Chapter 68: Returning to the Soul-Hunting Forest

Yu Tianheng thought of a possibility—it must have been the martial soul fusion that caused the strange sensation he had just experienced. Tianlin nodded in agreement, as he had come to the same conclusion. If it were true, the combat power of their Emperor Battle Team would see a massive boost. At that moment, Dugu Yan finally woke up completely. She stared blankly at her hands and said in disbelief, "My soul power... it increased by eight levels! From level 31 to level 39!" "Eight levels! Looks like among all of us, Sister Yan has benefited the most," Tianlin teased as he nudged Yu Tianheng with his elbow. "Hey, Brother Tianheng, your girlfriend just surpassed you. Be careful—she might start bullying you!" "Cut it out. Yan and I are doing great. Her improvement makes me happy, not jealous," Yu Tianheng said as he stepped forward and held Dugu Yan's hands. With deep affection, he said, "Yan'er, no matter how strong you become, I'll always stand in front of you to protect you. That's my lifelong promise as Yu Tianheng." "Mm!" Dugu Yan blushed deeply and nodded. She also felt the resonance between her martial soul and Yu Tianheng's, as if their hearts had grown even closer. The two shamelessly displayed their affection, completely ignoring the others present. Oslo, Yu Feng, and the Shi brothers were all thoroughly disheartened. The excitement from their breakthroughs felt like it had been doused with a bucket of cold water. Not long after, Gu Ran, the last of them, finally woke up. Since his foundation was the weakest, he absorbed the medicinal power the slowest. Fortunately, after consuming the Iron Armor Peony, he had undergone a qualitative transformation. While he might not stand out in the Emperor Battle Team in the future, he would at least be able to keep up with their cultivation pace. Later, Tianlin visited the imperial palace to meet Xue Qinghe. As Ning Fengzhi's disciple and the empire's crown prince, Tianlin naturally couldn't forget to invite her to their upcoming gathering. Xue Qinghe already knew about the matter, as someone from Spirit Hall had informed her in advance. However, she didn't care much. Growing up in the Worship Hall, she was well aware of the overwhelming power of those Titled Douluo. A newly promoted Titled Douluo would likely stand no chance against even one or two moves from them. What truly delighted Xue Qinghe was Tianlin's return. That night, Tianlin couldn't leave, as Xue Qinghe kept him there to cultivate the Heavenly Snow Power together. As Tianlin's soul power increased, the Heavenly Snow Power became even more powerful. Qian Renxue felt that her cultivation speed had significantly improved—her soul power refined faster, and its circulation became smoother. This only strengthened her resolve. Tianlin—she must bring him back to the Worship Hall. Tianlin, however, also noticed the situation. He needed to find a way to reduce his visits here. Otherwise, if he kept helping Qian Renxue cultivate, wouldn't that be equivalent to aiding the enemy? Although the Heavenly Snow Power benefited him more, Qian Renxue's alignment with Spirit Hall made it impossible for Tianlin to fully trust her. If Qian Renxue weren't from Spirit Hall, he would have considered sharing the immortal herb with her. Unfortunately, their eventual confrontation was inevitable. Tianlin wouldn't dig his own grave. ... The next day, Tianlin finally escaped Xue Qinghe's grasp. By the time he returned, the rest of the Emperor Battle Team, along with Teacher Qin Ming, were already waiting for him at the academy gates. Among them, only the Shi brothers and Yu Tianheng were absent, as they had to return to their families to deliver the invitations meant for their clan leaders. The others, however, planned to use this time to visit the Soul-Hunting Forest to help the four members who had reached level 30 hunt for soul beasts. For most people, the maximum age limit for a third soul ring is 1,760 years. For this, there was no need to venture into large soul beast habitats like the Star Dou Forest or Sunset Forest. The Soul-Hunting Forest would suffice. The most powerful soul beast in the Soul-Hunting Forest was only about ten thousand years old. With Qin Ming's current strength, there was virtually no danger. To further guarantee success, Qin Ming had even invited his girlfriend, Zhou Yan, to join them. Zhou Yan was also a Soul King, though her combat strength was far inferior to Qin Ming's. She was only at level 51. However, her spirit abilities made her an ideal helper for hunting soul beasts. After presenting Qin Ming's Heaven Dou Imperial Academy top-tier teacher credentials, the group easily entered the Soul-Hunting Forest. The Soul-Hunting Forest was jointly managed by the Empire and Spirit Hall, so both Spirit Hall tokens and academy teacher certifications were valid for entry. To find thousand-year soul beasts, they bypassed the outskirts of the forest, where only ten- to hundred-year-old beasts roamed, and headed straight for the forest's core. Their luck was excellent. Shortly after entering, they encountered a 1,300-year-old Electric Spider. Based on its attributes, this soul beast wasn't suitable for anyone other than Tianlin, who had already obtained his third soul ring and didn't need it. However, there was an exception—Ye Lingling. She didn't need to consider attributes when absorbing soul rings. As long as the age limit was appropriate, any soul ring would do. This was because no matter what kind of soul ring she absorbed, her spirit ability would always be the same: a large-scale group healing ability. The more soul rings she had and the higher her soul power, the stronger her healing ability. Now, it also included soul power restoration. As a result, Ye Lingling's soul rings were always the easiest to find—age was the only factor that mattered. After confirming their target, Qin Ming signaled to Zhou Yan, who immediately activated her martial soul. A pair of beautiful butterfly wings extended from Zhou Yan's back, scattering scales as they fluttered. "Third Spirit Ability: Sleep Powder!" Because it was a sneak attack, the Electric Spider, caught completely off guard, was swiftly put to sleep and collapsed on the ground. In its slumber, Ye Lingling ended its life—a sort of mercy killing. The 1,300-year-old soul ring was easily absorbed by Ye Lingling. In less than an hour, she completed the process and officially advanced to the Soul Elder rank. Her soul power reached level 35. The Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid had increased her soul power by a full seven levels. Witnessing this, the other three couldn't help but grow anxious. They also wanted to become Soul Elders as soon as possible and test their soul power levels. However, finding suitable spirit beasts wasn't so easy. Gu Ran needed a strength-type beast, Oslo sought a speed-type one, and Yu Feng required a flying-type beast. Their requirements were far more specific than Ye Lingling's. Fortunately, Tianlin had prepared ample supplies, and with Ye Lingling's assistance in restoring soul power, they could afford to stay longer. With patience, they would eventually find what they needed. ... Night soon fell. After setting up camp and assigning shifts for night watch, everyone prepared to rest. Tianlin was responsible for the first half of the night, while Qin Ming would take over in the second half. As Tianlin sat idly at the camp, Ye Lingling and Gu Ran quietly approached and sat beside him. With the Shi brothers absent, Gu Ran was now the team's strongest defender, so Qin Ming had assigned him to protect the support-type soul master, Ye Lingling.