Soul Bone

Yu Xiaofeng lay on the ground, staring at the smug Mermaid Floating Beast. He knew exactly what it was probably saying: "Kid, I've been fishing for so many years, but I've never been beaten by a fish. Keep showing off. Keep acting tough. Keep flapping around."

"I'll kill you."

The more Yu Xiaofeng thought about it, the worse he felt. He scrambled to his feet in a rage and raised a middle finger. "Believe it or not, I'll roast you."

"Where I'm from, we have barbecue three times a day. The whole world knows there's nothing we don't dare eat. You've got way more meat than a bat. Take this."

"Second soul skill, Universal Attraction."

The moment Yu Xiaofeng released his Soul Power, the Mermaid Floating Beast suddenly stared at him in astonishment. Its expression seemed to say, "How do you know my move?"

The instant its body was hurled through the air, Yu Xiaofeng took out a short sword and sneered. "Soul Power alone can't quell my rage. Today, I'm going to stab you to death one cut at a time."

"You freak, neither human nor fish... you should taste pretty good too, right?"

"Forget the upper body. I'll eat the tail."

Yu Xiaofeng muttered as the Mermaid Floating Beast was dragged before him. His short sword flashed in his right hand as he viciously thrust it forward.

Blood sprayed everywhere, and its piercing scream made Yu Xiaofeng's ears ring instantly. He sent it flying with an Almighty Push, then used Universal Attraction to drag it back and stabbed it savagely with the short sword again.

After being tortured back and forth like this, tears of despair streamed from the Mermaid Floating Beast's eyes.

The man outside was somewhat taken aback. "This kid is ruthless."

A hint of amusement appeared in the man's eyes. Clearly, he admired Yu Xiaofeng's method.

How could one deal with Tang San without ruthlessness, strategy, and decisiveness?

Wouldn't relying on talent alone just get one schemed to death by Tang San?

The Tang Sect's hidden weapons alone were lethal at every turn. Whenever you thought he had no more trump cards, he would surely deliver a crushing blow. By the time you had fought yourself to exhaustion and calculated every possibility, he would still have another trump card waiting. He had personally experienced that despair. That was why his goal was to find a junior with a Body Spirit, nurture him, and strip Tang San of every resource he needed to become a god.

Why did it have to be a Body Spirit?

Because only a Body Spirit wielder could bring out the greatest power in soul skills. To break the Tang Sect's ultimate techniques, a Body Spirit wielder was the most suitable.

Douluo Continent had many soul skills, but most were merely practiced techniques. A Body Spirit, however, cultivated one's own body. Over the years, he had found more than a few powerful Body Spirits, but every one of them had died in the first round of trials.

Anyone who could not even master the basic use of Soul Power and soul skills was unworthy of his training and guidance.

But now, Yu Xiaofeng had done it. Not only had he completed the task, he had exceeded expectations.

And he still looked quite relaxed.

The Mermaid Floating Beast was dead. Its cold corpse lay motionless on the ground, but there was no spirit ring above it. Instead, an object resembling a steel fork lay beside the body.

Yu Xiaofeng froze. After fighting for so long, this was all it dropped?

The moment he picked up the steel fork, a familiar wave of Soul Power fused with him. The fork-like object turned into a streak of light and entered Yu Xiaofeng's body.

Yu Xiaofeng's body shuddered violently, cold sweat pouring down him. He hurriedly inspected himself internally and discovered that the fork-like object was merging with his twenty-six vertebrae, tearing him apart with agony so intense he wished he were dead.

"Argh..."

"What... is this... thing?"

Yu Xiaofeng let out a heart-wrenching roar. Blood flowed from his lips where he had bitten them bloody, and blood slowly seeped from his wide-open starry eyes.

Then the man's voice came...

"This is a spinal soul bone. It can alter your bones and make your body even stronger, increasing your attack power by more than double its original strength. It is also a product of the Sea God Palace, so you will be able to swim freely in the sea from now on. As for how to use it, you will have to experience it yourself."

"The Floating Beast's spirit ring has appeared as well. Absorb it quickly. I hope you can pass this second trial."

"If you want to survive and leave this place, then prove it to me."

The man's words were calm and flat, but inwardly, he was wildly excited. His eyes were full of worry. He truly feared that he had given Yu Xiaofeng something too powerful and would cause him to die here. That would be a terrible loss.

Yu Xiaofeng's expression was clearly one of agony, yet he still endured it and drew the spirit ring over. The sight made the man jump, nearly cry out in alarm.

"Let the storm come even harder. Isn't it just a ten-thousand-year spirit ring?"

"I'm not even afraid of death. Why would I fear this pain?"

He continuously slapped his own body with both hands, trying to use his Eight Trigram Palm to clear the congested Soul Power, blood, and vital energy within himself so that the pain would not be so unbearable.

More than an hour of agony worse than death had tortured Yu Xiaofeng until he barely looked human. Fortunately, he finally endured it. Not only did he gain a second soul bone, but he also obtained his fourth spirit ring—a ten-thousand-year spirit ring.

His four spirit rings had directly pushed his first soul skill, Almighty Push, and second soul skill, Universal Attraction, to their peak. They were absurdly powerful.

The fourth spirit ring had granted him Spirit Power Ball and Soul Devouring Strike.

With his full firepower unleashed, he could now kill opponents forty levels above him. His greatest trump card was Soul Devouring Strike.

Although Yu Xiaofeng looked miserable and was not in high spirits, his eyes were still bright and sharp.

"You have passed my first two trials. Now we can have a proper talk."

The man spoke calmly.

Yu Xiaofeng was silent for a long time before asking, "Our goals are the same. I only want to know what benefits I'll get."

The man said, "Come find me when you reach level fifty. I will help you obtain a special spirit ring."

"This spirit ring will greatly improve your Eight Trigram Palm. You can consider it, or you can give up this opportunity."

"If you want this opportunity, you must pass my third trial. If you do not return, I will personally capture you and bring you back for the trial. As for whether you still want the spirit ring after passing it, that will be your decision."

Yu Xiaofeng said, "I'll definitely come back. A spirit ring bestowed by a god must be stronger than spirit beasts outside."

The man suddenly smiled. "Not bad. You have good judgment. Tang San's spirit rings are very powerful, while yours are still far too weak. I intend to forge a spirit ring system suited specifically to you."

Yu Xiaofeng asked in return, "Aren't you afraid that I'll kill you once I become strong enough?"

The man sneered. "You won't. You humans have something called emotions. I don't understand them very well, but I know your bottom line. Otherwise, do you think that black dragon was merely seriously injured?"

Yu Xiaofeng nodded. "I admit that you showed mercy. For that alone, I agree to work with you."

"But remember this: never cross my bottom line."