The Marvels of Force: What's Going On? Try Again?

Orleans unfolded the map of the Soul Beast gathering grounds, the Barren Island Group, and said,

"Jingjing is a food-type Soul Master who provides support for the team, just like Yun Ji. Yun Ji's second Soul Skill, Blue Soul Scales, grants attribute boosts to the team, and her future development should also focus on enhancing attributes."

"Then Jingjing should ideally make up for the special abilities the team lacks and avoid overlapping with Yun Ji."

"My analysis is right, isn't it? Jingjing, what do you think?"

Bao Jingjing set down the carrot she had been carving, thought for a moment, and said, "Mm-hmm, I have no objections. I think Big Sis is right."

Seeing this, Orleans swept her gaze over the rest of the team.

"What do you all think?"

"Agreed."

Ao Li'ao raised both hands in agreement.

"Mm~ me too." Yun Ji still had food in her mouth, so she could only nod vigorously and reply indistinctly.

"Agreed."

"Big Sis's analysis is sound."

Xie Yue and Hu Liena answered seriously.

Orleans nodded in satisfaction. This was the satisfaction of being a captain. Her time spent doing research had not gone to waste.

However—

"Huxiao, can't you stop for a moment while our team is having a meeting?"

Orleans looked at Xu Huxiao, who was doing one-handed handstand push-ups on the ship's railing, and did not know what to say for a moment.

Hearing his sister speak, Ao Li'ao could no longer hold back his urge to complain. "Huxiao, are you some kind of training maniac? You already reached Level 20 so early, yet you're still working this hard."

"What if you exhaust all your stamina now and run into Soul Beasts later?"

Xu Huxiao temporarily stopped moving his arms and said, "Cultivation is like rowing upstream: if you do not advance, you fall behind. As an assault-type Battle Soul Master, daily physical training is compulsory. Besides, hundred-year Soul Beasts pose no threat to me. Don't worry."

"Orleans's analysis is correct. I agree. Carry on."

Ao Li'ao wanted to say more, but Bao Jingjing sweetly said from across the way, "Little Ao, don't worry. I still have Black Crystal Abalone that can restore Brother Huxiao's strength."

"Fine."

But then—

"Nine, ten, eleven..."

Soft counting came from beside them.

Ao Li'ao shifted his gaze and turned his head in disbelief toward Xie Yue, who was lying on the ground doing push-ups.

"Xie Yue, my brother, what are you doing now??"

Xie Yue's gaze was resolute. He raised his head and said, "I think Huxiao is right. You all carry on. I'm listening."

After hearing Xu Huxiao say, "Cultivation is like rowing upstream: if you do not advance, you fall behind," Xie Yue felt immense pressure. He was already falling behind within the team. Even Nana, whose Soul Power Level had originally been lower than his, had now surpassed him.

If he did not seize every second to cultivate now, the gap would only widen. When that happened, how could he still have the nerve to say he would protect his sister?

Ao Li'ao looked at the two training maniacs, utterly speechless. Then he voluntarily went to one side and began doing squats.

"I'm scared of you people. You're all freaks. I'm honestly impressed."

Ignoring the three boys in the team, Orleans continued, "Forget about them. Let's continue. Jingjing, follow this direction when looking for a suitable Soul Beast."

"As for Nana, she is developing toward being a control-type Soul Master. Her first Soul Skill is a semi-area control skill, so her second Soul Skill should preferably be a control-type skill as well."

Hearing about her development path, Hu Liena said, "Mm-hmm, that's what I thought too. After my Red-Tailed Sky Fox Martial Soul accidentally mutated and evolved last time, it not only gained two more tails, but the control duration of my first Soul Skill, Charm Light Wave, has also become longer."

"I think mental charm-type soul skills suit my martial soul very well."

"That's good."

Orleans pushed the map to the center of the table and pointed at the largest island among the Barren Island Group, the Soul Beast gathering grounds.

"Based on the Soul Ring requirements of you two, we'll head directly to the largest barren island today. The forest there is called Enchantment Forest. I heard that intangible illusion-type Soul Beasts are very common there."

"These illusion-type Soul Beasts generally have weak attack power and rely on mental bewilderment and control. They suit Nana very well. As long as we're careful, we should be able to hunt them easily."

"Also, according to the information provided by Spirit Hall Main Hall, Enchantment Forest contains many kinds of Soul Beasts. It should be easy to find a suitable one for Jingjing as well."

After deciding to go to Enchantment Forest, the four girls discussed other preparations, such as formation, attack order, and who would take the lead.

Meanwhile, Xu Huxiao had already completed his morning physical training. After eating three Black Crystal Abalone, his strength gradually returned in full.

By then, the ship everyone was riding had been sailing for half an hour.

According to the map's markings, they were about fifteen minutes away.

At that moment, Xu Bayan called his son into the cabin and said, "Son, two years ago, under the intense pressure of Uncle Jian's Sword Force, you once displayed your own 'force.' I don't know how you mastered it, but seeing how quickly your Soul Power has advanced, your 'force' has already taken initial shape. Now, I'll teach you how to freely control your own 'force.'"

"Force" was an evolved application of a domain, something that only those with Titles had a chance to master.

Xu Huxiao's "force" was the artistic conception of his Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms. When he entered the Martial Dao Essence Realm, the power of his palm techniques doubled.

"Master force?" Xu Huxiao did not know what kind of mastery his father meant. If it was strengthening himself, then he already knew how to do that.

Xu Bayan nodded, extended his hand, and said,

"That's right, master it. Of course, I know you brat can already use 'force' to strengthen yourself, but what I'm going to teach you is another wondrous application."

"Put your hand on mine first. You can carefully experience it."

Xu Huxiao did as instructed and placed his hand on his father's. In the next instant, a transparent ripple spread out. His body suddenly tensed, and the blood and qi throughout his body seemed to freeze, falling completely beyond his control.

Losing control of his blood and qi meant losing control of his body. At that moment, only his eyeballs could move.

So this was how that Dragon-Scaled Black Tortoise had felt when it was suppressed. Its body could not move. No wonder that Soul Beast had not used its innate Death Ejection ability even until its death.

Three seconds later, Xu Bayan withdrew the effect and smiled smugly. "How was that? You can't do this one, can you?"

I'm only a Soul Grandmaster. Of course I can't...

Xu Huxiao humbly said, "Father, how did you do that? That was amazing. I want to learn."

Hearing his son's heartfelt admiration, Xu Bayan was satisfied beyond measure.

After being shocked by this brat so many times, he had finally won one back and gotten to show off!

Xu Bayan did not keep him in suspense. "Hehe, you want to learn? Then Dad will teach you."

"'Force' is an application of a domain. Even those with Titles do not necessarily master it. I don't know what incredible luck you brat stumbled into, but I won't dwell on that."

"I'll explain the two uses of 'force.' One is to greatly increase the power of your own attacks. Domains do not have this. I call it Inner Force, and it seems you have already mastered it."

"The other is what I just demonstrated: affecting opponents within a certain range. I call it Outer Force. As the name implies, it is the external release of force."

"Domains also have the second effect, but Outer Force differs in that it has a greater range, activates faster, and is weaker in effect."

"At the initial stage, Inner Force and Outer Force can only display one of the two. Once you gain proficient control, you can display both simultaneously in battle."

Xu Huxiao looked at his own palm thoughtfully. He had experienced Grandpa Jian Chen Xin's crushing Sword Force pressure at close range. It had felt almost tangible. Could he do the same?

"Father, then how do I release it outward?"

Xu Bayan smiled. "Don't rush. It isn't so easy to master. Let me first tell you another effect of 'force.'"

"You know that apart from the common animal and tool Martial Souls, there is another special kind, such as nightmares, shadows, ghosts, and so on. The common feature of these Martial Souls is that they have form but no substance."

"In simpler terms, you can see them but not touch them. Corresponding to such Martial Souls, there are also special Soul Beasts like this—Soul Beasts that are naturally illusory."

"So do you know how to deal with such Soul Beasts?"

Xu Huxiao had just been about to say mental attacks—fight magic with magic—but a second later, he found another correct answer.

"Can 'force' deal with these special Soul Beasts?"

Xu Bayan praised him, "As expected of my son. Very smart. That's right, 'force.' Once we master 'force,' we become the nemesis of these Soul Beasts, as well as the nemesis of Soul Masters with mental control-type soul skills."

"Using Inner Force can greatly resist mental charms. It is like putting a domain barrier around your mind. Unless the opponent's Soul Power is twice yours, they absolutely cannot affect you."

"Outer Force is weaker, but when you control your Outer Force to wrap around yourself, you can harm these untouchable Soul Beasts."

"As for why it can harm Soul Beasts that have form but no substance, you can understand it this way: these special Soul Beasts are like beings fused with nature itself. Soul Masters existing within natural space find it extremely difficult to harm them unless they happen to counter them."

"But when your Outer Force wraps around you, it is like using your own domain to separate yourself from the natural world outside. Then, every movement you make can harm them."

"A fish cannot harm water, but a fish wrapped in flames can."

Xu Huxiao understood. Enchantment Forest, where they were headed, contained these Soul Beasts with form but no substance. His father was teaching him how to deal with them in advance.

So—

"Father, what should I do?"

Xu Bayan looked at his son and said, "Very simple. Think about how you place force inside your body to strengthen yourself, then treat the outside world as another 'body' of yours. Use the same method and place your 'force' into it."

Like this...

Whenever Xu Huxiao entered the Martial Dao Essence Realm, all it took was a thought. He imagined himself practicing palm techniques, using form to guide intent, and he naturally entered that state.

Then, replacing himself with the outside world meant—

Seeing his son close his eyes and begin trying, Xu Bayan smiled and shook his head. "Silly boy, Dad is only giving you a line of thought first, showing you the direction to work toward. But actually achieving it is very difficult."

A moment later, Xu Huxiao opened his eyes, a trace of confusion in them.

Seeing this, Xu Bayan wore a smug expression and comforted him, "It's fine, son. Just try more at the beginning. Later, as long as you practice more and work hard, then—"

Xu Huxiao paid him no heed and tried again.

He first entered the Essence Intent Realm, then used the force outside his body to enact the form and essence of his palm techniques, before connecting his Inner Force outward. Everything was completed within seconds.

The moment Xu Huxiao succeeded, a faint transparent ripple spread like a gentle breeze.

Xu Bayan's smile and words froze along with that faint ripple. Then he stared at his son with a face full of shock.

"Damn it, you learned it just like that?!"

"Impossible. Try again!"