What does it feel like to watch your own divine tool turn to ashes before your eyes?
Qiangu Dongfeng couldn't quite describe it. All he knew was that a fire had ignited in his heart, relentlessly scorching his heart, his blood, his skin—leaving his entire body restless. His eyes were exceptionally cold, his mind frighteningly clear.
Those familiar with him knew this was the state Qiangu Dongfeng entered when pushed to the extremes of fury.
"Hmph!" Qiangu Dongfeng let out an inscrutable snort before turning on his heel and storming off.
Ya Li, Zang Xin, and Leng Yaozhu exchanged glances as they watched Qiangu Dongfeng leave. They could clearly sense the terrifying energy concealed beneath his suppressed aura. None of them doubted that had they not been present, Qiangu Dongfeng would have undoubtedly attacked Jing Shaoyu.
The other members of the Spirit Transfer Pagoda, witnessing Qiangu Dongfeng's abrupt departure, shifted uncomfortably, unsure whether to follow or stay.
On the arena, Qian Gu Zhangting's reaction was far more dramatic than his ancestor's. Watching his family's divine tool destroyed because of him, he was overcome with rage and despair. A mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips as his body stiffened. After swaying unsteadily for a moment, he collapsed straight to the ground, unconscious.
The outcome of this Soul Duel was now undeniable.
Hah! He dug his own grave! Jing Shaoyu thought as he watched the flustered Qiangu family supporters rush from the stands to the arena to carry Qian Gu Zhangting away.
But he didn't forget to claim his spoils. Clearing his throat, he called out loudly to the retreating Qiangu entourage, "Hey! Make sure to tell Qian Gu Zhangting that I'll be waiting at Shrek Academy for him to come acknowledge me as his master!"
The Qiangu family members didn't dare respond, only quickening their pace as they fled.
With the farce concluded, Leng Yaozhu and Gu Yue also took their leave. As she departed, Gu Yue flashed Jing Shaoyu a faint smile—one laden with complex meanings, but ultimately conveying a single sentiment: satisfaction.
Leng Yaozhu, meanwhile, left him with a meaningful glance that stirred both delight and hesitation in Jing Shaoyu's heart. There had been a trace of allure in her gaze—had he imagined it, or was it intentional?
Truth be told, he still didn't fully grasp Leng Yaozhu's true intentions, which was why doubts arose. Acting too hastily might backfire, potentially making their relationship even more awkward.
Jing Shaoyu and the Shrek Academy faculty and students also left the Shrek Grand Stadium, returning to the academy.
On Golden Island.
"Shaoyu, once you've completed your Two-Word Battle Armor, come find me at the Tang Sect in Heaven Dou City. I'll take you to the Icefire Secret Realm," Zang Xin said before his departure back to the Tang Sect.
"Understood," Jing Shaoyu nodded in response.
The Icefire Secret Realm Zang Xin mentioned was undoubtedly the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Jing Shaoyu genuinely wanted to visit it—to secure some opportunities for Xu Xiaoyan and the others. Wait, no—'secure' wasn't the right word. As the Planet Spirit of Douluo Star, wasn't it only natural for him to take what he needed from the planet's secret realms? How could that be called 'securing'?
Thus, Zang Xin left Shrek Academy.
Over the next two months, Jing Shaoyu assisted Xu Xiaoyan and Ye Xinglan in crafting Two-Word Battle Armor for their team, and the process went smoothly.
On the eve of Jing Shaoyu's twentieth birthday, their team finally had all members become Two-Word Battle Armor Masters.
Due to the high quality of the metals used in crafting the Battle Armor, the Two-Word Battle Armor of Xu Xiaoyan and the other four girls reached a level where they could solidify Soul Skills. Generally, solidifying Soul Skills onto Battle Armor is a hallmark of Three-Word Battle Armor. However, a very small portion of high-quality Two-Word Battle Armor, owing to the materials used, can also achieve this.
Currently, in the Soul Master world, the theoretical limit for the number of Soul Skills that can be solidified onto Battle Armor is three. Yet, very few Soul Masters have actually reached this limit. Jing Shaoyu and his team undoubtedly have great potential—at the very least, Jing Shaoyu's Battle Armor has already solidified two major Soul Skills.
Typically, when solidifying Soul Skills, one can choose to solidify their own Soul Skills or those of other Soul Masters, depending on the Battle Armor Master's intentions and capabilities.
Take Jing Shaoyu, for example. His Battle Armor has solidified two divine-level skills. While this may sound impressive, the consumption is enormous when he activates these skills with his Soul Power, which has not yet transformed into God Power. Essentially, after one use, his Soul Power is nearly depleted.
Soul Masters generally approach the selection of solidified Soul Skills in two ways: extreme specialization or balanced versatility.
For instance, an assault-type Soul Master solidifying offensive Soul Skills falls under the extreme specialization approach, pursuing maximum damage output. Conversely, an assault-type Soul Master solidifying defensive Soul Skills adopts the balanced versatility approach, aiming for well-rounded development. There is no definitive conclusion on which approach is superior, but both have their merits.
The choices made by Xu Xiaoyan and the other four girls perfectly illustrate these two theories.
First, Xu Xiaoyan, as a control-type Soul Master leaning toward support, lacks offensive capabilities. Thus, she chose to solidify Ye Xinglan's sixth Soul Skill, Sword Star Soul. Her reasons for selecting this skill were twofold: first, Ye Xinglan's abilities share the same origin as hers, and second, Sword Star Soul boasts formidable power. Her choice exemplifies the balanced versatility approach.
Ye Xinglan made a similar choice, solidifying Xu Xiaoyan's third Soul Skill, Glittering Starlight, onto her Battle Armor. It's possible the two sisters discussed this beforehand, as they essentially mirrored each other's selections. Glittering Starlight provides group control, while Sword Star Soul delivers area-of-effect damage—an unexpected combination that can yield surprisingly effective results.
Next is Wu Siduo. She chose to solidify the fifth Soul Skill of Jing Shaoyu's Natural God Spirit Soul, Scarlet Halo. This skill, which both enhances damage and mitigates it, aligns perfectly with her pursuit of extreme offensive output.
Mo Hentian's choice was similar to Wu Siduo's. Her solidified Soul Skill also came from Jing Shaoyu—specifically, the fourth Soul Skill of his Doomsday Divine Spear, Spear of Carnage. After awakening the Carnage Domain of her Sky-Hate Hammer, Mo Hentian sought to master the power of carnage. The Spear of Carnage from the Doomsday Divine Spear provided her with additional insights to study.
Finally, there was Lan Fozi, who surprisingly chose to solidify Jing Shaoyu's ninth Soul Skill from his Natural God Spirit Soul. This decision shocked Xu Xiaoyan and the other three girls, who were unaware of Lan Fozi's background, and they all tried to dissuade her. In their eyes, Lan Fozi's choice was overly ambitious. While Jing Shaoyu's ninth Soul Skill was indeed powerful, its consumption was equally immense. They were still only Soul Saints—even if she solidified it, she wouldn't be able to use it.
Lan Fozi insisted on her decision, and Jing Shaoyu did not refuse. He had some guesses about her intentions.
The Blessing of the God of Nature was not merely a Soul Skill—it was, in essence, a manifestation of natural laws. It didn't require Jing Shaoyu to ascend to godhood; as long as it was activated with God Power, it would function as a divine skill.
Given that Lan Fozi was the little whale who had come ashore under the call of the world's energy and the aura of nature, her choice to solidify this Soul Skill was only natural.
After achieving their goal of all becoming Two-Word Battle Armor Masters, Jing Shaoyu led the girls to Heaven Dou City to fulfill their appointment with the Amorous Douluo, Zang Xin.
Heaven Dou City, Tang Sect.
Zang Xin received Jing Shaoyu and the six of them in the Tang Sect's confidential meeting room.
"You arrived faster than I expected!" Zang Xin remarked, a faint smile gracing his refined features.
"Isn't that a good thing?" Jing Shaoyu replied.
"Greetings, Your Excellency, Amorous Douluo!" Xu Xiaoyan, Wu Siduo, Mo Hentian, and Lan Fozi respectfully called out.
"Uncle-Master!" Ye Xinglan greeted.
"Haha, excellent, excellent," Zang Xin laughed heartily. "Do you need to rest for the night, or can you depart immediately?"
"We can leave now, Your Excellency," Jing Shaoyu answered promptly. "The sooner we go, the sooner we return, right?"
"Very well, I'll make the arrangements then," Zang Xin nodded.
Half an hour later, two seemingly ordinary commercial vehicles left Heaven Dou City, entered the main road, and then vanished at an inconspicuous fork.
These two vehicles undoubtedly belonged to the Tang Sect. They veered off the main road onto a hidden path, maintaining incredible speed even on the rugged, winding dirt trail.
Their destination was one of the Tang Sect's highest secrets, and reaching it naturally required complex and meticulous measures.
Inside the two vehicles were Jing Shaoyu, Xu Xiaoyan, Wu Siduo, Ye Xinglan, Mo Hentian, Lan Fozi, and Zang Xin. The windows were tinted black, obscuring their view, while a special energy wave was emitted—one capable of blocking spiritual detection.
However, this energy wave was only effective against spiritual power below the Spirit Domain Realm. As for Jing Shaoyu and the others, it was entirely up to their own discretion.
Of course, they had no interest in prying into the Tang Sect's secrets.
For Jing Shaoyu, as long as he had been to a place once, its location on Douluo Star would automatically imprint itself in his memory—an incredibly convenient ability.
The journey was long, and everyone chose to pass the time in meditation.
After an indeterminate period, Jing Shaoyu opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing briefly before fading. The vehicle had stopped, and the windows transitioned from darkness to transparency, revealing the outside world once more. Jing Shaoyu realized they were now in the heart of an ancient forest.
He felt good.
If his memory served him right, this forest was called Sunset Forest.
"We're here." Zang Xin appeared in their line of sight, his voice carrying over. "Get off."
The women, who had been in darkness for a long time, squinted as they stepped off, standing beside Jing Shaoyu and quietly surveying the surroundings. Their delicate faces were filled with intense curiosity. They all knew their destination was the Tang Sect's Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, but their knowledge of it existed only in historical records.
So when they found themselves in the middle of a primeval forest, they instinctively began recalling the documented descriptions of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
"Follow me," Zang Xin said. "From now on, you'll follow my instructions. This forest isn't exactly peaceful." With that, he took the lead.
Jing Shaoyu and the five women, including Xu Xiaoyan, followed closely behind.
Zang Xin didn't move quickly, which suited Jing Shaoyu just fine, and the women had no trouble keeping up. They even had the leisure to observe the scenery around them.
The Sunset Forest was quite different from what they had imagined a primeval forest to be. There were no swarms of Soul Beasts, nor were there treasures blooming everywhere. Everything seemed ordinary—even less impressive than the artificially cultivated lakeside forests that had been quickly restored after reconstruction.
Jing Shaoyu wasn't surprised. He could clearly sense that the natural laws within the Sunset Forest were unusually weak. Deep beneath this land, something was restraining the laws of this world, preventing them from manifesting or generating spiritual energy.
Apart from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he couldn't think of any other explanation.
After about two hours of walking, the path suddenly became rugged, and the terrain noticeably began to rise.
"Stay close and don't stray!" Zang Xin warned. "There are many highly toxic plants here. Getting poisoned would be troublesome."
"Your Excellency, that's a bit of an underestimation of me," Jing Shaoyu joked upon hearing Zang Xin's words.
"Ah, I forgot—you're a healing-type Titled Douluo," Zang Xin immediately replied with an apologetic smile. "But that's your fault. The impression you left on me from your battle with Qian Gu Zhangting was too deep."
In the end, Qian Gu Zhangting had failed to deliver the spoils of war. According to Gu Yue and Leng Yaozhu, after his defeat, Qian Gu Zhangting had been confined to the ancestral grounds of the Qian Gu family under the pretense of punishment by Qian Gu Dongfeng. But anyone with eyes could see what Qian Gu Dongfeng was really scheming.
Jing Shaoyu wasn't in a hurry—after all, he wasn't the one who needed to be.
Unbeknownst to them, the surroundings gradually grew illusory. The group felt as though they had inadvertently stepped into a hazy world, where everything around them was indistinct except for the person right in front of them.
An illusion, Jing Shaoyu mused silently—and a highly sophisticated one at that. Without formidable mental strength and keen perception, it would be impossible to detect.
A brilliant golden chain, shimmering with Starlight and silver radiance, linked everyone together. Zang Xin, walking ahead, instinctively turned back, a flicker of surprise flashing in his eyes as he looked at the chain's owner—Xu Xiaoyan.
Xu Xiaoyan smiled faintly.
They continued forward, walking for some time longer before Zang Xin suddenly halted. In that instant, everything around them became startlingly clear.
"Oh my!" Xu Xiaoyan couldn't help but exclaim.
Wu Siduo and the other three instinctively widened their eyes, only then realizing they had arrived at the edge of a cliff. One more step forward would have sent them tumbling down. They instinctively took a step back.
Turning around, they saw the path they had come from—still a forest, but not a green one. Instead, it was a forest of vibrant colors, filled with plants they had never seen before and couldn't name. Yet, just by their appearance, they could tell these were the highly toxic plants Zang Xin had mentioned.
The combination of deadly poison and the environment formed a natural barrier—no wonder the Tang Sect hadn't stationed guards here, they thought.
Jing Shaoyu narrowed his eyes as he observed the toxic plants. These poisonous herbs contained abundant life energy. If released entirely, they could restore the Sunset Forest to its ancient glory as a gathering place for Soul Beasts.
Though, it might also become a gathering place for toxic beasts, given the potency of these plants. Forcibly extracting their life energy would only provoke their resistance.
This was delicate work.
Jing Shaoyu didn't need the life energy now, but he could mark the spot for future retrieval when the time came.
"This is the outskirts of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. We need to head deeper into the valley," Zang Xin said. "The reason I had you complete your Two-Word Battle Armor first was to make it easier to pass through the Poisonous Herb Array outside the valley. Come, release your Battle Armor and let me see."
Xu Xiaoyan, Wu Siduo, Ye Xinglan, Mo Hentian, and Lan Fozi didn't hesitate. They immediately donned their respective Two-Word Battle Armor.
For a moment, the area outside the valley shimmered with radiant light.
(End of Chapter)