Jiang Huai used the spring water from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Spring to refine the medicinal power inside him. The two Ice Fire Pills within his body had turned into two kinds of energy: one of extreme heat, one of extreme cold, along with a third force containing immense spiritual power.
The Sword God and God of Destruction sensed the suffering Jiang Huai was enduring, so they stepped in to help him refine the medicinal power more quickly.
Gu Yue was the first to break through. Her Soul Power surged past level thirty. She looked at her hands, then at the place where Jiang Huai had jumped in.
Bubbles rose where Jiang Huai had plunged into the water. Suddenly, a terrifying shock wave pierced the clouds.
Jiang Huai slowly emerged from the water, his body shining with the powers of ice and fire.
As soon as he saw Jiang Huai come up, Gu Yue leaped toward him. He caught her in his arms.
Gu Yue nuzzled against Jiang Huai's embrace. He slowly walked to the bank and set her down.
Dugu Bo asked, "How do you two feel?"
"I've already broken through to level thirty," Gu Yue said. "Now I just need to obtain a Soul Ring."
Dugu Bo pondered her words. "That's all the breakthrough did?"
Jiang Huai smiled. "How do you know breaking through is all it did?"
Dugu Bo's eyes widened in disbelief. "Could it be...?"
Jiang Huai nodded. "That's right. There's still plenty of medicinal power left in Gu Yue's body. Once she absorbs a Soul Ring and advances to Soul Ancestor, she'll know her exact Soul Power Level."
Dugu Yan frowned. "You mean that when she absorbs a Soul Ring, she'll refine the medicinal power at the same time. Once she's finished absorbing the Soul Ring, she'll know what level she's reached."
Jiang Huai nodded, but didn't explain further. He'd already answered her question.
After chatting with Jiang Huai for a little while, Dugu Bo took his granddaughter back to Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
At Heaven Dou Royal Academy, just as Dugu Bo had landed, Prince Xue Xing found him. "Senior Dugu, I've finally found you."
Dugu Bo replied coldly, "What is it?"
Prince Xue Xing smiled ingratiatingly. "It's nothing major. My fourth nephew was beaten up by some people from a country academy. I'd like to ask for your help."
Dugu Bo frowned. "Where are they?"
Smiling, Prince Xue Xing led Dugu Bo to the Education Committee. People from Shrek Academy occupied the chairs on both sides of the room. Yu Xiaogang sat motionless, looking every bit like a reclusive master.
Meng Shenji sat in the main seat, with Bai Baoshan and Zhi Lin beside him. All three were Soul Douluo. Meng Shenji was the strongest at level eighty-seven, a control-type Soul Master; Bai Baoshan was level eighty-five, a defense-type Soul Master; and Zhi Lin was level eighty-three, a control-type Soul Master.
The two sides were in the middle of a cordial discussion when a squad of the Heaven Dou Imperial Knights entered. Xue Beng had brought in his backers: Prince Xue Xing, Dugu Bo, and the Imperial Knights.
Meanwhile, in Sunset Forest, Jiang Huai had taken Gu Yue to hunt for a Soul Ring. In truth, after refining all the medicinal power, Jiang Huai had realized that Gu Yue wasn't human.
He didn't expose her. He let Gu Yue go hunt for the Soul Ring on her own and waited for her outside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Before long, Gu Yue condensed a nine-thousand-year Soul Ring. Jiang Huai praised her for it.
The two returned to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to continue cultivating. With the help of the medicinal power, Jiang Huai's level had already risen all the way to level forty-nine and a half. He was only half a level away from becoming a Soul King.
If word got out about Jiang Huai's cultivation speed, all the major powers would fight to recruit him.
Late that night, Jiang Huai and Gu Yue lay in each other's arms. Neither of them was really asleep; both were waiting for the other to speak.
Jiang Huai realized this too, so he spoke first, asking gently, "Gu Yue, you're a Soul Beast, aren't you?"
Gu Yue opened her eyes, tears brimming in them. "Yes, but I'm not one of those mindless Soul Beasts."
Jiang Huai placed a hand over her lips. "I know. I know everything. But you should know I'm not like other people. I've been wondering why you haven't revealed your identity. I've read that Soul Beasts who cultivate again are always discovered by people above level eighty before they reach level sixty. So why haven't you been discovered?"
Gu Yue huffed, got up, and stood by the window. She turned, transforming into Gu Yuena.
Gu Yuena smiled at her lover. "Hehe, what do you think?"
Jiang Huai nodded. "You're beautiful. But why are you showing me this?"
Gu Yuena tapped him lightly on the head. "You idiot. I'm a million-year Soul Beast, and I can also be called a divine beast. My name is Gu Yuena, and I'm the Silver Dragon King, the leader of the Soul Beasts."
Jiang Huai nodded. "All right, I understand. I'll protect you, even if it means dying. They'll have to destroy my corpse first."
Gu Yuena stepped forward and hugged him. "Thank you. Thank you for promising me that. But I can't make the same promise. I have to fight for the future of the Soul Beasts."
Jiang Huai held her close. "Their future is part of mine, too. One day, I'll find a way for the Soul Beasts to escape their fate of death."
"You've got guts, kid. Let me help you, then."
Jiang Huai looked around in confusion. Beside the Goddess of Life, the God of Destruction sighed. "Why did I choose this idiot to inherit my position?"
The Goddess of Life tapped the God of Destruction on the head and said gently, "All right, Xiao Huai. I'm the Goddess of Life, wife of the God of Destruction. You want to help the Soul Beasts escape their fate of death. I can help you, but only if you and your wife—your girlfriend, Gu Yuena—complete the divine trials together and inherit our divine positions."
Jiang Huai sent his consciousness into the Sea of Consciousness and looked at the two deities before him. He seemed like a tiny ant as the gods gazed down at him from above.
Jiang Huai cupped his hands. "Your Majesties, the two Divine Kings, what must I do?"
The Goddess of Life smiled. "You complete one divine trial, and she completes another. In other words, you complement each other—you help her, and she helps you. That's how it was with my and Xiao Zi's divine positions. Those who inherit our positions must be married. If you aren't married, we can't bestow divine trials on you."
Jiang Huai nodded, then asked in confusion, "Can Gu Yuena inherit a divine position even though she's a Soul Beast?"
The Goddess of Life smiled. "Silly child, before the gods of humanity appeared, the Soul Beasts ruled the world. Besides, Gu Yuena carries the bloodline of the ancient Dragon God."
After speaking with the Goddess of Life, Jiang Huai left the Sea of Consciousness. He was thinking about how to get Gu Yuena to accept the Goddess of Life's divine position.
The next morning, Gu Yuena changed back into Gu Yue, and Jiang Huai promised to keep her identity secret.
Gu Yue trusted Jiang Huai more than anyone. Otherwise, all the time she'd spent with him would have been wasted.
Dugu Bo returned at noon and told Jiang Huai that he'd driven Shrek Academy away. Jiang Huai understood. After all, back then Dugu Bo had been rescued by Xue Xing, who'd brought troops, and had helped Xue Xing eliminate his rivals.
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