Jiang Huai and Gu Yue's Great Surge in Strength

Jiang Huai utilized the water of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to refine the medicinal power within his body. Two medicinal pills, one of extreme heat and one of extreme cold, were transforming into energy within him, accompanied by a surge of immense spiritual power.

The Sword God and the God of Destruction sensed that Jiang Huai was enduring great hardship, so they intervened to help him accelerate the refinement of the medicinal power.

Gu Yue was the first to break through her level, directly reaching rank 30 soul power. She looked at her hands and then toward the spot where Jiang Huai had jumped in.

Bubbles began to rise from the place where Jiang Huai had submerged, and suddenly, a terrifying shockwave pierced through the clouds.

Jiang Huai slowly surfaced, his body shimmering with the dual powers of ice and fire.

Seeing Jiang Huai emerge, Gu Yue leaped over, and Jiang Huai caught her in his arms.

Gu Yue nuzzled into Jiang Huai's embrace, and Jiang Huai slowly walked to the shore to set her down.

Dugu Bo asked, "How do you two feel?"

Gu Yue replied, "I have broken through to rank 30. Now, all I need to do is obtain a soul ring."

Dugu Bo pondered this and said, "That's all the breakthrough you got?"

Jiang Huai smiled and said, "How do you know it's just a simple breakthrough?"

Hearing this, Dugu Bo widened his eyes in disbelief and said, "Could it be!"

Jiang Huai nodded and said, "Yes, there is still a great deal of medicinal power stored within Gu Yue's body. Once she absorbs her soul ring and advances to become a soul ancestor, we will know her exact soul power level."

Dugu Yan frowned and said, "You mean that when she absorbs her soul ring, she will simultaneously refine the medicinal power, and once she finishes, her current level will be revealed."

Jiang Huai nodded, but he offered no further explanation, as he had already answered the question.

Soon after, Dugu Bo exchanged a few pleasantries with Jiang Huai before taking his granddaughter back to the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.

At the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, as soon as Dugu Bo landed, Prince Xue Xing found him and said, "Senior Dugu, I've finally found you."

Dugu Bo replied coldly, "What is it?"

Prince Xue Xing smiled ingratiatingly and said, "It's nothing major, but my fourth nephew was beaten by a group of people from a rural academy. I ask for your help."

Hearing this, Dugu Bo frowned and asked, "Where?"

Prince Xue Xing smiled and led Dugu Bo to the Education Committee. Inside, people from Shrek Academy were seated on chairs on both sides, with Yu Xiaogang sitting in the middle like an aloof master.

In the main seats sat the three soul douluos: Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhi Lin. Among them, Meng Shenji had the highest cultivation at rank 87 control system, Bai Baoshan was a rank 85 defense system, and Zhi Lin was a rank 83 control system.

Just as the two sides were talking amicably, a squad of the Heaven Dou Imperial Knights entered. Xue Beng had brought his backer, Prince Xue Xing, along with Dugu Bo and the Imperial Knights.

On the other side, in the Sunset Forest, Jiang Huai had taken Gu Yue to hunt for a soul ring. In truth, once Jiang Huai had finished refining the medicinal power, he realized that Gu Yue was not human.

Jiang Huai did not expose her and let Gu Yue go hunt on her own, while he waited for her outside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Before long, Gu Yue condensed a 9,000-year soul ring, and Jiang Huai offered his praise.

The two returned to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to continue their cultivation. With the help of the medicinal power, Jiang Huai's level had successfully reached rank 49 and a half, meaning he was only halfway away from becoming a soul king.

If Jiang Huai's cultivation speed were to become public knowledge, he would undoubtedly be fought over by all the major factions.

Late at night.

Jiang Huai and Gu Yue lay in each other's arms. In reality, neither of them was asleep; they were waiting for the other to speak.

Jiang Huai realized this, so he took the initiative to ask gently, "Gu Yue, you are a soul beast, aren't you?"

Hearing this, Gu Yue opened her eyes, her lids brimming with tears, and said, "Yes, but I am not one of those mindless soul beasts."

Jiang Huai placed his hand on her lips and said, "I know, I know everything. But you must understand that I am not like others. During this time, I have been curious why you haven't exposed your identity. I have read books that say 'soul beasts who have started over will be discovered by anyone above rank 80 before reaching rank 60,' yet why haven't you been discovered?"

Gu Yue snorted at this, stood up, and walked to the window. With a turn of her figure, she transformed into Gu Yuena.

Gu Yuena looked at her lover and smiled, "Hee hee, how is it?"

Jiang Huai nodded and said, "Very beautiful, but why are you showing me this?"

Gu Yuena tapped Jiang Huai on the head and said, "Pig-headed, I am a million-year-level soul beast, or perhaps a divine beast. My name is Gu Yuena, the Silver Dragon King and master of all soul beasts."

Jiang Huai nodded and said, "Mm, I understand. I will protect you well. Even if it means death, they will have to step over my corpse first."

Hearing this, Gu Yuena stepped forward and hugged Jiang Huai, saying, "Thank you. Thank you for promising this, but I cannot accept it. I must live for the future of the soul beasts."

Jiang Huai held her and said, "The future of the soul beasts includes me as well. One day, I will find a way to let soul beasts escape their fate of death."

"Kid, you have quite a lot of spirit. Then let me help you."

Hearing this, Jiang Huai looked around in confusion. The God of Destruction sighed beside the Goddess of Life and said, "Why did I choose this idiot to inherit my position?"

The Goddess of Life tapped the God of Destruction on the head and said softly, "Alright now. Little Huai, I am the Goddess of Life, wife of the God of Destruction. If you want to help soul beasts escape their fate of death, I can help you, but the condition is that you and your wife—your girlfriend, Gu Yuena—complete our divine trials together and inherit our two divine positions."

Jiang Huai's consciousness entered his spiritual sea, looking at the two deities before him. He felt like a tiny ant being looked down upon by the gods.

Jiang Huai bowed and said, "Great God Kings, what must I do?"

The Goddess of Life smiled and said, "Naturally, you must complete one divine trial, and she must complete another. In other words, you are complementary; you help her, and she helps you. This is the nature of my and Little Zi's divine positions. Those who inherit our positions must be a married couple. If you were not a couple, it would be impossible for us to bestow these trials."

Jiang Huai nodded, then asked in confusion, "Can Gu Yuena inherit a divine position even though she is a soul beast?"

The Goddess of Life laughed, "Silly child, before our human deities appeared, the world was always the domain of the soul beast clan. Besides, Gu Yuena carries the bloodline of the ancient Dragon God."

After speaking with the Goddess of Life, Jiang Huai withdrew from his spiritual sea. He was deep in thought about how to get Gu Yuena to accept the Goddess of Life's divine position.

The next morning, Gu Yuena transformed back into the appearance of Gu Yue, and Jiang Huai promised to keep her secret.

Gu Yue trusted Jiang Huai above all else; otherwise, her companionship up to this point would have truly been in vain.

At noon, Dugu Bo returned. He told Jiang Huai the news of his expulsion of Shrek, and Jiang Huai expressed his understanding—after all, Dugu Bo had been saved by Prince Xue Xing's troops back in the day and had helped him clear out his political rivals ever since.