Even though the White Family was wealthy and did not lack this bit of money, Bai Chen's wasteful behavior was still inadvisable.
"Uncle Xue, just watch. You'll understand soon enough."
Bai Chen looked at the Soul Tool in his hand, his heartbeat gradually quickening.
One of his guesses was about to be confirmed.
Innate Level-20 Soul Power
Bai Chen activated the Soul Tool and released the first Soul Ring within it.
The yellow Soul Ring slowly drifted out. Unlike an ordinary Century Soul Ring, its color appeared much dimmer, and a nearly imperceptible layer of black mist floated over its surface, making it seem especially ominous.
Bai Chen did not feel afraid. On the contrary, the instant the Soul Ring appeared, a feeling of yearning rose from deep within him, making his body tremble involuntarily.
Black wings and a hooked tail emerged from behind him at the same time. The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger Martial Soul instantly possessed him, and with a mere thought, the Soul Ring floated toward him.
He closed his eyes and began absorbing the Soul Ring.
This was his second time absorbing a Soul Ring, but the sensation was utterly different from the first.
Unlike the overbearing, blazing energy of the Dark-Gold Terrorclaw Bear, the Evil Tiger Shark Soul Ring felt exceptionally cold and sinister, like a venomous snake that sent chills down one's spine.
Yet for some reason, as he sensed that sinister aura, Bai Chen instead felt even greater delight. It was an almost Bloodthirsty joy that made his emotions rise uncontrollably.
Black-red energy surged forth, but it did not come from the Evil Tiger Shark. Rather, Bai Chen had instinctively activated his Evil Attribute, instantly suppressing the Evil Tiger Shark's energy.
If the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff's suppression of the Dark-Gold Terrorclaw Bear's bloodline aura had primarily been a direct overpowering in terms of strength, then the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's suppression of the Evil Tiger Shark in terms of Evil Attribute was a difference in rank.
Just as Ultimate Ice could absolutely crush ordinary ice elements, the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's Evil Attribute was not something ordinary evil attributes could compare to.
The original Douluo I Era described it as "Ultimate Evil Power." As an existence that had inherited the Evil God's evil intent, it had never been on the same level as other creatures with evil attributes.
The energy contained in the Evil Tiger Shark Soul Ring seemed to want to resist, but it was futile. Before the power of the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, it could only be helplessly devoured and absorbed.
Soon, a yellow Soul Ring rose around Bai Chen. Strangely, it was wrapped in a ring of black patterns.
At that moment, the bottleneck restricting him finally broke, and his Soul Power underwent a dramatic leap.
"Th-this is impossible?!"
Xue E could not help crying out.
As a Soul Emperor-level powerhouse, he could clearly sense just how terrifying Bai Chen's increase had been.
One level, two levels, or perhaps three?
None of those were right. Bai Chen's increase was nowhere near that mild.
The instant he revealed his Soul Ring, he had already left Level 11 far behind. His Soul Power Level was now Level 20!
That was right. Having just absorbed one Soul Ring, he could immediately begin absorbing a second.
Bai Chen opened his eyes and exhaled contentedly.
Just as expected.
Back when he had awakened his Martial Soul at the Spirit Pagoda and tested his Innate Soul Power, that "ten" had seemed somewhat strange. It had shone far more brightly than normal.
At the time, he had guessed that perhaps his Dark Demon Evil God Tiger Martial Soul, like the Seraphic Angel Martial Soul, possessed Innate Level-20 Soul Power.
The Seraphic Angel could achieve Innate Level-20 Soul Power not because the Martial Soul itself truly deserved such Soul Power. It was actually a benefit the Angel God had left for later generations, an advantage exclusive to God-Blessed Martial Souls.
Bai Chen's Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, like the Seraphic Angel, was a God-Blessed Martial Soul—and one bestowed by the Evil God King at that. Even if it also had Innate Level-20 Soul Power, that was hardly strange.
"Young Master, th-this..."
He could accept it naturally, but that did not mean everyone else could.
Sure enough, Xue E was now so shocked that he could barely speak.
Rising directly to Level 20 after absorbing a Soul Ring was something that simply could not exist in his understanding.
"Shh."
Bai Chen helplessly raised a finger before his lips and shushed him.
He did not want to make a big deal out of his Innate Level-20 Soul Power.
Only after seeing that gesture did Xue E come back to his senses. He hurriedly covered his mouth and looked around, only relaxing after confirming that no one had noticed them.
Meanwhile, Bai Chen did not pause at all and had already begun absorbing the next Soul Ring.
The second Soul Ring was clearly much stronger than the first, but under the absolute suppression of attributes, it likewise caused Bai Chen no trouble. Before long, it had been completely devoured by him.
What frightened Bai Chen somewhat was that, despite absorbing the energy of two Soul Rings, the Evil Attribute within him was not satisfied in the slightest. Instead, it conveyed an agitated sensation akin to hunger.
He forcibly suppressed that feeling, opened his eyes, and stood up.
Two yellow Soul Rings pulsed around him. Before his Douluo I Era self had even obtained a Soul Ring, his Douluo III Era self had already become a Soul Grandmaster first.
"Level 22... Young Master, what exactly is going on with you?"
After sensing Bai Chen's current Soul Power Level, Xue E asked quietly in confusion.
It was not only him. Xu Xiaoyu and Xu Xiaoyan also cast puzzled looks at Bai Chen.
They had not understood why Xue E had been making such a fuss just now, but when they saw Bai Chen begin absorbing a second Soul Ring immediately after absorbing the first—and even succeed—they understood.
Innate Full Soul Power was already the mark of a genius among geniuses. What should Innate Level-20 Soul Power be called, then?
Left with no choice, Bai Chen could only make something up.
"When I awakened my Martial Soul, I vaguely felt that my Innate Soul Power was far more than Level 10. Just like how I sensed Na'er's presence back then, it was an indescribable intuition. That's why I directly asked for two Soul Rings this time."
"I-is that so..."
Xue E was left speechless.
Could something like that really happen?
His common sense told him Bai Chen was making it up, yet Bai Chen truly did possess Innate Level-20 Soul Power.
Since something that sounded made up had become reality, could things that sounded made up actually be true as well?
He felt rather confused.
Bai Chen did not want to linger on the topic and asked, "Uncle Xue, while I was absorbing the Soul Rings, how far have we sailed?"
Xue E forcibly suppressed the doubts and confusion filling his heart and answered seriously, "Young Master, we're about to reach the gathering area for Ice Attribute Soul Beasts."
"Oh?"
Bai Chen's eyes immediately lit up.
"So Xiaoyu and Xiaoyan will also be getting off the ship to fight later?"
"Mm, that's right."
After all, Soul Guide Shells could not be used carelessly. Any battle Soul Masters could resolve themselves was better handled by Soul Masters.
Therefore, if they wanted to obtain a Soul Ring in the next battle, Xu Xiaoyan would have to deliver the final blow to the Soul Beast herself.
Bai Chen asked eagerly, "Then, Uncle Xue, I want to go down and fight too. I want to test my new Soul Skill."
The Evil Power stirred up by the Evil Tiger Shark's energy had left him so ravenous that he could barely suppress it.
The Side Effects of the Evil Attribute
"Young Master, you want to fight?"
"Mm!"
"This..."
To be honest, Xue E very much wanted to refuse.
Bai Chen was still so young. He was only six years old now. Other six-year-old children should have been acting spoiled in their parents' arms at his age.
Yet Bai Chen wanted to fight powerful, terrifying Soul Beasts. Truthfully, Xue E was deeply worried.
Soul Beasts were not humans. Unless human Soul Masters bore deep grudges against one another, they generally would not strike to kill. But if one carelessly exposed a weakness to a Soul Beast, one might truly die without even a burial place.
But facing Bai Chen's earnest gaze, Xue E found that he could not bring himself to refuse.
He had always been like this. As long as his young master sincerely pleaded with him, his heart would soften.
"Sigh, fine. But when you fight later, you absolutely cannot stray too far from me. Understand?"
"Understood!"
Bai Chen nodded heavily, feeling slightly relieved inside.
Without drawing attention to himself, he clenched his fists tightly and bit down hard on his lower lip.
Hold on a little longer. The slaughter can begin soon...
When Bai Chen had read Heavenly Jewel Transformation, Zhou Weiqing had only become somewhat more lustful after obtaining the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's power. Thus, Bai Chen had subconsciously assumed that the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's Evil Attribute had no real side effects.
But now, it seemed he had been thinking too simply.
After devouring the Evil Tiger Shark's Evil Attribute, the Evil Power within him had gradually begun to lose control. The whispers that had appeared when his Martial Soul awakened began ringing in his ears again, tempting him to begin a massacre immediately and swallow the lives of everyone around him.
Thinking about it carefully, Zhou Weiqing had absorbed only the energy within the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger Core.
Moreover, part of the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's power had dissipated when it died. After its death, it had been divided into the core and the Soul Ring, and when the core crossed over to the world of Heavenly Jewel Transformation, it had lost another portion of its energy.
In other words, Zhou Weiqing had actually absorbed the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's power after it had been weakened three times. Less than a tenth of it remained.
The fact that he had not received any notice of a Divine Trial after absorbing the core, unlike Bai Chen, was proof.
As the awakener of the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger Martial Soul, Bai Chen had naturally obtained far greater power than Zhou Weiqing. Correspondingly, however, the negative effects of the Evil Attribute had also multiplied.
I need to be more cautious about absorbing Soul Rings with evil attributes in the future, Bai Chen silently thought.
It would not matter if the Soul Rings' power was a little weaker. If he fell into becoming an Evil Soul Master because of absorbing Soul Rings, that would be utterly ridiculous.
Finally, another five minutes later, the Soul-Hunting Ship arrived at its destination.
This time, the number of passengers who stepped forward was the greatest so far.
This was normal, actually. As the saying went, one region nurtured one kind of people. As a coastal city, Skysea City had the highest proportion of Water Attribute and Ice Attribute Soul Masters.
At the same time, Sea Soul Beasts were clearly more suitable for Soul Masters with those two attributes. Their willingness to participate in such an operation was much greater than Soul Masters of other attributes. At the very least, Fire Attribute Soul Masters would almost never come to hunt Sea Soul Beasts for Soul Rings.
The large base population and their preference for this kind of hunt meant that nearly half the Soul Masters participating in this operation possessed Water Attribute or Ice Attribute Martial Souls.
As the white-robed Soul Saint activated his Martial Soul once more and froze the sea's surface, the largest battle of the operation began.
After the many Soul Masters leaped from the ship, Bai Chen's group also arrived on the ice.
At that moment, Soul Masters from all sides had already clashed with the Soul Beasts.
Although the white-robed Soul Saint had created solid ice, its main purpose was actually to provide the Soul Masters with a platform to fight on. The Sea Soul Beasts still hid beneath the seawater, so it was truly not easy for the Soul Masters to swiftly reap their lives.
Bai Chen's group soon encountered their opponents.
As a rapid series of cracking sounds rang out, Xue E frowned and shouted, "Watch your footing!"
Hearing this, Bai Chen and the others hurriedly responded.
Bai Chen scooped Na'er up beside him and held her in his arms. At the same time, the wings behind him spread open, and the two of them flew directly into the air, evading the sudden attack.
Xu Xiaoyu extended his hand, and a completely snow-white staff appeared in it. As he struck the staff against the ground, streams of ice crystals surrounded him and Xu Xiaoyan, blocking the aftershocks of the attack.
It was a beam of golden light that shot directly from beneath the ice, instantly piercing through the thick solid ice and reaching the surface.
That attack had targeted Bai Chen, but thanks to his excellent response, it did not harm him in the slightest.
After the attack ended, the attacker's true form was revealed.
It was a golden fish, with its snout extending outward like a sharp spike. At a glance, it was clear that this was its most effective weapon. Just now, it had attempted to use that spike to pierce through Bai Chen's body.
Xue E narrowed his eyes and extended his hand, preparing to take its life.
But before he could act, Bai Chen moved first.
After evading the attack, not only did he not continue putting distance between himself and the fish, he instead rapidly flapped his wings and arrived beside it in an instant.
So-called Sea Soul Beasts were Soul Beasts that primarily inhabited the ocean.
Before you continue