The ranking matches were only meant to determine the placement of the fifteen teams, so the competition progressed rapidly. In less than half a month, this phase of the tournament concluded.
The five teams from the Heaven Dou City region, along with ten teams from the five duchies, after a brief rest, merged into a large convoy of over a hundred people, setting off grandly toward Spirit City.
As the emperor, Emperor Xue Ye naturally could not leave Heaven Dou City. Therefore, for this year's Soul Master Tournament finals, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe would represent the Heaven Dou Empire and oversee the final evaluation. The fifteen teams from Heaven Dou would also be personally led by him to the Spirit City situated near the border between the two empires.
Heaven Dou City and Spirit City were separated by about a quarter of the entire continent of Douluo. With the participants traveling by horse-drawn carriages, the journey would take at least twenty days.
Wealthy as always, the Heaven Dou Empire had specially constructed fifteen massive carriages resembling tiny houses, designed for the contestants to ride and rest in. These carriages were outfitted with some of the last remaining rudimentary soul tool technologies on the continent, making them incredibly stable—living inside was no different from staying in a real house.
Ten days later, halfway through the journey, when the convoy stopped to rest, Yu Tianming seized the opportunity to approach the carriage of the Tianshui Academy.
However, just as he neared, he was stopped by one of the academy's teachers.
"Please halt, sir. This carriage carries only female students. If you have something to discuss, you may inform me, and I will relay the message." The teacher, who recognized Yu Tianming's status, spoke respectfully but firmly blocked his path.
Yu Tianming didn't trouble the dutiful teacher. He looked toward the window, where Shui Yue'er had poked her head out, and said gently, "I'm here to see Shui Bing'er. Would you kindly inform her for me?"
The teacher gave Yu Tianming a long look, taking in his elegant robes, then turned and walked toward the lavish carriage provided by the Heaven Dou Empire.
"There's no need, sir. What business do you have with my sister?" Before the teacher could enter, Shui Yue'er excitedly pulled Shui Bing'er down from the carriage to meet Yu Tianming.
Though Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er were half-sisters, their personalities couldn't be more different. Shui Bing'er, who possessed the top-tier beast spirit Ice Crystal Phoenix, was proud and aloof like a snow lotus, while Shui Yue'er, who had a Dolphin spirit, was lively and utterly smitten with handsome men.
"You are both highly talented water-attribute soul masters. Have you ever heard of Sea God Island?" Yu Tianming stepped forward, his tone gentle as he spoke to the two stunning young women.
"Sea God Island? That's the sacred land of all sea-type soul masters, a place where land-based soul masters are forbidden. Our academy admits many sea-type soul masters each year, of course we know about it. What are you implying?" Shui Bing'er's voice was as cold as ice, carrying a touch of frost.
Yu Tianming didn't beat around the bush. "To be frank, I saw your extraordinary talent and couldn't help but admire it. I wish to invite you to train at Sea God Island after the tournament. There, you'll gain immense improvement."
Before Shui Bing'er could respond, Shui Yue'er's brow furrowed. "Sir, you should know that land-based soul masters rarely survive the trials of Sea God Island. I might be fine since I'm a sea-type, but wouldn't sending my sister there be the same as sending her to her death?"
"I'm not a sea-type soul master, yet I safely emerged from Sea God Island. That alone proves land-based soul masters can pass the trials of the Sea God. If you truly seek strength beyond all others, you must possess extraordinary resolve. Should you ever choose to go, just mention my name."
Joining Sea God Island was a matter of choice. Yu Tianming didn't push them, saying his piece before turning and heading back to the Blue Tyrant Academy's carriage.
"Tianming-ge, are they willing to go to Sea God Island?" Bored and munching on melon seeds, Ning Rongrong perked up as soon as Yu Tianming returned.
Yu Tianming shook his head and said nothing further about Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er. Instead, he looked at Ning Rongrong with a warm smile. "Rongrong, you've already absorbed the medicinal properties of the Qiluo Tulip. It's time for your second immortal herb."
"Second immortal herb?" Ning Rongrong looked surprised. She stood up and clutched his arm. "Immortal herbs are so precious. I've already had one—wouldn't taking another be too wasteful?"
Yu Tianming simply patted her head. The next moment, the two disappeared from the room inside the carriage and reappeared in a vast field of Blue Silver Grass.
Before them, a snow-white orchid with eight petals gently swayed amid the sea of grass, its fragrance subtly perfuming the air in a radius of dozens of meters.
Breathing in the refreshing scent, Ning Rongrong took a deep inhale and murmured, "This smells so good… and I feel like my body is instinctively drawn to it. Tianming-ge, is this the immortal herb you're giving me?"
Yu Tianming nodded. "This is the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid. Its properties are gentle and rich, perfect for compensating the slow cultivation speed of auxiliary-type soul masters. Together with the Qiluo Tulip, they are a pair of Mandarins—mutually enhancing each other."
Though both auxiliary types, Oscar and Ning Rongrong had vastly different spirits: one used sausages, the other a pagoda. And yet, the pairing of the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid and the Qiluo Tulip fundamentally altered the compatibility between their spirits, eventually allowing them to unleash a revival fusion skill.
As she stared at the flower, Ning Rongrong suddenly lunged forward, clinging to Yu Tianming like a cat. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist, and gave him a loud kiss on the cheek. Her cheeks flushed pink. "Tianming-ge, you're so good to me…"
Yu Tianming chuckled and patted her back. "Alright, Rongrong. This herb doesn't require any special method. Just chew and swallow it. Come down and begin."
Ning Rongrong bit her lip at the sight of his handsome face, then jumped down, turned, and bit into the flower. Sitting cross-legged on the Blue Silver Grass, she began her absorption.
As the herb's medicinal power fused into her body, a faint white mist rose from her skin and began to swirl around her. The phenomenon from when she absorbed the Qiluo Tulip reappeared—golden light intertwined with white mist, their fragrances mingling into a divine scent.
The intoxicating aroma made Yu Tianming close his eyes and lie back in the grass, soaking in the peace of the moment.
The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda was already a top-tier gem spirit. After absorbing the Qiluo Tulip, Ning Rongrong's aura had become dazzling like a star. Now, with the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, that radiance was tempered by a quiet nobility.
The wind carried the cool, moist breath of the land and sea, making the Blue Silver Grass sway like rippling waves. Smelling the fragrant aura surrounding Ning Rongrong, Yu Tianming slowly drifted into sleep.
Who knew how long passed? The blazing sun in the Water World dimmed, giving way to a gentle, silvery glow like a full moon.
Ning Rongrong, having finished her absorption, snuggled into Yu Tianming's arm and murmured as she stared at the 'moon' above, "The scenery here is beautiful… I wish I could stay with Tianming-ge like this forever."
"This space is always open to you, Rongrong. We can come here anytime." Yu Tianming pulled her into his embrace, inhaled her scent deeply, and murmured, "With both the Qiluo Tulip and the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid absorbed, you now have a fragrance all your own. It's too alluring…"
Her scent was now subtle, lingering, and utterly irresistible. He held her tightly, burying himself in her like a greedy cat.
Ning Rongrong's cheeks flushed again. She put her hands on his shoulders and let him sniff her endlessly.
After a while, Yu Tianming finally let her go, smiling. "Rongrong, after absorbing the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, has your Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda changed?"
Ning Rongrong sat up and summoned the pagoda into her palm. The light it emitted was softer now, imbued with a serene grace.
"Tianming-ge, while its form hasn't changed much, its skills have undergone some notable transformations."
"Oh? The original support abilities of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda were already unrivaled. Has it been enhanced even further?"
She nodded. "Before, it gave percentage-based boosts. Now, it also adds flat attribute values on top of that."
Yu Tianming's eyes gleamed. For someone like him—high-level, high-attribute—the fixed stat boost was negligible. But for a physically weak support soul master like Ning Rongrong, it was everything.
If she boosted herself with fixed stats and then added percentage increases, she'd become a powerhouse in her own right. With the right spirit bone skills, she could even dominate the battlefield.
Before he could express his awe, she continued, "The types of boosts have changed too. Originally it was strength, agility, soul power, defense, attack, and best attribute. Now it's strength, agility, defense, spirit, soul power resilience, and elemental attributes."
Yu Tianming sucked in a breath. The once-questionable 'attack' boost was now replaced by the all-important 'spirit' attribute, and the 'best attribute' had become all-elemental enhancement.
He was walking the path of the Dragon God—physically powerful like the Golden Dragon King, able to control elements like the Silver Dragon King. The only thing he needed was buffs. And now, Ning Rongrong's ability matched him perfectly.
Yu Tianming planted a kiss on her forehead. "Rongrong, we're a match made in heaven. You were born to be my perfect support!"
He kissed her several more times in a row.
Flushed and dizzy, Ning Rongrong whispered, "Tianming-ge, I already had spirit power at level 36. With this second herb, I've now reached level 40. I need to find my fourth spirit ring."
Yu Tianming nodded and disappeared from the Water World with her in his arms.
When they reappeared, they stood inside a cave filled with shimmering crystal. The heat here was several times higher than the outside world, and glowing crystal soul beasts floated by like unbothered phantoms.
This was a hidden underground habitat that Yu Tianming had sensed—perfect for Ning Rongrong's gemstone-type spirit.
With a wave of his hand, one such creature was pulled into his palm. With a slight squeeze, cracks spread across its crystalline body, and its once-mighty aura plummeted.
"Rongrong, kill this beast. It will be your fourth spirit ring."
(End of Chapter)
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