External Soul Bone Fusion; Return to Heaven Dou City

In the world of Soul Masters, the fame of External Soul Bones was known to everyone.

Because of their unique ability to evolve alongside their host, their true value was not the least bit inferior to the legendary Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones!

More importantly, the chance of such a treasure dropping was minuscule, and it could only appear with an extremely small probability when a Soul Master absorbed a Soul Ring.

And now, this External Soul Bone had only just begun to manifest and had yet to fully connect with its host's bloodline and bones.

This was also the only perfect opportunity for an outsider to forcibly seize it and claim it for himself!

As Salas looked at the dazzling Six-Winged Purple Light Wings behind Lin Nuo, his breathing instantly grew heavy.

His Adam's apple bobbed as he frantically swallowed, and his aged eyes widened uncontrollably.

This was the most primitive instinct and greed of a Soul Master when faced with a supreme treasure.

However, when his gaze moved upward and swept over Lin Nuo's cool, aloof face, which looked as though it had been carved from the same mold as Pope Bibi Dong's, Salas felt as if someone had splashed a basin of ice-cold water in his face. He shuddered and instantly came to his senses.

Steal the External Soul Bone dropped by this "young master"?

The moment that dangerous thought surfaced, Salas felt his World-Shocking Wisdom frantically sounding an air-raid alarm.

Way of Seeking Death warning!

"Cough, cough..."

Salas abruptly coughed twice, forcibly cutting off that treasonous flicker of greed in his heart. In an instant, he put on the face of a kind and benevolent elder.

"Little friend Lin Nuo, your luck truly defies the heavens.

"This is an External Soul Bone, incomparably precious.

"If properly nurtured in the future, it may even evolve alongside you all the way to the Hundred Thousand Year level!"

"However, it has only begun to manifest and has not yet completely fused with your spine.

"If you do not take this chance to perfectly fuse it with your body, hidden dangers could easily remain.

"Come, calm your mind and focus. This old man will now use Soul Power pressure to lend you a hand and help you completely refine it!"

Naturally, Lin Nuo had no objection.

He immediately sat cross-legged again, closed his eyes, and gathered his focus.

Salas's expression turned solemn. The pressure of an over-eightieth-level Spirit Douluo was no longer restrained. Like an invisible mountain, it pressed down on Lin Nuo from all directions without reservation.

Under the stimulation of that immense external pressure, the Six-Winged Purple Light Wings behind Lin Nuo immediately began to tremble violently, as if they sensed an enormous threat.

"Steady your mind! Guide your Soul Power into your spine!"

Salas shouted in a low voice.

Lin Nuo gritted his teeth and, enduring the crushing pressure that nearly suffocated him, guided the abundant Soul Power within him, which had just broken through to level twenty-five, to madly scour the connection between the wings on his back and his flesh.

Outside, the pressure of a Spirit Douluo hammered down like a heavy mallet. Inside, Soul Power burned and refined him like blazing fire.

Amid waves of piercing pain and numbness as bone and flesh fused together, fine beads of sweat seeped from Lin Nuo's forehead, yet he did not make a sound.

Gradually, the glow of the purple crystal wings that had seemed forcibly grafted onto his back began to withdraw inward.

The roots of the purple wings embedded themselves bit by bit deep within his spine, their web-like veins completely connecting with his nerves and meridians.

As the final streak of purple light melted into his bone marrow, the six Purple Light Wings, thin as cicada wings, opened and closed faintly as though breathing.

Then, with a swish, they retracted into his body, leaving only six faint purple demonic patterns along Lin Nuo's back.

With a slight thought from Lin Nuo, the Six-Winged Purple Light Wings behind him unfolded and folded smoothly, as if they were a natural part of his body. He could wield them as easily as his own limbs.

The stiff, sluggish feeling from when they had first emerged had now completely vanished.

"Thank you for troubling yourself, Your Excellency Bishop."

Lin Nuo happily put away his wings, stepped forward with a smile, and naturally cupped his hands in salute toward Salas.

At the sight, however, Salas seemed to have oil beneath his feet. His body imperceptibly slid half a step to the side, forcibly avoiding the direction of Lin Nuo's frontal salute.

What a joke?

The "young master" was giving him such a formal salute?

This old sack of bones still wanted to live a few more years. He absolutely did not dare accept such courtesy!

Though this soul-hunting journey into Sunset Forest had taken very little time, Lin Nuo's gains were terrifyingly immense.

Not only had his Soul Power jumped five levels to level twenty-five, but he had also obtained a superb two-thousand-year second Soul Ring, acquired a divine skill with immense destructive power, and even gained an evolvable External Soul Bone.

This wave had truly left him winning beyond belief.

Now that the soul hunt had concluded perfectly, the old man and the young man naturally had no reason to keep choking on dust amid the poisonous miasma.

The two quickly returned along the original route, boarded the luxurious carriage waiting at the edge of the forest, and sped once more toward Heaven Dou City.

Inside the carriage, the atmosphere was even more harmonious than it had been on the way there.

Salas personally poured Lin Nuo a cup of hot tea. After considering his wording for a moment, he smilingly opened the conversation. "Little friend Lin Nuo, this old man has already arranged your enrollment at Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

"However..."

At this point, Salas paused, and his tone grew more serious.

"The nominal highest authority of Heaven Dou Royal Academy is the current Heaven Dou Empire's Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe."

"His Highness the Crown Prince has always thirsted for talent and treated worthy men with courtesy.

"When I handled your recommendation procedures, I casually revealed a little about your reputation as an 'unparalleled genius' to the Eastern Palace.

"After hearing of it, His Highness the Crown Prince became deeply curious about you and specially sent word that he wished to find a time to meet with you privately."

Salas spoke with lofty formality. On the surface, he was introducing the Empire's Crown Prince, but in truth, he was carefully carrying out the task Qian Renxue had assigned him.

Upon hearing the name "Xue Qinghe," Lin Nuo's hand holding the teacup paused slightly.

Outwardly, he remained calm, but inwardly, he was already overjoyed.

What Heaven Dou Crown Prince thirsted for talent?

This was clearly the cross-dressing Angel Young Master in the Eastern Palace, unable to hold herself back any longer and eager to meet him, her "convenient younger brother" who was suspected of being the Pope's illegitimate son!

During the journey from Nuoding City to Heaven Dou City, that Angel Young Master had probably already worn out the pages of his life history.

Besides, he felt that this Platinum Bishop was not professional at all.

He was now a Spirit Hall genius, so how could he possibly be recommended to someone from the imperial family?

Still, he was about to meet his "foolish older sister," and he truly looked forward to it.

With that thought, Lin Nuo set down his teacup. The expression on his face was perfectly measured, neither overly flattering nor arrogant, as he smiled and nodded.

"His Highness the Crown Prince has invited me personally. It is this junior's honor.

"Please trouble Your Excellency Bishop to send word back. I will naturally follow the host's arrangements and have no objection."