Chapter 57
At Levels 20 and 25, Lin Bai unlocked two new profession skills:
[Perseverance] and [Weak Life Sharing].
He gave them a quick glance. The first increased his resistance to abnormal statuses, while the second allowed Ying Tian to share his injuries with him.
A decent pair of utility skills. Not life-changing, but solid.
"A skill effect that's better than nothing."
Lin Bai shelved them for now. If an enemy could surpass both his Ruyi Qiankun Spear and the dragon beneath him, they'd have more to worry about than these.
Reaching Level 20 had also triggered his profession's passive: Talent Sharing. Each partner shared one of their innate talents with the other.
Lin Bai, now a Mountain God, shared Earth Line Body Protection — a general all-around enhancement ability. In return, Ying Tian's attributes climbed, and the dragon took on the role of a proper spirit beast beneath a Mountain God's command.
To avoid conflicting traits, Lin Bai also shared his Light and Darkness Demonic Body, letting Ying Tian cultivate it on his own.
As for Ying Tian, reaching this new stage came with the awakening of two talents.
The first was Shen Mian, a dragon bloodline ability allowing gradual regeneration during deep sleep. It was useful for dragons that lived thousands of years, but for Lin Bai — who didn't have centuries to wait around — it was nearly pointless.
"I don't have that kind of time."
The second was far more interesting:
[God of War's Awakening] — Upon entering battle, the user would rapidly adjust to peak combat form. Strength would rise continuously the longer they fought. Even if defeated, so long as their blood wasn't completely drained, they wouldn't truly fall.
Lin Bai frowned at the description.
"This… doesn't feel like it suits me."
It wasn't a bad talent — in fact, it was excellent. But it hinted at a reckless, high-risk, battle-junkie path. One he hadn't intended to follow.
Still, in this world, hesitation was a luxury no one could afford.
Without dwelling on it, he swung his spear and cleared out the rest of the monsters in his immediate path. Blood clung to his skin and clothes, soaking into him. The new talent settled into his body, subtly changing it.
The Ruyi Qiankun Spear responded to the shift, golden energy gathering around it. Its lethal precision became sharper, condensing to a purer, more refined form.
Then, a sudden surge.
Lin Bai's soul power surged uncontrollably before stabilizing again. He had reached Level 29, one step away from the Soul Master realm.
Looking out across the battlefield, he saw that the surviving monsters — hundreds of them — had already turned to flee. Their natural instincts warned them to avoid a predator far beyond their level.
Lin Bai didn't bother chasing. It wasn't worth the effort. Besides, leaving some behind meant others could still earn their share of experience. He didn't need to hoard everything.
He landed lightly, turning toward the shadow lingering beside him.
"How was the haul? I didn't bother picking up loot, but it didn't seem like much dropped."
A figure stepped out of his shadow. Zhu Zhuqing gave a small tilt of her head, surprised he'd noticed her.
"Three level-ups. I'm close to twenty now. My shadow control's improving too."
She gestured at a gathered pile of weapons and equipment.
"I collected everything from the monsters we killed. The others probably did the same. Unlike you, we don't leave valuable loot lying around."
Lin Bai gave a helpless smile and smacked his forehead.
"Oh… right."
He turned to Ying Tian, who was still hovering restlessly nearby.
"I'll bring you along next time. Pick up the gear, and I'll give you extra food when we get back."
The dragon's eyes brightened, and it immediately swooped down, scooping up discarded weapons and armor.
Though his level was lower, Ying Tian's efficiency was increasing. He'd begun experimenting with telekinesis thanks to their shared talents. It was still clumsy, but it sped up the process.
Before long, Ying Tian reached Level 25. His body lengthened to five and a half meters — officially entering his adolescent stage. To carry more, he used his Ruyi ability to enlarge his form, scooping up equipment with his claws.
He understood perfectly well what this meant: more loot equaled more food and better toys later.
At that moment, a deep, unfamiliar voice called out.
"You again. May I ask your name?"
A Soul Saint approached, clearly one of the security officers assigned to protect the camp perimeter. He handed Lin Bai a piece of high-quality equipment.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I just want to know where you're from. The Seven Treasure Glazed Sect is expanding rapidly after the dungeon's appearance. Talents like you — you're exactly the kind of person we need. With your potential, you could easily become a Sect Protector Douluo someday."
Lin Bai raised a brow.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Sect. That explained the man's straightforward and fair approach. Their leader, Ning Fengzhi, was known for being refined, polite, and pragmatic. Since their sect specialized in support-type martial souls, there wasn't as much infighting as in other factions.
Still, Lin Bai didn't answer.
The silence made others restless.
Several figures nearby, clearly representatives from other powers, quickly stepped forward.
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is the best home for a talent like yours! We're the premier dragon martial soul sect. You won't be wasted with us!"
"Don't listen to them! Your accent says you're from the Heaven Dou Empire. Join the Imperial Academy — you'll graduate a noble, gain a title, a fief, and real authority!"
"Idiots. The Heaven Dou nobility is rotten to the core. The Star Luo Empire is stronger, fairer, and rewards strength properly. Come to us and you'll get the best treatment."
Empty promises, of course. None of them wanted Lin Bai to fall into the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect's hands.
The Soul Saint's face darkened. If not for the current circumstances, he might've silenced them then and there.
But for now, it was just noise.
*******
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