Chapter 10: External Soul Bone, Blue Silver Empress Ah Yin
Zhou Yi couldn't help but sigh in his heart. After marrying Liu Erlong, in just three days, his cultivation had jumped by five levels, and his strength had increased immeasurably.
As expected.
It's still great to cheat the system.
Before, his arduous cultivation, rain or shine, took him sixteen years to reach level 23—an absurdly slow pace.
"But I can still go faster!"
Zhou Yi thought of the many medicinal herbs he had received at the time of his wedding, including some thousand-year-old ginseng and spiritual herbs like Lingzhi. If he used them, breaking through to level 30 would definitely not be a problem.
Thousand-year-old ginseng, while not particularly effective for Soul Masters in enhancing their Soul Power, was different for Zhou Yi. He practiced the Sacred Heart Technique, which could completely refine these herbs to boost his strength.
[Note: Changing Art to Technique.]
Deciding to take action, Zhou Yi entered the kitchen and prepared a bowl of nourishing broth using the thousand-year-old ginseng, Lingzhi, and other medicinal ingredients.
After consuming it, Zhou Yi felt a potent and fierce medicinal energy spreading throughout his body. He began to circulate the Sacred Heart Technique, quickly refining and absorbing the energy.
His aura grew even more powerful.
Boom!
At one moment, his aura suddenly surged.
Level 29.
Breakthrough.
An hour later.
His aura surged again.
Level 30.
Breakthrough.
Zhou Yi still felt some medicinal energy left, but after refining it, his True Qi increased slightly. However, his cultivation could not break through any further.
"As expected, there are limitations in this world. I need a Soul Ring to continue breaking through!"
Zhou Yi wasn't surprised.
Feeling the endless vitality and his vastly improved strength, he left the room.
It was already afternoon.
"Hubby, did you break through again?"
Seeing Zhou Yi, Liu Erlong was stunned.
Even though Zhou Yi's martial soul had mutated into a top-tier martial soul, his cultivation speed was still too fast, wasn't it?
"Of course, I'm a genius, after all!" Zhou Yi chuckled.
"Mm-hmm!"
Liu Erlong nodded vigorously like a little chick pecking at rice, full of admiration and joy, "Hubby, you must be hungry! I've already had someone prepare your meal!"
"I am indeed hungry!"
Looking at Liu Erlong's alluring figure, Zhou Yi's cultivation surge stirred something in him, and his desire flared up. "But what I want to eat is you!"
"Ah!"
Liu Erlong cried out in surprise as Zhou Yi immediately scooped her up. While pleased with Zhou Yi's affection, she hastily said, "Let's eat first, okay?"
She had already eaten lunch, but Zhou Yi had not.
"I'm just getting ready to eat," Zhou Yi said, not feeling hungry at all as he carried Liu Erlong into the bedroom with a smile.
"This is a feast for the eyes!"
Liu Erlong was helpless but allowed Zhou Yi to do as he pleased.
Though she was delighted by his affection, she couldn't help but worry: could she handle him?
"Should I marry another one for hubby?" Liu Erlong thought to herself, recalling something Zhou Yi had said earlier.
Zhou Yi had no idea what Liu Erlong was thinking. However, he was already planning to leave the next day to hunt for a Soul Ring and, along the way, see if he could capture a 100,000-year-old Soul Beast.
Especially the 100,000-year-old Blue Silver Emperor A Yin.
He was quite fond of it.
The next day.
As the sun rose and set, the next morning arrived, and Liu Erlong struggled to get up to assist Zhou Yi with his clothes:
"Hubby, hunting Soul Beasts to obtain a Soul Ring is dangerous. Let me accompany you!"
Liu Erlong was a Soul Elder.
But her actual combat strength was far from matching Zhou Yi's.
"You're not feeling well. Stay home and rest well!" Zhou Yi's words caused Liu Erlong to blush deeply, and she gave him an embarrassed look. Still, worry lingered in her eyes. Hunting Soul Beasts was extremely dangerous.
The death rate was high.
"Alright, don't you know how strong I am?" Zhou Yi teased, gently brushing her nose. "Don't worry, there's no danger!"
"Stay home and wait for me to return!"
"Fine," Liu Erlong reluctantly nodded, her expression filled with reluctance. "Hubby, be careful on your way. I'll be waiting for your safe return!"
Smack!
Zhou Yi kissed her smooth, tender cheek before setting off alone.
Soul Masters in the Douluo Continent often formed teams, but Zhou Yi preferred to go solo.
It gave him more flexibility.
Since yesterday afternoon, Zhou Yi had gained over 300 experience points, which he allocated entirely into the "Ascending Immortal Steps," a peerless lightness skill.
Though he hadn't fully mastered it yet, Zhou Yi felt he was close.
"Looks like martial techniques consume fewer experience points than cultivation techniques."
Zhou Yi thought to himself, "On this journey to the Star Dou Forest, I might be able to improve my Ascending Immortal Steps to the entry-level without needing more experience!"
Zhou Yi moved quickly, reaching a small town near the Star Dou Forest by the end of the day.
The Star Dou Forest was located to the south of the Heaven Dou Empire. Spanning two major empires, it was the largest gathering place for Soul Beasts in the Douluo Continent.
Zhou Yi had been here before, so he was familiar with the area.
Although the Star Dou Forest was vast and home to countless Soul Beasts, finding the right Soul Beast wasn't easy.
Yu Xiaogang had said that the maximum age for a third Soul Ring was 1,760 years. However, Zhou Yi believed that with his body now nourished by Sacred Heart True Qi, absorbing a 5,000-year-old Soul Ring would be no problem.
Thus, Zhou Yi planned to find a 5,000-year-old Soul Beast and test his current battle strength.
Two Days Later
Zhou Yi encountered countless Soul Beasts but still hadn't found the one he was looking for.
Fortunately, the Ascending Immortal Steps became more and more refined as he practiced it while evading and chasing Soul Beasts, and he was now only a breakthrough away from mastering it.
Suddenly, a deep, powerful roar echoed, shaking the plants and trees around him. Zhou Yi's gaze sharpened, and he saw a massive bear.
It was a Flying Bear!
This bear had a pair of wings on its back, the left one carrying the power of wind, and the right, thunder. It exuded an overwhelming aura.
"This must be a mutated Soul Beast!" Zhou Yi's eyes lit up. He had been hoping to find a power-type Soul Beast for his third Soul Ring, and this Flying Bear seemed perfect.
Although its age was probably only around 4,000 years, it would be enough.
"Big Bear!" Zhou Yi shouted, provoking it.
"Roar!"
The Flying Bear glared at Zhou Yi, its eyes filled with rage. With a thunderous roar, it unleashed the might of wind and thunder, charging at him.
Swish.
Zhou Yi tapped his toes lightly, swiftly moving sideways by several yards as if strolling in a courtyard, his movements as ethereal as a fairy.
It was the Ascending Immortal Steps.
"Roar!"
The Flying Bear, enraged by the provocation, slashed at Zhou Yi with its massive claws, each strike capable of flattening a mountain.
If hit, it would definitely shatter his skull.
But Zhou Yi easily dodged each blow.
In truth, it wasn't as easy as it appeared—his movements, though graceful, were executed with precision and required immense focus.
Zhou Yi didn't strike back.
He was simply using the Flying Bear to further hone his Ascending Immortal Steps.
Half an incense stick's worth of time passed.
The Flying Bear hadn't managed to land even a single blow, growing utterly incensed.
With a series of furious roars, the Flying Bear unleashed its innate ability: the Gravity Domain!
A surge of purple Soul Power burst forth as the bear's body radiated a blinding light.
Boom!
Caught off guard by the sudden shift in gravity, Zhou Yi's body sank, plummeting to the ground.
Seizing the opportunity, the Flying Bear swung its massive claw downward.
At that moment, Zhou Yi's martial soul, the Divine Dragon Sword, manifested in his palm. He prepared to deliver a decisive blow.
Yet, just as he was about to strike, an epiphany flashed through his mind. Zhou Yi twisted his body at an angle that defied comprehension, reappearing instantly behind the Flying Bear.
"Ascending Immortal Steps has reached the foundational stage!" Zhou Yi's face broke into a smile. He hadn't expected to break through at the last moment.
Boom!
The ground quaked as the Flying Bear's mighty body collapsed, a deep gash running across its neck.
In that fleeting instant, Zhou Yi had not only evaded the bear's attack but also executed one of the Fourteen Deadly Swords, a fatal strike to the throat.
"The unparalleled strength of the Sacred Heart True Qi, combined with the terrifying lethality of the Fourteen Deadly Swords—what a powerful combination! Even the Flying Bear's robust body was sliced as effortlessly as tofu!" Zhou Yi marveled at his swordsmanship.
"Truly invincible!"
Satisfied with his performance, Zhou Yi watched as the Flying Bear's Soul Ring materialized. Without hesitation, he began the absorption process.
The commotion caused by the Flying Bear had already scared away nearby Soul Beasts, making the area temporarily safe.
Thanks to the Sacred Heart Technique's formidable nature, absorbing the Soul Ring didn't take long.
As expected, absorbing a 4,000-year Spirit Ring posed no challenge for Zhou Yi. The process was smooth and uneventful.
"Third Spirit Ability: Gravity Domain!"
Sensing the power of his new ability, Zhou Yi was immensely pleased.
"Not bad at all… Ah!"
Before he could celebrate, a sharp pain erupted in his shoulder, as though something was about to break through his skin. Zhou Yi couldn't help but cry out.
"Could it be… an External Soul Bone?"
Zhou Yi immediately thought of Tang San's Eight Spider Lances from the original story. His current situation seemed remarkably similar.
Indeed, moments later, a pair of wings appeared on Zhou Yi's back. They were the very same wind-and-thunder wings the Flying Bear had possessed.
"An unexpected bonus!" Zhou Yi exclaimed.
With his new wings, Zhou Yi soared into the sky, reveling in the freedom of flight and exploring the intricacies of the wind-and-thunder dual attributes.
"Hmm? A beauty?"
As Zhou Yi scanned the forest below, he caught sight of a mature and graceful woman, her beauty radiating elegance and intelligence. His eyes sparkled.
Judging by her appearance and attire, Zhou Yi made a bold guess.
If he wasn't mistaken, she was none other than the 100,000-year Soul Beast...
The Blue Silver Empress, Ah Yin!
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