A gentle force instantly surged into his body, helping him break through the level 30 barrier.
But this was not the end.
The energy continued to pour in relentlessly, pushing against the new bottleneck.
His Soul Power level climbed steadily—level 31, level 32... until it stabilized at level 33, and only then did the force gradually recede!
Before Su Yu, the Crimson Serpent Tiger's massive body was visibly withering at a rapid pace.
Its once full muscles and fur quickly lost their luster, as if all vitality had been drained by an invisible power.
He could clearly sense a pure energy being stripped from the Crimson Serpent Tiger's corpse, transforming into a faint stream of light that continuously converged into the spot between his eyebrows.
That was precisely where the External Spirit Bone was located.
As the Crimson Serpent Tiger's essence was continuously absorbed, a faint golden glow emanated from Su Yu's brow, and an increasingly powerful aura spread from it.
He could distinctly perceive that the energy contained within the External Spirit Bone was rapidly surging.
Originally only a thousand-year Soul Bone, under the nourishment of this pure energy, it broke through its constraints and climbed all the way.
When the last trace of energy was fully absorbed, the golden light at Su Yu's brow suddenly brightened before quickly receding.
He closed his eyes, carefully sensing the changes, and couldn't help but feel a surge of joy:
The essence of this Ten-thousand-year Scarlet Flame Tiger had actually allowed his External Spirit Bone to directly advance to the five-thousand-year level!
The power contained within the Soul Bone became more condensed, faintly carrying a trace of the Scarlet Flame Tiger's unique ferocity.
"This External Spirit Bone sure knows how to take advantage."
Dugu Bo, who had witnessed the scene, curled his lips, though his tone held a hint of surprise.
"To directly absorb a Soul Beast's essence and advance—that's quite rare."
Yue Guan also nodded. "External Spirit Bones are rare to begin with, and those capable of growth are even rarer. Your Highness truly has remarkable fortune."
Su Yu opened his eyes, raised his hand to touch the spot between his eyebrows, and could feel the power emanating from there, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Having absorbed a Ten-thousand-year Soul Ring and advanced the External Spirit Bone to five thousand years, this trip to the Sunset Forest had yielded far greater rewards than expected.
"Uncle Guan, since we need to help Old Poison's family detoxify, we can return to Heaven Dou City now!"
"Good, we'll follow Your Highness's arrangements!"
Dugu Bo also rubbed his hands somewhat restlessly, after all, his son still hadn't been freed from the threat of the toxin, and Su Yu's words struck a chord with him!
The three of them headed toward Heaven Dou City and, in less than half an hour, arrived back.
Chrysanthemum Douluo went with Dugu Bo to his residence, while Su Yu returned alone to the Spirit Hall in Heaven Dou City.
As night deepened, the courtyard of the Spirit Hall was quiet, with only moonlight casting a faint silver glow on the stone-paved path.
Seeing that Chrysanthemum Douluo had not returned for a long time, Su Yu was just about to go to Dugu Bo's residence to check on the situation.
At that moment, a dark figure suddenly darted out from behind a pillar, carrying a sharp fist wind aimed directly at his abdomen.
Su Yu reacted swiftly, tapping his toes to propel himself several feet backward, narrowly avoiding the sudden punch.
Before he could steady himself, the figure closed in like a shadow, its fist wrapped in Soul Power striking again.
Under the bright moonlight, Su Yu finally got a clear look at the assailant's appearance.
The young man appeared to be about fifteen or sixteen years old, with a tall and straight figure and a hint of arrogance between his brows. Yet, Su Yu had no recollection of ever knowing him.
"Who are you?"
Su Yu demanded sternly, Soul Power already flowing beneath his feet as he prepared for any sudden moves.
"This is the Spirit Hall. How dare you trespass?"
The opponent's Soul Power fluctuations indicated they were only at the Soul Ancestor level. How audacious to attempt an assassination here!
The young man sneered, his fist still surging forward: "Remember this, brat!"
"I am Xue Qinghe, the second prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, and today I'm here to take your wretched life!"
Hearing this, Su Yu finally realized who this person was—it was Qian Renxue.
But the Angel Divine Armor Soul Bone's ability was truly outrageous!
If Qian Renxue hadn't revealed her identity, he would never have guessed that this young man before him was actually her!
Though he understood the situation, Su Yu deliberately feigned confusion on his face. After dodging another punch, he grinned playfully:
"Ah! You want to take my dog's life? But my dog isn't here. How are you going to take my dog's life?"
"Hmph, glib-tongued brat, prepare to die!"
With that, the "young man" threw a punch aimed directly at Su Yu's cheek, as if intending to rearrange his face.
Su Yu raised his hand and firmly blocked the incoming fist, feeling the tremor of colliding Soul Power in his palm.
His smile never faltering, he leaned in closer and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"My dog Xiao Hui really isn't here, but it seems there's a proud little puppy right here!"
The "young man's" fist suddenly froze, a flicker of shock and embarrassment flashing in her eyes. Clearly, she hadn't expected Su Yu to see through her disguise.
Under the moonlight, the tips of her ears faintly reddened, but she remained defiant:
"Nonsense! Take this!"
Their fists clashed again, the stone slabs in the courtyard trembling slightly from the impact of their Soul Power.
The two exchanged blows once more, the dull thuds echoing as they were both forced back several steps by the shockwave.
Steadying himself, Su Yu looked at the slightly breathless "young man" before him, a mischievous smirk curling at the corner of his lips:
"How bold! You dare to assassinate me, Your Highness? I'll capture you right now, you little thief! Wood Release: Tree Binding Eternal Imprisonment!"
With a sharp crack, the ground behind the "young man" split open, and a thick wooden vine burst forth like a spirit serpent, coiling around her waist.
"Not good!"
Panic gripped the "young man's" heart as she tried to sidestep, but it was already too late.
The vine instantly wrapped around her waist, then began to grow and spread at an astonishing rate.
In the blink of an eye, the interwoven branches and leaves transformed into a towering tree, firmly imprisoning her at its center. Her limbs were tightly bound by the resilient branches, leaving her completely immobilized.
"You!"
Shocked and furious, the "young man" surged her Soul Power, attempting to shatter the tree.
But the wooden vines were incredibly resilient and were even absorbing her Soul Power. No matter how she struggled, the bindings remained unyielding, tightening even further.
Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, falling upon the "young man's" slightly flushed face.
She glared at Su Yu, her eyes filled with a mix of humiliation and anger, yet also carrying a trace of barely noticeable panic.
This was the first time since she had disguised herself as Xue Qinghe that she had been reduced to such a sorry state.
Su Yu slowly approached the tree, studying the bound "young man" with keen interest, deliberately drawing out his words:
"The Second Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire? I think you're some petty thief from who-knows-where! How dare you impersonate a Heaven Dou prince to attempt assassination? Speak up, who sent you?"
He leaned closer, his gaze lingering on the other's chest rising and falling slightly under the constricting vines, the smirk on his lips deepening:
"Oh, and I forgot to mention—once my Wood Release binds someone, it won't release easily without my command."
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