Chapter 78: The 'Artificial Soul Ring' Gambit
Seeing that Yue Guan and Gui Mei were about to pass out, Qin Xuan spoke up. "Alright, Jing Ni, withdraw your spiritual pressure. You're going to flatten them."
The immense pressure vanished, but the ice covering their bodies still made them tremble. They now knew without a doubt that this was all Qin Xuan's doing.
Yue Guan gritted his teeth. "Qin Xuan, we are colleagues from Spirit Hall. We have no grievances with you. Why are you treating us like this?"
Qin Xuan smiled. "Indeed. But you saw something you shouldn't have."
Yue Guan was stunned for a moment before he understood. He looked at Jing Ni, clad in her armor and encircled by nine scarlet rings, and swallowed hard. "Old Ghost and I aren't gossips. You're not planning to... silence us, are you?"
Qin Xuan didn't answer, instead looking at Gui Mei. "Senior Gui Mei, aren't you worried I'll silence you?"
"If you were worried about the secret being leaked, you wouldn't have invited us to travel with you," Gui Mei replied sullenly.
"Straight to the point. As expected, you're one of the few in Spirit Hall with a brain." As soon as the words were out, Ling Yuan unhappily pinched Qin Xuan's waist. "What do you mean, 'one of the few'? Am I as stupid as Yue Guan? You'd better explain yourself, or you're not getting into my bed tonight!"
"Yes, yes, of course, you're brilliant," Qin Xuan said, touching his sore waist.
Seeing this, Yue Guan and Gui Mei were once again dumbfounded. So that's how it was! They finally understood why Ling Yuan had been so angry the other night. They had accidentally stumbled upon them and interrupted their "good time."
Ling Yuan, satisfied, said smugly, "I knew you had ill intentions when you invited them."
"It seems you really do have a brain," Qin Xuan said with a smile, before turning his gaze back to the frozen duo. "Yue Guan, Gui Mei, do you want to reach a higher realm?"
"What do you want?" Gui Mei asked warily.
"I want to ask you a question," Qin Xuan began, his tone elegant and coaxing. "Are you satisfied with where you are now? Don't you want to elevate yourselves? Let me help you. Obey me, and I will grant you greater power."
The two were completely bewildered until Yue Guan seemed to realize something. "Greater power? Do you still have Immortal Herbs?" he asked excitedly. If he could get an Immortal Herb, reaching level 96 and becoming a Worship Hall Elder was a real possibility.
Qin Xuan shook his head. "Immortal Herbs can only enhance your potential. They cannot directly grant you strength that surpasses your peers. My research, however, is almost complete."
He leaned in, his voice dropping conspiratorially. "I have discovered a way to break the flawed cultivation system of hunting Spirit Beasts. Through a special method, I can gather the spirit power scattered in nature and transform it into the most suitable spirit ring for oneself."
"Such a ring has no attribute restrictions. As long as your body is strong enough, absorbing even a 100,000-year ring is easy. I call this technology... the 'Artificial Soul Ring'."
Hearing this, both Jing Ni and Ling Yuan knew that the scoundrel was about to start tricking people again. But Yue Guan and even Gui Mei listened with fascination.
"It's even possible to increase the age of the spirit rings you've already absorbed," Qin Xuan continued. He released his own rings: yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, red. The dazzling light was not as shocking as Jing Ni's nine crimson rings, but it was enough to make them gasp.
"Another 100,000-year ring! And it's your seventh! And your second and fourth have been upgraded! It's true! You've really mastered this method!" Yue Guan exclaimed. Qin Xuan's rings were the proof they couldn't deny.
"Don't worry," Qin Xuan said, sensing their hesitation. "It's not some evil art. If it were harmful, I wouldn't use it on myself. Besides, a successful case is standing right before you." He put his arm around Jing Ni. "Let me formally introduce my wife. Jing Ni, a level 97 Peak Douluo, and the biggest beneficiary of the Artificial Soul Ring."
"A year ago, she was still a Spirit Saint. Her master used his life's cultivation to remove her original rings, giving her the chance to replace them. After inheriting his complete set of Spirit Bones, she gained a physique capable of withstanding 100,000-year rings. And I was the one who provided them."
Yue Guan suddenly understood. "No wonder her spirit power exploded to level 90! The 70,000-year beast we hunted was just a cover!"
"Indeed," Qin Xuan nodded. "So now that you both know my secret, you have two choices."