In the small hours of the morning.
The Black Phoenix Mecha flew into Shrek City.
After returning to the Spirit Pagoda, Su Xun went straight to the ninety-fifth floor to find Han Tianyi.
Na'er had been chattering away beside Su Xun, but the moment she saw him step out of the elevator on the ninety-fifth floor, she ducked behind Leng Yaozhu.
She was terrified of getting caught in the crossfire and dragged off for remedial lessons.
Leng Yaozhu tapped her on the head in exasperation and deliberately frightened her.
"Come on. We're going back to make up the lessons you missed today."
"Waaah, nooo~"
Na'er's face instantly fell, and she hurried to leave the elevator and chase after Su Xun.
However, Leng Yaozhu dragged her back with a cold laugh.
Outside, Su Xun watched Na'er's despairing face gradually disappear from view, unsure whether to laugh or cry.
Then he made his way into the ninety-fifth floor with practiced ease.
It was the same island in the middle of the lake as always.
Once they met, the first thing Han Tianyi did was ask Su Xun to demonstrate his activated body root.
Su Xun showed off his ability to enlarge his body at will, along with his terrifying physical strength.
The smile on Han Tianyi's face grew broader and broader.
Finally, when the black-and-white soul ring appeared, Han Tianyi was dumbfounded.
"It's only a Black-and-White Bear of just over nine thousand years. How could it be so peculiar?"
"Let it out so I can take a look."
With a thought from Su Xun, the endearingly goofy Panda appeared. At the same time, he introduced the bear with a strange expression.
"I call him Little Abao."
He had already given him Divine Dragon Qi, so what else was there to say?
A youthful version of Po would do. He could call it Little Abao.
"There doesn't seem to be anything special about him."
"And Po is Po. Why add 'Little'?"
"Did that girl Na'er name him?"
Han Tianyi stared for a long time, but he truly couldn't spot anything unusual.
Yet the more that was the case, the more curious he became.
Su Xun was afraid Han Tianyi would "stay true to his original aspirations" and ask him to hand Little Abao over for fusion and research.
He hurriedly recalled Little Abao, then immediately said:
"Elder Han, the name isn't important."
"Let's get down to business!"
Han Tianyi glared at him.
"Stingy!"
Su Xun gave an awkward smile.
Han Tianyi didn't dwell on it and continued.
"There are two methods."
"First, divide it into compartments and manage them separately."
"A soul spirit contract is a contract made directly with the 'soul,' and the tangible manifestation of that 'soul' is your body of spiritual power."
"All you need to do is keep the contract imprints of your soul spirit contracts from getting 'mixed together.'"
"For example, construct individual rooms within your Sea of Consciousness."
"Then place the contract imprints in separate rooms."
"You can accomplish this with Mirror Flowers and Moon on Water."
Su Xun's eyes lit up.
This method was rather interesting.
But why did it sound a little like he would have to "carve off his own flesh"?
Seeing what was on Su Xun's mind, Han Tianyi nodded.
"Your feeling is correct. This method does indeed require carving off your own flesh."
"So I recommend the second option instead."
"Transfer the soul spirit contracts onto a soul bone."
"A psychic-type external soul bone is ideal, followed by a Head Soul Bone."
"Once an external soul bone has completely fused with a Soul Master, it cannot be recovered. You should already know this."
"Therefore, once fused, it can already be considered part of your body."
"And as a psychic-type external soul bone, it also counts as part of your 'soul.'"
"So transferring the contract imprints is feasible."
"Most Head Soul Bones are psychic-type. Although they can still be recovered after a Soul Master's death and don't count as fully integrated into the Soul Master's essence..."
"You'd already be dead. Why worry about so much?"
"As it happens, you've fused with the Evil Eye Tyrant's Eye, so the second option is perfect for you."
"However, I suggest waiting until you can no longer bear the strain before attempting the transfer."
After saying this, Han Tianyi personally demonstrated, using his powerful spiritual power to create a concrete simulation of how to perform the transfer.
The process was like magnifying brain surgery hundreds or thousands of times. Every detail, every possible complication, and every solution was worked through before his eyes.
Early the next morning.
The hundredth floor.
Na'er and Leng Yaozhu gathered around Su Xun, both looking somewhat nervous.
At that moment, Su Xun was absorbing his third soul spirit, a Mutant Four-Eared Macaque with fifteen thousand years of cultivation.
Although Han Tianyi had told Su Xun to absorb it without fear...
Theory was theory, and practice was practice.
They couldn't help worrying a little.
Su Xun, however, felt differently.
Night Owl and Little Abao were both close to ten thousand years of cultivation.
Given the strength of his spiritual power, they placed no strain on him whatsoever.
As the Four-Eared Macaque merged with him, a faint stabbing pain did indeed arise in his mind.
But at that moment, the effects of Han Tianyi's three years of torment became apparent.
To him, this sort of stabbing pain was like having a single hair unexpectedly plucked out.
He didn't even blink.
The fusion proceeded smoothly without incident.
Meanwhile, before Leng Yaozhu and Na'er's eyes, Su Xun's ears began to glow, becoming crystalline and translucent.
"Why do they look even tastier than cold sliced pig ears?"
The sight made Na'er's mouth water, and she kept swallowing.
Leng Yaozhu nearly blacked out at those words and subdued Na'er with a single slap.
"Get over there and reflect on yourself."
Once Na'er realized what she had said, her face and ears flushed bright red.
For once, she obediently stood facing the wall, occasionally sneaking a glance at the results of Su Xun's fusion.
As his ear root activated...
Su Xun immediately discovered that the entire world had become unbearably noisy.
The wind, breathing, the almost inaudible creaking of towering buildings, the operating noises of soul devices...
There was even... a certain greedy little girl's inner voice reaching his ears as she slurped back her drool.
"Su Xun, your ears smell so good. I really want a taste..."
For a moment, Su Xun had no words.
I cherish you like a little sister, and you actually want to eat me?
Where's your conscience?!
Doesn't it hurt?
Then he heard a thump. Na'er seemed to have punched herself as she muttered inwardly:
"Why does it have to get hard when it grows? It hurts so much, and Aunt Leng even said this was normal..."
Uh... what?
Wait, you've got a point there?
Su Xun felt as though his own thoughts were being monitored. Otherwise, how could he be having a "conversation" with Na'er from a distance?
He immediately realized what Na'er was referring to, and his face grew a little hot.
Then, with a thought, he shifted his attention away from Na'er and onto his beloved teacher a short distance in front of him.
"Biting into... hmm? You've grown bold enough to pry into my thoughts?!"
Su Xun shuddered and hurriedly opened his eyes.
He met Leng Yaozhu's gaze, which held both embarrassment and anger.
Su Xun gave a sheepish smile.
"Well, um, I was just testing my new ability!"
Leng Yaozhu gave a displeased snort, then motioned for Su Xun to explain.
Naturally, Su Xun told her everything he knew.
After his ear root activated, his hearing had improved enormously.
His ability to peer into "inner voices" naturally came from the intertwining of his desire of the ear and his ear root.
This was an additional ability of his third soul skill, named Listen to the Truth.
It allowed him to hear the secret thoughts hidden deep within people's hearts.
With someone like Na'er, who had no defenses against him whatsoever, he could freely listen to her inner voice.
Leng Yaozhu was also unguarded around him, but because of the enormous gap in their spiritual power, she would notice immediately whenever he tried to listen in...
But that aside...
My beloved teacher, what exactly did you mean by "biting into"?
Do you want to eat me too?!
Before you continue