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"You really absorbed that sliver of time attribute from the Dark Night Raven?"
Mu Ye and Han Tianyi paused at his words and exchanged a glance. They could both see the astonishment in each other's eyes.
The Dark Night Raven was rumored to possess the ability to traverse time, but no one had ever seen it in reality. To absorb its time attribute and turn it into a Soul Skill—Jiang Xiu's luck was frankly off the charts.
But Jiang Xiu alone knew that this time-attribute Soul Skill was a bloodline Soul Skill the Dark Night Raven had actively granted him after fully submitting to him. It would have been absolutely impossible through merely fusing with a Soul Spirit.
"Dear disciple, hurry and show your master what this time-attribute Soul Skill can do. That way, I can tailor a plan for your upcoming training."
Mu Ye smiled and rubbed his hands together, giving him an expectant look.
"Okay."
Jiang Xiu nodded. Soul Skills were a Soul Master's secret and generally weren't revealed lightly outside of battle, but there was no need to hide anything from his master and grandmaster.
"Caw!"
As Jiang Xiu slightly raised his left hand, the towering figure of the Shadow Monarch appeared behind him, and a Hundred-Year Soul Ring rose alongside it.
The Soul Ring stirred. The Dark Night Raven, its whole body gleaming with black light, flew out of it and folded its wings as it landed on Jiang Xiu's right shoulder. It affectionately rubbed against him, no longer displaying the slightest trace of its former defiance.
"Raven, Time Stop!"
Jiang Xiu's Blood Pupil rippled. He clenched his left hand in the air, and the Hundred-Year Soul Ring surrounding him instantly shone. The Dark Night Raven shifted from its affectionate pose into a battle stance. Its blood-red eyes transformed in an instant, and two dark-red circular clock faces appeared, their hands coming to an abrupt halt.
"Buzz!"
In the blink of an eye, a layer of faintly blood-red ripples spread out, glimmering with silver light. Wherever they passed, light stopped refracting, the air stopped flowing, and all sound instantly died away. Everything fell completely still.
Mu Ye and Han Tianyi, standing beside Jiang Xiu, were also caught in the effect. A faint red glow covered their bodies as they froze in place.
Mu Ye didn't use his Soul Power. Instead, he carefully sensed the effect of Jiang Xiu's Time Stop. Han Tianyi did the same.
"Crack!"
One second later, a sound like shattering glass rang through the room. Then everything returned to normal.
Warm sunlight streamed through the glass. A bubble in the fish tank nearby continued rising, and faint footsteps sounded outside the office.
"Phew, I nearly burned through everything."
Jiang Xiu let out a long breath. His lips were a little pale, and more than half the Soul Power in his body had been spent. The Dark Night Raven on his shoulder lowered its head wearily.
"Time Stop—stopping time... Everything within a five-meter radius comes to a halt. Excellent, excellent!"
Mu Ye clasped his hands behind his back, but the fists he had clenched were trembling slightly.
"That's not all. Nephew-disciple, didn't you feel yourself momentarily dazed just now?"
A silvery-white glint shone in Han Tianyi's eyes as he stroked his chin, hinting at something.
Though neither of them had resisted and had let Time Stop take effect, under the perception of his formidable spiritual power, he had indeed experienced a brief blur in his vision, if only for an instant.
"Grandmaster, are you saying Xiao Xiu's Time Stop Soul Skill is guaranteed to take effect? Just like the Xu Family's Mutated Martial Soul, the Star Wheel Ice Staff?"
At his grandmaster's reminder, Mu Ye seemed to realize something at once. The amazement in his gaze as he looked at Jiang Xiu grew even stronger.
"Why don't we ask Xiao Xiu?"
Han Tianyi turned to Jiang Xiu with a kind smile.
"Grandmaster, Time Stop does indeed have a guaranteed effect. Although the duration of the stop decreases as the difference in strength grows, it will still freeze the opponent for at least an instant. During that time, I can move freely."
Jiang Xiu gave a slight nod, his tone firm.
Xu Xiaoyan's Star Wheel Ice Staff could use starlight to pin down enemies, and its effect was guaranteed. His Time Stop worked the same way. Its only drawback was its enormous consumption: even a single second had nearly drained him dry.
But that drawback would lessen as he grew stronger.
"Will the duration of Time Stop increase as your strength grows, Xiao Xiu?"
Han Tianyi's gaze flickered as he asked the most important question.
"Yes. Based on what I've seen so far, the effect of Time Stop lasts one second longer for every major stage I advance."
Jiang Xiu paused to consider it before answering.
"Then when you become a Titled Douluo, you'll have nine seconds against someone of the same rank. Once your master teaches you the Body Sect's combat techniques, nine seconds will be enough to kill your opponent nine times over. Nine times!"
At Jiang Xiu's words, Mu Ye's excitement surged. When experts fought, even a single missed breath could cost someone their life, let alone nine seconds.
"Enough. Don't get ahead of yourselves. Keeping your feet on the ground is what matters. Don't forget, Xiao Xiu is only a thirteen-level Soul Master right now. Just using Time Stop once nearly drained all the Soul Power in his body."
"So for now, it's only a trump card. Don't use it carelessly."
Han Tianyi glared at Mu Ye and spoke sternly.
"Grandmaster, you're right. Xiao Xiu, don't let this make you arrogant. A true master always keeps the mindset of an apprentice."
"To become truly strong, you need hard work, perseverance, and humility. Without all three, you can't master your craft."
Mu Ye wiped the smile from his face and spoke seriously to Jiang Xiu.
"I'll keep that in mind, Master."
Jiang Xiu's expression was solemn.
One Time Stop wouldn't go to his head. His future opponents would be God Level beings, or even God Kings.
Besides, there wasn't much time left for him to grow. At most, he had a decade or two.
"All right, Xiao Xiu, head out first. Have Xiao Ling take you downstairs to rest. Tomorrow, you'll be going to the Spirit Ascension Platform to increase your Soul Ring's age. The Soul Beasts in there are vicious."
Han Tianyi waved his hand. The woman in uniform from earlier entered the office and led Jiang Xiu away to rest.
After Jiang Xiu left, Mu Ye and Han Tianyi exchanged a glance. They could no longer hold back their smiles. Three seconds of silence later, booming laughter filled the room.
They'd told Jiang Xiu not to get arrogant, but they could!
With a genius like that, and such incredible luck, if they could hold back their laughter, they'd have to be clinically depressed.
"Grandmaster, this isn't a drill. Our Body Sect really is going to rise again."
"Yes, we'll rise again. I only hope I'll live to see it."
Han Tianyi sighed. Back then, he'd had his own reasons for joining the Spirit Pagoda.
After all, if his own sect had been thriving, who would have wanted to come grovel at another sect's feet?
Inside a spacious, clean, and tidy room.
Jiang Xiu sat cross-legged on the bed, silently absorbing Soul Power. The instant his Soul Power was restored, he slowly opened his eyes, a noble air faintly radiating from his purple pupils.
"When I broke through to Soul Master, my shadow left behind in the Abyss stirred for some unknown reason. Let me see what's going on."
After resting and making preparations, Jiang Xiu's consciousness slowly sank into the Shadow Monarch, instantly entering another plane.
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