An invisible wave spread outward, expanding across the whole of Eastsea City.
The Spiritual Power of the Spirit Abyss Realm was like a deep abyss, like a prison; wherever the will reached, all things bowed before it.
This, too, was a classic hallmark of a Titled Douluo.
The very wind over Eastsea City seemed to freeze solid beneath that Spiritual Power.
Some of the spirit-type Soul Masters within the city stopped their cultivation at once, feeling a sudden clarity rise in their minds, along with an inexplicable sense of awe.
Inside the Spirit Pagoda, Agravaine was equally stunned. "Spirit Abyss Realm? This Spiritual Power... it's Arthur's!"
He was overjoyed. "So that's what the little rascal's been holed up doing lately, no wonder!"
The Spirit Abyss Realm, that really was the Spirit Abyss Realm!
"This... what is this?" Gu Yue slowly lifted her head, looking toward the place where Arthur lived.
"He's broken through to the Spirit Abyss Realm. Faster than I guessed."
And unlike everyone else, Gu Yue could sense that this wave of Spiritual Power was particularly unusual, carrying a majestic air as though looking down upon all living things, one that even made the elemental power within her own body grow docile.
Wu Changkong stood at the highest point of Eastsea Academy, his long hair drifting though there was no wind, a ripple of something passing through his cold, clear eyes.
He could tell precisely what level this Spiritual Power belonged to, and could sense just as clearly that it came from Arthur. In his heart he could not help but sigh with admiration: "That kid really does manage to surprise me every single time."
The breakthrough complete, Arthur swiftly gathered his Spiritual Power back in. Within his sea of consciousness, the golden ocean gradually calmed, and the silver-violet starlight sank beneath its surface.
The wave that had spread across the whole city vanished in an instant. It had simply been the natural overflow of Spiritual Power that came with breaking through to the Spirit Abyss Realm.
But the sense of awe it had left behind did not fade so easily. The entire Soul Master community of Eastsea City had already been thrown into an uproar by this sudden, unexpected pulse of Spiritual Power on par with a Titled Douluo.
"Hoo—"
Arthur let out a long breath, raised his left arm, and gently clenched his fist, feeling a torrent of overwhelming power surge through it.
The two soul skills granted by the hundred-thousand-year soul bone were now etched into his mind like brands.
The first was called Star Abyss Shatterworld, an offensive spiritual soul skill.
Spiritual Power at the Spirit Abyss Realm was already capable of influencing reality, of being used as a weapon.
Star Abyss Shatterworld amplified that effect.
And with the boost of the power of heaven and earth from the Douluo world, its influence over reality had been magnified enormously.
It let Arthur pry open real space itself with nothing but his Spiritual Power.
Within Arthur's sea of consciousness, the true meaning of Star Abyss Shatterworld grew clearer and clearer.
It was not a simple spiritual strike. Rather, with the power of heaven and earth as its aid, it let spiritual energy transform into an edge capable of tearing reality apart.
He raised his hand and lightly touched a fingertip to the empty air. In an instant, a crisp tearing sound rang out, a snap of splitting space, and the void was casually torn open.
The second soul skill, Return to the Void, was a spiritual-type domain skill.
Its potential for growth was vast. The core of Return to the Void's domain power was not simple spiritual suppression, but rather using his own Spirit Abyss Realm sea of consciousness as the "void" and the power of heaven and earth as the "guide," to forcibly seize hold of the spiritual will of every living being within its range.
Put simply, the Douluo dimension was helping Arthur hypnotize any living being caught within his domain.
The moment the thought crossed his mind, his spiritual domain unfurled in the span of a single breath, blanketing several nearby dormitory buildings.
Within the domain, he could clearly "see" the Spiritual Power of everyone inside it, and for those whose Spiritual Power was too weak, he could even forcibly seize control, taking over their minds outright.
Gu Yue, who had come looking for Arthur, stood before the door and could feel the power of the domain clearly. A flicker of alarm crossed her mind. "Something's off about this domain."
She seemed to realize something, and abruptly looked up at the sky.
After a moment of silence, she shook her head, then walked in through the familiar motion of unlocking the door as though nothing were amiss.
Watching Gu Yue close the door behind her, Arthur let his domain dissolve completely the instant the door shut.
"Now that you've broken through to the Spirit Abyss Realm, you just meet the minimum requirement for absorbing that soul spirit."
Arthur asked eagerly, "Can you tell me what kind of soul spirit it is?"
"You'll find out when we get there." Gu Yue's finger swept across the communicator on her wrist, and an encrypted map popped up on the screen, showing nothing but the simple outline of mountains and rivers with a single red marker. "No time to waste. Let's set off now."
"That soul spirit won't hold on much longer."
"Your family's been living in hiding here?" Gu Yue had always told outsiders that she was heir to this generation of a reclusive family. But Arthur knew, without even needing to think twice, that "reclusive family" was putting it generously. "Family of monstrous beasts" would be closer to the truth.
"That's right." Gu Yue nodded, not dragging her feet in the slightest, and turned to leave, seeming almost impatient. "Let's go."
"Wait." Arthur pulled out his communicator. "Don't forget, we need to bring Na'er along too. She's been pestering me for days, saying she wants to see what this 'reclusive family' of yours actually looks like."
With Na'er along, Arthur felt a bit more at ease.
At least with Na'er there, whoever ended up sneaking into his bed at night would only ever be Na'er.
Not Di Tian.
The instant the communicator connected, Na'er's bright, cheerful voice rang out immediately. "Arthur, big brother! I'm all ready, let's go!"
"Huh?" Something felt off to Arthur. He stepped outside, and sure enough, there was Na'er crouched by the corner of the wall. "When did you even get here? I didn't notice at all."
"Hehe." Na'er just gave an innocent, playful grin.
Watching this, Gu Yue shook her head helplessly. "Let's go, no more delays."
She turned and led the way, quietly sending instructions to the monstrous beasts back in the valley as she went.
Make sure the disguises were perfect. Their true forms could not be exposed under any circumstances.
Na'er chattered away nonstop the whole way there, one moment marveling at the untouched scenery along the road, the next leaning in close to Arthur, curiously poking at his left arm.
Arthur kept glancing up at the sky from time to time, and finally turned to remind Gu Yue, "My uncle might have followed us here. When we get there, your family..."
He didn't even need to guess. Agravaine had almost certainly tailed him the moment he left Eastsea City.
"Don't worry. We understand." Gu Yue told him to relax, that there wouldn't be any conflict.
At last they arrived at the entrance to a valley, a pale green energy barrier shimmering softly in the sunlight. Inside the valley, smoke curled up from chimneys and wooden houses stood scattered here and there, looking every bit like a peaceful village cut off from the world.
Na'er was captivated the moment she saw it, tugging Arthur's hand and bouncing along as they walked in. "Wow! It's so pretty here! Gu Yue, your family's houses are so unique, are they all made of raw timber?"
Who was she trying to fool? Wasn't this house built with her own two hands?
"Tch." Gu Yue glanced sideways at Na'er, who had taken the opportunity to grab Arthur's hand. When had this girl gotten so good at putting on an act?
They walked deep into the valley to the main house, where a tall middle-aged man in a black robe came out to greet them.
"Young Master, welcome back." Di Tian deliberately lowered his voice, adding a touch of hoarseness, perfectly mimicking the tone of an elderly human man. "This must be young friend Arthur, and your friend, Miss Na'er?"
"I am the Elder of the family. Welcome, both of you, as our guests."
Di Tian bowed slightly, the hem of his black robe sweeping across the ground, a flicker of complicated emotion toward Arthur passing through the depths of his eyes. He knew exactly why his master had invited Arthur here.