Bibi Dong's Practical Combat Lesson

Not to mention how Wang Zhao was jinxing himself, elsewhere, in a small village...

A tall man with a rugged face, a burly build, black cloth robes, and resolute eyes paced anxiously before a small house.

From inside came a woman's hurried gasps and pained moans from time to time. After who knew how long, they were finally brought to an end by an earth-shaking infant's cry.

The tall man's face immediately lit up with joy, though a trace of inner conflict flashed through his eyes before quickly vanishing. Just as he planned to enter after the midwife came out and properly dote on his wife, who had just given birth, the once-blue sky was suddenly stained gold.

In an instant, the man's expression darkened. His right hand clenched in the air, and an incomparably heavy black hammer appeared in his grasp.

"Qian! Xun! Ji!"

Gritting his teeth, eyes bloodshot, and breathing like a bull, he roared at the sky:

"Why won't you let my wife and me go? We swore to live in seclusion and never emerge into the world again. Isn't that enough?!"

"Heh..."

A faint, mocking laugh echoed from nowhere. Then, a dignified man with golden hair, blue eyes, and three pairs of holy white wings spread behind his back appeared in the air, looking down at the Hammer Man from above.

"Tang Hao, do you even believe what you just said? Since that is the case, let me ask you this: now that your soul power has reached level 90, will you emerge into the world to obtain a Soul Ring or not?"

"Or have you already planned to make your Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast wife..."

"Shut up!"

In an instant, blood-red light burst from Tang Hao's eyes. The killing intent radiating from him seemed almost solid, and the temperature in the air plummeted, its icy chill forming a stark contrast to the warmth around Qian Xunji. Then he fiercely swung the Clear Sky Hammer, hailed as the greatest Tool Martial Soul under heaven.

"Qian Xunji, come fight me!!!"

At this moment, after traveling day and night by carriage, Wang Zhao and his group had finally arrived at the Star Dou Great Forest. Naturally, they had no idea that a great battle had begun elsewhere.

The three followed a Soul King-level Purple-robed Bishop, now dressed in plain clothes, into the Star Dou Great Forest. He led them toward the habitat of the Cloud-Traversing White Python.

That was the advantage of having backing.

With a single order, or by posting a bounty, one could mobilize people across the world to search for the Soul Beast and Soul Ring one desired.

The truly powerful factions could even directly control information concerning certain Soul Beast races. The Star Luo Imperial Family was one such example. The fact that Dai Mubai and Dai Weisi's first three Soul Ring skills would all be identical was enough to prove it.

Of course, most Soul Masters in the world still had no choice but to wait until they needed to break through before searching for Soul Rings, just like the protagonists of the original story. They simply had no time to make plans.

And the hardships ordinary Soul Masters faced went far beyond that.

For example, could they, like children of destiny, simply stroll into a Soul Beast Forest and encounter a top-grade Soul Ring suited to absorption, one whose age happened to be right at their absorption limit?

If they did not force themselves to settle for ordinary Soul Rings of lower age, were they supposed to remain stuck at their current level? Wouldn't their companions mock them for dreaming of defying fate and indulging in wild fantasies?

That was likely why there were so many Soul Masters in the world whose Soul Ring configurations were far from optimal.

They had no choice, no room to strive. They could only muddle through life and eventually fade into the crowd.

So did Yu Xiaogang's so-called Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul truly offer ordinary Soul Masters any real help?

Yes, but certainly not much...

The Star Dou Great Forest truly deserved its reputation as the foremost of Douluo's three great Soul Beast habitats. Morning dew dripped from broad leaves and branches, and it was hard not to marvel at such a pristine sight.

Wang Zhao had heard of its fame many times in books, but none of that could compare to seeing it with his own eyes. Only upon witnessing this breathtaking scene did he feel a faint sense of timeless antiquity within Douluo.

At that moment, a Soft Bone Rabbit happened to pass before them, only for Bibi Dong to suddenly block its path.

"Wang Zhao, come here. Kill it."

As Bibi Dong released her pressure to restrain the Soft Bone Rabbit, her red lips parted and she spoke those startling words.

Wang Zhao froze slightly.

It was not that he was afraid. It was simply... why so suddenly?

Before he could think further, Bibi Dong urged him again.

"What, you look quite capable when sparring with Xiao Die normally. But when it is time to step onto the battlefield, you suddenly don't know how to do anything?"

After saying that, she could not help but chuckle.

Her bargain student was a genius when it came to Martial Soul knowledge, to the point that he was nearly surpassing even her. She had no choice but to admit it.

But now that they were out in the wilderness, this was her domain again.

Let Teacher give you another proper lesson and teach you what it meant to respect your teacher!

With that thought, Bibi Dong slowly extended a hand, lifting the Soft Bone Rabbit into the air from afar before giving a light squeeze.

Bang!

A cloud of blood instantly burst through the air, marking the passing of a life.

"Did you see that, kid? Welcome to the real world."

Wang Zhao: "..."

Die: "..."

The Soul King leading the way: "..."

Awkward, wasn't it~

The recently deceased Soft Bone Rabbit: You're amazing! So high and mighty! You used my life as a demonstration for your student... Are you happy now?

Bibi Dong: "???"

That was not right. No matter how monstrous Wang Zhao was, he was still only a seven-year-old child. Shouldn't he be trembling in fear at this sight?

As though he had heard what Bibi Dong was thinking, Wang Zhao's face immediately turned "deathly pale." He could not help taking a few small steps back from her, then wrapped his arms around Sister Die's thigh with a whoosh.

"Mm, Sister Dong'er is so scary."

He buried his little face deep in Die's cleavage and spoke in a muffled voice.

Die's body trembled slightly, as though she was somewhat sensitive, yet she did not know how to refuse him. She could only helplessly turn her gaze toward the Saintess.

Bibi Dong: "..."

No, this could not be taken lightly. If her student did not even dare to kill a Soul Beast, what would become of him?

With that in mind, throughout the journey that followed, whenever Bibi Dong saw Soul Beasts with cultivation ages of ten or several dozen years, she forced Wang Zhao to make a move.

Not only did his Martial Soul battle beast—Golden Scale—have to fight, but Wang Zhao himself had to take up a blade as well.

Even if he could not kill them, he still had to go up and fight.

From Great Strength Ants to Sword Bamboo, then Soft Bone Rabbits, and even Soul Power Sacred Wood...

The method might have been crude, but it was undeniably effective. From that moment on, Wang Zhao truly absorbed the combat techniques Bibi Dong had taught him.

They were, after all, killing techniques in which every move was lethal!

And so, the group traveled on with stops along the way, finally arriving at a Cloud-Traversing White Python habitat before the scorching noon heat set in.

Although they encountered quite a few surprise attacks from Soul Beasts with cultivation of hundreds or thousands of years along the way, Die easily dealt with them all.

At this moment, the small grove was utterly silent, as though there were no trace of any Soul Beast within.

But Wang Zhao, who had long prepared for this day, knew that the scene before him was perfectly reasonable.

Because...

As its name implied, the Cloud-Traversing White Python flew in the skies and hid among the clouds!