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The several hours that followed passed quietly as the afterglow of the setting sun painted the entire Tianxing Academy in a warm, golden hue. The peaceful atmosphere was broken when the door to the conference room was gently pushed open.
As Tang Chen and Xiao Ruier walked into the room, Dugu Bo, who had been waiting inside for quite some time, immediately came forward to greet them. A trace of worry was visible on his aged face as he looked them over and asked where they had been and why they were back so late.
Dugu Bo noticed that both of them were slightly out of breath. Although they appeared calm on the surface, their eyes were much sharper than usual, suggesting they had just come from a confrontation. Tang Chen did not answer the question immediately.
Instead, he walked over to the table, found a chair, and sat down casually. He picked up a glass of water, took a slow sip to catch his breath, and then finally spoke. He explained that they had encountered a small problem on their way back which caused the delay.
Hearing this, Dugu Bo's eyes narrowed and his tone became heavy with suspicion. He asked if Spirit Hall had caused the problem. Tang Chen did not explain the situation with words. Instead, the corner of his mouth curved into a slight smile as he slowly opened his palm. Instantly, a flash of colorful light filled the room. A seven-colored skull radiating mesmerizing fluctuations appeared in his hand.
Dugu Bo's pupils constricted in total shock. He shouted in surprise, asking if it was a Spirit Bone and where he had managed to get such a thing. As soon as he spoke, the other members of the Tianxing Academy team gathered around.
Their eyes were fixed on the shimmering bone, and their heartbeats began to race. They were filled with confusion and shock because a Spirit Bone was a treasure that any Spirit Master could only dream of finding.
Xiao Ruier exhaled a slow breath and explained that they had encountered Shi Nian on the way back. She noted that he was the leading teacher from Canghui Academy. She told the group that he had secretly attacked them with the intent to kill. However, they managed to kill him instead, and this Spirit Bone had dropped from his body.
Dugu Bo's face turned ashen with rage when he heard that someone from Canghui Academy had tried to kill them. A chilling killing intent spread through the room. Shortly after, his expression changed to one of regret and self-reproach.
He sighed and blamed himself, saying it was his fault for staying at the Great Spirit Arena to watch the competition instead of leaving with them. He admitted he did not expect such a dangerous blunder to occur.
Tang Chen stood up slowly and patted Dugu Bo on the shoulder to comfort him. He spoke with confidence, telling the old man not to blame himself. He hinted that even if Dugu Bo hadn't been there, someone else might have been secretly protecting them.
His words were vague, but they carried a deeper meaning that calmed the old man. Tang Chen added that with their current strength and their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, even an ordinary Spirit Douluo might not be a match for them.
When Tang Chen mentioned the power of their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, the guilt on Dugu Bo's face began to fade. His tense expression relaxed, and he let out a long breath to change the subject.
He said he was glad they were safe and then pointed toward two burly young men standing nearby. He mentioned that he planned to take the Shi brothers to the Sunset Forest tomorrow to acquire their fourth Spirit Ring and asked if Tang Chen and the others wanted to join.
Tang Chen looked over at Shi Mo and Shi Mo. They were the defense-system Spirit Masters from the original Royal Fight Team. Their Spirit was the Black Tortoise, which was a top-tier defensive Beast Spirit. Since their old team had disbanded, they had joined Tianxing Academy along with Ye Lingling. Thanks to the medicinal pills Tang Chen had refined, their Spirit Power had recently reached Rank 40.
Tang Chen nodded without hesitation and agreed to go. He then turned and walked toward Ye Lingling, who was standing quietly in the corner of the room. Under the watchful eyes of the team, he handed the shimmering head Spirit Bone to her.
He spoke in a calm voice, explaining that the Spirit Bone belonged to the gem category. He told her it was most suitable for support-system or illusion-type Spirit Masters. He explained that after she absorbed it, she would gain a Spirit Ability called Illusion Space.
He went on to describe the skill, saying it would boost the mental force of all allies by twenty percent and create a mental network for telepathic communication.
Most importantly, he noted that it could create a special space during combat that would prevent enemies from locking onto their positions.
Ye Lingling was stunned by the gift and tried to refuse, saying it was far too valuable. However, Tang Chen gently placed the bone in her hand before she could finish.
He told her that the Spirit Bone wouldn't be very useful for others, but it was perfect for her. He looked at the rest of the team and said seriously that one day this skill might even save all of their lives.
Dugu Yan smiled and gave Ye Lingling a friendly nudge, telling her to just accept it. She joked that they would rely on her to protect them if they ever faced an illusion in the future. Amidst the teasing and laughter, Ye Lingling gripped the bone and bowed deeply to Tang Chen, promising she would not let the team down.
The next morning, as the first light of dawn appeared, the group set out. Led by Dugu Bo, Tang Chen and the Shi brothers entered the Sunset Forest. They were immediately greeted by the smell of damp earth and the fresh scent of the trees.
As they walked deeper into the woods, Dugu Bo stopped and asked Tang Chen what kind of Spirit Beast would be best for the fourth Spirit Ring of the two brothers.
Tang Chen thought for a moment while looking at the sturdy brothers. He remarked that the Black Tortoise was a top-tier defensive Spirit and that the fourth ability should strengthen its barrier. He suggested they look for a Thorny Rock Turtle.
He explained that after a thousand years, that beast grows reflective spikes on its shell. If they could get its Spirit Ring, it might give their defense a special effect that reflects damage back at the attacker.
Meanwhile, on another path in the Sunset Forest, a different group was moving through the mist. Led by Flender, the group included Tang San, Yu Xiaogang, and Liu Erlong. Flender had already possessed his Spirit, using his owl wings to fly ahead and scout the area.
Liu Erlong pushed Yu Xiaogang in his wheelchair while Tang San stayed alert, watching the surroundings. The sound of dry leaves crunching under their feet was the only noise in the quiet forest.
Tang San looked at his teacher and asked in a low voice what kind of fire-attribute Spirit Beast would be best for his Clear Sky Hammer. Yu Xiaogang stroked his chin, and a look of intelligence appeared in his eyes.
He explained that the Clear Sky Hammer was a very rigid and fierce weapon, so ordinary fire beasts wouldn't be enough. He said they needed a beast with a fierce and explosive fire characteristic.
Yu Xiaogang suggested the Exploding Fire Ape. He described the beast as violent and ferocious. He believed that if Tang San could get its Spirit Ring, the Clear Sky Hammer would gain an explosive effect that would make sparks fly and provide incredible power with every strike.
Tang San nodded seriously and then asked about the age limit for the ring. He wondered if the first ring for his Clear Sky Hammer should be a thousand-year ring or a ten-thousand-year one.
Yu Xiaogang's eyes lit up with excitement. He gripped the arms of his wheelchair and leaned forward, his voice rising as he spoke.
He told Tang San it must be a ten-thousand-year Spirit Ring. He explained that the biggest advantage of having twin Spirits was the Spirit Ring attachment for the second Spirit.
He pointed out that while ordinary Spirit Masters must get a ring to pass a bottleneck, Tang San was different. Every ring he added to the Clear Sky Hammer would cause his Spirit Power to jump significantly.
He told Tang San to imagine absorbing two ten-thousand-year rings for the first two slots of the hammer. He claimed the energy would be enough to instantly break through his Spirit Power to Rank 50.
At that point, his Blue Silver Grass would be able to take its fifth Spirit Ring. Yu Xiaogang concluded that this was the most heaven-defying part of having twin Spirits because it allowed a person to forcibly raise their rank by using high-level rings on the second Spirit.