Back at the designated waiting spot, Huang Wei had activated his martial soul the moment Bibi Dong left, entering full defensive mode beneath his turtle shell.
Better safe than sorry. This is the Star Dou Forest—anything could happen.
As if summoning misfortune with that very thought—
GRRROOOWWWL...
A low, predatory growl rumbled from the nearby undergrowth.
Huang Wei's blood ran cold.
A massive tiger emerged from between the trees—easily three meters long, covered in distinctive black stripes across orange fur. Its teeth were like daggers, yellowed and sharp. A thick, bloody murderous aura clung to it like a second skin.
The beast's eyes locked onto Huang Wei with unmistakable hunger and greed.
Oh, come ON! Huang Wei's mind screamed. Sister Donger JUST left, and a freaking tiger shows up?! What kind of terrible luck is this?!
But then—
He froze.
A translucent system screen materialized before his eyes, visible only to him:
[System Status Update]
Martial Soul: Black Turtle
Talent: Turtle Longevity
Lifespan: 500 years
Soul Power: Level 13 (Rank 1 Soul Master)
Soul Skill: Defense (Passive: Counter-Damage Critical Hit Lv.1, Turtle Shell Enhancement Lv.1)
Equipment: Thornmail, Defensive Statikk Shiv
Counter-Damage Rate: 100%
Critical Hit Rate: 50%
Huang Wei's eyes scanned the updated information, and his expression shifted rapidly—confusion, then surprise, then absolute delight.
Three levels in one go?! My defense skyrocketed!
According to the system data, he should now be able to block attacks from Soul Elders. The specifics would require testing, of course, but the theory was solid.
And for Soul Masters and above? Their damage would be weakened by both his turtle shell and the Thornmail's effects, then reflected back as a percentage of the original attack.
They'd literally be beating themselves up. Perfect.
A slow grin spread across his face. This is going to be fun.
Bibi Dong watched Huang Wei's expression cycle through a dozen different emotions in rapid succession, and something like concern flickered across her features.
Did something go wrong during the absorption? Is he... brain-damaged?
"Little Wei? Little Wei!" she called out, her voice sharp with worry.
The sound jolted Huang Wei back to reality. He blinked rapidly and refocused on her. "Teacher? What's wrong?"
Bibi Dong studied him with an odd expression. "Are you alright?"
Huang Wei realized how strange he must have looked, staring off into space with his face contorting. He quickly shook his head. "Teacher, I'm fine! Completely fine!"
"What is your first soul skill?" Bibi Dong asked, curiosity replacing her concern.
"Defense," Huang Wei answered simply.
Bibi Dong waited. When nothing more came, she blinked. "That's... it? Just 'Defense'?"
"Yep. That's all." Huang Wei's eyes suddenly gleamed with mischief. "Hey, Teacher—how about you try attacking me using Great Soul Master-level power? I want to test the limits!"
His soul skills weren't actually granted by the soul beast itself. The Thornmail Turtle had merely served as a key to unlock his breakthrough—a shackle to break through the level threshold. It had no other real purpose, which meant any turtle-type soul beast would have worked just fine.
But Bibi Dong didn't know that. And Huang Wei wasn't about to explain the system's mechanics just yet.
"Very well."
Bibi Dong nodded, her expression shifting to something more serious.
Two soul rings rose from the ground, circling her body—both yellow, the mark of a Great Soul Master. Her martial soul activated, and a spectral spider materialized around her form.
It was ugly—grotesque and radiating pure malevolence.
The aura made Huang Wei's spine tingle with instinctive dread.
Okay, that's creepy as hell.
He immediately entered defensive mode. His first soul ring lit up, and the turtle shell encasing him became more solid, more real—the emerald glow intensifying.
Bibi Dong gathered soul power—precisely level twenty—and activated her first soul skill. Her strike shot forward like a viper—
BANG!
The impact reverberated through the clearing.
But the turtle shell held. More than held—it nullified the attack completely, as if it had hit an immovable object.
At the same instant, Bibi Dong gasped.
Electric current crackled across her body—Statikk Shiv's effect—and paralysis locked her muscles. A sharp, searing pain exploded through her torso, completely bypassing her soul power defenses.
Her eyes went wide. What—?!
Despite being a Titled Douluo, her physical body itself was relatively fragile—a common weakness among soul masters who focused on cultivation rather than body tempering.
And that weakness had just been exploited.
Bibi Dong's expression changed drastically. Her remaining seven soul rings erupted into existence—two purple, four black, one red—nine rings total, blazing with overwhelming power. The aura of a Titled Douluo flooded the area like a tidal wave.
She channeled soul power in a desperate burst, fighting against the lingering counter-damage effects until finally neutralizing them.
But even then, a tingling aftershock remained in her body, refusing to fade completely.
Meanwhile, Huang Wei stood inside his turtle shell, completely unharmed. He blinked innocently at the sight of Bibi Dong's nine soul rings floating magnificently around her.
Two yellow, two purple, four black, one red... Wow. She really went all out there.
Judging by her slightly disheveled appearance, she'd definitely felt that counterattack.
Huang Wei suppressed a laugh. Physical durability is the weakness of most soul masters on the Douluo Continent. Even combat-oriented or defensive martial soul users aren't immune.
He adopted his most innocent expression. "Teacher, how do you feel?"
Bibi Dong forced herself to appear calm, smoothing her robes with practiced grace. "Your defense is... exceptional. How do you feel?"
Huang Wei scratched his head sheepishly. "Honestly? I didn't feel anything at all."
"..."
Bibi Dong's eye twitched.
Nothing. He felt NOTHING.
The boy's defense was absolutely abnormal. Not only did it reflect damage, but how could a level twenty attack—even with just her first soul skill—cause her, a Titled Douluo, such intense pain?
The answer, of course, was the critical hit effect. But she didn't know that.
The most terrifying part? Thornmail's counter-damage ignored level differences entirely.
Even if a god attacked him, they'd still take 100% reflected damage.
"Teacher," Huang Wei said brightly, "want to try level thirty power? I want to see where my defensive limits really are!"
His tone was so earnest, so eager.
Bibi Dong's expression froze.
He wants me to hit him HARDER?
She'd just used her first soul skill at level twenty and nearly doubled over from the backlash. If she increased to level thirty... wouldn't the counter-effect be even more intense?
But her curiosity warred with her self-preservation instincts. And as his teacher, she should help him understand his capabilities...
She sighed. "...Fine."
This time, she activated her third soul ring, raising her power output to level thirty.
Then—hesitantly—she reduced it slightly. Just a bit. For safety.
No need to go overboard. Just enough to test...
She gathered the soul power and struck toward Huang Wei's turtle shell again.
There's no other way. The only method to hurt him is to break through that shell first.