The Grind Finally Paid Off

In a remote, hidden cave on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Wave after wave of surging Soul Power rippled across Zhu Zhuqing's body. Under its influence, her understanding of Golden Muscle Jade Bone grew increasingly profound.

"It worked!"

Zhu Zhuqing opened her eyes, a glimmer of delight flashing through them.

Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz!

Rising to her feet, Zhu Zhuqing gently raised a hand. Five Soul Rings—yellow, purple, black, black, and black—appeared around her.

Each time a Soul Ring appeared, the air around it trembled.

"Level 53. This Dark Demon Evil God Tiger Soul Ring really is powerful!"

Zhu Zhuqing sensed her Soul Power Level, delight flashing in her eyes.

One had to know that her Soul Power Purity was not much weaker than that of a Titled Douluo. Even so, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's Soul Ring had still raised her by three levels.

Although she was only Level 50, and the Soul Power required for her advancement was nowhere near as vast as a Titled Douluo's, it was still terrifying enough.

After quietly sensing the soul skill granted by her fifth Soul Ring, Zhu Zhuqing's lips gradually curved upward.

"Fifth Soul Skill, Life-Death Arena!"

Softly murmuring the name of the skill, Zhu Zhuqing felt as though she had become invincible.

Why was the soul skill Tang San obtained after killing the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger different from hers in the original story?

That depended on what Martial Soul Tang San had used to absorb the Soul Ring. Setting aside whether they were compatible or not—

The Clear Sky Hammer's attributes already somewhat conflicted with those of the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's Soul Ring.

So naturally, it could not inherit the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's strongest soul skill.

Life-Death Arena was the fifth soul skill Zhu Zhuqing had obtained from hunting the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger. Its effect was extremely powerful: it could forcibly drag an enemy into a completely sealed Small World for a duel.

At the same time, Zhu Zhuqing could freely set the ages of both sides during the battle.

However, if the opponent possessed purification-type soul skills, they could resist the Time Reversal effect to a certain extent.

Once the Life-Death Arena was established, it could not be interrupted unless one side died, nor could either side leave the arena.

The victor would obtain one item from the dead party. It could be a Soul Ring, a Soul Bone, even a Self-Created Soul Skill, and so on.

A Soul Ring could be stacked onto one's own Soul Ring to raise its age, or absorbed as the Soul Ring needed for a breakthrough. The same went for Soul Bones—they could be fused or absorbed.

At first glance, this skill seemed unbelievably overpowered. Calling it a divine skill would not be an exaggeration.

Unfortunately, this skill was more suited for preserving one's life, and its cooldown was as long as a year.

In other words, if Zhu Zhuqing wanted to use this skill to increase the age of her Soul Rings—

She would need at least several years to equip herself with a full set of Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings.

And she would need someone to drag into the Life-Death Arena.

At present, the only person in the entire Douluo Continent she had such thoughts toward was Tang Hao.

As for other soul masters?

She could not casually take others' lives merely for her own advancement.

For the time being, she did not intend to kill Tang Hao. She wanted to leave him alive to watch how she would shatter his plans.

Just as Tang Hao had shattered her right hand.

Under normal circumstances, Zhu Zhuqing still wanted to keep the Life-Death Arena for saving her life.

Because its cooldown was counted from the day it was used. It was not something that could be used again immediately once a new year began; she had to wait a full three hundred and sixty-five days.

For her own safety, she could not possibly use this soul skill at every turn.

At the same time, after gaining this soul skill, she no longer needed to worry over Soul Ring ages.

Even if their ages were low now, she would have a way to raise them in the future.

Though it might take quite some time.

"Ugh, after breaking through, my Cultivation Speed has slowed down again!"

After meditating for a while and sensing the tiny sliver of Soul Power progress she had made with great difficulty, Zhu Zhuqing sighed.

Having refined Soul Power had indeed greatly increased her strength, but the difficulty of raising her level...

Zhu Zhuqing really wanted to cover her face!

The Soul Power she needed to raise one level now was basically no less than what a Level 91 Titled Douluo needed to rise one level. This was the downside of compressing her Soul Power to the extreme twice.

"This won't do. At this rate, even if I devote an entire year to raising my Soul Power, I might not gain more than a few levels.

It's time to begin!"

Zhu Zhuqing adjusted to her Soul Power, and her gaze gradually became resolute.

Sitting cross-legged, she began compressing the Soul Power around her body into her Dantian.

Within her Dantian, Zhu Zhuqing's two Martial Souls were already poised to act.

Martial Souls did not exist within the Dantian. They existed throughout a soul master's body, a power similar to a bloodline.

However, Zhu Zhuqing needed the assistance of both Martial Souls to condense her Soul Cores this time.

Using One Mind, Two Uses, Zhu Zhuqing controlled her two Martial Souls and began compressing all the Soul Power around her body.

The Holy Light White Tiger condensed Light Soul Power, while the Nether Shadow Spirit Cat condensed Dark Soul Power.

Condensing and compressing two kinds of Soul Power at once made Zhu Zhuqing's Dantian tremble violently.

"Suppress!"

Zhu Zhuqing pressed both hands against her Dantian, immediately shifting from One Mind, Two Uses to One Mind, Four Uses.

The White Tiger and Spirit Cat each controlled a portion of the Soul Power and pressed it toward the other, assisting each other in compressing Soul Power and condensing Soul Cores.

Inside, the Martial Souls representing their respective attributes condensed Soul Power. Outside, independent Soul Power squeezed inward.

The two previously restless Soul Core embryos gradually stabilized.

It looked simple, but to achieve this step, one needed at least proficient mastery of One Mind, Four Uses just to qualify to begin.

Otherwise, one careless mistake would result in an explosion and death.

At this moment, Zhu Zhuqing's Dantian resembled two black-and-white circles.

Within each black-and-white circle was a smaller white-and-black circle.

These small circles were the ultimate compressed forms of the two kinds of extreme Soul Power.

The differently colored Soul Power around them continued to exert pressure upon the small circles, making them denser and more solid.

"Condense!"

As time passed, all of Zhu Zhuqing's Soul Power had completely transferred into her Dantian. At the final moment, Zhu Zhuqing finally uttered the word, "Condense!"

Whoosh!

The two Soul Cores condensed at the same time. Yet at the instant their condensation succeeded, the two Soul Cores began to riot.

Their Soul Powers had already been opposed to one another. Now that they had condensed into Soul Cores, how could they remain in the same place willingly?

Under the clash of their rules, they immediately sought to rush at each other and fight to the death.

But this was exactly what Zhu Zhuqing wanted.

The opposing Soul Power surrounding the two Soul Cores was like two cages, confining each Soul Core within one.

Yet the two Soul Cores seemed to have encountered mortal enemies and could not suppress their violent agitation.

"Turn!"

Zhu Zhuqing's lips curved faintly upward. The sight that would terrify other soul masters was completely under her control.

The White Tiger and Spirit Cat exchanged a glance, then began dragging the two Soul Cores clockwise at the same time.

Seeing the other trying to flee, both Soul Cores chose to pursue almost simultaneously.

Then they chased faster and faster.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Like perpetual-motion machines, the two Soul Cores began spinning within Zhu Zhuqing's Dantian.

The suction they created was directly manifested through Zhu Zhuqing's body.

Boom!

The Soul Power between heaven and earth seemed to have been caught in a high-powered pump, surging ceaselessly into Zhu Zhuqing's body.

Then, this Soul Power was crushed by the Yin Yang Diagram within her Dantian, transformed into the purest Soul Power, and separately fused into the two fish.

Ultimate light was ultimate darkness, and ultimate darkness could likewise transform into ultimate light.

At the Fish Eyes, where the Soul Cores were located, ultimate light and ultimate darkness continuously transformed into relatively extreme Soul Power, which was absorbed by the Soul Cores.

After absorbing this Soul Power, the Soul Cores grew stronger. As they gradually strengthened, their rotational speed gradually increased, and their efficiency in drawing in Soul Power likewise rose.

"Automatic Cultivation Cheat Device, complete!"

Feeling her Soul Power rising at a speed comparable to the Martial Soul Fusion Cultivation Method even without cultivation, Zhu Zhuqing happily stretched.

"I've grinded for eight whole years. I've finally made it!"