An All-Night Conversation and the External Soul Bone, Brilliant Dragon Claw

The morning mist hung thick in the air. As the turning point between yin and yang, this was the coldest time of day.

Yet the Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Corps Soldiers on deck were far more relaxed. Sailing was relatively safer during the day.

Xu Zihuang, Yaoyang, and Wang Xiao sat cross-legged on the deck without any pretense. The wooden crate holding supplies between them had temporarily been turned into a table. On it sat a pot of bubbling fish soup, giving off a rich aroma. Several cooked purple lobsters were arranged on a tray beside it. Each was nearly half a meter long, their crystal-clear flesh looking exceptionally tempting.

They were Purple Crystal Shrimp, Soul Beasts that lived in the Deep Sea and possessed around a hundred years of cultivation. With the group's strength, catching them was no difficult task.

There was also some black bread and a large jar of black caviar. These were foods that kept well during long voyages.

After talking through the night and learning the full story, Xu Zihuang felt increasingly close to Yaoyang.

Taking a bite of black bread generously spread with caviar, Xu Zihuang said with a smile, "I never expected Brother Yang to be the hereditary viscount of the Yuenan Islands."

"Are you making fun of me, Zihuang?" Yaoyang's handsome face was also wreathed in a smile, his gaze gentle. He was completely different from when he used his Martial Soul.

"The Yuenan Islands consist of seven islands: Yueshu, Yuexuan, Yuequan, Yueheng, Yueyang, Yueyao, and Yueji. The only one under my control is Yueshu Island, at the northernmost end."

Xu Zihuang froze for a moment before instinctively asking, "What about the other six islands?"

Strictly speaking, the Yuenan Islands were also his father's fief. But since he had been too young at the time, he had never been involved in its actual affairs and only knew the general situation.

"Zihuang, do you remember what I told you before? The Yuenan Islands are far from the Sun Moon Empire mainland, and the surrounding waters are home to some particularly powerful Sea Soul Beasts. The Empire has virtually no control over this place. That has made it extremely chaotic, with pirates running rampant. The other six islands are nominally under my jurisdiction, but in truth, they are controlled by the largest pirate crews."

"Young Master, that is also why I brought you to the Yuenan Islands. Once we are here, it will not be so easy for the Sun Moon Empire to reach you." Wang Xiao chimed in at just the right moment. But as he spoke, his face suddenly turned pale, and he clutched his chest.

"Uncle Wang!" Yaoyang's expression shifted slightly. He quickly pressed both hands against Wang Xiao's back and used Soul Power to examine his condition.

Wang Xiao steadied his breathing and waved a hand.

"It's nothing. An old ailment."

But Xu Zihuang keenly noticed the faint dark-green tint at Wang Xiao's chest. His expression darkened as he hesitantly asked, "Elder Wang, have you been poisoned?"

"Uncle Wang, Zihuang needs to know about this sooner or later."

Yaoyang and Wang Xiao exchanged a glance. Though Wang Xiao did his utmost to stop him with his eyes, Yaoyang acted as though he had not seen it.

"Ten years ago, Uncle Wang was poisoned by one of the two Evil Soul Masters I mentioned when he fought them. It was that person's Innate Potent Poison. Otherwise, Uncle Wang's Soul Power would not have remained stuck at Level 89. Zihuang, once you have grown stronger, the unique Destruction Attribute of your Purple Blazing Sky Dragon Martial Soul can slow the spread of the poison. Though I do not wish to place such pressure on you, given Uncle Wang's current condition, the poison will likely invade his entire body in less than fifteen years."

"If you want to help Uncle Wang, you must reach Soul Sage or higher within those fifteen years. And you must find a way to cure the poison as soon as possible."

By then, the helplessness in Yaoyang's eyes had deepened. Fifteen years meant Xu Zihuang had to reach at least Level 70 Soul Power before he turned twenty-three.

He himself had possessed Innate Full Soul Power back then, yet he had only reached Soul Sage at twenty-eight. Xu Zihuang might have Twin Martial Souls, but his Second Martial Soul, the Purple Sun Thunder Prison Dragon, possessed both Ultimate Lightning and the Destruction Attribute. On top of that, Twin Martial Souls inherently possessed Soul Power quality far surpassing that of ordinary Soul Masters, which meant his cultivation speed would become exceptionally slow later on.

Wang Xiao sighed and shot Yaoyang a somewhat reproachful glare, but Yaoyang deliberately avoided his gaze as though he had noticed nothing.

"Elder Wang. Brother Yang."

"Yes?"

"Before I turn twenty-three, I will definitely cultivate to Soul Sage or above. And I will find a way to cure Elder Wang's poison." Xu Zihuang's gaze was firm as he looked toward the boundless eastern sea. That was the direction of the Douluo Continent, and with the memories of his past life awakened, he had complete confidence.

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, Electrolux, the hundred-thousand-year immortal herbs of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and the Ten Thousand Year Profound Ice Marrow in Earth Dragon Gate, another sect within Dragon City where his mother had been born.

He was not certain he could obtain all of these opportunities, but he would try with everything he had.

Seeing Xu Zihuang radiating such confidence, Yaoyang revealed a gratified smile.

Wang Xiao was equally moved. The luckiest thing in his life was likely having met that father and son.

But they shared the same thought now: no matter the cost, they would protect Xu Zihuang until he had grown strong.

The group sat cross-legged again, tacitly avoiding the heavy subject as they continued eating the food on the crate. Conditions aboard the warship were simple, and though the seasonings were lacking, the ingredients were fresh. After another bowl of fish soup went down his throat, warmth instantly spread through Xu Zihuang's entire body.

"Elder Wang, Brother Yang, I'm going back to my room to cultivate."

Having regained his freedom, he naturally wanted to begin cultivating without delay. By his estimate, even though he had not obtained a Soul Ring, after more than two years of cultivation, he should have reached Level 20. After all, he had Innate Full Soul Power. The cultivation speed of an Ultimate Martial Soul Master was unaffected before Level 30.

He already had some ideas regarding the first two Soul Rings for his Golden Eye Martial Soul.

First, he would definitely develop in the direction of a Control System Soul Master. With that foundation, he would have considerably more freedom in choosing what Soul Skills to acquire.

For the entire day, Xu Zihuang immersed himself in cultivation. Just as he finished, there came a knock at the door.

Xu Zihuang had assumed it was an Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Corps Soldier bringing dinner, but it was Wang Xiao, the Regiment Commander. Moreover, the instant Wang Xiao entered the room, the crashing waves, howling sea wind, and jumble of footsteps from the deck that had filled his ears abruptly vanished.

"Elder Wang?"

"Young Master, I originally intended to give you that item after we reached the Yuenan Islands." Wang Xiao solemnly took a close-fitting bright silver metal box from his robes. Inside lay a Ring, deep purple throughout and engraved with magnificent Dragon Patterns. The ring itself resembled amethyst, translucent in texture. It was also set with a flawless Starlight Sapphire.

Starlight Sapphire was indispensable in crafting top-tier Storage Soul Tools. Even a piece like the one before him, only the size of a thumbnail, was worth at least five hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins.

"Inside is a Soul Bone left behind by His Highness the Prince. You may try to absorb it. If you cannot, leave it for your descendants and pass it down through the generations."

Xu Zihuang blankly accepted the Storage Soul Tool.

"Was this all Father's instruction?"

"Yes."

Wang Xiao nodded. "Young Master, you may try without concern. I will not allow anything outside to disturb you."

With that, he left the room. Leaning against the wooden door, his gaze became profound.

When His Highness the Prince gave me this ring, he must have already foreseen his own fate.

Inside the room, Xu Zihuang silently placed the ring on the index finger of his left hand. He was indeed extremely interested in the Soul Bone his father had left behind, especially that meaningful final instruction.

There was only one circumstance under which a Soul Bone could not be absorbed by a Soul Master: its Soul Bone quality was so high that its requirements for the Soul Master's Martial Soul attributes and physical condition were exceptionally stringent.

The ring contracted slightly the instant it touched his index finger, then fit snugly against it. In terms of Soul Tool craftsmanship, it was no exaggeration to say that the Sun Moon Empire was a thousand years ahead of the original Three Great Empires of the Douluo Continent.

As his consciousness entered the Soul Tool, he found that its internal space was nearly as large as a small room. But just as Wang Xiao had said, it contained only a single Soul Bone.

A flash of blue light appeared, and a strange bone radiating a heart-palpitating aura floated above his left hand out of thin air. Its incomparably overwhelming presence instantly made the surrounding space seem frozen. The Soul Bone was entirely crystal-clear deep purple, covered in Deep Purple Flame that carried a terrifying Destruction Aura. More than that, it was not one of the six standard Soul Bones of the human body, but an unusual left palm bone.

Five finger bones of differing lengths connected to the palm bone, purple fluorescence flowing across them. The sharp tips of its fingers seemed capable of piercing anything.

"An External Soul Bone?" Xu Zihuang frowned slightly. "Shouldn't External Soul Bones be impossible to strip away?"

That meant this Soul Bone had never been fused with anyone.

Yet this Soul Bone clearly shared the same origin as the Purple Blazing Sky Dragon Martial Soul of the Sun Moon Empire royalty.

It seems the royal family has many secrets I do not know about.

Composing himself, Xu Zihuang extended his left hand and used Soul Power to guide the Soul Bone, attempting to fuse with it. Deep Purple Flame also flickered over his left hand. The moment the two touched, they fused together, and the flames grew ever deeper in color.

Immersed in the process, Xu Zihuang was horrified to find that the scene around him had undergone a heaven-shaking transformation. He stood in the void as an incomparably repressed voice resounded through the heavens.

"I was born alongside you and achieved glorious military feats for our dragon clan. What wrong did I commit for you to personally destroy me in the end?! You are merely wary of my potential! And you call yourself the Dragon God?!"

"Ha ha ha! Under your leadership, our dragon clan will surely fall into eternal damnation!"

Even Xu Zihuang's own emotions seemed infected. Endless fury and resentment completely drowned him.

Then the scene changed.

Dragon blood rained through the sky as an enormous Purple Scaled Dragon Corpse, over three hundred zhang long, fell toward the earth below and crashed onto a vast continent.

"Ha... ha..." Xu Zihuang abruptly opened his eyes in the room, gasping heavily. Looking at his powerful left hand, he murmured, "Was that purple dragon corpse the origin of the Purple Blazing Sky Dragon Martial Soul of our Sun Moon Imperial Family? Brilliant Dragon, progenitor of the wyverns... Brilliant Dragon Claw..."

He raised his head and looked through the window at the sea, once again shrouded in darkness. That brief shift in scenes had consumed an entire day in the real world.