong walked through a grove that day, the ground suddenly trembled slightly, as if a powerful spirit beast had passed by.

Following the sound, Yang Xiong and Lin Gong were stunned by what they saw.

Before them stood an enormous spirit beast. It resembled a massive elephant, over ten meters long, with a trunk that extended more than five meters. Its mouth bore two terrifying tusks.

Yang Xiong was surprised: "How could there be such a massive spirit beast in the mixed zone? This creature seems extraordinary."

Lin Gong looked at Yang Xiong with disdain: "I praised you for being well-read and knowledgeable, yet you don't even recognize a Diamond Mammoth?"

Yang Xiong quickly replied: "Of course I know what a Diamond Mammoth is. I remember reading about them—they're ancient spirit beasts rarely encountered in the soul master world. Compared to ordinary spirit beasts, Diamond Mammoths are much larger and possess incredible strength."

Lin Gong nodded: "That's right. The people of the Elephant Armor Sect have been searching for a pure-blooded Diamond Mammoth for ages but haven't found one. After all, in terms of bloodline, Diamond Mammoths are on par with Titan Giant Apes. That's why the Elephant Armor Sect boasts the strongest defensive martial soul in the world."

Yang Xiong thought carefully: "Teacher Lin, I'm going to make this Diamond Mammoth my fourth soul ring."

Lin Gong's expression darkened: "What are you thinking? A normal ten-thousand-year spirit beast might be doable, but this Diamond Mammoth appears to be around fourteen thousand years old—far exceeding the typical fifth soul ring level for soul masters."

"Moreover, this Diamond Mammoth is exceptionally large and seems unusual. It contains terrifying energy. Even a regular soul master's sixth soul ring might not be able to absorb it. Absorbing a soul ring isn't just about the spirit beast's age—it also depends on the energy and bloodline strength of the spirit beast. Diamond Mammoths are among the most ancient spirit beasts."

Yang Xiong stared intently at the Diamond Mammoth. Normally, the age of a Diamond Mammoth could be determined by the patterns on its trunk. However, this mammoth was twice the size of a typical ten-thousand-year spirit beast, which was highly abnormal.

Suddenly, Yang Xiong's face lit up with realization: "Teacher Lin, this isn't a Diamond Mammoth!"

Lin Gong was puzzled: "How is that possible? Its appearance and description match a Diamond Mammoth almost perfectly, except for the shape of its tail and tusks. It's identical to the martial soul of the Elephant Armor Sect…"

Lin Gong paused, struck by a sudden realization: "Impossible! Legends say that Diamond Mammoths weren't the original form—they evolved from another spirit beast. Could this Diamond Mammoth have undergone atavism, reverting to its most ancient form?"

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