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--- Chapter 341 ---
After considering several pivotal factors that could contribute to Star Dou Forest's sudden change, Han Yuan couldn't help but have a bold guess in his mind.
He was also confident his guess was pretty much correct, but could only wait until he met Di Tian to confirm it. So, he stayed silent about this and casually chatted with Bi Ji on other topics.
Bi Ji enjoyed these small talks. After all, she rarely, if not never, conversed with humans all these years. Surprisingly, the mundane topics weren't as bland as she expected.
Han Yuan's view on the spirit beast race is relatively neutral.
He doesn't hate spirit beasts, but he doesn't love them much either.
The only reason he proposed the 'Soul Contract' to them is that this path is merely superior and can improve the relationship between humans and spirit beasts.
Yes, Spirit Souls are literally better than ordinary spirit rings. Even Bi Ji couldn't deny this statement.
Of course, Bi Ji also believed Ah Yin, Xiao Rou, and Xiao Wu were also the causes behind Han Yuan's decision.
What Bi Ji doesn't know is that 'Soul Contract' is Han Yuan's backup plan to create his own godhood. As the pioneer of it, he was 'naturally' bound to obtain not only faith from humans but also from spirit beasts.
Killing two birds with one stone.
Well, even if Bi Ji misunderstood, Han Yuan didn't plan to correct her view about him.
At the end of the day, Bi Ji is just a healing-type spirit beast, even if she possesses a 550,000-year-old realm, and doesn't pose much of a threat to him.
"We are here." Bi Ji suddenly said, catching Han Yuan's attention amidst his fleeting thoughts.
Han Yuan, Ah Yin, Xiao Rou, and Xiao Wu stared straight ahead and saw several gigantic bodies surrounding a gleaming dark green lake full of life energy.
'The Lake of Life, huh? What an amazing treasure land it is.' Han Yuan praised calmly.
Ah Yin stared at the Lake of Life and mumbled, "If the Blue Silver Clan lives here, the speed of their cultivation will improve tremendously."
"Oh, well, Blue Silver Forest is good enough."
'There is also Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.' She couldn't forget the treasure land that his son owned after conquering Dugu Bo's loyalty. That place is just as good as the Lake of Life.
Meanwhile, Xiao Wu's eyes lit up as she shouted cheerfully, "Da Ming, Er Ming!"
A giant Titan Ape seemingly heard a familiar voice and couldn't help but glance back, seeing a pink flash before his eyes. His orange lantern-like eyes widened, "Xiao Wu?"
"You're back? What are you doing here?"
A massive python with a bull's head descended from the sky and also gazed down with a surprised look, "This presence..."
"Aunt Rou!"
Xiao Rou and Xiao Wu appeared side by side, gazing at the giant beasts with a melancholic look. "We are back."
"H-How is this impossible..." Da Ming, the Sky Azure Bull Python, was still shocked. "Doesn't Aunt Rou have sacrificed herself to that spirit master with spider martial soul?"
Xiao Rou smiled gently, "I've resurrected with the gracious help of my benefactor."
"He's also Xiao Wu's partner..." At first, Xiao Rou wanted to say servant, but decided to say something else. She can't help it because Han Yuan's relationship with Xiao Wu is quite good.
"Benefactor?" Both Da Ming and Er Ming were confused.
"That would be me." Han Yuan calmly entered the stage while Ah Yin and Bi Ji walked on each of his sides.
"Mistress!" Da Ming and Er Ming greeted Bi Ji politely as soon as they saw Bi Ji. They still haven't forgotten the painful lesson they learned from the Great Beasts hidden in the Core of Star Dou Forest.
"Mm." Bi Ji waved her hand gently.
She gave these young guys an amused look because when the 'Great Beasts' of the Star Dou Forest awakened from their deep slumber not too long ago to reclaim the Core Area and Lake of Life, Da Ming and Er Ming arrogantly refused, prompting the Bear Lord to beat them up until they were black and blue.
How could mere 100,000-year-old guards dare to fight Bear Lord Xiong Jun? That's no different than courting death!
Then, Da Ming and Er Ming focused their gazes on Han Yuan and Ah Yin, which made them frown slightly.
Ah Yin didn't hide her aura much; it feels like blue silver grass with dark traits.
However, they couldn't see through Han Yuan.
At first glance, Han Yuan is just a young human. Yet, the more they tried to uncover Han Yuan's secret, the more dread they felt.
"Hello, Da Ming, Er Ming." Han Yuan ignored their probing. "I met Xiao Wu six years ago and saved her from a bum Title Douluo's scheme. She has been living with me ever since."
"Don't worry, I take care of her very well..."
'I definitely didn't use her as my experiment rat, I mean, rabbit! Definitely didn't!'
'Xiao Wu is my most precious pet!'
"..." Da Ming.
"..." Er Ming.
"Hehe..." Ah Yin chuckled gently, knowing the bum Title Douluo in Han Yuan's response is Tang Hao. He's indeed a bum.
Xiao Rou also chuckled, "And I am thankful for Benefactor's help. I can't imagine the horror Xiao Wu must face if she fell into that scheme."
"Damn it, Tang Hao... Just wait until this rabbit reaches the Spirit Douluo Realm. I will beat you up myself. How dare you scheme me!" Xiao Wu clenched her pink hands into fists and shouted indignantly.
Amused by Xiao Wu's declaration, Han Yuan couldn't wait for that day to happen. It would be such a funny sight.
"Anyway, besides bringing Aunt Rou and Xiao Wu here to have a reunion with you guys, I have other things to settle." Han Yuan added calmly.
"Am I right, Golden-Eyed Black Dragon, Di Tian?"
As soon as Han Yuan finished his line, a deep chuckle echoed in the Lake of Life. "Hmph, interesting."
A handsome man in a loose black robe appeared out of thin air, followed by several other human figures.
Even then, these human figures aren't humans. They are ferocious spirit beasts who have taken human form.
Di Tian stared at Han Yuan quietly, "What an interesting human. I sensed an unpleasant sensation from you. Was it your martial soul? No, it is your spirit ring."
Han Yuan smiled fearlessly and summoned Purple Silver Grass, causing the surrounding area to become dead silent.
An overbearing pressure of flawlessly merged Blue Silver Emperor and Thunder Hell Prison Vine, creation of the Void, made the ferocious spirit beasts unconsciously wince.
But the surprise is far from over.
Six spirit rings appeared one after another.
Every appearance of these spirit rings made the ferocious spirit beast feel a tingle in their very origins.
The first spirit ring is already black, possessing a purplish-green mark that resembles Thunderstruck Tree. Its age is 69,000 years old.
The second spirit ring is also black with purplish-gold leaves marks connected to a lonely bamboo pole. Its age is 89,999 years old.
The third spirit ring is already nearly red with some blackness and an emerald-green tree mark. Its age is 99,999 years old.
The fourth spirit ring is bloody red, marked with the image of sunny cattails. Its age has surpassed the 100,000-year-old mark, and it is currently 150,000 years old.
The first spirit ring is also bloody red, retaining the ghastly image of a thousand-branch mulberry tree, each branch seemingly painted with demonic eyes, and two golden marks on each side.
The golden marks represent this spirit ring reaching a ferocious age, and it is indeed 240,000 years old.
Finally, the sixth spirit ring attached to Purple Silver Grass manifests. It is overall scarlet in color with silver streaks, exuding a dreadful sensation, especially to dragons and space-attributed living beings.
There are three golden marks on this spirit ring, which means it is over 300,000 years old, and more precisely, 369,999 years old.
"Thunderstruck Tree, Fallen Lightning Bamboo, Skywart Tree..." A thin man in a green robe with woody-textured skin opened his mouth upon seeing Han Yuan's first to third spirit rings.
"Hiss, each of them is a rare plant-type spirit beast."
"Too bad, they have become this fellow's spirit rings."
"Oh, the Senior Demon King's ability is impressive." Han Yuan responded with a smile.
"You know me?" The thin man blinked his eyes.
Han Yuan pointed at his eyes before saying, "My eyes can see through the essence of all living beings."
"Even if your spiritual power is very high, you can't hide from them."
The thin man is known as the Myriad Demon King, a 500,000-year-old mutated Monster Tree, and also the ancestor of Zi Mei.
Meanwhile, Di Tian's expression changed rapidly upon sensing Han Yuan's fourth, fifth, and even sixth spirit rings.
"Extinct..." Di Tian clicked his tongue in annoyance. This annoyance comes from his very blood. "Tch, you actually possessed the spirit rings of Great Sun Thunder Cattails, Thousand-Eyed Mulberry Tree, and Heavenly Silver Tree."
"The Great Sun Thunder Cattails should have been extinct in the Dragon Clan's era. My father wiped them all out."
"Thousand-Eyed Mulberry underwent the same fate after devouring so many of my dragon kins, and even used their blood to condense spiritual blood fruits..."
"And the Heavenly Silver Tree. This damned tree shouldn't exist in this world in the first place."
"Yet, all of them actually become your spirit rings..." Di Tian gazed at Han Yuan with extreme bloodlust.
Han Yuan was unfazed by Di Tian's gaze and shrugged, "Yes, these plant spirit beasts have been extinct for a long time."
"However, you can't wipe out the inheritances that many of the current plants in the Douluo Continent have. Their genetics are still connected, even if millions of years have passed and buried it."
He pointed at the Myriad Demon King, "Senior Demon King, for example, was related to Thousand-Eyed Mulberry Tree, but you kept him alive as your companion."
"Yes, he swallowed heaven and earth treasure that allowed him to mutate, but that mutation has to come from other base factors, right?"
Di Tian chuckled indifferently, "Hehe, you're really good with your words, huh?"
"Thank you," Han Yuan responded flatly.
"That wasn't a compliment."
"Still, thank you."
"You brat..."
Han Yuan feigned to Di Tian's displeasure and continued speaking, "Don't worry, I obtained these extinct spirit rings from God-Bestowed Spirit Rings of my Thunder God Test."
"Thunder God..." Di Tian's eyes flickered in surprise. "No wonder I sensed something familiar from your spirit aside from those unpleasant things."
"But..."
"Being Thunder God's Inheritor doesn't mean you can be insolent to me, brat."
"Hey, brat this, brat that. I have a name, and it is Han Yuan." Han Yuan waved his hand while sighing.
"Even then, I wouldn't call the way I speak a matter of fact as insolent."
"Sure, you can kill me right now if you dare, but you would lose many things I've developed that can decide the fate of your race."
"He's speaking the truth..." Bi Ji suddenly chimed in. "He indeed has a way that can change the fate of spirit beasts."
Di Tian's golden eyes eased slightly, "Very well, I will forgive your offense for now."
"Hehe, that's good, but refuse!"
Han Yuan stated decisively.
"I don't need your so-called forgiveness!"
At this very moment, the tension erupted, and the atmosphere froze.