Looking at Ye Lingling's puzzled expression, Dragon Chen smiled and shook his head, instructing her:
"Lingling, this is Millennium Whale Gel. Before consuming it, you need to soften it with intense fire. Eat one pellet per week. After eating, you will feel a burning sensation throughout your body; don't worry, just activate your spirit power to cultivate and slowly suppress it. After eating a few pellets, you will gradually get used to it."
"So that's how it is. This way of eating is quite unique."
"Also, don't tell anyone this is Whale Gel. If anyone asks, just say it's a tonic I specially prepared for you."
"Okay, I understand."
Dragon Chen didn't want more people to know about the body-strengthening effects of Whale Gel, so he decided to keep it a secret for now.
Ye Lingling suddenly thought of something.
"By the way, Brother Chen, do you know about the All-Continent Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Competition?"
"I know. What about it?"
"Once you break through to rank thirty, come to our Royal Academy, and you might become a member of the Royal Academy's combat team, representing the Royal Academy in the Soul Master Competition. From what I understand, there aren't many strong young students in our Royal Academy. Sister Yan is one, and another is Yu Tianheng, a direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
Dragon Chen smiled.
"It's still early. We'll see then. By the way, is Dugu Yan still good to you?"
"She's very good. However, we're about to separate. Her spirit power is about to break through rank twenty-five, and she'll become a Heaven-tier student then."
"Separation is only temporary; you two will still cultivate together in the future."
Dragon Chen knew that according to the timeline, Ye Lingling, Dugu Yan, and Yu Tianheng would become teammates.
Furthermore, Yu Tianheng would become the captain of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy's main team, and Dugu Yan would become the vice-captain.
However, it was still early, and there might be variables in the future.
If he could join the Royal Academy combat team, Dragon Chen would have more opportunities to interact with Dugu Yan, and thus, more opportunities to enter the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Dragon Chen and Ye Lingling went to find Uncle Ye, and after eating at the Royal Academy, the two of them left.
Not long after returning, Dragon Chen began the second phase of his special training: battling Spirit Beasts in the Soul Beast Forest.
Uncle Ye would find suitable Spirit Beasts for Dragon Chen.
Starting with lower-level Spirit Beasts that had cultivated for a few decades, they gradually moved up to Hundred-Year-level Spirit Beasts as Dragon Chen's opponents.
Compared to the previous physical training, this was truly devilish training and more challenging.
In the intense battles with Spirit Beasts, Dragon Chen was injured again and again, and each time he was exhausted.
Fortunately, with Ye Susu, a powerful healer, even serious injuries could be safely healed.
Dragon Chen's strength also advanced by leaps and bounds through such challenging experiences.
Not only did his body become more resilient, but his speed also increased, and he mastered more advanced combat techniques.
During this period, Dragon Chen defeated many different kinds of Spirit Beasts.
Although he injured many Spirit Beasts, he never took the life of a single one.
Aside from training, he spent the rest of his time cultivating and studying at Guang'an Hall.
Now, his medical skills had made great progress, and he had mastered many herb combinations and simple alchemy techniques.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
That day, Dragon Chen opened his eyes from cultivation, and his heart was suddenly startled.
"I finally broke through to rank thirty!"
Dragon Chen told this news to Uncle Ye and Ye Susu.
Both husband and wife were very happy.
Uncle Ye exclaimed:
"Long Chen, you are not even eleven years old yet, and your spirit power has already broken through to rank thirty. Such growth speed is truly astonishing."
Ye Susu also exclaimed:
"Indeed. At this rate, Long Chen will surely achieve the accomplishment of a Titled Douluo in the future."
Both of them were proud of Dragon Chen's progress.
Dragon Chen said:
"Uncle, Auntie, this time, I want to hunt a defensive Spirit Beast for my third spirit ring. What do you think?"
The two looked at each other and smiled.
"Long Chen, a few days ago, your auntie and I were just talking about this. Your idea coincides with ours. Your Spirit does indeed have a weakness in defense. However, given the special abilities of your Spirit and your two unusual Spirit Abilities, after absorbing the third spirit ring, perhaps you can summon a defensive ferocious beast through the Sound of the Magic Lyre."
"Hmm, that's what I was thinking too."
Dragon Chen's first two Spirit Abilities summoned a Taotie and a Nine-tailed Fox, both ancient exotic beasts.
His Darknight Demon Lyre seemed to contain some mysterious and ancient power.
This gave him an idea: if the hunted Spirit Beast had similarities to ancient exotic beasts, he could summon a corresponding exotic beast through the Sound of the Magic Lyre.
No matter what type of Spirit Master, they need to possess a certain defensive capability.
Dragon Chen thought that if his third Spirit Ability could summon a defensive exotic beast, it would not only greatly enhance his own defensive capabilities but also make this Spirit Ability seem less strange.
The next day, Dragon Chen and Uncle Ye departed from Heaven Dou City, heading towards the Star Dou Great Forest.
The Star Dou Great Forest had a wide variety of Spirit Beasts, making it easier to find suitable ones.
This time, they were looking for a turtle-type or other hard-shelled Spirit Beast that had cultivated for over a thousand years.
Of course, turtle-type Spirit Beasts with stronger defense were the first choice.
Turtle-type Spirit Beasts prefer water and generally appear in places with water, such as lakes, rivers, and swamps.
Uncle Ye and Dragon Chen slowly walked along the winding river.
Sunlight filtered through the dense tree canopy, dappling the flowing water and shimmering with specks of golden light.
The two maintained a high degree of vigilance, their sharp gazes sweeping the surroundings.
Uncle Ye suddenly stopped in his tracks.
He felt an unusual spirit power fluctuation coming from not far away.
Dragon Chen and Uncle Ye exchanged glances, tacitly slowing their steps and approaching silently.
On a wide river beach ahead, next to a huge bluestone, a massive creature was leisurely enjoying the afternoon sun.
It was an enormous Green Turtle Beast, its heavy shell a deep, dark green, its surface covered with intricate and mysterious patterns, as if it had accumulated thousands of years of vicissitudes.
The Green Turtle Beast's four limbs were thick and powerful, its head massive, its eyes slightly closed, and its mouth occasionally twitched, as if it were chewing something in its dream.
It was precisely because of its indestructible turtle shell defense that it dared to lie uninhibited on the river beach, enjoying the sunbath.
Dragon Chen whispered:
"Uncle Ye, that Green Turtle Beast's cultivation seems to be more than a thousand years."
"Yes. Its cultivation is around three thousand years."
"Then I'll use it for my third spirit ring."
Dragon Chen's tone was firm and full of confidence.
Theoretically, the maximum cultivation year a Spirit Master can withstand when absorbing a third spirit ring is one thousand seven hundred and sixty years.
However, Dragon Chen's Spirit was of good quality.
Moreover, he had consumed Millennium Whale Gel, and his body's toughness was incomparable to that of ordinary Spirit Masters.
He believed he could withstand the impact of a three-thousand-year spirit ring's energy.