Keep Stirring Up Trouble

Xu Jiujiu's eyes widened.

She could clearly feel the lifespan of that Soul Ring rising frantically.

Five thousand years, six thousand years, seven thousand, eight thousand...

In the end, it stopped at just under nine thousand years.

It had risen from the five-thousand-year level to nearly ten thousand years!

"This..."

Xu Jiujiu murmured to herself, unable to believe what she was feeling.

She closed her eyes and carefully sensed it—the upper limit of her Soul Power had not increased, but the strength of that Soul Ring had clearly grown.

If the power of her fourth Soul Skill, Star Fall, had been ten before, then it was now at least fifteen, perhaps even higher.

"One... There are still three more."

Xu Jiujiu opened her eyes, excitement filling them.

She looked up at the sky, unsure whether she was speaking to the Spirit Pagoda or to herself.

"Again!"

Over the next half hour, Xu Jiujiu underwent three more trials.

The second time, she faced a thousand-year Ironback Bear. Its defense was extremely strong, but it was very slow.

She used Star Shine to reduce its speed, Star Chain to bind its limbs, then repeatedly bombarded its abdomen with Starlight Impact—that was the Ironback Bear's only weakness.

After killing the Ironback Bear, her first hundred-year yellow Soul Ring advanced to purple.

It was not an ordinary light purple, but a deep purple, with a lifespan of at least five thousand years.

The third time, she faced a thousand-year Phantom Butterfly, a Mental Attribute soul beast skilled in illusions and confusion.

This was the most troublesome battle—both the Silver Moon Wolf and Ironback Bear were physical types, and as long as one was strong enough, they could always be defeated head-on.

But the Phantom Butterfly was different. Its illusions could make people lose themselves in dreams, unable even to find where the enemy was.

Xu Jiujiu was trapped in its illusion for nearly the time it took to drink a cup of tea, and she almost lost herself.

But the Star Crown Martial Soul had a hidden trait—it possessed a natural resistance to Mental Attacks.

Using the starlight protection of the Star Crown, she forcibly shattered the illusion. Then she used Star Shine to lock onto the Phantom Butterfly's position and killed it with a single Starlight Impact.

After this battle, her second hundred-year yellow Soul Ring also advanced to purple.

It was likewise a deep purple, with a lifespan of around six thousand years.

The fourth time, she faced the final soul beast—a thousand-year Thunder Eagle.

Fast, powerful, and capable of flight, it was the hardest type to deal with.

Xu Jiujuu nearly exhausted all her Soul Power before using Star Chain to drag the Thunder Eagle from the sky. She then alternated between Starlight Impact and Star Fall, bombarding it until she killed it.

After this battle, her final purple Soul Ring rose from two thousand years to seven thousand years.

The portal flashed, and Xu Jiujui stepped out of the Spirit Pagoda.

Her face was somewhat pale, and beads of sweat still hung from her forehead, but her eyes shone like two stars.

Four Soul Rings rose from beneath her feet and slowly revolved around her body.

What had originally been two yellow and two purple had now become—

Four purple.

Four purple Soul Rings, each radiating a profound glow. Two of them even had lifespans close to ten thousand years.

Shen Zhou stood in the hall. Seeing her emerge, he smiled faintly.

"Congratulations, Princess."

Xu Jiujui took a deep breath, wanting to say something, only to find that her voice was trembling.

Not from fear, but from excitement.

Four purple Soul Rings.

Before today, she would not even have dared to imagine it.

Her talent was considered outstanding within the royal family. Reaching level forty-eight at eighteen was already an excellent achievement.

But her Soul Ring configuration had always been her weakness—two yellow and two purple, merely above average among Soul Ancestors.

Those truly top-tier geniuses already possessed four purple rings, or even one black and three purple rings, at this level.

But now, her weakness had been made up for.

Four purple.

Even if those two originally hundred-year Soul Rings had merely risen to the thousand-year level, it was still a qualitative leap.

What was more, all four purple Soul Rings had lifespans exceeding five thousand years. Two had even reached eight thousand and nine thousand years—only one step away from ten thousand.

"Dean Shen, this Spirit Pagoda..."

Xu Jiujui's voice caught. "It is too precious."

She was not someone lacking in knowledge.

On the contrary, it was precisely because she had seen so much that she understood the value of the Spirit Pagoda even more clearly.

Increasing Soul Ring lifespans—the significance behind those words was enough to overturn the entire Soul Master world.

If news of the Spirit Pagoda spread, Soul Masters across the entire continent would go mad over it.

The two great empires, the major sects, even the Sun Moon Empire, would spare no cost to obtain this tower.

Yet Shen Zhou had simply let her enter and experience it.

Without demanding anything in return.

"Princess, there is no need to be so courteous."

Shen Zhou waved a hand. "You and I are fated to meet. This small matter is not worth mentioning."

Xu Jiujui looked at him, an indescribable emotion welling up inside her.

Fated to meet.

He said those words lightly, yet they made her heart tremble.

Outside the Spirit Pagoda, Cheng Gang stood on the White Jade Bridge with his hands behind his back.

He had already been waiting for nearly an hour.

The Star Luo Empire was still waiting for him to return and report. The Princess had been inside for so long without emerging, and he was beginning to feel anxious.

But Shen Zhou had not allowed him into the tower, so he could not force his way in—the silver-white Slender Dog was squatting at the bridgehead, its golden dog eyes occasionally glancing at him. It was clearly still holding a grudge.

"Senior White Emperor," Cheng Gang said, "how long has the Princess been inside?"

"An hour."

Er Ha answered lazily. "What are you in such a hurry for? Lao Da is inside with her. Nothing will happen."

Cheng Gang frowned but said nothing more.

Just then, the doors of the Spirit Pagoda opened.

Xu Jiujui stepped out, with Shen Zhou following behind her.

Cheng Gang's gaze fell upon Xu Jiujui. First, he let out a sigh of relief—the Princess was unharmed and perfectly fine.

Then his pupils suddenly contracted.

Four Soul Rings slowly revolved around Princess Jiujiu.

Purple.

All four were purple.

Cheng Gang thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. He rubbed them, then looked again.

They really were four purple rings.

Two yellow and two purple had become four purple.

"Princess, you..."

Even Cheng Gang's voice changed.

Xu Jiujui walked up to him, the corners of her lips lifting slightly, her eyes filled with irrepressible excitement.

"Elder Cheng, the Spirit Pagoda is real."

"My Soul Rings have changed from two yellow and two purple to four purple."

Cheng Gang opened his mouth, but he could not utter a single word.

He was a Titled Douluo who had lived for over eighty years. What strange and rare things had he not seen?

But he had never even heard of something that could increase the lifespan of Soul Rings.

The iron law of the Soul Master world—once a Soul Ring was attached, it could never be changed for life—had been broken before his eyes.

No, not broken.

Crushed to pieces.

"Dean Shen."

Cheng Gang turned to Shen Zhou and gave him a deep bow.

This bow was more sincere than any he had given since entering the academy today.

A level ninety-one Titled Douluo bowing to a young man.

Before today, Cheng Gang would never have imagined that he would do such a thing.

But now, he did so willingly.

"Elder Cheng, there is no need for such formality."

Shen Zhou reached out and helped him up.

Cheng Gang straightened, and the wariness and doubt that had previously filled his gaze toward Shen Zhou were gone.

In their place was an almost fanatical reverence.

"Dean Shen, this old servant dares to ask—can this Spirit Pagoda be used by the Empire?"

Shen Zhou glanced at him, then at Xu Jiujui.

"Elder Cheng, the Spirit Pagoda is currently open only to those within Martial Soul Academy.

"As for the future..."

He paused. "That depends."