The Wonders of Force: What Was That? Try Again.

Orleans spread out 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. Like Yun Ji, whose second Soul Skill, Blue Soul Scales, now grants team-wide attribute boosts, her future development will likely focus on enhancing attributes as well."

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

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

Bao Jingjing put 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?"

"I agree."

Ao Li'ao raised both hands in agreement.

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

"I agree."

"Big Sis's analysis is correct."

Xie Yue and Hu Liena answered seriously.

Orleans nodded in satisfaction. This was the satisfaction of being captain. Her time spent doing homework 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 for a moment, she did not know what to say.

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 reached Level Twenty 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 against the current—if you do not advance, you fall behind. As a strong-attack Battle Soul Master, daily physical training is mandatory. Besides, Hundred-Year Soul Beasts are no threat to me. Don't worry."

"Orleans's analysis is very sound. I agree. You can continue."

Ao Li'ao still wanted to say something, but Bao Jingjing sweetly said from across from him, "Little Ao, don't worry. I still have Black Crystal Abalone to help Brother Huxiao recover his strength."

"Fine."

But then.

Nine, ten, eleven...

Soft counting came from beside him.

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

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

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

After hearing Xu Huxiao say, "Cultivation is like rowing against the current—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 train now, the gap would only grow wider and wider. 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 voluntarily walked to the side and began doing squats.

"I'm scared of you people. You bunch of freaks, I really give up."

Orleans ignored the three boys on the team and continued, "Ignore them. Let's continue. Jingjing, then look for a suitable Soul Beast in that direction."

"As for Nana, she is already developing toward becoming a Control-Type Soul Master. Her first Soul Skill is a semi-area control Soul Skill, so her second Soul Skill should ideally be control-based as well."

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

"I think Spirit-based charm 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 in the Soul Beast gathering grounds of the Barren Island Group.

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

"These illusion-type Soul Beasts are generally weak in attack power and rely on mental confusion and control. They're perfect for Nana. As long as we are careful, we should be able to hunt them easily."

"Also, according to the information provided by the Spirit Hall Main Hall, the Enchantment Forest contains many types of Soul Beasts, so finding a suitable one for Jingjing should be easy too."

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

Meanwhile, Xu Huxiao had already finished his morning physical training. After eating three Black Crystal Abalone, his strength gradually recovered once more.

By then, the ship carrying everyone had already sailed for half an hour.

According to the markings on the Map, they would arrive in about fifteen minutes.

At that moment, Xu Bayan called his son into the cabin and said, "Son, two years ago, under the intense pressure of Uncle Chen's Sword Force, you revealed your own 'Force.' I don't know how you mastered it, but your Soul Power has advanced at an astonishing rate, and your Force has already taken initial shape. Now, I'll teach you how to freely master your own Force."

Force was an advanced application of a domain, something only those with a Title had a chance of mastering.

Xu Huxiao's Force was the intent of his Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms. When he entered the Martial Dao Essence Realm, the power of his palm techniques would double.

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

Xu Bayan nodded and held out his hand.

"That's right, master it. Of course, I know you've already learned to use Force to enhance yourself, but what I'm going to teach you is another wonderful application."

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

Xu Huxiao did as instructed and placed his hand on his father's. Then, in the next instant, a transparent ripple spread through him. His body suddenly tensed, and the blood and energy throughout his body seemed to freeze, completely beyond his control.

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

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 died without ever using its innate ability, Death Ejection.

Three seconds later, Xu Bayan removed the effect and smiled smugly. "How was that? You can't do this, 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 guessing. "Hehe, you want to learn? Then Dad will teach you."

"Force is an application of a domain. Even those with a Title may not necessarily master it. I don't know what incredible luck you had, kid, but I won't dwell on that."

"I'll just explain Force's two uses. One is greatly enhancing 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 suggests, it is Force released outward."

"Domains have the second effect too, but the difference is that Outer Force has a wider range, activates faster, and is weaker in effect."

"In the beginning, Inner Force and Outer Force can only display one of the two. Once you become proficient in controlling them, you can display both at the same time in battle."

Xu Huxiao looked at his palm thoughtfully. He had experienced Grandpa Chen Xin's overwhelming Sword Force 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 that easy to master. First, let me tell you another effect of Force."

"You know that aside from common animal and tool Martial Souls, there are also special Martial Souls, such as nightmares, shadows, Ghosts, and so on. The common characteristic of these Martial Souls is that they have form but no substance."

"In simple terms, you can see them but not touch them. Correspondingly, there are also such special Soul Beasts. They are naturally illusory."

"So, do you know how to deal with this kind of Soul Beast?"

Xu Huxiao had almost answered that he should use mental attacks and fight magic with magic, but a second later, he found another correct answer.

"Can Force deal with this kind of special Soul Beast?"

Xu Bayan praised him, "As expected of my son. Very smart. It is Force. Once we master Force, we become the nemesis of this type of Soul Beast, as well as the nemesis of Soul Masters with Spirit-based control Soul Skills."

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

"Outer Force is weaker, but when you control it to envelop yourself, you can harm those Soul Beasts that cannot be touched."

"As for why it can harm Soul Beasts with form but no substance, you can understand it this way. These special Soul Beasts are essentially merged with nature. Soul Masters within the natural environment find it extremely difficult to harm them unless they happen to counter them."

"But when your Outer Force envelops you, it is as if you separate yourself from the natural world with your own domain. Then, every movement you make can harm them."

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

Xu Huxiao understood. The Enchantment Forest they were heading to contained these form-without-substance Soul Beasts. 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, "It's simple. Think about how you put Force into your body to enhance yourself. Then treat the outside world as another body of yours, and use the same method to put 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 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 an idea first. You can work in that direction, but actually accomplishing it is very difficult."

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

Seeing that, Xu Bayan wore a smug expression and comforted him, "It's fine, son. At the beginning, you just need to try more. Later, as long as you practice more and work hard, you'll..."

Xu Huxiao paid him no heed and tried again.

He first entered the Essence Intent Realm, then used the energy outside his body to form the essence of the palm techniques. Next, he connected his Inner Force outward. Everything was completed within seconds.

The moment Xu Huxiao finished, 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!"