A speck of golden light suddenly lit up, and a gentle golden glow instantly enveloped his head.
Gu Qingnian snapped his eyes open. His Six Eyes radiated dazzling, icy azure light, which also poured into his head.
Within his Sea of Consciousness, a strand of pink spiritual power drifted slowly. Gu Qingnian simultaneously operated the Chaos Divine Mill to keep his Sea of Consciousness steady.
He soothed and stabilized it for a long time.
Gu Qingnian slowly stretched out his body. He felt a little unsteady, and for a moment, he almost toppled over.
With a soft thump, Gu Qingnian fell into a warm, yielding embrace. Gathering himself, he looked up and discovered that it was A Wu, and his expression shifted slightly.
He sat down and regulated his breathing before saying to her, "Thank you for guarding me, A Wu."
"It's only what A Wu should do," she replied, her cheeks flushing slightly.
"Can you return to your previous form? And can you hide your Soul Beast aura?" Gu Qingnian asked in succession.
"Yes." After answering, A Wu transformed back into a little rabbit in a flash of light. Her aura gradually receded as well, and at first glance, she looked like an ordinary Soft Bone Rabbit.
"Could a Titled Douluo detect you?" Gu Qingnian gently cradled her in his arms.
In her rabbit form, A Wu transmitted her thoughts to him. "As long as they aren't among the very strongest Titled Douluos, they won't notice without examining me closely. Even with a close examination, discovering me would be very difficult."
Gu Qingnian let out a small breath of relief at her words.
Then he began checking his condition, lowering his gaze to his left arm. A faint pink glow now shone through it, and just above the back of his hand, a Soft-Boned Enchanting Rabbit pattern appeared before slowly fading out of sight.
His overall physique had improved considerably, and his Soul Power had risen from rank fourteen to rank sixteen.
His eyes gleamed as he raised a hand to gently stroke A Wu's rabbit ears, then headed outside.
"Let's go. It's time to properly set off."
He found somewhere to leave A Wu for the moment and went back first. After all, finding a rabbit during a trip to the toilet... was a little ridiculous.
By the time he returned, daylight had long since arrived. It was already noon.
Gu Qingnian made up an excuse to get through their questions, then tidied up briefly. He asked the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm for the location of a hundred-year Mental Attribute Soul Beast, told the other three, and accompanied them to hunt it for Huo Yuhao.
After all, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had once been... ah, it was a long story...
After several days, they successfully found and helped him fuse with his first Soul Ring.
Later, while they were inspecting a baboon they had defeated, faint rustling came from the surrounding bushes.
Bei Bei and Gu Qingnian's expressions changed sharply at the same time, and they shouted, "Xiao Ya, watch out!"
Tang Ya had sensed something as well and abruptly leaped backward. A dark shadow slammed into the ground she had occupied just a second earlier, blasting it apart.
Boom! Accompanying the impact, clouds of white mist billowed out in every direction.
"Careful, it's poisonous gas!" Gu Qingnian frowned slightly. Just as he was about to act, a strand of Blue Silver Grass wrapped around him and pulled him backward.
"Leave this to us! Stay under cover!" Bei Bei said calmly from the front. Tang Ya also stood protectively in front of Gu Qingnian.
Then Tang Ya released her Soul Power, and two Hundred-Year Soul Rings flashed into view.
Wisps of cold quietly rose from Gu Qingnian's body, expelling the poisonous gas he had accidentally inhaled. With his other hand, he drove the poison out of Huo Yuhao's body as well.
Crackle, crackle, crackle! Lightning shot out in every direction. At the front, Bei Bei wore a solemn expression as he fully unleashed his aura and extended an arm.
As three Soul Rings appeared, Bei Bei's arm gradually transformed into a dragon claw. A fierce light shone in his eyes as he stared fixedly ahead.
The mist slowly dispersed, revealing a scaled snake before the four of them. Its body was a blend of green and red, and poisonous gas streamed from it.
"A Mandala Snake! A thousand-year Soul Beast! I want it, I want it!" Tang Ya exclaimed, her face lighting up with delight.
Beside her, Huo Yuhao could only sweat. A thousand-year Soul Beast-that was at least a hundred times stronger than the Wind Baboon!
Feeling comfort spread through his body, he turned to give Gu Qingnian a grateful look. Gu Qingnian responded with a faint smile, leaving Huo Yuhao momentarily dazed.
"Thunder Dragon Claw!
Thunderous Might!" Bei Bei roared. Lightning coated his dragon claw as he struck at the Mandala Snake, sending it flying into the air.
Multiple bolts of lightning followed close behind, forcing the Mandala Snake back down. Poisonous gas rose around them once more.
Hmph! This thing is hard to handle. Looks like this will be a drawn-out fight... Bei Bei thought.
Huo Yuhao lowered his head slightly. After a long moment... he clenched his fists and raised his head, his pupils widening with a flash of light!
Bei Bei, Tang Ya, and Gu Qingnian simultaneously felt a boost of spiritual power, and everything ahead became clearly visible.
Gu Qingnian took in the sensation and thought, A weakened version of Spiritual Detection Sharing? As expected of the protagonist favored by destiny...
He stepped forward and released his Six Eyes as well. Bei Bei, Tang Ya, and Huo Yuhao's spiritual power surged again, bringing everything within several hundred meters into view.
Every tiny change anywhere within that area was immediately transmitted to all four minds in three-dimensional form, as though they possessed "God's sight"!
Simply put, it was an enhanced version of Spiritual Detection Sharing. This was Gu Qingnian's first Soul Skill; the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had given him four in total.
Tang Ya and Bei Bei both turned to look at Gu Qingnian and Huo Yuhao, especially Gu Qingnian. Huo Yuhao looked at him too. All three gazes were filled with shock, and the same thought involuntarily rose in their minds.
What a freak!
At his current cultivation level, the Soul Skills provided by the Soul Ring formed from the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had power equivalent to that of a roughly twenty-five-hundred-year Soul Beast.
It combined Spiritual Detection and Spiritual Sharing, two of the four Soul Skills Huo Yuhao had obtained in the original story. Its range was roughly three hundred meters in diameter, and it could be shared with five targets at once. It would grow stronger as the Soul Ring's age increased.
It could last as long as five hours!
The lightning around Bei Bei intensified again, and a purple Soul Ring no weaker than Gu Qingnian's encircled his dragon claw. This was his third Soul Skill, "Thunderous Wrath!"
His Soul Power's attack effectiveness increased by fifty percent!
With support from two powerful skills like these, I can anticipate the enemy's moves at any moment! Who knows how long Xiao Hao and Xiao Nian can keep this up? I should finish off this Mandala Snake immediately!
Bei Bei thought this to himself, then gathered his strength and leaped out, striking toward the Mandala Snake.
Previously, the surrounding mist had obscured Bei Bei's vision. Now, with the enhancement from Gu Qingnian and Huo Yuhao, everything was clearly visible.
"The final move..." Gu Qingnian stood at the back, yet knew everything happening ahead like the back of his hand.
A short while later...
Bei Bei emerged dragging the half-dead Mandala Snake and called to Tang Ya, "Xiao Ya, finish it!"
Tang Ya wasted no words. She hurled her dagger into its throat, killing it!
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh- A purple Thousand-Year Soul Ring emerged above the Mandala Snake.
"I never imagined it would go so smoothly!" Tang Ya said, her face full of excitement.
"Hurry and get started!" Bei Bei urged from beside her.
The other three guarded her. Watching her fuse with the Soul Ring, Gu Qingnian's eyes held a hint of curiosity. Was this what fusing with a Soul Ring looked like?
"What a beautiful plant. Eldest senior brother, what is Teacher Xiao Ya's Martial Soul?" Huo Yuhao asked curiously, looking at the green grass spreading around Tang Ya.
"Blue Silver Grass!" Bei Bei answered with rare solemnity.
"Blue Silver Grass-the same as that legendary figure's?" Huo Yuhao could not help exclaiming.
"Yes!" Bei Bei nodded.
Watching this scene, Gu Qingnian grew thoughtful. The Tang Sect's decline... ah...
"As for you two, you really exceeded my expectations! You gave me quite a surprise!" Bei Bei said with a smile.
Huo Yuhao blushed a little. "I only wanted to try and see whether it would help. Brother Qingnian did most of it! His Soul Skill is so much stronger than mine!"
At that, both turned toward Gu Qingnian. Still lost in thought, Gu Qingnian blinked, then shook his head. "It's nothing much..." He brushed it off with a few casual remarks.
"Xiao Nian, are you really not considering joining the Tang Sect? Your Martial Soul is very well suited to the Purple Demon Eye!" Bei Bei could not help trying to persuade him again.
"That's right, Brother Qingnian!" Huo Yuhao chimed in.
"Let's talk about it another time." Gu Qingnian looked a little uncomfortable. The two exchanged a glance and did not pursue it. Clearly, Gu Qingnian did not want to discuss the matter.
"Little junior brother, Xiao Nian, tell me about your Soul Skills. What was the skill you just used called, and how long can you sustain it? This is important," Bei Bei said, turning serious.
Huo Yuhao considered for a moment before replying, "Eldest senior brother, the skill I just used is called Spiritual Detection Sharing. Its current effective range is about ten meters in diameter, and it doesn't consume much Soul Power."
Gu Qingnian's eyes flickered. "My Soul Skill is something similar. It's called the Eye of God! Its range is about three hundred meters, and its Soul Power consumption is fairly modest-not much either."
"H-how far?" Huo Yuhao looked utterly dumbfounded. Bei Bei stared at Gu Qingnian with the same bewilderment.
"Three hundred meters. It might increase as I get stronger," Gu Qingnian said calmly.
Both swallowed involuntarily. Huo Yuhao thought, Is this the power of a Thousand-Year Soul Ring...?
Terrifying-and it doesn't even consume much... Bei Bei was inwardly speechless.
Then Bei Bei continued, "Having powerful Soul Skills is a good thing, after all. You both have the Mental Attribute and tremendous potential. If you become Control-Type Battle Spirit Masters, you might become the core of a team someday!
"A team? Do Soul Masters have to have teams? After all, one person's strength has its limits!
"Cooperation between Soul Masters can increase their combat power
"exponentially. You could say that working as a team is an inevitable step in our development as Soul Masters.
"Generally speaking, a team has no more than ten members. There are Battle Soul Masters responsible for defense, Power Attack System Soul Masters responsible for attacking, and Control-Type Battle Spirit Masters who command and control the battlefield. They have different roles, and there are plenty of others."
"Then does that mean you're a Power Attack System Battle Soul Master, eldest senior brother?" Huo Yuhao asked curiously.
"Yes. My Martial Soul is the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, and it specializes in powerful attacks. If you can become a Control-Type Battle Spirit Master too and work with Xiao Ya, your dual control could lead a powerful team of Soul Masters."
Hearing this, Huo Yuhao silently made up his mind, while Gu Qingnian pondered briefly. Me? An all-rounder!
After a stretch of idle conversation...
Whoom! Waves of Soul Power surged outward. Tang Ya stood up, a purple Soul Ring appearing before her.
"Haha! It worked!" Tang Ya's face was full of joy. She walked toward Bei Bei, eager to throw herself into his arms.
Her body paused as she suddenly remembered something. Her expression remained unchanged, but she instead excitedly recounted her experience to the group, her gaze lingering on Gu Qingnian all the while.
Bei Bei felt a little disappointed inside, but after seeing the two beside him, he consoled himself. Tang Ya is just feeling shy...
And with that... the group officially set off for Shrek Academy!
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