The Dramatic Little Fox

Bibi Dong was quite open about it, with no embarrassment whatsoever. After all, they had already slept while hugging each other. She openly looked Shang An over, clicking her tongue in amazement at his tender skin, flawless white body, and that little sprout... tsk, tsk.

Shang An, on the other hand, blushed slightly and hurriedly summoned his External Soul Bone again. The External Soul Bone normally did not consume Soul Power, and it possessed extremely strong physical and mental defenses. At the very least, even Soul Elders would struggle to break through its defenses.

However, using it to block soul skills in battle or activating the External Soul Bone's inherent abilities would consume Soul Power.

Seeing Shang An put his clothes back on, Hu Liena disappointedly lowered the hand covering her eyes.

"Xiao An, what is your First Spirit Skill?"

Bibi Dong asked.

Shang An summoned his Martial Soul. As the purple Spirit Ring flashed, an exquisite silver staff brimming with a mysterious aura appeared, with the Taiyi Bead embedded at its top.

"Junior Brother, is your First Spirit Skill this staff? What does it do? Can you use it to smash people?"

Smash people? The staff did seem rather sturdy, so it probably could... Pah. Hu Liena had led him astray. He was a mage. Even if he died out here, even if he died in a Spirit Beast's jaws, he would never crudely use a staff to smash people.

He shot Hu Liena a "cold" glance. Seeing that she was still grinning carelessly, Shang An helplessly withdrew his gaze and spoke to Bibi Dong.

"Teacher, my First Spirit Ring is called the Taiyi Staff. It can condense a staff. While using it, my defense, attack power—Soul Power attack—and strength are all increased by one hundred percent."

"Not a bad soul skill."

Bibi Dong praised him sincerely. Shang An's First Spirit Skill was even more powerful than many Soul Elders' Third Spirit Skills. Furthermore, as a boosting soul skill, it could still be used even after reaching the Title Douluo realm. The Spirit Ring's age only limited the duration of the soul skill. With the vast Soul Power of a Title Douluo, he could simply cast it again once the time ran out.

With Xiao An's talent, becoming a Title Douluo would be effortless. Bibi Dong recalled someone's theory on Spirit Ring limits. Clearly, Xiao Feng's First Spirit Ring had already far surpassed the so-called limit.

Heh, so you were nothing special after all. Bibi Dong sneered inwardly, though she did not know whether she was mocking herself or Xiao Gang.

Shang An's voice sounded again, pulling Bibi Dong back from her wandering thoughts.

"Teacher, my External Soul Bone also has a boosting soul skill."

Shang An continued.

"It can increase all aspects of my abilities by one hundred percent, with no time limit. It lasts until my Soul Power is depleted or I cancel it myself. Also, when it transforms into ordinary clothing and is worn normally, it does not consume Soul Power."

A one-hundred-percent boost in every aspect? Bibi Dong was quite shocked. An all-around boost included strength, speed, Soul Power, and every other area. As expected of an External Soul Bone.

"Wow, Junior Brother, does that mean your External Soul Bone can change into any style of clothing? Then you'd have endless beautiful outfits to wear."

Hey, little fox, weren't you focusing on the wrong thing? This was a one-hundred-percent boost in every aspect. Shang An complained wildly inwardly, but when he saw the little fox's expectant gaze, he still nodded stiffly. Sigh, are women everywhere unable to resist pretty clothes?

Good thing Teacher wasn't that shallow...

Shang An suddenly saw undisguised envy in Bibi Dong's eyes. She was clearly quite interested as well. Women! Your name is shallowness.

Two days later,

Somewhere in the Soul Hunting Forest.

Shang An sat cross-legged beside the corpse of a large cat that was entirely white, as though carved from jade. A deep purple Spirit Ring slowly settled around the Taiyi Bead in his right hand. Bibi Dong and Hu Liena sat nearby, while Chrysanthemum Douluo stood guard vigilantly around them.

Though it was the second time he had absorbed a Spirit Ring beyond the age limit, the two women were still deeply worried. After all, the White Jade Spirit Cat Shang An was absorbing was a full six thousand years old, already surpassing the limit of a Soul Ancestor's Fourth Spirit Ring.

Shang An's face was slightly flushed, and his brow was faintly furrowed, making Bibi Dong and Hu Liena worry endlessly. However, he soon returned to calmness. Clearly, he could barely withstand a six-thousand-year Spirit Ring now.

A moment later, Shang An stood up.

He looked much taller than when he had arrived, roughly one point four meters, nearly one point five meters tall—about the height of a nine- or ten-year-old child. His External Soul Bone—the Myriad Transformation Spirit Robe—had also grown somewhat, fitting his new height.

It had to be said that Soul Power was quite effective at promoting growth. When one was young, Soul Power aided development; when one was old, it delayed aging. It truly was the ultimate health regimen.

"Junior Brother, how do you feel?"

Hu Liena came over again.

Shang An disdainfully slapped away the claw reaching for his cheek and said,

"I feel great. I'm already level twenty-seven now."

The two over-limit Spirit Rings, along with the Soul Power he had accumulated through cultivating the Great Freedom True Scripture, had brought him directly to level twenty-seven—the same level Zhu Zhuqing had been at when she entered Shrek.

"Level twenty-seven?!"

"Wow! Junior Brother, you're almost catching up to Senior Sister. If you surpass Senior Sister someday, will you bully her from then on?"

The little fox put on a tearful, pitiful expression.

Shang An turned his head and curled his lip. What a drama queen.

Bibi Dong found the way the two flirted with each other rather amusing. Watching them play around, she inexplicably felt that they were quite well matched.

They were both her disciples. Although Nana was a few years older than Xiao An, that was no issue. If they truly got together, it would be a fine thing. After all, the best water did not flow into outsiders' fields.

Should she bring them together? Bibi Dong gently shook her head again. Forget it. Let nature take its course. For some reason, when she thought of personally matchmaking them, she felt a little resistant, as though she feared something precious would be taken from her.

Mm, she had raised Nana as a daughter. Whether he could win her over would depend on Xiao An's own abilities. Yes, that was it.

It was just that she did not know whether the thing she truly cherished in her heart was Hu Liena or Shang An.

Coming back to herself, she saw Hu Liena circling Shang An while Shang An looked rather perfunctory. No matter how she looked at it, Hu Liena seemed to be throwing herself at him! Did she have no restraint at all?! Several black lines seemed to appear on Bibi Dong's forehead. Was this what people meant when they said a grown daughter could not be kept at home?

"All right, Xiao An, Nana. Now that you've absorbed the Spirit Ring, let's head back."

Interrupting the two at play, Bibi Dong stepped forward and took both their hands. Chrysanthemum Douluo cleared the way, and the group began hurrying toward the exit.

Bang!

Using the Tiangang Bagua Steps, Shang An nimbly dodged the claws swung by the tiger-type Spirit Beast before him. His Second Spirit Skill lit up, and a deep purple halo emerged. His speed suddenly increased, and he instantly circled to the beast's side, bringing the Taiyi Staff in his hand crashing down on its waist.

Roar!

The waist had always been a vulnerable area. Moreover, after fighting Shang An for so long, the beast had consumed an enormous amount of Soul Power. After suffering such a heavy blow, it gave a low roar, could no longer hold on, and collapsed to the ground.

"Junior Brother is amazing!"

Hu Liena became a little fangirl as she watched Shang An step on the Evil Tiger's head.

Soul Power surged beneath Shang An's foot, directly sending the Spirit Beast to its death. He then put away the corpse and walked toward Bibi Dong and the others.

"Xiao An, your combat awareness is truly excellent."

Bibi Dong also spoke to Shang An with admiration. This Evil Tiger was a Thousand-Year Soul Beast, comparable to a human Soul Elder. Yet Shang An had defeated it without using his External Soul Bone and had barely suffered any injuries. At the Soul Grandmaster stage, even Bibi Dong herself had not possessed combat ability comparable to Shang An's.

"It was also because Teacher and Grandfather Chrysanthemum were beside me that I dared to let go and fight with all my strength."

Chrysanthemum Douluo watched Shang An with a beaming smile. Over the past few days, Shang An had been willing and Chrysanthemum Douluo had been interested, while Bibi Dong had been happy to see it happen. Thus, their relationship had progressed rapidly, and Shang An had now changed how he addressed Chrysanthemum Douluo to Grandfather Chrysanthemum.

"Let's go. We're almost at the exit."

Shang An's Second Spirit Ring came from the six-thousand-year White Jade Spirit Cat. It increased his speed by one hundred percent and his attack power by fifty percent. In order to test his current strength,

he had spent another two days in this Spirit Beast Forest. From hundred-year Spirit Beasts to the Thousand-Year Soul Beast before him, Shang An had gained a clear understanding of his own strength.

In his normal state, he could fight a Soul Elder. If he used his External Soul Bone, even fighting a Soul Ancestor was not impossible.

However, once he returned, he would need to find some staff techniques to practice. After all, he was only in the Lingdong Realm right now, and many of the powerful offensive martial techniques and spells he once possessed could not be used.

Besides, a melee mage was pretty cool. Just imagine it: after someone broke through countless obstacles and dodged wave after wave of attacks to reach him, believing victory was within their grasp, they would be knocked unconscious by a blow from his staff. That feeling would be incredible, wouldn't it?