"Alright, you two." Flender addressed Oscar and Ma Hongjun, "hurry and uickly kill the two soul beasts, absorb their soul rings while it's still dark."
"What's with all the questions?" Zhao Wuji muttered under his breath. "We don't know anything more than you.
The group fell into a contemplative silence, refraining from further discussion. This battle had concluded swiftly.
They all agreed that not even Dean Flander or Liu Erlong could have achieved such a feat while facing them. Yet, it was also clear that their ignorance of opponent's strength and abilities played a significant role in deciding the outcome of this battle.
Observing the taciturn response from the three teachers, Oscar and Ma Hongjun proceeded to absorb the soul rings from the fallen beasts, the most suitable option for each of them.
"This Soul Emperor is truly formidable..." Ning Rongrong commented, patting his shoulder. The Blue Silver Grass used earlier had left a lingering toxin, leaving him feeling somewhat weakened.
Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu retreated into the tent, seeking respite. Despite its brevity, the battle had left them drained.
"I never expected the Grandmaster to have such a formidable friend," Xiao Wu remarked as she rubbed her feet, still feeling the effects of being ensnared by the Blue Silver Grass earlier. The sudden and swift entanglement had left their feet reddened and sore.
Zhu Zhuqing also massaged her feet, feeling the strain from the immense pulling force. Even a seasoned soul Grandmaster's body would ache under such pressure.
"It's just that those two soul beasts seemed different." she mused aloud, recalling the peculiar wounds she had observed on the creatures earlier.
"It'd be fantastic if Wang Feng were to be here," Ning Rongrong exclaimed hopefully.
"With him around, we wouldn't have suffered such a defeat, right? We'll get to see Wang Feng once we return to the academy."
This prospect filled her with anticipation, surpassing even the desire for a new soul ring.
"Brother Feng...," Xiao Wu interjected, shaking her head. "This Soul Emperor's tactics suggest a deep understanding of us. It's likely that the Grandmaster shared all our information with him. And yet, none of us have managed to lay a hand on him."
"Wang Feng..." Zhu Zhuqing hesitated before speaking up. "After half a year of training, he should have gotten stronger too."
Xiao Wu nodded in agreement. "That seems likely. Let's rest for now. We still need to acquire Zhuqing's, Rongrong's, and Brother's soul rings."
The trio continued their discussion inside the tent.
Meanwhile, outside by the campfire, Zhao Wuji and his companions engaged in conversation as well.
As the night wore on...
"The seven of them have grown considerably stronger." the white figure murmured, lifting the mask to gaze at the full moon above. "I can now utilize the evolved [Slow World]..."
Wang Feng smiled to himself.
In the Star Dou Great Forest, after six months of dedicated training, his soul power had only reached the forty-fifth level, falling short of his desired goal. Much of his time had been spent battling the Titan Giant Ape, whose combat prowess was formidable, especially with his [Gravity Domain].
Wang Feng conceded that he was no match for Er Ming, especially considering the Titan Giant Ape's true power, not until he reached at least level 70. And now, with the addition of the staff given to him by Er Ming, Wang Feng felt that, at even over seventy levels, it might be a stretch to be able to defeat Er Ming.
However, amidst the six months of rigorous training, Wang Feng's most significant improvement came in his mastery of aerial combat.
Enduring daily battles under Er Ming's [Gravity Domain] proved to be an invaluable aid in comprehending the [Slow World]. Initially used by him to heighten his bodily perception and facilitate nuanced reactions to evade enemy attacks, Wang Feng's utilization of [Slow World] rapidly advanced under Er Ming's tutelage.
By the present moment, Wang Feng had honed his aerial prowess to such an extent that he could even temporarily resist Er Ming's [Gravity Domain] upon entering the sky. Mastery of the [Slow World] required a deep understanding of every muscle and bone in the body, as well as a heightened perception of mental power.
Upon entering the [SlowWorld], Wang Feng's perception surged by more than tenfold, his mental power also increased wildly, and his brain operated at an extreme capacity, akin to supercomputer, processing everything very fast. In this heightened state, every muscle in his body could be finely controlled, resulting in a significant increase in reaction speed.
This surge in capability could be attributed to the relentless beatings endured from Er Ming, which served as a catalyst for growth. Nevertheless, it was unrealistic to expect Wang Feng to mature significantly after only enduring six months of punishment from a 100,000-year soul beast comparable to a Title Douluo.
Currently, the [Slow World] had evolved into one of Wang Feng's most potent weapons. However, the strain placed on the body in this state was considerable, akin to the strain inflicted on a computer motherboard and CPU through overclocking. If the hardware of the motherboard were to fail, it would be unable to sustain this overclocked state, making prolonged use challenging.
Furthermore, entering this state without the spiritual power increase from the [Black Hoop Spiritual Skull] and the perceptual soul ability would prove to be exceedingly difficult.
Due to Wang Feng's current physical condition, he can only sustain the second tier of his strength in that state, activating the Black Thorns Armor and incorporating the [Black Hoop Spiritual Skull], allowing him to enter the [Slow World] for a brief minute.
However, during this minute, Wang Feng becomes nearly invincible. Only a highly sensitive, attack-focused opponent stands a chance against him, as his speed and perception are virtually undetectable.
Despite Tang San's formidable strength, strategic acumen and skillful use of soul abilities, victory is out of reach in such a lopsided confrontation. There is simply no opportunity to lay a hand on Wang Feng.
Even if all seven of them were to attain their fourth soul rings, it would still prove challenging to overcome Wang Feng in his heightened state.
"This is the first time I've employed this evolved [Slow World] in combat against anyone," Wang Feng remarked.
Wang Feng smiled and remarked, "Tomorrow, I'll let them experience the effectiveness of the God Killing Spear and feel the frenzy of the soul beasts."
The following day, Oscar and Ma Hongjun successfully absorbed the soul rings of the two soul beasts. Each acquired potent fourth soul abilities.
Ma Hongjun obtained the soul ability Phoenix Roar Air Strike from the Giant Earth King's soul ring. This ability had two stages, the first stage could stun opponents, while the second stage unleashes a flame pillar from the ground to attack the opponent.
On the other hand, Oscar's Stimulating Pink Sausage could enhance the entire group's attributes by 10%, constituting a formidable soul ability.
Despite their impressive new abilities, the Seven remained composed rather than elated, still reflecting on the defeat from the previous night's battle. Yet, Grandmaster, observing their response, felt a sense of satisfaction. This was precisely the attitude he aimed to instill in them—to maintain humility and drive rather than succumb to arrogance.
Recognizing the potential in his students, Grandmaster believed that in the upcoming Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament, this would provide invaluable learning experiences. He understood the necessity of challenges to propel their growth.
As the group traversed through the jungle, their efforts yielded no results. However, the absence of the feared Soul Emperor provided a temporary reprieve, likely stemming from their encounter the previous night.
Despite their lack of progress, Grandmaster remained optimistic about the lessons learned from the day's efforts.
The remaining three members sought to find the most suitable soul beast, and with Grandmaster present, the criteria naturally became more stringent.
As night approached, Tang San, though still vigilant, felt a sense of relief without the threat of the Soul Emperor's attack.
"Teacher, our current approach to finding soul beasts isn't desirable," Tang San addressed Grandmaster, prompting Flender to respond, "I have a method to quickly attract soul beasts, but it's a little riskier..."
The group turned their attention to Tang San, recognizing the potential benefits of a more efficient search method. If there was a solution that could streamline their efforts, it would be worth considering.
"Is there any solution?" Grandmaster inquired, eager to explore options to expedite their search.
Tang San retrieved the Youxiang Qiluo from the soul guide and explained, "This is an immortal herb. By nurturing it with medicinal herbs, it can emit a unique fragrance that attracts soul beasts."
The eyes of the four individuals gleamed with interest at the prospect.
"This method seems promising, but there's a risk of attracting too many soul beasts," Flender cautioned. "Unless we find a location where we can block these creatures."
"Could we revisit the place where you and Dugu Bo met us last time?" Grandmaster suggested, a glimmer of realization crossing his mind.
"Yes, that's it. There's a poisonous formation there. Even soul beasts of ten thousand years dare not enter freely. Let's head there for now," Tang San proposed thoughtfully.
He considered that even the Soul Emperor would hesitate to venture into such a perilous location. This plan would allow them to avoid conflicts with their adversary for the time being. Once everyone had acquired their fourth soul abilities, they might stand a chance of posing a threat to him before he could make a move.
After a brief discussion, the group swiftly made their way to Ice and Fire Lake peripheral area. Despite six months passing, Tang San found the place still as beautiful as before.
Once everything was prepared, the fragrance of the Youxiang Qiluo Immortal herb began to permeate the air, filling the surroundings with its alluring scent. The group waited in silence, anticipation mounting.
Before long, a low growl echoed through the air, signaling the approach of a formidable presence. Flender and Liu Erlong tensed, their senses heightened.
"It's a tiger-like soul beast!" Grandmaster declared gravely. "Tang San, this one's on you. Exercise caution!"
Hardly had the master finished speaking when a vibrant tiger burst forth from the forest. The creature, with its sleek black fur and a lone white stripe adorning its forehead, measured over four to five meters in length and nearly two meters in shoulder height. Its eyes glowed a menacing shade of blood red.
"Watch out, it's a nearly five-thousand-year-old Ghost Tiger!" Tang San warned, his tone grave. "Ghost Tigers boast incredible attack power and speed, and they're exceptionally fierce."
With no time to waste, Tang San engaged the Ghost Tiger in combat. This particular specimen possessed a unique ability, shadow cloning. Typically, it could conjure three duplicates, but this one's advanced age allowed it to manifest four distinct shadow clones of itself, making it exceedingly difficult to discern the real one among them.
Dai Mubai's White Tiger Intense Light Wave and Tang San's cobweb restraint managed to break one shadow each, while Ma Hongjun's Phoenix FireWire also shattered another.
However, the Ghost Tiger proved to be exceedingly aggressive, instantly splitting into four additional clones and charging towards the immortal herb. The group found themselves overwhelmed, unable to reach the target.
Fortunately, Tang San possessed the Purple Demon Eyes, allowing him to see clearly that the clone on the second left was the real one!
After making a clear distinction, Tang San swiftly bound the real Ghost Tiger with Cobweb soul ability, partially controlling its momentum. Meanwhile, Zhu Zhuqing's incredible speed rendered her untouchable by the Ghost Tiger's attacks, with Tang San's cobweb restraint further mitigating any potential impact.
Taking advantage of her agile evasion, Zhu Zhuqing immediately unleashed her third soul ability, Moonlit Slash, upon the Ghost Tiger. Her purple-golden claws merged into a single, razor-sharp blade, carving a deep wound on the creature's side, exposing bone.
However, despite the severity of the injury, the Ghost Tiger, now freed from the 'Cobwebs', appeared oblivious to the pain. With a deafening roar, it charged recklessly towards Ning Rongrong and Oscar, heedless of the danger.
The group watched in astonishment as the Ghost Tiger, despite sustaining a serious injury from Zhu Zhuqing's formidable attack, continued its relentless assault, seemingly unaffected by the wound.
"This Ghost Tiger is acting strangely! It's as if it's oblivious to its injuries! It's gone berserk!" Tang San remarked, his voice tinged with concern. "Rong Rong, Oscar, consume the mushroom sausages and steer clear of this Ghost Tiger!"
...…
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