Chapter 113: Xue Qinghe

Team Shrek defeated the Star Luo Royal Academy Team, which was a modest upset, since the Star Luo Royal Academy's members are all Soul Ancestors and also possess a martial soul master fusion technique, their average soul power being five levels higher than that of Team Shrek.

Anyone with eyes could see that it was only when Yang Xiong revealed that External Soul Bone that he could turn the tide; otherwise Team Shrek would have been unable to resist Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun's Nether White Tiger.

And everyone stared intensely at the External Soul Bone on Yang Xiong's body; purely in terms of value, it even far surpasses the three soul bones awarded in the Soul Master Competition.

In the Pope's Palace, Bibidong smiled and said, "Ning Zong Zhu, your Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect has indeed produced a talent; his combat aptitude is outstanding, and he even possesses a top‑quality External Soul Bone. Such a treasure even makes me a bit envious."

Ning Fengzhi appeared unusually calm: "The Pope overpraises; Yang Xiong is still young, and his martial soul is unique, but he has only just entered the Soul Ancestor rank, so the future remains uncertain."

"However, this soul bone is his personal destiny; fortunately it has already fully fused, and even outsiders cannot take it, so I believe no one will dare act against him."

Although their voices were not loud, essentially everyone present were Soul Grandmasters, and especially given their extremely lofty status, they were the focal point of the entire Pope's Palace.

Bibidong nodded: "That's true; at least within this Spirit City no one dares to strike him. Still, such a genius should be cautious in the future, otherwise some short‑sighted envious people will covet this treasure."

Ning Fengzhi laughed, "Thank you for the Pope's concern; our sect's Bone Elder has already taken Yang Xiong as a disciple, so I believe there won't be any short‑sighted people."

The two exchanged a glance and said nothing more; though their words seemed casual, there was clearly deeper meaning behind them.

The originally composed Sword Douluo scanned the crowd, his gaze as sharp as a sword.

Everyone present instantly settled down; the Sword Douluo, reputed as the continent's number one Attack Douluo, could not be taken lightly by anyone.

However, from Bibidong's and Ning Fengzhi's earlier remarks, everyone heard that Yang Xiong had completely absorbed that External Soul Bone; even death would not allow it to be taken, so beyond envy there was no other recourse.

Yang Xiong then left the arena with the other team members; the battle finally concluded, and after this fight, Dai Mubai secured victory over Dai Weisi, so he should have no life‑threatening concerns in the short term.

But Yang Xiong can no longer handle the upcoming matters; having helped him once already fulfills his duty as a classmate and long‑time acquaintance, the rest will have to be faced by him alone.

At most, their relationship has not yet reached the point where Yang Xiong would give Immortal Herb, and besides, Yang Xiong has no intention of revealing the Immortal Herb, especially to outsiders; moreover, truly helping Dai Mubai would require two Immortal Herbs.

After everyone left the arena, Heaven Dou Royal Academy swiftly dispatched Soul Grandmasters to treat the crowd, and even Crown Prince Xue Qinghe himself arrived. The battle's consumption was enormous; aside from Yang Xiong, almost everyone was seriously wounded, and the Spirit Hall team was essentially resting.

Xue Qinghe said with a pretentious tone, "Xiao Xiong, I didn't expect you to be hiding a top‑quality External Soul Bone; seems I have indeed underestimated you a bit."

Yang Xiong replied with a half‑smile, "Brother Qinghe, you flatter me; it's just a mere soul bone. Given your status, obtaining soul bones should be a piece of cake—how many soul bones do you have now?"

Originally Xue Qinghe only intended a light tease, after all they'd tossed many soft nails at each other over the years, but upon hearing that, his complexion shifted slightly, as if he became noticeably tense in that instant.

"Soul bones are reputed as the treasure of Blood River; although I am a Crown Prince and have seen many soul bones, I have never encountered one that fits me, so I currently have no soul bone."

Yang Xiong sighed, "That's a pity, but with your discerning eye, Brother Qinghe, I doubt even a Top-level Soul Bone would be unappealing. I wonder what kind of soul bone would suit you?"

"I think the three soul bones rewarded in this Soul Master Competition are all excellent; given your status, Brother Qinghe, obtaining soul bones of this caliber shouldn't be too difficult."

Originally Ning Fengzhi found Yang Xiong and Xue Qinghe's exchange unsurprising, but now it suddenly piqued his interest.

"Qinghe, your cultivation is decent, so you can indeed consider this path. Our Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect still has several very fine soul bones that should suit you well; you can visit our sect later, as a small token from your teacher."

Xue Qinghe quickly replied, "Teacher, my strength is still relatively weak; I aim to improve through cultivation and haven't considered absorbing soul bones for now."

Ning Fengzhi said, "Qinghe, as master and disciple, there are things I must consider for you. Soul bones won't hinder your cultivation; on the contrary they'll greatly benefit you. I know you're usually indifferent to fame and wealth and dislike relying on external aids, but sometimes it's wise to give it some thought."

Xue Qinghe: ……

At this moment Xue Qinghe felt speechless inside, wondering why he brought up soul bones with Yang Xiong, almost getting himself tangled, since he cannot absorb ordinary soul bones.

Yang Xiong secretly rejoiced, thinking, 'You impostor likes to spar with me; now you've been led into a trap.'

But before Yang Xiong could get too pleased, a sharp pain struck his waist—it was Ning Rongrong's salty‑pig hand.

Ning Rongrong showed a hint of displeasure on his face: "Xiao Xiongzi, you're hiding it well; I didn't expect you to secretly stash an External Soul Bone, and its defense is so formidable."

Yang Xiong, bearing the intense pain in his waist, quickly said, "Rong Rong, soul bones are of great consequence; I never intended to reveal them. If today's battle weren't special, would you think I'd expose it?"

Ning Rongrong pursed his lips: "I didn't expect you to expose the soul bone for Dai Lao Hu and Zhu Qing; in your eyes, are they more important than me? You didn't even tell me about this."

Yang Xiong replied, "It's not about important or not; if you were the one injured, I'd reveal this soul bone without hesitation. Anyway, it's already fully absorbed, and no one can take it away."

Only then did Ning Rongrong feel a bit relieved: "Xiao Xiongzi, be honest—what other secrets are you hiding from me?"

Yang Xiong laughed, "Rong Rong, you know me; why would I hide anything from you? Even if I did, it would be for your own good."

Ning Rongrong's eyes flickered oddly: "Is that so? I feel I'm understanding you less and less, as if the secrets you hide keep increasing. Anyway, I don't care; I'll be the first to know any of your secrets."

Yang Xiong said, "You little girl, any secret I have I'll tell you immediately; I'll never let you suffer."

At this moment Yang Xiong internally retorted: 'I have plenty of secrets; this is just the tip of the iceberg.'

Seeing Yang Xiong and Ning Rongrong play‑fight, Ning Fengzhi only smiled silently, and even the Sword Douluo, who usually found Yang Xiong somewhat off‑putting, showed no change in expression.

Compared to Yang Xiong and Ning Rongrong, the injured members of Team Shrek were unusually speechless; they seemed to think Yang Xiong no longer cared about the soul bone—could this be the 'people versus popularity' death trap.

At that moment, Yu Xiaogang, Flanders, and Liu Erlong approached Yang Xiong; their expressions remained rather solemn.

Yu Xiaogang spoke first: "Yang Xiong, did you break through to Level 40 on the arena?"

Yang Xiong was a bit puzzled: "Indeed, I just broke through to Level 40. Is there a problem?"

Yu Xiaogang said, "That's crucial; if you absorb the Fourth Soul Ring, your strength should increase dramatically, and our Shrek team's win rate would rise considerably."

Yang Xiong was speechless: "Master, are you underestimating the Fourth Soul Ring? We're currently in Spirit City; are there any suitable soul beasts nearby?"

Yu Xiaogang quickly replied: "Flanders and Er Long can take you to the nearby Soul Beast Forest to hunt soul beasts; spending one night isn't impossible, and once you become a Soul Ancestor, our odds should improve a lot."

Yang Xiong shook his head: "Master, you may be mistaken. I have extremely high standards for each Soul Ring. There's no high‑grade Soul Beast Forest near Spirit City; even in Sunset Forest I never found a soul beast suitable for my Fourth Soul Ring. I'll probably have to search the Star Dou Great Forest, but the finals are only a dozen hours away, and that time isn't enough to reach the Star Dou Great Forest, let alone the hassle of hunting soul beasts."

Regarding the Fourth Soul Ring, Yang Xiong already had a plan; ordinary soul beasts don't meet his standards—he needs at least a top‑quality soul beast that matches his attributes, and he won't waste his future development on this seemingly doomed match.

Yu Xiaogang clearly looked a bit dejected: "Yang Xiong, you are the strongest among us; only if you become stronger can we possibly contend with the multiple Soul Kings of the Spirit Hall, otherwise we'll struggle to win the finals."

Yang Xiong said, "Master, I understand your desire to win, but some things are simply not feasible. So far we haven't truly witnessed the Spirit Hall team's real strength; they have three Soul Kings, and I cannot face multiple opponents simultaneously."

"Moreover, this is the Spirit Hall's home ground; they won't let me easily obtain a suitable Soul Ring. I bet that once I leave the city, I won't be able to return before tomorrow's finals."

"This finals involves three Top-level Soul Bones; you should already know the Spirit Hall's tactics. They won't let me grow stronger and certainly won't allow any anomalies in the finals."

Yu Xiaogang glanced at Ning Fengzhi and the Sword Douluo; however, the two were merely watching silently on the side, showing no intention to intervene, indicating that this seemingly doomed battle wasn't worth wagering everything on.

In fact, if the Sword Douluo personally acted, he might take Yang Xiong to obtain a Soul Ring, but the short time makes acquiring a high‑quality Soul Ring impossible, especially since Yang Xiong demands extremely high quality.

Finally, Yu Xiaogang's face showed profound bitterness: "Yang Xiong, I understand now; perhaps I've been too obsessed with winning."

Flanders and Liu Erlong, seeing Yu Xiaogang's demeanor, could only offer quiet consolation; at this point they had no solution, as the gap in strength between the sides was simply too great.

Yang Xiong said little more and left directly, and after some discussion Ning Fengzhi and the others also departed.

(End of Chapter)