“Your Martial Soul…”
Jin Peng’s eyes widened the moment he understood what he was sensing.
He instantly appeared in front of Gui Mei, staring at him with burning curiosity.
The aura surrounding Gui Mei was extremely strange.
Unlike ordinary Beast, Plant, or Weapon Martial Souls, it seemed to be closely connected to Gui Mei’s own existence, as though his Martial Soul was not merely something summoned outside his body, but something deeply connected to his soul.
“Body Martial Soul?
Your Martial Soul is yourself, no…
it is your soul!”
Jin Peng’s voice carried unconcealed excitement.
As a Titled Douluo of the Body Sect, he had spent countless years studying Body Martial Souls and had seen many strange variations of them, but the Martial Soul displayed by Gui Mei was still something he had never encountered before.
“So what if it is?”
Gui Mei’s tone remained calm, but a faint trace of vigilance appeared in his eyes.
He could naturally sense Jin Peng’s unusual interest, and the sudden change in the atmosphere made him instinctively tighten his guard.
Jin Peng seemed not to hear the coldness in Gui Mei’s voice.
His expression was still filled with excitement as he carefully examined Gui Mei.
“Your Martial Soul is an extremely rare soul-form Body Martial Soul.
Its characteristics are completely different from ordinary Body Martial Souls, but the quality of its origin is absolutely not inferior to a top-tier Body Martial Soul.
In some aspects, it may even possess advantages that ordinary Body Martial Souls cannot compare with.”
Jin Peng’s breathing became slightly faster.
“My Body Sect has been passed down for generations, and throughout all these years, we have encountered countless Body Martial Soul holders.
Yet we have never encountered a soul-form Body Martial Soul like yours.
This is truly an extraordinary discovery.”
“Elder Gui Mei.”
Chen Yuan also stood up, his gaze fixed intently on Gui Mei.
Unlike Jin Peng, however, there was less excitement in his expression and more solemnity.
“Do you know how extraordinary your talent is?
The potential of a soul-form Body Martial Soul far exceeds what you can imagine.
Your current cultivation has already reached the realm of a Titled Douluo, which means your foundation is naturally extremely powerful.
If you were to cultivate the Body Sect’s secret techniques and undergo a proper secondary awakening, your Martial Soul and physical foundation could undergo a qualitative transformation.”
“As long as you are willing to join my Body Sect, we can provide you with the corresponding cultivation method and personally guide you through the secondary awakening process.
Your strength will very likely rise to another level.”
“Secondary awakening?”
Gui Mei’s brows moved slightly.
This was the first time he had heard such a statement from the Body Sect, and even though he remained vigilant, he could not help becoming somewhat curious.
“That is right.”
Jin Peng nodded.
“Body Martial Souls possess a special path of cultivation.
Ordinary Spirit Masters generally focus on increasing spirit power, strengthening Spirit Rings, and developing their Spirit Abilities, but Body Martial Soul holders can further excavate the potential hidden within their own bodies.
Through secondary awakening, the Martial Soul’s origin can be strengthened, allowing the body, spirit power, and Martial Soul to form a more complete whole.”
“Of course, the specific process cannot be explained in a few words.
The Body Sect has spent countless generations perfecting this inheritance.”
Yue Guan, however, had already steadied his figure.
His expression was no longer as relaxed as before.
The moment he heard Jin Peng and Chen Yuan openly attempting to recruit Gui Mei, his eyes became cold.
“What exactly do the two of you mean?”
Yue Guan took a step forward and directly blocked Gui Mei.
The Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum Martial Soul slowly condensed in his palm, its magnificent petals carrying a powerful aura.
Even though Yue Guan knew that Jin Peng’s cultivation was far above his own, he showed no intention of retreating.
“Gui Mei is an Elder of Spirit Hall and, more importantly, my close friend.
We have fought side by side for decades.
You are trying to recruit him directly in front of me.
Are you looking down on Spirit Hall too much?”
Yue Guan’s voice was not loud, but the warning within it was unmistakable.
Jin Peng took a deep breath and slowly suppressed the excitement in his heart.
His gaze, however, remained fixed on Gui Mei.
“Elder Yue Guan, do not misunderstand.
The Body Sect has no intention of disrespecting Spirit Hall.”
He paused before continuing seriously.
“However, according to the ancestral principles passed down through the Body Sect, all Spirit Masters who possess a genuine Body Martial Soul have a natural connection with our inheritance.
The Body Sect has the responsibility to guide those who possess such Martial Souls, especially someone with a rare soul-form Body Martial Soul like Elder Gui Mei.”
“The cultivation path of a Body Martial Soul cannot be completely understood through ordinary methods.
Only the inheritance of the Body Sect can truly bring out the deepest potential of such a Martial Soul.”
Jin Peng’s eyes became serious.
“We were originally a family.”
Gui Mei remained silent for a moment.
He could feel that Jin Peng’s words were not merely polite recruitment.
The old man was genuinely interested in his Martial Soul, and there was even a trace of regret in his eyes, as though he had discovered an extremely rare treasure that was unwilling to belong to his Sect.
After a brief silence, Gui Mei slowly spoke.
“Thank you for your high regard, Elder Jin.”
“But I refuse.”
Yue Guan’s originally tense expression relaxed slightly, and he turned his head to glance at Gui Mei.
Gui Mei continued calmly, “Yue Guan and I have accompanied each other for decades.
From the realm of Spirit Elder to Spirit Grandmaster, Spirit Elder, Spirit Ancestor, Spirit King, Spirit Emperor, Spirit Saint, Spirit Douluo, and finally Titled Douluo, we have walked together through countless battles and dangers.
We have shared life and death more times than I can remember.”
“We successively served two Supreme Pontiffs, and during all those years, our relationship has long surpassed that of ordinary colleagues.
We are companions who have trusted each other with our lives.”
Gui Mei’s gaze became firm.
“No matter how good the Body Sect is, to me, it is not more important than Spirit Hall.”
“This matter ends here.
Do not mention it again.”
Jin Peng still wanted to say something.
“However…”
“Old Jin.”
Chen Yuan reached out and pressed Jin Peng’s arm, shaking his head at him.
“Forget it.”
He looked toward Gui Mei and spoke calmly.
“Gui Mei is a Titled Douluo, an Elder of Spirit Hall, and a powerhouse with his own convictions.
He has already made his choice.
Jin Peng’s lips moved, but in the end, he sighed heavily.
The excitement in his eyes slowly receded, although his attitude toward Gui Mei remained friendly.
“It was this old man who was too abrupt.”
Jin Peng cupped his hands and gave Gui Mei a respectful salute.
Gui Mei nodded.
“It’s fine.”
The four of them took their seats again, but the atmosphere inside the private suite had already become much more subtle than before.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei were clearly more vigilant than when they had first entered.
In particular, Yue Guan’s gaze toward Jin Peng now carried a greater degree of scrutiny and caution.
The previous confrontation had already made him understand that Body Sect was not a force that could be treated casually.
Jin Peng also understood that continuing to discuss Gui Mei’s recruitment would only make the atmosphere more tense, so he no longer mentioned the matter.
“Let’s continue talking about business.”
Yue Guan put down his teacup and spoke indifferently.
“Since the Body Sect is willing to cooperate with Spirit Hall, let’s first discuss the specific terms of cooperation.”
“Simple.”
Jin Peng extended three fingers.
“In terms of medicinal pills, the Body Sect can currently provide three types of pills.
The first is the Body Cleansing Pill, which tempers the physical body and strengthens a Spirit Master’s physical foundation.
The second is the Soul Condensing Pill, which nourishes the spiritual origin and strengthens the power of the divine soul.
The third is the Barrier Breaking Pill, which can assist Spirit Masters when they encounter cultivation bottlenecks.”
Jin Peng paused briefly before continuing.
“These three pills have different effects and different limitations.
The Body Cleansing Pill is most suitable for strengthening the foundation of younger Spirit Masters and those below the Spirit Emperor realm.
The Soul Condensing Pill is more valuable to Spirit Masters with powerful spiritual cultivation or those seeking to strengthen their spiritual sea, while the Barrier Breaking Pill can only provide assistance.
It cannot guarantee that a Spirit Master will definitely break through a bottleneck.”
“If Spirit Hall requires these pills, the Body Sect can provide them regularly.
In exchange, we need cultivation resources.
Medicinal herbs, rare metals, heavenly treasures, and other resources useful to Spirit Masters are all acceptable.”
Yue Guan and Gui Mei exchanged a glance.
The conditions were straightforward, and neither side was asking for something impossible.
“Alright.”
Yue Guan nodded.
“The medicinal pills can be discussed in detail later.
What about Spirit Tools?”
Jin Peng smiled faintly.
“You do not understand the true value of Spirit Tools yet.
How about this?
My Body Sect can provide Spirit Hall with a batch of samples first.
After you understand their functions and evaluate their actual value, we can negotiate the larger cooperation.”
Yue Guan’s eyes narrowed.
“What are the conditions?”
Jin Peng’s expression became serious.
“We want a list of people who have awakened Body Martial Souls.”
The atmosphere became quiet for a moment.
Jin Peng’s attitude was resolute.
“Body Sect has been hidden from the outside world for generations, and one of the reasons for this is that we have lacked sufficient information regarding Body Martial Soul holders outside the Sect.
If Spirit Hall can provide such information, it will be of considerable value to us.”
Yue Guan pondered for a moment.
“Alright.”
He finally nodded.
“But the information cannot cover every region of the continent.
At present, Spirit Hall can provide the records of people within the Heaven Dou Empire who have awakened Body Martial Souls during the past twenty years.
The records may not be completely comprehensive, but they should be enough to serve as a starting point.”
“Good.”
Jin Peng nodded in agreement.
“That is sufficient for now.”
The two sides then continued discussing the specific details of the cooperation, including the number of pills, the exchange of cultivation resources, the evaluation of Spirit Tool samples, and the method of delivering the relevant records.
After roughly the time it took to burn an incense stick, the initial framework of the cooperation had finally been established.
Yue Guan stood up first and extended his hand.
“Happy cooperation.”
Jin Peng also stood up and smiled.
“Happy cooperation.”
Gui Mei followed Yue Guan and prepared to leave.
Jin Peng and Chen Yuan personally saw the two Titled Douluos from Spirit Hall out of the private suite.
Only after their figures disappeared into the distance did the two return to the room.
Jin Peng sat down again, his expression still carrying a trace of regret.
“It is simply a waste of heavenly opportunity for someone with Gui Mei’s Martial Soul to remain outside the Body Sect.”
Chen Yuan glanced at him.
“We cannot force someone who has already made his choice.
Gui Mei’s relationship with Yue Guan and Spirit Hall is too deep.
We will see what happens in the future.
For now, let’s wait until the Sect Master finishes his closed-door cultivation.
Once the Sect Master comes out, there may be another opportunity to discuss this matter.”
Jin Peng nodded.
“Hmm.”
…
Yue Guan and Gui Mei quickly returned to Spirit City.
Inside the Supreme Pontiff Palace, Bibi Dong sat upright on the throne of the high platform.
Her purple-gold Supreme Pontiff crown shone brilliantly beneath the lights of the grand hall, while the Supreme Pontiff Scepter rested lightly in her hand.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei stood below and reported the entire process of their trip to Wulan City in detail.
They began with the Body Cleansing Pills that Body Sect had provided, then explained the proposed cooperation involving Spirit Tools and medicinal pills.
They also described the terrifying pressure released by Jin Peng when he revealed his rank ninety-seven cultivation and the 100,000-year Spirit Ring, followed by the unexpected episode in which the Body Sect attempted to recruit Gui Mei.
Nothing important was omitted.
Bibi Dong listened quietly, her slender fingers gently tapping against the armrest of the throne.
“A 100,000-year Spirit Ring…”
Bibi Dong repeated the words in a low voice.
Her expression remained calm, but her eyes became slightly deeper.
After a moment, she looked toward Yue Guan and Gui Mei.
“You two did nothing wrong.
Making a rash move against them would be unwise.”
She paused.
“Since they are willing to cooperate with Spirit Hall, then cooperate with them for now.”
“Yes.”
Yue Guan bowed respectfully.
Bibi Dong continued, “As for the medicinal pills, arrange dedicated personnel to handle the exchange.
Carefully inspect the quality and quantity of every batch.
If the Body Sect attempts to withhold resources or violates the agreement, apply appropriate pressure through the channels available to us.”
“After the Spirit Tool samples arrive, have the Elders evaluate them together.
Do not make a judgment based merely on appearances.
I want to know their actual value, manufacturing difficulty, limitations, and whether they can truly be produced in batches.”
“Understood.”
Yue Guan nodded.
“As for the list…”
Bibi Dong’s voice paused slightly.
“There is no need to rush.”
Her fingers lightly tapped the armrest once more.
“Provide the Body Sect with the records when we meet them again in seven days.
Before then, have someone organize the information properly.
I want the records separated according to region, age, Martial Soul type, and known cultivation level as far as possible.”
Yue Guan and Gui Mei looked at each other before bowing in agreement.
“Yes, Your Holiness.”
“You may withdraw.”
“As you command.”
Yue Guan and Gui Mei bowed before exiting the Supreme Pontiff Palace.
After the two left, Bibi Dong remained alone in the enormous grand hall.
Her fingertips gently rubbed the Supreme Pontiff Scepter as her gaze became thoughtful.
“Body Sect…”
Bibi Dong muttered softly.
“A secluded Sect that suddenly appears, possesses several Titled Douluos, has a 100,000-year Spirit Ring, possesses rare medicinal pills, and even claims to have mastered Spirit Tool manufacturing…”
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
“I hope you understand the limits of cooperation.
If you insist on hiding too much and eventually become a threat to Spirit Hall, I will not simply stand by and watch.”
…
Hall of Elders.
Qian Daoliu sat cross-legged on a futon, holding a secret letter in his hand.
The letter had been sent moments earlier by someone placed within the Supreme Pontiff Palace.
It detailed the conversation between Bibi Dong, Yue Guan, and Gui Mei, including the information about Body Sect, the Spirit Tools, the medicinal pills, and Jin Peng’s display of a 100,000-year Spirit Ring.
Qian Daoliu slowly read through the contents.
“Body Sect, Spirit Tools…”
He murmured to himself.
“Quite interesting.”
After saying those words, Qian Daoliu closed his eyes again.
With his cultivation as a rank ninety-nine Limit Douluo, there were very few things on the continent capable of genuinely attracting his attention.
A hidden Sect possessing several Titled Douluos was certainly unusual, but unless Body Sect possessed a Limit Douluo comparable to himself, it was still not enough to make him treat the Sect as an overwhelming threat.
However, the medicinal pills and Spirit Tools were different.
If those things truly possessed the effects described in the report, their value to Spirit Hall would be considerable.
Qian Daoliu’s expression remained calm, but another thought suddenly appeared in his mind.
“If those pills and Spirit Tools are truly as useful as described, I can send a batch to Xue’er.”
His granddaughter was currently undergoing an important period of cultivation and preparation, and resources capable of strengthening her foundation or assisting her cultivation were naturally valuable.
Qian Daoliu closed his eyes again.
For the moment, he would continue watching.
…
Body Sect.
After Jin Peng and Elder Chen returned from Wulan City, they first met Dugu Bo.
The two sides exchanged a few polite words, and Jin Peng was pleased to discover that Dugu Bo’s poison core had successfully transformed into a poison-attribute Spirit core.
His spirit power had also reached rank ninety-three, and the severe poison backlash that had plagued him for decades had been completely resolved.
After confirming that Dugu Yan had successfully refined the Netherworld Yellow Spring Fruit and her Jade Phosphor Snake Martial Soul had evolved into the Jade Phosphor Serpent, Dugu Bo was no longer willing to waste time.
He immediately took his granddaughter Dugu Yan and set out toward the Star Dou Great Forest.
Dugu Yan had already reached level forty and needed a suitable fourth Spirit Ring to advance into the Spirit Ancestor realm.
Dugu Bo naturally intended to personally accompany her.
At the same time, another young man inside Body Sect was becoming increasingly impatient.
“Xiao Yu, where on earth is my Spirit Ring?”
Long Aotian looked at Long Aoyu with an anxious expression.
It had already been seven days since he returned from the Sunset Forest.
His sixth Spirit Ring had been scouted previously, but because Du Busi had been in closed-door cultivation and the Sect had been occupied with the Spirit Hall cooperation, the journey had been delayed.
Now that the matter had finally been settled, Long Aotian naturally did not want to wait any longer.
“Everyone else is progressing while I am stuck here.
If this continues, even Yanzi might surpass me soon.”
Long Aotian sighed.
Wei Na, who had broken through together with him previously, had already returned from the Star Dou Great Forest after obtaining her fifth Spirit Ring.
With the nourishment of the Eight-petal Immortal Orchid and the assistance of the Twin-flower Thousand Illusion Garand, her foundation had become exceptionally stable, and her cultivation had successfully risen to level fifty-four.
She had officially become a level fifty-four Spirit King.
As for Long Aotian, despite having already reached level sixty and possessing the foundation necessary to advance into the Spirit Emperor realm after obtaining his sixth Spirit Ring, he had remained in the Sect for seven days without making any progress.
Long Aoyu glanced at his elder brother and shook his head helplessly.
“Alright, it is about time.”
He had just received confirmation that the cooperation between Body Sect and Spirit Hall had been successfully established, meaning the Sect no longer needed to remain occupied with that matter.
“We will set off tomorrow.”
Long Aotian’s eyes immediately lit up.
“Really?”
He leaned forward.
“Where are we going?”
“Star Dou Great Forest?”
“The Extreme North?”
“Or perhaps the sea?”
Long Aoyu shook his head.
“Then where else can we go?”
The corners of Long Aoyu’s mouth slowly curled upward.
His eyes flashed with a strange light as he calmly spat out five words.
“Shrek Academy.”