The Plane Star Gate, Encountering a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast!

One month later.

Huo Si's Soul Power broke through to level nineteen.

Over the past month, with the support of the Dragon Kingdom behind Huo Si's Plane Star Gate, Nuoding City had been transformed beyond recognition.

The Dragon Kingdom had chosen Nuoding City as its foothold and central base for development in this other world, and was devoting extraordinary care to it.

Towering buildings sprang up everywhere. The various commercial streets and major salt, clothing, food, and even ironware businesses had all been bought up.

The streets and roads were all being paved to modern standards. At the hawks' suggestion, the City Lord's Mansion and even the Nuoding City Spirit Hall Branch were supposed to be cleared out within the month.

After all, although they didn't know Huo Si's background, they had learned a few secrets that couldn't be spoken aloud. But after the moderates interceded, they still refrained from taking direct action against them.

The Think Tank had mapped out Huo Si's course: he would join the Heaven Dou Empire, while quietly establishing ties with Spirit Hall as well.

He would become the Lord of Nuoding City and perhaps even the head of its Spirit Hall Branch, taking complete control of the city. For that reason, the Xiao Family and the people from Spirit Hall were allowed to stay.

In just one month, the changes in Nuoding City had been plain to see. The biggest beneficiaries were the Nuoding City Lord's Mansion, the Xiao Family, and the head of Spirit Hall's branch in the city.

The political achievements were immense. Nuoding City had become the fastest-growing city in Fasinuo Province of the Heaven Dou Empire. In a single month, City Lord Xiao had been summoned by his superiors five times and received commendations on three occasions.

City Lord Xiao let slip that it wouldn't be long—three years at most, perhaps only one—before he could rise another step, all the way to the provincial office.

To repay Huo Si, City Lord Xiao had immediately arranged an official post in the Heaven Dou Empire for him: Nuoding City Economic Development Envoy.

In just one month, Huo Family Village had provided the Nuoding City Spirit Hall Branch with ten children who had Innate Soul Power at level eight and twenty with Innate Soul Power at level seven. Most had already been reported to Spirit Hall, and half a month ago, they were transferred to Spirit City.

At present, on the suggestion of Huo Family Village chief Huo Si, Nuoding City Spirit Hope Primary School was being established. Huo Family Village was providing the money and labor, and Nuoding City's policy support was helping as well. The Nuoding City Spirit Hall Branch had also played a crucial role. Its superior, the Martial Soul Sub-Hall, had approved the project and sent teachers.

Huo Si was awarded the honorary title of Spirit Hall Branch Steward.

He now held two positions: an official of the Heaven Dou Empire and an honorary steward of the Spirit Hall Branch.

But his goal of taking charge of both the military and the government was still far out of reach.

For now, Huo Si's influence remained limited to this small corner of Nuoding City, and it hadn't yet taken root in everyone's hearts.

Huo Si proposed that Huo Family Village, Nuoding City, and Spirit Hall jointly host the Genius Spirit Tournament. After careful deliberation, the Dragon Kingdom's Think Tank approved the proposal.

First prize: a ten-year Soul Bone and ten thousand Gold Soul Coins!

Second prize: five thousand Gold Soul Coins.

Third prize: one thousand Gold Soul Coins.

Entrants had to be no older than eight. Spirit Hall would provide the judges, while Nuoding City would send guards to keep order.

The moment the event was announced, all of Nuoding City was in an uproar.

It was an event that benefited all three parties. Huo Family Village would cover all the expenses, Spirit Hall would receive the tournament's naming rights, the Spirit Hall Branch's superior, the Martial Soul Sub-Hall, would provide the ten-year Soul Bone, and City Lord Xiao would personally sponsor all the prize money.

The venue would be Nuoding City Square, built by Huo Family Village.

All of Fasinuo Province was shaken. This was a golden opportunity for young geniuses to make their names. City Lord Xiao was going all out to seize the chance to climb another rung.

Spirit Hall, meanwhile, wanted to improve its reputation among the people. A ten-year Soul Bone was precious, but for a vast organization like Spirit Hall, it was hardly a painful loss. The event also served as a test run for the upcoming Continental Elite Spirit Master Tournament.

As for Huo Si—or rather, the Dragon Kingdom—what it wanted was to gain a deeper foothold in the Douluo World, work with all the various forces, and build closer ties. And, of course, Soul Bones... The event would pave the way for Huo Si to become Lord of Nuoding City and the leading figure in the Nuoding City Spirit Hall Branch. It would also bring him closer to his target: the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast who could take human form, Xiao Wu!

The tournament progressed quickly; after all, it was only an event in a small city.

But organizing it was still extremely complicated. Most importantly, it was the first Spirit Master tournament in Fasinuo Province. People came not only from Nuoding City, but also from several neighboring major cities. A city of a hundred thousand people swelled by hundreds of thousands, bringing a considerable economic boom.

Seven days later, the tournament ended. A high-ranking official of the Heaven Dou Empire from Fasinuo Province, a regional governor, and the head of the Martial Soul Sub-Hall arrived.

Huo Hu of Huo Family Village was a genius with Innate Full Soul Power and a War Tiger Martial Soul. Thanks to his exceptional Soul Ring absorption and the unique properties of his Martial Soul, he took first place.

The head of the Martial Soul Sub-Hall, a peak Soul Emperor, took a liking to him and personally recommended him to the Spirit Academy.

Xiao Wu took second place. Huo Family Village signed her and made her the spokesperson for the Huo Family Village Dragon Brand.

Tang San took third place and received one thousand Gold Soul Coins.

Don't ask why Tang San only placed third. The Genius Spirit Tournament banned all items unrelated to Martial Souls.

With a two-hundred-year First Soul Ring, Tang San's third-place finish was already the result of pushing his footwork and Mysterious Heaven Skill to their limits.

After the tournament, the excited City Lord Xiao of Nuoding City hurried over to Huo Si and told him that he would be promoted in three months. Before he moved up to the provincial department, he would use the Gold Soul Coins Huo Si had provided to arrange a suitable position for him.

The head of Nuoding City's Spirit Hall Branch couldn't sit still once he noticed City Lord Xiao making his move.

With so many geniuses emerging, the branch head knew that it wouldn't be long before the prodigies from Huo Family Village entered Spirit Hall and received intensive training. He immediately gave Huo Si the position of deputy head of the branch.

Douluo Research Institute

"Can Soul Bones be replicated?"

"Didn't you already figure out how to compress Soul Power?"

"Can't you just compress Soul Power, inject it into a bone, and make an Artificial Soul Bone?"

After hearing Huo Si's words, Elder Ke looked grave.

"We've already tried using compressed Soul Power to make Soul Bones, but bones aren't strong enough. Without a living body to support them, they shatter when they bear too much Soul Power..."

Hearing Elder Ke's words, Huo Si seemed to think of something.

"You've only tried making Artificial Soul Bones by compressing Soul Power after killing Soul Beasts. But why do you have to kill them?"

"Can't you forcibly inject Soul Power into a part of a living Soul Beast, stop when it's close to dying and let it recover, then force more Soul Power into it afterward? Once the part containing the bone changes, grows stronger, and even develops a Soul Skill to fight back, then kill it and take the bone?"

His words were like a sudden burst of enlightenment. Elder Ke hurried away, visibly excited.

Three days later, the first ten-year Artificial Soul Bone appeared!

Seven days later, ten-year Artificial Soul Bones began rolling off the production line in batches.

One month later, a hundred-year Artificial Soul Bone appeared.

Huo Si's Soul Power broke through to level twenty.

City Lord Xiao approached Huo Si, his face full of guilt.

"The arrangements fell through. A big shot in Heaven Dou City has a child who wants this easy-to-earn political credit, so they'll parachute in as the new city lord. After three to five years of training, they'll be transferred back to Heaven Dou City."

Huo Si wasn't surprised to hear the news.

He had probably expected it all along. Nuoding City was now the most important tax-generating city in Fasinuo Province. It was the perfect place to come and earn some prestige.

Besides, Huo Si had joined the Heaven Dou Empire too recently. He had political achievements to his name, but his Soul Power, still below level twenty, was ultimately a weakness.

"Still, they admired your determination. I managed to get you the position of deputy city lord from a high-ranking official."

He hadn't even reached level twenty, yet he had secured the position of deputy city lord. It seemed the hundreds of thousands of Gold Soul Coins he had spent hadn't gone to waste.

Huo Si stopped concerning himself with Nuoding City's affairs and turned to find Chu Youwei.

"Xiao Wu, your job is to wear clothes bearing our Dragon Brand. At tournaments and every other event you attend, you'll be the face of our brand."

"Shoes, socks, skirts, tops... even hair clips. We'll pay you a salary every month."

"I heard you're still living in the dormitory. Move out. It's bad for your image and could hurt the brand's sales."

At that moment, Chu Youwei was helping Xiao Wu pick out clothes while also managing the friendship between Xiao Wu and Tang San.

To drive a wedge between Xiao Wu and Tang San before their future relationship could deepen, Huo Family Village had spared no expense in launching a Spirit Master brand and signing Xiao Wu.

"Okay, Sister Youwei. I think you're right."

"After I took second place and made a name for myself at the Genius Spirit Master Tournament, I noticed that the work-study students in the dormitory were looking at me strangely. My socks kept getting stolen."

"You must be Xiao Wu. Let me introduce myself: Huo Si, chief of Huo Family Village, and the one backing you."

Huo Si slowly extended his hand, a smile on his face.

Xiao Wu was taken aback.

"Xiao Wu. Wu as in dance."

"It's an honor to meet you, big boss!"

Huo Si nodded.

"You performed very well, and you have a great image. But I hope you'll pay more attention to your personal life."

"You're the star Spirit Master our Dragon Brand is about to launch. We'll make you the most popular Spirit Master around. We'll keep you safe and won't let anyone hurt you. Don't doubt our strength. As long as you're in Huo Family Village, we'll be able to protect you."

Hearing Huo Si's words, Xiao Wu was shaken to her core. Her body stiffened in an instant.

Noticing Xiao Wu's reaction, Huo Si's lips slowly curved into a smile.

"We've already looked into it. You didn't know, did you? Your classmate Tang San is actually the son of a Titled Douluo. I don't know why, but I've noticed he's deliberately trying to get close to you."

After planting a seed of doubt in Xiao Wu's heart, Huo Si left with Chu Youwei.

It was easy to make Xiao Wu wary of Tang San. He only had to tell her that Tang San's father was a Titled Douluo and that his motives for approaching her might not be pure. That alone was enough.

"I'm leaving for the Star Dou Great Forest to capture more Soul Beasts for the Research Institute—for research, for making Artificial Soul Rings, and for obtaining a Soul Ring so I can break through to Soul Grandmaster. Long Weiguo also needs to obtain a Soul Ring. I don't plan to take you with me this time."

At the Douluo Plane Research Institute, Huo Si received the Institute's recommendations for his Soul Ring configuration.

"I disagree. The Soul Ring's age is too low. My theory for my Second Soul Ring is that it should be a thousand years old!"

Elder Ke flatly rejected Huo Si's proposal.

"No. It's too dangerous. A thousand-year Soul Ring is different from a hundred-year Soul Ring. Even though the Pioneer's First Soul Ring has already reached five hundred years and his physical strength is comparable to a Soul Elder's, this is still too risky."

"According to Spirit Hall's latest records, you need to strengthen your body by adding two Soul Rings before you can absorb a thousand-year Soul Ring. If your physical strength isn't up to the task, you could very well explode and die!"

Elder Long was summoned again.

"I know, I know you want to make faster progress, but Elder Ke is right."

"You're not just one person anymore. There's the Dragon Kingdom, and fourteen hundred million people who are about to embark on the path of Martial Soul cultivation. If anything happens to you... the hopes of the entire Douluo Plane Research Institute and those fourteen hundred million people will be snuffed out."

There were many things Huo Si could no longer decide for himself.

The success of the Martial Soul Devouring Evolution Method, and the resources of an entire Douluo world...

They no longer allowed Huo Si to take risks. The Dragon Kingdom had only just begun establishing itself in the Douluo Plane, and even the slightest risk could turn all their efforts to ashes.

"What if I cultivate both Martial Souls at the same time?"

"I'll attach the First Soul Ring to my Second Martial Soul. At around eight hundred years, it should strengthen the Plane Star Gate, make it bigger, and let us bring more weapons and personnel from the Dragon Kingdom. More people will awaken their Martial Souls, and we'll gain more power from Spirit Hall, allowing the Dragon Kingdom to take control of the Douluo World faster!"

His words left the entire Research Institute in silence.

"You... you... you're really willing to sacrifice your future development for the Dragon Kingdom, for all of us?"

According to the Research Institute's projections, Huo Si needed to reach Soul Saint—or even Titled Douluo—before he could cultivate his Second Martial Soul and attach Soul Rings to it. That was the only way to maximize the benefits of his Second Martial Soul.

But no one had imagined that, so the Dragon Kingdom could enter the Douluo World, deploy its forces, and take control more quickly, Huo Si would be willing to sacrifice the development of his Second Martial Soul.

"I am Huo Si, Planar Pioneer!"

Huo Si didn't answer. He simply made clear who he was, and in an instant, everyone's eyes turned red.

The Research Institute had no reason left to stop him.

Inside the Star Dou Great Forest

A group of people in matching uniforms, carrying assault rifles, quickly escorted Huo Si into the Star Dou Great Forest.

Bang! Bang! Bang!!!

A rapid burst of gunfire rang out.

On the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, Long Weiguo killed a Thunder Eel and gained the Soul Skill Thunder Dragon Claw.

His Soul Power broke through to level thirteen.

On the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, they hunted a Soul-Devouring Beast.

Soul-Devouring Beast: Absorbs Soul Power attacks and returns them!

This was the Research Institute's theory, based on Huo Si's Martial Soul.

The theory was that Huo Si could use the Plane Star Gate's ability to move through space and time to absorb Soul Skill attacks, store them, and even reflect them back at the attacker.

Huo Si sat cross-legged on the ground and absorbed the Soul-Devouring Beast's Soul Ring, its color a strange yellow edging into purple.

There was no risk at all. After two and a half hours of absorption, his body had been strengthened, and the Soul Ring slowly settled above his head.

The Plane Star Gate suddenly appeared.

Whoosh!!!

Huo Si, Long Weiguo, and a squad of elite special forces vanished from the spot in an instant.

The scene flickered.

At the same time, in the Star Dou Great Forest, in a different point in time.

"What..."

"Where are we?"

Buzz—bang—boom!!!

A violent explosion rang out. A small patch of forest vanished in an instant.

After the thunderous blast, everyone went on alert. In the next moment, a silver-white giant, over ten meters tall, suddenly appeared.

"Damn humans! Die! All of you will die!"

It had only one eye, bizarrely enough, and that eye was like the bright moon. A beam of light shot straight toward where Huo Si and the others stood.

"Not good! That level of attack..."

"That aura, and it can talk! This is bad—it's a hundred-thousand-year... a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast!!"

"Plane Star Gate, devour!!!"

Huo Si didn't dare let his guard down for an instant. He immediately activated the Plane Star Gate. A Soul Ring, deep yellow edging toward purple, slowly appeared. The next moment, the Plane Star Gate burst open, and the silver beam shot straight into the boundless void.

In an instant, Huo Si's Soul Power was forcibly drained, and the Plane Star Gate shut down.

"Protect the Planar Pioneer!!!"

"Fire! Launch every missile!!!"

Long Weiguo roared. In the next instant, dozens of small missiles shot out.

Boom! Boom!! Boom!!!

The violent explosions blew off one of the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast's arms.

Behind the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, a bloodstained young woman in her twenties slowly rose to her feet. She looked around at the severed limbs littering the ground, and grief suddenly filled her face.

"How... how... how did things end up like this?!"

"Ruoruo, Wu Ming... my junior brothers...!!"

"Silver Moon True Body!!!"

Seven Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black—appeared around her. A massive full moon blazed into view, then came crashing down.

"Silver Moon Slash!!!"

The Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, gravely wounded by the missile bombardment and teetering on the brink, never noticed her behind it. Its head was severed in an instant, and a blood-red pillar of light shot into the sky.

A blood-red Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring blazed into view!