Soul Shock

Three months later...

"My body has finally recovered!"

Dugu Bo was overjoyed. He looked quite different now compared to before.

His complexion was a little rosy, and his beard and hair had returned to their normal gray-white color.

But Dugu Bo said he still thought the original color looked better, so he changed it back to dark green.

Xing Tian reminded him, "Although you're mostly healed, the poison hasn't been completely cleared."

Dugu Bo waved a hand to show he didn't mind. "It's probably because I've built up a tolerance. Lately, I've clearly felt the medicine having less and less effect. I know there's too much poison built up in my body to clear it all out."

"What's more, my body has already adapted to the Toxic to some extent. If it were all gone, that might actually do more harm than good."

"Anyway, I no longer have to suffer through the agonies of a poison attack. And with the poison cleared, the bottleneck at Soul Power Level 91 has loosened considerably. It won't be long before I break through to Level 92."

As he spoke about his Soul Power, Dugu Bo suddenly realized something.

Dugu Bo took a careful look at Xing Tian and said in surprise, "You really are a Little Monster. In just three months, your Soul Power Level has broken through 30. I remember you'd only recently broken through Level 27 when you first arrived, right?"

Xing Tian nodded. "That's right. After the Ice Fire Golden Body Refinement, my Soul Power rose by one level. Since my body is basically a Miniature Ice Fire Yin Yang Well, the Ice Fire Yin Yang Well is also an excellent Mimicry Training Ground for me. And with your Dan Bead helping me, I've naturally surged ahead."

Dugu Bo sighed deeply. "Yanyan had a chance of beating you thanks to her advantage in Soul Power Level. Now that chance is completely gone."

"She only broke through Level 30 a few days ago, and she was so happy then. I hope she won't take too hard a blow when she learns about your situation."

Xing Tian asked, "Has Sister Yan gone to get her Soul Ring?"

Dugu Bo shook his head. "Not yet. Because of Yanyan's special circumstances, I'm the one who hunts her Soul Rings for her, without involving the academy. Since my poison has just about been cleared, I told Yanyan to wait a few days."

"Now that you've also broken through Level 30, we can save ourselves an extra trip. I'll go bring Yanyan over. First, I'll have her take a dose of the antidote, then I'll take you both to hunt Soul Beasts in Sunset Forest."

"Senior Dugu, could we hunt Soul Beasts in Star Dou Forest instead? I looked through the Soul Beast Pokédex before and found one I like, but there are no records of it appearing in Sunset Forest."

"We can, but it'll take more time. Star Dou Forest is a long way from here, and it's so vast that we may not find the Soul Beast you want anytime soon. You haven't returned to the academy in three months. The people there are getting a little anxious."

Seeing the teasing look on Dugu Bo's face, Xing Tian said, "I'm guessing the ones who are anxious aren't Sister Lingling or Sister Yan, nor Osler or Yu Feng. It's Yu Tianheng, isn't it?"

Dugu Bo looked surprised. "How did you know?"

Xing Tian didn't explain in detail. He simply said, "Because Yu Tianheng is the most unusual one."

Dugu Bo laughed heartily and slapped Xing Tian on the shoulder. "You sure have a way with people, kid! It's not just girls who like you—even the boys fall for your charms. First Osler volunteered to be your lackey, and now there's Yu Tianheng."

Xing Tian stared at Dugu Bo, speechless. Only then did Dugu Bo stop laughing. "At least you've done a fine job of completing the task I gave you."

"I always keep my word. As long as it isn't a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, I'll get you whatever Soul Beast you want this time. So, what do you want?"

Xing Tian said, "A Ten-Thousand-Year Dark Spirit Sacred Beast!"

Dugu Bo was shocked. "What?"

Xing Tian explained, "My Martial Soul has Darkness and Evil Attributes. In theory, it would be countered by Light and Holy Attributes. Although my Darkness Attribute is special, I want to eliminate this potential weakness just in case. At the very least, I need to greatly strengthen my Darkness and Evil Attributes. That's why I chose the Dark Spirit Sacred Beast."

"The Dark Spirit Sacred Beast is one of the Elemental Sacred Beasts. Although its name contains the word 'Sacred,' unlike the other Elemental Sacred Beasts, it doesn't possess a direct Holy Attribute. But it can resist Light and Holy Attributes."

"So I'm guessing that if I can obtain a Dark Spirit Sacred Beast Soul Ring, I'll most likely gain a buffing Soul Skill. It would strengthen my Darkness Attribute while also letting me resist being countered by Light and Holy Attributes."

Dugu Bo clenched his fists and shouted, "You think I'm shocked by the Dark Spirit Sacred Beast? You actually want to choose a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast? Are you trying to get yourself killed? Do you know how dangerous a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring is?"

Xing Tian was puzzled, but still answered confidently, "But my body is already strong enough. My Second Soul Ring is four thousand years old, and after the Ice Fire Golden Body Refinement, my physical strength doubled. On top of that, the effects of the two herbs have been absorbed faster over the past three months, so my physique has improved a little more. I'm strong enough to endure the Soul Power shock from a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring."

Dugu Bo calmed down and said, "It seems that because the students at Heaven Dou Royal Academy never surpass Level 50, and because you're a Tianzhu Level student, you don't know about Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings. That makes sense; this isn't the sort of knowledge you'll find in books."

"Oh? Is there something special about Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings?" Xing Tian asked curiously.

Dugu Bo explained, "Soul Beasts awaken their intelligence at different cultivation levels depending on their quality, but most of them only develop intelligence once they reach ten thousand years—about as much as a twelve-year-old human."

"Once a Soul Beast has intelligence, part of its soul remains in its Soul Ring after death. The stronger the Soul Beast, the more of its soul remains intact."

"And the impact of a soul is nothing like the Grudge left behind by a Soul Beast before its death."

"So absorbing a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring requires more than just a body strong enough to withstand the Soul Power shock. Your mental strength must also be strong enough to resist the Soul Shock of the Soul Beast's remnant soul."

"For a Soul Master to absorb a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring, their Soul Power Level generally needs to be at least Level 50. Soul Masters who reach Level 50 are usually over twenty, with mature, powerful souls. That's why they can absorb Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings."

"Your body might be strong enough, but you're only ten years old. Your soul isn't stable enough. The Soul Beast's remnant soul will destroy your mental world, and you'll end up a fool! Understand?"

"Soul Shock... I see." A thoughtful gleam appeared in Xing Tian's eyes.

Dugu Bo was right. Xing Tian had realized it himself, too.

After overcoming the first death tribulation of the Nine Deaths Reincarnation Evil Art, Xing Tian's mental strength had increased tenfold. Although his soul was already in its thirties, his body's mental system was still only ten years old, so it couldn't bring out the full power of his soul.

Xing Tian would have no problem with an ordinary-quality Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring, but the Dark Spirit Sacred Beast was a top-tier Soul Beast. Its Soul Shock would be much stronger.

Therefore, Xing Tian really couldn't absorb it.

But that was only true of Xing Tian as he was now. He had a way to quickly improve his mental strength.

Xing Tian said solemnly, "Senior Dugu, I have a way to quickly increase my mental strength enough to withstand the Soul Shock of a Ten-Thousand-Year Dark Spirit Sacred Beast, but I still need your approval."

"Oh? What method? And why would you need my approval?" Dugu Bo asked, confused.

"Please come with me."

Soon, Xing Tian led Dugu Bo to an unremarkable-looking herb.