Soul Power Reaches Level Twenty

The sun hanging high in the sky sank toward the horizon.

The sky was no longer as bright.

Beneath the setting sun, two small figures sat cross-legged on the balcony of a secluded courtyard.

More than a month had passed since Zhou Liang had blocked Xiao Wu's information.

A month earlier, they had set out for the next town. After spending their final four months here, they would return to Heaven Dou City.

Ever since Xiao Wu had confessed her feelings last time, their relationship had grown increasingly close.

They had become accustomed to certain intimate gestures. Xiao Wu often held Zhou Liang's arm, and even when he pinched her cheeks, she did not resist.

The two were now cultivating their Soul Power. As the sun slowly descended, Zhou Liang's Soul Power fluctuations suddenly changed.

Zhou Liang opened his eyes, a trace of delight flashing through them.

"Level twenty. I didn't expect to break through to level twenty in just one year!"

The corners of Zhou Liang's mouth lifted slightly as he spoke with delight.

Of the ten levels he had gained, two came from absorbing Soul Rings. The Red-and-Blue Power, combined with the Fusion of the Red-Blue Buff, had instantly increased his Soul Power by more than three levels.

In truth, his cultivation over the past year had only improved by a little over four levels. Even so, gaining more than four levels in a year was far beyond what an ordinary genius could accomplish.

"Xiao Liang, your Soul Power has reached level twenty?" Xiao Wu opened her eyes beside him, sounding surprised.

"Yes, I've reached level twenty. I can hunt for my next Soul Ring now!" Zhou Liang nodded.

"Xiao Liang, you're amazing! You raised your Soul Power by ten levels in just one year." Xiao Wu widened her sparkling eyes, speaking with admiration.

"I have special reasons, and only by improving this quickly can I protect you after the information-blocking news!"

Zhou Liang reached out and placed his hand on Xiao Wu's head, speaking slowly to her.

Xiao Wu's face flushed slightly, but she felt the small hand on her head.

She grabbed his hand and pulled it down, then bit it.

"Ah!"

"Why are you biting people again?"

Zhou Liang's face twitched as he looked at Xiao Wu, who was biting him again, and spoke helplessly.

Xiao Wu gently released her mouth, looking at the clear tooth marks and a few traces of saliva.

After wiping it clean with her hand, she hugged Zhou Liang's arm to her chest.

"Hmph, don't touch my head. It makes me look like a child!"

Zhou Liang looked at Xiao Wu's adorable appearance and said with amusement.

"I'm a year older than you! What's wrong with patting your head?"

"I don't care. I want to be the big sister, so how can I let someone pat my head like a child?" Xiao Wu snorted delicately, wrinkling her nose.

"You want to be the big sister? Then you'd better cultivate hard. With your current strength, you can't do that!" Zhou Liang said as he looked at Xiao Wu.

The two began playing and roughhousing. When night fully fell, Teacher Wang Hu had finished preparing dinner.

The three sat around a table, eating four dishes and a soup.

"Teacher Wang Hu, my Soul Power just broke through to level twenty. I can hunt for my second Soul Ring now," Zhou Liang said to Teacher Wang Hu beside him.

The news surprised Teacher Wang Hu, because he knew Zhou Liang had only been Awakened for a little over a year.

Although he possessed Innate Full Soul Power, he should not have been able to cultivate so quickly.

"Good. You two should pack tonight. Tomorrow, we'll leave to find your second Soul Ring." Teacher Wang Hu nodded. He did not ask further questions, since everyone had their own secrets.

The two nodded and lowered their heads to continue eating. After dinner, everyone returned to their rooms.

After Zhou Liang tidied up his room, he was about to sit cross-legged and consider whether Xiao Wu had any other means of attack when a knock sounded outside the door.

"Xiao Liang, are you asleep?"

"Not yet!"

As Zhou Liang answered, he walked to the door. When he opened it, he saw Xiao Wu standing outside with a pillow in her arms.

Zhou Liang looked at Xiao Wu, grabbed her arm, and brought her into the room.

"What's wrong?"

After pulling Xiao Wu over to sit by the bed, Zhou Liang asked.

"Xiao Liang, I can't sleep." Xiao Wu looked at Zhou Liang, sounding distracted.

"Because of tomorrow's hunt?"

Xiao Wu nodded, then asked.

"Xiao Liang, why do Soul Masters have to hunt Soul Beasts to raise their levels?"

Hearing this, Zhou Liang looked at the distracted Xiao Wu, moved closer, and pulled her into his arms.

"Xiao Wu, I don't know either. But only great strength can protect the people one treasures. You may hate this killing, but it is something that must be done."

"Because only great strength can keep you and me from being casually killed by others," Zhou Liang said as he held Xiao Wu.

A touch of sweetness welled up in Xiao Wu's heart at those words, and she hugged Zhou Liang tightly as well.

"But I also despise indiscriminate killing," Zhou Liang said, shaking his head as he looked at Xiao Wu.

"Xiao Liang, I want to sleep here tonight." Xiao Wu raised her head slightly to look at Zhou Liang.

"Alright." Zhou Liang nodded.

Xiao Wu nodded and placed the pillow she had brought at the head of Zhou Liang's bed.

"Get some rest early. We have to leave first thing tomorrow morning," Zhou Liang said as he looked at Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu nodded, and the two lay down on the bed.

Early the next morning, a carriage traveled along the road.

A middle-aged man sat at the front of the carriage, driving it toward the empire's Soul Beast Forest.

Inside the carriage, Xiao Wu and Zhou Liang observed their surroundings.

Soon, the carriage stopped. Ahead lay a small gathering place filled with tents and numerous shops.

They were merchants who had gathered here to do business because of the enormous flow of people.

After all, Soul Masters possessed considerable wealth and, accordingly, strong spending power, which was why these shops were established here.

"Sir, do you need someone to watch over your carriage? We'll guard it around the clock. For just a small fee, we guarantee that your carriage will be safe and sound when you return."

As soon as the carriage stopped, a man hurried over and said this.

"Fine. This is the deposit. If anything happens to the carriage when we return, you'll bear the consequences."

As Teacher Wang Hu spoke, he released his Soul Rings.

Although the rank of Soul King was not particularly high, outside this Soul Beast Forest, a Soul King possessed more than enough deterrence.

"Rest assured, sir. We've been operating here for more than a decade, and our reputation is guaranteed!" the man said hurriedly.