But within just a few breaths, the Golden Starfish that had been trying to flee surfaced. A bright yellow Soul Ring rose from its corpse.
It was dead!
Luo Chen understood. The Golden Starfish had been paralyzed by Evil Eye Gaze and was under a mental attack. Since the capture had failed, its remaining health had been deducted outright!
"Damn!"
Su Heng swore. Wasn't Luo Chen's ball supposed to capture Soul Beasts? How had he smashed it to death?
In the distance, Fule was locked in fierce combat with the Thousand-Year Iron-Spine Shark.
The Iron-Spine Shark was enormous and incredibly strong. Every sweep of its tail sent huge waves surging up. Though Fule had a higher Soul Power Level, he was no match for the Iron-Spine Shark in the water. He could only barely hold it off and keep it from approaching the pier.
"This won't work." Luo Chen frowned.
If they didn't take down the Iron-Spine Shark, the other Soul Beasts would keep pouring in. Fule couldn't handle it alone. They needed to help.
"Su Heng!" Luo Chen shouted.
Su Heng swooped down from the sky and landed beside him. "What's up, Chen?"
"Help Uncle Fule fight the Iron-Spine Shark. I'll draw its attention from the front. You attack its gills from the side."
"Its gills?"
"That's right. They're its weak point."
Su Heng didn't ask any more questions. He nodded.
Su Heng turned into a streak of lightning and circled around to the Iron-Spine Shark's side.
Luo Chen jumped off the Blazing Wolf and directed the Plate Armor Turtle to swim forward. Seizing the opportunity, he leaped onto its shell and recalled the Evil Eye to his side.
Violet light flickered in the Evil Eye's twin pupils. Luo Chen called to Fule, "Uncle Fule, we'll hold it down. Take the chance to attack!"
"Good!" Fule shouted.
Su Heng had already circled around to the Iron-Spine Shark's side. He could see its tender pink gills.
"First Soul Skill! Wind-Thunder Wing!"
Electricity crackled all over Su Heng's body. He swooped down from the side, his wings striking the Iron-Spine Shark's gills with a vicious blow. Arcs of electricity spread along its gills, and the Iron-Spine Shark let out a roar.
Su Heng struck and retreated in one swift motion. There was no denying that the Thunder Roc Martial Soul was incredibly fast.
Luo Chen seized the opening and landed a direct hit with Evil Eye Gaze!
Caught off guard, and with its weak mental strength, the Iron-Spine Shark was immediately paralyzed.
Seeing this, Fule unleashed his power.
"Second Soul Skill: Power King Collision!" A massive spectral water buffalo appeared. With a bellow, it charged into the Iron-Spine Shark.
Just then, Luo Chen asked, "Uncle Fule, is the Soul Ring from this Iron-Spine Shark right for you?"
Fule considered it for a moment. "It's very suitable, though its age is a little low."
"But chances like this don't come often. I'll give it a try!"
Luo Chen nodded. He had originally wanted to capture the Iron-Spine Shark, but since Fule had said that, he would look for another Soul Beast.
The Iron-Spine Shark was a good one. What a pity he didn't know whether an ordinary Gulu Ball could capture a thousand-year Soul Beast.
With the Iron-Spine Shark down, the other Soul Beasts lost their leader and scattered in every direction.
At last, Hailun City had held!
Fule took a deep breath and sat cross-legged beside the Iron-Spine Shark's enormous corpse. The purple Thousand-Year Soul Ring slowly descended, circled above his head for a moment, then merged into his body.
The process was far from easy. Veins stood out on Fule's forehead, and his body trembled slightly as he endured the shock from the Soul Ring. But as a seasoned Soul Master, he quickly steadied his breathing and thoroughly refined its power.
About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea later, Fule opened his eyes and let out a long breath.
"Done." He rose to his feet and stretched his limbs. A faint, pale-blue sheen appeared over his body. "The Iron-Spine Shark's Soul Power is indeed rich. Its age isn't especially high, but its attributes suit me perfectly. It's given my current strength a substantial boost."
Luo Chen nodded, recalled the Evil Eye and the Plate Armor Turtle into his Soul Tool, then asked, "Uncle Fule, what are your plans now?"
Fule glanced at the sea, which was gradually calming, then at the guards clearing the battlefield on the pier. He said solemnly, "Though Hailun City held this time, the Soul Beast tide came under strange circumstances. I'll stay and help the city defense force strengthen its watch. I'll also take the chance to get used to my new Soul Ring."
Su Heng landed, folded away his lightning wings, and came over, cutting in. "Chen, what about us? Keep catching Soul Beasts?"
Luo Chen didn't answer right away. Instead, he gazed toward the distant horizon.
The sea glittered in the light as though nothing had happened. But he knew that failing to capture the Golden Starfish meant he understood the Gulu Ball Martial Soul a little better. As a Martial Soul, it still differed in many ways from the Gulu Balls in the Kingdom of Locke.
"Let's head back to the city and rest." Luo Chen turned his gaze away. "The Soul Beasts in the sea were scared off by this battle. They won't be back anytime soon."
Su Heng grinned. "Sure. I'll follow your lead."
The three of them walked back along the pier, leaving the dispersing crowd and Hailun City, which was slowly settling down, behind them.
That night, Luo Chen lay on his bed, thinking about how he should improve his strength quickly.
"Evil Emperor, what do you think I should do to get stronger quickly?" Luo Chen asked.
"This Emperor thinks you should rely on your Martial Soul and capture more Soul Beasts. That'll make you stronger!"
Luo Chen snorted. "What, you want me to get stronger sooner so your Soul Power can be unsealed sooner? I already told you, you can't escape. Why don't you believe me?"
As soon as Luo Chen finished speaking, the Evil Emperor fell silent for a moment, then let out a meaningful chuckle.
"Kid, you know perfectly well that though I want to be unsealed, you and I are in the same boat now. If you go down, I won't fare any better." The Evil Emperor's voice rang in his mind, with a rare note of seriousness. "I'm telling you to capture more Soul Beasts for more than just my sake. Your Martial Soul has far more potential than you realize."
Luo Chen rolled over and stared at the ceiling.
"Spit it out."
"...What I mean is, your ability to 'capture' Soul Beasts isn't as simple as just taming them." The Evil Emperor paused slightly. "Every time you successfully capture a Soul Beast, your Soul Power is tempered a little. The improvement each time is small, but it adds up. It's much faster than painstaking cultivation."
Luo Chen narrowed his eyes. "I know that, of course, but..."
He had indeed felt that ever since he captured the Evil Eye and the Plate Armor Turtle, his Soul Power flowed more smoothly than before. He just hadn't thought much of it.
"So your Martial Soul's capture ability really does have a chance of success. This Emperor thought it always hit the mark."
"How could they get the same treatment as you, Lord Evil Emperor!"
"Still, your Martial Soul should have more potential than that. Since there are guaranteed hits and low-probability captures, there must be some with middling odds, too."
Luo Chen knew that, of course, but he said nothing more and closed his eyes.
The Evil Emperor wisely fell silent as well.
The only sound in the room was the distant surf outside the window, waves breaking against the shore one after another, steady and unending.
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