When it came to body martial souls, Aether's understanding was limited to fragmented memories.
Apparently, mastering a body martial soul required more than just cultivating spiritual power—it also demanded the simultaneous strengthening of the physical body. The key lay in the harmony between soul and flesh.
The higher the degree of synchronization, the greater the potential for multiple awakenings, thereby elevating one's soul power.
Someone like Ghost Douluo seemed to be stuck at the crucial threshold of his second awakening.
If Aether's memory served him right, Ghost had chosen the agility-attack path from the very beginning, the same direction Keke had picked.
However, despite having reached the level of a Titled Douluo, Ghost had never added any soul rings beneficial to the soul itself. As a result, his soul and body had failed to progress in tandem.
It wasn't until Yue Guan mentioned him today that Aether remembered these details.
Thankfully, Keke hadn't absorbed her third soul ring yet. As a body martial soul wielder, she could still choose spirit rings that strengthened the soul.
As for Yue Guan's "request," it was likely that he wanted help freeing Ghost from his twisted, half-human-half-ghost state.
But what he didn't know was that once Ghost achieved a second awakening, that grotesque form would resolve on its own.
With that in mind, Aether looked at Yue Guan.
"They say Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo are like yin and yang. Since Chrysanthemum Douluo is here, then Ghost Douluo must be nearby too, right?"
"Reporting to you, my lord, Gui was indeed here earlier. But fearing he might offend you, I had him return to the Worship Hall."
Yue Guan gave a respectful bow.
This man's strength was unfathomable, and since it was their first encounter, letting Ghost shadow them from the dark might be seen as disrespectful or even hostile. To be safe—and respectful—Yue Guan sent Ghost back.
Whoosh.
A sudden chill swept through the air, and Fire Meow Meow sprang alert from Keke's arms.
"Ghost greets you, my lord."
A figure cloaked entirely in black silently appeared beside Yue Guan. His voice was raspy and sinister, making Keke and Zhu Zhuqing shudder behind Aether.
"Heh… speak of the devil."
Aether nodded slightly at him.
Ghost looked to Yue Guan, a little confused by the exchange.
"What brings you here?"
Yue Guan chuckled but didn't mention his earlier plea to Aether.
"The Grand Worship heard of this lord's arrival and instructed me to extend an invitation to the Spirit Hall."
Ghost gave a cupped-fist salute.
"My lord, I've come on behalf of the Grand Worship to invite you to the Spirit Hall for a discussion."
Aether had just been thinking about going there to check out that angel statue, and now Qian Daoliu's invitation arrived.
He nodded, then turned back to Paimon and the others.
"Since the Grand Worship invites us, shall we go take a look?"
"Sure~!"
"We'll go wherever big brother goes."
"Wherever my lord goes, I follow~!"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"This way, my lord."
With Aether's consent, Ghost and Yue Guan led the group into the Spirit Hall.
The Spirit Hall headquarters was heavily guarded, with patrol soul masters possessing notably high soul power.
"Waaah! This Spirit Hall is huge! The biggest one I've ever seen!"
Paimon couldn't help but exclaim at the luxurious, oversized building—far grander than any she'd seen in other cities.
She actually had quite the history with the Spirit Hall.
After all, she'd once demolished the Spirit Hall in Heaven Dou City all by herself.
"Paimon, want to try our awakening array here? It's sturdier than the one in Heaven Dou~"
Yue Guan teased with a chuckle.
As an elder of the Spirit Hall, of course he knew what had happened in Heaven Dou.
"Ehehe, I'll pass~"
Paimon quickly waved her little hands.
This Spirit Hall looked way nicer than the others. If she wrecked it too, there was no way the Traveler could afford to pay for the damage…
"I've long heard of your great name. Please, come inside."
A deep, powerful voice echoed from within the Hall.
"This way, my lord."
Yue Guan and Ghost gestured in unison, while the guards opened the massive doors.
Though the voice seemed to ring right beside their ears, no one appeared once they stepped into the Hall.
Beyond the main hall lay something extraordinary.
Behind it stood rows of magnificent palace-like annexes. Yue Guan led them through, arriving finally at a grand hall radiating an ancient and solemn aura.
He halted and bowed slightly.
"My lord, this is the Worship Hall of our Spirit Hall. Please—"
Creak.
The heavy doors opened. Even without activating elemental sight, Aether could sense the distinct presence of numerous powerful individuals inside.
Could all the Titled Douluo of the Spirit Hall be gathered here?
At the center of the grand hall stood a towering figure, one hand behind his back, gazing down upon the approaching guests.
On either side of the hall sat over a dozen figures, each exuding overwhelming power.
While this pressure was negligible for Aether, it was an entirely different story for Keke and the others. Even a casual release of soul power from these Titled Douluo caused beads of sweat to appear on their foreheads.
Especially with so many of them present, even a glance from one of these giants could make those with lower cultivation suffocate.
Seeing the pained expressions on Zhu Zhuqing, Keke, and the Fire Meow Meow nestled in her arms, Aether casually summoned a barrier that enveloped them, shielding them from the oppressive aura. Their expressions visibly relaxed.
Zhu Zhuqing and Keke had trouble withstanding so many intense auras. Even Fire Meow Meow's eyes showed wariness.
One-on-one? Fire Meow Meow was confident she could at least hold her own. But facing this many? Even she wouldn't dare act rashly.
"Zhuqing? Keke? What's wrong?"
Paimon asked, surprised at their relief under the barrier.
"Paimon, didn't you feel it?"
Zhu Zhuqing stopped mid-sentence, covering her mouth.
She suddenly remembered: Paimon might look like a harmless little cutie with zero combat power, but she'd been with the Lord all along. Her true identity… might be even more mysterious.
"Feel what?"
Paimon looked around. Aside from the intimidating-looking people nearby, she didn't feel anything special.
"It's… nothing…"
Zhu Zhuqing gave a small smile and looked up at the towering figure standing at the head of the hall.
Most soul masters knew that aside from the Pope, the most revered figure in the Spirit Hall was the Grand Worship of the Worship Hall.
Rumor had it that this Grand Worship was one of the two most powerful beings on the entire continent—an existence who had reached the rank of Limit Douluo.
_
Please support my patreon, patreon. com/TravelerDouluo
And get early access to my 80 advance chapters.