Mu Chen was feeling this wondrous change as well. His Mysterious Heaven Skill circulated faster within this cycle, and his Soul Power grew far more quickly than usual.
What surprised him even more was that he could feel a strange connection forming between himself and the person before him. It was a tacit understanding that transcended words, as if their souls had resonated with each other in that moment.
"This..."
Wang Dong's voice trembled slightly with excitement. She looked at their palms pressed together and at the blue-gold Soul Power flowing between them, and a possibility surfaced in her mind.
"Our Martial Souls..."
"Can fuse." Mu Chen finished the thought for her.
The dorm fell silent for several seconds. Neither of them spoke. Only the blue-gold Soul Power continued to flow quietly between them, radiating a gentle light.
Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
Those four words were familiar to every Soul Master.
But there were so few Soul Masters with a Martial Soul Fusion Skill that you could hardly find any across the entire Douluo Continent.
It was the most perfect, deepest compatibility between two Martial Souls—a treasure even Titled Douluo dreamed of possessing.
The two people who possessed a Martial Soul Fusion Skill were not only the best partners on the battlefield, but also strengthened one another in cultivation, complementing each other perfectly. The greater the compatibility between their Martial Souls, the more powerful their fusion skill, and the greater the boost to their cultivation speed.
Judging by the degree to which their Soul Power had fused just now, the compatibility between their Martial Souls was certainly high.
Mu Chen was the first to break the silence. He let go of Wang Dong's hand, and the blue-gold Soul Power flowing between them dissipated with it. Deprived of the nourishment of their fused Soul Power, they both felt an empty sense of loss.
"Looks like our bond runs deeper than I thought."
Mu Chen looked at Wang Dong, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
Wang Dong's face inexplicably turned red. She turned her head away, the tips of her ears tinged a faint pink. "W-Who said we had a bond! It's just a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. It's not that big a deal..."
She said that, but her voice grew quieter and quieter. She knew that a Martial Soul Fusion Skill wasn't just "a big deal"—it was a momentous one.
The chance to cultivate alongside a partner with a Martial Soul Fusion Skill was a gift from the heavens to any Soul Master.
"Starting tonight, we'll cultivate together every evening."
Mu Chen's tone brooked no argument.
Wang Dong whipped around, eyes wide. "What? Every evening? No way! I..."
"Have you forgotten our bet?" Mu Chen smiled faintly and raised his fist. "Whoever won gets to call the shots. You even called me big brother."
Wang Dong opened her mouth, wanting to argue, but realized she had nothing to say. Her face flushed red, and at last, she angrily hurled her pillow at him. "Is threatening me all you know how to do?"
Mu Chen caught the pillow with a smile. "As long as it works."
Wang Dong glared at him resentfully, but didn't refuse again. She knew that cultivating together would benefit her just as much. That brief session earlier had yielded results equal to several days of her usual hard work. No Soul Master could turn down progress like that.
It was just... having to sit face-to-face with this guy and press their hands together...
At the thought, her heart started racing again. She quickly lay down, pulled the covers over her head, and grumbled, "Fine, fine, I get it! You're so annoying! I'm going to sleep!"
Mu Chen looked at the curled-up shape beneath the covers and shook his head with a smile.
He returned to his own bed and lay down, resting his hands behind his head as he stared at the ceiling and thought back over what had just happened.
He had never imagined that the Ocean Martial Soul could fuse with the Light Goddess Butterfly Martial Soul.
In the original story, Wang Dong's Light Goddess Butterfly could form a Martial Soul Fusion Skill with Huo Yuhao's Spirit Eye.
Now his Ocean Martial Soul had taken the Spirit Eye's place, and it had achieved the same perfect fusion with the Light Goddess Butterfly.
He sensed the changes in his dantian. His Soul Power Level was still forty-three, but the quality of his Soul Power seemed purer and more refined.
That was the benefit of cultivating through Martial Soul Fusion: not only did it boost cultivation speed, it also improved the quality of one's Soul Power.
If he cultivated with Wang Dong every night from now on, he could cut the time it would take him to break through to level forty-four by at least half.
And with a Martial Soul Fusion Skill as a trump card, he would have another layer of protection at Shrek Academy.
Once he and Wang Dong mastered the fusion skill, they might even stand a chance against an opponent at the Soul Saint level.
Mu Chen closed his eyes, a faint smile on his lips.
The next day, by the time the first rays of morning sunlight slipped through the gap in the curtains and into the dorm, Mu Chen had already awoken from his meditation.
He didn't hurry to wake Wang Dong. Instead, he climbed out of bed quietly and walked over to the window.
In the distance, early-rising students were already running on the training field, their figures appearing and disappearing in the thin mist.
Leaning against the window, Mu Chen closed his eyes and began his daily Purple Demon Eye practice. The eastern sky grew pale, and a wisp of purple light appeared on the horizon. He drew it into his eyes. Deep within his azure pupils, a trace of purple flashed and vanished.
He had never missed a day of practicing this skill in six years. His spiritual power now far exceeded what a Soul Ancestor should possess, and he could even hold his own against some Soul Emperor-level experts. He simply kept it carefully concealed, so no one could tell.
After finishing his practice, Mu Chen turned and looked at the bed across from him.
Wang Dong was still in the same position she'd fallen asleep in the night before, curled into a ball. Her blanket had been kicked to the foot of the bed, with just one corner barely covering her stomach.
Her pink-and-blue short hair stuck out in a tangled mess. Half her face was buried in the pillow, leaving only a stretch of pale neck and one ear pressed against it exposed.
Her sleeping habits were truly beyond words.
Mu Chen walked over, bent down, picked up the pillow from the floor, and casually set it at the foot of the bed.
Then he reached out and gave Wang Dong's head a few light pats.
"Get up."
The person beneath the covers didn't move an inch.
"Wang Dong."
Still no response, only the steady sound of her breathing.
Mu Chen raised an eyebrow. He bent down, leaned close to Wang Dong's ear, and said something in a voice that was almost gentle.
"You're going to be late for Zhou Yi's class."
The effect was immediate.
Wang Dong's eyes flew open. Her pink-and-blue pupils were still clouded with sleep, but her body had already sprung upright by reflex. Her forehead collided squarely with Mu Chen's chin, which he hadn't yet pulled away.
"Ah!"
They both cried out in pain at the same time.
Mu Chen clutched his chin and took a step back, while Wang Dong clutched her forehead and fell back onto the bed, tears nearly springing to her eyes.