Heaven Dou City.
Ji Hongchen returned to his room.
Every day, aside from cultivating, he tempered his physique. At night, he taught Ye Lingling alchemy, and sometimes he sought out Dugu Yan for a round to unwind.
When he had time, he took his personal support, Ning Rongrong, and Xiao Wu to the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena to gain practical combat experience and improve their strength.
"Watch my sword!"
Holding a replica of the Jinghong Sword, Ning Rongrong executed a perfect sword flourish before thrusting at Ji Hongchen.
Ji Hongchen smiled faintly.
With a casual wave of his hand, he blocked it.
"You little rascal. Why are you practicing swordplay instead of working properly on your movement techniques?"
Ning Rongrong stuck out her tongue.
"Hehe, because I like it~ Practicing with a sword looks so cool!"
"All right, your physiques have been strengthened enough. In a couple of days, we can all go hunting for soul rings together."
With that, Ji Hongchen walked over to Xiao Wu.
"Xiao Wu, you can try condensing your soul ring now. I want to see whether the age of a soul ring condensed by a soul beast depends on their physique."
Xiao Wu nodded.
Then she sat cross-legged. A moment later, a deep purple soul ring slowly rose around her. Judging by its aura, it should have been over four thousand years old.
Before long.
Xiao Wu opened her eyes and looked at Ji Hongchen, her voice excited. "Brother Hongchen, my third soul ring is four thousand five hundred years old, and its soul skill is Teleportation!"
Ji Hongchen smiled and pinched Xiao Wu's cheek.
"Not bad. Go get ready. We're going hunting for soul rings."
Just then.
Ye Lingling walked over, looked at Ji Hongchen, and said, "Brother Hongchen, Teacher Qin Ming plans to visit other cities for soul fighting training in the next few days. Should we still go?"
Ji Hongchen answered casually.
"Sure. Let them go ahead. We'll hunt for soul rings first."
Half a month later.
The Star Dou Great Forest.
"Hongchen, how about this eleven-thousand-year-old Soul-Devouring Demon Spider?"
Dugu Bo pointed at a soul beast as he spoke.
Ji Hongchen shook his head.
"All of Yanzi's subsequent soul rings must come from venomous snakes. If the right opportunity arises, her martial soul has a very good chance of undergoing a second awakening."
Dugu Bo nodded.
However, snakes suitable for soul rings were generally adept at hiding. Finding one was as difficult as climbing to heaven.
He had only obtained his Medusa soul ring through a chance encounter.
They searched for several more days.
Dugu Bo suddenly made his move. A small, emerald-green snake appeared in his hand, and a smile spread across his face.
"A twelve-thousand-year-old Emerald Snake King!"
It matched Dugu Yan's martial soul, so not only would it be easy to absorb, but the soul skill it produced would usually be exceptional as well.
"In that case, hurry and absorb it, Yanzi."
Dugu Yan stepped forward. A serpent silhouette pierced the Emerald Snake King's skull, and a pitch-black soul ring emerged.
Without hesitation, Dugu Yan sat cross-legged and began absorbing the soul ring. Although the process was somewhat painful, absorbing a ten thousand year soul ring was fortunately not difficult with her current physique.
A moment later.
Dugu Yan opened her eyes, delight flashing within them.
"My soul power is at rank forty-one."
"And I feel like my martial soul has grown stronger too."
Dugu Bo came closer, his face full of curiosity.
"Yanzi, how's the soul skill?"
Dugu Yan smiled faintly and unleashed her soul skill.
"My Third Soul Skill is the Jade Phosphorus Poison Formation. Within its range, enemies' bodies and souls are continuously poisoned, and their soul power is constantly drained and fed back to me to sustain the formation. Inside it, all my attributes increase by 50%."
Dugu Bo's eyes lit up.
"Excellent, excellent. A very practical soul skill."
It was a good skill. If she unleashed it somewhere crowded, wouldn't she have an endless supply of soul power? Its only drawback was that a great many people would have to die.
"Brother Hongchen, it's my turn!"
Seeing that all her companions had obtained soul rings while she alone had been left waiting, the Little Demoness grew unhappy. She grabbed Ji Hongchen's arm and began petulantly wheedling.
Helpless, Ji Hongchen took the Little Demoness by the waist.
He held her in his arms and rubbed against her for a while before she finally settled down.
"Hah~"
Her cheeks flushed, the Little Demoness leaned shyly into Ji Hongchen's embrace, panting softly.
"Brother, I can't walk anymore~"
"I'll carry you."
Several more days passed.
A five-thousand-year-old Brightlight Beast was tossed in front of Ning Rongrong.
"Rongrong, this soul ring might suit you."
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up.
She took out a small knife and easily finished off the dying Brightlight Beast.
After absorbing the soul ring.
Ning Rongrong opened her eyes and raised her little head with a touch of haughtiness, looking smugly at Ji Hongchen. "Hehe, Hongchen, want to know what my new soul skill is?"
Ji Hongchen nodded, stepped forward, and wrapped his arms around Ning Rongrong's waist from behind. He whispered in her ear, "Of course. What is Rongrong's Third Soul Skill?"
"Ahem."
Ning Rongrong cleared her throat and summoned the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda with a show of solemnity.
"Third Soul Skill: Threefold Soul!"
The moment she finished speaking, Ji Hongchen felt the soul power within him more than double, building upon his current foundation as a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor.
If he used Ten Thousand Weapons again.
He could unleash the tenth sword strike with ease!
"Not bad. I'll give you a proper reward when we get back."
Ning Rongrong gave a light snort. "Hmph, that's more like it. Once we're back, you'd better make sure this young lady is satisfied."
Ji Hongchen's face darkened in exasperation.
This girl really was playing with fire.
Still, once they returned, he would spank her eighteen times in a row and show her what he was capable of.
Just as they were about to leave the Star Dou Great Forest.
A commotion rang out in the distance.
"It sounds like someone's fighting over there?"
Dugu Bo spoke.
Only then did Ji Hongchen remember that this was when Tang San and the others had broken through rank thirty. Right now, they should be competing with Meng Yiran for a soul ring.
"Hiss~"
"I absolutely have to meddle in this!"
This happened to be the crucial moment when Tang San acquired his external soul bone. Even if the Eight Spider Lances did not suit Ji Hongchen, he could not possibly hand them over on a silver platter.
At that thought.
Ji Hongchen turned to Dugu Bo and said, "Grandpa Dugu, why don't we make a few rounds nearby? I keep feeling there's another opportunity waiting around here!"
Dugu Bo was somewhat puzzled.
But he still nodded. After all, how could his granddaughter's husband-to-be possibly be wrong?
Perhaps it was heaven's arrangement. That two-thousand-year-old Man Faced Demon Spider was not far from Tang San and the others, and once it sensed killing intent, it fled frantically.
But with a Titled Douluo pursuing it.
There was nowhere for it to escape.
A moment later, Ji Hongchen killed the Man Faced Demon Spider with a single sword strike. However, the commotion was considerable and soon drew Tang San and the others' attention.
"It's you!"
When Dai Mubai saw Ji Hongchen and the others, his expression instantly changed. The terror of that night remained deeply branded into his mind, impossible to shake.
As for Ma Hongjun, he wet his pants outright.
He still remembered how this vicious man had nearly killed him. Now, however, he had left him living a fate worse than death. His manhood was gone!
Tang San frowned as he looked at the Man Faced Demon Spider beneath Ji Hongchen's feet. He could not help feeling that this Man Faced Demon Spider should have belonged to him.
Ji Hongchen spoke casually.
"Don't mind me. Keep fighting over the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent."
At his words, everyone quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhao Wuji in particular had nearly had his bear's gall scared out of him at the sight of Ji Hongchen's face. Even now, he remembered the terror of being at Ji Hongchen's mercy.
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