Through the Eye of Dao, Jing Shaoyu clearly saw the true forms of the two soul beasts in the valley. However, to Xu Xiaoyan and Gu Yue, it was as if they were blind—what they saw were merely two indistinct light spheres colliding repeatedly, with no way to discern what lay within.
"Brother Shaoyu, what kind of soul beasts are they?" Xu Xiaoyan asked, her face alight with curiosity.
Jing Shaoyu closed the Eye of Dao, reopened his normal eyes, and spoke softly, "The light on the left contains a ten-thousand-year Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear."
"What? A ten-thousand-year Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear?!" Xu Xiaoyan gasped, her hands covering her mouth in shock.
"And the other one?" Gu Yue interjected, her own expression showing hints of astonishment. "To go toe-to-toe with a ten-thousand-year Darkgolden Terrorclaw Bear, it must also be incredibly powerful."
"You're correct," Jing Shaoyu nodded. "The soul beast in the other sphere is also legendary—it's the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, the Emperor's Auspicious Beast!"
"An Auspicious Beast?!" Gu Yue exclaimed, her initial reaction being a strong urge to seize the beast. However, she immediately suppressed the thought. Her quick mind processed the implications, leaving her astonished yet contemplative.
"The Emperor's Auspicious Beast? The Three-Eyed Golden Lion?" Xu Xiaoyan, on the other hand, appeared confused, the topic going beyond her knowledge. She turned to Jing Shaoyu and Gu Yue, seeking answers.
Jing Shaoyu explained, "Do you remember the beast tide that the Star Dou Forest launched against Shrek Academy thousands of years ago? The catalyst for that event was the death of a Three-Eyed Golden Lion."
"Ah!" Xu Xiaoyan's mouth fell open in shock.
"Legend has it," Gu Yue added, her tone carrying a mix of reverence and sorrow, "that the Three-Eyed Golden Lion was an Auspicious Beast birthed by the fortune of the Star Dou Forest, bearing the soul beast race's hope and destiny. As long as it lived, the cultivation speed of all soul beasts in the forest would double, even triple. It could enhance the success rates of breakthroughs for ten-thousand-year soul beasts and mitigate heavenly tribulations for savage beasts. Its mere presence brought prosperity to the Star Dou Forest, which is why it was called the Emperor's Auspicious Beast.
"If it had grown into a hundred-thousand-year soul beast and ascended as the true Soul Beast Emperor, the soul beast race might have reclaimed the Douluo Continent. Unfortunately, it perished. Since then, the soul beast race has been plagued by misfortune, leading to its decline."
"That's incredible!" Xu Xiaoyan exclaimed, only to pause and frown slightly. "But in a way, it's fortunate it died. Otherwise…"
Her sentiment reflected the common human perspective. What was a hero to one side could be an enemy to the other. Her words, though logical, caused a pang of subtle heartache in Gu Yue.
"Legend also says that the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's soul ring and soul bone were absorbed by the Spirit Ice Douluo, Huo Yuhao," Jing Shaoyu added, noticing Gu Yue's flickering expression. "Its head soul bone is said to be the strongest of all known soul bones, renowned for its unparalleled enhancement of spiritual power."
"Hah!" Gu Yue let out a dry laugh. "It carried the destiny of the soul beast race. How could it not be powerful?"
"Really?" Xu Xiaoyan's eyes sparkled. "Brother Shaoyu, wouldn't that soul bone be perfect for you? Shouldn't we make a plan to claim it?"
The idea excited her. The thought of Jing Shaoyu obtaining the legendary head soul bone filled her with anticipation.
Gu Yue also turned to look at Jing Shaoyu. Her expression was complex, yet a hint of agreement shimmered in her eyes. If it were him, perhaps…
Jing Shaoyu, however, chuckled bitterly. "Do you truly believe this Three-Eyed Golden Lion is real? Such a unique creature has never appeared more than once in history. I'm certain this one is just a replica created by Shrek Academy using special techniques."
"That's such a pity," Xu Xiaoyan and Gu Yue both sighed, realizing the truth. Xu Xiaoyan looked disappointed. "It seemed so fitting for you, Brother Shaoyu—especially since it, like you, has three eyes."
"There's no need to feel disappointed," Jing Shaoyu reassured her, gently patting her head. "Even if it were real, I wouldn't harm it just for a soul bone."
"Why not?" Xu Xiaoyan asked, her eyes filled with curiosity.
Gu Yue, too, regarded him with a mix of surprise and interest, eager to hear his reasoning.
"Because it's a creature capable of love," Jing Shaoyu said solemnly, his gaze softening with empathy. "The Three-Eyed Golden Lion was highly intelligent. It once took human form, wandered the human world, and fell in love with the young Spirit Ice Douluo, Huo Yuhao. Later, when he faced mortal danger, it sacrificed itself to become his soul ring, saving his life.
"A soul beast willing to give its life for love deserves respect, not harm. If I were to hurt it for personal gain, I'd never find peace again."
"To think there's such a beautiful love story between the Three-Eyed Golden Lion and the Spirit Ice Douluo…" Xu Xiaoyan's expression grew wistful. "I hope that when he ascended to the Divine Realm, he revived the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. That way, they could be together forever."
Jing Shaoyu's face briefly turned awkward at the thought. Revive? Technically, yes. It was revived—right into a hybrid form. Quite the patchwork.
As he mused internally, he suddenly felt a soft hand gripping his own. Turning his head, he found Gu Yue staring at him, her gaze deep and full of unspoken emotion.
It dawned on him that his words had inadvertently struck a chord with her. He'd forgotten—Gu Yue, too, was a romantic at heart, even more so than the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
Though he inwardly mocked the impracticality of such sentiments, Jing Shaoyu couldn't deny the warmth in his chest as he returned her gaze. With a smile, he gently clasped her hand in his own, letting her feel his warmth.
The response seemed to calm Gu Yue, though she quickly turned her head away. Her emotions flickered between sweetness and an unplaceable agitation.
Meanwhile, Xu Xiaoyan remained oblivious to the silent exchange, still lost in the love story of the Auspicious Beast.
The trio's quiet conversation was interrupted by a thunderous roar from the valley.
"Boom!"
An earth-shaking explosion sent shockwaves rippling outward. Jing Shaoyu quickly pulled both girls to the ground, shielding them as best he could.
The energy emanating from the valley intensified. Feeling its power, Jing Shaoyu realized the battle had reached its climax.
Peeking over the edge, he saw the two beasts moving deeper into the valley, their roars growing fainter. The valley stretched on endlessly, obscuring their final destination.
"They're gone," Xu Xiaoyan said, her tone both relieved and surprised.
"Yes, they've left," Jing Shaoyu confirmed.
"Good. I thought we'd have to fight them," Xu Xiaoyan said, letting out a sigh of relief.
The departure of the two beasts was undoubtedly a stroke of luck for the trio. Yet, as they prepared to move on, Jing Shaoyu's mind remained preoccupied. He was beginning to understand the true purpose of the ninth test.