Chapter 37: Becoming Stronger and the Gains
Outside the Ice Fire Yin Yang Eye, the Ninth Elder of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect looked extremely worried.
Since Yang Xiong had left the sect, the Ninth Elder had been guarding him from the shadows. However, he was only driving away and intimidating the ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts, leaving the more routine dangers for Yang Xiong to face. He would only intervene if there was a life-threatening situation.
But from his observations, Yang Xiong had been full of surprises. In the Great Spirit Arena of Heaven Dou City, Yang Xiong had managed to win 13 matches in a row with ease, even without using any soul skills, relying solely on his physical strength and combat skills.
However, after entering the Sunset Forest, it seemed like Yang Xiong had begun to let loose, either being chased by soul beasts or fighting them. He even fought against some relatively average soul beasts.
But what was clearly visible was that Yang Xiong had significantly gained combat experience during this journey. He had also become bolder and more ferocious. As a Soul Douluo, the Ninth Elder understood that to become a powerful soul master, one needed to undergo life-and-death trials, especially in a place like the Sunset Forest where the mental strain was immense.
The Ninth Elder was increasingly impressed with Yang Xiong. After observing him from the shadows, he realized that Yang Xiong was stronger than even him.
At such a young age, Yang Xiong had mastered teleportation and also had a quick recovery ability. What was even more surprising was that he had hidden an external soul bone from the Xuanming Turtle, a piece of armor that provided an incredible level of defense.
What amazed the Ninth Elder even more was that, using his peculiar equipment, Yang Xiong had entered a massive toxic array. The Ninth Elder could also sense Dugu Bo's presence, which meant that this was Dugu Bo's hidden lair in the Sunset Forest.
Dugu Bo was known for his volatile temperament. He was an honorary guest of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, and even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect didn't want to offend him lightly. If anyone found out about what Yang Xiong was doing, it could lead to significant trouble or even life-threatening danger.
The Ninth Elder grew more anxious as he observed that Yang Xiong had been inside this toxic array for two days without any sign of leaving. Yet, with his Soul Douluo strength, he couldn't even break through the array.
However, when he finally saw Yang Xiong emerge from the toxic array, he let out a sigh of relief. As long as Yang Xiong could leave without attracting attention, Dugu Bo wouldn't come after the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, right?
But the Ninth Elder still felt something was off. It seemed as if Yang Xiong's body had undergone some sort of change.
...
After leaving the Ice Fire Yin Yang Eye, Yang Xiong headed quickly toward the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. He had no time to observe the changes in his body and didn't know how long he had spent in the Eye. If he encountered Dugu Bo, it would be a real problem. He would handle everything once he returned to the sect.
In just half a day, Yang Xiong had returned to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. During his time in the Sunset Forest, he had become very familiar with the terrain, which was why he was able to return so quickly.
Once back at the sect, Yang Xiong took the time to carefully examine the changes in his body.
After completing the Ice Fire Body Refinement, Yang Xiong felt his body had become incredibly strong. This strength was not just about physical hardness; it was a fundamental transformation.
Originally, Yang Xiong's recovery ability was already strong due to his full-body martial soul. However, after the Ice Fire Body Refinement, his foundation was fundamentally improved. Even though he was not on the same level as the geniuses with innate full soul power, he was no longer weaker than soul masters with soul power around levels eight or nine.
From another perspective, Yang Xiong's endurance had drastically improved. Even when severely injured, he could quickly recover without the need for healing, and this was the greatest benefit of the Ice Fire Body Refinement.
Secondly, his martial soul had undergone a change. When Yang Xiong summoned his full-body martial soul again, he noticed a silver phantom surrounding his body. His power and speed had increased significantly, and his mental strength had also greatly improved. Yang Xiong estimated that his full-body martial soul had achieved a silver-level second awakening, more than doubling his combat power.
Thirdly, after the Ice Fire Body Refinement, his body had completely changed. Now, he was invulnerable to both water and fire attacks. When he woke up in the waters of the Ice Fire Yin Yang Eye, the scorching Yang Spring felt like warm water, and the cold Yin Spring no longer felt cold at all.
From now on, Yang Xiong's body was impervious to both water and fire. Any ice or fire attribute soul master would lose their greatest advantage when facing him.
Additionally, since the Fiery Apricot Blossom and Eight-Cornered Xuan Ice Grass were both poisonous plants, the effects of their extreme cold and extreme heat poisons had made him immune to any toxins in the future. His body had become invulnerable to all poisons.
Compared to Tang San in the original story, who used two Immortal Herbs for Ice Fire Body Refinement, Yang Xiong's transformation was even more remarkable. Since his entire body was his martial soul, his brain evolved along with his physical evolution. In terms of mental strength, this was a complete transformation. This was the most exaggerated aspect of his full-body martial soul—its ability to evolve with the body.
His brain, being a part of his body, also underwent significant changes during the Ice Fire Body Refinement. The extreme pain during the process stimulated his brain, and the second awakening of his full-body martial soul naturally included the second awakening of his brain. Yang Xiong felt his mental strength increase dramatically, and he could now observe his surroundings with much greater clarity.
When Yang Xiong summoned his Xuanming Armor, he was also surprised.
The Xuanming Armor had undergone a drastic change. It no longer appeared as a turtle shell on his back, but instead formed armor tightly adhered to his body. It could still expand into the large Xuanming Turtle Shell to protect his entire body, but now, the armor had turned from gray to silver. Even the large turtle shell that expanded when summoned had changed to silver.
After observing closely, Yang Xiong realized that the Xuanming Armor had completely merged with his body. It was now like a part of his bones, and no one could ever remove it from him. This would reduce the chances of enemies coveting it, and he would no longer need to hide or conceal it. Furthermore, its age had evolved from a thousand-year-old soul bone to one approaching ten thousand years.
An external soul bone that could be taken by others was a rare treasure in the soul master world, one that could attract powerful enemies. But now, Yang Xiong had no need to worry about this.
Yang Xiong was extremely satisfied with the gains from the Ice Fire Yin Yang Eye. Not only had he obtained numerous Immortal Herbs, but he had also achieved the second awakening of his martial soul. With these gains, he would have a solid chance to overcome any future challenges.
In addition to the physical changes, Yang Xiong had another unexpected surprise: his research into cultivation. He had always practiced the meditation method passed down by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. While it was one of the most powerful cultivation techniques in the Douluo Continent, it still couldn't compare to Tang San's Xuantian Gong.
This was an unexpected gain from his time in the Ice Fire Yin Yang Eye.
(END CHAPTER)
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