Fourth Soul Ring, Soul Bone

The howling wind and snow drowned out the frenzied roars of the three giant beasts.

The mere aura leaking from the three beasts was enough to frighten every other soul beast within ten miles into scattering and fleeing. Even the snowstorm seemed to slow its descent beneath the oppressive atmosphere.

Nebula Douluo became a fleeting shadow glittering with faint starlight as she darted through the air. Her martial soul was the Star Cloud Fan, a top-tier Tool Martial Soul that lay somewhere between the Control System and Assault System. It possessed an exceptionally unique starlight attribute, one that remained extremely rare even in the present age. Nebula Douluo's fame was closely tied to it.

Now past eighty, Nebula Douluo's Soul Power Level was ninety-two. Among Titled Douluo, that was not considered high; she could only be ranked near the bottom. With her age, the upper limit of her cultivation had nearly been set. Unless she encountered some great opportunity, she would likely never reach the realm of a Super Douluo in her lifetime.

Seeing Nebula Douluo finally lead the three frenzied Titan Snow Demons beyond the range of the Mixed Circle, Shattered Star Douluo quickened his pace as well.

The biting wind struck the three of them head-on, and Xu Jiujiu could not help tightening her grip on Shu Yan's hand. Though she was a princess, this was her first time directly facing a normal soul-hunting scene. As the most honored princess of the Star Luo Empire, the soul beasts she needed for every breakthrough had always been specially prepared for her. Once they had been completely subdued, she only needed to kill them and obtain their soul rings. When had she ever taken such a great risk?

Shattered Star Douluo watched the backs of the three giant beasts, his expression darkening slightly before he said,

"Your Highness Princess, Shu boy, please stay a little farther away later. These beasts' fur is as tough as gold and iron. Nebula Douluo and I will use our soul skills together to kill the two Titan Snow Demons that came later in one strike. As for the one that has just broken through ten thousand years, I'll make it lose its ability to move and leave it for Shu boy to handle. Stay farther away so you won't be injured by the aftershock."

Shu Yan gave a soft hum. Once Shattered Star Douluo lowered their altitude slightly, he directly jumped down with Xu Jiujiu in his arms, landing in snow that rose past his knees.

Xu Jiujiu exhaled a breath of warm air and held tightly onto Shu Yan's hand. After a long while, she said,

"A Yan, sometimes I truly feel that you're far too mature for a teenager. I know I'm already outstanding myself, but when I'm beside you, I still can't help feeling a little inferior."

Shu Yan merely smiled and pinched Xu Jiujiu's cheek lightly as he said softly,

"You don't need to deny yourself. You are Princess Jiujiu, one of the most honored women in the world. Compared to you, I seem rather ordinary..."

"Mhm..."

"A pretty boy living off a princess? What do you think?"

Shu Yan said it half-jokingly.

Xu Jiujiu could not hold back a snort of laughter. Before Shu Yan, she could always set aside the burdens and pressure of being a princess, revealing her adorable side.

Boom—

Just as the two were enjoying their sweet moment amid the wind and snow, several miserable cries and a thunderous crash from afar shattered the atmosphere between them.

Shu Yan's expression changed instantly. He picked Xu Jiujiu up again, and after several leaps, they had crossed more than a hundred meters. Xu Jiujiu had not even recovered her senses before they arrived at the edge of the battlefield. Shattered Star Douluo was pinning the Titan Snow Demon that had just reached ten thousand years firmly in place. Seeing Shu Yan arrive, Shattered Star Douluo nodded, then brought his foot down. The Titan Snow Demon immediately fainted, left for Shu Yan to deal with.

Shu Yan patted the back of Xu Jiujiu's hand, then walked straight toward the Titan Snow Demon.

Three purple soul rings, far exceeding the normal soul ring configuration, appeared beneath his feet. A long halberd condensed from Extreme Ice suddenly appeared in Shu Yan's hand. Without the slightest hesitation, he ended the life of the Ten-Thousand-Year Titan Snow Demon.

As a vast, domineering, ice-cold energy poured into Shu Yan's body, Xu Jiujiu and the other two quietly let out a breath of relief.

None of the three worried that Shu Yan would fail to absorb this powerful Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring. Since childhood, Shu Yan had consumed all manner of heavenly treasures, and his body was far stronger than that of soul masters of the same rank. Combined with his Heavenly Snow Woman Martial Soul, absorbing a Titan Snow Demon's soul ring—a life-or-death hurdle in the eyes of ordinary Ice Attribute Soul Masters—could not even be considered a test for him.

While Shu Yan absorbed the soul ring, Nebula Douluo carefully inspected the other two Titan Snow Demon corpses, both of which had been directly beheaded.

When examining the severed head of one Titan Snow Demon, Nebula Douluo's aged hand trembled slightly. Then, under the control of her Soul Power, a crystalline Head Soul Bone emanating silver-white soul power slowly floated out from the pile of mangled flesh.

"A Head Soul Bone..."

Shattered Star Douluo and Xu Jiujiu noticed the anomaly and hurried over as well, both unable to conceal the astonishment in their eyes.

Of the six soul bones in the human body, the Trunk Soul Bone was the rarest and most precious. After the Trunk Soul Bone, the Head Soul Bone ranked second in rarity and value.

Even the vast imperial treasury of the Star Luo Empire contained only a few Head Soul Bones. A good Head Soul Bone could enhance a soul master even more than a good soul ring, which showed just how important Head Soul Bones were to soul masters.

Everyone had already witnessed the power of the Titan Snow Demons. This soul bone was also more than ten thousand years old. Its value was so immense that even on the continent, it would undoubtedly be a treasure capable of provoking conflict among every major power.

"What luck..."

Xu Jiujiu gave a bitter smile, then accepted the priceless top-grade soul bone from Nebula Douluo.

Shattered Star Douluo's gaze was somewhat complicated. As a long-renowned Super Douluo, his talent had been more than sufficient for him to absorb a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring. Yet for various reasons, he had been forced to give up. Despite operating within the Star Luo Empire for so many years with his status, he had only found two soul bones suitable for himself. Moreover, the price he had paid to obtain those two soul bones had been considerable.

Xu Jiujiu's expression was complicated, and she struggled inwardly for a moment. After a long while, she sighed and said,

"The value of this soul bone goes without saying, but if we are discussing who it belongs to, A Yan is the most suitable. Grandmother Manyi, Senior Shattered Star, do either of you object?"

Nebula Douluo and Shattered Star Douluo exchanged glances. After a moment of silence, they both nodded lightly.

Only then did Xu Jiujiu quietly breathe a sigh of relief.

What worried her was not that Nebula Douluo or Shattered Star Douluo might harbor improper intentions toward the soul bone. She only feared that Shattered Star Douluo might be dissatisfied with her decisive choice.

Nebula Douluo had watched her grow up and was the person Xu Jiujiu trusted most aside from Shu Yan and her own brother. Naturally, Xu Jiujiu did not worry that Grandmother Manyi might have any improper designs on the soul bone. But compared to her, Shattered Star Douluo...

Well, Xu Jiujiu was not saying there was anything wrong with Shattered Star Douluo. His loyalty to the empire was plain for all to see. The concern she had was what she had mentioned earlier. Now, it seemed that this princess, who had always considered herself clever, had overthought things...

As her thoughts turned, Xu Jiujiu suddenly said,

"Senior Shattered Star, I meant nothing else by it. I was simply a little too anxious. Please forgive me..."

Shattered Star Douluo merely smiled indifferently and waved a hand.

"I watched Shu boy grow up as well and have long regarded him as half a junior of my own. Your Highness Princess, there is no need to worry. I have been around for most of my life. Such a trivial matter is hardly worth taking to heart..."

Only then did Xu Jiujiu smile. A trace of amusement showed in her gaze as she looked at Shu Yan, as though she were hoping he would wake soon...

PS①: Let's confirm the update schedule~

During the new book period, before release, one chapter will be updated at 11:30 a.m.

Another chapter will be updated at 5:30 p.m.

Everyone can wait and read them together at night. When you reach the end, please give this little author some Follow-up Reading. (Kowtow—)

PS②: The editors are on holiday for the Mid-Autumn Festival recently, so the contract cannot be signed until the eighteenth. Everyone can invest with confidence; this book already passed internal submission long ago...