"In that case, Xiao Chen, you only need to endure another six months. After that, you can directly absorb a 470-year yellow soul ring."
Although this would waste his first two soul ring slots, slightly lowering Luo Chen's potential.
Bibi Dong could have made Luo Chen restrain himself a little longer, perhaps a year or two.
With Luo Chen's aptitude of innate rank-30 soul power, other Soul Masters still would not catch up to him even if he went several years without cultivating.
"Teacher, I heard that even without breaking through to the next realm, soul power will still accumulate in your body as long as you keep cultivating."
"That's true."
Bibi Dong nodded. "But that accumulation isn't unlimited. I researched it before and discovered that it can accumulate to, at most, three ranks of soul power into the next realm."
In other words, if you did not absorb a soul ring at rank 10 and continued cultivating instead.
Your soul power could indeed keep increasing, but it could only accumulate to the equivalent of rank 13 at most.
To reach rank 14, you had to obtain a soul ring.
Furthermore, although this method allowed you to continue cultivating, the speed of soul power cultivation was far slower than that of a Soul Master who had broken through to the next realm.
It was precisely because of this limitation that Bibi Dong had chosen to let Luo Chen break through earlier after weighing the pros and cons.
Just as Luo Chen had said, if he really wanted soul rings with high ages, he could simply wait until after becoming a Titled Douluo.
Before that, Luo Chen still needed to prioritize cultivating his soul power.
Bibi Dong wholeheartedly agreed with that.
"Of course, that's just my opinion."
Bibi Dong truly treated Luo Chen well. Even her instruction was so gentle, and she was so afraid he might feel dissatisfied that she added, "But whether you choose to do that is up to you, Xiao Chen. I respect your wishes."
Again, Bibi Dong did not shower Luo Chen with affection merely because of his god-level twin martial souls.
Given the stunningly beautiful Supreme Pontiff's desire for control, if that were all there was to it, she would indeed have valued Luo Chen immensely, but more than anything, she would have kept him firmly in her grasp.
Brainwashing, restraints, even raising her like a caged canary, just as Qian Xunji had done back then.
It would not have been like now, when Bibi Dong actually worried about making Luo Chen unhappy.
Had those familiar with Bibi Dong witnessed this scene, their jaws would probably have dropped.
The astonishment on Chrysanthemum Douluo's face as he stood nearby perfectly reflected his inner turmoil. Could this child really be the Supreme Pontiff's illegitimate son?
Aside from that explanation, Chrysanthemum Douluo truly could not imagine why Bibi Dong would indulge Luo Chen's every wish.
"Mm, I'll listen to you, Teacher."
Luo Chen's answer made Bibi Dong breathe a sigh of relief. She had genuinely feared that he would think she was deliberately making him absorb his second soul ring early to damage his potential.
Fortunately, Luo Chen understood her painstaking intentions, much to Bibi Dong's relief. "Xiao Chen, what is your first soul skill?"
"My first soul skill is called Elemental Manipulation."
For the Celestial Star Crown to rival the Sun Disc, its abilities absolutely could not be poor, or it would seem far too fake.
Thus, Luo Chen had invented an entirely new Elemental Manipulation based on Na'er's abilities.
According to Luo Chen's explanation, his first soul ring would randomly give rise to different elemental powers as his soul power realm increased.
Just as he had now produced the "light" element, claiming that this was the elemental power he had obtained after becoming a Soul Master.
"Then once you become a Titled Douluo, Xiao Chen, won't you be able to control nine elements?"
Hu Liena's eyes filled with delighted surprise. Bibi Dong likewise felt that Luo Chen's first soul skill had somewhat exceeded her expectations.
A white soul ring only a few decades old could actually provide a soul skill with such potential. It was truly rather unbelievable.
"That's not all."
As Luo Chen spoke, he opened his palm, and his white first soul ring appeared.
Then a milky-white radiance blossomed in Luo Chen's hand. He controlled that cluster of light, changing its color from white to blue, then to green and red.
Under everyone's astonished gazes, Luo Chen condensed the light, turning those light elements into all kinds of animals and plants.
"Wow, they're so pretty."
Watching the butterflies formed from multicolored light, Hu Liena's eyes sparkled. "I-is this also the power of your soul skill, Xiao Chen?"
Changing colors at will, freely shaping light energy.
Hu Liena and Wang Sheng were young and did not understand what these changes meant, but Bibi Dong and the other two stared, dumbstruck.
Because they had discovered something: Luo Chen's first soul skill did not seem fixed. Instead, its form and mode of release changed according to his thoughts.
"Xiao Chen!"
Bibi Dong spoke gravely. "Your first soul skill, Elemental Manipulation-could it be..."
"Yes, Teacher."
Luo Chen said, "The essence of Elemental Manipulation is converting soul power into different forms of energy, and through my first soul skill, I can use them however I please."
"However you please!"
Those words truly exploded like thunder in the three's minds, then became towering, crashing waves, stunning them so deeply that they momentarily did not know what to say to express their shock.
"Self-created soul skills!"
Almost immediately, Bibi Dong thought of the possibilities of Luo Chen's first soul skill.
Light manipulation, just one-ninth of this single soul skill, would be enough for Luo Chen to study for a lifetime.
When that time came, the number of soul rings would no longer limit the number of soul skills Luo Chen possessed.
"Wait, Xiao Chen, hold on."
Bibi Dong asked, "Your first soul ring is only a white soul ring, and soul ring skills limit soul power output. What about yours?"
A soul ring's output ratio was fixed. For instance, a ten-year soul ring could only accept an input of 1% of one's soul power at most.
Thus, a Titled Douluo using their first soul skill would indeed be stronger than a Soul Master using their first soul skill.
Furthermore, starting at ten thousand years, soul skills gained the special effect of amplifying soul power.
As for exactly how much they could amplify it, that depended on factors such as the type of soul skill and the maximum amount of soul power that could be input, varying with the circumstances.
This was also why, when Titled Douluo fought one another, soul ring skills from younger rings produced less-than-ideal results.
After all, the other party opened with a full-powered strike from a hundred thousand year soul ring at 1,000%, while you were still using your first soul skill.
If you survived that, there really would be no justice in the world.
"My first soul skill doesn't amplify soul power, but it doesn't have a soul power limit either."
Luo Chen explained, "The soul skill I release through my first soul ring displays different levels of power depending on how much soul power I put into it."
"At most, I can pour all my soul power into it, then unleash it."
"A ten-thousand-year soul skill!"
Almost the instant Luo Chen finished speaking, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo cried out in astonishment, "Even without the ability to use it however you please, this is still a ten-thousand-year soul skill!"
Because only a ten-thousand-year soul skill could expend all one's soul power in a single move.
It was no exaggeration to say that as long as Luo Chen properly developed and thoroughly mastered this first soul skill, he could treat it as a ten-thousand-year soul skill.
The only difference was that Luo Chen's first soul ring could not enhance his body and soul power the way a ten thousand year soul ring could.
"What a powerful soul skill!"
"Is this a true god-level martial soul?"
Bibi Dong once again marveled at the power of Luo Chen's twin god-level martial souls. He had clearly only absorbed a forty-year white soul ring, yet the effects of his soul skill...
She had not forgotten what Luo Chen had said: this soul skill could grow, gaining more and more elemental attributes.
And what did having many attributes mean?
It meant Luo Chen could handle all kinds of unexpected situations and adapt to all kinds of battles.
In a word, as long as I have enough attributes, no one can counter me!
"It even makes up for the variety of soul skills."
Chrysanthemum Douluo sighed repeatedly. He had originally thought his own immortal-grade martial soul was quite good.
But compared with Luo Chen's Celestial Star Crown, it was utter garbage.
"And this is only his first soul skill."
Ghost Douluo's remark plunged everyone into silence once more.
Indeed, this was only Luo Chen's first soul skill.
He had a full eighteen soul ring slots. If every soul skill was as broken as his first, how terrifying would that be?
"Listen carefully, all of you. Without my permission, no one is to reveal any information about Xiao Chen's soul skill."
"Yes!"
Everyone hurriedly agreed, and subconsciously, the Spirit Hall faction led by Bibi Dong had already come to regard Luo Chen as its core.
Bibi Dong doted on him, Wang Sheng, whose future held promise, was loyal to him, and Hu Liena adored him.
Even Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo had been won over by Luo Chen's talent.
If Luo Chen truly could perform an Ascension Ritual for the two of them in the future, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo would certainly follow him with unwavering devotion.
"All right, let's head back."
Bibi Dong looked at Luo Chen. "Come, Xiao Chen. Let your teacher carry you back."
Luo Chen did not refuse. Or rather, he had already grown accustomed to Bibi Dong's embrace.
There was no helping it. It was simply too big, too soft, too fragrant, and too warm.
Luo Chen: Testing a cadre with this-which cadre could withstand such a test?!
"Xiao Chen is so adorable."
Luo Chen was lost in Bibi Dong's embrace, while the gorgeous Supreme Pontiff likewise thoroughly enjoyed the time she spent cuddling him.
But in that case, it seems I no longer have a reason to visit Xiao Gang.
Bibi Dong was glad that Luo Chen's potential could be restored in the future. Now that the great stone weighing on her heart had fallen, she involuntarily thought of Yu Xiaogang again.
Earlier, Luo Chen's verbal attack on Yu Xiaogang had indeed been deeply satisfying to Bibi Dong.
But as time passed, Bibi Dong could not help beginning to worry about Yu Xiaogang. Xiao Gang must have had such a hard time all these years. Someone as proud as him now has to set aside his dignity to collect Spirit Hall's Soul Master subsidy.
After being humiliated by Xiao Chen in front of so many people earlier, Xiao Gang must be very upset.
She did not blame Luo Chen. On the contrary, she was pleased that her disciple had defended her. Sigh, it's all my fault for abandoning Xiao Gang back then.
At that thought, Bibi Dong developed the urge to seek out Yu Xiaogang, and even the group's pace as they left the Soul Hunting Forest could not help quickening a little.
She was only rank 90 now and still needed a ninth soul ring to become a Titled Douluo.
Bibi Dong's target was a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, and fortunately, the second trial of the Rakshasa God Trial required her to hunt down a hundred-thousand-year Death Spider Emperor.
This hunt carried considerable risk, so Bibi Dong naturally could not take the three little ones along.
Thus, Bibi Dong still had to return to Spirit City next, settle the three children in, and then set off for the Star Dou Great Forest.
Fortunately, Spirit City had been built west of the Star Dou Great Forest, so returning along the way would not take much extra time.
"Guess what my teacher is thinking about."
Although Luo Chen was nestled in Bibi Dong's arms, he had been watching her expression all along.
That contradictory gaze, its conflict mixed with sorrow and its sorrow tinged with self-reproach, made Luo Chen shake his head repeatedly. A simp licks away until there's nothing left.
"What else could she be thinking about? Obviously that middle-aged man from earlier."
Even Na'er could tell. She immediately sighed in a tone of exasperation at wasted potential. "So this is being love-brained? How terrifying!"
She truly could not understand what was so good about Yu Xiaogang, or why Bibi Dong liked someone like him.
Douluo Continent was also called Love Continent. Truly, names might be wrong, but nicknames never were.
One could only say that the world written by Sanshui was truly unfriendly to women.
"Won't you stop her, Master?"
"There's no need."
Luo Chen had quite a favorable impression of Bibi Dong.
But he was not love-brained, much less an animal ruled by his lower half who only cared about looks.
Luo Chen had indeed experienced warmth from Bibi Dong unlike anything he had ever known, but that warmth had nothing to do with romantic love. Instead, it was more like affection between an older sister and younger brother.
"Besides, even if I stopped her..."
Luo Chen said, "With my teacher's obsessiveness, hehe, it would be hard..."
"Can't we expose him directly?"
Although Na'er had only just been born, she possessed the Silver Dragon King's wisdom, so she could not be treated as a child.
However, when it came to understanding people's hearts, Na'er was clearly only just starting out.
"Exposing him directly is the worst possible approach."
Luo Chen inwardly shook his head. "Yu Xiaogang is Bibi Dong's obsession, and it was precisely that obsession that supported her through her confinement after the secret chamber, as well as the fighting in Slaughter City."
Of course, taking revenge on Spirit Hall and Qian Xunji likewise occupied a large part of Bibi Dong's obsession.
But the problem now was that Bibi Dong had already killed Qian Xunji, and her revenge against Spirit Hall had also shifted somewhat after she became Supreme Pontiff.
At least at this point, Bibi Dong had yet to develop the idea of destroying the world and making Spirit Hall and Douluo Continent accompany her tragic past to the grave.
"As long as Bibi Dong hasn't completely given up on Yu Xiaogang, that obsession will rise from the ashes again and again."
According to Luo Chen's analysis of Bibi Dong's personality, completely destroying Yu Xiaogang's image in her heart would truly be very difficult.
"Then..."
Na'er tilted her head adorably, her eyes full of confusion. "What should we do? Are we just going to watch Bibi Dong go find Yu Xiaogang? That's far too disgusting."
Although Na'er was Luo Chen's Aspect, she likewise had flesh and blood, her own soul, and her own emotions.
Whatever Bibi Dong did was not Na'er's concern.
She simply did not want Luo Chen's kindness toward Bibi Dong to go to waste.
"There's always a way."
Luo Chen said calmly, "Yu Xiaogang is a scumbag, but I'm not really a good little boy either."
Uncle had once said that only magic could defeat magic.
Since you're so shameless, Yu Xiaogang, don't blame me, Luo Chen, for abandoning martial virtue and using a few underhanded methods.
"I remember you said earlier, Na'er, that the Dragon Clan Origin inside Yu Xiaogang could solve the problem with my body, right?"
"Mm!"
Na'er said, "Master, are you planning to...?"
"Exactly."
Luo Chen buried his head against Bibi Dong's snow-white, jade-like neck, yet a glint of coldness shone in his eyes. "We'll use it to lay a trap for Yu Xiaogang!"
(End of chapter)