Chapter 154: The Secret to Souls (1)

Chapter 154: The Secret to Souls (1)

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Home to many great spirit masters and even more professional ones who found achievement in more civilized acts like cooking or arraying instead of hunting, finding a nice establishment to meet Yu Xiaogang at wasn't a task even worthy of being an F-rank quest. Although the Winged Diners had the highest customer turnover, it lacked privacy and customer service, leading Ja Sun to choose the Spotless Inn as the location of the meeting.

Since he is the one to initiate the meeting, Ja Sun had to take up the cost of paying for the room and setting it up appropriately for the meeting. Entering the room, Ja Sun, Liu Erlong, and Tang Yuehua saw how neatly it was set up. It was a space divided into two rooms and a connected bathroom. Yu Xiaogang was found peacefully sitting on one of the single-seater couches in the living room. On the other side sat the only Spirit Sage of his team.

But Ja Sun's focus was set on Yu Xiaogang. Last he met the man was inside the throne hall of the Supreme Pontiff where he introduced himself as a rank 47 Spirit Ancestor yet at this moment, in a little over 4 weeks, Yu Xiaogang's cultivation was firmly settled at the level of spirit king. More precisely Rank 53.

This was a speed now even unknown to Ja Sun. After all, when he was at the edge of becoming rank 58, Ja Sun broke through by absorbing a spirit bone, the excess spirit energy in return pushed his cultivation to the peak of rank 58, and only after two weeks did he cross that hurdle, entering rank 59. He actually had the right to reach rank 60 before the competition started since he still had another spirit bone remaining. Nonetheless, Xiaogang's speed had startled him.

"Ah, it is a pleasure to finally meet the Grand Priest's personal disciple."

Kun Chen, the Rank 71 30-year-old Spirit Sage had his eyes roaming Liu Erlong and Tang Yuehua as he spoke while remaining seated comfortably.

"Are you really?" Ja Sun smiled, "Because I can see that you are a man with a refined taste that views breasts more important and I don't happen to have such a set of pleasing assets."

His words instantly made the surroundings turn tense while Kun Chen looked at him. This was the only individual Ja Sun hadn't cornered to find out Yu Xiaogang's whereabouts since his actions will be then deemed unnecessarily high-profile.

"Now you have the pleasure of meeting me," Ja Sun extended his hand. Being 30 this month, Kun Chen looked older than anyone in this room. Long dark hair tied into a straight tail and well-defined features with tanned skin. His hands looked quite roughed up, too, as he slowly raised his right hand to shake Ja Sun's extended hand. He had the 'innovative' idea of intimidating the man with a strange set of gold-green eyes and a green dot on his darker skin. Clearly enjoying the idea of finally bullying the last member, Ja Sun had his hands wrapped in the Vajra Gauntlets. Usually wearing full-sleeved shirts or robes, his left arm formed of yin-yang, and war god's quality remained hidden.

The instant the man gripped the gauntlet-covered palm, quite confident in his own strength, he squeezed the palm tightly. Anyway, Kun Chen felt that he wouldn't end up hurting the opponent, who insulted him, by a large margin.

'I just said that I will be pleasant in this meeting... so no bone fractures,' Ja Sun sighed internally and squeezed Kun Chen's hand. With his level of physique and the unreasonably tough nature of the Vajra Gauntlets that Ja Sun had nurtured personally, Kun Chen sucked in a breath of cold air that made Yu Xiaogang's eyes twitch while Liu Erlong and Tang Yuehua smile. They have had their fair share of encountering terrible people... of which Ja Sun takes the prize but one thing Ja Sun did was remain true to his heart.

Firstly, he knew better than to leer at Hu Lana or Jun'er. In fact, Ja Sun's friendship with Hu Lana and Jun'er bordered the territory of siblings. Secondly, if he did look at the remaining girls weirdly, he also didn't deny it, and when truly in serious matters, he would even rebuke others should they let themselves get distracted by his words. The last part is especially true when Yuehua would lose her cool at times while sparring with Ja Sun.

"Kun Chen, right? Apologies if I don't use the honorifics. I hardly know you. Would you like me to stop before breaking your hand?" Ja Sun inquired. There is nothing more embarrassing than a hidden competition being exposed when you're losing and Kun Chen's cheeks were turning red with exertion.

"I-" he gasped, "Don't understand what you might be talking about!"

"Fair enough," Ja Sun smiled and let go of Kun Chen. Being part of the Spirit Hall, his information was already by Bibi Dong's desk by the end of the day he was introduced. Gesturing for Yuehua and Liu Erlong to sit, Ja Sun made sure that it was Liu Erlong who sat closer to Yu Xiaogang. He didn't want to be in the way when Liu Erlong did lose her fuse. Meanwhile, next to her sat Yuehua and with a smile, Ja Sun sat closer to Kun Chen.

"This is the first time we are holding a conversation, right?" Yu Xiaogang inquired.

"A peaceful one, yes," Ja Sun smiled.

"And what do you want to speak of?" Yu Xiaogang inquired as his gaze settled on Yuehua. Both knew of each other. Mutated martial souls in the form of beasts with a range of intelligence to them.

"Just a simple discussion to understand our differences, and the mutual benefit that would emerge by learning these distinctions," Yuehua replied calmly.

"Then others won't be required," Yu Xiaogang nodded.

"You asked to meet me, Liu Erlong, right? Speak, I'm busy." Said the woman who was lazing behind her desk with her legs stretched out until a few minutes ago.

Yu Xiaogang looked at the woman.

With his Vajra Gauntlets still wrapped over his hands, Ja Sun poked Yuehua's forehead. He continued to prod twice or thrice until it began to ache and that's when Ja Sun continued, "Evolving your thoughts is of an equal importance, too. Just because someone doesn't like you doesn't make you entirely useless."

His words stunned Yuehua for many reasons. Gratification bubbled inside of her as she matched Ja Sun's eyes with her own blue orbs and continued to inquire, "Brother Ka-ul... what do you mean by not entirely useless.?"

"You still lack in hand-to-hand combat. After all, you personally cannot use your spirit skills so you need to practice more," Ja Sun shrugged and Yuehua smiled.

"I will."

"What about the Clear Phoenix? Are you ready to try and absorb a purple spirit ring?"

"I'm making progress. It won't be long and as you use the Mental Acupuncture Technique on me, it allows me to have an even better understanding of the connection between me and Clear Phoenix," Yuehua nodded.

"No worries, we still have two weeks until the beginning of the competition and I can sense another breakthrough for myself so there is one vacation trip remaining." Ja Sun snickered.

"Let's go then," Yuehua smiled and stood up but Ja Sun remained seated.

"Brother Ka-ul?"

"I paid for 3 hours... I'm going to stay," Ja Sun smiled. He would be sitting somewhere else, too, so might as well have his money's worth here.

"Then I will meditate with you here," Yuehua smiled and sat on another couch before closing her eyes.

Ja Sun silently looked at her and sighed internally, 'I was going to try and absorb the other 63000-year-old Nightmare's Fantasy Skull Bone...'

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By the end of the week, Ja Sun realized that it will take Tang Yuehua a little longer to achieve her objective and so he finally absorbed the remaining Spirit Bone he had in mind while utilizing Ah Yin's domain to mask his energy.

[Objective: Absorb the 63000-year-old Nightmare's Fantasy Skull Bone and find an enclosed space privately to pump your fist.

Mission Rank: B

Mission Rewards: Natural Arrays and Their Wonders.

Time Limit: 1 day]

With a newer set of knowledge in the arrays since the Fantasy and Nightmare beasts themselves were born of such a phenomenon, Ja Sun pondered on his new changes.

Right now, he had absorbed three spirit bones. Two of them were inside his arms that gave him a combined skill with versatile use and a Skull Bone.

In reality, Ja Sun had two sets of identical spirit bones. He absorbed the Skull Bone and it required great control and endurance to pain but otherwise, this absorption of identical spirit bone furthered the quality of the two combined. In his head, now, there was one 99999-year-old Nightmare's Fantasy Skull Bone. A simple addition would reveal that the combined cultivation should be equivalent to 126000 years but cultivation is hardly additive. It's a geometric rise in spirit energy.

Once his Skull Bone reached this level, the remaining energy couldn't upgrade the quality of his Skull Bone to the fabled 100000-year level and was thus absorbed by Ja Sun. Even if he had reached the bottleneck, the energy would stay reserved and erupt at once the moment he materializes his sixth spirit ring.

Ordinarily, a 10000-year-old Spirit Soul could provide four spirit abilities. Nightmare's Fantasy only provided three. And now, even his Bright Goddess Butterfly had reached this rank and had another spirit skill capable of converting into a spirit ring but Ja Sun didn't think of that.

After his sixth spirit ring, he aspired to get a Spirit Soul even greater so that his martial soul can take another step forward. To him, gaining three spirit skills from his spirit souls each was already enough.

His breakthrough was indeed a quick one and the group factored a Spirit Bone with a moment's thought, something Ja Sun did not deny. They were yet unaware of his left-arm spirit bone so he simply revealed that this spot was now filled, too.

However, with no one else ready to breakthrough their bottlenecks, Ja Sun was almost made to go out alone. Of course, he wanted Ah Yin to follow in the guise that he would need her ability to keep himself safe... from his own actions and only after constant promises that he won't waste his time with any more parties, Ja Sun was allowed to leave with Ah Yin.

Of course, he had his toes crossed under his boots.

Why wouldn't he want to have fun alongside Ah Yin? And it was about time that he revealed one of his greater secrets about the Spirit Souls to Ah Yin and later even assist her in getting one for herself. After all, she would only need one spirit soul and she would be set for life... quite literally. And Ja Sun happened to know a plant easily persuaded.