While everyone returned home, the continental war dragged on. Because of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's presence, Spirit Hall didn't dare throw the full might of the Worship Hall onto the battlefield. Bibi Dong feared the sect would swoop in as a fisherman benefits while the snipe and clam fight. She herself and Qian Renxue were also absent from the fighting due to their divine trials.
Although the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had not joined the war so far, and Ning Fengzhi appeared disinterested in worldly affairs, as long as that sect existed, Bibi Dong had to guard against it. She regretted not personally acting during the soul masters hunt campaign; had she destroyed the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect back then, there would be no such peril now.
As a result, the Clear Sky Sect joined with the Heaven Dou Empire's hidden weapons corps to barely force a stalemate. Tang Xiao, a level 97 Titled Douluo, could hold off the Falling Devil Douluo and Fifteen Ton Douluo by himself, while other Clear Sky Douluo were enough to match Spirit Hall Elders. For a full ten months, the Spirit Empire was held outside Jialing Pass, unable to advance a single step. But the Heaven Dou Empire, confined within the pass, couldn't sally forth to retake lost territory either.
The Star Luo Empire was in the same situation. Tuoba Xi held his city in a staunch defense. With the Asura Death Mark bestowed by Tianlin, he fought a tier stronger than typical peers at his level—truly one man holding the pass against ten thousand. His earth-attribute soul skills, like Dugu Bo's poison, were slaughter on the battlefield; every Star Luo assault ended in heavy casualties.
War flames burned across the continent. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was the only haven left.
Although Chen Xin had ended his seclusion, he didn't immediately challenge Qian Daoliu. He understood the principle that haste makes waste. Seclusion had raised his power, but harmed his mental state a bit. He needed time to cultivate his heart, especially since the sword dao he'd integrated was Daoist in nature; mindset was critical.
He had promised Gu Rong that within five years he'd topple one of the two peaks of the soul master world, Qian Daoliu. Three years had passed. He planned to fulfill that promise in the fourth year. Qian Renxue needed at least another two or three years to inherit the godhood—so the timing worked.
Shortly after Ning Rongrong and the rest returned, Gu Ran and Ye Lingling came back too. Their strengths had fallen a bit behind—Gu Ran at level 75, Ye Lingling at level 73—but their achievements were still noteworthy. Tianlin noticed their names had turned blue—deeper blue than even Shui Bing'er's.
One day, Tianlin would ensure they received the God Trial qualifications from the Lord of the Plane.
Everyone could train together again. With Tianlin's further-enhanced Holy Spirit Domain and Oscar's eighth spirit ability, their cultivation speed outstripped even that under the Sea God's Light.
"Come on, Yiran, knead my shoulders. Your husband's shoulders are sore!" These days Oscar was very pleased with himself—even smug. His days of being henpecked were gone; he had fully reasserted marital authority.
The reason was his eighth spirit ability.
Oscar's new eighth ability was very different from the original story. There it was the Crystal Caterpillar Sausage, which healed injuries and restored stamina. But he already had such an ability—his fifth spirit skill, unlike the original, covered that effect. So the eighth changed accordingly: the Qi-Gathering Pearl Sausage.
As the name implies, it accelerates soul power condensation. In battle, it lets soul masters execute skills faster, or compress all soul power to unleash a burst strike. That alone is strong. But the sausage also works outside combat.
Cultivating soul power is about meditation, absorbing the world's qi and condensing it within. The denser the inner breath, the deeper the soul power. This sausage speeds up qi absorption—functionally identical to Tianlin's Holy Spirit Domain—and it stacks.
In a sense, it's even better than the Domain, since the Domain only covers Tianlin's vicinity, whereas Oscar's sausages work once made; even if Oscar isn't around, anyone who eats one benefits.
You can imagine how important Oscar is to a power. Dragon Duke went crazy on the spot, repeatedly warning Meng Yiran to treat Oscar better and not anger him—he was terrified this heaven-defying grandson-in-law would run away.
"Ugh, so what if your eighth skill is strong? Grandpa actually told me to listen to you about everything," Meng Yiran grumbled, but still obediently kneaded Oscar's shoulders.
Currently the Holy Spirit Domain and the sausage both provide a 1.5x boost. Combined, that's about 2.25x training speed—astonishing.
Shui Bing'er, Shui Yue'er, Huo Wu, Huo Wushuang, and Feng Xiaotian also joined, making the group livelier.
Gu Ran warmly welcomed these newcomers; he didn't want to be stuck at the bottom with Ye Lingling.
But he realized he was wrong. Huo Wu, Huo Wushuang, even Feng Xiaotian were manageable—but Shui Bing'er with her Ice Phoenix martial soul was something else. Her cultivation speed outstripped even his, despite his immortal herb.
Originally a top-tier Soul King, with Oscar and Tianlin's dual boosts, she reached Soul Emperor in two months, then skyrocketed five levels in the next eight months.
That's level 60 to 70! It's said even Tang Hao, famed as the youngest Titled Douluo, took five full years for that leap.
Tang Hao gained two levels a year; Shui Bing'er gained seven and a half in one. Even discounting the 2.25x external boosts, that's still over three levels per year—talent far above Tang Hao's.
Tang Hao titled at forty-four. Even without Tianlin and Oscar's cheats, she could likely achieve it before forty. Catching up to Gu Ran was only a matter of time.
"Boss, it's a pity you didn't recruit this girl earlier. If she'd gotten your help sooner, she might already be titled," Gu Ran sighed.
Every time he saw an absolute prodigy, he couldn't help but envy them. He poured all his time into cultivation and still couldn't match their two or three hours a day.
"It's not too late now," Tianlin said with a smile.
Recently Ning Rongrong and Shui Bing'er had become friends. Kind and clever, Shui Bing'er was easy to like, and both had supreme ice-type martial souls. With Snow Empress and Ice Empress's consent, Ning Rongrong generously passed to her the modified cultivation method they'd crafted for Ning Rongrong. With this new method, Shui Bing'er's speed would climb even further.
The Seven Treasure's girls circle had one more member. As for Huo Wu and Shui Yue'er, one was too proud and the other too flighty; Ning Rongrong didn't quite click with them. They were friends, but only to that extent.
Then came soul bone distribution. Tang Chen had left a set of high-grade bones; Tianlin distributed them all to the group. The hundred-thousand-year head bone went to Ye Lingling, who needed spiritual power—giving her two hundred-thousand-year bones to help her catch up.
The torso bone went to Oscar. Now that he was a combat-type food-system soul master, his physique was crucial to handling everyone's different buffs.
The left and right leg bones went to agility-attackers Zhu Zhuqing and Yu Feng. Of the two arm bones, one went to Dugu Yan, and one to Shi brothers.
As for Tianheng, he had something better. After returning home, word was that Yu Yuanzhen had decided to hand him the clan's last legacy soul bone.
Everyone was delighted with their gifts. Only Bai Chenxiang occasionally showed a worried look.
It had been ten months since they returned, and still not a word from Ma Hongjun. How could she be at ease? So she came to Tianlin once more.
"Senior Brother, Hongjun still hasn't come back, and there's been no news. I'm really worried about him. Could you spare some time to go to the Fire God's inheritance ground and look for him?"
Tianlin could hardly refuse such a request. "Alright, don't worry, Junior Sister. I'll head to the Extreme North now and bring back news of Hongjun for you."
"Thank you, Senior Brother!"