Chapter 256: Soul Spirit (Part 1)

"Master Dugu, is Master Shi conducting experiments again?"

Seeing Dugu Bo blocking the way outside the research institute from afar, the expressions of the three people relaxed slightly.

"Haha, Meng Shenji, I've troubled you all to make another trip. If luck is on our side, this should be the last time," Dugu Bo said with a loud laugh.

Upon hearing this, Meng Shenji's eyes lit up. He looked at Dugu Bo and asked in a low voice, "What exactly are Master Shi and the others researching? It's so mysterious, and the commotion is so great every time. Master Dugu, why don't you give us the inside scoop?"

Dugu Bo gave a mysterious smile, "You will naturally know when the time comes. If this theory is released, I fear it will shock the entire Spirit Master world even more than Xiao Quan's Zhou Tian Cultivation Method did back then!"

"Really?" Meng Shenji trembled all over and said excitedly.

Dugu Bo said proudly, "What? Are you doubting Xiao Quan's theory?"

"How could I!" Meng Shenji shook his head hurriedly, "Master Shi's theories are world-renowned. If there were any doubts, the Empire wouldn't have invested such massive resources into him, right?"

"Pouring resources into Xiao Quan is absolutely a guaranteed profit. With Xiao Quan in the Empire, it is definitely the Empire's good fortune," Dugu Bo said with his head held high and chest out.

Tang Yuehua's figure paused. He knew that Tang Hao's matter could not be hidden for long, but he had not expected that Tang San would be discovered to be an anomaly so soon after arriving at Yuexuan.

Tap, tap, tap.

The sound of iron cavalry rang out within Heaven Dou City, galloping in unison toward the direction of the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.

"Master Dugu is right," Meng Shenji replied.

"What is going on?"

Tang San watched from the window as the iron cavalry passed by Yuexuan and galloped toward a certain place in the city.

Just as the two were speaking.

Because the current Heaven Dou Imperial Academy was located within Heaven Dou City.

"What happened to the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy? Nothing else is happening, right?"

"It seems something happened at the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy again. Could it be that someone attacked Master Shi again? Is Tang Hao's cautionary tale not enough to warn other factions..."

"Aunt, what do those people downstairs mean? Why would an incident at the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy be linked to my father?" Tang San turned abruptly to look at Tang Yuehua.

Suddenly, he heard the discussions coming from downstairs outside the room.

The earth suddenly shook violently; the powerful disturbance was felt even by ordinary people outside the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.

Tang San stared fixedly at Tang Yuehua and said, "Aunt, I know you are hiding something from me. It's about Father, right? Just tell me directly! Even commoners know about it; I imagine this matter has caused quite a stir. As long as I investigate a little, I will find out the whole story."

Tang Yuehua could no longer hold back his emotions; he collapsed to the ground abruptly, covered his face, and wept bitterly.

Once there was a disturbance here, the news spread quickly throughout Heaven Dou City.

Tang Yuehua slowly raised his head, his red eyes filled with resentment, "Xiao San, you must stay calm, do you understand?"

Tang Yuehua's expression changed slightly, "Xiao San, what are you saying? You must have heard wrong."

"Father?" Tang San trembled all over. He had actually heard his father's name from the mouth of a commoner.

Seeing this, Tang San immediately had an ominous premonition and hurriedly stepped forward to help him up, "Aunt, what exactly happened?"

Yuexuan, top floor.

Upon hearing this, the ominous feeling in Tang San's heart grew even stronger. He nodded and said, "Aunt, just tell me directly. I can handle it."

"Your father... he is already dead..."

"What?!" Tang San felt as if he had been struck by a thunderbolt. His ink-colored eyes flashed with blood-red light, and terrifying killing intent spilled out as if it were tangible, "Impossible! Father is a Title Douluo. In Wuhun City, Father could retreat unscathed while facing seven Title Douluos while carrying me. How could anyone in this world be able to kill Father!"

Tang Yuehua's face turned pale, and he hurriedly stepped forward to grab Tang San's arm tightly, "Xiao San, you must stay calm, control your killing intent, and listen to Aunt!"

Tang San struggled to control his body, which was trembling with rage, and looked at Tang Yuehua, asking, "Aunt, you are lying to me, right? You are lying to me, aren't you?"

"Xiao San, this matter is true."

"How can this be, how can this be!" Tang San was dazed for a long time. His ink-colored eyes completely turned blood-colored, and his figure became eerily calm as he said slowly, "Aunt, what exactly happened."

Tang Yuehua held Tang San's hand tightly and slowly recounted the events regarding Tang Hao from back then.

Tang San listened quietly, like a calm lake, but beneath this calm lake lay endless rage and killing intent.

"... Xiao San, you must endure. Only by staying alive, with your talent, will revenge be a matter of time. If you act impulsively, Aunt does not want to see the old bury the young."

"I understand, Aunt."

Tang San was not as calm as someone who remains unmoved when Mount Tai collapses before them or the Yellow River bursts at the peak; rather, at this moment, his heart had completely died.

Because he knew that Xiao Wu was also with Dugu Bo and Shi Quan. Now that his father had died at the hands of Shi Quan and the others, he imagined that Xiao Wu had likely met with the same misfortune.

His lover, his father—the two people he loved most—had both died at the hands of Shi Quan and the others.

At this moment, the only thought left in his mind was one thing: revenge.

Resentment, hatred, loathing, and malice—all sorts of negative emotions constantly intertwined in his mind.

Two contradictory auras churned within Tang San's body.

The killing intent on Tang San's body was eerily restrained, giving him the appearance of a noble young master, but his pair of blood-colored eyes looked exceptionally ghastly, and deep within them lay violence and madness about to overflow.

"Aunt, the identity of Tang Yin is no longer safe. I had just returned to Heaven Dou City when something happened at the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy again. This is too coincidental, and I suspect there are spies from the Heaven Dou Empire within Yuexuan. I cannot continue to stay at Yuexuan; I must leave." Tang San's blood-colored eyes looked toward the direction of the Sunset Forest.

"Where are you going?" Tang Yuehua asked worriedly.

"Aunt, don't worry. I know that what I need to do most right now is to improve my strength. Only with sufficient strength can I take revenge. I can promise you that before I have absolute strength, I will never do anything impulsive."

Upon hearing this, Tang Yuehua finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although Tang San's current state was a bit off, seeing Tang San analyze the current situation so rationally, the problem was not major. Still, he said worriedly, "Xiao San, you must be careful when you are out alone. Come back to see Aunt when you have time."

"Don't worry, Aunt. I will come back when I have time." Tang San took a deep breath, looked at the bustling street, and after saying goodbye to Tang Yuehua.

Tang San left Yuexuan from the back, stepped lightly, hid his body in the shadows, and headed outside Heaven Dou City.

The gaze returns to the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.

Strange streams of light flowed beneath the Iron-Armored Wild Boar, and its life force was constantly weakening at a speed visible to the naked eye. As the life force completely dissipated, a purple Soul Ring slowly emerged.

The purple Soul Ring had just emerged when it turned into streams of light, merging into the brilliant radiance atop the Iron-Armored Wild Boar's head.

Time passed second by second, and the radiance atop the Iron-Armored Wild Boar's head became increasingly brilliant.

Suddenly, the radiance solidified, and the Iron-Armored Wild Boar's massive body tilted and fell to the ground.

"Failed again?" Gu Yuena frowned upon seeing this.

However, Shi Quan said excitedly: "It is not a failure, but a success!"

"Roar—" A spirited wild boar roar came from within the radiance.

The solidified radiance suddenly shattered, and a miniature version of an Iron-Armored Wild Boar leaped out from within, letting out an excited roar.

"It's done!" Gu Yuena looked at the Iron-Armored Wild Boar Soul Spirit with a face full of surprise.

"Gu Yuena, you come and verify it." Shi Quan looked at Gu Yuena.

Gu Yuena nodded and looked at the Iron-Armored Wild Boar.

Even though it was a thousand-year Spirit Beast, it immediately became obedient when facing Gu Yuena, calling out ingratiatingly.

After listening for a moment, Gu Yuena nodded with satisfaction, "Its intelligence is perfectly preserved, and it possesses the ability to survive and cultivate independently. As for whether it can evolve into a Soul Ring, we still have to test it to be sure."

"Good." Shi Quan nodded, "I will go find a student to come over."

Saying this, Shi Quan walked quickly toward the outside of the research institute.

Clang.

The door of the research institute opened.

Outside the door, it was already crowded with people.

Dugu Bo, Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, as well as the Three Great Education Committees and Xue Qinghe.

"So lively?" Shi Quan said with a smile.

Dugu Bo asked directly: "Xiao Quan, how is your research going?"

"Is it a preliminary success?"

"What do you mean by preliminary success?" Dugu Bo's eyes widened.

"It still needs to be fused to know the final result." Shi Quan looked at the Three Great Education Committees, "Education Committee Member Meng, could I trouble you to have Liu Lei come over?"

"No problem." Meng Shenji nodded and hurriedly gave the order.

"Everyone, follow me inside." Shi Quan nodded.

The group followed Shi Quan into the research institute and quickly noticed the corpse of the Iron-Armored Wild Boar on the ground, as well as the miniature version of the Iron-Armored Wild Boar to the side.

"Xiao Quan, is this the Soul Spirit of the Iron-Armored Wild Boar?"

Ye Lingling, Dugu Yan, and Dugu Bo all had their eyes light up upon seeing this.

"Soul Spirit?" Xue Qinghe looked at the Iron-Armored Wild Boar Soul Spirit with confusion; this Iron-Armored Wild Boar seemed like a Spirit Beast yet was different from a Spirit Beast, so he couldn't help but ask curiously: "What is a Soul Spirit?"

The Three Great Education Committees also looked at Shi Quan with equal curiosity.

Shi Quan explained: "A Soul Spirit is another form of existence for a Spirit Beast, formed by extracting the Soul Soul of a Spirit Beast in a special way along with the soul power and life force within its body and condensing them."

Xue Qinghe nodded and then asked: "Then what is the use of this Soul Spirit?"

"To replace a Soul Ring!"

"What?!"

These four simple words caused the Three Great Education Committees and Xue Qinghe present to all reveal expressions of shock.

"Brother Shi, this Soul Spirit of yours shouldn't be as simple as you say, right?" Xue Qinghe suppressed the excitement in his heart and looked at Shi Quan with burning eyes.

"Of course." Shi Quan nodded with a smile, "But the specific success can only be determined after Liu Lei comes to absorb and fuse it..."