After killing Han Dahai, Jing Shaoyu fell into a mysterious and profound state. In his haze, he seemed to see a cluster of blood-red flames, within which burned a mass of black filth, condensing into a drop of golden liquid.
This golden liquid contained pure and immense energy. It slowly drifted down, transforming into a thin golden mist that seeped into his skin, invaded his pores, and finally merged into his bloodstream, flowing through his limbs and meridians.
He felt a warm sensation all over his body, as if bathed in the winter sunlight, evoking a sense of comfort and laziness, making him feel at ease and relaxed.
Outside, Yun Ming and Na'er waited patiently, both noticing the changes in Jing Shaoyu, their hearts filled with astonishment.
Yun Ming looked at him thoughtfully, silently musing, "Soul Power fluctuations... Shaoyu has made another breakthrough. How peculiar."
About two hours later, Jing Shaoyu awoke from that mysterious state, slowly opening his eyes, revealing a mix of joy and surprise.
His Soul Power had broken through, rising from level 48 to level 49, just one step away from becoming a Soul King. He looked at the Doomsday Godslaying Spear resting on his legs, filled with awe and amazement.
If he hadn't encountered those Evil Soul Masters today, it might have taken him much longer to discover the special ability of his Doomsday Godslaying Spear Martial Soul.
Red Lotus—this was the special ability of the Doomsday Godslaying Spear that Jing Shaoyu had just discovered today. True to its name, the spear's blade carried the properties of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. Any demon or evil being burdened with sin and karmic retribution would, upon touching the spear's blade, be instantly pulled into a special realm burning with Red Lotus Karmic Fire, enduring its scorching and burning.
This ability was undoubtedly a deadly weapon against Evil Soul Masters. The deeper their sins, the more dangerous they became in the face of the Doomsday Godslaying Spear. Once the spear directly touched their Martial Soul or physical body, their flesh would dissolve, and their soul would be obliterated—only then could their sins be redeemed.
Evil Soul Masters who died from the Red Lotus's properties would have their life force and cultivation refined into the purest energy, which would then nourish Jing Shaoyu, enhancing his strength.
Just as Jing Shaoyu had vaguely seen in his vision, the Red Lotus Karmic Fire melted away sin, condensed Spiritual Essence, and then transformed it into Primordial Qi, which merged into his body.
The only thing that left Jing Shaoyu speechless was that an Evil Soul Master at the Soul Saint level had only raised his Soul Power by one level. The efficiency of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire's refinement seemed far too low, and Jing Shaoyu strongly suspected that the Red Lotus Karmic Fire was skimming off the top.
Despite his complaints, he was very satisfied with the Red Lotus property of the Doomsday Godslaying Spear. Not only did it enhance his strength, but it also greatly increased his combat effectiveness against Evil Soul Masters. For now, though he had many uncertainties, he could take his time to confirm them later.
"Awake? How do you feel?" A gentle voice sounded in his ear. Jing Shaoyu instinctively looked up and saw Yun Ming smiling at him warmly.
"Teacher, why are you here?" Jing Shaoyu asked in surprise.
"Hehe," Yun Ming chuckled without explaining, instead asking, "Tell me, what just happened to you?"
"Alright," Jing Shaoyu nodded and immediately recounted everything that had occurred after the Doomsday Godslaying Spear touched Han Dahai, including the Red Lotus characteristic of the spear.
As Yun Ming listened to Jing Shaoyu's account, a deep contemplation and astonishment flashed across his handsome face. Given his knowledge and realm, he fully understood what the Red Lotus characteristic signified, and he fell into deep thought.
Seeing that Yun Ming remained silent for a long time, Jing Shaoyu did not disturb his thoughts. He quietly watched him, maintaining his silence.
Na'er quietly walked over to his side, her hands gripping his arm, a gentle smile on her stunning face, which greatly lifted Jing Shaoyu's spirits.
"What level of Evil Soul Master can your Martial Soul's characteristic threaten?" Yun Ming finally spoke after a long while.
"I'm not sure," Jing Shaoyu shook his head and replied. From the information he had, the Red Lotus Karmic Fire could only destroy those burdened with sin, but there was no mention of the criteria for judging such individuals.
"My teacher once told me that there is a kind of person in this world who is born with a unique ability, manifested either as a Martial Soul or as a talent. He called such people 'World's Favored Ones,'" Yun Ming said with a profound look in his eyes. "He once encountered an Evil Soul Master born from the evil energy of the world, who, according to him, was a World's Favored One. Now it seems, Shaoyu, you might also be one of them."
"World's Favored Ones?" Upon hearing this, Jing Shaoyu's thoughts churned. The teacher Yun Ming referred to was the former Sea God Pavilion Master, the Heaven's Favored Douluo, a pitiful man toyed with by the world and fate. The World's Favored Evil Soul Master he mentioned was undoubtedly Harosha.
"Indeed," Yun Ming explained. "According to my teacher, whenever the world reaches a certain juncture, it gives birth to one or more special beings endowed with the world's power. They are born into this world carrying a special mission.
The Sea God Tang San from twenty thousand years ago, and the Spirit Ice Douluo Huo Yuhao from ten thousand years ago, could both be such individuals."
"Ah! Does that mean my brother can stand shoulder to shoulder with Tang San and Huo Yuhao?" Na'er exclaimed excitedly.
"Hehe," Yun Ming chuckled softly, though a trace of bitterness flashed in the depths of his eyes. "It's certainly possible, but it depends on whether Shaoyu can pass the various trials the world sets for him."
"Teacher, what do you think my mission is?" Jing Shaoyu asked, feeling quite surprised by Yun Ming's words, as they touched upon what could be considered world-class secrets. He couldn't help but wonder how much Yun Ming actually knew.
"I don't know," Yun Ming shrugged helplessly. "That's something you need to find out for yourself. No one else can interfere. Perhaps you are already in the midst of your mission, or perhaps it hasn't even begun yet. No one can say for sure."
"Alright," Jing Shaoyu nodded, feeling a bit disappointed. It seemed that Yun Ming had only touched upon the surface of things. The deepest, most fundamental struggles of this world remained hidden from him.
Thinking about it, it made sense. No matter how prodigious and unparalleled Yun Ming was, he had yet to take that final step. He was still a pawn, albeit the highest-standing one. With his innate talent, he could catch a glimpse of the chessboard's corner, but he lacked the strength and ability to pierce through the layers of mist and see the entire game.
"Haha, no need to worry," Yun Ming said, noticing the fleeting disappointment on Jing Shaoyu's face. Thinking that Shaoyu was concerned about his own mission, Yun Ming smiled and reassured him, "For now, don't overthink it. Your top priority is to focus on improving your strength. Only when you are powerful enough can you face any crisis without fear."
"I understand, Master," Jing Shaoyu replied with a nod.
"Good. Now that you understand, let's go. There's nothing left on this island worth your attention," Yun Ming said with a gentle smile.
"Oh, right," Jing Shaoyu suddenly remembered why there were Evil Soul Masters on this nameless island. He immediately asked, "Master, why were there Evil Soul Masters on this island? Could this be one of their hideouts?"
"Most likely," Yun Ming replied. "There are indeed signs of life and habitation on the island, and it's highly probable that it was the lair of the Evil Soul Masters you defeated. The fact that such a group exists in the East Sea region suggests that the East Sea Fleet's operations are quite problematic!"
"Really? It seems Na'er and I were incredibly lucky to stumble upon an Evil Soul Master's hideout just by chance," Jing Shaoyu said with a wry smile.
"Mhm, exactly," Na'er chimed in, nodding vigorously. "It's all because of those Evil Soul Masters. They completely ruined Brother's and my mood. Now we have no desire to enjoy ourselves anymore."
"Then let's head home. It's getting late anyway," Yun Ming said straightforwardly.
"Seems like that's the only option now," Jing Shaoyu said, glancing at the gradually darkening sea. He had no choice but to follow Yun Ming's suggestion and take Na'er back to the shore on the yacht.
As for Yun Ming, his whereabouts were unknown. He might have left, or perhaps he was hiding in the shadows, secretly observing (crossed out), protecting them.
In any case, Jing Shaoyu now dared not act too intimately or inappropriately with Na'er.
After returning from Aolai City to East Sea City, Jing Shaoyu no longer slept in Na'er's bedroom at night. Na'er also became noticeably more reserved. After all, neither of them wanted to be intimate while a living person was secretly watching from the shadows—it would be too awkward.
In the bedroom, Jing Shaoyu sat cross-legged on the bed, staring blankly at the golden tear-shaped crystal in his hand, lost in thought.
This golden tear-shaped crystal was the second Tear of Nature he had condensed. The first Tear of Nature had elevated the Great Nan Tree from a hundred-year Soul Beast to a thousand-year Soul Beast. He had originally planned to use this second Tear of Nature on the Tree King Holy Body Mushroom, but as they say, plans often don't keep up with changes. All the plant Soul Beasts had disappeared, so naturally, they could no longer benefit from the Tear of Nature.
Jing Shaoyu was currently pondering over how to handle this Tear of Nature. Should he continue cultivating plant-type Soul Beasts? He wasn't in the mood for that anymore. Since he didn't want to cultivate new plant-type Soul Beasts, it seemed there was only one use left for this Tear of Nature.
Plant-type Soul Masters.
For plant-type Soul Masters, the effects of the Tear of Nature were no less significant than those of plant-type Soul Beasts. While the specific utility might vary, the natural energy and life force it contained were immensely beneficial to any Soul Master, let alone a plant-type one.
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Jing Shaoyu didn't know many plant-type Soul Masters, and those he was close to were even fewer. The first person that came to mind was his adoptive mother, Jing Ziyuan. She was a Blue Silver Grass Soul Master, though only a one-ring Soul Master at around level ten. Still, she was a genuine plant-type Soul Master, and this Tear of Nature was undoubtedly suitable for her.
However, Jing Shaoyu had a slight concern. Jing Ziyuan was already over fifty years old. Could her body withstand the energy of the Tear of Nature? If her body couldn't handle it and she got hurt, he would surely regret it deeply.
But he soon laughed at his own worries. As a healing-type Soul Master, it was almost foolish of him to worry that Jing Ziyuans body might not be able to handle the energy.
Dispelling his last bit of hesitation, Jing Shaoyu immediately took action. He walked out of his bedroom and headed straight for Jing Ziyuan's room.
His movements were quickly noticed by Na'er, who also stepped out of her bedroom and ran to his side, asking, "Brother, are you going to see Mom?"
"Yes," Jing Shaoyu didn't hide it from Na'er and smiled, "Something good is coming. You'll see."
"What are you two doing in my room instead of sleeping?" Jing Ziyuan asked, looking at Jing Shaoyu and Na'er with confusion.
"Mom, is your Soul Power still at level fifteen?" Jing Shaoyu asked.
"Yes, I'm not a genius like you two. My Martial Soul is just Blue Silver Grass. Reaching level fifteen is already more than enough for me," Jing Ziyuan replied, her face showing a mix of helplessness and resignation.
"Don't lose heart, Mom," Na'er comforted her softly, "With Brother and me here, we'll definitely help you continue cultivating."
"Na'er is right," Jing Shaoyu said, no longer keeping it a secret. He took out the Tear of Nature and said, "Mom, look."
The appearance of the Tear of Nature immediately filled the room with the fragrance of fresh grass and the warmth of spring, making both Jing Ziyuan and Na'er feel comfortable.
"Shaoyu, what is this treasure?" Jing Ziyuan stared at the Tear of Nature in awe. Even with her limited knowledge, she could tell that the golden tear in her son's hand was an invaluable treasure.
"Mom, this is called the Tear of Nature. It's an energy crystal that can increase the Soul Power of plant-type Soul Masters," Jing Shaoyu explained briefly with a smile, "It was condensed through my Martial Soul. It can increase your Soul Power and might even enhance the quality of your Martial Soul. Here, absorb it quickly. Na'er and I will protect you."
"No, this is too precious. I can't accept it," Jing Ziyuan instinctively refused upon hearing Jing Shaoyu's explanation, "I've lived my life like this. There's no need to waste such a treasure on me."
Jing Shaoyu had anticipated Jing Ziyuan's refusal, so he was well-prepared. He and Na'er took turns, speaking with unwavering determination, until Jing Ziyuan felt dizzy and sat down on the ground, beginning to absorb the Tear of Nature.
Jing Shaoyu and Na'er watched Jing Ziyuan nervously. Na'er asked, "Brother, can the Tear of Nature really help Mom break through her Soul Power? If I remember correctly, her Soul Power hasn't increased for ten years."
"It definitely can," Jing Shaoyu replied. Although there were no precedents to refer to, he had great confidence in the Tear of Nature. Its essence was natural energy and life force, both of which were beneficial and harmless to the human body.
Jing Ziyuan's absorption of the Tear of Nature was very slow and inefficient. It took her a full day and night to complete the absorption, followed by another ten hours of digestion before she finally awoke from her meditative state.
Jing Shaoyu and Na'er had been guarding Jing Ziyuan the entire time. Seeing her wake up from her cultivation, they were both thrilled.
After absorbing a Tear of Nature, Jing Ziyuan looked much younger. The middle-aged woman in her fifties now appeared to be in her early forties, much to Lin Xin's envy.
For Jing Ziyuan, the renewed vitality of her body was not the greatest gain. The increase in her Soul Power was what truly delighted her. Honestly, who in the Douluo Continent didn't want to become a Soul Master, a powerful one at that? However, due to talent and Martial Soul, most people ended up blending into the crowd, losing their initial dreams. Jing Ziyuan was one of them.
She had thought she would never become a Great Soul Master in her lifetime, but her precious son had shown her the splendor of the Great Soul Master realm.
The Tear of Nature directly boosted Jing Ziyuan's Soul Power to level 20, a full five-level increase!
Jing Shaoyu was overjoyed. That very night, he went to the East Sea Spirit Transfer Pagoda to purchase a yellow Soul Spirit for Jing Ziyuan. After fusing with the Soul Spirit, Jing Ziyuan's cultivation stabilized at level 22, and her Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul regained its vitality, making further cultivation possible.
From now on, as long as Jing Ziyuan continued her cultivation diligently, her Soul Power would never stagnate again. The Tear of Nature had significantly raised the upper limit of her Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul. According to Jing Shaoyu's perception, her path would be smooth and unobstructed at least until she reached the Soul Grandmaster level.
The value of the Tear of Nature continues to rise!
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