Gathering Star

"Sect Master, why not give this Soul Bone to Elder Fangxing?"

Oh? It was rare for Mingxi to speak up on his own. The Sect Master also wanted to hear the opinion of the sect's younger generation.

"Sect Master, Elders, you should all be aware of the current situation on the continent.

Spirit Hall is powerful, while the Upper Three Sects have banded together for mutual support. Moreover, the leading Clear Sky Sect now has the Clear Sky Twin Stars.

Once they become Titled Douluo, chaos will surely return to the continent before long.

If Elder Fangxing absorbs this Soul Bone, then with his talent, he should be able to reach Titled Douluo within ten years.

At that time, with the sect's assistance, he can hunt a hundred-thousand-year soul beast. Then the sect will have someone capable of holding the skies aloft.

After another ten or twenty years, once Brother Mingguang and I have grown stronger, the sect will have nothing to worry about."

Good heavens, I only asked you to share your thoughts, and you gave me such a long speech.

The Sect Master was confused at first, then shocked. What was he supposed to do when Mingxi's words made so much sense? The elders also seemed unable to find any reason to refute him.

These old men had nearly exhausted their potential, while Mingxi and Mingguang would not be able to mature in a short time.

Xu Fangxing truly was the most outstanding among the second generation. It seemed they had no other choice.

"Very well, it's settled. Elder Fangxing will absorb this Soul Bone."

"Wait. Why not give it to Fangming? His talent isn't much worse than mine, and he's an assault-type Soul Master. He's better suited to this Soul Bone."

There was one thing Xu Fangxing did not say aloud: this would make Xu Mingxi's family even more devoted to the Star Crown Sect.

Perhaps because he had lived two lives, Xu Mingxi had always felt somewhat distant from the Star Crown Sect, especially when he had first arrived in this world.

The sect elders had all noticed this, but no matter how hard they thought about it, they could not figure out why. They could only assume it was an issue with his personality.

Fortunately, Xu Mingxi later became increasingly close with those of his generation, and everyone gradually forgot about it.

The Sect Master gave his son a deep look. Of course he knew Xu Fangming—the First Elder's son, Xu Mingxi's father, and a genius second only to Xu Fangxing among the second generation.

"Very well. Xu Fangming will absorb it. This matter must not be leaked."

Xu Fangming, who had still been cultivating beneath the Starry Tree, was summoned to the Sect Master Hall.

Seeing so many elders, he had thought he had done something wrong. Who could have expected the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone handed over by the Sect Master to leave him utterly stunned?

After finally recovering from the shock of such immense joy, Xu Fangming hurriedly tried to refuse.

"Enough. Just accept it and become a Titled Douluo as soon as possible."

Really, he had never seen a Soul Bone passed around like this before. The Sect Master had nearly wanted to say that he would absorb it himself.

But the Sect Master knew his own limits. If he absorbed this Soul Bone and cultivated for a few more years, reaching Rank 97 would not be a problem.

However, reaching Rank 98 was unlikely. The Sect Master did have potential, but his flaw lay in the fact that his Ninth Soul Ring was only ninety thousand years old.

Xu Fangming was now Rank 75. After absorbing this Soul Bone and cultivating for another year or two, he would likely become the Star Crown Sect's newest elder.

With the matter resolved perfectly, the elders dispersed. The Sect Master handed Xu Mingxi a Mandala Snake left-arm bone that was more than four thousand one hundred years old, and Xu Mingxi personally delivered it to Dugu Xin.

"Senior Dugu, this Soul Bone came from a Mandala Snake over four thousand years old. It should suit you. As for what happened in the Star Dou Great Forest, I hope you can keep it secret."

Dugu Xin delightedly accepted the Box containing the Soul Bone. He truly had not expected Xu Mingxi and the others to honor their promise.

"Thank you, little brother. Don't worry, I absolutely won't reveal it. My Dugu Family will also never forget the friendship you and the Star Crown Sect have shown us.

However, I may have to take my leave now. The toxins in my body are growing more severe, and I must return to Heaven Dou City immediately to work with my father on a solution."

"Very well, Senior Dugu. Travel safely. If you have any news, send it to the Blood Blade Pavilion in Heaven Dou City. They will deliver it to us."

Dugu Xin froze. The Blood Blade Pavilion—wasn't that one of Heaven Dou City's major powers? He had not expected them to have connections with the Star Crown Sect as well.

Dugu Xin nodded, waved goodbye to Xu Mingxi, and left the Star Crown Sect at once, heading for Heaven Dou City.

After seeing Dugu Xin off, Xu Mingxi returned beneath the Starry Tree and resumed his role as a cultivation tool. Vine Two Elders and the many disciples of the Star Crown Sect gave him an enthusiastic welcome.

They also felt that the amount of Moon Essence Xu Mingxi summoned seemed to have increased somewhat.

In between cultivating, Xu Mingxi did not forget to visit the Training Field and test his Fifth Soul Skill, Gathering Star.

Xu Mingxi released his martial soul, and his fifth Black Soul Ring lit up. Boundless Starlight gathered before the Star Crown, forming a blade of light that shot forward.

The target ahead on the Training Field was sliced cleanly in two. The light blade continued upward, cleaving through the clouds before vanishing into the horizon.

Gathering Star was a percentage-based amplification Soul Skill. It could provide a 45% increase in Soul Power while greatly enhancing the intensity of Xu Mingxi's Starlight.

The light blade just now was merely one application of his second Soul Skill, Star Gathering.

"Powerful. Too powerful. When I use my Fifth Soul Skill, both my Star Gathering and Star Net are greatly strengthened."

As for his Fourth Soul Skill, Star's Protection, Xu Mingxi knew without even using it that it had certainly been strengthened as well. Since there was no opponent to test it on now, he could only try it later.

After another 450 days of serving as a cultivation tool, Xu Mingxi's Soul Power reached Rank 54. He could clearly feel that the pace of his advancement had slowed.

A Soul Master could not grow stronger through endless bitter cultivation alone. They also needed to experience more things and endure more trials.

After celebrating his twentieth birthday, Xu Mingxi formally requested permission from the sect to travel abroad.

Ever since Xu Mingxi awakened his martial soul and obtained the Star Calling Soul Skill, ambition had begun to grow in his heart. From then on, he had dreamed of becoming a god.

As for becoming a god on Douluo Continent, Xu Mingxi only knew of two methods. One was inheriting a godhood, while the other was becoming a god through faith.

As for having no faith and creating his own divine position, Xu Mingxi felt that was far too absurd.

And with no idea whether divine positions such as the Star God, Yue Shen, or Sun God even existed, Xu Mingxi had only one choice: gather the faith of the entire continent and emulate the first Poseidon and the Angel God, ascending to godhood through faith.

To obtain faith, he could never avoid Spirit Hall and the Two Great Empires. If he wanted to make them shut up, force was the best option.

Or rather, he could pick up the spoils after Spirit Hall, the Two Great Empires, and the Upper Three Sects had all suffered devastating losses.

Even so, the Star Crown Sect alone was nowhere near enough. Xu Mingxi needed more support, and traveling abroad was precisely an opportunity for him to meet more powerful individuals.

After seeking the opinions of the Sect Master and several Elders, Xu Mingxi set his destination in the southeastern region of the Star Luo Empire.