External Soul Bone

"An external... external what? Xiao Xuan, what exactly is going on?" Qin Ming felt like his head was about to explode.

He had taught for half his life and had never seen anything like this.

People growing wings?

That might have been fairly common on Douluo Continent, but it only happened to Spirit Masters with Beast Martial Souls.

Tang Xuan clearly had a Weapon Martial Soul. Could it be that absorbing a Spirit Ring had awakened his Second Martial Soul?

"It's a Soul Bone, an External Soul Bone independent of the six standard Soul Bones! Its rarity is second only to the nearly impossible Hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring Soul Bone." Tang Xuan revealed it without hesitation.

The walls formed by poisonous mist and flames were still standing.

Everyone present was someone he trusted.

Besides, the External Soul Bone was right before them. There was nothing to hide.

But as soon as Tang Xuan said that—

Everyone's breathing became hurried.

Even Yu Tianheng, who had already expected it, was no exception.

That was because Soul Bones were absolute Blood River Treasures on Douluo Continent.

Even the lowest-grade Soul Bone was enough to drive tens of thousands of people mad with greed.

As for the External Soul Bone on Tang Xuan's body, whose rarity was second only to a Hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring Soul Bone—

Even a Titled Douluo might be tempted to snatch it away.

Ning Rongrong reached out with her little hands, feeling around and poking at Tang Xuan's back. Her eyes were full of wonder. "Huh? It's warm?"

"Rong Rong, stop messing around. That tickles." Tang Xuan smiled and struggled twice.

He gave the wings the command to retract.

Under everyone's astonished gazes—

The Mysterious Black wings' metallic, bone-like texture suddenly "melted" into a puddle of liquid and seeped into Tang Xuan's body.

They attached themselves beneath his spine and shoulder blades.

"Brother Xuan, did this Soul Bone give you a Soul Skill? Is it flight?" Ning Rongrong asked with wide eyes.

Tang Xuan clicked his tongue. "My fusion with this Soul Bone still isn't very complete, so even I'm not entirely sure what its Soul Bone Skill does."

"But one thing is certain: it definitely isn't flight, because flight is merely this Soul Bone's most basic ability."

Other than being unable to absorb Spirit Rings and form Soul Skills—

An External Soul Bone could practically be called a Second Martial Soul.

Take Tang San's Eight Spider Soul Bone, for example. Its Soul Bone Skills were clearly a fifty-percent increase to all attributes and the Devouring Golden Threads he gained later.

But beyond that, it could still climb cliffs like a spider.

Qin Ming, standing nearby, seemed to understand a little after hearing that.

Then he frowned again.

This was the first time he had heard of incomplete Soul Bone fusion.

But on second thought, he had never even heard the name External Soul Bone before.

It was only natural that he did not understand their specifics.

"Ah, forget it. Perhaps Sword Douluo has a solution." Qin Ming sighed softly. "After we return, I'll give you a few days off. You and Rong Rong should both head back."

"That was what I was planning too." Tang Xuan nodded.

In the Original Work—

Tang San's Eight Spider Soul Bone had only fused perfectly through Education Committee Zhi Lin's Soul Pressure.

As one of the strongest people in the two great empires, Chen Xin could naturally do even better.

"Since that's the case, let's leave now. This trip has truly been fruitful. Xiao Xuan not only gained a rule-breaking Soul Skill, but also a treasure like an External Soul Bone. He really is fortunate." Qin Ming sighed softly as he walked.

"Perhaps it wasn't necessarily luck, but inevitability." Tang Xuan looked back at the corpse of the Shadow Demon Tiger, which resembled an empty shell devoid of even a trace of energy.

Having been toyed with and kited to death, how much resentment had the Shadow Demon Tiger harbored?

Perhaps even it could not have calculated it.

But in Tang Xuan's eyes, it was at least comparable to an overworked laborer.

The Evil Sword Immortal that supported several apartment buildings would have had no trouble at all feeding on it.

On top of that, the Shadow Demon Tiger's bloodline had been extraordinarily exceptional to begin with.

The basic conditions for producing a Soul Bone had already been perfectly met.

And the most crucial point was the look the Shadow Demon Tiger had given Tang Xuan before dying.

It had seemed to condense all its resentment upon Tang Xuan.

Thus, along with the Spirit Ring, it had naturally produced an External Soul Bone, ranked second among the Spirit Master World's dream treasures.

"That's true. If Tang Xiao Xuan hadn't chosen to risk his life to absorb a Thousand Year Soul Ring, he probably would have missed out on such a treasure." Yu Tianheng was also full of emotion.

Was he envious?

He certainly was, and deeply so.

After all, it was an External Soul Bone with limitless potential for growth.

But if he had been in Tang Xuan's position, he would never have dared to risk his life like that.

All he could say was that when some people were stronger than you, it was not necessarily because they had been born with better conditions.

It was because their vision, courage, and other fundamentals were superior to yours.

"Wait, where did the name Tang Xiao Xuan even come from?" Tang Xuan scratched his head.

In the Imperial Dou Fighting Team, aside from Qin Ming and Ning Rongrong—

Everyone called him that.

It was not exactly unpleasant...

But it felt strange, like calling Sang Biao Mimi.

It somehow made his authority as captain feel a little weaker.

"Uh, I-I came up with it..." Dugu Yan weakly raised her hand. "Calling you Captain is too formal, calling you Tang Xuan feels too distant, and calling you Boss is a little embarrassing. Besides, even though you're the strongest, you're the youngest in the team apart from Rong Rong. Tang Xiao Xuan sounds friendlier~"

Tang Xuan was rendered speechless.

Why did that actually make some sense?

Forget it. It was just a form of address anyway.

They could call him whatever they wanted...

But suddenly—

When Tang Xuan's gaze swept across Dugu Yan's face, his brows immediately furrowed. "Sister Yanzi, why is your complexion so pale? The purple in your pupils seems to have deepened."

That was not a good sign.

Dugu Yan did not seem to care. "It's nothing serious. I just expelled too much of my natal venom while serving as your Guardian this time. It's like consuming Soul Power—it'll recover as I cultivate."

"As for my pupils... my Grandpa said that represents my cultivation deepening, so there's no need to worry at all."

Tang Xuan remained noncommittal.

What bullshit cultivation deepening.

Aside from Tang San's Purple Demon Eyes—

Tang Xuan had never heard of anyone on Douluo Continent whose cultivation level showed through the color of their pupils.

Even if such a thing existed, it definitely should not have appeared in a Jade Phosphorous Serpent Spirit Master.

He guessed this was a kind lie Dugu Bo had woven for his Granddaughter.

After all, even Dugu Bo himself had no solution to it.

As for her pale complexion, it was probably indeed caused by excessive depletion, just as Dugu Yan had said.

But it was likely also related to the loss of Dugu Yan's natal venom causing some backlash from the In-Utero Poison.

If she continued to ignore it—

Sooner or later, she would become like Dugu Bo, suffering pain every day.

And at this rate, that day would not be far off.

It seemed a trip to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well needed to be placed on the agenda.

"Sister Yanzi, once we return to the academy, ask Senior Dugu to come by. There's something I'd like to ask of him." Tang Xuan spoke softly.

Tang Xuan had now undergone the baptism of a Thousand Year Soul Ring—

And the External Soul Bone had further enhanced his Physical Fitness.

He now had some confidence in attempting the Ice Fire Golden Body.

"Huh?" Dugu Yan was stunned for a moment before agreeing. "Sure, but sometimes even I can't find him. It might take a long time."

"That's fine. I need to return to my clan first anyway. Once Senior Dugu arrives, just notify me." Tang Xuan smiled.