Priority order for ability deprivation

"3, 2, 1, fire!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

On the firing range, dozens of suits of armor forged from profound iron were riddled with holes.

As the smoke cleared from the muzzles of the firearms, Bibi Dong picked up a piece of armor to inspect it, then smiled knowingly.

Although the power was not yet enough to completely shatter the Martial Soul Avatar of a Soul Saint, for an army, if one shot wasn't enough, they could simply fire another.

"Someone, pass down the order: produce this firearm, known as a Firearm, at maximum speed. Additionally, issue a conscription order to form a Firearm army."

After receiving the order, the Red-Robed Cardinal immediately went to execute it, and then Bibi Dong summoned Hu Liena.

"This brat must absolutely not be sent back! Nana, I have agreed to his request to obtain a Soul Ring, but you must take Elder Chrysanthemum and Elder Ghost with you!"

"Understood!"

Once bitten, twice shy; Bibi Dong would not let the same thing happen again.

Immediately following this, Bibi Dong waved her hand, and several people with their heads hooded and limbs bound were dragged to the spot where the armor had just been placed.

"To think you still wanted to infiltrate our Martial Soul Hall to find the whereabouts of Li Tianyi—I see you are tired of living!"

The Martial Soul Hall gunmen quickly loaded their ammunition, and after a series of gunshots, their lives were brought to an end.

On the other side, in the Heaven Dou Empire, the Heaven Dou Royal Palace.

Upon learning that the group sent to Martial Soul Hall to find Li Tianyi had vanished without a trace, Emperor Xue Ye was overcome with rage and anxiety, coughing uncontrollably on his throne.

Those present dared not speak, waiting in silence.

Only after his breathing had calmed significantly did Emperor Xue Ye speak slowly.

"Martial Soul Hall has likely hidden Li Tianyi away; sending people there now is futile."

Emperor Xue Ye wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief. Now, there was no longer any chance for them to rescue Ling Chen.

Yu Xiaogang knew that Emperor Xue Ye was giving up on Li Tianyi. They had already alerted the enemy; Martial Soul Hall would only increase their defensive strength to prevent further infiltration.

"Old Zhao, I hope you can hold on for a little longer!"

Yu Xiaogang felt a pang of sympathy for Zhao Wuji for three seconds before discussing the training of soldiers with Emperor Xue Ye.

Martial Soul Hall, dungeon.

Ling Chen had been waiting here for three months, and his soul power had already reached level 25.

As for why he had waited so long, Ling Chen thought of Tang San building the Tang Sect; Lou Gao, the president of the Blacksmith Association in Gengxin City, and the vice president, Titan, had been poached by Tang San.

Martial Soul Hall lacked excellent blacksmiths, so the time to forge the Firearms was delayed again and again. Coupled with the need for experiments and other operations, Ling Chen had been waiting for three months.

Footsteps soon echoed through the desolate dungeon, and Ling Chen immediately went to the cell door to ask about the situation.

"How is it? How is it? Is there still no news? My second Soul Ring slot has been empty for three months now."

Hu Liena walked over with a beaming smile. Seeing Ling Chen's anxious appearance, she unhurriedly handed him his meal.

"Don't be anxious, eat your food first!"

Ling Chen took the meal and finished it in a few quick bites.

"I'm done. Tell me quickly, when can I finally go to obtain my Soul Ring?"

Hu Liena tidied up the bowls and chopsticks briefly, then opened the cell door.

"We're going now, but I must warn you: Elder Chrysanthemum and Elder Ghost are coming with us this time, so don't even think about playing any tricks!"

Ling Chen narrowed his eyes. He had been locked up for over three months, yet they still didn't trust him at all. Sending two Title Douluo to guard him was clearly out of fear that the blueprints for the Firearms would reach the two great empires.

Whichever empire obtained the blueprints would pose the greatest threat to Martial Soul Hall.

The empires possessed massive population bases; as long as everyone was equipped with a Firearm, even a Title Douluo would have to be three parts afraid.

"No problem!"

Ling Chen agreed readily. He only needed his clone to leave; as for his main body, it could continue to stay here and cultivate.

With Emperor Xue Ye about to be poisoned to death by Qian Renxue, Ling Chen should be able to strip a set of Soul Rings from him.

An 88th-level Soul Douluo—getting eight Soul Rings from him would be more than enough.

Entering the Star Dou Great Forest, in the area of century-old soul beasts, Ling Chen felt refreshed. As fresh air flooded his nasal cavity, Ling Chen inhaled greedily.

"No time to lose, let's begin our operation!"

The effeminate voice of Chrysanthemum Douluo made Ling Chen's skin crawl.

Ling Chen and the others strolled leisurely along the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest. Since it was a rare occasion for Ling Chen to get out, he was determined to wander around for a while.

Not long after walking, Ling Chen released a clone to scout the path ahead.

Hu Liena and the others did not know about the characteristics of Ling Chen's clones, so they simply ignored it.

Ling Chen split off another sub-clone to remain hidden; his main clone still needed to help him conduct an experiment.

That was, when he absorbed a Soul Ring, if his clone touched the corpse, which had a higher priority: the stripping ability or the absorption process?

If the stripping ability had a higher priority, then he could attempt to absorb a thousand-year Soul Ring for his second Soul Ring.

Once there is a risk of exploding and dying, he can have his clone intervene to forcibly interrupt the absorption.

The main issue is that with two Title Douluo monitoring him, it is difficult for Ling Chen to maneuver; he must find a way to distract them for a while.

For instance, by inciting a beast tide or something similar.

Ling Chen's clone punched and kicked the soul beasts on the outskirts of the forest, offending every single one of them. Afterward, as it ran toward the direction of Ling Chen's main body, it instantly swapped positions with him.

Hu Liena only saw Ling Chen daze for a moment, and immediately following that, the earth began to tremble.

"What is going on?"

Ling Chen feigned confusion and asked Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo.

Chrysanthemum Douluo furrowed his brows; he sensed a large group of century-level soul beasts charging toward them.

"It's a beast tide! Get out of the way!"

Chrysanthemum Douluo grabbed Ling Chen's clone and retreated, while Hu Liena and Ghost Douluo leaped onto trees on either side, watching the ferocious herd of beasts crashing about.

After Ling Chen reunited with his sub-clone, he immediately began his experiment in the millennium-level soul beast zone. The beast tide would not last long, so Ling Chen had to act quickly.

Ling Chen casually disposed of a three-thousand-year-old Solitary Bamboo and attempted to absorb its Soul Ring. The result was obvious: Ling Chen could not absorb a millennium-level Soul Ring at present, and the priority of deprivation was even higher.

In that case, he could use this to find the optimal Soul Ring combination for each level.

What about a two-thousand-year-old soul beast? No, there was still a risk of exploding and dying. What about a one-thousand-year-old soul beast? Still no, the risk remained.

Ling Chen briefly tested the range, and the result was that the Grandmaster's theories were flawless.

When the beast tide dissipated and Ling Chen was brought back to the ground by Chrysanthemum Douluo, his main body swapped positions with the clone once again.

It was at this very instant that Chrysanthemum Douluo sensed something amiss, yet he could not find any flaws.

Ghost Douluo, however, saw it very clearly; Ling Chen's figure had flickered for a split second.

"Did you just use a soul skill?"