Bai Guyue entered his room and began a week of secluded cultivation and contemplation.
Dugu Yan stood where she was, waiting for Dugu Bo to return.
Time passed, and by the time Dugu Bo returned, his injuries had already improved.
Though he had not fully recovered, he was no longer in any serious trouble.
"Grandpa."
Dugu Yan went up to greet him.
"Yanyan, where did young friend Bai go?"
Dugu Bo looked around and saw that Bai Guyue was nowhere nearby.
The round trip hadn't taken long, had it?
"Master went into seclusion." Dugu Yan continued, "Grandpa, take a look at my physique."
"Your physique?"
"Yes, go on, take a look."
Dugu Yan urged him anxiously.
"All right, all right."
Dugu Bo began examining Dugu Yan's physique, saying things like "What could have changed?" as he did so. But he was soon stunned.
Dugu Yan's physique and bones had already far surpassed the limits of her peers.
By all rights, her current physique and bones were more than capable of absorbing a Soul Ring of a greater age.
"Yanyan, you're incredible! How did you do this?"
Dugu Bo was utterly astonished.
"Hehe, it's all thanks to Master, of course."
Dugu Yan told Dugu Bo the whole story.
"So that's how it was!"
Understanding dawned on Dugu Bo.
No wonder Bai Guyue had been able to absorb a thousand-year Soul Ring as his Second Soul Ring.
If such astonishing news spread across the continent, it would surely stir up a storm, and Bai Guyue would also receive a substantial amount of faith value.
"Since young friend Bai is in seclusion, let's go to the residence His Holiness the Pope arranged for us."
Dugu Bo took Dugu Yan by the hand and left.
When he met His Holiness the Pope, he had already been promised a residence of his own, a place in the Elder Hall, and a monthly stipend.
Dugu Bo did not care about the stipend. Having reached the Titled Douluo realm, he rarely spent Gold Soul Coins on purchases, and most of the Gold Soul Coins he possessed were spent on Dugu Yan.
Time flew by, and the week of secluded cultivation soon ended. Bai Guyue had already found a direction for his Self-Created Soul Skills, with only the final step remaining: testing their effects.
If they worked, he could complete the First Trial immediately.
Bai Guyue stepped out of his room and saw sunlight again after seven days, putting him in a splendid mood.
His gains over those seven days had been tremendous.
"Sunshine, at long last."
Bai Guyue took a deep breath.
"Oh, you've finally come out of seclusion. I thought you were going to stay in there even longer~"
A teasing voice reached Bai Guyue's ears. Just as he was about to turn his head to look, Bibi Dong stepped right up and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind.
"My darling husband, I've missed you to death. It's been a week-did you miss me?"
"No," Bai Guyue said, shaking his head.
"No?" Bibi Dong smiled. "I knew that would be your answer. Then let me see whether your body has stored up plenty of energy."
"Of course, as your wife, how could I disappoint my husband? So let me have a kiss first and see."
Seven days... a full seven days. She had finished dealing with all the remaining documents, and she had also gone seven days without sharing a bed with him.
She had wanted to drain him right away, but her man had only just come out, so she would settle for a little kiss first.
As for the rest, that could wait. She certainly couldn't hold up his God Trial.
Before Bai Guyue could answer, Bibi Dong had already kissed him, a lingering, passionate kiss neither of them could bear to end.
When the kiss ended, Bibi Dong still wanted more.
"That'll do for now. Husband, hurry up and work on your Self-Created Soul Skills!"
Bai Guyue glared at Bibi Dong, then went to an open area outside the room, where fallen leaves lay all around.
"Husband, I believe in you! When you're done, I'll tell you some good news."
Bibi Dong waved her flag and cheered him on.
"I hope it's good news!"
Bai Guyue was genuinely afraid the news would be so good that the shock would make him faint.
How could anything that good happen?
He wasn't a fool. There was no free lunch under heaven.
To contemplate his Self-Created Soul Skills, Bai Guyue immediately sat down cross-legged. Where Bibi Dong could not see, Bai Guyue was experiencing scenes of killing intent, while his six Soul Skills were continuously rehearsed in his mind until they reached perfection.
With the slightest stir of his thoughts, invisible killing intent shot from his sword and became fine, traceless Slaughter Marks that silently attached themselves to a nearby wooden stake. They pierced neither skin nor flesh and left no wounds, branding themselves only on the depths of the soul.
The fallen leaves around him also began to dance with the fluctuations of his sword intent.
In an instant, he grasped Mark Sword Leaves a Trace, which became an opening move in its own right, capable of stacking marks from a distance.
Immediately afterward, Su Mu's mind reached clarity, and he sensed the violent Soul Power lying dormant within the Slaughter Marks. He stirred his sword intent with a thunderous jolt, and every attached Slaughter Mark exploded in an instant.
An invisible shock wave of soul force erupted with a roar, destroying the targeted wooden stake.
In a single instant, Exploding Sword Shatters the Soul reached full mastery: one marked, the other detonated; one stored, the other killed.
"This..."
"When?"
Bibi Dong's face was full of shock.
When had he managed to cause that explosion? She clearly hadn't sensed the slightest fluctuation in his aura.
It was too strange.
Just what Self-Created Soul Skills had her darling husband comprehended?
It was terrifying.
"That darling husband of yours is quite impressive!"
"Just now, I paid a little closer attention and sensed an invisible mark strike directly into the wooden stake beside him."
The Rakshasa God's surprised voice rang out in Bibi Dong's mind.
"Why couldn't I sense it?" Bibi Dong was deeply puzzled. "I'm a Titled Douluo, after all."
The Rakshasa God laughed. "You are a Titled Douluo, that's true, but unless you pay close attention to that mark, you won't sense it at all. Unless it strikes the depths of your own soul, you won't detect it."
Understanding dawned on Bibi Dong, followed by a belated realization. "If that's the case, does that mean Xiao Bai's move is a combination skill?"
She had just seen Bai Guyue's fingers twitch. That must have been the motion to trigger the explosion.
"Probably, but you'll have to ask your darling husband about the details."
With that, the Rakshasa God disappeared.
She only looked in from time to time, and having come across this, she gave a little helpful reminder.
A moment later, Bai Guyue woke up. Seeing that the wooden stake had been blown to powder, he breathed a small sigh of relief.
"Good, good. It's done."
Bibi Dong clapped her hands in applause:
"That's my husband for you! Come, let me give you a kiss as your reward."
"Wait... you..."
Bai Guyue had only just emerged from his enlightenment and had yet to gather his wits when Bibi Dong's lips were already firmly pressed against his.
Another lingering, heated kiss followed. This one lasted even longer than the last, leaving even Bibi Dong somewhat lost in passion.
Seeing that Bibi Dong had no intention of stopping, Bai Guyue hurriedly pushed her away:
"Wait, just wait. Don't act like you're never going to stop."
"All right, all right. We'll have a more in-depth exchange later."
Bibi Dong had already become a little carried away by the kissing, but she still wiped the saliva from the corner of her mouth and straightened her clothes.
"How did you blow up that wooden stake just now?"