Mutated Soul Ring, External Soul Bone

Yellow tinged with purple—it showed that this Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear truly was under a thousand years old, though it was close.

Probably over nine hundred years.

"Kong, go ahead and absorb the Soul Ring without worry. With Grandpa protecting you, there definitely won't be any—"

Before Yu Yuanzhen could finish, Kong hurriedly waved his hands, staring at Yu Yuanzhen with a look of terror.

Special times called for special caution. This was no time to raise a flag!

What if something really went wrong while he absorbed the Soul Ring?

"Grandpa, I know that with your help, nothing can possibly go wrong!"

Kong said hurriedly. After saying that, he sat down cross-legged, Engulfing Lightning floating before him.

Guided by his Soul Power, the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear's Soul Ring slowly settled above Engulfing Lightning.

When a Weapon Martial Soul absorbed a Soul Ring, it had one advantage: the Martial Soul would help the Soul Master bear part of the Soul Power.

Yu Yuanzhen: "???"

For some reason, he felt Kong was being a little perfunctory.

Kong was currently absorbing the Soul Ring and could not be disturbed. Yu Yuanzhen said no more, standing some distance away with his attention on the surroundings, guarding against danger that might arrive at any time.

"So this is a Soul Ring? It's rather interesting..."

Kong, who was absorbing the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear's Soul Ring, did not hear that voice.

After speaking, the owner of that voice said nothing further and fell silent.

About half an hour later, Yu Yuanzhen, who had been watching over Kong, saw the purple halo behind Kong light up once more.

First there were two marks, then three...

Once it finally reached six marks, Kong, who was absorbing the Soul Ring's energy, furrowed his brow. Cold sweat poured down his face, as though he were enduring tremendous pain.

The next moment, that pained expression vanished from Kong's face, and the yellow-and-purple Soul Ring hung steadily over Engulfing Lightning.

Just when Yu Yuanzhen thought Kong had finished absorbing the Soul Ring, a muffled peal of thunder suddenly sounded in the sky, and a bolt of purple lightning struck Kong squarely.

Yu Yuanzhen: "???"

What was going on?

While Yu Yuanzhen was still dumbfounded, Kong was equally bewildered. Hadn't he already completed the Soul Ring absorption?

Where had this sudden extra energy come from?

Very quickly, Kong noticed something was wrong. Why was this energy almost exactly the same as his Soul Power?

"Could it be that when my Martial Soul awakened, the Soul Power in my body hadn't fully manifested?"

Fortunately, Yu Yuanzhen did not know what Kong was thinking. Otherwise, he might have said, "Silly child, you were struck by lightning!"

"That's not right either. This power is flowing toward the Soul Ring."

Kong was puzzled, but he still accepted the energy.

This time, Yu Yuanzhen was utterly stunned. Right before his eyes, Kong's Soul Ring changed color!

From yellow tinged with purple, it slowly transformed into purple. Moreover, it was somewhat different from an ordinary Purple Soul Ring—its patterns were different.

Soul Rings also had patterns, though under normal circumstances, no one paid attention to them.

The pattern on Kong's Soul Ring resembled the Ba Pattern on his back.

Yu Yuanzhen did not understand it, but he was deeply shaken.

This should be the mark of that Deity, shouldn't it?

Comparing oneself to others was enough to drive anyone mad.

Some people were favored by Deities from the moment they were born, while others struggled bitterly for half their lives and still failed to earn a Deity's notice.

"Ah..."

Yu Yuanzhen shut himself off.

After Kong's Soul Ring stabilized, another mutation arose. This time, it was his right hand...

Yu Yuanzhen: "???"

"An External Soul Bone?"

No, he had absorbed his first Soul Ring from an "utterly ordinary" little bear cub, and it had actually produced an External Soul Bone?

No one in the entire Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan possessed such a thing!

Other than Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, which were guaranteed to produce Soul Bones, Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts had a one-in-ten chance of producing one.

The odds were even lower for Thousand-Year Soul Beasts. As for Hundred-Year Soul Beasts, the chance of producing a Soul Bone was one in a thousand.

The odds for an External Soul Bone were even lower! Only by killing a Soul Beast and absorbing its Soul Ring did one have a one-in-ten-thousand chance of obtaining an External Soul Bone!

Yu Yuanzhen did not know that for a super Soul Beast like the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear, the chance of producing a Soul Bone was dozens, even hundreds, of times higher than for ordinary Soul Beasts.

It was practically guaranteed to produce a Soul Bone. With bad luck, it would produce a Left Arm Soul Bone; with average luck, a right arm Soul Bone; with a small burst of luck, a left-hand External Soul Bone; and with incredible luck, a right-hand External Soul Bone.

And every one of these Soul Bones was top-tier!

Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, another half hour went by before Kong slowly opened his eyes.

He looked somewhat dazedly at the Soul Ring hanging on his body, then glanced at his right hand.

"I don't know what happened, but this should count as insanely good luck, right?"

The Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear Right Palm Bone!

It had begun accompanying him when he had only one Soul Ring. If he grew into a Titled Douluo, then even by relying solely on this Soul Bone, he would have few rivals in all of Douluo Continent!

In legends from ten thousand years later, there had been a Soul Master who accidentally obtained a Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear Left Palm Bone. After becoming a Titled Douluo, he was known as the Left Douluo. That single Soul Bone had made his name endure across Douluo Continent. One could only imagine how powerful the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear's External Soul Bone was!

After a while, Kong finally calmed his excitement and looked toward Yu Yuanzhen.

"Grandpa, what's wrong with you?"

Seeing the resentful look in Yu Yuanzhen's eyes, Kong's scalp tingled as he asked in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

Could it be that he was jealous?

Yu Yuanzhen shook his head and earnestly said to Kong, "Kong, it will be relatively easy to conceal your Soul Ring. But as for the External Soul Bone, do not use it carelessly unless you are in danger!"

"External Soul Bones differ from ordinary Soul Bones. They can grow, and only the Soul Master who absorbed them can use them. Even if that person is killed, they will not drop."

"But... one must not harbor ill intent... Ahem, one must always guard against others!"

If Yu Yuanzhen had not tested it before, how could he know the characteristics of External Soul Bones?

That nonsense about not harboring ill intent? Bullshit. In the world of Soul Masters, strength reigned supreme, and weakness was the original sin!

Some people knew full well that even if they killed the Soul Master who obtained an External Soul Bone, it would not drop. But if they could not have it, couldn't they destroy it?

That was why Yu Yuanzhen had warned Kong this way.

Kong nodded and said, "I understand, Grandpa."

Even if Yu Yuanzhen had not said so, he would not use it recklessly.

Besides, his Engulfing Lightning was far stronger than this External Soul Bone.

To Kong, this Soul Bone was merely an unexpected bonus. Whether he had it or not made little difference.

"Good. It's enough that you understand!"

Yu Yuanzhen let out a sigh of relief. He had feared that Kong would have a child's temperament and want to show off everywhere after obtaining a treasure.

"Let's go. We'll find your second Soul Ring..."

Before Yu Yuanzhen could finish, another muffled peal of thunder sounded...