Douluo: Jianmu Martial Soul, Am I an Abomination of Abundance?

"I have a token for you. I specifically asked your grandaunt for this Martial Soul Hall Elder Token. It can grant you certain conveniences at Spirit Hall Branches throughout the land." As she spoke, Lin Ya took out a token engraved with a Blazing Spirit Kite from her Soul Tool and placed it in Mu Ci's hand.

"But you must promise Grandma that you'll come home and visit every so often."

"I know, Grandma. I will."

Mu Ci accepted the token and gave the two elders his promise.

After saying this, Mu Ci returned to his cultivation room to test the second soul skill he had just acquired and plan out the next leg of his journey.

Mu Changsheng and Lin Ya also went to handle the purchase of Whale Rubber and report the matter to the Pope Palace.

Spirit City, inside the Pope Palace.

The light from Soul Tools brightly illuminated the entire hall. A peerlessly beautiful figure sat before the Pope's throne, handling reports submitted by Spirit Halls from various regions.

Just then, a series of crisp footsteps broke the silence within the Pope Palace.

"Teacher, you summoned me?"

A young girl's slightly husky voice rang out. The newcomer was a girl of around twelve or thirteen.

At first glance, her youthful face seemed somewhat ordinary, but the more closely one looked, the more one could discover the beauty hidden deep within.

Her glossy black hair fell over her shoulders, and her skin was as fair as creamy jade, glowing faintly. Her pink fox-like eyes seemed to smile, captivating the soul.

"Nana, you're about to break through to level twenty, aren't you?"

Upon hearing her disciple's voice, the seated figure lifted her beautiful face from the desk. Her luxurious purple Pope's robes outlined nearly perfect curves. She wore a Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown, and the face beneath it seemed carved from jade. Her skin was fairer than snow, and her entire being radiated unparalleled nobility.

Hu Liena walked lightly to Bibi Dong's side and said in an almost coquettish tone, "Yes, teacher. Nana should break through in the next few days. Is it because Nana hasn't met your standards?"

Bibi Dong looked at this disciple who was more like a daughter than a daughter and said gently, "Teacher is very satisfied with Nana's cultivation speed. Recently, Teacher obtained a secret formula that can allow someone to absorb a thousand-year soul ring beyond their limit for their second ring. Does Nana want it?"

A thousand-year second ring? Hu Liena was stunned by the news, inwardly crying out that it was impossible. But on second thought, her teacher was the Pope of Spirit Hall. Who could possibly deceive her?

Still doubtful, she asked, "Teacher, you haven't been deceived, have you? You once taught me that the absorption limit for a second soul ring is around seven hundred and fifty years. How could there possibly be a thousand-year second ring?"

Hearing Hu Liena's doubts and concern, Bibi Dong raised her slender index finger and tapped her disciple's forehead. "Silly girl, if I say it, that means the method works. Since we've come this far, Teacher will test Nana's studies."

At this point, Bibi Dong's expression grew more serious. "Nana, tell me the absorption limits of the first four rings, and why they can only absorb that much."

Hu Liena thought for a moment before answering, "The limits for the first four rings are approximately 420 years, 760 years, 1,700 years, and 5,000 years. Since different Spirit Masters have different limits, these standards can only be used as references."

Bibi Dong nodded in satisfaction and asked again, "Then tell me why the absorption limits differ, and what factors determine them."

This time, Hu Liena hesitated. After thinking for quite a while, she answered uncertainly, "Generally speaking, Spirit Masters with Beast Martial Souls have higher absorption limits than Spirit Masters with Tool Martial Souls."

"Because Beast Martial Souls provide far greater enhancements to the body than Tool Martial Souls that manifest externally. The higher the grade of the Beast Martial Soul, the greater the enhancement it provides to the Spirit Master."

"For example, the enhancement provided by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon far surpasses that of ordinary rats and cats."

"So the reason for the absorption limits of the first four rings is that a Spirit Master's body isn't strong enough?"

Seeing Hu Liena's cautious expression, Bibi Dong looked helpless and said irritably, "Be more confident. I won't punish you even if you answer incorrectly. What are you afraid of?"

Then she continued, "Your guess is correct. A Spirit Master's first four soul rings are indeed related to the body. For soul rings below ten thousand years, one only needs to consider the impact of the soul ring's Soul Power. The stronger the body, the greater its endurance, and the higher the absorption limit."

"As for soul beasts above ten thousand years, their spiritual strength is already no different from that of ordinary people. When they die, a great deal of spiritual residue remains within the soul ring, obstructing the Spirit Master's absorption."

"It wasn't as though no one understood this principle before. But to raise the limit by such a small amount, one would have to waste a great deal of meditation time on arduous physical training. Perhaps three years of training would only gain an extra hundred years of limit. It simply wasn't worth it."

Upon hearing this, Hu Liena's eyes lit up. She hurriedly asked, "Teacher, does that mean someone invented a method that can greatly strengthen the body without training? Is that the secret formula you mentioned?"

Bibi Dong smiled and nodded. "Yes. The bishop of Godwood City presented it through Elder Ling Yuan. The method has already been tested, and it's quite good. Its effects on the first few soul rings are especially obvious."

"For the next few days, take the secret formula first. Once your body can absorb a thousand-year soul ring, then you can go hunt for one."

Hu Liena's eyes sparkled with excitement. She was already imagining herself possessing a thousand-year second ring, and she declared confidently to Bibi Dong:

"Teacher, then I'll be the number one among my generation on the entire continent!"

Seeing Hu Liena like this, Bibi Dong shook her head with a laugh. "Not necessarily. Do you know who invented this secret formula?"

Hearing her teacher's doubt, Hu Liena widened her fox-like eyes and asked innocently, "Wasn't it invented by that bishop?"

Bibi Dong shook her head and told Hu Liena who the true inventor was, smiling as she spoke.

"No. It was that bishop's grandson and Elder Ling Yuan's nephew. His name is Mu Ci. He seems to be only seven this year, two years younger than Nana."

"I confirmed it with that bishop. Her grandson absorbed a soul ring over six hundred years old for his first ring. If nothing unexpected happens, there will be no problem at all with a thousand-year second ring."

Upon hearing this, Hu Liena went completely still and murmured, "He's younger than me, yet he can already do things I wouldn't even dare imagine."

Suddenly, Hu Liena developed a strong interest in this genius little brother and hurriedly asked Bibi Dong:

"Teacher, can I meet this little brother? He's the bishop's grandson, so will he come to Spirit City to study?"

"Can I study with him then?"

Seeing her disciple's thoughts begin to stir, Bibi Dong suddenly found them somewhat glaring and quickly shook her head slightly.

"Teacher isn't too sure about that either. Although he's that bishop's grandson, he isn't truly part of Spirit Hall, so he may not come to Spirit City to study."

"Besides, according to reports from the branches below, that child is traveling throughout the land treating commoners afflicted with illness. It seems to be a unique simulated cultivation method of his own."

Hearing this, Hu Liena grew even more curious and asked, "Treating commoners? Then is he a support-type Spirit Master?"

Hu Liena had grown up with her brother in the orphanage of Spirit City, so such matters touched her deeply. Upon hearing this, her heart softened even more toward this stranger she had yet to meet.

Bibi Dong sighed softly and said helplessly to Hu Liena, "You can ask him yourself in the future. You're only two years apart, so you'll definitely meet at the Spirit Master Competition someday."

"First, focus on obtaining your thousand-year second ring before talking about the future."

Having her thoughts interrupted by Bibi Dong, Hu Liena felt somewhat discouraged. But she soon composed herself and tucked that interesting little brother away in the depths of her heart.

After all, she could meet the little brother in the future, but absorbing a soul ring was the urgent matter before her.

Bibi Dong spoke with Hu Liena at length about cultivation and the need to keep the secret formula confidential, then sent Hu Liena back to cultivate.

The empty Pope Palace returned to its usual silence. Bibi Dong gripped the Pope Scepter and rose from her seat, her gaze coldly fixed on a corner.

"Come out!"

Bibi Dong's Hatred

"Come out!"

Bibi Dong's cold words carried immense Soul Power fluctuations as they echoed through the Pope Palace.

As her voice fell.

An incomparably burly blond elder stepped out from behind a pillar, casting a vast shadow. Upon closer inspection, one could faintly see a golden giant crocodile roaring toward the sky upon his body.

"I never expected the dignified Second Worship of Spirit Hall to eavesdrop on others."

Seeing the burly figure emerge, Bibi Dong's tone was filled with mocking ridicule.

Golden Crocodile Douluo looked toward the Pope's throne, ignoring Bibi Dong's sarcasm as he said in a deep voice, "Bibi Dong, don't forget to send a portion of the cultivation resources to Heaven Dou City."

Hearing that commanding tone, Bibi Dong found her emotions even harder to suppress. Blackish-purple waves flickered deep in her eyes, hatred so intense it was nearly tangible.

"Heh, what? Does that young lady with peerless talent also need such things to assist her?"

The Pope Scepter beneath her jade-like hand let out a faint twisting sound, revealing its owner's suppressed fury.

Mentioning that daughter carrying out a mission far away in Heaven Dou City undoubtedly tore open Bibi Dong's deeply buried wound once more.

Golden Crocodile Douluo gave her a deep look, then slowly began walking toward the exit of the hall as though he had not heard Bibi Dong at all.

"Bibi Dong, this is not a request. It is a notice!"

"And Grand Pontiff said that the little fellow who presented the secret formula deserves generous rewards. Let him choose a soul bone from Spirit Hall's treasury."

"If that child publicly reveals his thousand-year second ring, Spirit Hall will step forward to explain it for him and eliminate the danger."

The more Bibi Dong listened, the angrier she became, until her fury was nearly impossible to restrain. What exactly did they take her, the Pope, for?

Her magnificent Pope's robes billowed as Soul Power containing the aura of death surged through the air. The killing intent in her heart swelled, and she wanted to kill the man before her on the spot.

But Bibi Dong knew that, while restricted by the Rakshasa God Trial, she was no match for Golden Crocodile Douluo.

Bibi Dong took several deep breaths, suppressing the Evil Thoughts churning within her as her chest rose and fell rapidly.

Watching Golden Crocodile Douluo's retreating back, she forced out a shrill voice through clenched teeth. "My affairs are none of your business. Get out! Get out!"

But after delivering the message, Golden Crocodile Douluo had already used his Soul Power to fly out of the Pope Palace. He did not hear Bibi Dong's final roar clearly.

Clang!

Bibi Dong viciously flung the Pope Scepter aside, and the neatly arranged official documents on the table were swept onto the floor of the hall.

Countless strands of purple-black aura emanated from her body, dyeing the once-bright hall into something like hell.

Bibi Dong collapsed to her knees without regard for her image. Purple-black veins crawled across her snow-white skin, and her originally pinkish-purple beautiful eyes had turned entirely scarlet.

Two enormous phantom demonic spiders flickered in and out of existence behind her as a venomous roar rose from deep in her throat.

"Angel!!!"

Back mountain, Worship Hall.

The Worship Hall was far less extravagant than the Pope Palace, but in terms of historical legacy, not a single building in Spirit City could compare to it.

Seven meditation cushions were arranged within the hall. With the cushion beneath the Angel statue as the dividing point, there were three on each side. Six people were already seated there.

Golden Crocodile Douluo flew into the hall and bowed respectfully toward the middle-aged man sitting cross-legged beneath the Angel statue.

"Big Brother, I've already spoken to Bibi Dong about it, but I can't guarantee whether she'll carry it out willingly."

Qian Daoliu beneath the statue opened his eyes, his brows twitching slightly as he pondered, "Golden Crocodile, we are family. There's no need for such formalities."

"Still, you have a point. Their mother-son relationship was never good to begin with. She truly could do something like this."

After pondering for a while, Qian Daoliu spoke to the white-haired youth seated first on the left.

"Fifth, go to the warehouse, take a batch of resources, and deliver them to Xiao Xue in Heaven Dou City."

Guangling Douluo, the Fifth Worship with a youthful disposition, immediately rose to his feet. His ageless face was filled with relief.

"No problem, Big Brother. I'll go right away."

Qian Daoliu looked at Guangling Douluo's expression with helplessness written across his face.

But he also understood that not everyone enjoyed sitting in cultivation for long periods. With a sigh, he said: