As a disciple of the Spirit Pagoda's deputy master, Su Xun had naturally learned how to form a contract with a Soul Spirit.
Now, as the Soul Spirit Formation lit up, Su Xun immediately felt his soul connect with the Black-and-White Bear's.
"Roaaar!"
Suddenly, a sound like a dragon's roar rang out beside his ears.
Immediately afterward, Su Xun felt his entire body burning hot!
Outside his skin, a mysterious, constantly circulating mass of qi seemed to envelop his whole body.
From Leng Yaozhu and Na'er's perspective,
the Soul Spirit Formation lit up, linking the auras of the Black-and-White Bear and Su Xun.
Then the Black-and-White Bear's body grew illusory.
This was the process of transforming from a Soul Beast into a Soul Spirit, so neither of them was surprised.
But immediately afterward, a dragon's roar seemed to resound within the Black-and-White Bear's fading body.
Yet that roar seemed to have nothing to do with the dragons people knew.
It seemed to be merely a form of expression.
Then black-and-white streams of qi swirled continuously around Su Xun's entire body, extraordinarily wondrous.
"Aside from its completely different aura..."
"Why does it feel..."
"Somewhat like the Evil Eye Tyrant's Eye?"
"Aunt Leng, could this qi be a unique External Soul Bone?!"
Na'er voiced her thoughts based on what she sensed, her face full of astonishment.
Leng Yaozhu's face was also filled with bewildered surprise.
What she sensed was much the same as Na'er.
That was precisely why she was even more astonished.
There were only six conventional soul bones: the head, torso, both arms, and both legs.
Beyond those conventional soul bones, any part of a Soul Master's body could theoretically give rise to an External Soul Bone.
The most classic example was the Dark Gold Dreadclaw.
As for the Eight Spider Lances of the God King Tang San twenty thousand years ago, they were also a classic example.
But aside from him, history recorded no one else ever obtaining that External Soul Bone from a Man Faced Demon Spider.
By comparison, the Dark Gold Dreadclaw and the Evil Eye's eye appeared more reliably.
The former, in particular, formed in almost every Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.
Aside from those, the Six-Winged Purple Light Wings, the External Soul Bone of Bibi Dong-the Spirit Hall's pope and Rakshasa God twenty thousand years ago-also seemed to have been obtained from a spider-type Soul Beast before gradually evolving.
Hu Liena, the Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden of that generation, had also possessed a Demon Fox tail External Soul Bone.
But ultimately, all of these had condensed from the parts that most clearly embodied a Soul Beast's defining features.
Moreover, they were connected to the body.
What, then, was happening here?
That black-and-white qi was clearly circulating outside Su Xun's body, almost as though it had condensed from released soul power.
Yet the feeling it gave was no different from an External Soul Bone.
More importantly, it had absolutely nothing to do with that Black-and-White Bear!
Could such a... bizarre External Soul Bone actually exist in this world?
Even Leng Yaozhu felt her horizons had been broadened.
Just then, the black-and-white qi circulating outside Su Xun's body sank into him.
His entire body then blazed with light!
Then he abruptly grew taller, becoming like a small giant.
At the same time, a purple Soul Ring appeared beside him.
Immediately afterward, a peculiar Soul Ring, half black and half white like a taiji ring, condensed into being.
His soul power abruptly broke through the level-twenty barrier and charged onward in triumphant strides, reaching level thirty outright!
Na'er's mouth fell open, and she immediately grew unhappy.
She had not faced the same predicament as Su Xun; her second Soul Ring was still supplied by the Thorn Dragon.
Over the past three years, she had risen from level thirteen to her current level twenty-seven.
Although not obtaining a Soul Ring did not prevent one from accumulating reserves,
and she knew that, despite not having broken through, Su Xun's soul power reserves were actually no less than hers.
But I wanted you to do well-you didn't have to do this well!
The moment you advance, you leap straight to level thirty? Is there any fairness left?!
From now on, just stay stuck at every tenth level! Spend your whole life searching for Soul Spirits!
Na'er pouted, resentment churning in her heart.
Thump!
"Oww~"
Leng Yaozhu unceremoniously gave her a knock.
She said irritably,
"You were the one urging us to come."
"You were the one who wanted little Xun to hurry up and become a Soul Grandmaster."
"And now that he really has broken through, you're the one brimming with resentment."
"Why are you such a handful?"
Na'er gave a soft huff and turned her head away, refusing to acknowledge Leng Yaozhu.
Leng Yaozhu ignored her as well, keeping her gaze firmly fixed on Su Xun.
A moment later,
the light around Su Xun's body gradually faded, and he returned to his normal size.
Leng Yaozhu flashed to Su Xun's side.
Without a word, she reached out and pressed her hand against him, giving him a light squeeze. With her soul power reinforcing it, a terrifying force erupted.
"Hiss!"
Caught off guard, Su Xun sucked in a sharp breath and looked resentfully at his beloved teacher.
Leng Yaozhu was also deeply shocked.
From what she could sense, Su Xun's physical toughness had increased severalfold compared with before he absorbed the Soul Ring!
As he was now, enduring the pressure of three Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings would be effortless!
Moreover, with that squeeze of hers,
Su Xun's Body Root reacted merely on a subconscious level, releasing a faint, almost imperceptible power.
In an instant, Leng Yaozhu felt as though the sensitivity of her senses had been magnified dozens, even hundreds of times.
She could not help recalling what she had felt three years ago, when she had forcibly held Su Xun across her lap to examine his Martial Soul.
Both times, it had affected her while she was completely unguarded.
Yet the difference between then and now was far from slight.
Activating the Body Root made his body incomparably powerful.
Bodily Desire-in other words, the power of Touch Desire-had likewise been greatly strengthened.
Being able to control Touch Desire during battle was an extremely frightening thing.
To take the simplest example,
if he had some underhanded move, masking his opponent's pain would certainly allow him to draw them into a losing position before they even realized it.
Like boiling a frog in warm water.
Conversely, amplifying an opponent's senses could certainly affect their mental state and the decisions they made in battle.
It could even cause them to react far more dramatically to the same degree of injury.
Like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bow.
As for himself,
with proper adjustments, such as appropriately reducing his perception of pain, he could also dispel his fear and fight more fiercely.
Suddenly, as though Leng Yaozhu had thought of some unconventional use, her phoenix eyes flickered, and an unnatural flush rose across her face.
Inwardly calling herself a "wayward teacher," Leng Yaozhu hurriedly released Su Xun, then asked,
"How do you feel?"
Su Xun rubbed his left arm, leaving Leng Yaozhu momentarily embarrassed.
But she truly lived up to being an ultimate-level powerhouse; her composure was extraordinary. She stubbornly acted as though nothing had happened, quietly watching her beloved disciple and waiting for his answer.
Su Xun conceded defeat, gathered himself, and said with complete confidence,
"Fantastic!"
"I feel like I could knock down a three-thousand-year Soul Beast with one punch!"
As he spoke, Su Xun stirred his thoughts slightly, and a faint layer of black-and-white light enveloped him as terrifying bloodline power erupted.
Leng Yaozhu nodded.
With Su Xun's current physical capabilities, he could indeed accomplish that!
Then her gaze fell on the black-and-white Soul Ring that resembled a taiji ring.
"What's your second Soul Skill?"
Before you continue