A few days later...
Tianmucheng sat on the bed and opened the box the old man had left for him. Inside was a soul bone—an external one—the left palm bone of a Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear.
He was surprised when he realized it was an external soul bone. At first, he had planned to absorb it once he became stronger, but now that one of his clones was more suitable, it made sense to let him absorb it instead.
Holding the soul bone in his hand, he glanced at Jin Tianming, who was cultivating, and asked,
"Do you want to absorb this external soul bone, Tianming?"
There was something important to consider: whether he absorbed the soul bone himself or his clone did, the benefits would transfer between them through the dragon soul. In short, with the dragon soul as a medium, both could use each other's soul bones freely.
Jin Tianming stopped practicing when he heard this, stood up, and walked over to sit beside Tianmucheng. His eyes landed on the soul bone. After a moment of thought, he said,
"This soul bone has a gold element attribute. It suits me, and since its ability will also be fed back to you, let me absorb it."
Tianmucheng nodded. Since they were all part of him anyway, he had no reason to object. He handed the soul bone to Jin Tianming.
Jin Tianming took it, sat cross-legged, and began the process of absorption.
Tianmucheng closed the box, sat on the bed, and watched him. His thoughts wandered.
Who killed the old man? Was it because of this soul bone... or something else?
He knew he'd only find out the truth once he became stronger.
"Level 10."
Jin Tianming's voice broke his thoughts. Tianmucheng blinked and asked,
"What time is it?"
"I've been absorbing for about half an hour," Jin Tianming replied, glancing at the sun outside the window.
"I see." Tianmucheng nodded. "Should we go hunting for soul beasts today, or wait a few days?"
"Let's go early and return early. I also want to see if absorbing the soul ring will affect your body," Jin Tianming said. As a clone created from the Dragon Soul martial spirit, he was curious whether absorbing a soul ring would cause feedback or changes in the original body.
"Then let's go!" Tianmucheng agreed. He was also eager to see what changes might occur after the gold-element clone absorbed the soul ring.
Without delay, they took action.
"Original body, you're seriously weak," Jin Tianming said mockingly, looking back at Tianmucheng who lagged behind. "How are you planning to get a girlfriend like this?"
Tianmucheng could only sigh. His body was indeed frail. If he wanted to change that, he had to get stronger—there was no other way.
Even though Jin Tianming teased him, he waited patiently. A few minutes later, Tianmucheng caught up, panting as he rested a hand on Jin Tianming's shoulder.
"This body's just like that. Nothing I can do."
Hearing this, Jin Tianming crouched down and said,
"Come on, I'll carry you."
Tianmucheng didn't argue. He simply climbed on.
---
The Outskirts of Xingdou Great Forest
Jin Tianming carried Tianmucheng all the way to the outskirts of the Xingdou Great Forest.
Luckily, their home wasn't far, so the trip didn't take long.
After putting Tianmucheng down, Jin Tianming suddenly remembered something.
"Wait... we don't even know what year this is."
"You're right!" Tianmucheng had been so busy, he'd completely forgotten about the timeline.
"After hunting the soul beast, let's go to Shrek City to figure it out," Jin Tianming suggested.
"Sounds good," Tianmucheng agreed. "Let's move quickly."
They entered the forest. This time, Tianmucheng took the lead since he had a spirit ring and was currently stronger than the clone.
"By the way, what kind of spirit beast are you aiming for?" Tianmucheng asked.
Jin Tianming thought for a moment.
"Something over 800 years old, with a gold element or strength attribute."
He glanced at Tianmucheng and added,
"If you think you can't handle it, I can settle for a lower-level soul ring."
Jin Tianming knew Tianmucheng's soul power was only level 12. Though it had risen a level thanks to their connection, it was still too low in his opinion. He could return to the original body after death, but if the original body died, that would be the end.
Tianmucheng just stepped behind him and said,
"Let me see what that soul bone of yours can do."
"..."
Jin Tianming was speechless but said nothing. As a clone, protecting the original body was part of his role.
They walked deeper into the forest.
The Xingdou Great Forest was the largest soul beast territory on the Douluo Continent, home to countless species.
Soon, they reached the area where Tianmucheng had previously hunted a Golden Armored Ape. They were hoping to find another one.
Although the Golden Armored Ape wasn't especially powerful, its gold attribute made it a good match.
"Looks like there aren't any left," Jin Tianming said, scanning the area. "Should we go deeper?"
"Yes. My body's not that weak," Tianmucheng replied firmly.
Helping Jin Tianming acquire a soul ring was their top priority. Whatever feedback or change might occur could be dealt with later. He couldn't hold Jin Tianming back just because of his own condition.
Jin Tianming nodded and summoned the external soul bone to clear the path. Tianmucheng stayed alert, keeping watch.
They traveled for a while. Along the way, Jin Tianming defeated several soul beasts, but none of them were more than a few decades old. He didn't even glance at the white soul rings they offered. Only beasts aged eight to nine hundred years were worth his time.
Then, suddenly—
"Something's coming."
Jin Tianming's expression turned serious. He sensed a dangerous presence ahead. Instinctively, he stepped in front of Tianmucheng, eyes sharp.
A massive gorilla appeared before them.
"There's a gold element in this one," Jin Tianming said. His sense for gold energy was sharp—he could feel it pulsing from the beast.
Tianmucheng was shocked. What were the odds? He'd run into a Golden Armored Ape before, and now Jin Tianming had found a gold-element gorilla.
This one looked far stronger than his previous opponent.
"Can you handle it alone?" Tianmucheng asked with concern. If not, he could summon his own external soul bone to help.
"Don't worry about me. Just protect yourself."
Jin Tianming's body was strong. He was confident he could handle this one. He dismissed his soul bone, clenched his fists, and prepared for battle.
The massive, hairy gorilla had been standing still, but now, sensing Jin Tianming's intent, its copper-colored eyes widened with fury.
With a deafening roar, it slammed its chest like a war drum, shaking nearby branches and scattering leaves. Then, with a thunderous stomp, it launched itself into the air, charging at Jin Tianming like a falling mountain.
It swung a massive fist, heavy as a boulder, with a sharp whistle of wind. But Jin Tianming remained calm.
He clenched his own fist, golden scales forming over his skin, then stepped forward and punched back.
---
(End of Chapter )