Chapter 234.
Upon hearing this, Wang Feng loosened his grip slightly, allowing Shui Bing'er to step back, clutching her neck and coughing. She cast a complicated glance at Jiu Yikai.
"How could a soul beast willingly become a human's soul ring?" Wang Feng inquired faintly. "Did your martial soul mutate because of this Ice Emperor Lizard? What did you do to make it willingly become your soul ring?"
Shui Bing'er was taken aback by the questions. After a moment of contemplation, she responded softly, "I suppose I can tell you. After all, I'm here to express my gratitude."
"More than half a year ago, when I was at level 40 and aiming to obtain my fourth soul ring, I encountered a dilemma. My martial soul, an Ice Phoenix, was rare and is difficult to find any soul beast matching its attributes. So, I ventured northward–, where the forests are colder and predominantly inhabited by ice-based soul beasts..."
"I spent several days scouting the outskirts of the soul beast forest. Although I came across several suitable ice-type soul beasts, I refrained from absorbing them. Then, one day, I stumbled upon a severely wounded and dying soul beast..."
At this revelation, Wang Feng fell silent.
"This soul beast was immensely powerful, even in its near-death state. It had wounded my mentor, a 60th rank Soul Emperor, before collapsing from its injuries. Despite its strength, it didn't attack me further. This soul beast possessed remarkable intelligence."
Shui Bing'er recounted slowly, "Its intelligence was also remarkably high, rivaling my own. It could even communicate verbally. I was astounded because it was merely a ten-thousand-year soul beast—it seemed improbable for it to be have that kind of intelligence."
"I presume, it was indeed the Ice Emperor Lizard," Wang Feng interjected. He had already pieced together the puzzle.
"It claimed its name was Yaya and mentioned having two companions, one of whom was its superior," Shui Bing'er continued, her tone subdued. "However, it revealed that its superior had sacrificed themselves to distract a formidable human soul master who pursued them, allowing Yaya to escape but leaving them gravely injured."
"He claimed to be nearing death. To agree to become my soul ring willingly, he insisted I promise to visit a specific location and leave a marker there—while keeping his death a secret."
As Shui Binger spoke, her voice trailed off gradually.
"Isn't it strange..." she murmured. "This soul beast is truly peculiar. I've never encountered such a bizarre request before. Nonetheless, I acquiesced. Subsequently, it willingly became my soul ring, leaving behind a head soul bone. Upon absorbing the soul ring and head soul bone, I experienced an unprecedented transformation."
The weight of her words lingered in the air, punctuated by a sense of unease.
"But I have a faint sense that the soul of Yaya, the soul beast, hasn't completely perished within the head soul bone. There's always a lingering consciousness that surfaces when I unleash my fourth soul ability," Shui Bing'er explained.
"As a result, I've never been able to fully control my fourth soul ability, leading to various complications. When I attempted to fulfill your request and release it, I don't understand why, but your whistle..."
"It somehow nullified both my fourth soul skill and Yaya's consciousness," she pondered silently.
Upon hearing this, Wang Feng fell silent.
Yaya's request for Shui Bing'er to mark a location likely referred to the grove near Holy Soul Village. It was a tradition for them to leave a mark there upon returning from their expeditions, signaling their safety.
"If Yaya requested that you keep his death a secret, why did you tell me?" Wang Feng questioned lightly.
"But... I don't believe he's dead," Shui Binger responded incredulously. "I went to the specified location and left a mark, but I haven't disclosed it to anyone else. I only confided in you because I hoped to understand how you managed to disrupt my fourth soul ability... you must know Yaya, right?"
Wang Feng remained silent for a moment before posing another question. "Who is the human soul master pursuing them? And have you encountered the individual Yaya referred to as their superior?"
Shui Bing'er shook her head. "I haven't seen them. It's likely they've been captured... the chances of their survival are slim. Yaya's injuries suggest they were likely inflicted by a Titled Douluo powerhouse... As for the identity of the human soul master pursuing them, I'm unsure."
"However, when I encountered Yaya, she was clutching a token..." Shui Binger paused briefly before continuing, "A token from the Soul Hall!"
...
As Wang Feng exited the Great Fighting Soul Arena, he gazed up at the sunny sky. The final day of the tournament had passed swiftly, concluding at noon. Despite the sun shining brightly, its warmth failed to reach him, leaving him unaffected by its comforting rays.
Shui Binger's revelations weighed heavily on Wang Feng's mind. Though he couldn't ascertain their veracity, they seemed plausible, especially considering the token Yaya had clutched—a token from the Soul Hall—that Shui Bing'er had shown him.
However, Wang Feng found himself in a dilemma. He couldn't confront Shui Bing'er about his connection to Yaya, nor could he implicate her in any potential wrongdoing. After all, her involvement was unlikely, and her death would result in the disappearance of her soul ring and soul bone, along with any remaining soul consciousness of Yaya.
Furthermore, Shui Bing'er's absorption of the head soul bone had led to a mutation in her martial soul, suggesting a fusion of her soul consciousness with Yaya's. Resurrecting Yaya would be challenging, considering only the head soul bone and a fragment of soul consciousness remained.
While Wang Feng was unaware of any method in the Douluo World to achieve such a resurrection, he knew that Golden Lotus might possess the capability, albeit at a very high level.
Therefore, Wang Feng resolved to ensure Shui Binger's safety, safeguarding her head soul bone until further notice.
"After the promotion game, come to Purple Star Academy to find me. I'll help you manage your head soul bone and the fourth soul ability," Wang Feng spoke in a deep voice to Shui Bing'er.
Shui Bing'er's eyes widened in surprise. She had come simply to express gratitude to Jiu Yikai, never expecting to receive assistance with her fourth soul ability. This issue had plagued her since the mutation caused by absorbing the soul –ring and soul bone. Despite the enhancement to her martial soul, she couldn't resolve the problem and couldn't confide in others. Yet, during today's match, when her soul ability was disrupted by Jiu Yikai, she found herself blurting out her dilemma.
"Really?" Shui Binger uttered, still in disbelief.
Wang Feng offered no immediate response, instead leaving the lounge directly. Shui Binger's issue stemmed from the unstable soul consciousness lingering from Yaya. Resolving it would not only alleviate Shui Bing'er's troubles but also pacify Yaya's soul consciousness to prevent unwanted attention when she used her fourth soul ability in the future.
For Wang Feng, the solution was straightforward. Utilizing Golden Lotus abilities, he could create a sense of familiarity and warmth for Yaya's remaining soul consciousness, ultimately calming it down and ensuring its protection.
With that, Wang Feng departed from the Great Fighting Soul Arena.
"Martial Soul Hall... The injuries and killings by Titled Douluo powerhouse must be related to the Soul Hall. Only there such powerhouses reside," Wang Feng muttered, gazing at the sun overhead. "I hope the other two aren't in the same plight as Yaya... otherwise..."
As a dark cloud drifted across the sky, obscuring the sun, a chill settled over the scene.
Upon returning to the academy and shedding his disguise, Wang Feng noticed a somber atmosphere lingering among the crowd.
"Xiaosan, calm down. The qualifiers are finished. Despite your impressive performance, remember the caliber of competition you faced. Don't get cocky," the master sighed.
"Though you've only lost three matches, many teams have yet to reveal their trump cards. Use this next month to train even harder! Stay vigilant and prepare for the promotion tournament. With ten teams competing, the standards will be high."
"Hong Jun, Mu Bai, Xiao Wu, Zhu Qing, the four of you are set to play in the promotion match. Tai Long, Jingling, and Huang Yuan will also be key players. Teacher Erlong will train you. Rong Rong, Oscar, and Jiang Zhu, you must also maintain your focus too."
The ten students lined up, heads nodding in acknowledgment.
The opponents they faced in the qualifiers had proven unexpectedly formidable.
None of the five elemental academies were spared, especially Skywater Academy, which delivered a crushing blow in the penultimate game, leaving the other teams reeling in the qualifiers.
The looming presence of Jiu Yikai, like an insurmountable mountain, weighed heavily on all the qualifying students, leaving them breathless. Even though they had avoided facing Jiu Yikai in the qualifiers to conserve their strength, they knew they couldn't escape encountering him in the finals, especially with formidable opponents like Purple Star Academy.
"Master... Besides Teacher Erlong, can't you ask any of your friends, like Senior Sixth Ring Soul Emperors, to train us as well?" Ning Rongrong piped up, her eyes glinting with hope as Wang Feng returned.
Wang Feng: "..."
The group's eyes lit up at the suggestion, knowing the profound impact the Sixth Ring Soul Emperors could have on their training.
"My friend is currently occupied, but he may come by to check on you," Grandmaster replied, shaking his head. "Teacher Erlong's guidance will suffice for this month's training, and Xiao Feng will also be present as a supervisor."
Just then, Liu Erlong approached, her hands clasped together with a mischievous grin. "Why, don't you trust your teacher Erlong, huh?"
Ning Rongrong took a step back in fright, while the others remained silent, sensing the seriousness beneath Liu Erlong's seemingly playful demeanor.
"Alright, today we'll gather for training in the square! The promotion competition begins in one month. You can rest, but don't slack off!" Liu Erlong's smile, though charming, struck fear into the hearts of everyone present, as they dispersed to prepare for the rigorous training ahead.
"Xiao Feng, these elemental academies are unexpectedly formidable. I believe the Soul Hall and the Star Luo Empire will be even stronger," Grandmaster remarked, his tone serious. "You need to exercise extreme caution when facing opponent as Jiu Yikai in the competition."
Grandmaster's words carried a sense of foreboding, hinting at a different atmosphere surrounding this year's event. "There's reason to worry. I know," Wang Feng replied, acknowledging the gravity of the situation.
During the qualifiers, Wang –Feng inadvertently learned about the three companions. However, when the time comes to confront the Soul Hall main team, he couldn't predict what might transpire. All he could do was focus on strengthening himself. Despite not being able to reach level fifty within a month, he could still work on other aspects. Currently, he aimed to fully control the Armored Black Thorn within the Black Thorns Armor, a task that required his utmost attention.
"With my current strength, defeating a Titled Douluo isn't realistic. However, evading them won't suffice either. I need to find a balance," Wang Feng contemplated inwardly, aware of the challenges ahead.
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