Douluo: Martial Soul Nine-Tailed Fox, I am the White Fox Emperor

As Gaia Sovereign Panna's massive body collapsed with a deafening roar, Hu Bai, Chen Xin, and Ning Fengzhi all breathed a sigh of relief.

Chen Xin leaned on the Seven Kill Sword, his forehead covered in sweat, panting heavily.

Ning Fengzhi collapsed to the ground, his face deathly pale. The series of extreme support he had just received had almost completely drained his soul power.

“We won…we won…” Ning Fengzhi’s face showed a hint of relief at surviving a disaster.

Hu Bai was in slightly better condition, but the final "Kunyu Prison" was still a huge drain on him.

At that moment, the voice of the Earth God also rang in Hu Bai's mind.

[The Sixth Trial of the Elemental God King: Gaia, the Ruler - Pan!]

[Passed perfectly!]

Almost at the same time the notification sound rang, Gu Yuena, Wang Qiu'er, and others who were watching from afar also rushed over immediately.

"Are you alright?" Gu Yuena asked Hu Bai with concern.

Gu Rong gently supported Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin.

As for Hu Bai's side, there were quite a few people surrounding him, and he couldn't squeeze in at all.

"I won't die." Chen Xin grinned, a hint of pride in his smile.

This battle was indeed difficult, but... it was also exhilarating!

Moreover, in that situation, he seemed to have a kind of enlightenment.

He poured all his will into that final strike.

This sword embodies his unwavering belief in victory!

This could be considered a small breakthrough for him. He seemed to feel that his long-dormant realm had loosened slightly under this heavy pressure.

If he were to go into seclusion now, he might have a chance to break through, but he knew that the purpose of his trip was to accompany Hu Bai.

We shouldn't waste our time because of him alone.

However, before everyone could celebrate their victory, another unexpected event occurred!

The countless rocks and dust scattered all over the ground suddenly seemed to be drawn by some mysterious force, and began to slowly converge towards the center of the basin.

Dust flew, and rocks were reassembled.

In just a few breaths, the rock giant, as huge as a mountain range, actually... reappeared before everyone completely unharmed!
It was as if the earth-shattering battle just now was merely an illusion.

Seeing this scene, my heart, which had just been at ease, instantly jumped into my throat again.

"This...this guy is really immortal!" Gu Rong's eye twitched, and he felt a chill run down his spine.

Looking at the reappeared rock giant, Hu Bai was no longer tense as before, and said with some curiosity, "It seems that what you said before was true."

“Hehe…” ’Pan’ moved his newly reconstructed body, a hint of approval in his beady green eyes.

"Your attacks were quite impressive. Especially that last sword strike, which had an indomitable, selfless, and domineering spirit."

Then, its gaze finally settled on Hu Bai.

"I look forward to the day you become a god. After you become a god, according to the agreement, you will be my master."

Upon hearing this, Hu Bai shook his head and said modestly, "The reason I was able to beat you is thanks to your mercy."

"If I'm not mistaken, your defensive power is only equivalent to a level 98 peak defensive Soul Master in our world, at most bordering on level 99."

"But I always feel that with your immortality, your true defense should be more than this."

This Earth Ruler, after all, is someone who governs this demiplane, but Hu Bai felt that his strength of around level 98 peak was a bit weak.

Pan chuckled and did not deny it.

His defensive power, at its full strength, is equivalent to mobilizing the earth elemental power of this plane, which possesses defensive capabilities infinitely close to those of a god. (Priest)

"Likewise, you've also been hiding most of your power, haven't you? This is just your first test. I can't let you all be wiped out here."

Its words carried a hint of languor.

"Moreover, the next six rulers won't be as easy to talk to as I am. I'm just used to being lazy. As long as you can break through my defenses, you'll have passed the test."

It added, seemingly still a little shaken.

"I really didn't expect that you would be able to use that special power to find my energy core directly. Fortunately, my physical body is connected to this plane, otherwise I would have really 'died' just now."

Hu Bai chuckled, which was a way of expressing his apology.

"By the way, since you've done a good job, I'll give you another piece of advice for free," 'Pan' said slowly.

"The battles against those six rulers later on are not something you can directly engage in combat with once you arrive in that plane."

"You must first pass the test they set. And that test is very simple: you must be able to reach them safely."

Hearing this, Chen Xin was somewhat puzzled: "Then this time, it won't be easy for us to reach you..."

Before Chen Xin could finish speaking, he saw a hint of mockery in the Earth Lord's beady eyes.

He understood immediately.

“That’s because I find it troublesome,” ’Pan’ said matter-of-factly.

"Instead of setting up all sorts of random obstacles on the road, it would be much more satisfying to have a real fight. And as I said, I am very confident in my defenses and I also want to meet the successor of this generation as soon as possible."

It looked at Hu Bai with great interest.

"I'm really curious, what kind of person could possibly warrant those seven masters to unleash a test together? Oh wait... it seems you possess not only the inherited essence of those seven masters, but also the aura of several other masters..."

Hu Bai didn't reply, but looked around at the desolate world and asked, "The ruler of earth, who is the second ruler we will face next? And how do we get past him?"

"Why are you in such a hurry?" 'Pan's' voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction.

"I haven't even given you your rewards yet, and you're already planning to just pack up and leave?"

Upon hearing this, all eight people present were slightly taken aback.

Even Hu Bai is one of them.

He originally thought that he would have to pass the tests of the seven rulers before he would receive the final reward, but it turned out that the reward was only temporary.

Then, 'Pan' slowly raised its huge palm and gently touched a mountain peak next to it.

"Rumble--"

The mountain peak slowly split open from the middle, revealing a passage that emitted a rich, earthy yellow light.

An incredibly pure energy aura emanated from the passage.

Just by taking a whiff, everyone felt their depleted soul power rapidly recovering!

"What is this...?" Hu Bai asked curiously.

"This is a cultivation secret realm prepared for you by the Earth God," 'Pan' explained. "You will have one month to cultivate in this 'Earth Source Vein'."

"In this arena, you can not only quickly recover your strength, but more importantly, you can gain insights and improvements in your cultivation. Even... the age of your soul rings in that plane can also be increased slightly."

"Of course, the benefits don't stop there."

How much improvement you can achieve depends on your own abilities.

"One month from now, a spatial passage to the next Dominator Demiplane will open here on its own."

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up!
Cultivation comprehension improved! Soul ring age increased!
This is practically a super cheat code tailor-made for them!
“Oh, right,” 'Pan' seemed to remember something and added, “I will also prepare food for you for this month. It will all be local specialties from this plane that are high in energy.”

As it spoke, it waved its hand, and a large pile of strangely shaped, yet enticingly fragrant, rock-like fruits and fungi appeared before everyone.

……

With a mix of anticipation and curiosity, Hu Bai and his group of eight, led by several rock guardians, entered the secret realm.

The passage wasn't long; after walking about a hundred meters, the view suddenly opened up before us.

This is a huge underground cavern. Countless yellowish-brown crystals hang from the ceiling, emitting a soft light that illuminates the entire space as bright as day.

The most eye-catching feature is the huge pool in the center of the cave.

The pool contained not water, but a viscous, chalcedony-like, yellowish-brown liquid.

An aura of energy so pure it was almost outrageous was emanating from that pool.

Just standing here, everyone felt as if every pore on their body opened up, greedily absorbing the rich energy in the air.

“This…is the source vein of the earth?” Ning Fengzhi’s eyes were filled with shock.

He could sense that the energy contained in this pool was extremely pure!
"Gulp..." Dugu Bo swallowed hard, but his gaze wasn't on the energy pool. Instead, he stared intently at some strange plants growing on the edge of the pool.

There were some fungi that looked like mushrooms, but were as translucent as topaz, and some fruits that hung on the rock walls, looked like sweet potatoes, but emitted a strange fragrance.

"These... these are the 'delicacies' that the Earth Lord mentioned growing here, right? They look a bit like our immortal herbs, but they're more like food."

"Xiaobai, can we eat these things? They won't be poisonous, will they?" Dugu Bo licked his lips and looked at Hu Bai.

Hu Bai smiled, confirming that it contained the purest energy, which was beneficial and harmless to the human body.

"Don't worry, Senior Dugu, it's not poisonous. Not only is it not poisonous, it's also a great tonic."

Having received Hu Bai's affirmation, Dugu Bo could no longer hold back.

He swiftly plucked a sweet potato-shaped "rock potato," wiped it lightly on his body, and then took a bite.

"Well……!"

Dugu Bo's eyes widened instantly.

The "rock potato" melted in his mouth, turning into a warm current that flowed into his stomach. Then, a huge amount of energy exploded in his limbs and bones!

His level 95 cultivation and soul power had actually improved slightly!

"Holy crap! This thing can enhance soul power, mental power... it has a lot of benefits!" Dugu Bo couldn't help but exclaim.

"Little monster, you should try it too."

Seeing him like this, how could the others possibly hold back?

Even the usually composed Chen Xin and Gu Rong disregarded their image and rushed forward to sample these otherworldly delicacies.

For a moment, the entire cave was filled only with the sounds of crunching and muffled exclamations of admiration.

After all, they haven't eaten since they came into this world, and they're starving.

……

After a delicious meal, everyone's soul power returned to its peak state, and some even made significant progress.

Hu Bai clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention.

"Alright, everyone, we've eaten our fill. The next month is our best opportunity to improve our strength."

"This energy pool is called the 'Earth Source Vein,' and it contains the most primal earth elemental power. Everyone can enter the pool and use this power to temper their bodies and improve their cultivation."

After saying that, he took the lead and stepped into the pool that was as white as jade.

As soon as he entered, a warm yet profound energy enveloped him from all directions.

Hu Bai felt an indescribable sense of comfort throughout his body.

Seeing this, others followed suit and entered the earth's source veins.

……

A month is neither a long nor a short time.

For Hu Bai and his companions, however, this was a painful yet joyful cultivation journey in which they almost forgot the passage of time.

The days of cultivation are tedious, but also fulfilling.

Hu Bai was undoubtedly the one who benefited the most from this training.

He already possessed top-tier elemental affinity, and he was even more at ease in this earth's source vein.

He is not just absorbing energy to enhance his soul power.

More often than not, he is "reflecting".

He immersed his body completely in the depths of the source vein, using his heart to feel the pulse from the deepest part of the earth, and to understand the essence of the laws of "weight," "bearing," "defense," and "gravity."

Gradually, his understanding of the earth element was no longer simply about "using" it, but began to transform towards the level of "rule control".

After this experience, his self-created earth elemental soul skills became even more skillful and powerful.

Chen Xin, however, chose a different path.

He did not immerse himself completely in the source vein, but instead sat cross-legged by the pool and inserted the Seven Kill Sword into the source vein.

He used the immense energy of the earth's source veins to repeatedly wash and temper his sword and sword intent.

His sword was originally unparalleled in its sharpness and unstoppable.

Now, within this sharpness, there is also a touch of mountain-like weight and composure.

Just as 'Pan' said, his spirit rings, nourished by the source vein energy, have all increased in age by hundreds of years.

Although it wasn't much, for a powerhouse of his level, even the slightest improvement was invaluable.

Moreover, this is only the first reward boost obtained from defeating the Overlord!

...(End of chapter)