Sea God Island (Please Vote)

Over the next half year, Qin Ze never went out even once. He remained in the auction house's training area reserved for internal personnel, undergoing Xiao Kuangdao's Attribute Body Refinement every day.

At the same time, Qin Ze's Soul Power Level successfully reached rank sixteen. It was not particularly fast, but the strength of his physique had already reached the level of a high-rank assault-type Soul Grandmaster.

"Mm!" In the center of the training area, Qin Ze held a horse stance like a stone Buddha, enduring the relentless battering of nine attributes.

Flames, ice, darkness, light, hurricanes, heavy earth, dense wood, lightning, and sharp metal. Blinding Soul Power Fluctuations flashed continuously, leaving the onlookers around him trembling with fear. They had never seen such a training method before.

"A Ze's training method is way too brutal."

"Elder Xiao's martial soul actually has nine attributes. That's insane."

Outside the central area, the idle internal personnel chatted quietly.

Xiao Kuangdao stood with his hands behind his back, silently watching Qin Ze's movements. He had not made Qin Ze speed up his Soul Power cultivation. Instead, he had him desperately temper his body before reaching the Soul Grandmaster realm.

Why temper the body? The reason was simple. For ordinary Soul Masters, their second Soul Ring could only be a Hundred-Year Soul Ring. Stronger Soul Masters could obtain one with a somewhat higher age, but they ultimately could not break through the thousand-year threshold. What Xiao Kuangdao wanted was for Qin Ze to obtain a Thousand-Year Soul Ring for his second Soul Ring—and not an ordinary one at that. Ideally, he would challenge a two-thousand-year Soul Ring.

He had already learned from Du Busi that Qin Ze's first Soul Ring Age was as high as eight hundred years.

The difference in strength granted to a Soul Master's body by a hundred-year and thousand-year Soul Ring was enormous. Of course, he knew there were methods to increase a Soul Ring's age, but that was for the future. What Xiao Kuangdao intended to give Qin Ze was something for the present!

Others might temper their bodies as well, yet still obtain only Hundred-Year Soul Rings. That was where his uniqueness came in. The body tempering Xiao Kuangdao had Qin Ze undergo was not ordinary body tempering, but Attribute Body Refinement.

Soul beasts all possessed attributes. If one merely tempered the physical body, then in the end, one could only rely on bodily strength to forcibly absorb a higher-aged Soul Ring, and backlash could easily occur in the process. Attribute Body Refinement was different. Because Qin Ze had undergone it, he already possessed a certain resistance to the various attributes lingering within Soul Rings, greatly reducing the difficulty of obtaining them later.

It could be said to be one of a kind across the entire continent.

Unfortunately, Attribute Body Refinement can only be maintained until A Ze reaches the Soul Grandmaster realm. Once he passes rank twenty, it won't be of much use anymore. Xiao Kuangdao thought to himself as he watched Qin Ze's grave expression.

Half an hour later, the Attribute Body Refinement ended.

Qin Ze rested for a while before moving again. After a year and a half of training, he had long since grown accustomed to it. Only when a scorching warm current rose within his body did he begin stretching his entire body.

However, seeing his teacher's slightly furrowed brow, he could not help but feel puzzled. "What's wrong, Teacher?"

Hearing his voice, Xiao Kuangdao came back to his senses and smiled faintly. "Nothing. Go clean yourself up. Later, accompany me to Shrek Academy. You've been training every day for the past half year to the point of nearly losing yourself in it. It's time to take a break."

Qin Ze scratched his head and smiled awkwardly. He truly had been crazily tempering his body every day over the past half year. Mainly because he had learned from Xiao Kuangdao about the difference between ordinary body tempering and Attribute Body Refinement. Attribute Body Refinement could greatly increase Soul Ring Age, and that had utterly ignited Qin Ze's passion.

Increasing Soul Ring Age was something one could only gain through a God Trial or other special circumstances. Getting ahead in terms of Soul Rings now would undoubtedly bring tremendous benefits.

"Then I'll go clean up first." Qin Ze headed toward the living quarters.

On his way out, Qin Ze also exchanged a few words with the visiting sect disciples. After half a year, everyone had become familiar with one another, and because Qin Ze was young, they all took rather good care of him.

The carriage traveled leisurely along the broad streets, with crowds of people enjoying themselves on both sides. Laughter and chatter rose one after another.

Shrek Academy was located in the eastern part of Shrek City. It had not been built in the city center because the eastern city gate faced the Star Dou Great Forest. Shrek Academy had been established there partly to guard against beast tides from the Soul Beasts within the Star Dou Great Forest.

When the carriage arrived at Shrek Academy's gates, someone was already waiting outside. It was Yan Shaozhe, the man who had come to purchase the Ancient Ice Crystal.

Xiao Kuangdao and Qin Ze got out of the carriage and walked over to Yan Shaozhe.

Upon seeing Xiao Kuangdao, Yan Shaozhe smiled slightly as well.

"As expected of the continent's number one Soul Master Academy." Xiao Kuangdao looked at the dense crowds outside the gates. Besides Shrek Academy's students, there were also many vendors here.

Receiving the praise, Yan Shaozhe merely maintained his smile. "Senior Xiao, please follow me to Sea God Island."

"Alright." Xiao Kuangdao nodded lightly.

Under Yan Shaozhe's lead, the three of them headed directly into the academy.

Shrek Academy's environment was exceptionally beautiful. Its vegetation was abundant and varied, with lush, flourishing branches and leaves. Walking along the wide avenues, no matter which direction one looked, one could see at least ten different kinds of plants. These plants had clearly all been carefully pruned.

After walking for nearly two minutes, a not particularly large plaza came into Qin Ze's view. Several granite statues stood within it.

"The Shrek Seven Devils, the Golden Iron Triangle." Qin Ze's gaze fell upon the statues.

If he had traveled to the era of Tang San, he might have been able to meet these people. Unfortunately, he had arrived in the timeline of the Peerless Tang Sect.

Seeing Qin Ze pause to look at the statues, Yan Shaozhe said nothing and merely smiled softly.

"Quit staring, brat," Xiao Kuangdao called out.

Qin Ze came back to his senses. Seeing the two of them looking at him, he smiled awkwardly.

Shrek Academy contained a massive artificial lake known as Sea God Lake. By the shore, a small boat was already moored there.

If Yan Shaozhe had been alone, he would have flown directly across Sea God Lake. However, with guests present, he could not exactly make them fly as well. That would damage Shrek Academy's dignity.

The sunlight was perfect today. Gentle rays spilled across the artificial lake, making its surface shimmer. Cool air drifted out with the swaying water, while the clear, bright azure lake resembled a mirror emitting a faint glow.

The small boat rowed toward Sea God Island, leaving faint ripples on the lake's surface and drawing the gazes of Outer Court students watching from the shore.

They rarely saw anyone emerge from Sea God Island, but they knew that anyone who came from there was a powerhouse!

Sea God Island was also the place every Outer Court student of Shrek Academy dreamed of reaching.

At last, the small boat stopped beside a set of steps. Yan Shaozhe led the way, with Xiao Kuangdao and Qin Ze following beside him.

"The purity of Soul Power here seems to be more than twice that of the outside world." Xiao Kuangdao sensed the Soul Power in the air and spoke with slight surprise.

"Yes. The purity of Soul Power on Sea God Island is indeed twice that of the outside world, and in some places, it is even higher," Yan Shaozhe said.

"No wonder the requirements for entering your Shrek Inner Court are so high. This old man understands now." Xiao Kuangdao surveyed the surroundings.

The two chatted as they walked. Before long, they arrived at an area containing a cluster of buildings, and Qin Ze also spotted some young people who were clearly disciples of Shrek Academy's Inner Court.

However, Qin Ze could not continue following them into the meeting room. The negotiations were not something he could listen in on. The visitors this time included not only elders from the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, but elders from other sects as well, and even people from the Heaven Soul Imperial Family and the Dou Ling Imperial Family.

With Yan Shaozhe's approval, Qin Ze was granted permission to explore Sea God Island freely. Of course, he was forbidden from entering certain marked areas.

The reason Yan Shaozhe was comfortable letting Qin Ze wander about was that many places on Sea God Island were restricted by the Soul Power radiated by the Golden Ancient Tree. Those who had not been recognized simply could not enter. Even if someone powerful tried to force their way in, the elders within Sea God Pavilion would sense it.

Watching Xiao Kuangdao and Yan Shaozhe leave, Qin Ze wandered around and looked about.

The place for negotiations was not Sea God Pavilion. It was an ordinary meeting room for receiving visitors, located roughly within the cluster of buildings where the Inner Court disciples lived.

Thanks to Aries for the two monthly votes.