T/N: Sorry for not doing daily updates last week and not updating yesterday, got sick. 5-10 chapters daily this week to make up for it.
From this it was clear that for a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, the energy contained in its soul ring and soul bone only accounted for a small portion of its total.
Most of the remaining energy, aside from what dissipated after death, was hidden in the flesh and blood.
For Xiao Hei, as long as the corpse was fresh enough, having the ring and bone removed was no big deal. At worst, what used to fill him to ten-tenths would now fill him to eight-tenths.
Then Xiao Hei walked up to the Crystal Radiant Dragon Lobster King's corpse.
With a flick of his tail, gray light surged over his body. The pitch-black Evil God Hook was like a sharp spear, piercing the lobster king's hard golden armor as if it were tofu.
Next, along with a wave of evil energy, the giant lobster king's corpse began to visibly rot.
As he devoured, the aura of the Dark Devilgod Tiger spirit summon Xiao Hei climbed rapidly, and the black seventh soul ring on Chu Chengzhou deepened in color.
"As expected of the evil Dark Devilgod Tiger."
Seeing this, Chu Chengzhou clicked his tongue.
A dozen minutes later, Xiao Hei had devoured the hundred-thousand-year Crystal Radiant Dragon Lobster King's corpse clean. A sea breeze swept by, and the massive body scattered into ash.
Benefiting from the increase in his ring's age and a notable boost to all bodily functions, Chu Chengzhou checked his attribute panel and saw his seventh ring had risen from just under fifty thousand years to over sixty-five thousand years, an increase of more than fifteen thousand.
"A bit underwhelming."
Glancing at the very pleased Xiao Hei, Chu Chengzhou thought inwardly.
Devouring a hundred-thousand-year soul beast corpse had only raised the age by a little over fifteen thousand years. That felt lacking.
Of course, you could not simply add up the cultivations. There was always loss in energy conversion.
And Xiao Hei's current bloodline grade was limited. His conversion efficiency while devouring was certainly inferior to the original Dark Devilgod Tiger.
One week later.
On a deserted island in the boundless sea.
As a surging ring of blood flame contracted into Tang Yuehua's sixth ring and an azure head-bone afterimage flashed by, a sea dragon soul beast more than fifty meters long, covered in azure scales, lost all life.
They called it a sea dragon, but in Chu Chengzhou's eyes "a sea snake with a horn on its brow" was more fitting.
A pure-blood water-attribute true dragon at a hundred thousand years was not something he could handle right now.
Every guide he recruited proved very competent. Each one fulfilled its role perfectly.
After the initial hundred-thousand-year Crystal Radiant Dragon Lobster King, over the span of this week the Raging Sea Demon Crab King, Azure Sea Horse King, Purple-Pattern Thunder Eel Emperor, Variegated Sea Star King, and now this hundred-thousand-year sea dragon had all offered sacrifice to Tang Yuehua.
Unsurprisingly, perhaps because her accumulation was too deep, after advancing to six rings and Soul Emperor, Tang Yuehua's soul power still jumped straight to level 70, quasi Soul Sage.
As for Tang Yuehua's new hundred-thousand-year sixth soul skill, Chu Chengzhou had already known it before she gained the ring.
His earlier guess was confirmed. Tang Yuehua's Ruyi Ring martial soul was similar to Nine-Heart Begonia, and also somewhat like the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda.
The first-ring skill is As You Wish. The second, third, fourth, and fifth rings' skills are the same. The sixth is no exception.
Used together with the domain power, now renamed the As You Wish Domain, at one ring Tang Yuehua could raise cultivation speed and comprehension by 20%. At two rings it rose to 30%. And so on. Each additional ring added another 10% to the base.
At her current level 70, quasi Soul Sage, with six rings, As You Wish increased cultivation speed and comprehension by 70% for all targets within the domain.
In truth, these six hundred-thousand-year rings on Tang Yuehua were arguably wasteful.
Barring surprises, even if her ring setup were the usual optimal distribution for a soul master, the acceleration from As You Wish would not be worse than this all-red configuration.
Of course, with the skill effect unchanged, the difference in ring age would show up in soul power consumption.
If with a normal ring configuration Tang Yuehua could only serve as a "cultivation accelerator" for a few soul masters at once, then with an all-red configuration she could at least accelerate cultivation for dozens.
Without question, Tang Yuehua's Ruyi Ring martial soul had become the most heaven-defying and safest auxiliary martial soul on the continent.
Unlike the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile series, like Ning Rongrong who was a battlefield-type support and had to be present when teammates fought, Tang Yuehua only needed to stay in the rear and aid their cultivation. There was no need to join combat.
But if you thought she was a "weak support" who could not truss a chicken, you would be dead wrong.
Never mind ordinary six-ring Soul Emperors. Even Tang San at six rings in the original timeline might not be able to beat this six-ring auxiliary.
With six hundred-thousand-year rings and six hundred-thousand-year soul bones, Tang Yuehua's physical parameters far surpassed her peers and were absolutely comparable to a newly advanced nine-ring Titled Douluo.
Add in the twelve hundred-thousand-year soul bone skills attached to those six bones. If she mastered them, she might not match a nine-ring Titled Douluo, but beating an ordinary eight-ring Soul Douluo should be no problem.
Tang Yuehua: I'll take on ten.
Compared to half a month ago, Tang Yuehua had transformed from an ugly duckling into a swan.
Past forty and already level 70, quasi Soul Sage, she counted as one of the rare talents among the continent's soul masters.
What was more, her true soul power was surely higher than level 70, with six full-red rings and a complete set of hundred-thousand-year bones within.
Admit it. Without hacks, Tang Yuehua's "hack" outstripped even Chu Chengzhou's.
"Yuehua, how is it?"
Chu Chengzhou stepped forward and asked.
Perhaps due to a qualitative change in strength, Tang Yuehua, who already looked very young, seemed even younger now. Her skin was more dewy as well.
Chu Chengzhou suspected this was not only about strength. It also had to do with his "efforts" these days.
"I feel very powerful, but the soul power in my body is hard to control freely."
She was pleased at first, then a bit vexed.
At this moment she was like a newbie who had bought a god-tier account but could not bring out the strength that came with it. It felt like being overstuffed, with a kind of hollow bloat.
Fortunately she was an auxiliary-type soul master. Even with poor control and zero combat experience, her skills would still function as they should.
"No problem. When we get back, train Absolute Control."
Chu Chengzhou knew what she faced.
They say you eat one bite at a time. Tang Yuehua had swallowed a "big fatty" in one gulp.
Half a month ago she was a level-9 Soul Scholar. Half a month later she had soared to level 70, quasi Soul Sage. With such a surge of soul power, if she could still control it freely, he would suspect she, like him, had awakened a cheat.
If not for the fact that hundred-thousand-year beast sacrifice required only that the martial soul accept rings, with no other conditions, Tang Yuehua could never have raised so many levels so fast. Even reaching two rings and Soul Grandmaster would have been hard.
Even her level-20 soul power right after advancing to one ring was hard to control. If she had immediately added a second ring near her body's tolerance limit, her soul power would likely have run wild and she would have exploded.
This was why Chu Chengzhou had given the recently controlled, never-used-as-a-guide hundred-thousand-year sea dragon to Tang Yuehua for sacrifice.
With ring-hunting on pause, he planned to wait until she trained Absolute Control and could command her soul power, then return to the sea to hunt.
That was one reason. The main reason was that he intended to leave early.
The commotion from a hundred-thousand-year sacrifice was not small. While sea fierce beasts were not as clannish as those in Star Dou Forest, they were extremely hostile to human soul masters. He had just killed six hundred-thousand-year sea soul beasts in a row. Time to lay low.
Otherwise if an ocean fierce beast showed up, he could not handle it as he was now.
Let alone fierce beasts. Three days ago, they found a hundred-thousand-year Dark Soul Demon Octopus King through a guide, and Chu Chengzhou did not dare touch it.
In terms of spiritual power he could not match a hundred-thousand-year spiritual-type sea soul beast like that octopus king, and it had a whole host of underlings. If they really fought, he would likely suffer a disastrous defeat.
"By the way, Yuehua, you must keep your soul skill a secret. If Spirit Hall learns of it, they will obtain it at all costs."
Chu Chengzhou's expression turned serious.
Comprehension is abstract. He could not quantify how much 70% more comprehension helped, but 70% faster cultivation was obvious.
With As You Wish, one year of training would yield the gains of 1.7 years.
Ignoring bottlenecks, if a soul master needed 60 years to reach Titled Douluo, with six-ring Tang Yuehua's help that could be cut to around 35 years, saving about 25.
But that was only on the surface. The gap was more than 25 years saved.
Cultivation efficiency varies by age. There is a "golden period" for training. Youth is far faster than middle and old age.
A 66-year-old nine-ring Titled Douluo, compared to a 41-year-old nine-ring Titled Douluo with equal strength, would certainly have a lower future ceiling.
And As You Wish was not a single-target accelerator. It was a large-area group accelerator.
With such a broken auxiliary effect, no power on the continent would remain unmoved.
Hence secrecy was necessary.
Also, part of the worry was prying eyes. The other part was that Chu Chengzhou did not want to cheapen that "good nephew."
Because he was a transmigrator, his default impression of Tang San was poor.
From past interactions, he could tell Tang San seemed quite averse to this uncle by marriage, which worsened Chu Chengzhou's impression.
If you do not butter up your uncle, you still want accelerated cultivation? You must be dreaming.
"I know. But about Xiao San and the others…"
Tang Yuehua nodded. She understood the utility of As You Wish, but hesitated.
Though she had been a cultivation deadweight back then, the sect did not mistreat her. Her two older brothers never treated her badly either. They protected her.
Now that she had a "divine skill," if she hid it from them, would that be heartless?
"Yuehua, listen to me. A secret known by many is no secret."
After a pause, Chu Chengzhou added to scare her, "If Spirit Hall learns of you, they will destroy what they cannot obtain. They may even scour the continent for the Clear Sky Sect to wipe it out.
After all, your Ruyi Ring martial soul mutated from the Clear Sky Hammer. Who can guarantee the Clear Sky Sect will not produce more Ruyi Ring martial souls in the future?"
At this, Tang Yuehua's face changed.
Noticing it, Chu Chengzhou shifted his tone and spoke gently, "I am not asking you to hide it forever. When your man stands invincible under heaven, even if the world knows your skill, who would dare lay a finger on you?"
"Mm."
Hearing his domineering declaration, happiness spread across her face and she nodded vigorously.
Right. Spirit Hall had that "invincible in the skies" presiding, with a host of Titled Douluo elders. The Clear Sky Sect as it was could not face them.
The sect's hidden refuge might be secret, but Spirit Hall might know it. And even if they did not, if they sent enough people to search the continent, exposure was only a matter of time.
For the sect's legacy, her two brothers and nephew would have to "suffer" for now.
After that, Chu Chengzhou used his fine-gold sword to pry open the sea dragon's skull, took out the whale brain, and sliced off a large piece of "dragon meat" to stash in a storage-type soul tool to take back for a taste.
The rest he left to Xiao Hei.
It was worth noting that by yesterday morning, after devouring the fifth hundred-thousand-year sea soul beast—the Variegated Sea Star King—Xiao Hei's age had broken the hundred-thousand-year mark, surpassing Xiao Ming in one stroke to become the strongest among his seven spirit summons in both age and power.
A dozen minutes later, the massive "dragon corpse" turned to ash, and the Dark Devilgod Tiger spirit summon Xiao Hei's age rose to 110,000 years.
A hundred-thousand-year dragon corpse, much larger than the earlier kings, had only added ten thousand years. Clearly, once Xiao Hei reached a hundred thousand years, the gains from devouring hundred-thousand-year carcasses dropped.
Relying on devouring beast corpses alone to reach a million-year summon was probably out of reach.
He would need cheats. Devouring evolution was viable, but for a cheater, it was not the "proper path."
Three days later.
Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, reception hall.
Hearing footsteps from outside the hall and seeing Ning Fengzhi enter with Chen Xin, Chu Chengzhou set down his teacup and greeted them with a smile. "Dad, Grandpa Sword."
"You and Rongrong aren't married yet. Don't rush to call me Dad. What do you want?"
Ning Fengzhi twitched the corner of his mouth, annoyed.
This brat called him Uncle when nothing was up and Dad when he needed something. He was used to it.
"I can't hide it from you. I want to ask a favor."
Chu Chengzhou gave a sheepish smile.
"Wait. You are not advancing again, are you?"
Ning Fengzhi looked horrified.
"No. I set my sights on a treasure of the royal family. I want to ask you to sound out Emperor Xue Ye to see if he will sell it to me."
Chu Chengzhou waved a hand and got to the point.
Since he planned to send Xiao Wu and the others to Sea God Island for training, the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud had to be obtained from the Heaven Dou imperial family.
The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud was the Heaven Dou Empire's national treasure on the surface. In truth it was the Sea God's Heart, with even a wisp of Poseidon's divine sense within.
If one of the girls gained its recognition, then the Sea God's position would basically belong to the Chu family.
"A treasure? Which one?"
Ning Fengzhi asked in surprise.
"The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud."
"The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud?"
Ning Fengzhi frowned.
After a moment of thought, he shook his head. "This will be difficult. It is the Heaven Dou Empire's national treasure. I am not sure Emperor Xue Ye will part with it."
"Precisely because it's difficult I'm asking you. If it were easy, I would go straight to Xue Qinghe."
He had not gone to Qian Renxue about the Shroud.
Though Xue Qinghe was the crown prince, in front of Emperor Xue Ye, Ning Fengzhi carried more weight.
For the Heaven Dou Empire, it could do without Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, but not without its ally the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
In the original, after Xue Beng took the throne he distanced himself from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect because Spirit Hall had struck it hard, greatly weakening its strength and influence.
Also, because Ning Fengzhi and Xue Qinghe were master and disciple, the Sect was a staunch supporter of the Crown Prince's faction and clashed with Xue Beng, Xue Xing, and their allies. Later, when Qian Renxue's identity was exposed and her coup failed, the enthroned Xue Beng naturally held deep suspicion toward the Sect.
More importantly, Xue Beng took Tang San as his teacher, whose father was the Clear Sky Douluo and whose uncle was the Howling Sky Douluo. The Heaven Dou Empire had found a new ally stronger than the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect with brighter prospects.
"What use do you have for it? Is it a must?"
Ning Fengzhi pressed.
"More or less. It would be best if Emperor Xue Ye agrees. Otherwise…"
Chu Chengzhou did not finish.
If the old man refused?
He could not beat Spirit Hall. But the Heaven Dou Empire? Put a hundred-thousand-year Xiao Ming and a 110,000-year Xiao Hei at the palace gates and see if he would hand it over.
Of course, courtesy first, force later. For Ning Fengzhi's sake, Emperor Xue Ye would probably relent, at most at the cost of more concessions from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
To the Empire, the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud was only a soul tool. However high its quality, it was not irreplaceable. Otherwise Emperor Xue Ye would not have gifted it to Tang San in the original.
As for what price the Sect paid—one family. A father-in-law helping his good son-in-law was only right. No need to be so formal.
"Otherwise what? Do you plan to snatch it?"
Ning Fengzhi's face darkened.
"Hardly. We are civilized. How could we snatch it?"
Chu Chengzhou waved both hands.
Robbery ×, deterrence with force √
"Fine. I understand."
Ning Fengzhi nodded and agreed.
He worked fast. By the next afternoon he came with Gu Rong.
"Here. The Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud you wanted."
Ning Fengzhi handed Chu Chengzhou a delicate wooden box, a pained look flashing in his eyes.
Clearly he had paid dearly to secure it, and not in ordinary gold soul coins.
"Many thanks, Uncle Ning."
Chu Chengzhou accepted the box with a smile. Even without opening it, he sensed a faint vastness within.
"Sure enough. Call me Dad when you need something, Uncle when you don't."
Scowling, Ning Fengzhi thought to himself.
If his little cotton-padded jacket had not long since become shaped like someone else, and if this young man were not truly outstanding, he would never have agreed to make him his son-in-law.
"Hmph. Treat Rongrong well. Or don't blame me for being rude."
With that thought, Ning Fengzhi warned him.
"Mm-hmm. Rest assured. Rongrong is my treasure. By the way, I have something good for you too."
Chu Chengzhou took out a huge jade box from a storage-type soul tool.
As the box opened, Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong immediately caught a rich aroma.
"Hmm? What is this? It feels like it contains a lot of energy."
Inhaling the fragrance and studying the golden paste inside, Gu Rong asked curiously.
Thumb up, Chu Chengzhou said, "Good eye, Grandpa Bone. This is called whale brain. Only sea soul beasts over a hundred thousand years produce it. Eating it raises soul power without side effects and helps break bottlenecks."
He had six portions on hand. Giving one to his father-in-law was nothing.
"A hundred-thousand-year sea soul beast? Be careful."
Ning Fengzhi could not help but say.
If whale brain only came from hundred-thousand-year sea soul beasts, it meant Chu Chengzhou had at least killed one.
And with the sea's advantage, even Sword Douluo Chen Xin, a level-97 Titled Douluo, had no absolute confidence against a hundred-thousand-year sea soul beast. One misstep could be fatal. The danger spoke for itself.
T/N: For up to 30 chapters ahead on most of my translations, become a p@tron at [email protected]/LordHipposApostle