Breakthrough Level Twenty!

The two sides took their positions at opposite ends of the training ground, facing each other from afar.

Ling Xiao's soul power was almost depleted.

Hu Liena also stopped her assault, slowly retracting her martial soul.

Looking at Ling Xiao opposite her, her expression was complicated.

She waved her hand at Ling Xiao, panting, "Forget it! Forget it! I'm not fighting anymore!"

"Senior Sister, you yielded," Ling Xiao said, retracting his spear.

"Yielded what?"

Hu Liena's face fell, her tone full of dejection.

"I'm level twenty-nine, you're level nineteen, a full ten levels apart, and I still couldn't beat you. We fought to a draw, what is there to yield about?"

She was the senior sister, four years older than Ling Xiao, and ten levels higher in soul power.

This was undoubtedly a huge blow to her, who had always been proud.

Ling Xi walked over with water, handing a cup to each of them.

Seeing Hu Liena's crestfallen look, she said softly, "Senior Sister, you're already amazing. Boss... he's a monster to begin with, you don't need to compare yourself to him."

"Exactly, even I think this kid is a monster,"

Zhao Qing also walked over, trying to comfort Hu Liena.

"Saintess, don't underestimate yourself. This kid's spear technique, among those of the same age in the entire Martial Soul Hall, is top-tier."

The two's attempts to console her didn't cheer Hu Liena up; instead, it made her even more dejected.

She squatted on the ground, hugging her knees, burying her face.

"Am I too stupid?"

"I can't even beat my junior brother."

"I'm such a failure as a senior sister. How can I face Master in the future?"

The more she spoke, the more wronged she felt, on the verge of tears.

This past year, she had cultivated desperately, fearing being surpassed by Ling Xiao and losing face as the senior sister.

Now, she had reached level twenty-nine, yet she still couldn't defeat Ling Xiao.

A sense of immense frustration washed over her.

Ling Xiao looked at his senior sister, who was squatting on the ground drawing circles, and shook his head helplessly.

He walked forward, squatted in front of Hu Liena, and gently poked her arm.

He joked, "Senior Sister, if you keep saying that, I'll have nowhere to hide my shame."

Hu Liena looked up, her eyes red, and glared at him.

"Hide your shame from what? You're the one who's amazing."

"I could only fight you to a draw because you forced me to, right?"

Ling Xiao raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"When we first started sparring, you beat me so badly."

"If I hadn't trained my spear skills diligently, wouldn't I have been constantly crushed by you?"

"Besides, Senior Sister, you weren't even using your full strength today, were you?"

Ling Xiao's tone became a bit more serious.

"If we had really gone all out, with my soul power depleted, I would have lost sooner or later."

Hu Liena was, after all, the senior sister. It was just a spar, and she hadn't intended to be ruthless from the start, always holding back.

Ling Xiao, however, had gone all out, using every trick he had.

With the ebb and flow, this draw was the result.

Hu Liena blinked, seemingly persuaded.

"Really?"

"Do you think I'm lying?"

Ling Xiao spread his hands, continuing in a joking tone.

"Besides, I'm subjected to Teacher Zhao's devilish training every day."

"If you were also trained by Teacher Zhao every day with the spear, let alone a draw, I wouldn't even be able to withstand ten of your moves."

Zhao Qing, standing nearby, chimed in to support:

"That's right! If you trained with me, you'd definitely be no worse than Ling Xiao!"

Seeing the two of them ganging up on her, Hu Liena couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

She stood up, brushed the dust off her body, and let out a huff.

She had returned to her usual proud self:

"Fine, you make a fair point! Besides, I am your senior sister, how could I possibly be unable to beat you!"

Seeing her finally regain her vitality, Ling Xiao breathed a sigh of relief.

Just then, the soul power within Ling Xiao suddenly began to fluctuate.

The all-out battle just now had caused the barrier at level nineteen, which had been holding him back, to show signs of loosening.

He looked at Hu Liena and spoke up:

"Senior sister, actually, there is something I wanted to discuss with you."

"What is it?" Hu Liena wiped the corners of her eyes and asked curiously.

"After that sparring match just now, I felt my soul power improve slightly, and I have already touched the threshold of level twenty."

"In a little while, I will be able to break through to level twenty, and at that time, I will need to hunt for my second soul ring."

Ling Xiao said with a smile.

"Aren't you also stuck at level twenty-nine, about to break through to level thirty?"

"Why don't we go to the Star Dou Forest together to hunt for soul rings? We can look out for each other."

Hearing this, Hu Liena's eyes lit up.

"Really?!"

She grabbed Ling Xiao's arm and asked excitedly.

When it came to obtaining soul rings, although her master would make arrangements for her, she preferred to gain experience on her own.

Being able to go with Ling Xiao now was the best possible outcome.

"Of course it's true." Ling Xiao nodded.

"Once I break through to level twenty, I will go and ask for the master's permission; she will definitely agree."

Hu Liena nodded vigorously, her face full of joy.

"At least you have a conscience, still thinking of your senior sister!"

"Don't worry, once we get to the Star Dou Forest, senior sister will definitely cover you!"

Watching her fully revived, Ling Xiao couldn't help but laugh.

Qinghui Hall.

Ling Xiao sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, his eyes tightly closed.

Faint fluctuations of soul power swirled around him, and the phantom of the Demon Fruit Tree slowly unfurled behind him.

Its branches and leaves swayed gently, continuously drawing in the surrounding heaven and earth energy and channeling it into his dantian.

Two weeks had passed since that one-on-one sparring match with Hu Liena.

During these two weeks, Ling Xiao had paused his spear training and focused all his energy on breaking through his soul power.

The barrier at level nineteen had already loosened during that sparring match.

Two weeks of meditative focus had allowed him to refine his soul power until it was increasingly pure and concentrated.

He only needed the right moment to shatter the shackles.

At this moment, his mind was completely immersed within his body, and the Heaven Origin Soul Art was running to its limit.

His soul power circulated through his meridians in a continuous loop, and with every cycle, his soul power grew a fraction stronger.

He struck against the level twenty barrier again and again.

"Hum—"

The level nineteen barrier shattered with a roar!

Surging soul power swept through his entire body.

The Demon Fruit Tree deep within his spiritual sea also emitted a joyful tremor.

Its gnarled branches stretched out wildly, and brand-new patterns emerged on its dark purple bark.

Ling Xiao slowly opened his eyes, a flash of brilliance flickering through them before vanishing, and the soul power fluctuations around him gradually subsided.

Level twenty, achieved!

"Boss!"

Ling Xi, who was guarding outside the door, quickly sensed the change in his aura.

She immediately pushed the door open and walked in, her face full of joy and excitement.

She hurried to his side: "Congratulations, Boss! You've broken through to become a level twenty Soul Grand Master!"

Ling Xiao looked at her, nodded slightly, his tone gentle.

"You've worked hard during this period. From now on, you can meditate with peace of mind and improve your soul power.

Ling Xiao stood up from the meditation cushion, stretching his limbs.

"Go prepare some food for me. Also, bring me the list of second soul ring hunt targets that was previously filtered."

"Since I've already broken through, it's time to plan my second soul ring properly."

"Yes, boss."

Ling Xi immediately responded, turning and quickly going to prepare.