Breakthrough Level Forty

After defeating Qian Shan, Su Ming did not stop, instead quickly proceeding to the next match.

The efficiency of the Great Soul Arena's backstage was extremely high; in less than five minutes, the broadcast for the re-matched bout echoed throughout the 14th Sub-Arena.

Then, in less than ten seconds, the battle was over.

Over the next two days, the 14th Sub-Arena became Su Ming's personal harvesting ground for consecutive victories.

Whether it was the Defense, Control, or Power Attack system, everything became as fragile as paper in the face of Su Ming's absolute strength.

In just two days, Su Ming completed a thunderous sweep of the Great Soul Arena's individual division.

"The tenth match, Su Ming wins! Achieving the record of ten consecutive individual victories!"

Following the referee's final impassioned announcement, Su Ming walked off the arena with a calm expression.

He accepted the Soul Fighting Badge representing ten individual victories from the staff.

With this, the first rigid assessment target set by his homeroom teacher, Liu Ru, was easily completed.

After walking out of the Soul Arena, Su Ming did not go to find Hu Liena for the duo matches.

He knew very well that the upcoming duo matches would jump directly into Soul King-level confrontations. With his current level 39 soul power, while he could win against Soul Ancestors above level 40, variables remained if he encountered a five-ringed Soul King.

He needed to become stronger.

Returning to the Golden Hall, Su Ming locked his door and entered a state of seclusion.

Sitting cross-legged on the soft couch, Su Ming circulated his Ultimate Evil Soul Power throughout his entire body.

Over the past two months, while researching the fine-tuning and modification of his third soul skill, he had forcibly compressed his soul power within his meridians and guided its circulation route tens of thousands of times to allow it to follow his body movements and generate high-speed rotation.

This near-masochistic cycle of repeated attempts had, unknowingly, thoroughly widened and tempered his meridians.

At this moment, the Ultimate Evil Soul Power within him was even more refined and viscous than it had been two months ago.

Everything is ready; it will happen today.

Su Ming closed his eyes, guiding the surging black soul power within him to launch a final assault on the level 40 bottleneck.

Boom!

The refined Ultimate Evil Soul Power transformed into a massive black wave, slamming fiercely against the barrier of the level 40 threshold.

In an instant, the air around Su Ming twisted violently, and the phantom of the Black Phoenix martial soul flickered behind him, emitting a low cry.

Three days later.

Accompanied by a crisp cracking sound within his body, that sturdy bottleneck finally shattered under the frantic impact of his soul power.

With a rumble, the surrounding soul power contracted like a tsunami, immediately feeding back into his limbs and bones.

Su Ming opened his eyes, a pitch-black light flashing in the depths of his pupils.

Level 40, quasi-Soul Ancestor.

After the successful breakthrough, Su Ming sought out Bibi Dong.

Upon learning that the twelve-year-old Su Ming had already reached the level 40 bottleneck, Pope Bibi Dong was deeply shocked.

A twelve-year-old level 40 quasi-Soul Ancestor—this speed of cultivation had never appeared in the history of Spirit Hall.

Subsequently, to ensure Su Ming's absolute safety, Bibi Dong issued an order, assigning the level 95 Titled Douluo—Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan—to personally lead a team to escort Su Ming to the Star Dou Forest to hunt for his fourth soul ring.

Half an hour later, at the main gate of Spirit City.

Dressed in bright golden armor with a feminine face, Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan stood beside a carriage.

Seeing Su Ming approach, a flash of undisguised astonishment crossed Yue Guan's eyes. "Little Su Ming, it's only been a few days, and you've already broken through to level 40? A twelve-year-old level 40—you truly have opened This Seat's eyes."

"Tell me, do you have a target in mind for this fourth soul ring?"

"The Pope has given her word; as long as it exists in the Star Dou Forest, This Seat can get it for you."

Su Ming bowed slightly to Yue Guan. "Elder, I have already chosen my target. I want a soul beast around 13,000 years old, and the attribute must, of course, still be the evil attribute."

"How many years?!"

Hearing the words "around 13,000 years," Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan froze in place.

He knew Su Ming absorbed rings above his level, but he hadn't expected such a massive leap.

He stared fixedly at Su Ming, his voice turning sharp from shock. "Little ghost, you aren't joking, are you? I know you absorb rings above your level, but a ten-thousand-year soul ring carries a soul shock that your current mental strength cannot withstand. It will turn you into an idiot!"

Su Ming raised his head, looking directly into Yue Guan's eyes. "My physical strength and mental power are prepared. Elder, lead the way."

Watching Su Ming's calm and confident expression, Yue Guan opened his mouth, eventually having no choice but to stomp his foot in frustration.

He knew this monster favored by the Pope could not be measured by common sense; since the boy dared to ask, he must have his reasons.

"Truly a little monster who won't live unless he's insane. Let's go!"

After several days of travel, the two successfully entered the Star Dou Forest.

With the escort of Yue Guan, a level 95 Titled Douluo, the low-level soul beasts in the outer circle dared not approach.

The two did not waste time in the periphery, crossing directly through the outer zone to reach the edge of the Star Dou Forest's core area.

Once there, the soul beasts active in the vicinity were basically all at the ten-thousand-year level or higher.

The group slowed their pace while searching, their terrifying Title Douluo-level spiritual power manifesting as an invisible ripple that blanketed the surrounding ten-plus kilometers.

Less than half an hour later, Yue Guan's gaze snapped toward a gloomy valley in the northwest.

"Found it. Its attributes and age meet nearly all of your requirements."

Yue Guan spoke in a low voice, then grabbed Su Ming by the shoulder, transforming into a streak of golden light and vanishing from the spot in an instant.

When the two landed again, they had already arrived deep within that dark valley.

Perched silently atop a massive, withered ancient tree was a colossal, pitch-black bird of prey.

It was a rare soul beast that commanded evil powers—the Nine-Nether Soul-Snatching Owl.

This Nine-Nether Soul-Snatching Owl was over three meters long, its feathers a deathly, pure black, while its enormous phoenix-like eyes glinted with an eerie, ghostly green light.

Judging by the fluctuations of soul power radiating from its body, its cultivation was precisely around thirteen thousand five hundred years, equivalent to a human Soul King above level fifty.

Seeing intruders enter its territory, the Nine-Nether Soul-Snatching Owl let out a sharp cry, spread its wings, and unleashed countless black wind blades that swept toward the pair like a torrential downpour.

"Hmph, you wicked beast, you dare act presumptuously before This Seat?"

Yue Guan let out a cold snort and pressed his right hand forward.

A terrifying pressure of soul power erupted, and the countless black wind blades in the air were forcibly shattered in an instant.

Immediately following, the phantom of a massive Heavenly Chrysanthemum flashed across the sky.

With a loud bang!

The Nine-Nether Soul-Snatching Owl's body was slammed down from the air by this force, crashing into a pile of hard, jagged rocks.

The bones in its wings shattered inch by inch, its dense feathers fell out in large patches, and it was left covered in blood.

In just a single moment, it had been beaten into a state of extreme near-death by the Title Douluo, lying on the ground unable to move.