Martial Soul Evolution, Heaven-Piercing Divine Spear!

Lin Ming took a deep breath and placed the Immortal Herb into his mouth.

This time, there was no agonizing clash of ice and fire. Instead, a warm and vast energy flowed into every limb and bone like a gentle stream.

Wherever that energy passed, subtle changes took place in his meridians, bones, and flesh. It was as though something was being purified and sublimated bit by bit, becoming purer and stronger.

He could feel his Martial Soul cheering, leaping with joy, greedily absorbing the energy as though a starving beast had finally found food.

Time passed once more.

This time, it took far longer than Lin Ming had expected.

He had originally thought it would take only three to five days to refine the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, but in reality, it took him a full half month.

Half a month later, Lin Ming opened his eyes again.

His bearing had undergone an earth-shaking transformation. If he had once been like a sharp sword hidden within its sheath, its edge restrained, quiet and unremarkable,

then now he was like a divine weapon drawn from its sheath, its sharpness fully exposed, making others afraid to look directly at him. His gaze had become sharper, as though it could pierce through all falsehoods and see the true nature of everything in the world.

Simply sitting there, he exuded an invisible pressure that made the surrounding air seem heavy.

His Soul Power remained at the level-thirty bottleneck. With only one Soul Ring, he would officially enter the Soul Elder realm. He could feel that the bottleneck had already grown thin, as though it would break with the slightest push.

But the greatest change was in his Martial Soul.

Lin Ming raised his right hand, and silver light flashed as a long spear appeared in his grasp out of thin air.

No, it should now be called the Heaven-Piercing Divine Spear.

The spear remained slender, around twelve feet long, but its color had grown deeper. It had changed from silver-white to an almost transparent platinum, as though condensed from pure starlight, refracting a dreamlike sheen beneath the sun.

Faint golden patterns flowed across the spearhead, spreading like veins and emitting an indescribable pressure, as though even space trembled beneath its edge. The spear tassel was blood-red like flame, fluttering fiercely without wind, dancing through the air as if alive.

Simply standing there with the spear in hand made the surrounding air seem to solidify. Even the light warped around the spearhead, forming tiny vortices.

Fine cracks appeared across the ground with Lin Ming at their center, spreading in all directions as though the earth could not bear such pressure.

"Th-This..." Sword Douluo abruptly rose to his feet, his eyes filled with shock and even his voice trembling. "A god-tier Martial Soul?!"

He could feel his Seven Killing Sword trembling, fearing, submitting!

It was the instinctive reaction of a lower-ranked Martial Soul when facing a higher-ranked one, the natural suppression of the superior over the inferior. Since becoming a Titled Douluo, this was the first time he had ever experienced such a thing!

Even when facing a top-tier Martial Soul like the Clear Sky Hammer, his Seven Killing Sword had never reacted this way!

"The spear is the king of all weapons," Sword Douluo murmured, his voice carrying a trace of excitement and reverence.

"Your Heaven-Piercing Divine Spear has already surpassed the realm of mortal Martial Souls and reached the god-tier. Before you, my Seven Killing Sword is like a subject before his monarch, unable even to form the thought of resistance."

Lin Ming tightened his grip around the spear shaft, feeling the blood-linked connection between them. It was as though this spear had become a part of his body. A satisfied smile curved across his lips.

The Heaven-Piercing Divine Spear had indeed not disappointed him.

He was now somewhat curious about where his limits truly lay. If he could obtain his third Soul Ring, his strength would surely make a tremendous leap. By then, he could likely even fight a Soul Ancestor-level opponent.

But there was no need to rush now. He still had to wait for Ning Rongrong.

Speak of the devil, and she arrived.

Just as Lin Ming put away the Heaven-Piercing Divine Spear, a cheerful cry rang out from nearby, crisp and pleasant like silver bells.

"Lin Ming! I did it!"

Ning Rongrong came running over like a joyful little bird, her tiny face filled with excitement and delight. Her bright eyes seemed brimming with starlight.

In her palm, a nine-tiered glazed pagoda slowly rotated, radiating a gentle seven-colored glow. Every tier was crystal clear, as though carved from the purest crystal. Faint golden patterns flowed across its surface, exuding a sacred and noble aura.

The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda!

"Look, look!" Ning Rongrong held her Martial Soul up before Lin Ming as though presenting a treasure. Her voice trembled with excitement, and her little cheeks were flushed red.

"My Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda really evolved into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda! And my Soul Power has reached level thirty too! Lin Ming, that Immortal Herb you gave me was incredible! At first, I thought it would take a long time, but I succeeded in only half a month!"

Lin Ming smiled and rubbed her head, her hair soft and smooth beneath his hand. "Congratulations. Our Rongrong will become the number one support Soul Master on the continent. Once you become a Titled Douluo, who could possibly stand against you when the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda appears?"

Ning Rongrong's face turned bright red from his praise, but she could not hide the pride and joy in her eyes. She lifted her chin like a proud little peacock.

"Of course! I'm going to be your bride. How could I possibly be too weak?"

Sword Douluo watched the scene, his aged face filled with excitement. His eyes had even reddened, and his voice choked with emotion.

"The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda... It truly is the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda! Heaven bless the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect! After thousands of years, someone has finally possessed the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda again! Rongrong, you will be the future hope of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect! Even if I died right now, I would have the face to meet the ancestors of generations past!"

Ning Rongrong felt a little embarrassed by the praise, but she still puffed out her chest and said proudly, "Don't worry, Grandpa Sword. I'll definitely make the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect flourish in my hands!"

Dugu Bo watched from the side and could not help sighing.

"These Immortal Herbs are truly extraordinary. I guarded this mountain of treasures for so many years, yet I never knew they possessed such heaven-defying effects. If not for that brat Lin Ming, I probably would not have known until my death what an enormous opportunity I had missed. What a waste!"

After a pause, he added regretfully, "Yan Yan returned to Heaven Dou Royal Academy two days ago. There were matters at the academy she needed to handle. But she has already consumed the Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma, and her Soul Power has increased considerably. When she returns next time, she should be able to attempt level forty as well. When that time comes, I'll have to trouble you, brat Lin Ming, to advise her on choosing her Soul Ring."

Lin Ming nodded, then looked at Sword Douluo and said seriously, "Master, I've reached the level-thirty bottleneck and need to hunt for my third Soul Ring. I want to try it myself and see where my limits are."

Ning Rongrong hurriedly raised her hand as well, afraid of being left behind. "Me too, me too! I'm level thirty too, and I want to hunt Soul Beasts myself! I've never hunted one on my own before. In the past, Father and Grandpa Sword always caught them for me!"

Sword Douluo pondered for a moment. Looking into their determined eyes, he finally nodded.

"Very well. With your current strength, as long as you do not encounter a Soul Beast over ten thousand years old, you should have no problem protecting yourselves. However, I will follow in secret in case anything happens. If you encounter danger you cannot overcome, fire a signal flare. I will arrive immediately."

"Thank you, Master!" Lin Ming and Ning Rongrong said in unison. They exchanged a smile, their eyes filled with anticipation.

Deep within Sunset Forest, a new adventure was about to begin.