"Roar!"
Just as Wang Zhong was troubled by the existence of a Rank 50 Soul King in the fourth year, a ferocious beast's roar suddenly echoed through the forest.
Regarding this sound, Bibi Dong said to Wang Zhong with a smile, "Let's go. It seems your luck is not bad."
"This sound is the roar of a tiger-type spirit beast, but I don't know if it's the Ghost Tiger you need."
Bibi Dong took Wang Zhong's hand again, and a layer of faint purple spirit power enveloped them both as they walked towards the source of the sound as if strolling.
Deep in the forest, at the peak of a canyon, a colossal, robust, giant black tiger roared to the sky, the white character "King" clearly visible on its forehead.
The rolling sound waves impacted the entire forest, causing it to churn. Branches swayed, and spirit beasts fled in a frenzy. As the clouds follow the dragon and the wind follows the tiger, as apex predators among beasts, few in the entire forest could dare challenge their majesty.
The giant black tiger before them was no different.
That beast's roar was precisely the deterrent from the black tiger, which resembled the king of the forest, announcing its presence.
It was telling all beasts that this was its territory.
In the forest, Bibi Dong looked at the black tiger roaring incessantly on the mountaintop and said to Wang Zhong beside her, shaking her head.
"Your luck, I don't know whether to call it good or bad."
"This black tiger is indeed the Ghost Tiger you need, but it is a Tiger King over eighteen thousand years old."
"This age has far surpassed your limit of endurance."
Yes, it far surpassed it. Generally, the limit for a spirit master's third spirit ring absorption is around one thousand seven hundred and sixty years. Even if Wang Zhong was exceptionally talented and had absorbed a thousand-year spirit beast for his second spirit ring, this age still exceeded the limit Bibi Dong had set in her heart.
In her opinion, since Wang Zhong could withstand the impact of a thousand-year spirit power when he had his second spirit ring, his third spirit ring naturally couldn't use the ordinary spirit master's one thousand seven hundred and sixty years as a standard.
Therefore, after observing Wang Zhong for the past six months, Bibi Dong believed that the most suitable age for Wang Zhong's third spirit ring at this time should be between five to seven thousand years. Even a bit more, seven thousand five hundred to eight thousand years would be the closest to the critical value.
This age was also the limit that other spirit masters could withstand for at least their fourth, or even fifth spirit ring.
If it exceeded this age, from Bibi Dong's perspective as a Titled Douluo, Wang Zhong would be unable to withstand it and would explode, dying, no matter how strong his physical fitness was!
But the Ghost Tiger before them had already transcended the realm of ordinary thousand-year tiger spirit beasts and successfully stepped into the ranks of ten-thousand-year Tiger Kings. Its own strength and spirit power had undergone a qualitative change, completely beyond what Wang Zhong could reach at this stage.
"Let's go, little one, we'll search elsewhere."
Bibi Dong took Wang Zhong's hand and was about to lead him to find something elsewhere.
But at this moment, Wang Zhong suddenly said something that made her doubt her own ears.
"Your Majesty the Pope, can I choose it?"
Wang Zhong held Bibi Dong's hand, his eyes fixed on the Ghost Tiger on the mountaintop, from which he could feel its immense power even from a distance. His voice carried a trace of longing, even greed.
"Wang Zhong, do you know what you are saying!"
Bibi Dong turned around, her exquisite face no longer carrying gentleness but severity and solemnity.
"I know, your talent is rare in ancient and modern times; you can hardly find a prodigy like you in a thousand years across the continent."
"Your pride, confidence, and arrogance far surpass those of your peers, and I can understand that!"
"But some things cannot be achieved solely by relying on confidence and talent. If the age of this Ghost Tiger were between five to seven thousand years, I would not stop you."
"Even if it were eight or nine thousand, or even if it didn't exceed ten thousand, I would still support your confidence!"
"But a ten-thousand-year spirit beast, its spirit power has undergone a qualitative change. Can't you see the difference just from the color of the spirit ring!"
The severity, unimaginable severity, even majesty, emanated from Bibi Dong. Even though she did not hold her scepter at the moment, nor wear the crown symbolizing the Pope's authority, the person standing before Wang Zhong was the peerless, supreme, and most noble Pope.
Under this majesty, Wang Zhong lightly pursed his lips, then smiled happily.
"Your Majesty the Pope, in class, I have never lost a single point in my academic exams. Apart from Nana, no one can match me."
"I understand everything you've said, but it is precisely based on this understanding that I have made this request."
"It is not arrogance, but I believe I can!"
Wang Zhong's eyes sparkled, showing no trace of fear despite the Pope's current authority.
"Your Majesty, have you ever seen someone at level fourteen defeat a Grand Spirit Master at level twenty-six?"
"Have you ever seen someone at level twenty-four defeat a super-defense type Spirit Sect at level forty-one?"
"Have you ever seen someone increase their spirit power by a full twenty levels in a year and a half?"
Yes, one and a half years, twenty levels! This was Wang Zhong's current cultivation progress! A cultivation speed that would shame all the prodigies in the world to death.
Bibi Dong remained silent, but her gaze showed no sign of yielding.
Merely these were not enough for her to approve Wang Zhong's attempt to absorb the spirit ring of the Ghost Tiger before them.
"Your Majesty, your estimation of my spirit power absorption limit is based on others as a benchmark, and then continually raised for me, right?"
"But Your Majesty, a Spirit Master below the age of eight, I am an unparalleled prodigy that has never appeared on the Douluo Continent since ancient times!"
"Why should the shackles that have long since appeared and are applied to ordinary people be applied to me, a prodigy who has never appeared in this world?"
"Theory are shackles on them, but they will not become restraints on me!"
The youth's wild words were sonorous and powerful, his unstoppable confidence nearly piercing the clouds and shattering rocks, causing Bibi Dong's wine-red eyes to tremble continuously.
The youth before her once again made her feel her own insignificance.
What was the point of being a Titled Douluo when, compared to his confidence, strength seemed so trivial.
"Give me one more reason, and I will agree for you to try!"
Bibi Dong's eyes were burning with flames at this moment.
This was the second time, the second time she had felt her own insignificance in Wang Zhong.
Innate full spirit power, twin martial spirits, purple medal, the youngest Titled Douluo in history, the youngest Limit Douluo in history – all these honors now seemed like paper creations.
What she had once prided herself on now seemed insignificant in retrospect!
"Your Majesty, when I absorbed the thousand-year spirit power for my second spirit ring, my body did not feel any discomfort, not even a hint of fullness."
"Instead, there was a sense of regret, as if I hadn't had enough."
With a radiant gaze, Bibi Dong stared at Wang Zhong's upturned little face, a wickedly charming smile curving on her lips.
A thousand-year second ring was not your limit either!