A month passed.
During that time, Lin Huai trained Scott in the power of Soul Skills and prayers, while also training combat adaptability with Tian Yue and the other two.
The three returned on the tenth day.
Tian Yue had reached Level 28, Kuang Zhan Level 32, and Qiangu Yichen Level 37.
Lin Huai had never lost a fight against the three of them.
Even without relying on the projection of his Divine Weapon, the Prosthetic Blade, he could kite them with Halo prayers and speed far beyond theirs.
After all, not one of the three was a speed-type Soul Master, and none of them had a powerful control Soul Skill.
"I'm done!"
Tian Yue sat down on the ground in a huff.
"Xiao Huai, your Soul Skills and Self-Created Soul Skills are way too unfair. Your speed is already far beyond anyone at your level, and even when you fight above your level, you're still faster."
"And that prayer thing is the same. The Golden Crocodile King is famous for its powerful offense and defense. If my second Soul Skill weren't 'Golden Tyrant Body,' I might not have been able to take it."
Qiangu Yichen sat meditating nearby and spoke up as well:
"Most importantly, Xiao Huai also has the Prosthetic Blade after Martial Soul Possession, and Malenia can fight on her own while wielding a Divine Weapon."
"Exactly! It's not fair!"
Kuang Zhan rolled around on the ground, then sat up with his arms around his head.
"Unless you let the three of us fight you together."
"Ancestor is just too strong!"
Scott handed Lin Huai a towel and some water, praising him excitedly.
"This is already the Ancestor's sixtieth victory!"
Tian Yue looked at Scott in confusion.
"Scott, why do you call Xiao Huai 'Ancestor'?"
The other two looked at Scott as well. They had always thought it was one of Lin Huai's eccentric jokes.
Scott placed his left hand over his chest, his expression utterly solemn.
"I revere him greatly. My admiration for him is like the surging waters of a great river..." (Three hundred words omitted here.)
"I respect him as I would an ancestor, so naturally I call him Ancestor!"
Scott did genuinely admire Lin Huai to some extent.
At first, he had only wanted to get close to Lin Huai so he could climb higher, step by step.
But after observing him over the past few days, Scott felt that Lin Huai would achieve even greater things. He had no idea what they might be, but his intuition told him he couldn't go wrong by sticking with Lin Huai.
Tian Yue looked utterly disdainful.
"Do you think I believe you?"
Scott bowed to Tian Yue.
"Miss Tian Yue, whether you believe me is up to you."
"All right, let's drop it."
Lin Huai spoke up to stop them.
"Yesterday, I absorbed an Immortal Herb and broke through to Level 20. Tian Yue, you three can train on your own over the next few days."
"You can also go to Martial Soul Academy and find people to spar with."
"Scott and I are going Soul Hunting tomorrow."
Just then, Qian Daoliu descended from the sky with a group of people.
"No need. Once I've made the arrangements, I'll take you there."
Everyone present was rather surprised to see Qian Daoliu appear so suddenly.
"Teacher!"
"Grandpa Qian!"
"Grand Elder."
They greeted Qian Daoliu.
Lin Huai also noticed the group behind Qian Daoliu, as well as the delight on his face.
"Teacher, are these the Soul Engineers?"
Everyone present knew that Qian Daoliu had gone to another continent to kidnap people.
"Yes. There are thirty of them in total, including three Level 8 Soul Engineers and one Level 9 Soul Engineer."
Lin Huai was a little shocked.
Had his teacher robbed the imperial palace or something?
"Fallen Soul Masters run rampant across the Sun Moon Continent. I went straight to the imperial palace and killed three Titled Douluo-level fighters."
"Their emperor asked me to help deal with the Fallen Soul Masters."
"These Soul Engineers are the payment."
Lin Huai was surprised. He hadn't expected things to go so smoothly.
"Does that mean you still have to go back, Teacher?"
"Yes. I'll take three elders and three grand elders with me next time. The rest will travel by water, following the map I drew on the way here."
"All right, I'll take these people to Bibi Dong first and have her make the arrangements. I'll also check how the preparations for your Holy Son investiture ceremony are coming along."
Qian Daoliu left with the group.
Scott watched the Flight Soul Tools strapped to the people's backs.
"Ancestor, I want to learn about Soul Tools."
Damn, does this name really have some kind of causal power?!
Lin Huai was deeply shocked. He decided to test it again.
"Why do you want to learn about Soul Tools?"
A look of infatuation appeared on Scott's face.
"Ancestor, I think I've found one of my life's pursuits!"
Just as I thought!
Lin Huai waved a hand.
"Sure. I'm interested too, so we'll go together tomorrow."
Tian Yue excitedly raised her hand.
"Me, me, me!"
"I want to go too!"
Lin Huai nodded and looked at Kuang Zhan and Qiangu Yichen.
He asked with his eyes whether they wanted to go.
"I'm in!"
"Seeing it for ourselves would be good."
"Then it's settled. We'll all go and have a look tomorrow morning."
Lin Huai left the training ground with Scott.
That night, Qian Daoliu appeared in Lin Huai's room.
"Teacher, what brings you here so late?"
Seeing that Lin Huai hadn't slacked off on his cultivation, Qian Daoliu nodded with satisfaction.
"I've only just finished handling some related matters. I came by to tell you what we'll be doing over the next few days, so you can be ready."
"Your Holy Son investiture ceremony is scheduled for the day after tomorrow."
"After that, we'll go hunting for your Soul Ring. Do you have any particular Soul Beast in mind?"
Lin Huai recalled the conclusion he had reached after discussing it with Malenia.
"I don't have any other requirements. I just want one as close to eight thousand years as possible."
Qian Daoliu wasn't too surprised. After thinking it over, he replied:
"Did your Martial Soul tell you that?"
Lin Huai nodded firmly.
"Then that's easy. There's a Soul Beast gathering ground near Spirit City with plenty that meet your requirements."
Lin Huai remembered that Qian Daoliu still had to visit the Sun Moon Continent.
"Teacher, when are you planning to go to the Sun Moon Continent, and who will you take?"
Qian Daoliu sat down on a chair, and Lin Huai promptly handed him a cup of cold tea.
"There's no rush. First, we'll send the chosen Angel Legion and the others off by ship. It'll take them more than a year to arrive."
"Golden Crocodile and the others have also made a breakthrough in their Soul Core research. They should be able to complete the initial stage in about a year."
"We'll see who wants to go then."
Lin Huai remembered Ye Guyi from Peerless Tang Sect. She could increase her Soul Power by hunting Evil Soul Masters.
"Teacher, can Soul Masters with Angel Martial Souls increase their Soul Power by hunting Fallen Soul Masters?"
Qian Daoliu hadn't expected Lin Huai to know even that.
It seemed the benefits of reading were greater than he had imagined.
"Yes, but only Soul Masters with combat-type Angel Martial Souls can do that."
So different kinds of Angel Martial Souls already existed back in Douluo I.
"What about Xiao Xue? Should we take her to the Sun Moon Continent to hunt some Fallen Soul Masters?"
Qian Daoliu smiled approvingly. His hope of bringing the two of them together grew stronger once again.
"Of course she should go."
"I'll have her speed up her progress."
Lin Huai asked his final question:
"Teacher, aside from the nine grand elders, the seven elders, and the Pope, does our Spirit Hall have any other Titled Douluo?"
Qian Daoliu hadn't expected Lin Huai to ask that. He nodded and said softly:
"There are two at the Angel Ancestral Land: one at Level 96 with a Holy Angel Martial Soul, and one at Level 93 with a Healing Angel Martial Soul."
"They're husband and wife, too."
"There's also a legion that answers directly to me—the Shadow Angel Legion."
"Their leader is a Level 97 Titled Douluo."
"Of course, that Level 9 Soul Engineer counts as one of us now, too."
Qian Daoliu finished his last sip of water and stood up to leave.
"All right, you'll learn about these things in time. For now, get ready for the ceremony the day after tomorrow."
Lin Huai flopped onto the bed. He hadn't expected Spirit Hall's hidden forces to be so powerful.
Before you continue