Long Aoyu stood silently to one side, watching from a lower position.
With eleven Titled Douluo acting together, there was nothing he could contribute. He only needed to wait for the result.
"Begin!"
Du Busi swept his gaze over everyone and took the lead in releasing his Level 98 Spiritual Power, massive as a mountain, forceful and domineering.
The other nine elders followed closely, their ten streams of Spiritual Power converging at the center.
"Martial Soul, Brain!"
Chen Yuan stepped forward, and a pale silver light shone between his brows-his Brain Martial Soul, awakened to the silver level.
His Spiritual Power already far exceeded others of his rank.
Now, using his Body Martial Soul as a nexus, he gathered the eleven streams of Spiritual Power into a single, pure spear that pierced into the Life Orb.
"Bzz-"
The Life Orb trembled violently. The miniature vortex at its core spun madly, and dark purple evil lightning erupted across its surface, attempting to block the invading Spiritual Power.
But against the combined strength of eleven Titled Douluo, that barrier of evil lightning lasted less than two breaths before the spiritual spear pierced through it.
The Spiritual Power drove straight in, stabbing directly at the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's remnant soul deep within the orb's core.
"Roar..."
The remnant soul let out a soundless roar. Black, baleful energy surged wildly as it attempted to counterattack.
"Hmph!"
Chen Yuan remained expressionless and merely snorted coldly. "A dying struggle."
The spiritual spear abruptly exploded the instant it touched the remnant soul.
The remnant soul's struggles ceased in an instant. With a barely audible wail, it disintegrated completely, turning into wisps of black smoke that dispersed deep within the orb's core.
Chen Yuan withdrew his Spiritual Power. A light sweat covered his forehead, but his gaze remained calm.
"The remnant soul has been completely erased."
Du Busi picked up the Life Orb, examined it with his senses, and nodded. He turned toward Long Aoyu and tossed the orb over. "This thing is yours now."
Long Aoyu caught the Life Orb. It felt cool and smooth in his hand, no longer carrying its earlier violent resistance and baleful energy.
Holding the orb, he solemnly bowed to Du Busi and the ten elders.
"Thank you, Master. Thank you, elders."
Du Busi waved a hand. "Enough of these empty formalities. Grow stronger soon and lead the Body Sect to new heights."
"I certainly will!"
Long Aoyu nodded firmly.
Du Busi glanced at the Life Orb in Long Aoyu's palm, then at the ten elders around them. "Since everyone's here anyway, we might as well stand guard for you now while you absorb it."
"Keeping this thing on you leaves an uncertainty, after all. The sooner you absorb it, the sooner we can rest easy."
Jin Peng nodded. "Xiao Yu, the sect master is right. With us old fellows here to stand guard, nothing will go wrong."
The other elders voiced their agreement as well.
Long Aoyu glanced at the Life Orb in his palm and nodded. "All right."
With that said.
He sat cross-legged, cradled the Life Orb between his palms, closed his eyes, and slowly released his Soul Power to envelop it.
Without the remnant soul's interference, the Life Orb allowed his Soul Power to seep inside.
But immediately afterward, Long Aoyu felt the six great attribute powers clashing within the orb-
Evil, strength, space, lightning, wind, and time. Without the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger keeping them in check, the six streams of origin energy collided with and repelled one another, their violent energy surging without end.
Long Aoyu considered it briefly.
I can't suppress them by brute force. The six attribute origins are too powerful. Suppression will only provoke an even fiercer backlash.
He needed to let them adapt to the aura of his Soul Power and slowly establish a resonance at the same frequency.
He put the thought into action.
Time passed, second by second. Deep within the Life Orb, the six violent streams of energy gradually settled under Long Aoyu's mediation.
The six powers began revolving slowly around the orb's core, forming a relatively stable cycle.
The Life Orb took firm root in his dantian and formed a connection with his Body Martial Soul, beating like a second heart!
"It worked!"
Long Aoyu opened his eyes, the corners of his mouth lifting.
With a thought, the Life Orb responded immediately. A powerful surge of energy flowed out of his dantian and through his meridians into his limbs.
"With this initial absorption, I can draw on the four attributes of strength, evil, wind, and lightning, along with their corresponding skills. At the same time, my body has been strengthened, allowing me to use Demon Transformation!"
Demon Transformation was an innate origin transformation technique carried within the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's Life Orb.
It drew upon the Evil God's origin to suffuse the body.
Moreover, because the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's remnant soul had completely dispersed, there was no risk of possession by its beast soul or spiritual erosion. The only drawback was the strain the evil power itself placed on his body.
"So that's how it works. After fusing with the Life Orb, I can unlock other abilities as my Soul Power increases and my fusion with its origin deepens."
Long Aoyu examined it with his senses and came to understand. "There's also time, space, the Life and Death Arena..."
"Good."
Du Busi walked over, looked him over, and nodded in satisfaction. "Take your time adapting to the Life Orb's power. Don't rush."
Long Aoyu stood and grinned.
"Understood, Master."
The ten elders departed one after another.
They had only just hurried back after receiving Du Busi's advance message. Now that the matter was settled, they were preparing to resume their search for the Immortal Herbs' location.
Only Du Busi and his disciple, Long Aoyu, remained in the council hall.
With his hands behind his back, Du Busi glanced at him and suddenly spoke. "By the way, what do you plan to do about that little girl?"
Long Aoyu paused, not expecting him to suddenly mention Zhu Zhuqing. "We'll talk about it once she wakes up."
"Mm."
Du Busi nodded. "As long as you know what you're doing."
Zhu Zhuqing was a young girl being hunted, yet they had brought her back to their sect. This undoubtedly meant antagonizing those pursuing her.
But so what?
The Body Sect had never feared trouble.
Du Busi was even a fierce man who dared to go to Shrek Academy alone and confront the Sea God Pavilion head-on!
As Du Busi's disciple, Long Aoyu's temperament followed in the same vein. He did not regard the Star Luo Imperial Family or the Zhu Family as threats at all.
By the time Long Aoyu left the council hall, it was nearly evening.
"Oh, you're back?"
Long Aotian leaned against a stone pillar beside the path with his arms folded, an amused expression on his face.
Vina stood beside him, a rare trace of curiosity on her cool face, her silver hair ribbon fluttering gently in the evening breeze.
"I heard you brought a young girl back from outside?"
Vina looked Long Aoyu up and down. "Not bad. The iron tree has finally bloomed."
The corner of Long Aoyu's mouth twitched. "What do you mean, the iron tree has bloomed? She was badly injured and unconscious by the roadside. Master and I came across her, so we brought her back for treatment. That's all."
"That's all?"
Long Aotian raised his eyebrows. "I heard you flew all the way back with her in your arms. And what a steady hold you had on her."
"If I didn't hold her steady, what if she fell?"
Vina stepped half a pace closer and patted Long Aoyu on the shoulder.
"All right, all right, we'll stop teasing you. But we're coming to the infirmary with you. We can check on her injuries while we're there."
Vina blinked. "And while we're at it, see what kind of peerless beauty could catch your eye."
Long Aoyu sighed. "Do you two have too much time on your hands today?"
Long Aotian answered with perfect confidence. "Yes."
"Come on, then."
Long Aoyu turned and headed toward the infirmary.
Long Aotian and Vina followed side by side. They exchanged a glance, their faces full of doting grins and the eager look of spectators watching juicy gossip unfold.
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