A Year Later: Changes in Spirit Hall! The Day of the Final Battle Arrives

"How interesting. I never expected to find a Titled Douluo with a Body Martial Soul ten thousand years ago!"

Du Busi suddenly felt a strong urge to recruit Ghost Douluo.

He possessed a secret method for the Second Awakening of a Body Martial Soul. If he revealed it, he believed Ghost Douluo would join the Body Sect.

"A fine Martial Soul. If you're willing to join my sect, I can make your Martial Soul even stronger, and we'll let today's matter rest!"

"Make my Martial Soul stronger?" Ghost Douluo was stunned.

Before he could ask, Jin Yu's voice sounded from behind him. "Senior, you've only just arrived, and you're already trying to recruit one of Spirit Hall's titled elders. Isn't that a little improper?"

"What? They're from Spirit Hall? What a shame, what a shame!" Looking helpless, Du Busi promptly abandoned the idea of recruiting him.

"Your Holiness! Your Highness! Save us! Save us!"

Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo cried, their faces full of misery.

"Senior, please let them go," Jin Yu urged.

"Since they're Spirit Hall's elders, it would hardly be proper for me to keep attacking them." Du Busi withdrew his power.

"Thank you, Your Holiness, Your Highness!"

Gratitude filled Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo's faces. They scrambled to their feet and fled in a sorry state to stand behind Jin Yu and Qian Renxue.

Those two followed Bibi Dong for many years and became that woman's trusted aides long ago. Now that Bibi Dong has stepped down, I don't know whether their loyalty lies with her or Spirit Hall.

It's time to sound them out, Jin Yu thought.

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo were two talents worth nurturing. They possessed a powerful Martial Soul Fusion Skill.

Moreover, Du Busi had confirmed that Ghost Douluo possessed a Body Martial Soul. If he obtained the Body Sect's secret method, his upper limit would be even higher.

The same went for Chrysanthemum Douluo. If he absorbed a Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, an Immortal Herb identical to his Martial Soul, his potential would be just as great.

"Elders Yue Guan and Gui Mei, come with me."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

The two followed Jin Yu, Qian Renxue, and Ye Guyi as they left.

They returned to the Pope's Palace and found an empty hall to talk in.

"Your Holiness, Your Highness, what... what did you wish to speak to us about?" Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo sensed that something was wrong with the atmosphere.

Qian Renxue's expression sharpened. "Elders, I want to ask you: does your loyalty now lie with Bibi Dong or Spirit Hall?"

"This...!"

They knew it was time to declare their loyalty. "Your Holiness! The two of us are, of course, loyal to Spirit Hall! Now that Bibi Dong is no longer the Pope, we naturally no longer serve her!"

"We have always served Spirit Hall! Please see the truth, Your Holiness!"

A commanding presence surged around Qian Renxue. "Very well. Then I ask you both to remember what you said today. If I learn that you are still secretly serving Bibi Dong, don't blame Spirit Hall for showing no mercy."

A trace of fear crossed Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo's faces, and they hurriedly dropped to their knees. "Rest assured, Your Holiness, we have no divided loyalties!"

Qian Renxue and Jin Yu exchanged a glance and nodded to themselves.

Jin Yu then took out the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum. "Elder Yue Guan, I imagine you recognize this Immortal Herb?"

Chrysanthemum Douluo was so excited that even his delicately poised fingers went stiff. "This is... this is...!"

"That's right. This is the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum."

"If, over the next few years, the two of you truly prove unwavering in your loyalty, I'll give you this Immortal Herb. Furthermore, I also have a way to make Elder Gui Mei's Martial Soul stronger and ensure that he reaches at least level 97 in the future."

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo were both overjoyed. This time, they gave him their full allegiance. "Thank you, Your Highness! We swear to serve Spirit Hall with our lives!"

Three days later.

Qian Daoliu gathered all of Spirit Hall's titled elders, along with the Soul Douluo whose Soul Power had reached the peak of level 89, and taught them the method of condensing a Soul Core as a group.

Once these Titled Douluo had all condensed their first Soul Cores, their Soul Power was certain to advance within a few short years, and Spirit Hall would gain a new group of Titled Douluo.

Under the influence of Soul Cores, Spirit Hall was growing stronger through gradual, unseen changes.

For the time that followed, Jin Yu continued studying the second layer of the Crocodile Emperor Art, while Qian Renxue continued learning about Soul Tools from Ye Guyi.

The Body Sect made up the seven Mystic Water Pills and Soul Ascension Pills it still owed Spirit Hall.

Spirit Hall also returned from the sea with a batch of Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue it had hunted down.

Jin Yu was allocated another two Mystic Water Pills and two pieces of ten-thousand-year resources. Taking them with him, he once again entered seclusion to cultivate and study.

Each month, he took one Mystic Water Pill and one piece of Whale Rubber.

After he absorbed their medicinal properties, Jin Yu's physique grew noticeably stronger once more. Tempered by the Crocodile Emperor Art, his physical strength had nearly reached the Soul Douluo level.

"My physique has grown at a terrifying rate this past month. Without even channeling Soul Power, I feel I could kill a low-level Soul Elder with one punch using my physical Qi and blood alone!"

Jin Yu clenched his fist, his face alight with excitement. "There's one last piece of Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue and one Mystic Water Pill left!"

"I'll take them!"

He continued cultivating and refining, taking his third Mystic Water Pill and piece of Whale Rubber.

But this time, the effects of the Whale Rubber and Mystic Water Pill were already very slight.

Jin Yu sighed. "As expected, whether it's Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue or Mystic Water Pills, after taking at most three pieces of Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue and three Mystic Water Pills, the effects are practically negligible by the fourth time."

"That's as far as resources can take me. From now on, I'll have to rely entirely on the Crocodile Emperor Art to temper my body!"

Day after day, Jin Yu cultivated without tiring, almost to the point of madness.

Time hurried by, passing in the blink of an eye.

The battle between Jin Yu and Long Aotian, set for a year later, was fast approaching.

Tomorrow was the day of their battle.

During that year, all of Spirit Hall's Titled Douluo experts had condensed their first Soul Cores, and three Soul Douluo at the peak of level 89 had broken through to the titled rank as a result.

Spirit Hall had gained three more titled experts.

The first was Ye Batian, the Two-Winged Angel and commander of the Angel Legion, at level 91.

The second was Holy Dragon Douluo Tuoba Xi, at level 91, from one of the Lower Four Sects of the Seven Great Sects, which had always been affiliated with Spirit Hall. He had reached the titled realm ahead of time.

The last was another high-ranking member of Spirit Hall, Demon Wolf Douluo, at level 91.

Thanks to this overall improvement brought about by the Soul Cores, progress on the Spirit Hall destruction mission had risen to 45%, just 5% short.

Qian Renxue had become a Level 2 Soul Engineer and was working toward becoming a Level 3 Soul Engineer. She had entered the Soul Emperor realm and reached level 62.

Ye Guyi's Soul Power had risen from level 49 to level 54, making her a Soul King.

Jin Yu, meanwhile, had risen from level 45 to level 49, and his physique was on par with a Soul Douluo's.

"Tomorrow is the day of my battle with Long Aotian. What a shame, I'm just a little short! Just a little more, and I could have comprehended the second layer of the Crocodile Emperor Art."

Jin Yu's intent of emulating the crocodile had already taken shape.

All that remained was the most crucial step: merging the intent of emulating the crocodile with his spiritual power, Soul Power, Qi and blood, and Martial Soul. He was confident he could complete that step within a week.

But he was out of time.

"Without the boost from the second layer of the Crocodile Emperor Art, defeating Long Aotian with my current strength alone will be extremely difficult. Tomorrow is bound to be a bloody battle!" Jin Yu felt immense pressure.

The next day!

The Body Sect's Soul Fighting Arena.

Both sides had already assembled.

Jin Yu, Holy Son of Spirit Hall, and Long Aotian, chief disciple of the Body Sect-their final battle was about to begin!