The Return of Godkin

Chapter 212: Giving up a soul bone for a friend

Charging in blindly was how people died. He had learned that the hard way. If the examiners wanted to test them, then staying calm and waiting until everyone was in peak condition was the smartest response.

So they waited.

Twilight bled into the forest, turning the world a deep indigo. When the shadows grew long and heavy, Ray climbed a tall tree and surveyed the endless canopy.

Then a howl tore the sky apart.

The sound struck like a hammer. Leaves shook loose, birds burst into the air in frantic swarms, and for a brief instant, even Ray's blood ran cold. His blood essence surged on its own, burning away the fear before it could settle.

He froze, breath locked in his throat.

That howl was nothing like anything he had ever heard.

Even the ten-thousand-year Three-Eyed Demon Ape that had once nearly killed him had not sounded so overwhelming.

He slid down the tree and rushed back.

Raziel's face was already pale. "W-what was that? My heart nearly jumped out."

Violetta clutched her staff, knuckles white, and even Lily's composed gaze wavered.

"I don't know," Ray said quietly, "but it was close."

Another roar followed, sharper and more piercing, vibrating straight through their bones. Strangely, instead of fear, it left behind a chilling clarity, as if whatever made that sound was daring the heavens to respond.

Lily broke the silence. "Let's go."

Ray nodded. "We have to. If we don't go to it, it'll come to us."

Wind birds took flight from Lily's hands, and the four advanced in tight formation. Ray led, his bloodline aura masking their presence as much as it could.

"There's a valley to the left," Lily whispered. "A powerful gust scattered my wind birds there."

Ray pushed his blood essence higher. Golden scales rippled across his arm and a golden soul ring flared beneath him, the warm aura dulling the crushing pressure in the air.

The forest suddenly opened into a wide, verdant valley.

The moment they neared its edge, the air grew thick, heavy with terrifying power. Ray dropped to the ground without hesitation. "Crawl."

The others followed, inching forward until they could peer over the ridge.

The sight below stole their breath.

Two colossal figures were locked in battle, each impact sending shockwaves ripping through the valley. Boulders shattered. The ground cracked. Even the sky seemed to tremble.

Ray's Purple Demon Eyes burned as he forced his vision through the blinding light.

One of the beasts glowed with dark-gold radiance, its towering body more than ten meters tall. Every sweep of its claws carved deep scars into the valley walls.

The Duskgold Dreadclaw Bear.

Not the ones they had faced before. This was on an entirely different level.

A thousand-year Duskgold Bear ruled a forest. A ten-thousand-year one was a walking calamity.

And this one looked capable of tearing even those apart.

Yet it was being held back.

Its opponent blazed with dazzling gold. The creature's body was crystalline and lion-like, but its claws were draconic and wreathed in flame. Fine golden scales shimmered beneath its fur, and on its forehead a vertical slit revealed a blazing red third eye.

Ray described it in a hushed rush.

Raziel's pupils shrank. "A golden lion with dragon claws and a third eye…" He swallowed hard. "I think I know what that is."

Ray's dragon claw descended upon the Three-eyed Golden Lion's head.

Ray flew into the air high above the Three-eyed Golden Lion's head. Since Violetta's starwheel immobilized it, the lion couldn't do anything but watch as Ray swung his claw down at it.

He struck the lion's head, using his claw to spike it head-first into the ground. However, instead its crushing effect activating, the dragon claw rebounded off of the lion's head.

The Three-eyed Golden Lion crashed into the floor of the cave with a resounding boom, unconscious, but alive. For the moment.

"Captain!" Raziel hurriedly spoke up. "Don't destroy its head, it could leave us a soul skull."

Ray withdrew his claw, deciding not to follow up with another attack. Having struck the lion, he an odd hunch that the crushing effect wouldn't activate no matter what he did. It was undoubtedly the influence of the Auspicious Emperor's luck. It truly was a strange soul beast!

"I think it's only a ten-year Three-eyed Golden Beast. If it were at the hundred-year level, we wouldn't have been able to beat it so easily."

The unconscious lion that lay before them was practically a lamb ready for the slaughter! Its tough scales were nothing in the face of Ray's golden dragon claw.

His claw may have bounced off of the lion's head, but the scales on it had been smashed to bits. Golden blood trickled from the wound..

"Now we need to decide who gets the spoils," Ray said, turning to his companions. "Violetta, if you can make a breakthrough, then the soul ring goes to you. I'll pass on the soul bone... so Raziel and Lily, you two talk it over.

His three companions went silent.

This was an Auspicious Emperor, a Three-eyed Golden Lion! They could no longer be found in the real world, yet they encountered one here and even had the chance to obtain its soul ring and soul bone. Anyone who fused with either would receive a massive boost in strength.

Despite the fact that it was only a ten-year soul beast, its soul bone wasn't ranked number one for no reason. Its effect on one's spiritual power was unfathomable.

"Why are you giving up on the soul bone, Captain?" Violetta exclaimed suddenly. "It's the soul bone of a Three-eyed Golden Lion!"

"I already got the Duskgold Dreadclaw Bear's right hand bone, so it wouldn't be right for me to take this one too," Ray answered. "We're a team after all. I can't hog all the good stuff, so go on. You guys decide how you want to distribute it."

Raziel looked at Lily, then at Violetta.

It would have been absolutely spectacular if Violetta were already at rank 30 and could absorb the soul ring of a legendary Three-eyed Golden Lion. However, she was currently one step shy of it at rank 29. The gap seemed small, but it was actually enormous, so all they could do was decide on who gets the soul bone.

The three of them were supposed to split a single soul bone—a priceless one at that!

Raziel gazed at the lion on the ground, then reluctantly took a step back to stand beside Ray.

"I'll pass on it as well." After retreating from the lion, he seemed to relax. "I'm a man, so I understand that ladies go first. Besides, the Three-eyed Golden Lion's skull bone mainly affects spiritual power, which doesn't matter as much to me anyway. It would be better for either of you girls to get it. You two can decide. Or you can play rock-paper-scissors if you can't."

Lily and Violetta stared at him in astonishment.

While Raziel seemed aloof on the outside, in reality, he was a guy who really cared about his friends. He was the first one to bring up the value of the Three-eyed Golden Lion's soul bone, yet he still chose to give it up so quickly. Such a decision wasn't easy to make!

Lily and Violetta looked each other in the eye.

They both excelled at ranged elemental attacks, and there was no doubt that the lion's soul bone would suit either of them. Whoever fused with it would experience a fundamental change to their cultivation base. It was hard to come by such and opportunity and even rarer to encounter one like this again.

Fusing with this soul bone could even have a permanent effect on their fates! Just how would they decide? Who would get it in the end?

Ray stood there silently, lips pressed together tightly. He had no suggestions to give them in this situation. As their captain, whatever he proposed would be unfair to the person who ended up with nothing.

This situation would have been far easier to resolve if it were an ordinary soul bone. All of them would have plenty of chances to obtain one in the future. However, this was the soul bone of a Three-eyed Golden Lion! It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Lily turned around and walked over to Ray. Meeting his gaze, she said, "Let's give it to Violetta. I'm passing on it too."

"Big Sis Lily!" Violetta yelped.

Lily turned around, a gentle smile playing at her lips. "The Three-eyed Golden Lion's soul bone will grant you luck. I don't want luck. I want strength. Besides, you're the youngest and weakest of the four of us. If you want to catch up, you'll have to take every chance you get. Go on. Absorb it."

Tears welled in Violetta's eyes.

First ,Ray backed off, then Raziel, and now Lily.

All of her companions had renounced the soul bone.

If it were a matter of compatibility, then Lily was definitely the most suited to the soul bone. The power of her Elementalist martial soul would increase proportionally to her spiritual power. Absorbing the soul bone of this Three-eyed Golden Lion would definitely allow her to break into the Spirit Sea realm and experience an explosive increase in strength.

Yet, she still chose to give it up without complaint.

Ray's only response was a thumbs up. He was proud to have teammates like them!

One by one, they turned their backs on a precious treasure capable of tempting every soul master in the world. To them, their companions were far more important than material items. This refusal was proof of their camaraderie.

Violetta crouched down and examined the Three-eyed Golden Lion.

She shook her head and stood up once more, quickly walking back to Ray.

"Captain, I'm giving up on it too."

"What?" He stared at her in shock. "Why?"