Chapter Thirty-Two: Setting Out for Tiandou

“Ding. As the host’s soul power has reached level 40, new missions are now issued:”

“1. Gold-level task: Obtain a ten-thousand-year soul ring independently, without external assistance.”
“2. Red-level task: Absorb a ten-thousand-year soul ring with the help of others if necessary.”
“3. Black-level task: For the fourth soul ring, absorb one that is over five thousand years old.”
“4. Purple-level task: Absorb the fourth soul ring within the normal age range.”

At the moment when Xiao Yu broke through to level 40, the system released these new tasks.

A ten-thousand-year soul ring...

Looking at the missions issued by the system, Xiao Yu’s gaze unconsciously lingered on the topmost ten-thousand-year soul ring. In the original story, Tang San absorbed a ten-thousand-year soul ring for his fourth, stunning the entire Soul Master Tournament. Having already outpaced Tang San at the starting line, Xiao Yu would not fall behind. However, as Xiao Wu once said in the original, absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring is not only a test of the Soul Master’s physical prowess; the soul shock caused by the soul beast’s lingering spirit during absorption is also a trial of the Soul Master’s mental strength.

When a high-level soul beast dies, its powerful spirit lingers for a long time and does not dissipate easily, causing soul shock during soul ring absorption.

Generally, a level-50 Soul Master has the foundation of four previous soul rings, with all abilities developed to a certain degree; spiritual power has grown, and absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring is relatively easier, though caution is still required. It is not guaranteed success, and Xiao Yu believes that in the history of Soul Masters, some at level fifty have still died from body explosion during absorption.

If even level-50 Soul Masters face risks, how much more so for those at level forty with weaker strength? Not only does the immense energy surge during absorption threaten them, but their immature soul power, when struck by powerful soul shock, can render them mindless or even dead.

Tang San managed to absorb a ten-thousand-year soul ring for several reasons: firstly, he was reborn, his soul power already far stronger than ordinary people; secondly, his Purple-God Eyes greatly weakened the soul beast’s resentment before death; thirdly, celestial herbs—Fiery Apricot and Eight-Leaf Ice Grass—tempered his body, transforming him and vastly increasing his resilience, while Autumn Water Dew greatly boosted his mental power; lastly, his external soul bone, Eight Spider Lances, allowed him to rely on devouring abilities at critical moments to relieve absorption pressure.

Xiao Yu was cautious. Though confident his spiritual power and physical strength surpassed ordinary Soul Masters, it was not enough. Without absolute certainty, he would not take risks. Since there’s precedence, he only needed to follow the example. Thus, Tang San, the celestial herbs of the Yin-Yang Ice and Fire Eyes are no longer yours!

This journey to Heaven Dou was not just for the celestial herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eyes; Xiao Yu had several other reasons:

First, to catch two birds with one stone. Since he was heading to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eyes, the gatekeeper, Title Douluo Dugu Bo, could not be overlooked. Though Dugu Bo was the weakest among the Title Douluo, his group attack abilities were the most terrifying—he might not be able to kill a Title Douluo, but he could ensure only the Title Douluo survives on the opposing side.

Second, in Lou Gao’s relentless and nearly fanatical forging and research, Xiao Yu’s soul tool skills had soared. He could now steadily craft level-six soul tools and was pushing for level seven. Among his disciples, Si Long, the most gifted, could skillfully craft level-five soul tools, while the other three were beginning to attempt it. Low-level soul tools were now being produced in bulk.

With a large inventory of soul tools, but Sylvia Kingdom ranking last among Heaven Dou’s four subordinate kingdoms with no wealthy clients, he needed to find new markets—such as the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, ranked second among the top three sects.

Third was Ye Lingling, the timid girl who had graduated from the Soul Master Academy months ago. Since enrolling at Heaven Dou Royal Soul Master Academy, she sent him a letter every ten days or so, always inviting him to meet in Heaven Dou City and mentioning the academy’s excellent resources. Xiao Yu suspected she hadn’t given up on persuading him to join the Royal Academy.

Though he would never join the Royal Academy, meeting Ye Lingling was not out of the question. On one hand, her earnest invitation was hard to refuse, and he missed her shy demeanor. On the other, he planned to recruit Ye Lingling’s Nine Heart Begonia clan—a top-tier healing martial soul in the auxiliary system, sharing the fatal flaw of no attack power with the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda. Soul tools could bridge this gap, and as a gift for their first meeting, it would be quite suitable.

Before setting off for Heaven Dou, both Eden and Ikki had reached the peak of level 39 and were on the verge of breaking through to level 40. Both chose to retreat and cultivate, while Io had broken through level 30 some time ago. Affairs at the Soul Arena were on pause, so the sect arranged for Miao and Luni, two Soul Saints, to escort him for soul ring hunting. Purple Dragon was at the peak of level 38, still some way from level 40, so he could accompany Xiao Yu to Heaven Dou.

Xie Wu currently had soul power at level 35, and Mi Yimei was nearing level 37. Though their breakthroughs to level 30 were close in time, their innate soul power differed by one level—revealing a gap in talent that would only widen with time.

Before departing, Xiao Yu planned to tally recent mission rewards and recruit more strong allies for the sect.

Currently, Xiao Yu possessed one red-level summoning card, two black-level cards, five purple-level cards, and several yellow-level cards. The red-level card was a reward for Lou Gao’s creation of a level-six soul tool; the black-level cards came from the Nine Stars Team winning the Gold Soul Badge and twenty consecutive victories at the Soul Arena. The remaining purple and yellow cards were rewards for win streaks, sect influence expansion, beginner forging of four- and five-level soul tools, and exchanges for low-level white summoning cards.

“Leave the purple and yellow summoning cards untouched. Use all the black and red summoning cards,” Xiao Yu focused and issued the command to the system. He decided to save the purple and yellow cards, aiming to exchange them for higher-level summoning cards, since black and red cards guaranteed better outcomes.

“Ding. Black-level character draw complete. Congratulations, host, you have obtained Soma, the Young Lion of the Bronze Saints from the Omega era—Martial Soul: Blazing Lion, innate soul power level 9, current soul power level 37.”

“Ding. Black-level character draw complete. Congratulations, host, you have obtained Yuna, the Bronze Saint of the Eagle constellation from the Omega era—Martial Soul: Whirlwind Eagle, innate soul power level 9, current soul power level 35.”

“Ding. Red-level character draw complete. Congratulations, host, you have obtained Aiolia, the Gold Saint of the Lion constellation from the SS era—Martial Soul: Golden Lion, innate soul power level 9.5, current soul power level 95.”