Watching Xiao Feng's expression, Ma Qinghai shook his head helplessly.
"And that guy spends all day either cultivating or going out to hunt Soul Beasts and improve his combat experience."
"He's practically not even human."
"There's no comparing. There's just no comparing."
Listening to Ma Qinghai ramble beside him, Xiao Feng said calmly, "The ultimate armor isn't impossible to surpass."
"Just like the Hall Masters. Surely their strength is greater than that guy's?"
"Uh..." Ma Qinghai was briefly at a loss for words.
Xiao Feng paid him no further mind and headed straight toward Spirit City.
Only his voice echoed through the sky:
"As long as I keep cultivating, one day I'll surpass Duanmu Ting!"
Watching Xiao Feng walk farther and farther away, Ma Qinghai shook his head helplessly.
Then he hurried after him. "Hey, wait for me!"
When they were nearing Spirit City, Ma Qinghai suddenly seemed to realize something and jolted in surprise.
He quickly turned to Xiao Feng beside him. "Hey, Xiao Feng! We don't even know who we're supposed to find in Spirit City!"
"His Majesty didn't say, did he?"
Xiao Feng continued strolling toward the city gate. Hearing this, he replied calmly,
"His Majesty said we're looking for a young man named Ke Sheng. He's in Spirit City."
"But you hadn't arrived when His Majesty said that, so naturally you didn't hear."
Ma Qinghai's lips twitched, but then he shrugged. "Forget it. As long as we know who we're looking for."
Soon, the two reached Spirit City's gate. They paid the guards the entry fee and officially entered the city.
Bright Realm.
Inside Imperial Hall.
Yu Yuan sat upon the throne, listening to the system notification beside him as the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
He couldn't help exclaiming, "This Heavenly Screen really is my lucky star!"
Earlier, when Ma Qinghai made the list, the system had rewarded him with information about someone compatible with the Main Armor Martial Soul.
Now that Xiao Feng had made the list, not only had his strength improved, but Yu Yuan had once again received a system reward.
[ Ding! Congratulations. Your subordinate, Hurricane Douluo Xiao Feng, has broken through to level ninety-eight, achieving a significant increase in strength. ] [ Reward: Soul Power Solidified Doubled, one Soul Ring of your choice upgraded to a million years, one hundred-thousand-year Torso Bone, and increased Wood Element Power ] [ Claim reward? ]
"Claim it," Yu Yuan silently thought.
The next moment, an immense aura spread around him.
At the same time, a verdant light, brimming with vitality, appeared around Yu Yuan.
Red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red—nine crimson Soul Rings radiating a powerful killing intent emerged from beneath his feet.
His ninth Soul Ring began to tremble and change.
A dazzling golden light suddenly burst from it.
In an instant, the entire Imperial Hall was bathed in gold.
A short while later, Yu Yuan had finished absorbing the rewards from the system.
Feeling the tremendous power within him, Yu Yuan couldn't help letting out a soft laugh.
"This feeling really is wonderful!"
The increase in strength certainly pleased Yu Yuan.
But what captivated him even more was that this power represented one of the most fundamental forces in the world.
The essence of the Wood Element Power lay in creation and growth.
Among the Five Elements, wood governed generation and growth, containing limitless potential and change.
Now that his Wood Element Power had increased, he was naturally delighted.
Then Yu Yuan's mind stirred.
Whoosh—!
Like the surging tide of spring, like all trees blossoming anew.
Brilliant green light suddenly welled up around Yu Yuan.
It wasn't dazzling, but brimmed with vibrant, surging life.
In an instant, it illuminated every corner of Imperial Hall, washing the once cold, mysterious stone hall in a lush, verdant glow.
Then—
Countless towering trees, teeming with life, suddenly appeared out of thin air throughout Imperial Hall.
Some were ancient pines with gnarled branches like dragons; others were parasol trees with broad, umbrella-like leaves. There were even ordinary flowers and grasses.
The sudden appearance of countless plants transformed the stately Imperial Hall into a miniature ancient forest.
Yu Yuan even used the now stronger Wood Element Power within him.
He conjured a towering Thousand-Hand Guanyin, radiating a terrifying, oppressive presence.
As Yu Yuan continued pouring his Wood Element Power into these creations,
the vegetation in the dense forest began to change.
Some plants, once ordinary varieties commonly found in forests outside,
began to show distinct golden and silver patterns across the veins of their leaves and branches.
Like runes etched by nature, they seemed to resonate faintly with the Soul Power in the world.
The edges of an inconspicuous purple-blue flower's petals took on a verdant glow.
It swayed slowly on its own, releasing visible silvery specks of light.
On the undersides of several clumps of dark green grass, tiny crystalline dewdrops formed, like fragments of stars, giving off a refreshing, invigorating fragrance.
The most obvious changes appeared in the tallest trees at the center of the forest.
Their bark grew smooth and warm as jade, with verdant light faintly flowing beneath the surface.
At the very tops of their canopies, hazy, smoke-like pale azure vortices slowly revolved, continuously absorbing the free-floating Soul Power in the hall and the Wood Element Power released by Yu Yuan.
A trace of humanlike light even flashed in the eyes of the wooden Thousand-Hand Guanyin statue.
"Whoa, this is..."
Yu Yuan, absorbed in his newfound power, was startled by the unexpected scene.
A flash of insight crossed his mind, and an exceedingly bold idea came to him.
"Could this Wood Element Power let me create Immortal Grass?"
"And if I combine it with the other four Elements, could it produce something unique and supreme, surpassing even the Immortal Grass in Douluo?"
The more Yu Yuan thought about it, the brighter his eyes grew.
"Hahahaha! Heaven is on my side! It really is on my side!" Yu Yuan couldn't help laughing with delight.
His laughter echoed throughout Imperial Hall.
Yu Yuan had never imagined that the Wood Element Power enhanced by the system could be so potent.
This wasn't merely an increase in combat strength; it was a strategic advantage.
An ability that could continually produce rare treasures.
That meant the strength of his entire faction could be increased much more quickly.
It was truly fearsome!
"Hahaha, I originally thought the Immortal Grass in the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eye would be useless to me."
"But with my Wood Element Power supporting it, I'm sure it'll lead to plenty of interesting changes."
At once, Yu Yuan sent a mental message to the Wood Element Hall. "Dong Sen, take Jun Hao to Sunset Forest."
"Bring back the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eye intact!"
Inside the Wood Element Hall,
Dong Sen had been immersed in cultivation when he heard his own Emperor's command.
He abruptly opened his eyes, puzzled about what the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eye was and why the Emperor would send him, a Hall Master of the Five Elements, to retrieve it.
But he immediately stood and left the Wood Element Hall.
Then, facing Imperial Hall, he bowed respectfully and said, "Dong Sen obeys!"
With that, he went straight to where Jun Hao was, ready to take him to Sunset Forest.
Before you continue