As expected of a divine-level martial soul, even before it fully matured, its sharpness was already evident!
"Shouldn't I absorb a soul ring first?" Lu Leng couldn't help but ask.
"Soul rings are indeed important, but for you, they are not urgent. What's most crucial now is for you to lay a solid foundation. Without a solid foundation and proficient control over your soul power, no matter how high your talent, you will still be defeated!" Bibi Dong coldly reprimanded.
"I understand, Teacher," Lu Leng sincerely accepted the lesson.
It seemed that this Bibi Dong wasn't entirely bad; at least she treated her own people well.
Lu Leng hesitated. He had previously thought about finding an opportunity to escape, but now it seemed...maybe he should wait a bit longer?
.......
Time flew by, and two months passed in the blink of an eye.
In these two months, although Lu Leng's soul power level hadn't increased, his control over it had reached a perfect level. While it still seemed immature compared to Bibi Dong, it was worlds apart from where he had been two months ago.
Lu Leng stood in the training room and slashed at an iron stake in front of him.
The air no longer exploded, and the purple lightning no longer flickered. It seemed like an ordinary strike. But when the blade hit the iron stake, a sudden thunderclap rang out, and the entire stake was shattered into pieces.
"Not bad. You've managed to contain your soul power within the blade, releasing it in a concentrated burst upon impact, creating an explosive effect," Bibi Dong praised, a hint of satisfaction in her eyes.
"It's all thanks to your excellent teaching," Lu Leng said sincerely.
Over these two months, Bibi Dong had come almost every day, personally guiding him, which was why he had made such astonishing progress.
Looking at Bibi Dong's stunning face, he suddenly thought that staying in the Spirit Hall might not be so bad.
"Let's go. Today, I'll take you to hunt a soul beast and attach a soul ring to you."
"Yes, Teacher!" Lu Leng said excitedly.
He had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
In the Star Dou Forest, the three of them—Bibi Dong, Chrysanthemum Douluo, and Lu Leng stood together.
"Your martial soul is an extremely offensive weapon-type soul, so your path will be that of a strong attacker. We'll hunt a soul beast between five thousand and seven thousand years for you," Bibi Dong said, signaling Yueguan to capture a soul beast.
"Five thousand to seven thousand years?" Lu Leng was shocked. "Isn't the limit for the first soul ring four hundred and twenty-three years?"
"You know quite a bit," Bibi Dong glanced at him in surprise, then continued, "That limit is true; it's for ordinary people. You're different. Your martial soul is a divine-level soul. From the moment you were born, it has been subtly strengthening your physique. Even though it hadn't awakened, it was still very much present. I'm sure you've felt this over the past two months."
Lu Leng nodded. It was true. Over these two months, he had clearly felt his physical abilities improving—and not just a little, but at a very rapid pace. At first, he thought it might be some kind of issue, but later he realized it was because of his martial soul, Zhan Luo.
Especially when he held Zhan Luo in his hand, the feeling was even stronger. So now, he had gotten used to not putting Zhan Luo away.
Bibi Dong continued, "Moreover, you already possess twenty-one levels of soul power and have a preliminary grasp of soul power control. Therefore, I deduce that absorbing a seven-thousand-year soul ring will be no problem for you."
"Then I'll want a ten-thousand-year soul ring for my first one," Lu Leng said excitedly upon hearing Bibi Dong's words.
"A ten-thousand-year soul ring"—when revealed in battle, its black flash would exude an unparalleled aura of dominance!
"If you want to die, I'll stop you," Bibi Dong poured cold water on his enthusiasm. "Remember, you are now a member of the Spirit Hall. Every decision you make affects the development of the Spirit Hall. You're not just an individual anymore; you can't do whatever you want."
Lu Leng was speechless.
See? He had said earlier that joining the Spirit Hall was a bad idea, but no one listened.
The outcome was unfavorable, and there were too many rules.
"Can't I just wait a while before absorbing the soul ring?" Lu Leng clearly hadn't given up on the idea of a ten-thousand-year soul ring.
"No," Bibi Dong explained. "The earlier a soul master cultivates, the better it is for their future development. You're currently in the golden period of cultivation. You can't sacrifice your future growth for the sake of a soul ring. Besides, this is only your first soul ring; it won't have a significant impact on your later development."
"Fine then."
Lu Leng had no choice but to give up.
Soon, a battle broke out in the distance, and not long after, Chrysanthemum Douluo returned with a critically injured spirit beast.
"So big!" Lu Leng's jaw dropped as he watched a spirit beast the size of a small mountain approach.
The spirit beast was as large as a three-story villa, yet Yueguan held it effortlessly with one hand, making it seem fragile and insignificant.
"Boom!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo tossed the 'small mountain' to the ground, and Lu Leng finally saw that it was an elephant. The elephant was clad in armor, indestructible, with two massive tusks that were exceptionally sharp. In the modern world, it would undoubtedly be a ferocious beast.
Yet, in Chrysanthemum Douluo's hands, it was effortlessly subdued.
"This is a Thousand Jun Charge Elephant. Judging by its size, it's roughly around seven thousand years old. Absorb its soul ring, and ill protect you," Bibi Dong said, quite satisfied with this spirit beast.
The Thousand Jun Charge Elephant was inherently aggressive, making it the perfect match for Lu Leng's Zhan Luo martial soul.
"Understood."
Lu Leng stepped forward, drew Zhan Luo, and with a single strike and the spirit beast perished. Faint purple light points began to gather above the spirit beast's body, quickly forming a purple soul ring. The soul ring's color was vibrant, and Lu Leng could feel the immense energy it contained.
Without hesitation, Lu Leng held Zhan Luo, condensed his soul power in his hand, and guided it through the blade toward the soul ring.
The soul ring, drawn by the energy, moved toward Lu Leng, rapidly shrinking before settling onto his Zhan Luo martial soul. Instantly, Lu Leng felt a surge of scorching energy rush into his body.
"Stay conscious and guide the energy with your soul power!"
Bibi Dong's voice rang in his ears, but Lu Leng couldn't help but smirk. What's this little energy? Do I really need to stay conscious?
Bibi Dong: "?????"
Ju Douluo: "...Well played."
Though Lu Leng was showing off, he still had to handle the process carefully.
The surging soul power continuously tempered Lu Leng's body like a rampaging tiger, running wild and unchecked. He only felt his body being stretched to its limits, the pain excruciating. However, fortunately, after this wave of pain, a warm current flowed through him, like a gentle spring rain, repairing the damage that had just been done.
After about a quarter of an hour, Lu Leng opened his eyes.
Lu Leng knew he had succeeded.
"how do you feel?" Bibi Dong asked.
"Not bad, like I just soaked in a hot spring," Lu Leng said casually.