Hell's Blood Net, Control and Assault as One

Ji Wuming scratched his head as he looked at the curious expressions on Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan's faces.

"Senior, how about you test my Fourth Soul Skill for me?"

At his words, Dugu Bo frowned. He had Dugu Yan move aside, then clasped his hands behind his back and looked at Ji Wuming with utter confidence.

"Come! I'd like to see just what kind of Soul Ring a top-tier plant soul beast produces!"

Ji Wuming immediately summoned his Blood Thunder Battle Spear and sincerely reminded Dugu Bo,

"Senior, please be careful!"

"Fourth Soul Skill, Hell's Blood Net!"

A heavy Blood-red net brimming with incomparably violent Lightning Force shot toward him. Seeing this, Dugu Bo unleashed his Third Soul Skill, Corrosive Black Witch Serpent.

Two small black snakes struck the blood net, only to be swiftly absorbed and dispersed.

"Not bad. It inherited the Thunderous Hell Vine's offensive methods, and the blood net is sturdy enough. What a pity—you're an Assault System Soul Master, yet you've gained a control-type skill. It truly is a useless skill!"

Dugu Bo was slightly disappointed. He swiftly moved out of the blood net's path, and just as he thought he had avoided it, the blood net suddenly turned. With one sweep, it completely ensnared Dugu Bo.

The numerous blood lightning bolts on the net were like threads of blood as they rapidly invaded Dugu Bo's body—from his skin to his blood, then into his meridians. In less than three seconds, Dugu Bo felt his body go slightly numb, with even a hint of pain.

He could not help but feel happy for Ji Wuming's Fourth Soul Skill and said with a smile,

"Kid Ji, it seems I truly underestimated this Fourth Soul Skill. Your blood net can actually lock onto its target, and the currents on it can paralyze others and damage their meridians. It has its flaws, but it's already very good."

"Is that so? Senior, my skill isn't finished yet."

Dugu Bo had just used his Martial Soul Avatar to break free from Hell's Blood Net when, in the next instant, the shattered blood net formed one miniature Blood Thunder Battle Spear after another around him, shooting rapidly toward his body.

At this point, Dugu Bo no longer dared underestimate Ji Wuming's mere Fourth Soul Skill. While in his Martial Soul Avatar form, he used his Fifth Soul Skill, Ink Domain Heavenly Gang Shield, preparing to defend against the extremely dense barrage of miniature Blood Thunder Battle Spears.

But it was already too late. The black Heavenly Gang scale armor shield could block only some of the Blood Thunder Battle Spears. Even more miniature Blood Thunder Battle Spears pierced directly into Dugu Bo's body.

At that moment, Dugu Bo resembled a human-shaped hedgehog, his entire body covered in miniature Blood Thunder Battle Spears.

Fortunately, Dugu Bo had activated his Martial Soul Avatar, reducing the Blood Thunder Battle Spears' damage to its minimum. Even so, he still felt the power of those miniature battle spears condensed from the blood net.

If he had not been skilled with poison, and if he had not been a Titled Douluo, then after being pierced by those miniature battle spears, the Red Rust Poison on their spearheads would have long since invaded every meridian in his body. He would very likely have been severely injured or died directly from the poison.

Dugu Bo immediately unleashed a powerful wave of Soul Power, shattering all the miniature battle spears around him. He walked up to Ji Wuming happily, with a hint of envy in his eyes.

"Kid Ji, your Fourth Soul Skill can control and attack. I have to say, the effect of this Soul Skill is truly powerful. For an Assault System Soul Master like you, this sort of Soul Skill can also be considered a means of preserving your life."

"Senior, to be honest, my Fourth Soul Skill can also attack without controlling. The control is only a superficial method. Its other effect is that while the blood net attacks, it can rapidly transform into a Blood Thunder Battle Spear four times larger and strike at the target. Its defense-breaking effect can reach seventy percent."

When Ji Wuming had absorbed the Thunderous Hell Vine's Soul Ring, he had been somewhat disappointed by its effect, since it was not a purely offensive method.

The Thunderous Hell Vine's attacks leaned toward control, so the Soul Skill he acquired naturally focused on explosive attacks within control.

However, the target-locking effect of the Fourth Soul Skill, Hell's Blood Net, changed everything. It possessed offensive power alongside absolute control.

Hearing the disappointment in Ji Wuming's tone, Dugu Bo immediately patted him on the back and said excitedly,

"Your Fourth Soul Skill possesses two effects at once, and you're still dissatisfied? You should know that the Soul Rings acquired by the vast majority of Soul Masters have neither two effects nor effects as absurd as yours!"

"Brother Ji, I think leaning toward control is quite good. Think about it—when you use your Fourth Soul Skill, a blood net will surely make most Soul Masters look down on you as an Assault System Soul Master, but in reality—"

As Dugu Yan spoke, she let out a soft laugh. She then hurriedly covered her smile with her hand, lest she reveal an unbecoming side of herself before Ji Wuming.

She truly could not imagine how much damage Ji Wuming's Fourth Soul Skill would inflict on an opponent. Poison, lightning, and a blood net—it was clearly a skill for defeating the strong while seeming weak, for playing the pig to eat the tiger.

"Kid Ji, a Soul Skill is a Soul Skill. What I want to confirm now is this: what level is your Soul Power?"

"Well, I just reached level forty-six."

Upon hearing that, Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan looked at him in confusion. "Only level forty-six?"

Shouldn't Cross-Level Absorption of a twenty-thousand-year Soul Ring increase Soul Power by four or five levels? By that calculation, the two Immortal Herbs had raised his Soul Power by only seven levels. Wasn't that far too little?

Seeing the confusion on Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan's faces, Ji Wuming explained helplessly,

"Senior, little sister, it isn't true that the more Immortal Herbs one consumes, the greater the increase in Soul Power. It also depends on whether the type of Immortal Herb suits the person and whether the Soul Master is too old. If everyone could eat Immortal Herbs to rapidly increase their Soul Power, wouldn't this world gain hundreds or thousands more Titled Douluo?"

"Kid Ji is right. The medicinal power of Immortal Herbs is limited. Consuming too much is instead useless."

After hearing Ji Wuming's explanation, Dugu Bo completely gave up the restless thought in his heart of having his granddaughter obtain several more immortal medicinal herbs from Ji Wuming.

At that moment, the final drop of Purple Thunder Liquid fell into the bottle. Just as Ji Wuming was about to take it away, Dugu Yan moved first and took the three full little jade bottles. She waved them before Ji Wuming with great delight.

"This was what we agreed on earlier. I'll take them first. If Brother Ji wants some, come ask me for them."

Yet in the very next second, the Thunderous Hell Vine's corpse on the ground automatically dissipated before the three of them. Ji Wuming was somewhat disappointed. Based on the way Soul Bones dropped, Dugu Bo had clearly killed the Thunderous Hell Vine in a manner close to torture, yet no Soul Bone had appeared. Could it be that the degree of torture had not been enough?

It had to be said that if he could absorb the Thunderous Hell Vine's Soul Bone, that would have been even better.

The three returned the way they had come. At Ji Wuming's side, Dugu Yan asked,

"Brother Ji, have you attended an advanced Soul Master Academy?"

Ji Wuming shook his head, which made Dugu Yan even happier. It was great that he had not attended an advanced academy! She looked toward Dugu Bo, who instantly understood what his granddaughter was thinking.

"Kid Ji, you're still young. It would be a pity not to attend an advanced Soul Master Academy. How about this? I'll mention it to Prince Xue Qin, and you can enroll at Heaven Dou Royal Academy!"

"For the time being, stay at my home. I happen to have some herbs that need you to help separate."

Ji Wuming had wanted to refuse, but Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan's expressions suddenly changed. Thus, he could only agree.

"Th-then, all right!"