Making Another Wish

Time passed slowly. About three hours later, the glow of Meng Hongchen's Soul Rings gradually stabilized. She opened her eyes, and a flash of red gleamed within her aqua-blue pupils.

"Success."

Xiao Hongchen immediately walked over to her.

"How does it feel?"

"My Soul Power has risen by one level. I'm Level 21 now."

Meng Hongchen raised her hand, and her second Soul Ring lit up as well.

An icy-blue halo spread out from beneath her feet. Wisps of pale mist curled around its edge, and frost quickly formed across the surface of the frozen lake as the temperature in the surrounding area plummeted.

"Second Soul Skill, Ice Poison Ring."

Meng Hongchen spoke softly.

Within the area covered by the halo, both the chill and poison were intensified. Frost spread across the lake's surface, while white poisonous light hid beneath the ice. Should an enemy enter its range, their movements would be restricted, and the circulation of their Soul Power would gradually slow.

With a wave of Meng Hongchen's hand, the Ice Poison Ring immediately contracted. Looking at the layers of ice that had formed across the lake, a satisfied smile appeared on her face.

"This Soul Skill suits me perfectly."

Jing Hongchen nodded from the side.

"The Soul Ring provided by the Ice Venom Toad possesses two attributes. Its effect is far better than expected. In the future, we can continue researching the combination of Soul Tools and Soul Skills to expand the poison ring's effective range."

Meng Hongchen nodded emphatically.

Xiao Hongchen said from the side, "Once you become familiar with the Soul Skill, our Martial Soul Fusion Skill can improve as well."

"Of course."

Meng Hongchen lifted her chin.

Xu Tianming watched as the two quickly began discussing their new Soul Skills. This was what it meant to hunt Soul Beasts with preparation.

There was no need to enter an area filled with Soul Beasts and search everywhere on blind luck like ordinary Soul Masters, nor was there any need to spend weeks or even months in the mountains just to find one suitable Soul Beast.

For many Soul Masters, obtaining a Soul Ring was not only a test of strength, but also a contest of luck.

When luck was poor, even searching in a Soul Beast gathering ground for one or two months might not yield a Soul Beast that matched one's Martial Soul and age requirements.

The Hongchen Family had no such need.

From the day Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen awakened their Martial Souls, the Soul Rings they would acquire in the future had already been recorded and screened by the family in advance.

Jing Hongchen commanded the resources of the Hall of Virtue and the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, while the Jingyang Mountain Range possessed complete records on Soul Beasts. Once a target was determined, the time needed for hunting Soul Beasts would be greatly reduced.

This was also the advantage possessed by the descendants of great powers.

They could not obtain the most suitable Soul Rings every single time, but they rarely wasted too much time on the step of searching for Soul Beasts.

After resting for a while, Jing Hongchen took out the Soul Beast distribution map again.

"Little Meng has completed her second Soul Ring. Next, it's Junior Brother's turn."

Xu Tianming raised his head and looked deeper into the Jingyang Mountain Range. What would his first Soul Ring be?

In truth, the Sun Moon Imperial Clan had long prepared specialized Soul Beast hunting resources for the Sun Martial Soul. The Imperial Secret Realm raised many Soul Beasts suitable for the Sun Martial Soul, with their bloodlines, attributes, and ages all carefully selected.

As long as Xu Tianming was willing, he could directly choose his first Soul Ring without needing to enter the Jingyang Mountain Range at all.

However, his Sun Martial Soul had already undergone a beneficial mutation.

Ultimate Fire, Ultimate Light, and an overbearing destruction attribute—ordinary fire-attributed Soul Beasts might not be able to meet his needs.

Besides, Xu Mo had arranged this Soul Beast hunt partly to draw in the Hongchen Family. That was why Xu Tianming had followed Jing Hongchen to the Jingyang Mountain Range.

Jing Hongchen naturally understood the new emperor's intentions.

However, Xu Tianming was his junior brother and also Kong Deming's personally accepted disciple. Based on that relationship alone, Jing Hongchen would not handle the matter carelessly. On the contrary, he would help Xu Tianming find the most suitable first Soul Ring.

Yet Xu Tianming already had some ideas about his first Soul Ring. Rather than rely on luck to find a suitable Soul Beast and obtain his first Soul Skill, he might as well use a cheat directly.

Why refuse to use a cheat when he had one? That was not his style. Even if this cheat had a few minor issues, he was still willing to use it.

Make a wish upon the Star Core.

The moment that thought appeared, the Star Core within his body gave a faint tremor. Xu Tianming lowered his eyes and sank his consciousness into his spiritual sea.

In the depths of the darkness, the Star Core floated silently. Twisted, gloomy light radiated from its surface, while countless tiny star fragments slowly revolved around it along an incomprehensible trajectory.

"I need a first Soul Ring that suits me."

Xu Tianming's wish was simple: one that matched the Sun Martial Soul and possessed a powerful Soul Skill.

As for how the wish would be fulfilled, he imposed no further restrictions. The Star Core had always been utterly unreasonable in the ways it fulfilled wishes.

Xu Tianming did not particularly enjoy shortchanging himself, either.

With Jing Hongchen accompanying them this time, even if the Star Core twisted his wish into some bizarre result, a Level 94 Titled Douluo and Ninth-Rank Soul Engineer should still be able to handle it.

If even Jing Hongchen could not deal with it, then he still had Karna.

It was only a first Soul Ring. It should not cause too great a disturbance. Imaginary Energy surged out from the Star Core, and invisible ripples spread outward.

The next moment, the sky above the Jingyang Mountain Range darkened.

There was no warning and no buildup. Reality collapsed in that instant.

A long rift appeared overhead. Dark-purple light poured from within it and spread in every direction. The surrounding trees quickly lost their original colors, specks of tiny patterns appearing on their branches and trunks, while even the ground became increasingly illusory.

The Rift Realm had descended.

And it had appeared directly above Xu Tianming and the others.

"Not good!"

Jing Hongchen's eyes widened at once. He looked up at the sky, and his expression immediately turned grave.

The Rift Realm expanded at an astonishing speed, leaving them no time to retreat. Space seemed to be gripped tightly by an invisible hand as the mountains, forest, sky, and earth all shifted out of alignment. A piercing hum came from every direction.

"Stay close to me!"

Jing Hongchen let out a low roar. The Soul Power of a Level 94 Titled Douluo erupted abruptly, and with a flick of his right hand, several Soul Tools flew from his storage Soul Tool.

A silver disc floated in the air, and intricate soul tool formation patterns swiftly appeared across its surface. Then, a translucent silver-white barrier spread from the disc, enveloping Xu Tianming, Meng Hongchen, and Xiao Hongchen.

Just as the barrier formed, the surrounding space suddenly collapsed. Dark-purple pillars of light descended from the edge of the Rift Realm and slammed heavily into the silver-white shield.

Boom!

The barrier shook violently.

Jing Hongchen held up the soul tool core in his hand and continuously poured Soul Power into it. Layer after layer of moon-silver light unfolded, covering all four of them.