Douluo's Spiritual Pearl and Divine Sword

Yu Tianheng thought of the possibility that their martial souls could fuse. Only a fusion could have caused the resonance he felt earlier.

Seeing Yu Tianheng's reaction Tianlin nodded, confirming his thoughts and if their martial souls could truly merge, the combat effectiveness of their Emperor Team would be greatly enhanced.

At that moment Dugu Yan fully woke up. She looked at her hands in disbelief and exclaimed "My soul power has increased by eight levels! From level 31 to level 39!"

Tianlin couldn't help but marvel at her progress 'She actually advanced by eight levels. It seems Sister Yanzi gained the most from this experience' He nudged Yu Tianheng's chest playfully and teased "Hey, Tianheng your girlfriend has surpassed you! Better watch out for domestic violence!"

Yu Tianheng chuckled and pushed Tianlin away "Go to hell! Yan'er and I have a great relationship. I'm happy for her progress and not jealous at all." He stepped forward gently holding Dugu Yan's hands and spoke with heartfelt emotion "Yan'er, no matter how strong you become I will always stand in front of you to protect you. That's my lifelong promise as Yu Tianheng."

Blushing slightly Dugu Yan nodded. She too had felt the resonance between her martial soul and Yu Tianheng's. At that moment and it seemed like their hearts were even more connected.

Their display of affection was blatant leaving the others feeling awkward and a bit envious. Osler, Yufeng, and the Shi brothers suddenly felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over the excitement from their breakthroughs.

Not long after the last person Gu Ran finally woke up. His absorption of the herb had taken the longest due to his weaker foundation but the Iron-Armored Peony had caused a significant transformation in him. While he might not stand out in the Emperor Team, he could now at least keep up with their training pace.

The next day, Tianlin made a trip to the palace to meet with Xue Qinghe As Ning Fengzhi's apprentice and the crown prince of the empire it was essential not to overlook him.

Xue Qinghe already knew about the recent developments through a message from the Spirit Hall, but she wasn't particularly concerned. Growing up in the Worship Hall she was well aware of the prowess of the Titled Douluo there. To her, a newly promoted Titled Douluo wasn't much of a threat.

What delighted her more was Tianlin's return. That night she made sure Tianlin stayed, practicing with the power of tianxue (martial soul fusion) with him throughout the night.

As Tianlin's soul power had increased, the power of Tianxue had also grown stronger Xue Qinghe could clearly feel her soul power becoming purer and circulating faster during their practice. Her resolve to bring Tianlin into the Worship Hall became even firmer.

Tianlin however, began to feel conflicted. He needed to find a way to reduce his interactions with Xue Qinghe Helping the future leader of the Spirit Hall strengthen her soul power felt like aiding the enemy. Still the power of Tianxue also greatly benefited Tianlin himself making it a tricky situation.

If Xue Qinghe weren't part of the Spirit Hall, Tianlin might have even shared some of the immortal herbs with her. Unfortunately, their destinies were bound to clash Tianlin had no intention of digging his own grave.

The next morning Tianlin finally escaped Xue Qinghe's clutches. The Emperor Team members and Teacher Qin Ming were already waiting for him at the academy's gates.

The Shi brothers and Yu Tianheng weren't present, as they had returned to their respective families to deliver the invitations which were meant for their family patriarchs.

Meanwhile, the rest of the team planned to visit the Soul Hunting Forest to help the four members who had reached level 30 acquire their third soul rings.

The Soul Hunting Forest, jointly managed by the Empire and the Spirit Hall, was a suitable hunting ground. The strongest soul beasts there were around 10,000 years old, and with Qin Ming's current strength their safety was assured. To make things easier Qin Ming even called his girlfriend, Zhou Yan to assist.

Zhou Yan, though weaker than Qin Ming, was a Soul King with a level of 51. Her soul skills made her an excellent support in hunting soul beasts.

After showing their academy teacher credentials, they easily entered the forest.

Instead of lingering in the outskirts, which housed only ten-year and hundred-year soul beasts, they ventured deeper in search of a thousand-year soul beast.

Their luck was good. Not long after entering, they spotted an electric spider that was more than 1,300 years old.

The spider wasn't a perfect match for anyone except Tianlin but he had already obtained his third soul ring. However, Ye Lingling was an exception. Her Nine-Hearted Begonia didn't require specific attributes for her soul rings. The only concern was the soul ring's age.

Since Ye Lingling's martial soul focused solely on healing, every soul ring she absorbed would simply enhance her existing skill. Thus, she didn't need to be picky about attributes.

With their target set, Qin Ming nodded to Zhou Yan who activated her martial soul. Beautiful butterfly wings emerged from her back glittering with tiny scales.

"Third soul skill: Sleeping Powder!"

The electric spider caught off guard, inhaled the powder and fell into a deep sleep.

Seizing the opportunity, Ye Lingling swiftly ended its life while it was unconscious offering it a painless death. She then began the process of absorbing its soul ring.

The absorption went smoothly, and within an hour, Ye Lingling successfully became a Soul Master. Her soul power increased to level 35 a result of both the new soul ring and the boost from the Eight-Petal Fairy Orchid.

Seeing her progress the remaining three—Gu Ran, Osler, and Yu Feng—grew anxious. They too, wished to obtain their third soul rings and test how much their soul power had grown.

However, finding suitable soul beasts for them wasn't as straightforward. Gu Ran required a strength-type soul beast, Osler needed a speed-type soul beast, and Yu Feng preferred a flying-type one. Their requirements were far more specific.

Thankfully, Tianlin had brought plenty of dry food, and with Ye Lingling's assistance in restoring their soul power, they were well-prepared for an extended stay in the forest.

As night fell, the group set up their tents and divided the watch shifts. Tianlin took the first half of the night while Qin Ming would take over in the second half.

While keeping watch, Tianlin sat near the campfire, lost in thought Suddenly, Ye Lingling and Gu Ran approached and sat down beside him. After the Shi brothers left, Gu Ran had become the team's primary defender so Qin Ming had assigned him to protect Ye Lingling the team's vital auxiliary member.