A Pair of External Soul Bones

When Ji Wushuang began absorbing the Spirit Ring.

Bibi Dong walked over to the Titan Giant Ape. Soul Power enveloped its entire body as she carefully inspected it for any Soul Bones.

At the same time, a massive dark green spider phantom spread out behind her. A thick, sickly-sweet stench filled the area as corrosive Soul Power blanketed the Titan Giant Ape's body.

A distorted energy field suddenly formed.

Fine black threads of light filled the air, tangling around the Titan Giant Ape like a spiderweb.

Bibi Dong opened her palm, and a black vortex emerged in its center, glimmering with specks of Soul Power.

The Titan Giant Ape's corpse visibly began to shrivel and break apart.

In an instant.

The once enormous Titan Giant Ape was stripped of all flesh and blood, leaving behind only a skeleton and... a pair of palm bones that emitted a dark red glow.

"Palm Bones among the External Soul Bones?"

With her jade-like hand as sharp as a blade, Bibi Dong effortlessly severed the Titan Giant Ape's left and right hands, removing the two dark red Soul Bones.

She then flung the Titan Giant Ape's remains over a hundred meters away and released a blood-red shockwave, completely annihilating them and erasing all traces.

Using the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor to devour Soul Power and flesh for cultivation was no different from what Fallen Spirit Masters did.

Spirit Hall had risen to prominence through slaughtering Fallen Spirit Masters.

Yet she was the current Pope of Spirit Hall.

She did not want anyone else to know about this, yet deep down, she hoped that one day in the future, even after Ji Wushuang learned of it, he would still choose to stand by her side.

Holding the pair of Palm Bones, Bibi Dong returned to Ji Wushuang's side. She took out the Gilt Chair and gracefully sat down, keeping watch over him at all times. The moment Ji Wushuang could no longer hold on, she would immediately intervene.

As expected, a ten-thousand-year Titan Giant Ape's Spirit Ring was not so easy to absorb. Just as Bibi Dong had said, Ji Wushuang felt immense pressure on his body, while the lingering fragments of the Titan Giant Ape's soul within the Spirit Ring continued to resist him desperately.

This was what was known as soul tremor.

Three hours later, Ji Wushuang absorbed the ten-thousand-year Titan Giant Ape's Spirit Ring without mishap.

One yellow, two purple, and one black Spirit Ring pulsed above and below him.

"Urrgh—ah!"

Bibi Dong's expression changed drastically as she hurriedly checked on Ji Wushuang.

"!My whole body is overflowing with power!" Ji Wushuang laughed loudly as he stretched his limbs.

Bibi Dong's face immediately darkened. Without another word, she slapped the back of Ji Wushuang's head.

Thud!

Ji Wushuang's forehead slammed into the ground, but he did not feel any pain.

"What are you yelling for?!" Bibi Dong was furious and planted another foot on Ji Wushuang's backside.

Ji Wushuang said haltingly, "I... I was just excited... that's all..."

Bibi Dong said, "Then be excited. Why did you have to yell?!"

Ji Wushuang said, "This disciple knows his mistake..."

"Hmph!" Bibi Dong turned and sat back down in her chair.

Ji Wushuang hurriedly got up, dusted himself off, and beamed.

Seeing this, Bibi Dong rolled her eyes charmingly. "There's something even more exciting still to come!"

Ji Wushuang asked in confusion, "What else could be worth getting excited about?"

Bibi Dong took out the pair of Palm Bones she had found on the Titan Giant Ape and said:

"These were found on the Titan Giant Ape. They are a pair of left and right hand Soul Bones, classified as External Soul Bones. They can grow stronger as their owner grows stronger."

"Absorb them here. Your teacher will watch over you."

Ji Wushuang was overjoyed, but he scratched his head and said, "Teacher, how about we each take one? It would be too embarrassing if I absorbed both."

Bibi Dong crooked a finger at him.

Seeing this, Ji Wushuang walked over to Bibi Dong. "What is it, Teacher?"

Bibi Dong grabbed Ji Wushuang's handsome face and pinched it. "You little rascal are quite filial. Your teacher is very pleased, but now is not the time for you to show filial piety."

"When the day comes that you can stand beside your teacher and fight shoulder to shoulder with me, that will be the greatest filial piety you can show me. Do you understand?!"

Ji Wushuang nodded repeatedly. He took the Titan Giant Ape's pair of left and right Palm Bones from Bibi Dong, sat at her feet, and began absorbing them.

They reminded him of the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear's Palm Bones.

He had not expected the Titan Giant Ape to have them as well.

The two Palm Bones transformed into dark red streams of light and fused into Ji Wushuang's left and right hands.

Waves of pain suddenly erupted and spread throughout his entire body.

This was far more agonizing than absorbing the Titan Giant Ape's Spirit Ring.

Even Bibi Dong could not help frowning. A dark green spider leg silently emerged and suddenly stabbed into Ji Wushuang's back.

"Pfft!"

A shimmering radiance flowed across the dark green spider leg, continuously pouring into Ji Wushuang's body.

Ji Wushuang, who had been enduring immense pain, had an expression that was nearly twisted beyond recognition. Yet at this moment, it gradually returned to normal, and the pallor on his face slowly gave way to color.

Bibi Dong's condition, however, was the opposite.

After a long while.

Once the two Palm Bones had completely fused with Ji Wushuang's left and right hands, Bibi Dong finally withdrew that spider leg and let out a breath of relief.

Ji Wushuang slowly opened his eyes, and two dark crimson beams shot forth.

"It finally worked!" Ji Wushuang exhaled deeply. He looked up at Bibi Dong and asked in surprise, "Teacher, when I was absorbing the soul bones, I felt something prick my back. Did you do that?"

"Teacher, your complexion doesn't look very good..."

Ji Wushuang frowned.

But before he could approach, Bibi Dong raised a hand to stop him. "I'm fine."

"Teacher, these are Dragon Ganoderma Leaves I picked from Elder Ju's herb garden. They can heal injuries and strengthen one's foundation, and they're also very effective at restoring Soul Power. Would you like to try them?" Ji Wushuang took out two rolls of Dragon Ganoderma Leaves and handed them to Bibi Dong.

Bibi Dong accepted the Dragon Ganoderma Leaves, put them into her mouth, chewed, and swallowed them before refining them with her Soul Power. In only a moment, her previously poor complexion had returned to normal.

Ji Wushuang asked, "Teacher, what happened just now?"

Bibi Dong replied blandly, "Nothing. Tell me about what you gained this time. The Titan Giant Ape's Spirit Ring should have given you a decent spirit skill."

Though Ji Wushuang still had doubts, he explained, "My Fourth Spirit Skill is a single-target attack spirit skill—Sky-Rending Sword Wave. It ignores thirty percent of physical defense."

Bibi Dong smiled. "Not bad. It's the defense-breaking spirit skill you wanted."

Ji Wushuang smiled as well.

An unintended act had borne fruit.

Bibi Dong asked again, "What about the two External Soul Bones? What abilities do they have?"

Although she herself had obtained two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones from the Death Spider Emperor, those two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones each possessed only one skill, making two skills in total.

A normal Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone would possess two skills.

She wondered whether Ji Wushuang's situation was the same as hers.

Ji Wushuang said, "The right Palm Bone's skill is a single-target attack skill: Sky-Shattering Annihilation Kill. The left Palm Bone's skill is Titan Defense."

Upon hearing this, Bibi Dong smiled in satisfaction. "One offensive and one defensive skill—that's not bad. And since they're External Soul Bones, these two skills can grow stronger along with your strength."

"How many levels did your Soul Power increase?"

Still harboring confusion, Ji Wushuang said, "Teacher, after absorbing the Spirit Ring, my Soul Power rose to level forty-two. But after absorbing the two soul bones, my Soul Power rose another two levels."

"Logically speaking, the effects of these two Palm Bones should be to strengthen my body. It would already be quite good if they increased my Soul Power at all, yet they raised it by two levels. I really don't understand."

Bibi Dong said, "If you don't understand, then don't dwell on it. Otherwise, you'll only trap yourself in a dead end. It's a good thing anyway, isn't it?"

"That's true." Ji Wushuang smiled.

Bibi Dong said, "Alright, dawn is almost here. Go back and get some rest. We'll head back at daybreak."

"You should rest early as well, Teacher." Ji Wushuang turned and entered the tent. The first thing he did was take off his clothes to inspect them. When he saw a small hole in them, countless questions arose in his heart.

Bibi Dong likewise returned to her tent, sat cross-legged, and entered meditation.

After she had devoured the Titan Giant Ape and refined the energy she gained from it, not only had she received no improvement whatsoever, but all of it had instead been injected into Ji Wushuang's body, along with some of her own life energy.

Fortunately, she had the two rolls of Dragon Ganoderma Leaves Ji Wushuang had given her.

They strengthened the foundation and replenished vitality, restored injuries and Soul Power, and allowed her body to recover in time.