Chapter 177: Rising Waters Lift the Boat

Winning this Soul Battle, we received a large amount of Gold Soul Coins from the Great Soul Battle Arena, and then split three thousand Gold Soul Coins; the earnings for the night were not low.

Of the three thousand Gold Soul Coins, the six of them each took only a small share, leaving the bulk to Tie Li.

Seeing the teammates being so courteous, Tie Li stopped being polite with them and pocketed all the Gold Soul Coins.

The two substitute teammates watching from the standby seat were excited; after witnessing Tie Li's strength, they already imagined a scene where he would shine at the Soul Master Competition.

In the time to come, Tie Li will mostly train with the teammates, building rapport with them.

But not every session involves team training; the two substitutes sometimes replace Tie Li for team drills.

Tie Li's strength is the strongest in the team, yet he also serves as the team's trump card.

These two substitutes are both Strong Attack-type Soul Elders, and most of the time they enter together, boosting the team's strong‑attack points.

When Gu Qi, a Sensitive Attack-type Soul Ancestor, is present, Zhang Xiaohe steps down and yields his spot.

Only when Tie Li is in team training can Zhang Xiaohe take the field.

Zhang Xiaohe understands this as well; the team needs balance.

But he is unwilling to be the team's weak link.

Zhang Xiaohe hails from a great noble family of the Tiandou Empire; his standing in the clan is high, and as the clan sensed a different aura, Zhang Xiaohe's close ties with Fourth Prince Xue Bing made his position even more special.

Today, Zhang Xiaohe returned to the clan, and his father found him immediately.

"Xiaohe, your grandfather is looking for you; it must be something important—he looks quite anxious."

Zhang Xiaohe's face lit up; not long ago he had approached his grandfather to voice his request.

Because his position in the team is rather awkward, Zhang Xiaohe wants to change it, and can only start with himself.

How can he acquire a direct strong‑attack capability that won't be inferior to Strong Attack-type Soul Masters?

After pondering, Zhang Xiaohe could think of only two ways.

First, he could rapidly raise his Soul Power Level within a short period, advancing to the Fourth Ring Soul Ancestor, using the Fourth Soul Ring to strengthen himself; however, with only a few months left, even if he ate spirit herbs daily, it would be hard to consecutively increase five levels in that time.

The second method is to obtain a soul bone, using the attributes and soul skill it grants to boost his strength, but soul bones are exceedingly precious; even with his high clan status, he cannot afford to spend such a large sum.

Zhang Xiaohe discussed this with his grandfather, but received no clear answer.

Until a shift occurred in the royal court, the reputation of Fourth Prince Xue Bing, under the court's influence, began to echo among the populace as Prince Xue Bing, prompting Zhang Xiaohe's clan to take notice.

It should be known that Xue Bing's relationship with Zhang Xiaohe is extraordinary; when Xue Bing's standing in the court was awkward, Zhang Xiaohe stayed by his side, a bond no one could later replace.

Therefore, as the current head of the Zhang family—Zhang Xiaohe's grandfather—had to reassess Zhang Xiaohe's position in the clan and ultimately decided to purchase a soul bone for him.

But spending such a large sum requires approval from the clan's senior leaders; even as head, if everyone opposes, he cannot act unilaterally.

If it had been earlier, they certainly wouldn't have agreed, but now it's different; in a secret clan meeting, more than half approved the investment.

Zhang Xiaohe arrived at his grandfather's small courtyard, brimming with excitement.

"Grandfather."

"Haha, you're back. Come see if this is what you wanted," a delicate iron box lay on the table in front of Zhang Baichi.

Anticipating the outcome, Zhang Xiaohe took the iron box with trembling hands, slowly opened it, and a soul power fluctuation emerged.

"This is... indeed a soul bone."

It was Zhang Xiaohe's first time experiencing a soul bone up close; the unique soul power fluctuation gave him an uncanny sense of déjà vu.

"This soul bone comes from a five‑thousand‑year‑old giant armadillo, a left‑arm bone that can grant you soul skills comparable to a Strong Attack-type Soul Master, and its added attributes can compensate for your attribute shortcomings."

A soul bone of five‑thousand‑year age, from a giant armadillo renowned for both strength and defense; once absorbed, its attributes and soul skill can make Zhang Xiaohe comparable to a Strong Attack-type Soul Master of the same level.

After absorbing this soul bone, Zhang Xiaohe does not intend to hide its existence; he must use the bone to elevate his standing in the team.

Having obtained the soul bone, Zhang Xiaohe hesitated little and began absorbing it on the spot.

……

As the Soul Master Competition approaches, Tiandou City becomes increasingly bustling.

Meanwhile, everything that happened earlier in the palace seems to have vanished into thin air, with no news emerging.

Yet the reputation of Fourth Prince Xue Bing, under the court's machinations, is gradually changing.

Sensing a hint, the major nobles begin to notice the oddity and take new actions.

"San Ge's refined elixir is truly impressive; at this cultivation speed, he could reach Forty Level before the Soul Master Competition begins,"

Ma Hongjun's Soul Power Level Breakthrough has reached Thirty Nine Level and is about to hit Forty Level.

Strolling down the street, Ma Hongjun felt great; although Bai Chenxiang learned of his past misdeeds and his attitude toward him plummeted, he strongly agrees with the notion that abandoning a single sapling can yield an entire forest.

At his age, possessing a Thirty Nine Level Soul Power Level makes him a bona fide genius anywhere, and Ma Hongjun is quite smug about it.

Today he went to the Spirit Hall to collect a Soul Master stipend of one hundred Gold Soul Coins and plans to go out and enjoy himself.

"I haven't seen Xiaohong for several days; I wonder if she's missing me," Ma Hongjun thought, his gaze turning lecherous, his body reacting.

"Huh? I recall he was a member of that bastard's team."

Ma Hongjun spotted Zhang Xiaohe on the street and planned to give him a lesson, his small eyes darting continuously.

Having formed a plan, Ma Hongjun stealthily followed.

After absorbing the soul bone, Zhang Xiaohe's Soul Power Level broke through to Thirty Six Level; the attributes from the five‑thousand‑year bone greatly boosted his strength and defense, and he now intends to head to the Great Soul Battle Arena to test his power.

Ma Hongjun concealed a powder in his hand, bought from a pharmacy; its main effect is aphrodisiac, and when his performance in bed is lacking, a pinch steeped yields decent results.

The amount he hid is enough for several adults, intended to embarrass Zhang Xiaohe publicly.

While stealthily trailing Zhang Xiaohe and about to strike, Jue Dun, outside the Great Soul Battle Arena, witnessed the scene.

"You dead fatso, what are you doing?"

Jue Dun's sudden intrusion startled Ma Hongjun, causing him to drop the powder, which he inadvertently inhaled in large part.

"You..."

(End of Chapter)