Second Soul Ring

"Ah, aaah! We lost again! Tianshuang, it's all your fault. You keep using the same few moves over and over. If you'd cultivated to Soul Grandmaster sooner, we wouldn't have to be trampled by my sister and the others every day."

Shui Yue'er stamped her feet in frustration.

Across from them, Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu, who had just withdrawn their Martial Souls, smiled faintly. Shui Bing'er in particular had lost every sparring match after her first defeat at the hands of Yu Tianshuang and Shui Yue'er two years ago. Only after she and Xue Wu broke through to Soul Elder had they been able to steadily suppress the pair.

Remembering the arrogant words that cocky little brat Yu Tianshuang had spoken two years ago, Shui Bing'er secretly ground her teeth again. But when she saw Shui Yue'er complaining to him across from her, her mood immediately eased considerably.

Although his Soul Power was only level 19, its total amount was almost on par with hers and Xue Wu's. His physical strength in particular surpassed even Xue Wu, a three-ring Power Attack System Battle Soul Elder. It was truly hard to imagine he was a one-ring Soul Master. Fortunately, he cultivated slowly. Even that foodie Shui Yue'er had reached level 24, while he still hadn't broken through to Soul Grandmaster.

"All right, all right. Sister Bing'er and Sister Xue Wu are both Soul Elders now. It's perfectly normal to lose to them."

After comforting Shui Yue'er, who was stamping her feet and puffing out her cheeks in anger, Yu Tianshuang couldn't help thinking.

Over the past two years, he had cultivated his Soul Power to level 20 three times before finally bringing his physical strength and meridian width to the limit of the Soul Master realm. Only with his Innate Full Soul Power and the heaven-grade Frozen Sky Condensing Sea Art had he managed to avoid falling too many levels behind Shui Yue'er, who was the same age as him. It was hard to imagine how many times he would have to recultivate to reach the limit in later realms.

"First Soul Skill, Healing Coral Wave." Not far away, Yu Hairou, a Support System Soul Master, cast her healing Soul Skill on the four who had just finished their match, restoring their condition.

"It finally doesn't hurt anymore, and I'm warm again. Auntie, you should have put Sister Hairou on our team for the match. With her healing and dispelling, why would I have to be frozen into an ice block every day?"

Not far away, Shui Xinrou heard this and couldn't help saying with amusement, "If I put Sister Hairou on your team, how would the sparring do you any good? You little girl, you never cultivate properly. All you know is eat, eat, eat, day after day."

"That's not true! My level is five higher than Tianshuang's now."

"Tianshuang is... Never mind."

Just then, a sharp light flashed in the eyes of Yu Tianshuang, who was still sitting in meditation to recover his Soul Power. He said to Shui Xinrou, "Teacher, I'm level 20."

"Are you really level 20, or...?"

Shui Xinrou sounded pleasantly surprised, yet there was a question in her voice that only she and Yu Tianshuang understood.

"Teacher, I really am level 20."

Hearing Yu Tianshuang's affirmative answer, Shui Xinrou's gentle face lit up with joy. "Good. Tomorrow I'll take you to the Frozen Forest to hunt for a Soul Ring."

"Auntie, I want to go too! I stay at the academy every day and get bullied by my sister. I'm almost depressed."

"What would you go for? Stay at the academy and cultivate properly, or you'll hold Tianshuang back when he returns. Bing'er, while I'm away these next few days, make sure you keep a close eye on your sister. Don't let her spend every day doing nothing but playing around."

Shui Bing'er nodded and said with emphasis, "Don't worry, Auntie. I'll make sure to 'keep a close eye' on her."

Like an eggplant struck by frost, Shui Yue'er hung her head and shuffled toward the door, resigned to her fate.

Early the next morning, as Yu Tianshuang walked with Shui Xinrou toward the academy gates, he looked at the academy and his fellow students, all of which had become familiar to him over the past two years, and was filled with emotion.

Seeing that Yu Tianshuang was somewhat distracted, Shui Xinrou patted him on the shoulder. "What are you thinking about? I asked you a question."

"Oh, I was distracted just now. Oh, I've tested myself. My total Soul Power is equivalent to that of a level 32 Soul Elder with an optimal configuration. As for my physical strength, compared with Sister Xue Wu at level 32, I feel I'm more than twice as strong as her."

His Soul Power is equivalent to a level 32 Soul Elder's, and one with an optimal Soul Ring Configuration at that? He's only a Quasi-Soul Grandmaster and hasn't even attached his Second Soul Ring yet. His physical strength is even more outrageous. Although Xue Wu is a tool Soul Master, her Martial Soul, Delicate Dancing Snow Satin, is also an exceptionally high-quality Martial Soul. If he's more than twice as strong as her, wouldn't that put him about on par with a Soul Ancestor?

"Hmm... Once we reach the Frozen Forest, I'll test you more carefully. We'll try to get you a Soul Ring with the age best suited to you."

Heaven Dou Empire, outskirts of the Frozen Forest.

"Tianshuang, I'll start by exerting the Soul Power suppression of a level 39 Soul Elder on you. If you can't bear it, don't force yourself."

"All right, Teacher. Begin."

With that, Yu Tianshuang stood in place and drew his Soul Power inward, relying solely on his body to withstand Shui Xinrou's Soul Power suppression.

Level 40, and it hasn't put any pressure on him at all. It's hard to imagine he's only a Quasi-Soul Grandmaster.

At level 49, Shui Xinrou saw Yu Tianshuang's brow begin to furrow slightly. She asked with concern, "How is it? This is already level 49 Soul Power suppression. One more level and it'll be that of a level 50 Soul King."

"I can do it, Teacher. It's only a little difficult. I want to try."

With that, Yu Tianshuang closed his eyes and prepared to withstand Soul Power suppression at the Soul King level.

Bang! Yu Tianshuang dropped to one knee, beads of sweat the size of beans rolling down his forehead.

After adjusting for a while longer, Yu Tianshuang braced a hand against his thigh and shakily stood up.

"All right, there's no need to test further. Your physical strength has already reached the Soul King level, so I can hunt a Soul Ring for you according to a Soul King's level. Tianshuang, it's truly hard to imagine. You're only a Soul Grandmaster, yet your Second Soul Ring will be a black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring. I'm really amazed."

As they gradually made their way deeper into the Frozen Forest, they encountered many thousand-year Soul Beasts along the way, but all were frightened off by the Soul Power fluctuations Shui Xinrou released at the Soul Douluo level.

"We've been searching all morning, Tianshuang. Let's take a break. Have some rations and water to replenish your strength."

Yu Tianshuang took rations and water from the ring on his hand and handed them to Shui Xinrou. The two silently replenished their strength.

"Of the Soul Beasts with the Soul Skills I selected for you, which one do you like best?"

"Hmm... I think the Ice Ape Giant Gorilla's amplification skill is pretty good. It can greatly increase my strength and attack power."

"All right, then we'll focus on looking for an Ice Ape Giant Gorilla."

After resting, the two continued their search for Soul Beasts.

Another four hours passed. Just as the two had passed a hill, they sensed Soul Power fluctuations below.

"Soul Beasts should be fighting each other. Come on, let's go down and take a look."

When the two crossed the hill, they saw a giant ape about ten meters tall in a clearing on the plain below. Its entire body was covered in a layer of long, snow-white fur.

"It's an Ice Ape Giant Gorilla. Judging by its size, it should have just passed ten thousand years. Tianshuang, it's just right for you."

As she spoke, Shui Xinrou prepared to rush down and capture the giant ape. But just as she rose, a series of sounds came from the other side, which the ape had blocked from view.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. Sharp icicle spikes pierced through the ten-thousand-year giant ape's back, accompanied by the sounds of them cutting through the air. Its back was dyed red with blood, but the blood seeping from its wounds barely emerged before it froze.

The giant ape fell with a thunderous crash, and a three-meter-long tiger covered in snow-white fur slowly walked onto its corpse. Two long fangs extended from either side of the white tiger's upper jaw all the way down to its chin.

Standing atop the giant ape's corpse, the tiger, whose size was so much smaller than the ape's, raised its enormous head toward the sky and let out a long roar.

"A Frost Saber-Toothed Tiger, a king of the Frozen Forest. At the same age, only an Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion like the one you hunted last time can contend with it. This ten-thousand-year Frost Saber-Toothed Tiger can fight a Soul Saint-level Soul Master without falling behind. It's an extremely rare Soul Beast in the Frozen Forest."