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Feeling the startling elasticity of Huo Wu's embrace, Ye Lan remained composed as he gently withdrew his arm. Without missing a beat, he began condensing the 20,000-year "Flame Princess" and "Blazing Triceratops" artificial soul rings for Huo Wu and Huo Wushuang.
Before long, the siblings held their rare and potent artificial soul rings in their hands. Huo Wu's eyes had completely transformed into shimmering pools of adoration; she looked as if she wanted to pounce on Ye Lan right then and there.
"Alright, everyone, begin absorbing your 'Spirit Herbs' now," Ye Lan instructed. "By the time you wake, the artificial soul rings will be fully condensed, and we can move on to the final absorption."
"Heaven Dou Imperial Academy is safe enough for now. We have the three seniors of the Educational Affairs Committee here, as well as the Spirit Hall Elder, Star Douluo," Ye Lan added.
Hearing his earnest advice, Huo Wu reluctantly pulled back her amorous gaze and nodded seriously. Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er suppressed the complex emotions swirling in their hearts and likewise began absorbing their herbs.
The remaining seven also sat cross-legged in the hall. As they began the process, their anticipation for the future of the "Sanctuary" grew. First, the Limit Attachment Method, then Spirit Herbs, and now customized artificial soul rings—The Myriad Beast Sect? The Soul Spirit system? They weren't even interested. From this day forward, they were Sanctuary's people in life and its ghosts in death.
As the medicinal power of the Spirit Herbs took hold, vibrant soul light erupted from their bodies. The medicinal energy converted into a massive influx of soul power, relentlessly filling and compressing the energy within their dantians. Soon, their spirits began to evolve alongside the rising quality of their soul power.
Time slipped by, and one by one, the group began to stir. Shui Bing'er was the first to wake; her talent was the highest, and her absorption speed the fastest.
Feeling the staggering amount of soul power within her, Shui Bing'er was shocked. It was exactly as her idol had promised—the herb had raised her rank by four levels. Once she finished absorbing the "Ice Phoenix" artificial ring, she would likely reach Rank 55!
Overcome with emotion, Shui Bing'er lunged toward Ye Lan. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips firmly against his.
Faced with her sudden initiative, Ye Lan did not refuse. He wasn't made of stone, and this "Ice Beauty" had bared her heart twice now. For such a shy girl, this must have been a monumental internal struggle. He responded in kind, ice and fire intertwining. To him, it felt like tasting the finest ice cream.
A long moment passed until a stir came from behind them. A crimson-faced Shui Bing'er hurriedly broke the kiss, retreating with a shy stutter, pretending nothing had happened. Yet, when she looked at Ye Lan, her ice-blue eyes brimmed with an irrepressible love.
Soon, the others regained consciousness. As Ye Lan expected, his former teammates—Yu Tianheng, Oslo, Yu Feng, and the Shi brothers—had each gained one rank. The others had gained four, their progress temporarily halted by the need for a soul ring to unlock the stored energy.
With a nod from Ye Lan, Shui Bing'er, Shui Yue'er, Huo Wu, Huo Wushuang, and Feng Xiaotian began the final condensation of their perfect artificial rings.
An hour later, Shui Bing'er was again the first to finish.
"Bing'er, what is the age of your ring? And the soul skill?" Ye Lan asked curiously.
Hearing the intimate name "Bing'er," Oslo and Yu Feng began to hoot and cheer. They hadn't expected the "Ice Mountain Beauty" and Ye Lan to move this quickly! Shui Bing'er's ears burned, her heart racing.
"Idol," she began softly, "the ring reached 19,000 years. My soul power has hit Rank 55. As for the skill... it's very special."
"It's called Ice Phoenix Nirvana. If I take fatal damage, the Ice Phoenix transforms into an indestructible egg around me. I can choose to hatch at any time within a day, undergoing a rebirth. Upon emerging, all my attributes are boosted by 100% for three minutes. The cooldown is three months. However, if I use the skill proactively rather than as a reaction to death, the cooldown is only ten days."
"Idol, thank you! I never imagined an artificial ring could offer such a leap!"
Ye Lan nodded with satisfaction. A rebirth skill was top-tier by any standard, especially with invincibility and a massive stat boost. While a three-month cooldown was long, for a high-level master, the first six soul skills were rarely used for raw power anyway. A "resurrection" skill in the fifth slot was the ultimate insurance policy.
Yu Tianheng and the others were green with envy, cursing themselves for reaching Rank 50 too early and absorbing natural rings.
Shortly after, Shui Yue'er, Huo Wushuang, and Feng Xiaotian woke simultaneously.
"Idol! I'm a Rank 45 Soul Ancestor now!" Shui Yue'er cheered, hugging her sister. "My fourth ring is 5,500 years old. The skill is Shark Frenzy—it doubles my speed, removes water resistance, and boosts my control over currents!"
"Ye-shen, I'm a Rank 52 Soul King!" Huo Wushuang shouted, his voice thick with emotion. "My spirit evolved from the One-Horned Fire Tyrant Dragon to the Twin-Horned Crimson Flame Dragon! The skill is Fire Dragon Charge, summoning a Blazing Triceratops for massive area damage!"
In Huo Wushuang's heart, Ye Lan's status reached a new peak. He truly was the greatest theorist on the continent!
"I've reached Rank 55," Feng Xiaotian added, grinning ear to ear. "My Twin-Headed Gale Demon Wolf evolved too! Both heads have grown 'Heavenly Dragon Horse' horns, vastly increasing my control over wind particles. My flight and wind manipulation are on a different level now!"
Today was the happiest day of Feng Xiaotian's life. Evolution alongside his brother-in-arms was more than he could have hoped for. As for women? Who needs them?!
"Brother, why are you looking at me so weirdly?" Huo Wushuang asked, scratching his head.
"Nonsense! I'm still waiting for you to introduce me to some girls!" Feng Xiaotian rolled his eyes, though he was truly just swept up in the joy of the moment.
Ye Lan's gaze finally turned to Huo Wu. Surprisingly, she was the slowest to absorb her ring. This wasn't due to poor talent, but rather because the "Flame Princess" ring was providing an immense transformation.
Seeing her face grow pale, Ye Lan's body flashed with golden light. He decisively channeled the life force of his Blue Silver Grass into a thick Mist of Life, enveloping her. Under the nourishment of Ultimate Life, her color slowly returned.
"Thank you, Ye-shen!" Huo Wushuang said, his heart finally settling. "Without you, I wouldn't have known what to do."
"It's fine. We are all on the same side," Ye Lan comforted.
After another half hour, Huo Wu's long eyelashes fluttered open. She found herself bathed in life-giving mist. Moments ago, she felt as if she were drowning in magma, her mental world being incinerated. At her weakest, that cool life force had saved her, repairing her scorched meridians and cells.
Tears pricked her eyes as she realized what Ye Lan had done. She lunged into his arms, sobbing. "Idol! I thought I'd never see you again! Thank you!"
Ye Lan patted her back, soothing her. Huo Wushuang watched his sister seek comfort in Ye Lan rather than her own brother and sighed internally: She's grown up and gone to another...
"Idol, I'm Rank 53 now," Huo Wu said, wiping her eyes. "But my spirit... it's changed a lot. Look!"
She summoned her spirit. Her "Shadow" was no longer just a flickering silhouette of fire. It had become startlingly vivid, possessing the distinct outline of the Flame Princess, adorned with fiery garments and ornaments.
"It truly has changed," Ye Lan observed. "Keep this up, and your spirit will become terrifying. It might even catch up to Bing'er's."
"Really?!" Huo Wu beamed. Though the mention of "Bing'er" caused a small ripple in her heart, she didn't show it. She knew the way to Ye Lan's heart wasn't through petty jealousy.
"Yes. Your 'Shadow' spirit is actually a Body Spirit," Ye Lan explained.
"A Body Spirit? What's that?" Huo Wushuang asked.
Shui Bing'er's eyes lit up. "I remember reading about it in the New Spirit Competitiveness paper! I didn't realize Huo Wu's shadow was one!"
"Correct," Ye Lan said. "Because they are so rare, I didn't expand on them much in my papers. Generally, the more vital the body part, the stronger the spirit—like the brain or heart. Huo Wu's shadow is a mutated Body Spirit with a fire attribute. Since everyone has a shadow, it's vital in its own way. Your previous focus on fire was correct, but incomplete."
"So should I keep focusing on fire?" Huo Wu asked.
Ye Lan shook his head. "If it hadn't changed, yes. But after the Flame Princess ring, your shadow is evolving toward a complete human form. If it becomes a full humanoid lifeform, your strength after its Second Awakening will be beyond your imagination."
"Second Awakening? I can do that?" Huo Wu pointed at herself in shock.
"Of course! Body Spirits have a much higher chance of it. From now on, you must focus on 'Body Spirit' cultivation. Your future rings should be humanoid fire-type beasts to complete the evolution. I predict that once you reach the Titled Douluo level, your shadow will become a complete human. At that point, you can perform Second and Third Awakenings simultaneously, likely reaching the Gold Level."
"Third Awakening? Gold Level?" Huo Wushuang was breathless.
"The only condition for Second Awakening is sufficient blood vitality," Ye Lan explained. "It's divided into Iron, Bronze, and Silver levels. Iron boosts strength by 30%, Bronze by 60%, and Silver by 100%. Silver-level awakeners are rare, possessed of combat power far beyond their rank. They are seen as the reserve for future Titled Douluos."
"If a Silver-level awakener reaches Titled Douluo, they can attempt a Third Awakening. Gold Level increases comprehensive strength by 150% and grants unique Secret Techniques. Because Huo Wu's spirit needs to evolve through rings, her awakening should wait until her ninth ring. That way, her potential won't be capped early. If she succeeds, her Secret Techniques will be more terrifying than 100,000-year soul skills!"
"Thank you for guiding my sister, Ye-shen," Huo Wushuang said gratefully.
"Idol, what should I do now?" Huo Wu asked, her eyes full of hope. If she followed his plan, she might actually catch up to Shui Bing'er!
"Don't be in a hurry. Besides fire cultivation, focus on physical training to boost your blood vitality. You need a massive reserve of life force to handle the dual awakenings later," Ye Lan planned.
"I understand! But... what if I fail? What if my vitality isn't enough?"
"Don't worry," Ye Lan comforted her. "I'll be there. I'll provide the Mist of Life to help you through it."
"Thank you! Idol, you're the best!" Overwhelmed, Huo Wu grabbed Ye Lan's face and gave him a heavy, lingering kiss. It lasted so long he nearly suffocated. When she finally pulled away, she gave him a playful wink, ignoring the envious stares of the surrounding "single dogs."
Ye Lan cleared his throat, quickly changing the subject. "Wu, what was the soul skill you gained?"
"It's called Awakening," she replied. "It allows me to materialize the Shadow as a physical entity. It boosts my fire control, and the shadow can fight independently with 60% of my strength. Its power increases by 10% for every ten levels I gain."
"Excellent. Even without the skill, the evolution alone was a massive win. This is just icing on the cake. Once you get your Spirit Avatar, you'll essentially have two of them!"
Huo Wu nodded vigorously. It was Ye Lan who had given her everything—the ring, the survival through evolution, and the knowledge of her true potential. For the first time, she felt the same dedicated care Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing had received. Ye Lan was no longer a distant idol; he was her mentor, her anchor. She finally understood why so many brilliant women chose to stay with him. He was simply too exceptional.
Having taught the Limit Attachment Method, distributed Spirit Herbs, and provided artificial rings, Ye Lan felt the "Exchange Meeting" was a resounding success. These ten were the top talents of the Empire, and unlike those from Shrek Academy, their characters were far superior.
Ye Lan didn't just want talent for his "King's Hall"; he wanted integrity. He wouldn't touch people like Dai Mubai, Oscar, or Ma Hongjun. The former two were frequenters of brothels by their mid-teens, and Oscar's food incantations reflected a vulgar mind. Growing up under Shrek's "don't cause trouble, you're a mediocrity" philosophy had twisted their worldviews. To make them Knights would only stain the name.
Ye Lan looked up at the ten excited youths and spoke with a booming voice:
"From this day forward, you are the Knights of the King's Hall! Knights of the Sanctuary! Knights of Spirit Hall! Knights of the Douluo Continent!"
"To ensure the King's Hall is never corrupted by the shadows of the wicked, a Knight must possess more than just talent. You must possess a moral soul. Once you become a Knight, you must uphold the Eight Virtues!"
"What are the Eight Virtues?" Yu Tianheng asked curiously.
Ye Lan's expression turned solemn:
"The Eight Virtues are: Humility, Honor, Sacrifice, Valor, Compassion, Honesty, Justice, and Spirituality!"
"Humility requires you to treat all others as equals!" "Sacrifice is the resolve to give your life for your ideals, your country, and your comrades!" "Valor means fearing no enemy, no matter how powerful!" "Compassion means protecting the innocent and showing mercy to the helpless!" "Honesty is staying true to your word and your soul!" "Justice means where there is wrong, a Knight shall be there to right it!" "Spirituality is remaining loyal to your faith and your creed!" "And Honor—carry the title of a Knight of the King's Hall with pride!"
As he finished, the group felt their blood boil with passion. They would carry this glory for the rest of their lives.
(End of Chapter)