Training Ends, Level Thirty Soul Power

After half a month of real-world combat against Soul Beasts, Combusken gradually developed a fighting style that utilized Ember for ranged attacks, followed by Double Kick combined with martial arts and Slash for close-quarters combat.

Although it had not yet mastered the self-created skill Flame Claw, it learned to compress Ember within its dantian, rotate it, and then expel it, ultimately mastering a skill known as Fire Spin.

As of now, Combusken's commonly used skills included Scratch, Focus Energy, Ember, Double Kick, Slash, and Fire Spin.

With the increase in skills, the enrichment of combat experience, and the rise in Soul Power Level, Combusken's combat effectiveness grew stronger. In its normal state, its strength was already sufficient to defeat a five-hundred-year-old Soul Beast.

After receiving the superimposed amplification effects of the Speed Boost Ability and its first soul skill, Blaze, its strength surpassed that of a seven-hundred-year-old Soul Beast.

Once, Ye Chen ventured deep into the center of the Core Zone and encountered an eight-hundred-year-old Power Bear.

This Soul Beast possessed exceptional strength and defense attributes; it could often kill an enemy with a single palm strike, while the enemy found it difficult to inflict even the slightest injury upon it.

In the battle against the Power Bear, even the strengthened Combusken was no match for it at all.

It was only thanks to Ye Chen joining the fray that the man and the chicken fought side by side, relying on the Speed Boost Ability and the first soul skill, Blaze, to engage in guerrilla warfare and eventually secure victory.

The battle against the Power Bear could be said to be the closest Ye Chen had ever come to death. Afterward, he developed a sense of awe toward the group known as Soul Beasts, and he became exceptionally cautious in his actions.

As the saying goes, one who survives a great disaster is destined for future fortune. When the Power Bear was defeated, Combusken's overall strength and combat techniques reached a new level, and Ye Chen, benefiting from the feedback of combat experience, saw his Soul Power rise directly from level twenty-five and a half to level twenty-six.

Soon, another half month passed. Having spent a full month in the Soul Hunting Forest in total, the Power Bear encountered earlier remained the highest-cultivation and strongest Soul Beast he had met.

Ye Chen was certain that the Power Bear must be the king of the Soul Hunting Forest. It was a pity that the beast was not of the fire attribute; otherwise, he could have used it as his second soul ring.

Although he had not absorbed a second soul ring to break through his level bottleneck, the Soul Power within his body continued to accumulate.

All in all, during this month of training in the Soul Hunting Forest, Ye Chen's Soul Power had increased by a total of seven levels, and he was now at level twenty-eight.

He continued to stay in the center of the Core Zone, going to find that eight-hundred-year-old Power Bear every few days to grind levels. Finally, after spending nearly another month, he managed to push his Soul Power to the level thirty bottleneck.

Because of this, Ye Chen discovered the limiting conditions of the combat experience feedback.

Once his Soul Power reached the level thirty bottleneck, if he had not yet obtained a second soul ring, he could no longer receive combat experience feedback, no matter how powerful the enemy he defeated.

Therefore, the immediate priority was to obtain a second soul ring as soon as possible to advance, so that he could continue to accumulate Soul Power after winning battles.

With level thirty Soul Power to strengthen his Body Martial Soul, and with Combusken fighting by his side, he should be able to head to the Star Dou Great Forest alone to find a fire-attribute Soul Beast with a higher bloodline to serve as his second soul ring.

After weighing his options, Ye Chen decided to end his training in the Soul Hunting Forest.

Just as he was about to hire a carriage at the entrance of the Soul Hunting Forest to return to Nuoding Academy, he discovered Dean Ding stepping out of a carriage.

"You brat, didn't I tell you to come out after a month? It's been almost two months; I thought you had been eaten by a Soul Beast."

Seeing that Ye Chen was unharmed, Dean Ding did not complain too much and waved his hand, saying, "Come here quickly, it's time to return to the academy."

"Alright." Responding with a nod, Ye Chen followed Dean Ding onto the carriage to return to Nuoding Academy together.

Sitting face to face, Dean Ding noticed that compared to two months ago, Ye Chen had grown quite a bit taller and looked much sturdier. At a glance, he didn't look like a six-year-old child, but rather more like a ten-year-old youth.

With such rapid physical development, could it be the benefits of absorbing a five-hundred-year-old first soul ring beyond his limit?

Thinking of this, Dean Ding couldn't help but ask curiously, "Ye Chen, are you killing and eating Soul Beasts every day in the Soul Hunting Forest? How is your body developing so fast?"

Hearing this, Ye Chen immediately realized that perhaps it was the nourishment of his level thirty Soul Power that caused his body to develop so quickly.

Although Dean Ding was a decent person and treated him quite well, he absolutely could not tell him the truth.

After hesitating for a moment, Ye Chen followed Dean Ding's lead and nodded guiltily, "Dean, your judgment is truly sharp. During my training in the Soul Hunting Forest, I did indeed find some ten-year Soul Beasts for dinner. It must be the combination of eating Soul Beast meat, persistent physical exercise, and high-intensity combat that has caused my body to develop so quickly."

Dean Ding said, half-believing, "You brat are truly lucky. You stayed in the Soul Hunting Forest for nearly two months; didn't the Martial Soul Hall patrol team suspect you?"

"They did. However, I was very lucky."

Ye Chen bluffed, "Because Su Yuntao, the master who helped me awaken my martial soul, is currently serving in the Martial Soul Hall patrol team. He recognizes me, so he didn't suspect me, and occasionally when we ran into each other in the Soul Hunting Forest, he even took special care of me."

"Oh? Then did Su Yuntao invite you to join the Martial Soul Hall?" Dean Ding asked tentatively.

Ye Chen nodded, "He did, but I said I was already a student at Nuoding Academy, so he didn't pester me further."

"Hmm, that's good." Dean Ding looked at Ye Chen, a hint of kindness appearing in his eyes, and smiled, "Child, to be honest, I value your talent and potential. If possible, I hope you will graduate as a student of Nuoding Academy before venturing out elsewhere. That way, once you become a Title Douluo, my Nuoding Academy can also bask in the glory."

"Dean, I will." Ye Chen did not rush to submit his early graduation application, but said solemnly, "Not only will I graduate as a student of Nuoding Academy, but if I have the opportunity to become a Title Douluo in the future, I will also tell the world that it was Nuoding Academy that gave me the best first soul ring, and it was Nuoding Academy that laid a deep foundation for me, which is why I have the chance to reach the Title level."

"Hmm. You brat are indeed sensible. It's a pity I'm not suited to be your master, otherwise, I would certainly take you as my disciple. Alright, enough talk. You just finished your training in the Soul Hunting Forest, you must be tired, close your eyes and rest for a while."

After speaking, Dean Ding lifted the carriage window curtain and poked his head out to light his pipe and take a puff.

Ye Chen obediently closed his eyes to meditate, resting while reviewing what he had seen, heard, felt, and learned during his training in the Soul Hunting Forest.

The next day, at noon.

As soon as they returned to Nuoding Academy, Dean Ding went to his office to get busy. Because Ye Chen was afraid of being detected with level thirty Soul Power, he did not go to the Martial Soul Hall branch to register his Soul Master information after returning to the academy.

Although this meant losing one Gold Soul Coin in subsidies as income every month, compared to a single Gold Soul Coin, ensuring that his extraordinary Soul Power level remained undiscovered was clearly more important.