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At the moment of approaching the crystal lotus, a searing energy burst forth like the sun, sending the Titan Flame/Fire Ape and the Fire/ Flame Clound Bird flying. The intense heat made it difficult for these two soul beasts to recover quickly. The Radiant Cloud Smoke Bird's wing was broken, revealing its splendid golden-red feathers as the flames and light around it diminished.
"How powerful!" Huo Wu's eyes narrowed. "It attacks on its own? Is it a plant-type soul beast?"
"That's a crystal lotus, a plant that can only survive in magma," Tang San briefly explained, frowning. "Given the current situation, this crystal lotus has indeed become a soul beast with immense soul power, at least at the hundred-thousand-year level."
A hundred-thousand-year soul beast is equivalent to a Level 95 Titled Douluo. Moreover, this crystal lotus, which lives in planetary magma, is far superior to unique species like the Titan Flame Ape and the Fire/ Flame Clound Bird. Even in its debuffed state, these two ten-thousand-year soul beasts couldn't withstand it. One move was enough to deter them from attacking again.
"A hundred thousand years!" Huo Wu's eyes brightened. "During our journey, we practiced dual cultivation, and I researched gravity to strengthen my body. Is it possible for me to withstand a hundred-thousand-year soul ring?"
"No," Tang San shook his head. "If it were an ordinary hundred-thousand-year soul ring, I might use the life force of the Blue Silver Emperor to heal you continuously, giving you a chance to absorb it. But this crystal lotus is an extraordinary variant. For our world, it's a parasitic obstacle, yet to us humans, it's a primordial being nurtured by the plane itself."
To compare, Tang San might say this crystal lotus is on the same level as the Silver Dragon King in essence, though much weaker in cultivation. It is despised by the entire Douluo star but rooted in magma, and the plane's will can only try to destroy it through volcanic eruptions. With Huo Wu's current physical condition, she can at most handle an eighty-thousand-year soul ring without external help.
As for this crystal lotus's soul ring... unless it willingly sacrifices itself, Huo Wu won't succeed in absorbing it even with Tang San's assistance.
"However, I sense the Sun Goddess desires that crystal lotus," Huo Wu said, releasing her martial soul. The Sun Goddess, identical in appearance to Huo Wu, faced the crystal lotus with an unwavering gaze despite her closed eyes. Both Tang San and Huo Wu could feel her intense focus.
Even as Huo Wu controlled her, the Sun Goddess turned her head toward the crystal lotus, extending her arms as if to embrace it.
"Perhaps she should try," Electrolux suggested suddenly. "Although the crystal lotus has immense energy and has become a soul beast, it lacks intelligence. As a plant parasitic in the world's 'blood,' the plane's will suppresses its intelligence. If such a plant gained intelligence, it could actively draw energy, becoming a true threat."
"The Sun Goddess's attributes match the crystal lotus's perfectly. If Huo Wu can control the Sun Goddess to land on the crystal lotus, it might instinctively consider Huo Wu as its emerging intelligence."
Tang San pondered for a moment and decided to let Huo Wu try. After all, it was only her martial soul that would be involved, and any danger could be quickly mitigated.
"Let's give it a shot!" Huo Wu said, flexing her wrist and controlling the Sun Goddess to fly toward the crystal lotus. The Titan Flame Ape and Fire/ Flame Clound Bird , wary but curious, watched to see how this human-like soul beast would deal with the enormous flower.
The crystal lotus, a brilliant gold yet translucent, slowly opened its petals as the Sun Goddess approached. There were thirty-six petals, with a red lotus pod at the center bearing nine round golden seeds. These seeds floated around the Sun Goddess and then entered her mouth one by one.
The Sun Goddess instinctively swallowed each seed, igniting in golden flames as she sat in the lotus's center. The thirty-six petals gradually closed around her.
Simultaneously, Huo Wu sat cross-legged, breaking through the bottleneck of her sixtieth level. Golden energy flowed through her veins, and her entire body grew stronger.
"It really worked?" Tang San was astonished.
"My suggestion was worth trying," Electrolux laughed. "More importantly, this world possesses magical martial souls and soul beasts. Without them, she could only use the crystal lotus to strengthen her body and improve her cultivation. Now, I believe she can harness everything from the crystal lotus, perhaps even swim in magma someday."
At this moment, the two soul beasts below could no longer hold back and tried to attack the crystal lotus. Tang San would not allow it. He released the Haotian Hammer, which transformed into nine heads, and lunged at the Titan Flame Ape.
After Tang San broke through to the Soul Emperor level, the Jiu Hao grew a sixth head with gray eyes, embodying the attribute of death.
The Titan Flame Ape, despite its strength, defense, and control over flames, was no match for the nine heads. Within three rounds, it had its arm crushed and was pinned underfoot.
The Fire/ Flame Cloud Bird , meanwhile, was ensnared by Tang San's Blue Silver Emperor, bound to a protruding Sun crystal pillar.
Wu Lin and Wu Tong were released, with one responsible for cooling down the Fire/ Flame Cloud Bird and the other for disrupting its internal fire element energy, preventing it from gathering strength.
In the blink of an eye, Tang San had defeated and controlled these two ten-thousand-year soul beasts, which could contend with Titled Douluo. Although they had been injured by the crystal lotus's energy surge, even without injuries, Tang San's current power would handle them easily without using the fusion ring secret technique.
During Huo Wu's cultivation and absorption of the crystal lotus, Tang San collected fur, feathers, and blood from the Titan Flame Ape and Fire/ Flame Cloud Bird . He used his first soul skill to heal them, saying, "You two are rare soul beasts with higher intelligence than ordinary ten-thousand-year soul beasts. You understand me, right?"
"Stay calm. Once my partner finishes absorbing the crystal lotus, we'll leave without killing you."
Feeling their wounds healing and sensing the life energy from Tang San, the two soul beasts calmed down and ceased struggling.
Half an hour later, the crystal lotus suddenly bloomed, revealing a figure radiating boundless light and fire.
As the radiant flames receded, Tang San lowered his hand from his face.
The crystal lotus's petals scattered, circling the Sun Goddess in a peculiar pattern. They shrank and converged around her waist, forming a golden lotus-like crystal skirt.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black—five soul rings emerged from the Sun Goddess. As the final red soul ring appeared, the Sun Goddess slowly opened her golden eyes, which were now vivid and lively, as if the entire martial soul had come to life.
A lotus-shaped mark with nine sesame-sized crimson points, exuding solar power, adorned her forehead.
"What's the matter? Don't recognize me?" The Sun Goddess spoke with Huo Wu's voice, though it carried an ethereal, divine quality.
"It's not that I don't recognize you. It just looks like you've gained quite a bit, being able to use your martial soul as another body," Tang San observed the Sun Goddess for a while before looking at Huo Wu's true body sitting at the cave entrance. "Can you still control your original body?"
"Yes," the Sun Goddess nodded, her eyes retaining their liveliness. Huo Wu then stood up, leaped down, and approached Tang San.
Both sets of eyes were equally lively, as if they were one person yet capable of doing different things.
"How do you feel now?" Tang San pinched the Sun Goddess's skin, finding it indistinguishable from real skin, even smoother than Huo Wu's.
"How to describe it?" Huo Wu and the Sun Goddess spoke in unison. "Both bodies are me, controlled by a single soul. It's a strange feeling, hard to describe, but it's like a very advanced form of multitasking."
The Sun Goddess then approached Huo Wu, and their figures overlapped. As they merged, Huo Wu's hair danced, and a lotus-shaped mark appeared on her forehead. She was now clad in a black form-fitting suit with golden patterns, which formed a golden sun mark on her chest.
Around her waist was a lotus skirt made of thirty-six golden crystal petals, glowing with a faint gold-red light. Each petal had a sun-like pattern, resembling the most exquisite piece of art.
"What do you think of me now?" Huo Wu asked, her voice normal again. With a mere gesture, she conjured a golden crystal lotus with thirty-six petals, radiating golden flames. At its center were nine thumb-sized spheres, containing immense energy.
"Is this the first soul skill of your sixth soul ring?" Tang San examined it curiously. "I can sense its vast energy. If it explodes, the power would be immense."
"Yes, this is the first soul skill from my hundred-thousand-year soul ring. It's an area-of-effect explosion attack. I can't test its range and power here, but I've already thought of a name: Sun Fire Lotus!"
(End of this chapter)