Chapter 443: Winning Over Bai Chenxiang
"How… how much? Nineteen hundred thousand years?"
Dugu Yan's eyes widened in disbelief. Even as Dai Yao's wife, she was left stunned by the sheer number, her scalp tingling with shock. Zhu Zhuqing and the others were similarly struck, all taken aback by the astounding number.
"You heard me right—around nineteen hundred thousand years," Dai Yao confirmed with a slight smile.
In truth, Dai Yao hadn't actually reached his absolute limit. Through his Chaotic Lotus and Blue Silver Emperor's healing abilities, he could have pushed on. However, the soul ring's power undergoes another qualitative leap upon reaching two hundred thousand years, resulting in a ferocious surge of soul power. While his body could withstand it, he'd calculated that it was too close for comfort. So, after weighing the risks, he chose to stop just shy of that milestone.
"If I had even one more powerful soul bone, I could probably take on a two-hundred-thousand-year soul ring," Dai Yao mused, feeling a pang of regret.
Still, if he could attain the Sea God's inheritance and increase his soul rings by fifty thousand years each, his seventh soul ring would soon surpass the two-hundred-thousand-year mark, making this decision more than worth it. After all, he would need the time he'd saved to focus on his cultivation.
Dugu Yan finally accepted the reality before her, as though seeing her husband for the first time. She stepped forward, captivated by the powerful aura emanating from the nineteen-hundred-thousand-year soul ring. After a moment, her gaze turned steely with determination.
"Once I reach seventy levels, I'll get the divine soul ring and go for a hundred-thousand-year ring too!" she declared.
Feng Wutong didn't say much, but her fiery gaze spoke volumes about her intentions, while Ning Rongrong's expression was full of admiration. Although as an auxiliary-type soul master she couldn't go after a hundred-thousand-year soul ring for her seventh, she could still hope for the future.
Dai Yao cautioned them, "Yan Yan, Wutong, it's great to have such ambition, but don't push past your limits. There's a world of difference between a ninety-thousand-year and a hundred-thousand-year ring. If it's beyond your reach, don't risk severe injury. When the Sea God rewards us for completing the trials, it'll be the perfect opportunity to upgrade your rings to a hundred thousand years."
The girls, all of whom aside from Bai Chenxiang were top-tier test-takers, could receive soul ring age boosts from the Sea God's rewards. When their soul ring levels reached high enough thresholds, they could try again to cross the hundred-thousand-year barrier.
Dugu Yan raised an eyebrow curiously. "Dai Yao, with your new seventh ring, your True Body ability must be terrifying. What's your current level?"
Dai Yao took a moment to gauge his soul power before smiling. "Around seventy-seven right now. After a few more days in the Sea God's Light, I should be able to reach seventy-eight."
The girls exchanged glances. The soul ring alone had elevated Dai Yao by seven entire levels! While his long period of cultivation at Soul Emperor had accumulated plenty of energy, the soul ring's effect was still astonishing.
Ning Rongrong stared at him in awe, "Brother Yao, with your age and the Sea God's Light, you could hit eighty in less than a year. You'd be the youngest Soul Douluo on the continent!"
At Soul Douluo level, Dai Yao would be considered one of the strongest on the continent. The realization struck Ning Rongrong profoundly as she reflected on his rapid ascent.
"In fact, the increase from this hundred-thousand-year ring isn't as dramatic as it seems," Dai Yao explained. "The rise is due to three factors—the ring, the power I accumulated at the Soul Emperor rank, and one other source..."
Dai Yao gestured to his golden eyes, where a flicker of darkness briefly flashed. The women understood immediately: the hidden power from the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger ring, now fully unleashed upon absorbing the new soul ring.
Bai Chenxiang, however, looked puzzled. She hadn't caught on to the reference in Dai Yao's eyes, and the sense of distance troubled her as she watched him surrounded by the other women.
Lowering her head, her thoughts grew tangled. Her Sea God's trial required her to kiss Dai Yao for a full incense stick's time. She had scoffed at it before, considering forfeiting and facing expulsion from Sea God Island rather than completing such a task. But now, she was hesitating—not only because of the Sea God's Light's powerful benefits, but due to a feeling she couldn't quite shake.
"When did these feelings start?" she wondered to herself. Perhaps it began when he'd stepped in front of her to protect her from that soul beast above the Sea Within the Sea...
"Dai Yao's surrounded by such beautiful women, so he probably wouldn't even look at me, right? But maybe… if I tried, he wouldn't turn me away," she thought, a blush rising on her cheeks.
Dugu Yan's voice broke her reverie. "Brother Yao, with your strength and True Body ability, plus my support, we could probably take on some Titled Douluo already!"
The realization filled Zhu Zhuqing with both excitement and a touch of worry. Dai Yao's True Body was exceptionally powerful; if they attempted a fusion ability together, it would likely drain her soul power in mere moments.
Seeing the others so thrilled, Dai Yao hesitated, recalling an unexpected development after absorbing the soul ring: he'd gained a new White Tiger Domain. When activated, it could cover a range of up to a thousand meters, suppressing the opponent's strength by fifty percent and accelerating his own recovery, turning him into an unstoppable war machine.
Moreover, the White Tiger Eight Wings had evolved, now allowing him to absorb energy from opponents. Although he couldn't absorb Blue Silver Grass like Tang San, it was still a substantial upgrade.
However, there was one aspect he hadn't anticipated—the loss of his Shura Domain, which had unexpectedly transferred to Xiao Wu. Typically, each martial spirit could only have one domain. With the Divine White Tiger's domain now activated, the Shura Domain had been forced out, latching onto Xiao Wu, who was Dai Yao's spirit ring.
The discovery had left Dai Yao deeply contemplative. The Shura Domain belonged to the Shura God, one of the most powerful deities in the original story. Now embedded in Xiao Wu, Dai Yao had no idea what repercussions might follow once she was revived. One thing was certain: it could spell trouble.
His options for Xiao Wu were becoming stark: either terminate her or use his "Tiger Fang" skill to subjugate her as his thrall. She had betrayed him once before, and if not for his Thunder Vine's help, he might have been exposed when he dealt with the clan's elder. He hadn't forgotten that betrayal.
If the current him couldn't fully subdue Xiao Wu, he might not have another choice.
With Dai Yao's acquisition of the seventh soul ring, the group settled back into a routine. Aside from breaks for food and rest, they trained hard each day. The most significant progress came from Feng Wutong and Dugu Yan, whose friendly competition drove them to excel rapidly.
After spending so much time together, Bai Chenxiang had grown closer to the group. However, when Dai Yao and his wives discussed more intimate matters, she still had to feign indifference, like a small quail pretending not to hear a thing.
One evening, after training, the group went to the Sea Within the Sea for a quick rinse before heading back across to their lodgings. Suddenly, Bai Chenxiang called out to Dugu Yan, nervously clenching her hands, clearly hesitant to speak.
Dugu Yan smiled gently. "Chenxiang, is there something you need?"
Bai Chenxiang hesitated, glanced at Dai Yao, and, after a pause, said softly, "Yan-jie, could we speak somewhere more private? There's something I'd like to discuss alone with you."
With a nod and a smile, Dugu Yan agreed, leading Bai Chenxiang toward the shore.
"Alright, Chenxiang, here we are. What did you want to talk about?" Dugu Yan asked, turning to face her with an encouraging smile.
Bai Chenxiang looked down, struggling with her thoughts. The notion of asking Dai Yao's wife for help—especially to fulfill her assessment task—felt incredibly awkward. After a long pause, she finally spoke up. "Yan-jie, you've always wanted to know about my test, haven't you? Actually, my task… is to kiss the sect master for the duration of one incense stick."
Seeing Dugu Yan's smile remain unchanged, Bai Chenxiang panicked and quickly added, "Yan-jie, please rest assured! Once I complete the task, I promise not to trouble the sect master any further. I wouldn't have even considered it if I didn't need to pass this test to avoid expulsion from Sea God Island. I—"
Dugu Yan continued to smile, her eyes showing an almost playful glint. She knew Bai Chenxiang well: prideful, self-respecting, and with a touch of arrogance back in the sect. But here, on Sea God Island, after facing challenge after challenge, Chenxiang had begun to doubt herself.
Dugu Yan could see it clearly: since joining them in this journey to Sea God Island, Bai Chenxiang's fate had been sealed. She had unwittingly become prey in a web that Dugu Yan had carefully spun.
"Alright, I understand. But I'll need to discuss this with Dai Yao and the others first," Dugu Yan replied. "There's still some time before your task deadline, so I'll give you an answer tomorrow."
This was all according to her plan. If Chenxiang wanted her affection to be truly valued, she had to wait, restless, maybe sleepless. Letting her stew over it would only deepen her attachment.
As they walked back, Bai Chenxiang's heart filled with unease, even regretting her decision to disclose her task. The worry stayed with her well into the night.
Later that evening, after a light meal, they prepared to sleep. There were two rooms: one for Bai Chenxiang, and one for Dai Yao and his wives.
With a mischievous glint in her eye, Dugu Yan signaled to Zhu Zhuqing and the others, arching an eyebrow. "Dai Yao," she said, "let's have a little talk in the other room."
Seeing the look on Dugu Yan's face, Zhu Zhuqing and the others understood, feeling a sudden warmth and excitement. Since the wedding, the wives' dynamic had transformed, with Dugu Yan even bringing Ning Rongrong into the fold.
After whispering a few things to one another, they called it a "family meeting," where each wife could express any grievances and clear the air. Of course, Dugu Yan was always the one to suggest these meetings.
Hearing Dugu Yan's words, Dai Yao felt a shiver run down his spine. The "family meeting" sounded suspiciously familiar, but this time, he was more than prepared. His body had grown even stronger after gaining his seventh soul ring, and he was confident he could keep up with all of them, just as he always had.
As the night wore on, the storm finally settled within the room, leaving only the soft glow of the moonlight. Dugu Yan lay across Dai Yao's chest, her face flushed, surrounded by the others as she traced little circles with her finger on his chest.
"Dai Yao," she murmured, "if we keep going at this pace, Zhuqing might end up pregnant before long." She sighed gently. "We all have assessments to complete. If any of us were to become pregnant, we might fail our tasks. Please be careful."
Zhu Zhuqing lifted her head, her soft gaze lingering on Dai Yao, her forehead slightly damp with sweat. Though she dreamed of bearing his child someday, she understood it wasn't the right time. But if he truly wished for one, she would comply without hesitation.
Dai Yao smiled, running his hand gently through her silk-like hair. "Let's focus on the tests for now. Once things settle on the continent, I want each of you to give me a child."
The women blushed deeply, each averting their gaze with a shy smile.
"Oh, Dai Yao, I need to discuss something important with everyone," Dugu Yan said suddenly, sitting up and taking a deep breath.
"What is it?" Dai Yao asked, seeing her seriousness.
In a measured tone, Dugu Yan began, "Dai Yao, Bai Chenxiang came to me yesterday and told me the content of her assessment—it's to kiss you for one incense stick of time. That's likely why she was so hesitant to talk about it before."
She continued, "You know how White Crane's always been cozying up to the Heaven Dou Empire. If he turned on our sect, it could be disastrous. Whether for the sake of our sect or our future, we need to take advantage of this opportunity and win Chenxiang over, so White Crane will have no choice but to commit to our side.
"This is just my view, though, so I wanted to hear what everyone else thinks."
Dugu Yan looked at Dai Yao, a mischievous gleam in her eye. "Well, Dai Yao, what do you think?"
What could he say? His own wife encouraging him to bring another woman into their home? He straightened, saying with complete sincerity, "Yan Yan, you know I'm content with just you four. But as the sect leader, it's my duty to do what's necessary to safeguard the sect. For the sake of everyone, I'll do my part!"
Dugu Yan rolled her eyes. "Oh, please!" Ning Rongrong smirked knowingly, while Zhu Zhuqing could only sigh in mild exasperation, accustomed to his antics by now. Even Feng Wutong, usually quiet, glanced at him with a small smile.
"Oh, alright, you pass," Dugu Yan relented. "But remember—if you dare favor her over us, you'll regret it. Now, does anyone have objections?"
Ning Rongrong pondered before answering, "I agree. Chenxiang's been through a lot with us. We've known her long enough to trust her, and besides, with the five of us together, she'd be lonely otherwise. Let's bring her into the fold."
Zhu Zhuqing smiled. "I have no objections."
It wouldn't be fair to object to Chenxiang when she'd already accepted Dugu Yan, Ning Rongrong, and the others. Her connection to Dai Yao was secure, and she knew no one could threaten her place in his heart.
Dugu Yan turned to Feng Wutong. "What about you?"
Feng Wutong shook her head with a slight smile. "I'm fine with it."
With everyone in agreement, Dugu Yan said, "Good. Tomorrow, you'll have your chance with Bai Chenxiang. And remember, if you don't make it happen tomorrow, don't bother coming back inside until you do!"
But no sooner had she spoken than Ning Rongrong sat up, mischievous glint in her eyes. Dugu Yan quickly interjected, "Rongrong! Don't provoke him—you always start things, and then we end up suffering for it."
But it was already too late. Trembling, Ning Rongrong was pulled back down as a new round of the night's "meeting" commenced.
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