Chapter 110: The Terrifying Soul Bone
Seeing Dugu Yan approaching, Zhu Zhuqing was a bit surprised.
She and Dai Yao had become one through their shared triumphs and losses, so it was only natural for her to stand by his side. However, she hadn't expected Dugu Yan to do the same, knowing the danger involved.
In Zhu Zhuqing's mind, Dugu Yan was a reckless, willful woman, and her ruthless killings during the competition were proof of that.
Despite Dugu Yan's repeated advances over the past three years, Zhu Zhuqing still remained cautious. She believed Dugu Yan's closeness to Dai Yao was likely for revenge, to pay him back for the humiliation he had caused her during the competition.
If Jackson became consumed with greed for the soul bone and Dai Yao didn't hand it over, his life could be in danger. Dugu Yan, being the granddaughter of the Poison Douluo, could stand by and watch as Jackson wouldn't dare offend her.
But if Dugu Yan stopped being a bystander and chose to stand by Dai Yao, Jackson, if his desire grew intense, would not hesitate to disregard her identity. Thus, Zhu Zhuqing found Dugu Yan's actions surprising. Her gaze softened as she no longer looked at her with hostility.
"Jackson, if you want it, take the soul bone," Dai Yao said after much contemplation, his eyes darting around before he spoke.
The soul bone was precious, but one had to be alive to absorb it.
Jackson stroked his beard, his gaze at Dai Yao full of complexity—joy, disappointment, and regret all mixed together.
"Not bad. You understand how to assess the situation and have the guts to give up the soul bone. Your temperament surpasses that of many adults. When I was your age, I couldn't resist the temptation of a soul bone either."
He then walked over to Dai Yao and, seeing his disciple's cautious expression, felt a pang of irritation. He flicked him on the head and scolded, "You brat, I'm your teacher! Are you so wary of me? How could I covet my disciple's soul bone?"
He wasn't angry, but there was a hint of pity in his tone. Ever since Dai Yao had joined the Oaklan Academy, Jackson had learned about his past through the Spirit Hall.
The Prince of Xing Luo, alone and without family, had developed a cautious and suspicious personality as a result. In his world, it seemed that personal gain held a higher priority than relationships. He probably hadn't experienced real affection before, so he thought that even the bond between teacher and student could not stand against the temptation of a soul bone.
Jackson, understanding Dai Yao's motives, was determined to provide more companionship for this lonely, love-deprived child.
"Principal?" Dai Yao raised his head, surprised to look at Jackson.
"Stop looking around! Quickly absorb the soul bone! Only when the soul bone and soul ring are matched can their full power be unleashed," Jackson said sternly, feigning a serious expression.
"Mm." Dai Yao felt a warmth in his heart. Apart from his third uncle Dai Hengyu, Jackson was the second person to give without asking anything in return.
Nodding, Dai Yao retrieved the left palm bone from the Dark Gold Fearsome Claw Bear's body. The bone was massive, with three-foot-long claws that gleamed with cold light, giving off an intimidating aura.
He took a deep breath, placing the bloodstained bone on his hand and guided his soul power to cover it. Gradually, the bone turned into a dark golden liquid, enveloping Dai Yao's left hand entirely.
Pain!
Once the left palm bone enveloped Dai Yao's hand, it felt like he had plunged his hand into magma—excruciatingly hot and burning intensely. Sweat poured from his palms as his hand trembled uncontrollably.
As Dai Yao endured the intense pain, three soul rings uncontrollably appeared, particularly the third purple soul ring, which shimmered with a hint of black.
Once the Dark Gold Fearsome Claw Bear's soul ring appeared, the pain in Dai Yao's hand quickly alleviated.
In a few moments, Dai Yao's hand stopped trembling, and from the gaps in his finger bones, sharp, deadly claws began to grow. They were the Dark Gold Fearsome Claw Bear's claws.
The claws were incredibly powerful, and the bear's fearsome claws had been the very weapon used to injure Emperor Tian.
Among all soul bones, the Dark Gold Fearsome Claw Bear's soul bone was likely one of the strongest in terms of offensive power.
Dai Yao kept moving his left hand, observing the sharp claws carefully.
"These feel a bit like Wolverine's claws," he thought to himself.
Although it was not the Dark Gold Fearsome Claw Bear's right palm bone, he didn't feel regret. The two claws looked nearly identical, with the right palm bone being slightly more powerful.
However, external soul bones were hard to come by and were a rare stroke of luck. He had no reason to feel regret.
Moreover, external soul bones could grow over time, and who knows, perhaps it could eventually grow to 100,000 years. At that point, its power would be astonishing—perhaps even reaching the level of the Bear King.
"Try the power of the soul bone," Jackson asked curiously.
Hearing this, Dai Yao also felt intrigued. He walked over to a massive rock and stood before it, its width greater than his height. He felt a chill down his spine.
He swung his left palm hard. To his surprise, when his claw sank into the massive rock, there was no resistance. It was as smooth as cutting tofu.
He buried his left claw deeply into the rock and walked around it. With a crunch, the massive rock split into two, the top portion falling to the ground. The break was as smooth as a mirror.
The three people present were all stunned.
"Such sharp claws!" Jackson exclaimed in admiration.
"Without even using a soul technique, this soul bone already has such power!" Dugu Yan's jade-like face was filled with shock.
Even the usually cold Zhu Zhuqing had an amazed expression on her face.
"Since the soul bone has already been absorbed, let's leave quickly. The strange beast tide earlier gave me an uneasy feeling," Jackson said sternly.
Upon hearing this, Dai Yao's expression changed. He had been planning to obtain Tang Shenwang's Eight Spider Lances Soul Bone, and if he missed it now, it would be a huge loss.
But thinking about the mysterious beast tide, his heart sank. He nodded and said, "Let's leave quickly then. We'll form up as we did when we came in. Zhu Zhuqing will scout ahead, Dugu Yan will stay in the middle, and I'll bring up the rear."
The two women nodded, and the three of them left without haste, maintaining their formation. Jackson disappeared into the forest, silently watching over them.
End of Chapter 110
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Canserbero10