Chapter 202: The Truth of Soul Spirits
"Don't think too much. Systematically absorbing soul rings beyond one's level is something even Shrek hasn't achieved in ten thousand years. How could the Sun Moon Empire—renowned for soul tools rather than soul masters—succeed in it?" Du Weilun, standing beside Xiao Xiao, noticed her unease and tried to comfort her.
"Director, I know they shouldn't be able to… but seeing Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo like that, I can't help feeling a little sad."
"Them?" Du Weilun scoffed. "They're just two short-sighted soul masters. Where else but Shrek can top-tier soul masters be nurtured? To think they would rely on the Sun Moon Empire—ridiculous! I want to see how they plan to deceive the world. Absorbing spirit rings beyond their level? Hah! If that were possible through the Sun Moon Empire's methods, it would've been done centuries ago. This so-called 'soul spirit' is probably just a glorified simulated soul skill. It may fool the public, but not people like us."
Xiao Xiao nodded slowly. She had noticed the excitement on Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo's faces. The Thousand Wind Harp and the genuine joy radiating from them didn't seem fake. But Du Weilun's unwavering confidence helped settle her nerves. If this really was a ruse, then all would be revealed soon.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the square, Xiao Qiang had finished all preparations.
As the nationwide live broadcast began, he first called forward Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo.
Then, two massive 15,000-year-old green willow trees were brought before them.
"These spirit beasts are just at your current absorption limit," Xiao Qiang explained.
Ordinarily, the limit for a fourth spirit ring was around 6,000 years. But with the aid of a ten-thousand-year soul bone and the whale glue they had consumed earlier, Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo's limits had been significantly increased. Soul spirits, unlike soul rings, allowed even greater leeway. With the doubled tolerance from soul spirit fusion, these two green willows—normally suitable for a sixth ring—were now within reach.
"Thank you, Palace Master." ×2
As they spoke, two black chains materialized in Xiao Qiang's hands. He thrust the chains into the spirit beasts—not harming them, but instead drawing out glowing orbs of light. The luminous orbs floated toward Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo, who sat cross-legged and began the fusion process.
Next, Xiao Qiang brought out a prepared soul for Qian Fengqin: a 30,000-year-old Heavenly Dragon Horse he had personally acquired from the Star Dou Great Forest.
Ordinarily, a level-50 soul master would be incapable of absorbing a 15,000-year soul ring. However, Qian Fengqin had already received the Tianlongma's soul bone, along with a left arm bone purchased by Xiao Hongchen from Shrek. With two ten-thousand-year soul bones bolstering her, the 30,000-year-old soul spirit was now within her reach.
Watching this, Du Weilun's expression twisted in disbelief. Though he had never personally seen soul spirit fusion, he was an experienced eight-ring Soul Douluo—he could sense energy fluctuations clearly. He recognized the aura of the green willows as genuine ten-thousand-year spirit beasts. And the orbs extracted from them? They felt like condensed spirit rings—but even more potent.
"This energy… It's far too powerful. They can't withstand that. This is suicide!"
"Silence!" A Sun Moon Empire eighth-level soul engineer snapped at him. The soul tool in his hand was already trained on Du Weilun, ready to fire at any moment. After Fan Yu's earlier infiltration, the Empire remained highly vigilant against any attacks from Shrek.
"This is insanity!" Du Weilun hissed. "They're pushing these girls to their deaths. Energy of this level would kill even a sixty-rank soul master. Their bodies will rupture under the strain!"
"I'll say it one more time. Shut up, or die."
Faced with the threat, Du Weilun fell silent—but inside, he felt justified. There was no way Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo could withstand the force of those soul spirits. The light orbs had clearly been compressed—a sign of dangerous, volatile energy. He was certain their bodies would collapse.
"Let's see," he murmured to Xiao Xiao, rubbing her head gently, "they won't last. Betraying Shrek… this is the fate they deserve."
"Director Du, are you sure? Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo…"
"Absolutely. Within half an hour, they'll collapse. They'll die within an hour, mark my words."
But thirty minutes passed… then an hour… then two and a half hours.
Still, nothing happened.
Instead of weakening, Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo's auras grew stronger and steadier. It was a direct rebuke to Du Weilun's grim predictions.
At last, the two girls opened their eyes. A black metallic shadow emerged behind them, gradually shifting into a bronze hue—a clear indication that their martial souls had evolved.
Yet even that wasn't what shocked Du Weilun the most.
When they released their spirit rings, he expected to see two yellow, one purple, and one black—standard for their level, even if they'd succeeded in fusion.
Instead, they displayed three purple and one black—a configuration previously thought impossible at their rank.
Qian Fengqin's spirit rings also underwent a transformation. Her original two yellow and two purple rings were now two purple and two black, a sign of unprecedented growth.
At that moment, the entire nation, and especially Shrek's observers, were forced to accept an uncomfortable truth:
Soul spirits truly allowed the absorption of spirit rings beyond one's level.