After several days of uneventful travel, the group finally arrived safely at Heaven Dou City. The towering city walls and bustling streets made everyone who had survived the life-and-death crisis in Star Dou Great Forest feel as if they were in a different world.
At the city gate, they bid farewell to each other. Osler solemnly thanked Li Zhaoyan and Marco once again, promising not to reveal any information about their journey or breakthrough, before hurriedly returning to his family to report. Yang Wudi also made plans with Li Zhaoyan to meet another day to discuss follow-up matters in detail before departing.
Li Zhaoyan brought Marco and Qiu Yao back to the Li residence.
At the entrance, Mother Ye, who had received the news, had been anxiously waiting for a long time. When she saw her husband and son returning safely, accompanied by a timid little girl with clear, bright eyes, her heart finally settled, and her eyes instantly reddened.
"You're back! It's good that you're all back!" Mother Ye stepped forward, grabbing Li Zhaoyan and Marco's hands, her voice choked with emotion as she looked them over carefully, afraid they might have lost a single hair. When she saw Qiu Yao, her eyes showed both affection and curiosity.
"Mother, we're back. This is Qiu Yao. She will be part of our family from now on," Marco explained softly, briefly mentioning Qiu Yao's background. Upon hearing this, Mother Ye felt even more heartache and quickly pulled Qiu Yao into her arms, comforting her gently: "Poor child, you've suffered. From now on, this is your home."
The family entered the residence, and Ye Lingling, hearing the commotion, quickly came out. Seeing her father and brother safe, her usually cold face showed visible relief. When she saw the new sister, Qiu Yao, a flicker of curiosity passed through her eyes, and she nodded gently to her.
Sitting in the warm living room and drinking hot tea, Mother Ye couldn't wait to ask about the details of their journey to Star Dou. Li Zhaoyan and Marco exchanged glances, and Marco began to narrate their training, encounter with the Evil Spirit Master, rescuing Qiu Yao, and the final battle with the Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger deep in the forest, omitting some of the more dangerous details.
Even so, when they heard about encountering the Evil Spirit Master, the legendary ferocious beast Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger, and Marco being drawn into the Arena of Life and Death, Mother Ye and Ye Lingling turned pale with fright, tightly clutching their handkerchiefs and holding their breath. Mother Ye repeatedly patted her chest in fear, tears welling in her eyes: "So dangerous! It was truly too dangerous! You two... must never take such risks again!"
However, when Marco finally mentioned that his father, having avenged his great enemy and cleared his inner demons, had broken through the bottleneck to become a Titled Douluo—
"What?! A Titled Douluo?!" Mother Ye suddenly stood up, looking at her husband in disbelief, her voice changing pitch. Ye Lingling also looked up sharply, her cold eyes bursting with astonishing brilliance as she stared intently at her father, her face filled with shock and irrepressible joy.
"Father has become a Titled Douluo!" Ye Lingling's voice carried a rare excitement as she looked at Marco, her eyes filled with pride. Though Qiu Yao didn't fully understand the significance of being a Titled Douluo, seeing everyone so happy brought a sweet smile to her face.
Li Zhaoyan watched his wife and children's exhilaration with a gentle, sentimental smile. He softly took his wife's hand and reassured her, "Alright, my dear, don't get too worked up. It's just a breakthrough—I still need to diligently cultivate and stabilize my realm going forward."
Mother Ye finally snapped back to reality, weeping tears of joy as she wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. "This is a momentous occasion! We must celebrate properly! I'll go instruct the kitchen to prepare a feast!"
Joyful atmosphere permeated the entire Li residence. However, after the initial excitement, a practical issue emerged. Mother Ye asked with concern, "Zhaoyan, now that you've broken through to Titled Douluo, what about your ninth Soul Ring...? This is absolutely crucial—it determines your future strength ceiling."
At these words, the atmosphere in the living room immediately turned serious. A Titled Douluo's ninth Soul Ring typically required hunting a top-tier Soul Beast of at least fifty thousand years, or even a hundred-thousand-year one—an extremely perilous process that was far from easy. It required inviting at least peers of similar strength and meticulous planning.
Li Zhaoyan pondered, "The ninth Soul Ring indeed requires careful consideration. Soul Beasts over fifty thousand years are hard to track down and terrifyingly powerful. We'll need to invite friends for assistance—Brother Yang Wudi is a must, and perhaps one or two other trustworthy experts..."
Everyone began discussing suitable Soul Beast types, possible locations, and potential candidates to invite. Just then, Marco had a sudden thought, remembering that sealed object. He looked at his father and said, "Father, regarding the ninth Soul Ring, I might have a bold idea."
"Oh? Ke'er, tell us about it." Li Zhaoyan and the others turned their attention to him.
Marco said seriously, "Father, do you remember that Evil God Pearl left behind after the Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger died?"
Li Zhaoyan nodded, "Of course I remember. That object is extremely sinister, containing ultimate evil power. I've sealed it away for safekeeping."
Marco continued, "Father, have you considered this? The Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger's strength far surpassed ordinary fifty-thousand-year Soul Beasts—it might even approach the hundred-thousand-year level. But when it died, it didn't produce a Soul Ring like normal Soul Beasts. Instead, its entire body, including any potential Soul Bones, turned into points of light and was absorbed by that Evil God Pearl."
Mother Ye and Ye Lingling looked somewhat confused, as they weren't familiar with the details about the Evil God Pearl.
A glimmer of contemplation flashed in Li Zhaoyan's eyes, "You mean..."
Marco took a deep breath and voiced his speculation, "I'm thinking—this Evil God Pearl contains the complete essence of the Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger's power, including its ultimate evil attribute originating from the Evil God. The reason it didn't form a Soul Ring might be precisely because its power essence is too high-level and its form is special. So, could this pearl itself be considered an... exceptionally unique and powerful 'Soul Ring' vessel? If we can find a way to activate the power within, transforming it into a Soul Ring, is it possible for it to become your ninth Soul Ring?"
As these words were spoken, the living room instantly fell silent! Everyone was stunned by Marco's fanciful yet seemingly well-reasoned idea!
Turning a pearl into a Soul Ring? This was simply unheard of! But upon careful consideration, the Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger was indeed extraordinary. The power contained within the pearl formed from its core essence likely far surpassed that of an ordinary hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring! If they could truly activate it and transform it into a Soul Ring, the Spirit Ability gained and the benefits brought would be unimaginable!
Li Zhaoyan's pupils contracted slightly as he sank into deep contemplation. He recalled the sinister and powerful nature of the pearl, as well as the terrifying energy it contained. If they could truly activate it and make it their own... He said in a low voice, "Ke'er, your idea... is very bold. That pearl indeed contains immeasurable power, and its quality is likely no less than that of a hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring! The key lies in how to safely activate this power and successfully transform it into a Soul Ring. The risks in this process are probably even more unpredictable than hunting a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast!"
Marco nodded: "The risks are indeed great. But the rewards could also exceed imagination. Father, your Soul Power is profound, and your control over power has reached a new level after your breakthrough. This might be the key to attempting to activate the pearl's power."
Mother Ye listened with fear and anxiety, quickly saying: "This is too dangerous! Zhaoyan, let's just follow the conventional method and search for a Soul Beast?"
After a long silence, Li Zhaoyan's eyes flickered before he finally spoke slowly: "What Ke'er says is not without reason. The power contained in this pearl is of an extremely high level. If we can successfully activate it and transform it into a Soul Ring, its power would far surpass that of an ordinary hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring. After my cultivation stabilizes, I need to carefully study and attempt to activate this pearl to see if it can be transformed into a Soul Ring. If it proves impossible, we can still hunt a Soul Beast later."
Everyone nodded upon hearing this. This was indeed the most prudent approach.
The topic temporarily came to an end, but the astonishing and challenging idea of "activating the Evil God Pearl and transforming it into a Soul Ring" had planted a seed in everyone's heart. In the following days, Li Zhaoyan began seclusion to stabilize his Titled Douluo realm, while Marco continued to digest the gains from their Star Dou Forest journey, while closely monitoring his father's research on the mysterious pearl. Beneath the seemingly calm surface of Heaven Dou City, within the Li residence, a confrontation with the power of the Evil God that might change the future was brewing.
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