Fusion of the Eight Spider Lances

In Sunset Forest, at the uniquely blessed Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

Several kinds of immortal herbs grew there. To others, immortal herbs were difficult to find, sought after yet unattainable, and the more they were picked, the fewer remained.

But for En Zuo, he could have as many as he wanted. Every spacetime was a resource-gathering ground for him.

Among all the immortal herbs, the one he valued most was the Ninth-Grade Purple Ganoderma that Yu Xiaogang had consumed in the original work. It could resolve flaws caused by martial soul mutations.

The Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, meanwhile, could increase a soul master's cultivation speed before rank seventy.

Then there were the Earth Dragon Golden Melon and the Heaven-Piercing Velvet Chrysanthemum. They could greatly increase a soul master's control over the power of earth and aid in forging an indestructible body.

Not only could En Zuo's group benefit from them, but Long Yue's Mountain Dragon King martial soul was also exceptionally suited to these immortal herbs.

Once everything was packed up, the group headed toward the academy grounds. En Zuo smiled at Tang San beside him. "Little San, once we return to the academy, I'll arrange lodging for you. Rest up properly, then come find me. I'll personally assign you a task. Be sure to proceed carefully."

Tang San was currently putting all the hidden weapons on his person back into the Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges. Few people used hidden weapons in this era, and they were far too dangerous to others.

If a powerful soul master saw the hidden weapons he carried, they might not necessarily attack him. But questioning him would be unavoidable. It was better to store them all inside his soul tool and avoid unnecessary trouble.

Hearing En Zuo's instructions, he said solemnly:

"Little San will not disappoint your expectations."

This was the first task En Zuo had given him. He had to complete it well and demonstrate his value.

As for Huo Yuhao, En Zuo merely asked a few simple questions about his soul power cultivation. Once he received the answer that everything was going smoothly, he was reassured.

After offering a few more reminders, he began arranging a local identity and temporary lodging at Monster Academy for Tang San, pending his official enrollment.

They passed the white freshmen's teaching building and the yellow teaching buildings for second- and third-year students. Beyond them stood two sprawling dormitory buildings.

They were divided into male and female dormitories by gender.

The dormitory buildings had six floors and were divided into four colors.

The colors designated the grades housed within: white for first-years, yellow for second- and third-years, purple for fourth- and fifth-years, and black for sixth-years.

Huo Yuhao's single dormitory was Room 107 on the first floor, while Tang San's room was especially close by. Since he had been brought in personally by En Zuo, he was assigned to Room 108.

That way, they could look after each other.

En Zuo stopped dozens of meters from the dormitory area, took half a step back, and yielded the path to the dormitories for the two behind him.

"I'll see you off here for now. There are too many people here, and if I go in, I'll only bring you unnecessary trouble."

En Zuo was far too famous within the academy. Even now, quite a few people were greeting him. If he entered the dormitories rashly, many people would likely crowd around the entrance.

Neither of them felt disappointed. They nodded and answered, "Yes," then looked after one another as they headed toward their respective dormitories.

"Three of the seven are already in place."

En Zuo calmly watched their departing backs. Give him a little more time—just four years—and he would definitely assemble the strongest soul master team in Monster Academy's history.

A moment later.

En Zuo strode away from the shadows cast by the teaching buildings. The soles of his shoes clicked crisply against the ground paved with specially made stone.

As the team captain,

he had to raise his own strength as soon as possible.

Back in his dormitory, En Zuo carefully fed Demon Ding with the bloody food Long Yue had left behind. Once it had fallen asleep with soft snoring, he carefully placed it on the bed and covered it with a blanket.

A streak of golden light appeared beside him, and a pale skeleton with eight legs materialized in his palm.

An external soul bone.

The Eight Spider Lances.

Unlike ordinary soul bones, external soul bones were special soul bones beyond the conventional six major body parts. They could grow and evolve alongside their hosts, and their potential was enough to rival divine artifacts.

It was already extraordinarily difficult for an ordinary soul master to gather all six normal soul bones, let alone something as rare as an external soul bone.

Even Tang Wulin, the protagonist of the Dragon King Era and one favored by the plane itself, had failed to gather all six soul bones.

"Evil Eye, Dark Gold Terrorclaw, Eight Spider Lances..."

If fortune favored him, the number of soul bones on En Zuo's body would reach an unprecedented double digit, making him the first person in Douluo Continent's history to do so.

Combined with numerous immortal herbs and a four-word battle armor, by then, his strength at the Limit Douluo level would likely rival that of a god even without inheriting a divine position.

En Zuo sat cross-legged and circulated the Mysterious Heaven Technique.

Drawn by his soul power, the Eight Spider Lances gradually entered En Zuo's body. His bones let out a dense series of crackles.

The clothes on his back suddenly tore apart.

Four fist-sized protrusions swelled on each side of his spine. Fine beads of blood surfaced beneath his skin, and several traces of savagery appeared on his formerly calm face.

Immediately afterward, the protrusions creaked as though unable to bear the strain, then burst open. Eight fist-thick, dark-purple spider lances extended outward, reaching two meters in length. Once joints formed on them, the spider lances lengthened again until they were nearly four meters long.

The spider legs of a Human-Faced Demon Spider seemed to have been grafted onto En Zuo's back. Their surfaces gleamed purple, incomparably smooth, and contained potent venom.

At that moment, En Zuo looked as though he had gained eight additional arms. He appeared utterly bizarre.

An hour later, En Zuo slowly opened his eyes. His body felt indescribably comfortable, as though every cell were cheering with joy.

He could sense the Eight Spider Lances on his back.

En Zuo awkwardly controlled the Eight Spider Lances behind him. All eight glossy purple lances curled forward at once, shielding him from the front.

A clear will entered his mind. It was the soul skill attached to the Eight Spider Lances.

-Devour

A smile mixed with delight and fervor slowly spread across En Zuo's lips. He clenched his fists and felt the soul power within him rise to rank forty-one.

"I feel better than ever. So this is the external soul bone every soul master dreams of?"

"If I gather a complete set of soul bones and add a two-word battle armor, I'm even confident that, at Soul Emperor cultivation, I could defeat those ordinary Titled Douluo who have stagnated at the Titled Douluo level."

En Zuo freely stretched out the Eight Spider Lances.

Once the novelty had worn off.

En Zuo condensed his soul power and sent it into the spine on his back, issuing the command for the eight spider legs to retract.

The three-meter-long outstretched spider legs slowly folded. Their two bent segments pressed together, then gradually merged back into his body.

In the end, they became eight streams of strange energy. Starting from his spine, they adhered to his eight ribs.

Tearing off his damaged clothes, En Zuo changed into a dark-purple robe. He straightened Demon Ding's blanket, then looked out the window.

I need immortal herbs. I need more soul bones. I need stronger battle armor. And... stronger soul power cultivation...