Chapter 43

Yin Xiaoya felt a pang of sympathy.

The strength of soul beasts depended primarily on their years of cultivation; naturally, the higher the years of cultivation, the higher the level. However, this didn't negate the importance of a second factor: the quality of the soul beast itself.

Much like the martial soul of a soul master, at the same level, the quality of the martial soul directly influenced the outcome. The same held true for soul beasts; the higher the quality of the soul beast, the more potent it became, with a hundred years of its cultivation potentially equaling a thousand years for other soul beasts.

"Wait, wait! I didn't come here to fight it."

Shaking his head, Yin Xiaoya nearly lost sight of his original purpose: to help the Azure Flame Heaven Griffin unlock the power of a Kamen Rider. What's most important at this time? he wondered. Yes, communication is the key. Yin Xiaoya was prepared to unleash the Mantis Greeed, hoping that a former soul beast could sway the Griffin's perspective.

However, before he could retrieve the Mantis Core Medal, an uninvited guest descended from the sky, landing between them without warning. The impact of its massive body sent shockwaves through the ground, causing the magma to erupt.

Yin Xiaoya swallowed hard, slowly lifting his head to gaze at the hulking monster that had suddenly appeared. His gaze met a pair of fiery red eyes.

[Warning! Warning! Warning! Warning!...] the system blared.

"Don't warn me, you think I can't see we're in trouble?"

The newcomer was indeed a Ghost-Faced Griffin, but even the largest of those that had chased him earlier would only reach its midthigh. It towered at roughly twenty meters in height, with a body nearly forty meters long, its presence dominating the open space.

Without a doubt, this must be the leader of the Ghost-Faced Griffins, the one Su Xuan had mentioned, with at least fifty thousand years of cultivation. The sheer pressure from its presence overwhelmed Yin Xiaoya.

But what truly took Yin Xiaoya's breath away was the system's next announcement.

[Correction! The initial data was incorrect. This one is at least one hundred thousand years old. Only soul beasts exceeding one hundred thousand years can evade the system's initial detection.]

Fuck, this is no joke, Yin Xiaoya thought. A soul beast over one hundred thousand years old had already reached the strength of a Titled Douluo. Where is the hope of fighting? Sigh, is it time to use that Wizard Ring for escape? Just as Yin Xiaoya was about to retrieve the teleportation ring he'd won in a previous lottery, the leader Ghost Griffin, which had been bending over to observe him, slowly raised its head. A deep, resonant voice echoed through the clearing.

"So, you are not a soul master. No wonder my people allowed you to breach their defenses. However, despite not being a soul master, your strength as a human is not insignificant. Normally, having overcome my people's obstruction, you would earn my respect. But… you are not a soul master. What I possess would be useless to you. Therefore, I suggest you step aside."

[Speaking… its cultivation base is at least 170,000 years.]

Ignoring the system's running commentary, Yin Xiaoya focused on what the Griffin had just said. "If I were a soul master, you'd give it to me? What do you mean? If a soul master came here, would you allow them to turn the Griffin into a spirit ring?"

Yin Xiaoya found it unbelievable, but the towering Griffin nodded its massive head. "That was the original intention. This son of mine is the result of a mutation within our race. Its existence poses a grave threat to the reproductive success of the Ghost-Faced Griffin clan. Therefore, from the moment of its birth, I have kept it confined. It is still one of my own, and we cannot bring ourselves to kill one another. Even I cannot do it. So, I placed it here, awaiting the arrival of a soul master who could claim it as a spirit ring."

Yin Xiaoya understood. "You mean, you cannot do it yourself, so you are entrusting a human to do it?"

"Simply handing it over to a human would bring the wrath of the heavens upon me, as a leader. Therefore, I instructed my people to obstruct any humans venturing into this area. Only those who prove themselves worthy by reaching this point are eligible to obtain my son's spirit ring. You are the first in thousands of years to achieve this. You are unique, but unfortunately, you are not a soul master. Your strength must have been hard-earned, so step aside, and I assure you, my people will not harm you."

Yin Xiaoya was silent. He couldn't impose his will on a community of soul beasts. Just as the female praying mantis devours the male after mating, who was he to declare it wrong? If this Azure Flame Heaven Griffin truly jeopardized the Ghost-Faced Griffin's future, as the leader claimed, then its decision was understandable. But what did the Azure Flame Heaven Griffin think? Did it deserve to have its life dictated solely because it was different?

With that thought, Yin Xiaoya raised his head. "If I were to tell you that I, too, seek to help it, would you give it to me?"

The leader Ghost Griffin shook its head. "Our goal is to ensure that beings like it no longer emerge in this world. The most suitable fate is to allow it to become a human's spirit ring. This satisfies our requirements and allows it to continue existing in another meaningful form."

Ha, this logic, Yin Xiaoya thought. It's hard to tell whether it's cruel or kind.

"I possess the means to grant it a more meaningful existence than a spirit ring, one that transcends its identity as a soul beast. Of course, as a human, my words may lack credibility. Therefore, I will summon an entity who was once a soul beast to speak on my behalf. Come forth, Mantis."

Responding to Yin Xiaoya's call, the Mantis Greeed materialized. Upon seeing the leader Ghost Griffin, she exclaimed, "Ghost Griffin King?!"

"Huh? You bear the scent of a Bone Scythe Mantis… What is the meaning of this?"

The Ghost-Faced Griffin King was clearly surprised by the Mantis Greeed's presence.

With Yin Xiaoya's permission, the Mantis Greeed recounted Yin Xiaoya's explanation. Yin Xiaoya noticed the subtle flicker in the Griffin King's eyes as he listened, suggesting genuine interest.

"To transform a soul beast's essence into another form of existence, one that retains life but transcends its nature as a soul beast… Intriguing. Indeed, intriguing."

The Ghost-Faced Griffin King turned its gaze toward Yin Xiaoya. With a slight tremor of its massive wings, the colossal body slowly levitated, clearing the space.

"Human, I am amenable to your proposition. I believe that no superior alternative exists for this son of mine. However, even if a soul master were to stand before me, this final step cannot be circumvented. My kin, even when mutated, possesses a noble soul. If you desire to obtain it, then you must fight. Use your strength to conquer it."

Having spoken, the Griffin King turned its gaze to the Azure Flame Heaven Griffin, addressing it in a tone tinged with helplessness and sorrow. "My child, this is the final respect that our clan can offer you. Engage in battle with a peaceful heart. None shall dare to interfere."

Yin Xiaoya rolled his eyes. In the end, he still wants me to fight. What was the point of all that talking? He instructed the Mantis Greeed to revert to its coin form, then walked to a spot less than ten steps from the Azure Flame Heaven Griffin.

"Snoring…"

The Azure Flame Heaven Griffin emitted a low growl, indicating its acceptance of this arrangement. Unparalleled fighting intent ignited within its eyes, and the blue flame patterns on its body surged with vibrant blue flames. The intensity of the heat surpassed the surrounding environment, and Yin Xiaoya, even at a distance, felt the rising temperature.

[Azure Flame Heaven Griffin possesses the Flame of Emotion. The stronger its emotions, the more terrifying the power of its flames.]

Upon hearing the system's explanation, Yin Xiaoya was taken aback. The soul beast before him possessed a skill akin to idealism? Overcome with excitement, he let out a hearty laugh and assumed a fighting stance.

"Hahahaha, what a Flame of Emotion! It's a pity I can only unlock the Henshin Onsa. With such aptitude, it wouldn't be surprising if you could unlock the power of the main cavalry. That little fat man really earned it!"

"Wow!!!"

The Azure Flame Heaven Griffin didn't understand Yin Xiaoya's words. It knew only to defeat the strange-looking human before it, allowing itself to burn brightly without regret as the final fireworks of a soul beast.

It raised its fist, and in an instant, it stood before Yin Xiaoya, swinging down at the human, who was dwarfed in comparison.

"ROAR!!!"

Yin Xiaoya shuddered slightly and threw out his fists without hesitation. The two fists, one enormous and one small, collided in mid-air, unleashing shockwaves that rippled outward. The ground trembled, and magma splashed, yet the human and the beast stood motionless, locked in a contest of strength.

"???"

Seeing the puzzled expression on the Griffin's face, Yin Xiaoya laughed. "What's so strange? You are still far behind the power of idealism! Come again!"

As if sensing Yin Xiaoya's provocation, both sides threw another punch almost simultaneously. The two fists collided again, and then another, each punch faster and harder than the last. The bursts of shockwaves generated by the punches tore the open space into a web of cracks, toppling stone pillars.

Even the other members of the Ghost-Faced Griffin clan were stunned, approaching the scene. Witnessing the Azure Flame Heaven Griffin locked in combat with the human, they halted their advance, quietly surrounding the clearing to witness the duel.

Another blow landed, and the lower bodies of the combatants finally shifted, both retreating.

"Whoo~"

Yin Xiaoya noticed that the Griffin's face, as dark as a crow, appeared to lift at that moment, revealing a hint of joy. Blue flames erupted from its right fist, growing brighter and more intense until its entire fist emitted a dazzling blue light.

***

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