Absorbing the Soul Bone

Having settled the matters regarding the Star Dou Great Forest, everyone began discussing seclusion as well. Ning Bei had no issue with it; he could absorb the soul bone at any time.

However, it was better for Chen Xin and Gu Rong to do so separately. If anything happened while they were both absorbing soul bones, the Sect would have no Titled Douluo to hold the fort, making matters difficult to handle.

After deciding that Chen Xin would be the first to enter seclusion and absorb his soul bone, everyone dispersed.

Ning Bei had traveled for two days and felt somewhat exhausted. He planned to wait a few days and adjust his physical condition before absorbing the soul bone. After all, no one in the Sect had experience absorbing a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, so who knew what might happen.

When he returned home and had just opened the door, a tiny, soft bundle threw herself into Ning Bei's arms. It was Ning Rongrong, already three years old.

"Brother, you're finally back! I was bored to death."

He tossed Rongrong into the air, drawing a burst of delighted laughter from her, then held her in his arms and pinched her little cheeks.

"How could you be bored? Didn't those little pets play with you?"

"Hmph, Mother won't let me play with them at night again. I can only count stars by myself until I fall asleep. And when you're not here, no one tells me bedtime stories."

Ning Bei looked at her with amusement.

"Is Brother only useful for telling stories?"

Having been raised on all sorts of fairy tales in his previous life, Ning Bei had become entangled by the Little Girl after telling Ning Rongrong the story of Snow White once. Now, without a story every night, she refused to sleep no matter what.

After that, he told the Little Girl stories of seven brothers saving their grandfather, Monkey Havoc in Heaven, and Bajie Taking a Wife, leaving her utterly entranced.

Upon hearing Ning Bei's teasing, Ning Rongrong's little mouth pouted so far it could have hung a teapot from it.

"I don't care, I don't care! I want to hear a story! I want to hear Snow White!"

Seeing that the Little Girl had begun throwing a tantrum after failing to argue her case, Ning Bei could only helplessly carry her to her room and place her on the bed.

"Good... Good, Brother will tell you one, all right?"

"Great! Tell Snow White."

"Hm? Haven't I already told that one? Today, Brother will tell you a story about a God King."

Hearing that there was a new story, Ning Rongrong asked curiously.

"What is a God King?"

Ning Bei gave her a speechless look.

"Don't interrupt Brother, or I won't tell it."

"No, I won't interrupt Brother anymore. Hurry up and tell it."

"Once upon a time, there was a terrible villain named Tang San—"

"."

After hearing a portion of the story, Ning Rongrong glared angrily at Ning Bei.

"Brother, this Tang San is far too awful! If I ever meet someone like him, I'll kick his butt hard."

Ning Bei shuddered at her words. That kick absolutely could not happen, or wouldn't she be on the Way to Death? He then looked solemnly at the Little Girl.

"Rongrong, remember this. If you ever encounter someone named Tang San, you must never show him any hostility. Otherwise, just like in Brother's story, you'll be on the Way to Death. We need to deal with him in secret."

After hearing Ning Bei's words, Ning Rongrong nodded deeply in agreement.

"I understand, Brother. If I meet him in the future, I'll secretly make trouble for him!"

Then the brother and sister both revealed smiles as gentle as a spring breeze.

"Kehehehe..."

After telling Rongrong another segment of Tang God King's Promotion Chronicles, Ning Bei saw that she had drifted off to sleep. He quietly tucked her in and left the room.

After stepping outside, Ning Bei let out a breath. This could be considered an early effort to help Rongrong escape the Little Rascal's control. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would also not become deeply bound to him, giving Ning Bei greater room to maneuver in the future.

As for becoming the Little Rascal's supporter in his rise, Ning Bei had never considered it.

He simply could not trust someone who would even scheme against his own daughter and son-in-law.

A few days later, after adjusting his physical condition, Ning Bei entered the Secret Chamber in his room. Sitting cross-legged, he took out the Saint Light Mystic Tortoise Left Arm Bone and pressed it against his left arm.

When the soul bone came into contact with his arm, it blossomed with brilliant light. Ning Bei began concentrating on absorbing the soul bone.

His entire arm felt warm, and the pain of having his arm torn off, which he had imagined, never came. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

An entire day passed quietly. Ning Bei slowly opened his tightly shut eyes, a glint flashing through them. He stood up, stretched lazily, and checked his Soul Power.

After absorbing the Golden Leaf Sunflower's Soul Ring, Ning Bei's Soul Power Level had reached level 52. This time, after absorbing the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, his Soul Power Level had been pushed to level 56.

That was after Ning Bei had Suppressed it. Otherwise, his Soul Power Level would have been even higher.

Before becoming a Soul King, he had relied on Elixirs to break through several levels. After obtaining his Soul Ring, he had immediately absorbed a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, causing another surge in Soul Power. Worried that his Soul Power might become unstable, Ning Bei planned to spend the next half year properly refining it rather than cultivating excessively.

When he arrived at the Council Hall, Chen Xin and Ning Fengzhi were already waiting in the main hall. After Chen Xin began absorbing his soul bone, Gu Rong had also entered seclusion.

When the two saw Ning Bei approaching, they both looked toward him.

"Bei Er, how did it go?"

Ning Fengzhi was clearly asking about the soul bone.

"I absorbed it successfully. My Soul Power Level has reached level 56. Where is Sword Grandfather?"

Chen Xin smiled in satisfaction when he heard Ning Bei's words. A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone clearly would not bring him only a four-level increase in Soul Power, so there was only one explanation.

Ning Bei had deliberately suppressed the growth of his Soul Power. Chen Xin greatly admired such a steady and grounded approach.

"I've successfully broken through to level 97."

The last time Chen Xin consumed the Primal Chaos Grass, his comprehension of sword intent had allowed him to touch the threshold of level 96. He had already broken through to level 96 before Ning Bei advanced to Soul Ancestor.

Now, with the help of the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, he had smoothly reached level 97. This showed just how great an aid the soul bone was. A supreme treasure of the Soul Master World indeed lived up to its reputation.

After all, judging by the timeline, under normal circumstances Chen Xin would only have broken through to this level around the beginning of the story, when Little Rascal and Rongrong were about twelve years old.

A single Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone had directly spared him ten years of arduous cultivation. One had to know that after reaching level 95, one could not break through merely by accumulating Soul Power. Otherwise, wouldn't all those old monsters of Spirit Hall have reached level 99?

After hearing Chen Xin's words, a transparent curtain-like wall that was difficult to see with the naked eye suddenly appeared before Ning Bei.

"This is my Spirit Bone Skill, Wall of Radiance. It can absorb an enemy's attacks. If it doesn't reach its defensive limit, it can even reflect the attack back."

"Sword Grandfather, help me test the strength of this soul skill!"

Chen Xin smiled and nodded. Then, he formed a sword with two fingers, sending a streak of Sword Qi flying toward the Wall of Radiance.

The moment the Sword Qi touched the wall, the Wall of Radiance blazed with light. Ripples like those on the surface of water flowed across it. Evidently, after absorbing the Sword Qi, it dispersed the attack that had been concentrated at one point across the entire wall.

A few seconds later, the Wall of Radiance stopped glowing. Ning Bei controlled the wall and released that streak of Sword Qi once more, its power several degrees stronger than before.

Watching the Sword Qi rush toward him, Chen Xin's eyes flashed. With one hand, he caught it and crushed it within his palm.