Seeing Zhu Zhuqing's disbelief, Su Ming decided to reveal his true strength, displaying six soul rings in sequence—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black—a Soul Emperor!
Zhu Zhuqing: "..."
Ghost Douluo: "..."
Zhu Zhuqing exclaimed, "Su Ming, you're already a Soul Emperor!"
What? When did Su Ming reach Soul Emperor status?
Ghost Douluo's mind was racing with questions. Hadn't Su Ming only been a Soul King when the competition began? And yet, in the next moment, Su Ming clarified, "Yes, I'm currently at level 65, a Soul Emperor. And my sixth soul skill boosts mental strength, so we won't need to take the same risks as last time."
Boom! Level 65 Soul Emperor!
Though Zhu Zhuqing was surprised, she found it reasonable. After all, she had read in Su Ming's journal that his fifth soul ring was already at the hundred-thousand-year mark. It made sense his sixth ring would be even higher and that he'd rise quickly to level 65.
"But Su Ming, weren't you a Soul King when the competition started? It hasn't even been that long since then, and you're already a Soul Emperor?" Ghost Douluo was filled with disbelief.
He felt a pang of sympathy for the Spirit Hall team. He'd spent a fair amount of time with the Golden Generation, especially Hu Liena, and now Hu Liena was also a Soul Emperor. But even so, Ghost Douluo doubted she could match Su Ming.
The Spirit Hall team only had two Soul Kings, while Su Ming's Heaven Dou team now had three Soul Kings, including Zhu Zhuqing. They clearly held the advantage.
Ghost Douluo could only hope Hu Liena and Xie Yue's fusion technique might hold up against him.
Su Ming: I'm completely immune to illusions. Bet you didn't see that coming!
"Ghost Elder, I was already at the peak of the Soul King stage when the tournament started. It's natural I'd reach Soul Emperor by now."
Ghost Douluo: "Natural? Natural, my foot!"
Ghost Douluo finally understood that Su Ming held many secrets. The aura he exuded wasn't like that of an ordinary Soul Emperor at all.
Noticing Ghost Douluo's concerns, Su Ming smiled and said, "Elder, you're not worried about the Spirit Hall team, are you? Let me be straightforward—our Heaven Dou team will be the champions. I've already got my eye on those three spirit bones for the prize. I hear they're of pretty high quality."
Ghost Douluo thought to himself, Hey, you're not even part of Spirit Hall yet! Isn't this a bit bold?
"When we return from Death Valley, you can go ahead and tell the Spirit Hall team about me becoming a Soul Emperor. I don't mind. If it pushes them to improve a little, it'll make the match more interesting."
"There's just one thing: I hope the Spirit Hall team won't pull any tricks. I'm claiming this championship as a bit of recompense to Heaven Dou Academy before I join Spirit Hall."
Ghost Douluo had nothing left to say. In the end, Spirit Hall was still coming out ahead. The team might be losing a trophy, but they were gaining several highly talented soul masters. In Ghost Douluo's eyes, it was a profitable exchange.
With Su Ming's promise, Zhu Zhuqing felt entirely reassured. Moments later, two green rays entered her body—Su Ming's fourth and sixth spirit skills, boosting her vitality and mental strength.
Zhu Zhuqing immediately felt her condition improve, her spirit sense expanding several times over.
Su Ming's sixth spirit skill was truly remarkable!
If her previous mental strength could be likened to a lake, it now felt like an ocean. Without wasting any time, she focused on absorbing the soul ring's power while the enhancements remained.
Ghost Douluo observed the changes in Zhu Zhuqing's power and couldn't help but marvel. These were just Su Ming's fourth and sixth spirit skills?
Including his previous ability to speed up their energy recovery, that made three auxiliary skills! Wasn't Su Ming supposed to be a control-type soul master?
Watching Zhu Zhuqing begin her absorption, Ghost Douluo felt a mix of amazement and curiosity he dared not express.
As Zhu Zhuqing continued, she encountered no discomfort, which was expected as the ring's age was well within her limits. The only remaining challenge was the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's lingering wrathful energy. But with Su Ming's mental power augmentation, she felt confident she could handle it.
An hour later, Zhu Zhuqing completed the most challenging phase of the absorption. Ghost Douluo finally let out a breath, relieved that nothing had gone wrong.
The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear was bound to grant her an incredible single-target attack skill. Perhaps it might even inherit the bear's signature skill—a stroke of luck!
Half an hour later, Zhu Zhuqing had fully absorbed the bear's soul ring, and her spirit power surged from level 50 to 51.
Opening her eyes, she couldn't hide her delight. "Su Ming, Teacher, my fifth spirit skill is incredible! It's called Netherworld Rending Claws."
"When activated, my attack power increases by 500%, allowing me to deliver a single devastating strike. As I grow stronger, I might even be able to tear through space itself!"
500%!
Was this really just a ten-thousand-year soul skill? Ghost Douluo silently compared her ability to his own. In terms of effectiveness, her skill was on par with his eighth spirit skill. Terrifying indeed!
Su Ming wasn't surprised by this outcome. The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear was unmatched in both offense and defense. Whether Zhu Zhuqing received an offensive skill or a physical enhancement, she was gaining valuable power.
"Su Ming, should we head back now? We've been out here for over a day," Zhu Zhuqing remarked, noticing the light beginning to filter through the trees.
They had made remarkable time, thanks to both Ghost Douluo and Su Ming's abilities. Su Ming's senses and amplifying skills made obtaining the fifth ring so quickly possible.
"No rush—the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's body is valuable. Let me take care of it first," Su Ming replied with a hint of excitement.
When Su Ming mentioned the potential uses of the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's body, Ghost Douluo was curious. Could the bear's flesh have special properties? Typically, soul beast meat could be consumed, but it required complex preparation and often tasted inferior to regular livestock.
Seeing their curiosity, Su Ming explained as he processed the corpse, "The meat of the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear can moderately enhance a soul master's physical attributes. This type of boost isn't common in the soul master world, and given this bear's size, it'll last a while."
"The only downside is its strong gamey taste. We'll need to refine it a bit for consumption."
As Su Ming reached the bear's right paw, he noticed a particularly hardened area. Holding his breath, he thought, Could it be?
Quickly, he worked to extract it, revealing a piece of the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's right paw bone.
"This... Is this a soul bone?" Ghost Douluo asked in confusion. "But it doesn't match any of the six main soul bone slots!"
Suppressing his excitement, Su Ming clarified, "You're right. This isn't one of the typical six soul bone locations. This is an external soul bone!"
"It's the right paw bone of the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear. Absorbing it won't prevent the absorption of a right arm bone later, provided the two are compatible."
A right paw bone? This was a first for Ghost Douluo and Zhu Zhuqing.
Zhu Zhuqing hesitated, feeling torn. Her teacher had helped defeat this bear for her, and she was already grateful to have obtained its soul ring. To claim the soul bone as well felt greedy.
Though the external soul bone was tempting, she felt she shouldn't be selfish. She offered, "Teacher, since you helped me obtain the soul ring, you should take this soul bone."
Ghost Douluo was indeed enticed by the soul bone. However, he knew Zhu Zhuqing would benefit the most from it. The logic was simple: when soul rings and bones from the same beast were absorbed by one person, they synergized, amplifying their power. And as her teacher, he wanted his disciple to grow strong.
Shaking his head, Ghost Douluo insisted, "Zhuqing, you're the best fit for this soul bone. It's a paw bone, so its skill is likely claw-based, aligning perfectly with your Nether Spirit Cat martial spirit and your new fifth soul skill. With it, your attack capabilities will be formidable."
"Besides," he added, "as your teacher, I can't compete with you for a soul bone."
Seeing Ghost Douluo's dedication, Su Ming felt a genuine respect for him as a teacher.
Zhu Zhuqing still struggled with her decision and looked to Su Ming for guidance.
With a smile, Su Ming suggested, "Zhuqing, you also have the left leg bone of the Darkshadow Basilisk, don't you? Why not give it to Ghost Douluo? While it might not match the power of this paw bone, it's still a top-tier soul bone."
Brightening at the idea, Zhu Zhuqing retrieved the purple-glowing left leg bone from her storage item and handed it to Ghost Douluo.
"Teacher, please accept this soul bone. If you already have a left leg bone, perhaps you could trade it with someone in Spirit Hall."
Ghost Douluo was taken aback, surprised she hadn't absorbed it. Su Ming explained that Zhu Zhuqing had obtained it with her fourth ring. Since the fourth ring's effects were already powerful, likely similar to the leg bone's, she had chosen not to absorb it.
More surprisingly, he realized that Zhu Zhuqing was astonishingly lucky; both her fourth and fifth soul rings had yielded soul bones. What were the odds?
Appreciating his disciple's thoughtfulness, Ghost Douluo accepted the soul bone. Coincidentally, he lacked a left leg bone, so it was perfect.
Though he accepted it graciously, Su Ming wasn't one to take advantage. "Ghost Elder," he said, "after the Soul Master Tournament, I'll give you a substantial gift. It'll be worth as much as this external soul bone, if not more."
Ghost Douluo's interest piqued. "What gift could rival an external soul bone?" he wondered. Then, he recalled something Moonflower Douluo had mentioned: that Su Ming possessed herbs capable of enhancing soul power. He knew little about them, so he was uncertain of their potency.
"Herbs?" he asked, hesitantly.
Su Ming nodded, unsurprised by the guess. It must have been Moonflower Douluo who informed him—those two were practically inseparable.
"Yes. I could give you one now, but I think it's too soon. With your current mental block, the herb would only elevate your level temporarily. Without clearing this block, you'd struggle to advance further, and it's the same for Moonflower Douluo."
A mental block? Could it be… Tang Hao? Ghost Douluo pondered, quickly realizing the root cause.
"Why wait until after the tournament, though?" he asked.
Su Ming explained, "Tang San is still competing. After your team's failed ambush, Tang Hao is bound to be more vigilant, possibly even lurking nearby for protection. If Thunder Academy makes it to the top three, the finals will take place in the Supreme Pontiff's Hall. Spirit Hall may plan a move after the competition."
"Tang San is practically an evil soul master now, and Dai Mubai's group is close enough. The difference is they're draining their own life forces rather than others'."
"In the final match, if Spirit Hall intervenes, Tang Hao will almost certainly appear. That'll be your chance to face him directly and conquer your fears. Only then will you and Moonflower Douluo be able to advance smoothly."
The truth settled heavily on Ghost Douluo. So this was why he and Moonflower Douluo had remained at level 95 all these years. Even the high-quality arm bones gifted by Bibi Dong had failed to break their limits.
"Now that everything's settled," Su Ming concluded, "you two should absorb your soul bones. I'll keep watch."
He provided Zhu Zhuqing with another vitality boost. The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's right paw bone was extraordinarily fierce, carrying its intense offensive power. Even with its soul ring, Zhu Zhuqing might still find it challenging to absorb.
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GOT IT