After all, Oscar was a Food-Type Soul Master, yet he'd still broken through level 30 at twelve. If he kept cultivating steadily, ten years—from age twelve to twenty-two—would be more than enough for him to break through level 50.
As for the original story's claim that Feng Xiaotian had held back his Soul Power cultivation because he was researching a Self-Created Soul Skill, Shen Feng didn't believe it at all.
After all, did that crude Self-Created Soul Skill of his—using an opponent's strength against them—really need that much time to research?
One had to know that Innate Full Soul Power didn't just mean a faster rate of Soul Power cultivation. It also meant far greater control over Soul Power than other people had.
Otherwise, Oscar wouldn't have learned several Self-Created Soul Skills in just two short years, while Dai Mubai still couldn't even walk on water a year later.
That was the advantage of Innate Full Soul Power: in every respect, it gave a Soul Master an overwhelming edge over the others.
One had to know that someone with innate level nine Soul Power had a talent capped at level nine, while Innate Full Soul Power was limited only by the rules of heaven and earth, with a maximum of level ten.
Anyway, developing that crude Self-Created Soul Skill from scratch wouldn't have taken Shen Feng even three months.
With a more advanced Soul Master guiding him, he could have figured it out in a week.
Looking at it this way, the original story really did seem to be focused on showing off Tang San, without depicting the darkness of this continent at all.
Thinking of this, Shen Feng turned to Dugu Bo. "Old sir, I may have to return to the Soul Hunting Guild."
Dugu Bo was taken aback. "Why so suddenly?"
Shen Feng sighed. "There are many powers in Heaven Dou City, and it's a real mixed bag. I don't want to become the next Feng Xiaotian."
"Besides, my Fifth Soul Ring needs to come from a Soul Beast at least fifty thousand years old. Sunset Forest can hardly meet my needs anymore."
Dugu Bo thought it over. "If you're not in a hurry, I'd like you to wait a few more days."
"In five days, it'll be that old fellow Xue Ye's birthday banquet. I'll ask him for official recognition of the Soul Hunting Guild's legitimacy."
"That way, the Soul Hunting Guild will be able to operate freely throughout the Heaven Dou Empire and develop much faster."
"Then I'll go back to the Soul Hunting Guild with you and help you hunt a suitable Soul Beast."
"After all, without me, it'd be difficult for you to handle a Soul Beast over fifty thousand years old."
Dugu Bo was right. A Soul Beast over fifty thousand years old had combat strength comparable to an Eight-Ring Soul Douluo.
Without him, Shen Rui, Ling Na, Zhao Wuji, and even Flender together—with only Soul Saint-level strength—would probably struggle to take down a fifty-thousand-year-old Soul Beast.
Official recognition from the Heaven Dou Empire would also help the Soul Hunting Guild develop faster. At the very least, they wouldn't have to worry about other powers openly suppressing them.
Besides, finding out how much Qian Renxue knew was an urgent matter. After all, knowing yourself and your enemy was the key to winning every battle.
As for the risk of being exposed, as long as he didn't reveal his Soul Rings and fight in public, there shouldn't be any major problems.
"Sure. Then I'll go back after attending Xue Ye's birthday banquet."
Dugu Bo had clearly seen Shen Feng's reservations. He smiled and nodded. "When the time comes, just stay by Yanyan's side. If you run into any trouble, let her handle it for you. As long as you don't fight, there'll be no risk of exposing yourself."
Shen Feng paused, then smiled and nodded. "All right. I'll have to trouble Sister Yanyan to be my shield this time."
Just then, a faint ripple of Soul Power burst from Dugu Yan, not far away.
Dugu Bo's face lit up. "Oh? Looks like Yanyan heard what you said. She's breaking through in such a hurry—maybe it's because she wants to protect you, little brother."
Shen Feng laughed. "Sister Yanyan is good to me."
"Come on, old sir. Let's wait by her side and surprise her when she's done."
Dugu Bo chuckled. "Quietly, behind her."
Half an hour later, Soul Power surged violently through Dugu Yan's body. At last, she successfully absorbed the Datura Snake Soul Ring, which was nearly twenty thousand years old.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, and black—five optimally matched Soul Rings sprang out around her. A fierce wave of Soul Power instantly spread through the area.
"Whoa, Sister Yanyan, that's quite an improvement."
Shen Feng's voice suddenly rang out behind Dugu Yan, just as Dugu Bo's had startled him earlier.
"Who's there?!"
Dugu Yan cried out in alarm, like a startled snake. She instantly activated Martial Soul Possession. In the blink of an eye, her legs vanished, replaced by a thick, blue-purple serpent tail more than three meters long. She darted along the ground, quickly fleeing the spot.
Right after that, the Third Soul Ring on Dugu Yan's body lit up. She opened her mouth and sprayed a dense cloud of purple poison, instantly obscuring herself.
Shen Feng's pupils contracted. He pushed off with his feet and leapt backward before the poison cloud could spread to him, putting distance between himself and Dugu Yan.
"Sister Yanyan, was that really necessary? I only wanted to scare you. Your reaction was way over the top."
Only then did Dugu Yan realize what had happened inside the poison cloud. She gave a soft snort. "Little brother, don't you know you shouldn't suddenly appear in a Soul Master's blind spot?"
"That can easily lead to a misunderstanding!"
The next moment, several concentrated streams of poison shot through the purple cloud like arrows loosed from a bow, aimed straight at Shen Feng's face.
Shen Feng was startled. He hurriedly backed away, managing to dodge each of Dugu Yan's poison attacks by a hair.
The concentrated poison splattered onto the ground, where it gave off faint sizzling sounds and wisps of barely visible smoke.
Shen Feng stared in surprise. "Sister Yanyan, you're actually serious."
Dugu Yan's giggle came from inside the poison cloud. "Haha! At the academy, nobody dares spar with me. You're strong enough, so why not play with me?"
"Besides, you can help me test my Fifth Soul Skill."
Shen Feng grinned. "I'd be happy to. As it happens, I want to test my Fourth Soul Skill too."
The moment Shen Feng finished speaking, the air around them suddenly seemed to congeal.
Dugu Bo watched Shen Feng warily and sent a cold voice into his mind. "Kid, if you hurt Yanyan, I'll make you regret it."
Shen Feng's expression stiffened. He turned his head stiffly toward Dugu Bo and gave an awkward grin. "Old sir, I wouldn't dare."
"Now's my chance, Xiao Feng. Take this!"
With Shen Feng pinned down by Dugu Bo, Dugu Yan was thrilled. She thought she'd spotted an opening. The Fifth Soul Ring on her body immediately lit up, and a yellow Datura Snake made of poison surged along the ground toward Shen Feng. It was twelve meters long and as thick as an adult's thigh.
Soul Power surged wildly through Shen Feng as he desperately tried to break free of Dugu Bo's suppression.
Black scales and thunder armor quickly covered his body, and purple-black lightning crackled over him. The Water and Fire Dual Soul Cores in his dantian spun rapidly, forming the shape of a Taiji symbol in an instant.
By then, Dugu Yan's attack had reached Shen Feng. The Datura Snake made of poison opened its sharp fangs and was about to bite his leg.
"Ha!"
Shen Feng shouted and immediately broke free of Dugu Bo's Soul Power suppression.
His Second Soul Ring blazed. At the last possible moment, he activated Thunder Flash.
He transformed into lightning and shifted more than ten meters to the left in a single leap. Shen Feng let out a long breath.
"Old sir, that's no way to play fair. You actually used Soul Power to suppress me."
Dugu Bo stared at Shen Feng in disbelief. Only he knew that he'd just used enough Soul Power pressure to suppress a Seven-Ring Soul Saint, and still hadn't managed to pin Shen Feng down.
Generally speaking, a lower-ranked Soul Master faced with the direct Soul Power pressure of a higher-ranked one could consider themselves exceptional if they endured pressure equivalent to a Soul Master two-thirds of their own level. If they could withstand pressure equal to their own Soul Power, their willpower was extraordinarily strong.
But even that required them to release their Martial Soul—and it had to be a Beast Martial Soul that gave them the greatest physical enhancement.
Take Tang San in the original story, for example. When he first arrived at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy at level 33 and faced the Soul Power pressure of Zhilin, an eighty-third-level Soul Douluo, he'd only endured pressure equivalent to level 45 before being forced to reveal his Martial Soul and External Soul Bone.
But Shen Feng had broken free from the Soul Power pressure of Dugu Bo, who was level 93, despite a twenty-level gap.
How could such a sight not shock him?
"Grandpa, this is a fight between Xiao Feng and me. Don't interfere again."
With that, Dugu Yan willed the Datura Snake she'd released earlier to turn its head and chase after Shen Feng once more.
Hearing Dugu Yan's voice, Dugu Bo could only laugh helplessly.
"All right, all right. I won't interfere. You two fight."
Shen Feng glanced at Dugu Bo, who stood nearby without showing any sign of stepping in, then sighed and started dodging again.
Everyone knew Dugu Yan was Dugu Bo's favorite. Since Dugu Bo hadn't given him a signal, Shen Feng wasn't about to offend her.
He could play around with her, but actually fight her? No way.
Watching Shen Feng narrowly evade Dugu Yan's attacks time and again, Dugu Bo shook his head helplessly.
Girl, Xiao Feng is a freak you can't handle.
With that thought, Dugu Bo sent a message to Shen Feng. "Fight properly and win cleanly. But remember, if you hurt Yanyan, I'll make you regret it."
Dugu Bo had clearly realized what was wrong with Dugu Yan: she'd grown overconfident and didn't know her limits.
The Immortal Herb's effects had raised her Soul Power by ten levels in just one year, making her the foremost member of the younger generation in Heaven Dou City—or even the entire Heaven Dou Empire.
But cultivation was about cultivating the mind as well. Raising one's strength without developing a matching state of mind was bound to cause serious problems.
Clearly, Dugu Bo now saw Shen Feng as the wake-up call Dugu Yan needed.
Hearing the voice in his mind, Shen Feng—who'd been frantically dodging Dugu Yan's attacks—immediately perked up.
Now he could fight back. What was there to fear? He'd just go for it.
With a grin, Shen Feng gave Dugu Bo a thumbs-up. The Third Soul Ring on his body lit up.
"Third Soul Skill: Thunder Shock!"
Purple lightning burst from Shen Feng, forming a ring of thunder that instantly blasted the charging Datura Snake away.
The lightning scattered outward. A second strike immediately shook it into a puddle of poison that splattered in every direction.
Wherever the poison landed, it sizzled against the ground, its fierce toxicity plain to see.
"Sister Yanyan, do you have anything else? If not, I'm going to attack."
Dugu Yan gave a soft snort from within the poison cloud. "Don't underestimate me. I was just playing with you before."
Dugu Yan pressed both hands against the ground. The Fifth Soul Ring on her body lit up once more. The next moment, countless Datura Snakes made of poison, each about the size of a chopstick, burst out of the poison formation. Like a tide of snakes, they surged toward Shen Feng from all directions.
Clearly, Dugu Yan had changed how she used her Fifth Soul Skill, trading a single large, powerful attack for many smaller ones.
The corners of Shen Feng's mouth lifted slightly. The Third Soul Ring on his body lit up again.
Shen Feng's Third Soul Ring came from a nine-thousand-nine-hundred-and-ninety-nine-year Ox Dragon. Its power was no weaker than that of a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring.
And with his condensed Soul Power comparable to that of a Titled Douluo, his Soul Skill was even more powerful.
Even if Dugu Yan's Fifth Soul Ring had been thirty thousand years old rather than nearly twenty thousand, Shen Feng's Third Soul Skill could still have held its own.
Sure enough, a ring of lightning burst from Shen Feng again. The Datura Snakes were blasted away in an instant, turning into poison clouds that filled the air.
Poison cloud?
Shen Feng's heart jolted. He immediately realized something was wrong.
"Little brother, you fell for it."
The next moment, at Dugu Yan's command, an invisible wind seemed to blow the poison cloud toward Shen Feng. It quickly surrounded him and closed in around him.
Crackle—crackle—crackle—
Lightning kept jumping across Shen Feng's body. The poison cloud around him was repeatedly blasted apart.
Shen Feng had gotten the idea from the Thunder Armor Scorpion: use fierce, potent lightning to rapidly heat the air, then use the heat to destroy the proteins in snake venom and render it harmless.
The Datura Snake's poison was a conventional snake venom, and its main component was heat-sensitive protein.
"Sister Yanyan, snake venom can't withstand high temperatures. Your poison cloud won't work on me."
Dugu Yan laughed softly. "Of course I know snake venom can't withstand high temperatures. But who told you that snake venom is my only form of attack?"
Shen Feng paused. Right, biological toxins weren't all protein-based. There were also alkaloid toxins.
Take pufferfish, for example. Its toxin was so heat-resistant that even humans, despite their greed, wouldn't dare try eating it lightly.
Some biological toxins also contained benzene rings, cyanide groups, and various organic and inorganic compounds used in the struggle for survival.
These rarer toxins could even withstand temperatures above a thousand degrees Celsius without losing their toxicity.
Damn it, he'd let his guard down.
The next moment, Shen Feng felt dizzy. His limbs grew weak, his muscles went numb, and his sense of his own body began to dull.
Clearly, Shen Feng was already showing signs of poisoning.
Before you continue