The lively atmosphere of the New Year gradually subsided, and the valley of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well returned to its former tranquility and order.
Yu Qing sat in his study, a sheet of white paper spread out before him and a pen in hand, as he began to seriously plan the primary goals for the new year.
Although the Yin Yang Sect had been newly established, its Foundation was still shallow, and there was much to be done.
"The primary task is naturally to ensure that Xiner and Ruyi give birth safely." Yu Qing wrote down the first point on the paper. This was of the utmost importance and allowed for no errors; his two wives' due dates were within the next two months, so he had to remain vigilant and fully prepared at all times.
"Secondly, expanding the Ranks of our disciples." Yu Qing frowned slightly. Including himself as the Sect Master and Dugu Bo as the vice sect master, the Yin Yang Sect only had eighty-six people in total.
For a power backed by three Titled Douluo (himself, A Rou, and Dugu Bo), this number was pitifully small, inferior even to some small or medium-sized Sects.
Talent is the cornerstone of a power's development. Absorbing fresh blood and cultivating loyal and reliable mainstays was one of the key focuses for this year. He planned to have Father Duan and Father Zi look out for potential orphans or frustrated Spirit Masters wandering the outside World, proceeding slowly and steadily.
"Thirdly, planning the third spirit ring for my second Spirit, the black star sinking abyss." Yu Qing's gaze deepened. A god-bestowed spirit ring was something that could be sought but not easily found; it was a stroke of luck that he had obtained one last time. He could not place all his hopes on that and had to look for suitable Spirit Beast targets in advance.
Since the black star sinking abyss focused on destruction, the required Spirit Beast attributes would inevitably be extremely unique and powerful, needing to be at least a top-tier beast of over ten thousand years... even beasts over a hundred thousand years were within his consideration. Yu Qing planned to begin this task after Xiner and Ruyi gave birth, and he already had a target in mind.
Of course, these were all just preliminary ideas. At the moment, the core task remained accompanying and protecting his two pregnant wives, waiting for the arrival of new life.
Time flew by, and half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
On this day, Yu Qing took the sisters Ling Xin and Ling Mou, who had adjusted their states to their Peak, back into the depths of the Sunset Forest.
Under the precise scanning of Yu Qing's vast mental force and the protection of his powerful strength, finding suitable Spirit Beasts did not take much time. He selected a top-tier Spirit Beast with a cultivation of around two thousand three hundred years for each sister—one was a Ghost Shadow Devil Spider, skilled in concealment and neurotoxins, and the other was a Diamond Mammoth, possessing immense strength, defense, and an indestructible carapace.
Although the absorption process had its ups and downs, under Yu Qing's protection and the solid Foundation laid by the previous numerous medicinal baths, medicinal diets, and ten-thousand-year whale resin, the sisters ultimately succeeded in absorbing the spirit rings without any real danger!
Their spirit power Ranks instantly broke through, stabilizing at Rank 24! More importantly, the Spirit Abilities they obtained were extremely powerful:
Ling Xin obtained her second Spirit Ability from the Ghost Face devil spider spirit ring: Neurotoxin · Paralysis Web—spraying a purple-black spiderweb with a wide coverage area, carrying a strong neuroparalytic toxin and capable of slightly eroding spirit power.
Ling Mou obtained her second Spirit Ability from the Diamond Mammoth spirit ring: Star-Shattering Heavy Armor—greatly increasing her defense for a short time, covering her body in a metallic-lustered carapace, and converting part of the impact force she receives into a bonus for her next attack.
The two girls officially became Spirit Grandmasters, and their strength underwent a qualitative leap!
Next was the crucial practical tempering.
Yu Qing devised a detailed plan for them: "In the early stage, the two sisters will be each other's opponents for seven days of combat training. The goal is not to determine a winner, but to become familiar with each other's new Spirit Abilities, understand each other's combat rhythm and style, and Cultivate initial chemistry."
"After seven days, I will take them to the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena for real Spirit Combat matches. There, they will accumulate experience fighting all sorts of opponents, hone their Battle Intent, and further improve their chemistry."
Yu Qing was full of confidence in the sisters. One followed a path of eerie, hard-to-defend toxin erosion, while the other followed a path of domineering and fierce metallic bursts, and both possessed top-tier spirit rings absorbed beyond the usual limits, with incredibly solid Foundations. Within the same Rank, they could be called invincible! It was not even impossible for them to challenge a Spirit Elder across Ranks.
For the next seven days, the sound of intense spirit power collisions and feminine shouts echoed daily on the cultivation grounds in the valley. The sister duo, Ling Xin and Ling Mou, went from initial awkward probing to later fierce exchanges, gradually mastering their newly acquired power and gaining a thorough understanding of each other's tactical styles.
Seven days later, Yu Qing took the two sisters, who were ready and waiting, and prepared to set off for Heaven Dou City.
Yu Qing personally led the team for this trip. A Rou excitedly tagged along for the fun (in her words, to personally cheer for her disciples), while Father Duan served as the temporary team leader, responsible for handling registration, coordination, and other trivial matters.
Fox Consort was also eager to try and really wanted to go and see the sights, but she was ruthlessly "suppressed" by A Rou.
"Fox Consort~ you'd better stay home and refine!" A Rou said with a giggle as she put her arm around Fox Consort's neck, though her tone left no room for doubt. "You've only recently transformed and haven't reached your maturity stage yet. Although the Spirit Beast aura on you is faint, Heaven Dou City is a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. If some sharp-eyed old fellow notices you, won't that cause trouble for A Qing? Once you're stronger in the future, I'll accompany you wherever you want to go~"
Although Fox Consort was unwilling, she knew A Rou was right. She could only give up resentfully, watching them leave with a wistful gaze.
The party of five left the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, crossed the Sunset Forest, and set foot on the main road leading to Heaven Dou City.
As the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, Heaven Dou City's majesty and prosperity were far beyond what Icefall City, the capital of Fasinuo Province, could compare to.
When the towering city walls, dozens of meters high, appeared on the horizon, Ling Mou couldn't help but exclaim in wonder, "Master! It's... so magnificent!" Her lively eyes curiously took in the city walls that coiled like a giant dragon, as well as the endless stream of diverse crowds at the city gates.
Ling Xin appeared much calmer. She observed the well-dressed, wealthy, and noble people entering and leaving the city gates, letting out a faint, cool sigh: "Truly worthy of being the heart of the Heaven Dou Empire, so prosperous... unfortunately, this prosperity doesn't seem to have room for ordinary people like us with no background."
Hearing this, Yu Qing smiled slightly and nodded. "Xin'er, you've observed very carefully. This city's prosperity is built upon strict Rank and order. Everyone here is either of noble birth, from a powerful Spirit Master Family, or at the very least a wealthy merchant. For outsiders without a Foundation, trying to truly establish themselves here is as difficult as reaching the heavens."
"Master," Ling Mou turned her head curiously, "have you ever thought about building our Yin Yang Sect's headquarters in Heaven Dou City in the future?"
Yu Qing shook his head without hesitation. "I've never thought of it. Whether it's Heaven Dou City, Star Luo City, or any other large city, none will be our choice." His gaze became distant and deep; thinking of the various changes that might occur in the future, placing the core of his power under the eyes of others was by no means a wise move.
Passing through the heavy and wide city gates, the sights within the city made the first-time visitors Ling Xin and Ling Mou feel overwhelmed. The wide, clean streets were filled with heavy traffic, shops lined both sides with a dazzling array of goods, buildings of various styles stood in rows, and the air was filled with a prosperous and busy atmosphere unique to an imperial capital. Even the expressions of the passersby carried a few hints of innate superiority and haste.
Although A Rou tried hard to maintain a calm "this young lady has seen all sorts of big scenes" look, the constant flashes of curiosity and wonder in her pink eyes betrayed her true thoughts. After all, most of her time after transforming had been spent in the Star Dou Great Forest and the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well; this was also her first time personally experiencing such a Peak capital of the human World.
Under the guidance of Yu Qing's mental force, they soon arrived at their destination—the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena!
This was an extremely massive architectural complex, covering nearly a thousand acres, its scale far exceeding the Suotuo Great Spirit Arena! The soaring dome, the magnificent arches, the constant flow of people, and the heat and clamor that could be felt even from afar all highlighted the extraordinary nature of this place.
"This is not just a place for Spirit Masters to compete and make a name for themselves," Yu Qing introduced to the two sisters. "It also features a Slave Spirit Arena and a Noble Spirit Arena. Matches from the Spirit Grandmaster to the Spirit Emperor level take place here every day."
Father Duan went to the front desk with practiced ease to handle the registration for Ling Xin and Ling Mou. Soon, two brand-new iron spirit emblems were placed in their hands.
Engraved on the badges were the codenames they had chosen for themselves:
Ling Xin—Corroding Heart.
Ling Mou—Star-Shatterer.
These two codenames perfectly matched the Spirit Master paths they had chosen—one using eerie toxins to erode and dismantle opponents, and the other using absolute power to crush the enemy before her.
Holding the cool iron badges and feeling the challenges and opportunities contained within, both sisters felt excited and expectant, their Battle Intent beginning to condense in their eyes.
Before they entered the waiting area to prepare for their first battle, Yu Qing took two items from his spirit tool—two special, ancient-looking masks that could cover their entire faces.
"Put them on." Yu Qing handed the masks to them, his tone serious and earnest. "In the Great Spirit Arena, unless you possess absolute strength that can crush everything, hiding your true face and information is a necessary protection. From now on, you are simply 'Corroding Heart' and 'Star-Shatterer'."
Ling Xin and Ling Mou solemnly took the masks and put them on as instructed. The cold touch against their faces seemed to isolate them from external prying and their own nervousness, leaving only the blazing Battle Intent burning in their eyes.
Through the eyeholes of their masks, they looked down at the massive, brightly lit Spirit Arena stage where the cheers were deafening, and their fists quietly clenched.
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