After Yang Xiong and Lin Gong departed from the battlefield, a terrifying aura emanated from their former location—the unmistakable energy signature of a battle between two Titled Douluo-level powerhouses. The surrounding area for hundreds of meters appeared to be devastated in an instant, with terrifying soul skills being unleashed continuously.
Lin Gong stared at the distant battle, traces of hatred and helplessness evident in his weathered eyes.
Yang Xiong asked with concern, "Teacher Lin Gong, was Chrysanthemum Douluo the one who attacked you years ago?"
Lin Gong smiled with bitter irony. "You're perceptive, young man. The person who attempted to steal my spirit bone back then was indeed Chrysanthemum Douluo. If I hadn't sought refuge within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, I would have lost my life long ago."
Yang Xiong seemed to recall something important. "Teacher Lin, I remember you mentioned that you used to travel with Dragon Duke. With the combined strength of both of you, couldn't you have dealt with Chrysanthemum Douluo?"
Lin Gong shook his head sorrowfully. "Back then, Meng Shu and I didn't possess the strength we have now. It was precisely because my head spirit bone attracted Chrysanthemum Douluo's attention that tragedy struck. We were originally traveling as a trio of companions, but one of them was killed by Chrysanthemum Douluo while defending us. Both Meng Shu and I were severely injured. We haven't maintained contact since that incident because of the guilt and blame."
Yang Xiong responded quickly, "This wasn't your fault at all. Dragon Duke should direct his anger toward Chrysanthemum Douluo."
Lin Gong's face displayed traces of deep helplessness. "Chrysanthemum Douluo is not only individually powerful, but he also has the terrifying Spirit Hall organization supporting him. No one dares to provoke him easily. That friend died to save my life, so it's completely understandable that Meng Shu harbors resentment toward me."
"If I hadn't been sheltered within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School all these years, I'm afraid Chrysanthemum Douluo would have eliminated me long ago. However, Chrysanthemum Douluo is unpredictable and acts strangely. I don't know if he refrained from attacking me just now because he was concerned about Dugu Bo's presence, otherwise we would be in serious trouble."
Yang Xiong seemed to consider something. "Teacher Lin, haven't you ever contemplated revenge during all these years? Chrysanthemum Douluo isn't truly invincible."
Lin Gong sighed deeply. "How difficult is it to achieve revenge? No matter how intensively I practice, I'm ultimately limited by my early foundation and missed opportunities. In recent years, my soul power hasn't improved at all. I'm afraid I won't be able to take revenge in this lifetime."
Yang Xiong observed the distant battle with curiosity. Without Tang San's hidden weapons to provide assistance, would Dugu Bo be killed by Chrysanthemum Douluo? After all, the difference in their soul power levels remained relatively substantial.
"Teacher Lin, you've been researching martial souls and engaging in educational work within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School all these years. Could it be that you hoped to accept a disciple who could help you achieve revenge in the future?"
Lin Gong smiled with resignation. "I did harbor such thoughts in the past, but now I've already let go of those aspirations. After all, this represents a grudge from more than twenty years ago, and there's no need to involve young people in such old conflicts."
At this moment, Lin Gong suddenly became serious and intense. "Yang Xiong, I know you possess ambitions, goals, and grand aspirations. Your talent and opportunities are also exceptional, but you must remember one crucial thing: never reveal your trump cards until the most critical moment arrives. I caused this tragedy because I possessed a valuable treasure, and you remain too weak currently. Don't allow youthful vigor to cloud your judgment."
Yang Xiong nodded with unusual gravity. "Teacher Lin, please don't worry. I won't reveal my secrets carelessly."
After this brief but meaningful conversation, the two quickly departed the area. This type of Titled Douluo-level battle was not something outsiders could safely observe. A moment of carelessness could result in being killed by the combatants' stray attacks.
Yang Xiong originally wanted to intervene somehow, but Lin Gong firmly grabbed him and forced their departure.
According to Yang Xiong's estimation, Dugu Bo's chances in this battle were quite slim. Even if he didn't die, he would likely be severely injured.
His pair of Exploding Dragon Claws needed to be completely integrated with his body, and the best method would be to utilize the spring water of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Perhaps he could harness the power of ice and fire within the spring water to completely integrate the spirit bones, allowing him to use them with confidence.
Cultivation Progress and New Abilities
After hurriedly returning to his dormitory, Yang Xiong began organizing the substantial gains from his soul ring hunting expedition in Sunset Forest.
After absorbing the soul ring from the four-thousand-three-hundred-year Silver Horn Tyrant Dragon, his soul power had reached the peak of level thirty-two, putting him not far from achieving level thirty-three.
Simultaneously, Yang Xiong had obtained an exceptionally powerful soul skill: Tyrant Dragon Rage.
When utilizing this soul skill, his muscles would swell dramatically, and dragon patterns would appear across his entire body, as if the Silver Horn Tyrant Dragon had possessed him. His attack power, defensive capabilities, and physical strength would all double, while his attacks gained armor-penetrating effects. The enhancement lasted for a full hour.
Yang Xiong felt extremely satisfied with this soul skill. This represented a top-quality amplification soul skill. If he employed this ability, Yang Xiong now possessed confidence to battle against elite Spirit Grand Masters. If he utilized all his hidden capabilities, he could even engage Spirit Kings in combat.
In particular, Yang Xiong sensed that after absorbing this beyond-limit soul ring, the meridians throughout his body seemed to have been significantly opened and enhanced. Although achieving completely unobstructed meridian flow throughout his entire body might not be possible yet, his condition was vastly improved from before. Even his cultivation speed would be enhanced to a certain degree.
Yang Xiong held a deep blue sphere in his right hand—the Rasengan technique. At this moment, he was multitasking, summoning his martial soul and spirit rings while beginning to draw energy from his third spirit ring to gradually merge into the Rasengan. The deep blue Rasengan gradually began transforming as traces of gold slowly appeared within its core. As increasing amounts of energy poured in, the original deep blue sphere gradually turned golden.
Yang Xiong's absorption of the Silver Horn Tyrant Dragon's soul ring had been undertaken after considerable deliberation. Although he had obtained an amplification soul skill, the armor-breaking attribute within the ability should obviously derive from the metallic properties possessed by the Silver Horn Tyrant Dragon.
After several years of intensive training, Yang Xiong's multitasking control had almost reached the sixth level of the Six Aperture As You Wish Heart realm, and his control over spirit rings and soul power had become increasingly refined.
Yang Xiong felt that when the Rasengan turned golden, the entire technique seemed to possess a powerful cutting aura, with significantly greater power than its original deep blue form.
At this moment, Yang Xiong continued multitasking as energy from his second spirit ring also began gradually pouring into the Rasengan. The sphere, which had already begun turning golden, now displayed traces of green energy.
However, unexpectedly, after two different energies merged into the Rasengan, they produced an extremely strong repulsive force. Within just a few minutes, the Rasengan's energy consumption increased dramatically and began gradually trending toward collapse.
But at this moment, Yang Xiong felt even more excited. His prediction had been correct. If multiple energies were integrated into the Rasengan, it would indeed produce explosive effects, similar to the Buddha's Angry Fire Lotus from a certain masterwork in his previous life.
With Yang Xiong's current control over soul power and mental force, he still couldn't successfully fuse multiple energies together. However, Yang Xiong sensed that this advanced version of the Rasengan possessed infinite potential. As his soul power increased and he mastered additional energy types, this technique would likely become extraordinarily terrifying.
Physical Transformation and Five Elements Theory
At this moment, Yang Xiong felt as though significant changes had occurred within his body. The effects of absorbing two spirit rings hadn't been particularly obvious originally, but now, after absorbing the third spirit ring, he sensed that his internal organs seemed to be growing stronger.
Yang Xiong himself didn't know exactly where his first spirit ring's spatial attribute had been enhanced within his body. However, the enhancements from his second and third spirit rings were quite obvious. Especially after absorbing the third spirit ring, the two different attributes within his body showed no signs of rejection. This represented the greatest advantage of a Body Avatar martial soul—its ability to accommodate various spirit rings and energy types.
Wood attribute energy corresponded to the liver. Normally, the liver possessed characteristics and functions of growth, upward movement, and smooth circulation, which were compatible with the growth and ascending characteristics of wood attribute energy.
Metal attribute energy corresponded to the lungs. The lungs possessed characteristics and functions of purification, descending movement, convergence, and cleansing, which aligned with the purification and convergence characteristics of metal attribute energy.
After absorbing these two spirit rings, these two organ systems seemed to have been greatly enhanced. Especially after absorbing the Silver Horn Tyrant Dragon's spirit ring, Yang Xiong felt that his killing intent had become much stronger, and even his breathing seemed to carry a certain murderous aura.
Compared to the all-encompassing nature of Tai Chi philosophy, the Five Elements seemed to embody principles of mutual generation and mutual restraint, appearing to contain additional universal laws.
At this moment, Yang Xiong became increasingly confident in his cultivation plan. If he truly absorbed spirit rings containing the five energies of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, when the Five Elements became complete, not only would the Rasengan's power be multiplied, but his five internal organs would also become incredibly powerful. It might even be possible for energies beyond the Douluo World's normal scope to manifest.
Purple Demon Eye Breakthrough
Early the next morning, Yang Xiong continued pulling Ning Rongrong along to practice the Purple Demon Eye technique together. Originally, comprehension had been virtually impossible when he was a Great Spirit Master, but upon reaching the Spirit Grand Master realm, Yang Xiong looked at the brightening sky and felt as though purple energy was merging into his eyes. The Purple Demon Eye could be considered to have truly begun entering the foundational stage.
Originally, Yang Xiong's Purple Demon Eye practice had lagged behind Ning Rongrong's progress, but just during this first successful practice session, Yang Xiong felt that his eyesight seemed to have improved dramatically. He could see farther distances, observe details more clearly, and even perceive target positions from multiple angles simultaneously.
At this moment, Yang Xiong felt extremely surprised. It seemed that he had successfully entered the first level of the Purple Demon Eye: Detailed observation, which represented the true entry stage of this technique.
Compared to ordinary martial souls, a Body Avatar martial soul possessed tremendous advantages. Every time a spirit ring was absorbed, soul power not only improved the physical body, but also enhanced the brain and visual systems. After all, the eyes and brain were merely components of the overall body.
During this improvement process, mental power and vision would also experience certain enhancements. In a sense, Yang Xiong should also be considered a spiritual-type soul master, and it would even be possible to pursue the spiritual cultivation path. Unfortunately, Yang Xiong had not been interested in this approach initially.
What Yang Xiong was contemplating was reaching the absolute peak of soul master development in terms of physical body, mental power, energy control, and overall constitution through the absorption of soul power and spirit rings, without possessing any significant weaknesses.
"Rongrong, I have successfully cultivated the Purple Demon Eye to the Detailed realm."
Ning Rongrong directly kissed Yang Xiong on the cheek. "Little rascal, you did excellently. This is your reward."
Yang Xiong smiled playfully. "Isn't this reward a little too modest? I think I need to be rewarded several more times."
Ning Rongrong spat dismissively. "Look at your shameless behavior. This girl entered the Detailed realm much earlier than you. Perhaps in another year and a half, I will enter the Microscopic realm. You are much slower than me and need to continue working harder."
Yang Xiong smiled knowingly. "Rongrong, I went to Sunset Forest yesterday. Now I have absorbed my third spirit ring, and my soul power has reached level thirty-two."
Ning Rongrong's originally delicate little face suddenly became drooping with disappointment. "You scheming little rascal! I didn't expect that absorbing your third spirit ring would actually increase you by two full levels. I didn't expect you to surpass me so quickly. Doesn't that mean your soul power level is only one level lower than Xiao Wu, and even one level higher than this young lady?"
Yang Xiong smiled diplomatically. "This represents the result of my dedicated hard work. Otherwise, how could I properly protect you?"
Ning Rongrong's expression improved slightly. "No, I must work harder at cultivation. I absolutely cannot allow you to surpass me. I must reach level thirty-two as soon as possible."
Yang Xiong gently touched Ning Rongrong's silky hair, secretly amused. His cultivation speed was accelerating continuously, making it essentially impossible for this little girl to surpass him again. Moreover, Yang Xiong had no plans to provide immortal herbs for the time being. After all, there were many people at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, and complications might arise.
Team Progress and Unexpected Arrival
It had been almost four months since entering Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Under these favorable conditions, especially with access to various resources, simulated environments, and even different spirit beast meat supplements, the Shrek Seven Devils had also made remarkable progress recently. Among them, Tang San had shown the highest improvement, now almost at the peak of level thirty-four and very close to achieving level thirty-five.
Dai Mubai had already reached level thirty-nine, but he had never been able to break through to the crucial level forty milestone.
Oscar had also achieved level thirty-two, but unfortunately, as a food-type soul master, his improvement remained relatively slow compared to battle-oriented soul masters.
Ning Rongrong was level thirty-one, having just increased after absorbing her spirit ring.
Zhu Zhuqing had reached level twenty-nine, Ma Hongjun was also level twenty-nine, and Qin Shuang had just achieved level twenty-eight.
In terms of age, Yang Xiong, Ning Rongrong, Tang San and the others were now thirteen years old.
However, Yang Xiong felt that the gap between himself and Tang San would continue to shrink. Originally, there had been a difference of four levels when he first entered the academy, but now there was only a two-level difference.
However, when Yang Xiong accompanied Ning Rongrong and the others to training on this particular day, besides Yu Xiaogang, Flender and the other usual instructors, there was actually an unexpected person present.
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