I'm also somewhat skilled in close-quarters combat

The sparring ended, and the group returned to Spirit City.

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo went back to Spirit Hall, while Xiao Chen toured Spirit City under the guidance of Hu Liena and the other two.

As they strolled and chatted, Yan immediately asked the question burning in his mind: "Xiao Chen, why are all your spirit rings white?"

Xiao Chen answered at once: "A spirit ring's age isn't everything—only the one that suits you best is truly best!"

With no Titled Douluo following them now, this was the perfect chance to sell them on his ideas.

He continued: "I've already figured out a bit of the trick to Spirit Skill Fusion that Senior Sister mentioned; only a spirit ring that fits you can make the fusion work smoothly."

Xie Yue immediately cut in: "Xiao Chen, here you go again. Didn't Chrysanthemum Douluo already talk you out of that?"

"But Teacher supports my thinking!" Xiao Chen invoked Bibidong directly, since there was no way Hu Liena and the others would go verify it with her.

"Xiao Chen, are you sure?" All three stopped and stared at him.

"Of course I'm sure. If you don't believe me, go ask Teacher!" Xiao Chen said.

"Forget it. We're not you—daring to bother the Pope with something like this would definitely earn us a scolding," Yan remarked.

Xiao Chen smiled. "Then when my Spirit Power breaks through to Level 30, I'll add a White Spirit Ring to each of my two spirits. You'll see then that I'm not lying."

As soon as he finished, Hu Liena laughed and said, "Little junior brother, I believe you. But how do you determine the compatibility between a spirit ring and yourself?"

"Simple—whenever a Soul Beast appears near me, I can sense it!" Xiao Chen replied.

"Huh?" The three were startled, instantly realizing this must be another unique talent Xiao Chen was blessed with.

"No wonder the Pope supports your idea. No one else could imitate this even if they tried!" Yan said.

Unable to sense spirit rings themselves, even knowing a White Spirit Ring might hold a jackpot, they only had one chance—who would dare gamble on it?

"That's easy too—I can help you sense them!" Xiao Chen offered.

"Huh?" They were stunned again.

"Xiao Chen, you're not joking, are you?" Xie Yue asked.

"I wouldn't joke about something like this!" Xiao Chen patted his chest in assurance.

"But I can't do it yet—I'd need to break through to at least Level 50 Spirit King before I can sense for others," Xiao Chen added.

Hearing this, the three weren't disappointed; instead, they secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

They were willing to trust Xiao Chen and attach the kind of spirit rings that enabled Spirit Skill Fusion, but they feared what would happen if Xiao Chen's sensing went wrong—the consequences would be disastrous.

Xie Yue smiled. "No rush. Wait until you reach Level 50 to talk about it!"

"Mm." Xiao Chen nodded.

Yan then asked, "Xiao Chen, I'm curious—the arrows you fired just now were far stronger than what a Level 23 Soul Master should be capable of. Normally, such high-intensity attacks would drain a lot of Spirit Power, but you look like you barely used any."

"That's another advantage of White Spirit Rings—the lower the ring's age, the less Spirit Power it consumes!" Xiao Chen answered without a second thought.

He wasn't making that up; it was basic cultivation knowledge on the Douluo Continent. For others, though, lower-age rings meant weaker skills despite lower consumption.

"Sigh." Yan let out a breath. "Comparing people really drives you crazy. Your talent is just... too unfair!"

Xie Yue nodded in full agreement. Hu Liena's lips curved into a proud smile. "Of course—don't forget whose little junior brother Xiao Chen is!"

Yan clutched his chest, putting on an exaggerated look of heartbreak, his face deliberately drooping as he wailed, "Ow, my heart hurts so much! Nana, your eyes are only on little junior brother Xiao Chen now, aren't they!"

"Yan, are you asking for a beating?" Hu Liena shot him a glare, then turned to Xie Yue. "Brother, teach this guy a lesson for me!"

"As you command!" Xie Yue's lips twitched upward. He flickered behind Yan in an instant and lightly patted his back.

Yan, sensing it coming, jolted, let out a strange yelp, and fled with his head ducked.

As he ran, he shouted, "Xie Yue, I never thought our years of brotherhood would mean less than a newly arrived little junior brother!"

Xie Yue followed unhurriedly, closing in step by step, occasionally tapping Yan's shoulder or the back of his head—all the playful force of brothers messing around, not a bit of real harm.

Xiao Chen watched the two chase each other through the street, never imagining Yan had such a goofy side.

Spirit City was vast. Hu Liena and the others led Xiao Chen from one end to the other, showing him all the landmark buildings.

They didn't ask Xiao Chen any more cultivation questions, afraid that the more they asked, the more discouraged they'd feel.

Finally, they arrived at the city's Great Spirit Arena.

"Xiao Chen, participating in Spirit Battles is part of our daily training. Want to give it a try?" Xie Yue asked.

"Of course, but don't reveal the secrets of your Twin Spirits or Spirit Skill Fusion," Xie Yue added.

Xiao Chen nodded. "Understood."

Yan grinned. "Even without revealing them, Xiao Chen is unbeatable in the Level 20 to Level 30 range. It's just that the arena's battlefield is really bad for him."

Hu Liena agreed. "Right. The single and duo battle platforms are small—barely six or seven hundred square meters, with the longest straight line only thirty to forty meters. For an archer, that's a huge disadvantage."

"It's fine." Xiao Chen smiled calmly, his tone unhurried. "Actually, I know a little about close combat too."

"Don't mess around." Hu Liena frowned slightly. "Your spirit is a bow and arrows—long-range output. You have no advantage up close!"

"Senior Sister, a bow really isn't suited for close combat, but arrows... that might not be the case."

Xiao Chen gave a faint smile. With a thought, he released his Wooden Arrow spirit.

This arrow was not the slender, delicate type of ordinary arrows—it was thick and elongated, its entire body solid and hard, the sharp arrowhead heavy and fierce, its size greatly extended. It didn't look like an arrow at all, but rather more like a spear.

Xiao Chen raised his hand to grip the Arrow Spear's shaft, lightly twisting his wrist as he swung and brandished it in a smooth motion.

A horizontal sweep, a vertical chop, a straight thrust—Xiao Chen's movements were crisp and decisive, carrying the sharp demeanor of a close-combat Battle Soul Master.

"Senior Sister, how about it? Using my arrow as a spear, combined with the two soul skills of Wooden Arrow, I can definitely be considered an Agility Attack Battle Soul Master now!" Xiao Chen said.

Hu Liena and the other two stared in stunned amazement. They truly hadn't expected that a spirit soul could be used this way.

Under normal circumstances, a spirit soul could only grow larger or smaller, and its form only changed when soul skills were attached.

For Xiao Chen to personally transform an arrow into a long spear like this was simply too unreasonable.

But after a moment's thought, the three of them realized that Xiao Chen was already full of all sorts of things that defied common sense. One more oddity was hardly surprising.