"Ding! Congratulations, host, on completing the mission. Reward: soul skill—Suppression Seal; reward: one volume of a soul power cultivation method (beginner); reward: Sword Manual—Sword Manipulation Technique!"
These were the system rewards for absorbing the three-thousand-year soul ring.
There were only three, but they were an enormous help to Ning Chuan.
The Douluo Continent had no cultivation methods, and that was precisely why Tang San had been able to stay ahead with the Mysterious Heaven Skill.
Although the soul power cultivation method awarded by the system was only beginner-level, fully mastering it would increase his cultivation speed tenfold.
Most importantly, this method could be taught to anyone.
Even a Titled Douluo would receive the same multiplier.
Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, and Ning Fengzhi already knew Ning Chuan's secret, so he could naturally teach them this method.
The stronger they became, the more confidence Ning Chuan would have.
As for the Sword Manipulation Technique, it was not merely a means of flying through the air on a sword. It contained many offensive arts, each astonishingly powerful.
Through the system, Ning Chuan easily mastered the soul power cultivation method. His understanding of the Sword Manipulation Technique, however, was only preliminary. To thoroughly master it, he would have to gain insight through practice.
While Ning Chuan received and learned the system rewards, Sword Douluo was still staring, transfixed, at the purple soul ring on the Creation Exquisite Pagoda. Even now, he could not believe Ning Chuan had absorbed the Earth Rock Bear's three-thousand-year soul ring so effortlessly.
"Xiao Chuan, how did you do it? And where is the Earth Rock Bear's body?" Sword Douluo asked curiously.
Ning Chuan had no intention of hiding anything. He knew that explaining it clearly this once would make it much easier to have Sword Douluo help him hunt for older soul rings in the future.
So Ning Chuan said frankly, "The Earth Rock Bear sacrificed itself. Its flesh and its original soul power all became the soul ring, leaving only its soul spirit within the Creation Exquisite Pagoda!"
"A sacrifice?" Sword Douluo murmured. He knew that a hundred-thousand-year soul beast could willingly sacrifice itself, but this Earth Rock Bear was only a little over three thousand years old. Although it had developed a trace of intelligence, communicating with it was impossible. Yet it had willingly sacrificed itself, leaving not even a body behind. Sword Douluo found it utterly inconceivable.
More importantly, Ning Chuan had actually said the Earth Rock Bear's soul spirit existed within the Creation Exquisite Pagoda. That was even more outrageous.
"Xiao Chuan, could you let Sword Grandpa see the Earth Rock Bear's soul spirit?" Sword Douluo asked.
"Of course!" Ning Chuan nodded. With a thought, the Earth Rock Bear's soul spirit emerged from the lowest level of the Creation Exquisite Pagoda.
The tiny soul spirit surveyed its surroundings. The moment it saw Sword Douluo, it bared its teeth. Clearly, the fellow still remembered that Sword Douluo had captured it.
"It really is the spirit of a soul beast!" Sword Douluo exclaimed. He realized he had still underestimated the Creation Exquisite Pagoda's grade.
Sword Douluo knew very well that soul rings were formed from a soul beast's life essence and soul. Even when a hundred-thousand-year soul beast willingly sacrificed itself, preserving such a complete soul spirit should have been impossible.
"Xiao Chuan, you must keep the matter of the soul spirits secret too. Never let outsiders learn of it!" Sword Douluo instructed solemnly.
"Understood!" Ning Chuan nodded, then returned the Earth Rock Bear's soul spirit to the pagoda.
In fact, this Earth Rock Bear was not the first soul to enter the Creation Exquisite Pagoda.
Twelve years earlier, in the year Ning Chuan awakened his martial soul, he had attended the junior class at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy for half a year.
At the time, he had met the Heaven Dou Empire's second and third princes. Through them, Ning Chuan had met Xue Qinghe once, before Qian Renxue replaced him.
Ning Chuan knew very well that Qian Renxue would replace Xue Qinghe that year. But he greatly admired Xue Qinghe's character, so he did not want his death to be utterly meaningless.
However, Ning Chuan was powerless to change Xue Qinghe's fate, so he could only have the system leave a trace of creation power on him.
After Xue Qinghe died, the creation power kept his soul from perishing, and Ning Chuan then drew it into the Creation Exquisite Pagoda.
Later, Ning Chuan used the same method to draw the souls of the Heaven Dou Empire's second and third princes into the Creation Exquisite Pagoda.
They had been classmates, after all. Since he could help, he did.
Thus, the souls of the Heaven Dou Empire's three princes were now sleeping within the Creation Exquisite Pagoda.
The system had said that the Creation Exquisite Pagoda possessed the ability to reconstruct physical bodies, but he would have to unlock it gradually.
As he was now, Ning Chuan was not yet qualified to take part in the conflict between the Spirit Hall and the Heaven Dou Empire, so he could only let the three princes continue sleeping.
In the Star Dou Great Forest, Sword Douluo took quite a while to recover before speaking again. "Xiao Chuan, let Sword Grandpa see your first soul skill!"
Ning Chuan nodded. He also wanted to see how powerful his first soul skill was.
He knew very well that any soul skill the system offered as a reward was bound to be extraordinary.
Before testing the soul skill, Ning Chuan first read the description provided by the system.
Soul skill name: Suppression Seal. Upon activation, it covers a five-meter radius. Anyone enveloped by the Creation Exquisite Pagoda whose soul power level is lower than Ning Chuan's will be suppressed in place, unable to move. Anyone whose soul power level equals Ning Chuan's will be suppressed to the point of being unable to mobilize their soul power. Anyone whose soul power level exceeds Ning Chuan's will also have their soul power suppressed, though not completely. The further their cultivation surpasses Ning Chuan's, the weaker the suppression.
"Sword Grandpa, sorry for the trouble, but could you help me test my first soul skill?" Ning Chuan asked.
"Go right ahead!" Sword Douluo nodded.
With Sword Douluo's permission, Ning Chuan called softly, "Suppression Seal!" and instantly activated the Creation Exquisite Pagoda's first soul skill.
After the soul skill activated, the Creation Exquisite Pagoda did not grow larger. Instead, it flew into the air, releasing a layer of invisible pressure that spread outward from its base.
Standing directly beneath the Creation Exquisite Pagoda, Sword Douluo instantly felt a force restricting his soul power.
"It can actually suppress my soul power! Isn't the Creation Exquisite Pagoda's first soul skill a little too powerful?" Sword Douluo exclaimed.
The Creation Exquisite Pagoda's suppression of Sword Douluo was extremely weak-one percent at most. But a level-thirteen soul master could actually suppress a Titled Douluo. Who would believe that?
"Sword Grandpa, try breaking free!" Ning Chuan said.
Sword Douluo nodded at his words, then mobilized a little soul power to resist, sending the Creation Exquisite Pagoda flying.
The instant the Creation Exquisite Pagoda flew away, Ning Chuan's soul power and Spiritual Power were almost exhausted simultaneously. Had he not canceled his first soul skill in time, he would certainly have fainted.
In a flash, Sword Douluo appeared beside Ning Chuan and steadied him, asking anxiously, "Xiao Chuan, are you all right?"
"I'm fine!" Ning Chuan smiled and nodded at Sword Douluo. "My soul power and Spiritual Power were just almost drained!"
"It's Sword Grandpa's fault. Why did I have to take it so seriously?" Sword Douluo blamed himself. In truth, he had already held back a great deal. But Ning Chuan could only maintain Suppression Seal on an unresisting Sword Douluo for ten-odd seconds at most. Once Sword Douluo resisted, Ning Chuan naturally could not withstand it.
"It's all right, Sword Grandpa!" Ning Chuan reassured him softly.
He had asked Sword Douluo to resist precisely because he wanted to test how his first soul skill worked.
Ning Chuan was very satisfied with the results.
Although Sword Douluo had sent the Creation Exquisite Pagoda flying in an instant, Ning Chuan had learned something: as long as his soul power had not run out, even a Titled Douluo would be suppressed by him.
No matter who they were, as long as the Creation Exquisite Pagoda enveloped them, their soul power would inevitably be suppressed.
As long as Ning Chuan could keep holding on, the suppression would remain in effect.
Before you continue