The Glory of the Sun and Moon in the Peerless Tang Sect

Moreover, it's unclear what methods the Zhongli brothers used, but the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's body seemed to be tainted by some kind of sinister aura. The nourishing bear meat from the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear was thus wasted.

The more complete and coordinated a team is, the clearer its division of labor will be. The most basic requirement for a qualified Soul Master team leader is to maximize the strengths of each team member based on their individual abilities.

As support-type Soul Masters in the team, Ning Tian and Mo Xuan's responsibility is to use their abilities to assist everyone during battles, and they are not usually required to be on guard duty.

Zhang Lexuan also told the two of them to rest on their own and maintain their condition.

Mo Xuan had just finished absorbing his sixth soul ring in the early hours of this morning and needed to consolidate his cultivation. With the help of Zhang Lexuan, the senior sister of the inner court, and Yu Tianhuang, whose talent he considered even more astonishing, he simply settled into a state of cultivation.

Ning Tian leaned against Xu Zihuang, occasionally taking out nuts from his storage ring to feed the Thunder Beast.

The Thunder Beast accepted everything offered, its chubby little hands cradling the nuts to its chest as it squinted and gnawed on them.

"Squeak!"

Girls are generally more sentimental, and seeing such an adorable Thunder Beast, Ning Tianqiao couldn't help but smile.

Xu Zihuang would occasionally exchange glances with Ning Tian, ​​knowingly choosing not to disturb the others.

It was just as the sun was rising. The Starry Sky Forest was shrouded in morning mist, heavy with dew and moisture, which only intensified the vibrant life force within it.

Xu Zihuang embraced Ning Tian's slender waist, their bodies pressed intimately together. In this moment, a strange warmth welled up within him.

Ning Tian was the person who accompanied him the longest during his childhood.

Influenced by Xu Zihuang's actions, Ning Tian tilted her head back and glared at him with a half-smile, half-angry look. But her light blue eyes were full of tender affection.

The young boy and girl, embracing each other, are in a tranquil forest, with the golden morning sun behind them and a squirrel-like thunder beast perched on their shoulders, together creating a beautiful picture.

Just as the last wisp of mist dissipated into the rising sun, the golden light emanating from Wang Qiu'er gradually subsided. One after another, spirit rings began to rise from her body.

Two yellow, two purple, and one black spirit rings pulsed in unison. The moment the final, deeper black spirit ring rose, time seemed to freeze. It then suddenly expanded, settling at the position of the sixth spirit ring, and slowly rotated along with the other five.

In the next instant, the golden light emanating from Wang Qiu'er completely receded into her body. She had successfully absorbed the spirit ring of the ten-thousand-year-old Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, and the entire process only took a little over an hour. Such a speed of spirit ring fusion was truly astonishing for a Soul Emperor.

It's commonly said that spirit rings prioritize age, while spirit bones prioritize quality. But that's the conventional understanding. The spirit rings of a ten-thousand-year-old dark gold Terrorclaw Bear clearly don't fall into that category.

If an 80th-level quasi-Soul Douluo were to absorb the Soul Ring of this 20,000-year-old Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, it would probably be difficult to do it as easily as Wang Qiu'er.

"This girl is too fierce." Li Yongyue, who was more interested in the ten-thousand-year dark gold dinosaur claw bear spirit ring, subconsciously swallowed. Thinking of Wang Qiu'er's brutal fighting style, he thought it was best to keep his distance from this fierce girl.

Wang Qiu'er's image in his heart had unknowingly risen to the same level as Ma Xiaotao and Wu Ming.

I can't afford it!

As Wang Qiu'er stood up, all her spirit rings were absorbed into her body. Everyone else's gaze also focused on her.

Mo Xuan exchanged a glance with Li Yongyue beside him; his thoughts were similar to Li Yongyue's. Looking at Wang Qiu'er, a sense of awe instinctively welled up in his eyes.

Dai Luoli, on the other hand, was preoccupied with what kind of spirit beast to hunt next for his fourth spirit ring, and wasn't paying much attention to Wang Qiu'er's situation. Of everyone present, he was the only one who hadn't yet acquired a spirit ring to advance.

As for Xu Zihuang and Ning Tian, ​​they were completely immersed in their own world.

Zhang Lexuan stared at Wang Qiu'er, her usual gentle demeanor replaced by a noticeably stern look.

"Wang Qiu'er, why did you act rashly? Don't you have any sense of teamwork? If Elder Song hadn't severely injured the three evil soul masters' natal beast souls and if Tianhuang hadn't unexpectedly killed one of them, your reckless actions just now would have put the entire team in danger. What qualifications does someone like you have to be a member of Shrek Academy's inner court?"

Having suffered repeated setbacks with the Golden Dragon Spear, Wang Qiu'er was already in a bad mood. Zhang Lexuan's reprimand only fueled her rebellious streak. Her expression turned cold, and she met Zhang Lexuan's sharp retort without backing down.

"Whether I am qualified to be a member of the inner academy is not for you to decide. What gives you the right to reprimand me? Even if they hadn't made a move just now, I wouldn't have implicated you."

Hearing Wang Qiu'er's words, senior inner court disciples like Li Yongyue and Mo Xuan were greatly shocked. Since they entered the inner court, they had never seen anyone dare to challenge their senior sister's authority in this way.

Moreover, in their view, Zhang Lexuan's reprimand was entirely reasonable. On the contrary, Wang Qiu'er's stubbornness and boasting made them lose favor with her, and they frowned.

Seeing that Wang Qiu'er remained unrepentant, Zhang Lexuan laughed instead of getting angry.

"Won't implicate us? I'd like to ask you, what makes you say such a thing? Do you think you can take on three evil soul masters with the cultivation level of Soul Douluo all by yourself? Fine, if you really have that kind of confidence, then your strength must be very strong. If you are not convinced of my abilities, you can challenge me at any time after this operation is over."

Wang Qiu'er glared angrily at Zhang Lexuan, but for a moment she couldn't find the words to refute her.

Confident as she is, she doesn't think she can beat Zhang Lexuan at this stage.

Zhang Lexuan smiled calmly.

"As for whether you can become a member of the Inner Academy, I do have the authority to decide. I am a member of the Sea God Pavilion, and I have the right to recommend to the academy the expulsion of an Inner Academy student. Your previous behavior not only violated the academy's rules but also lacked the basic qualities of a Soul Master. Shrek Academy has never lacked geniuses. I admit that you are very talented, having broken through to level 60 in Soul Power at only nineteen years old. But that's all. A true genius should be like Tianhuang, whose temperament matches his outstanding talent. If you continue with this mindset, let alone catching up with Tianhuang, you won't even have the qualifications to look up to him in the future."

"Besides, you are far inferior to Tianhuang in terms of talent."

Zhang Lexuan rarely showed this side of herself, and even inadvertently drew hatred from Yu Tianhuang. But it was entirely out of desperation. Among the inner court students, only Yu Tianhuang could consistently surpass Wang Qiu'er in talent.

Furthermore, Wang Qiu'er's behavior of disregarding the team's safety was truly egregious, and she had to bring it up openly. If Wang Qiu'er could correct her behavior, Shrek Academy would naturally accept her. But if Wang Qiu'er continued to act as she pleased, then sorry, Shrek Academy would no longer have a place for her.

"I'm giving you one more chance. Do you guarantee that this kind of behavior will never happen again, and that you are willing to follow orders?"

Wang Qiu'er's eyes flashed with cold light, her fists clenched in anger, her full chest heaving violently. The atmosphere became incredibly tense.

But then she seemed to realize something, the cold glint in her eyes faded, her expression returned to calm, and she lowered her head, habitually remaining silent.

Wang Qiu'er's submission did not elicit the slightest hint of smugness from Zhang Lexuan. She first gave Xu Zihuang an apologetic look, then walked to the front of the group.

"This isn't just about your safety; it's about the entire team. I hope you realize that. From now on, I'll be in charge of the front lines. The final soul beast we need to hunt will have a cultivation level of around five thousand years. For safety's sake, we'll temporarily move away from the core area of ​​the Star Dou Great Forest and return to the outer perimeter of the mixed zone."

Xu Zihuang, holding Ning Tian's hand, followed behind Zhang Lexuan, her expression somewhat helpless. However, she understood Zhang Lexuan's actions.

Next up are Li Yongyue, Mo Xuan, and Dai Luoli.

Wang Qiu'er hesitated for a moment, but still gritted her teeth and followed behind the crowd.

……

Douling Empire, Xuanming City.

Xuanming City is located in the south-central part of the Douling Empire. Although it cannot compare to Lingdou City, the capital of the Douling Empire, it is still a large city of major city size.

What truly made Xuanming City's name resound throughout the continent was the reclusive Xuanming Sect, rooted within its borders. This was also the hometown of Xu Sanshi and Jiang Nannan; they were originally from the same city.

Xu Sanshi navigated the bustling streets of the city with practiced ease. The streets were teeming with people, bustling with activity, but he seemed oblivious to it all, stopping at the entrance of a medical clinic.

A young man dressed as a servant followed behind Xu Sanshi. The young servant looked somewhat sleazy, and noticing Xu Sanshi's unusual behavior, he called out softly.

"Second Young Master?"

The young servant was named Chen Wen, Xu Sanshi's childhood friend. The two had been together since childhood and were as close as brothers. However, Chen Wen did not have any accompanying soul power when he awakened his martial soul. Later, Xu Sanshi's cultivation improved, and he entered Shrek Academy to study, which led to less contact between the two.

Back then, it was Chen Wen who led Xu Sanshi to complete that deal with Jiang Nannan.

After that, Xu Sanshi felt guilty and instructed Chen Wen to visit Jiang Nannan's mother every week on his behalf. During holidays, he would come in person.

Although the absorption of the Xuanwu Divine Pill is relatively slow for ordinary people, Jiang Nannan's mother has almost fully recovered after years of excellent care at the best medical clinic in the city.

Xu Sanshi took a deep breath and, as always, carried the generous gifts in both hands and strode in.

"Auntie, I've come to see you again!"

Hearty laughter echoed throughout every corner of the clinic.

Xu Sanshi truly had no intention of bothering Jiang Nannan anymore. He was doing this entirely out of his own conscience, and it had nothing to do with Jiang Nannan. The reason he had stopped just now was because he was questioning his own thoughts.

The truth is, from the initial sense of indebtedness to the years of getting along, he had long regarded Jiang Nannan's mother as a respected elder.

Xu Sanshi has many flaws, but his loyal and righteous character alone is enough to make people willing to become close friends with him. In some ways, he can be considered a person with considerable personal charisma.

Not long after Xu Sanshi entered the clinic, Jiang Nannan's figure coincidentally appeared on the street he had just walked.

With her long hair cascading down her back, Jiang Nannan pursed her lips, her body trembling uncontrollably as if she were enduring immense pain.

That day, the guy who later became enveloped in a black aura, the guy who enveloped himself in it, brought her so much pain and humiliation. Because of that one incident, an indescribable shadow was cast in her heart.

Jiang Nannan continued walking forward, looking at the familiar streets around her. She still clearly remembered that after she got that money and the Xuanwu Divine Pill, she sent them to the clinic and then immediately went to Shrek Academy.

Because I was too ashamed to face my mother...

For the past five years, I've always written to my mother and sent her some money, but I've never dared to go back. I'm afraid that seeing her will remind me of the pain of that night.

Until Xu Sanshi, at the Sea God's Fate matchmaking event, said with relief that he would no longer bother her, her longing for her mother grew stronger day by day, and finally, her longing for her mother prevailed. Five years later, she returned to the city where she was born today.

However, when she actually returned here, she realized just how difficult it was to overcome the shadows in her heart.

The short journey took more than half an hour.

Finally, Jiang Nannan mustered up her courage and went to the distance outside the window, only to see a scene she would never forget.

Watching her mother and Xu Sanshi chatting and laughing, and seeing Xu Sanshi standing behind her mother, massaging her shoulders and using his soul power to soothe her body.

Jiang Nannan was deeply moved by her mother's rosy cheeks, kind smile, and gentle gaze towards Xu Sanshi.

Tears streamed down her face.

In that instant, Jiang Nannan realized the truth.

All these years, it turns out that Xu Sanshi has been taking care of her mother all along?

"But why won't you tell me?" Jiang Nannan's eyes were red and her gaze was unfocused. She seemed to empathize with the grievances Xu Sanshi had suffered over the years, and she couldn't help but recall Xu Sanshi's lonely and relieved expression that night.

Just as Jiang Nannan was immersed in sadness, Xu Sanshi and Chen Wen suddenly came out and bumped into her.

Xu Sanshi was stunned for a moment, but his expression quickly returned to calm.

"Go see your aunt when you get back. I know my presence here will remind you of some unpleasant things, so I won't bother you."

His voice was calm and even, without any hint of resentment. It was simply a sincere hope and blessing that Jiang Nannan and her daughter could be reunited and no longer torment each other because of him.

Jiang Nannan gazed at Xu Sanshi's retreating figure, a mixture of soreness in her nose and a heavy feeling in her chest, but ultimately she didn't say anything.

Chen Wen, who was following behind Xu Sanshi, noticed the brief exchange between Xu Sanshi and Jiang Nannan. With his keen mind, he asked softly, "Second Young Master, will we come here again in the future?"

"Not needed for now..."

Chapter 364 Earth-Shaking Roar and a Perfect Ending

Starry Sky Forest, outside the mixed zone.

The group retreated from the depths of the mixed zone, near the core area, to this point. Along the way, Xu Zihuang also used his spiritual power to find a suitable soul beast for Dai Luoli.

A flash of brilliant golden light streaked past, and the soul beast warily turned around, its limbs slightly arched to face the group. Its movements were incredibly fast as it shifted and leaped. The low, angry roars that occasionally escaped its mouth seemed to cause the air to tremble slightly.

In appearance, this spirit beast somewhat resembles a lion. However, its size is rather small, less than a meter long and only about fifty centimeters tall at the shoulder. Its head is enormous, taking up at least a third of its body. A thick, brilliant golden mane grows on its neck, the color of which gradually deepens from head to tail. By the time it reaches its tail, it has turned completely crimson.

With such distinctive features, everyone present recognized the soul beast at a glance.

The Roar of Heaven is a lion-type spirit beast that excels in speed and sonic attacks.

Although the Roaring Thunder is far inferior to the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, it is still a powerful soul beast belonging to the second tier. Their strongest innate soul skill, like their name, is also called Roaring Thunder. It is precisely because of this powerful innate soul skill that they have been able to leap into the second tier of soul beasts.

"Luo Li, after your martial soul mutated, it is much faster than the ordinary White Tiger martial soul, and it has a more agile and graceful feel. The attributes of this Thunder Roar are perfectly compatible with you, and its innate soul skill, which is an area-of-effect attack, emphasizes both attack and control, which is exactly what you need right now. After the soul ring of this Thunder Roar is combined with your martial soul, the soul skill should undergo a certain degree of change, and it is very likely that it will incorporate mental attribute attacks."