Two Surprises

Inside Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong had thought that Xiao Chen could summon two Martial Souls at once to fight, and that performing a Martial Soul Fusion Skill by himself was already outrageous. She had never expected that he could even perform Spirit Skill Fusion.

Even more astonishingly, Xiao Chen, with the strength of a Level 23 Soul Grandmaster, had managed to injure a 3,600-year-old Soul Beast and ultimately escape safely.

More outrageous still, Chrysanthemum Douluo had stated bluntly that the speed Xiao Chen unleashed during his escape was even greater than that of a Level 40 speed-type Soul Ancestor.

Even Chrysanthemum Douluo, a Titled Douluo, hadn't been able to tell what method Xiao Chen had used to escape.

She gazed at the intelligence report in her hands. Her initial shock had gradually faded, replaced by a growing joy.

However, just as she was feeling most excited, she suddenly came across a sentence: Xiao Chen was excellent in every way; his only flaw was that the first two Spirit Rings on each of his two Martial Souls were both Ten-Year Spirit Rings!

Bibi Dong froze on the spot when she read that. She could hardly believe her eyes.

She turned the confidential report over and over, checking it several times before finally confirming that she wasn't seeing things.

At that moment, her expression was exactly like Chrysanthemum Douluo's when he had first seen Xiao Chen release his Spirit Rings.

She cursed inwardly. What idiot had led Xiao Chen astray and taught him to absorb Ten-Year Spirit Rings?

Bibi Dong was angry, but she quickly regained her composure. Four Ten-Year Spirit Rings had already given Xiao Chen such astonishing combat strength. If all his Spirit Rings had been the best possible ones for his level, she couldn't even imagine how powerful he would be.

"Fortunately, Xiao Chen is only Level 20 right now. His four White Spirit Rings may be holding him back, but there's still time to make things right!" Bibi Dong murmured, feeling very lucky that Xiao Chen's Soul Power Level was only 20.

Bibi Dong had already made up her mind: from then on, she would personally review and approve every Spirit Ring Xiao Chen added.

Meanwhile, before the Canghui Academy group had returned to town, Xiao Chen took advantage of the free time to stabilize the realm he had recently broken through to and consolidate his cultivation.

Adding three Spirit Rings in succession had steadily raised Xiao Chen's Soul Power to Level 23.

Earlier, when he had used Spirit Skill Sharing to perform Shadow Step Dash and escape the Thunder Pattern Leopard, he had fallen unconscious. However, the experience had also made him more adept at using Spirit Skill Sharing.

Still, Spirit Skill Sharing consumed far too much Soul Power. Creating an extra Spirit Ring out of thin air was already an outrageous feat. Until his Soul Power Level increased, it would be difficult for him to fully master the ability.

Compared with Spirit Skill Sharing, Spirit Skill Fusion was clearly better suited to his current level.

Over the next three days, Hu Liena and Xie Yue didn't ask Xiao Chen any more questions about Spirit Skill Fusion.

The three of them either meditated and cultivated in their rooms or chatted and drank in the hotel lobby. During that time, the system gave Xiao Chen two more surprises.

The system stated outright that Xiao Chen had already mastered the Soul Skills granted by his current Spirit Rings, so he could begin developing them to the next stage.

After successful development, the Spirit Rings' age and color would remain unchanged, but the attributes of the Soul Skills they granted would be greatly enhanced.

Following the system's instructions, Xiao Chen gave it a try and discovered that developing a Soul Skill was even harder than Spirit Skill Sharing.

According to the system's instructions, Xiao Chen sat cross-legged and quieted his mind, sinking it completely into his Martial Soul. Soul Power slowly circulated through his body, flowing through every limb and bone.

He cast aside distracting thoughts and stopped restricting himself to the fixed framework of his existing Soul Skills. Using the essence of his Twin Martial Souls as a foundation, he guided the Soul Power within him into a slow, steady flow.

The first step in developing a Soul Skill was to break down the techniques and patterns of the original skill, strip away its rigid formulas, then follow the laws etched deep in the Spirit Ring's imprint to gradually guide and reshape the flow of Soul Power.

Once he settled into the process, Xiao Chen could feel the essence of his Soul Power slowly intertwining in his meridians, seeping into the Soul Skill itself along the newly refined pathways.

He repeatedly used his mental power to analyze the points and rhythm at which the Soul Skill released its force, reducing wasted Soul Power and amplifying its elemental properties. Then he wove the new pathways back into the core of the Spirit Ring.

Over and over, the process continued to evolve.

Every cycle of circulation refined the Soul Skill's foundation; every mental imprint strengthened its newly formed qualities.

The Soul Skill's formerly fixed shape quivered and transformed, growing purer and more refined.

The process itself didn't consume much Soul Power, but it placed an enormous strain on his mind.

Even at full strength, Xiao Chen could manage no more than three cycles before his mental power was exhausted.

Yet all that was only for developing a single Soul Skill. After three cycles, the system stated that the development progress hadn't even reached one percent.

Moreover, the process couldn't be interrupted. If it was, he would have to start all over again the next time.

It was clear that Soul Skill Development was an extremely long and grueling process, demanding far more effort than Spirit Skill Sharing.

However, though the process was taxing, it had one advantage: it could help Xiao Chen hone his mental power.

The stronger his mental power became, the faster he could complete each cycle. This could also be considered a method of cultivating mental power.

After trying it once, Xiao Chen didn't continue developing his Soul Skills. There was no need to rush; he'd have plenty of time once he returned to Spirit Hall.

Soul Skill Development was one surprise. The other wouldn't be available until Xiao Chen's Soul Power reached Level 50.

The system told Xiao Chen that once his Soul Power Level reached 50, it would gain a new function, allowing him to help other people add White Spirit Rings.

He could help anyone whose Soul Power Level was lower than his.

However, the initial development progress of the White Spirit Rings they received could reach no more than fifty percent of Xiao Chen's.

Still, anyone who obtained a White Spirit Ring through Xiao Chen would have the potential to break the rules of this world.

It was just like the Soul Bone Ma Yan had received earlier as a system reward.

Of course, the better the reward, the greater the potential to break the rules of this world.

Those who received White Spirit Rings would also be able to develop their Soul Skills.

Of course, Xiao Chen would have to teach them how to develop Soul Skills, and they would find the process much harder than he did.

"Looks like I really will have to talk Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and the others into getting White Spirit Rings in the future," Xiao Chen thought to himself.

He could almost picture it already: the elders of Spirit Hall glaring at him in fury and berating him for his reckless behavior.

"Xiao Chen, it's bad enough that you ignored everyone's advice and insisted on adding White Spirit Rings. Now you've led the entire younger generation of Spirit Hall astray too! Are you trying to destroy Spirit Hall?"

Thinking of that, Xiao Chen couldn't help laughing. Those old monsters in Spirit Hall would be lucky to have him around.

At noon on the fourth day, the Canghui Academy group finally returned to town.

Before Xiao Chen went to meet up with Fabia Academy, Chrysanthemum Douluo sought him out and solemnly warned him that he must not use his Twin Martial Souls or perform Spirit Skill Fusion in the upcoming match.

Xiao Chen nodded in agreement. Against a few Soul Masters around Level 20, simply using his Soul Skills normally would be enough to crush them.