Body Tempering: Third? Fourth Realm, Perfected Dragon Body!

A moment later, the color of Yu Xiaoheng's bones began transforming into a jade-like translucence. Deep within his marrow, specks of lightning flickered and danced.

Solidified Thunder Bones!

In just a short while, Yu Xiaoheng had crossed the two stages that had once seemed impossibly distant!

But this was not the end.

The Thunder Pool's energy remained vast and boundless.

Yu Xiaoheng kept his eyes shut, his entire being entering a profound state.

He could "see" his blood surging through his body. Every drop contained a trace of golden Holy Dragon Power and silver-blue Power of Lightning.

He could "hear" his heart pounding powerfully, each beat pumping blood infused with those two forces throughout his body.

His strength, his speed, his defense, his physique...

All of them were skyrocketing at an unimaginable rate!

Outside the Thunder Pool.

"He's... he's devouring the Thunder Pool!"

An elder of the Blue Lightning Sect cried out, his voice cracking with excitement.

On the viewing platform, Tang Wei, who had previously been watching with some amusement, abruptly rose to his feet.

His eyes burned as he stared at the center of the lightning vortex, two words bursting from his lips:

"Monster!"

The Clear Sky Sect had always revered such dominance, such fearless resolve!

Ning Zhenyuan rose as well.

He lightly applauded. "Congratulations, Sect Master Yu. This time, we may truly have witnessed the rise of a young dragon... no, a True Dragon."

Compared to the outsiders' shock, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had fallen into a frenzy of joy.

"Holy Dragon! The Holy Dragon is protecting Young Master Xiaoheng!"

"Our sect will prosper! Our sect will prosper!"

Cheers and shouts rang through the heavens.

Yu Yuanzhen stood at the edge of the platform, the gale whipping his robes until they snapped loudly. He neither smiled nor spoke, but his faintly trembling shoulders and fists clenched white at the knuckles revealed the raging emotions in his heart.

Like father, like son!

Yu Luomian's expression kept shifting.

He looked at the figure within the Thunder Pool, then at Liu Erlong beside him, who was crying tears of joy. The anger in his heart gradually dissipated.

Is this... the future of our Blue Lightning?

Although Yu Xiaoheng had indeed used Erlong before, the talent and will he now displayed were simply... terrifying.

And besides... he was actually willing to take such a risk for Erlong...

The hostility on Yu Luomian's face vanished completely.

At some unknown point.

Among the cheering Blue Lightning disciples, another voice joined in—a voice that had once been filled with fury, but now cried out with equal excitement and fervor.

Liu Erlong knelt on the ground, both hands tightly covering her mouth to keep herself from sobbing aloud.

Tears slipped through her fingers, hot and burning.

She knew that Brother Xiaoheng had survived.

Not only had he survived, but he was becoming stronger in a way she could not comprehend.

And... he had taken this risk for her!

That was enough.

Yu Xiaoheng knew nothing of the commotion outside.

At that moment, his entire focus was immersed in the earth-shaking transformation within his body.

The Holy Dragon Bone's protection was not merely meant to block harm.

Those countless slender golden threads resembled an incomparably profound transformation array.

Before the violent energy of the Thunder Pool could enter his body, it first had to pass through that golden web, where it was filtered and purified.

Its mixed and chaotic will was erased, leaving behind only the purest lightning essence. Nurtured and balanced by Holy Dragon Power, it transformed into surging yet gentle Life Energy that flooded into every part of his body.

This was no longer mere cultivation, but an immense stroke of fortune!

A... empowerment led by Ancestor's Will and fueled by the entire Thunder Pool!

Under such extreme nourishment, every cell in his body cheered and leaped with joy.

Initial Dragon Scale Manifestation and Solidified Thunder Bones, the two major realms, were merely appetizers to this transformation.

Soon, his flesh, muscles, tendons, membranes, and even his internal organs began their final strengthening beneath the cleansing surge of energy fused from Holy Dragon Power and the Power of Lightning.

A faint golden glow flowed beneath his skin.

Within his bones, the Thunder Marks grew ever clearer.

His blood thundered like rolling thunder, like a Dragon's Roar!

At a certain moment, Yu Xiaoheng's body trembled lightly.

An unprecedented sense of completion welled up within him.

It was as though every muscle and every inch of bone and sinew had reached the most perfect state they could attain at their current stage.

Strength, speed, defense... all became one, without a single flaw.

The fourth realm of Thunder Pool body tempering, Perfected Dragon Body!

It was done!

For ordinary disciples of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, attaining the Perfected Dragon Body meant their physical strength would be enough to dominate Soul Masters of the same level. It could also increase the Soul Ring absorption limit by over a thousand years!

However, that usually required reaching Level 40 or even Level 50.

By then, Soul Masters could generally attempt to absorb Ten Thousand Year Spirit Rings. They would not choose Soul Beasts unsuitable for them merely to push their limits. Thus, body tempering still had its benefits, but those were displayed more in combat strength than in Soul Ring absorption.

But Yu Xiaoheng was different.

What he needed most right now was to absorb a Soul Ring and stabilize his evolution!

The benefits he gained

Were worlds apart from those of ordinary clansmen!

And furthermore...

What they perfected was the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Body.

But Yu Xiaoheng, blessed by the Holy Dragon Bone, had perfected a bloodline of greater nobility... the Golden Holy Dragon Body!

At that moment, he possessed absolute confidence.

For his First Spirit Ring, not to mention a thousand years—even Two Thousand Year or Three Thousand Year ones could be absorbed!

This was the foundation granted by the Golden Holy Dragon!

However, the transformation had yet to stop.

After his physical body reached completion, the pure energy that continued pouring endlessly into him seemed to find a new outlet.

It began gathering toward the source of Yu Xiaoheng's Martial Soul.

The phantom of the Golden Holy Dragon Hatchling floating behind him had originally been purely golden, yet it now began undergoing a strange transformation.

Strands of silver-blue lightning, condensed to the extreme, rose from Yu Xiaoheng's chest.

They did not disperse. Instead, they began weaving and outlining themselves across the Golden Holy Dragon Hatchling's chest.

A profound pattern slowly took shape.

It was not any script or symbol known to the world. Ancient in form, its core resembled a vertical eye. Around its pupil extended countless fine lines branching like lightning, forming a complex and majestic totem.

It branded itself upon the Golden Holy Dragon Hatchling's chest as though it had been there since birth.

Thunder Mark!

Buzz—

The instant the Thunder Mark took shape, the Holy Dragon phantom behind Yu Xiaoheng shuddered violently, and the pressure it radiated surged severalfold in an instant!

If the Golden Holy Dragon had previously been noble and majestic,

Then now, it possessed an additional dominance, as though it commanded destruction and judgment itself!

Yu Xiaoheng suddenly understood.

This Thunder Mark was proof that his Martial Soul had risen in quality after absorbing the Thunder Pool's essence!

From this day onward, his control over lightning would no longer be simple manipulation, but... command!

From this day...

The final shortcoming of the Blue Lightning Young Master—

He bore the name Blue Lightning, yet possessed no Power of Lightning.

Had been remedied!