The Third Rank of Soul Power, a New Path to Godhood

The result of Yu Xiaogang's Martial Soul Awakening was like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing all his unrealistic fantasies and completely changing the trajectory of his life.

Yu Yuanzhen sat expressionlessly at the head of the table, while Yu Xiaogang's birth mother, the beautiful concubine, was kneeling on the ground, tears streaming down her face, pleading bitterly.

"Master! Please, for the sake of Xiaogang being your own flesh and blood, give him another chance! He's still young and doesn't understand... He must have been too nervous during his awakening..." The woman's voice choked with sobs as she kowtowed repeatedly.

She knew all too well that her son's behavior today, especially his out-of-control and frantic actions at the end, had thoroughly angered the master and completely ruined his future in the sect.

Yu Yuanzhen kept his eyes closed, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest. After a long while, he slowly opened them, his eyes cold and weary. "Nervous? Many six-year-old children have impure thoughts when they awaken, but few are as wicked and resentful as him! Today's consequences are all due to past actions. His temperament has become skewed, and he must be strictly disciplined. However, given his talent, forcing him is futile."

He looked at Yu Xiaogang, who was slumped on the ground, his eyes vacant, as if he had lost his soul. The last bit of tenderness from their blood ties vanished, leaving only a cold, businesslike indifference. "Out of consideration for our father-son relationship, the sect will not mistreat him. But sect resources must be used wisely."

Starting tomorrow, send him to the Dragon City Primary Soul Master Academy. All his expenses will be provided according to the standards for ordinary collateral disciples of the sect. He is strictly forbidden from claiming to be the Sect Master's grandson or the successor of Blue Lightning. If he dares to bully others or damage the sect's reputation, he will be severely punished! Once he comes of age, arrange for him to manage an ordinary property in a neighboring prefecture, and that will be the end of his life."

These words, like a final verdict, definitively sealed the end of Yu Xiaogang's political Life within the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. From a high-ranking grandson of the Sect Master and son of Titled Douluo (though born out of wedlock), he had fallen to a position no different from that of an ordinary collateral descendant, with a future where he might only manage an ordinary business. The magnitude of this fall was truly lamentable.

"No... Father! You can't do this to me!" Yu Xiaogang, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, suddenly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, and shouted hoarsely, "I'm your son! I should be a genius! The Awakening Array malfunctioned! Someone is trying to harm me!"

"Stubborn fool!" Yu Yuanzhen roared, releasing the pressure of Titled Douluo slightly. Yu Xiaogang was immediately struck as if by a heavy blow, letting out a muffled groan and collapsing, unable to utter another word. Only the deep-seated resentment in his eyes grew even stronger.

"Take him away!" Yu Yuanzhen his sleeve, unwilling to look at him any longer.

Yu Xiaogang's biological mother collapsed to the ground, her face ashen. She knew that everything was beyond repair. She watched her son being dragged away by the steward, then looked at the expressionless Yu Yuanzhen, her heart turning ice-cold.

She was a smart woman; having witnessed much depravity before becoming Shadow Guard, how could she not see the inherent stubbornness and cold-heartedness in her son? Today's consequences, though heart-wrenching, were also entirely his own fault.

However, as a mother, she couldn't bear to part with him. She struggled to her feet and kowtowed three times to Yu Yuanzhen, her voice hoarse. "Master... I know that Xiao Gang's sins are unforgivable, and I dare not ask for anything more."

"I only beg you, sir... to remember our past relationship and grant me a ' Marrow Cleansing Pill ' to help Xiaogang improve his aptitude so that in the future... he will have some ability to protect himself. From now on, Xiaogang and I will never cause trouble for the sect again and will live peacefully as ordinary people."

"Marrow Cleansing Pill?" Yu Yuanzhen raised an eyebrow. This was one of the new pills his niece Yu Yunyao, had created in recent years by studying alchemy, referencing the properties of Immortal Herb, and using century-old and millennium-old spiritual herbs as the main ingredients, supplemented by special techniques.

Although its medicinal effects are far inferior to those of true Immortal Herb, it can cleanse the body of impurities and has a remarkable effect on improving the Innate Soul Power of low-level Soul Master. In particular, it can often raise the Innate Soul Power of those below level five by one or two levels. It is quite valuable and is supplied in limited quantities within the sect. It is mainly used to reward collateral or non-clan disciples who have poor talent but strong will.

Should he give it to Yu Xiaogang? Yu Yuanzhen instinctively wanted to refuse. With this kid's temperament, even if his aptitude improved, it would probably be more of a curse than a blessing.

But looking at the woman's desperate and humble pleas at his feet, and remembering that she was ultimately his own flesh and blood, a subtle and complex emotion flashed through Yu Yuanzhen's heart. He remained silent for a moment, and finally softened for a instant, or rather, made the final decision to cut ties.

"Alright." He uttered a single word, took out a white jade pill bottle, flicked it in front of the woman, and said, "Whether this pill brings him fortune or misfortune depends on his own fate. After he takes the pill, I will send him to the academy. You'd better take care of yourself. If you cause any more trouble, don't blame me for being ruthless."

"Thank you, Master! Thank you for your kindness, Master!" The woman felt as if she had been granted a pardon, clutching the pill bottle tightly and sobbing uncontrollably. She knew that this pill was Yu Yuanzhen's last act of kindness and pity for Yu Xiaogang.

From that moment on, Yu Xiaogang had no further connection with the core of the sect. She had secretly resolved that rather than wasting her energy on this son who was destined to have no future, she should... plan for herself as soon as possible; perhaps, she could still have a chance to have another child...

Yu Xiaogang was taken back to his somewhat secluded courtyard, where he spent several days in a daze. During this time, his mother brought him the Marrow Cleansing Pill and conveyed Yu Yuanzhen's arrangements.

"Xiaogang, this is the last thing your mother could get for you. Take it, and your Innate Soul Power will improve, giving you more options in the future."

"Once you're at the academy, you must restrain your temper, cultivate diligently, and refrain from causing trouble again..." The mother's words carried an undisguised weariness and alienation.

Yu Xiaogang looked at the pill that emitted a faint medicinal fragrance. A hint of greed flashed in his eyes at first, but it was quickly replaced by a deeper resentment.

Improving his qualifications? What's the use of just one or two levels? He's still useless! He hates his father's ruthlessness, his mother's incompetence, the sect's injustice, and everyone's contempt!

But he was still afraid of death, and he also harbored a sliver of hope that it might work. He snatched the pill and stuffed it into his mouth.

The pill melted instantly upon entering his mouth, and a gentle yet domineering medicinal power surged into his limbs and bones, like countless tiny needles piercing his meridians and flesh, bringing waves of tearing pain, but also accompanied by a feeling of Transformative Change.

The process lasted for several hours. When the effects of the medicine wore off, Yu Xiaogang was covered in a layer of grayish-black filth, which smelled foul. However, he could clearly feel that the Soul Power in his body seemed to be... more solidified and its circulation was much smoother.

He couldn't wait to test his Soul Power. The result stirred a slight ripple in his otherwise lifeless heart— his Innate Soul Power had increased from half a level to... level three!

Level three! Although still at the bottom, at least he's no longer the legendary "trash"! With enough resources and seven or eight years of arduous training, perhaps... he might have a chance to reach the Soul Master?

But this faint glimmer of hope was quickly extinguished by his deeply ingrained flaws. Ascetic training? Seven or eight years? That's too exhausting!

Even if he became Soul Master, what would that mean in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, a place teeming with geniuses? He would still be at the bottom! What he wanted was instant power, to rise to the top in one step!

"Hmph, a mere level three, is this some Delia?" Yu Xiaogang spat, his eyes filled with disgust and resentment. He felt no gratitude whatsoever for this hard-won pill; instead, he felt it was a charity and an insult from the sect.

A few days later, he was "escorted" by two expressionless sect deacons, leaving the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan where he had lived for six years, and heading to an ordinary junior Soul Master Academy in Dragon City. Before his departure, his mother did not come to see him off, supposedly because she was in seclusion trying to break through the bottleneck of the Soul Emperor. Yu Xiaogang sneered inwardly, assuming that his mother had also given up on him.

What he didn't know was that shortly after he left, his mother did indeed begin "seclusion," but not to break through her bottleneck. Instead, she began to recuperate and, intentionally or unintentionally, started to get closer to Yu Yuanzhen, who occasionally returned to Dragon City to live due to sect affairs... She decided to take one more chance, for herself and for the future.

Just as Yu Xiaogang embarked on his uncertain journey to the academy, a completely different scene unfolded deep within the Governor's Mansion in Purple Blazing Dragon City, in Separate Courtyard that had been converted into an alchemy workshop.

Yu Yunyao, dressed in a simple light blue dress with her hair casually tied up, was intently controlling a medicine cauldron in front of her that was half her height, made entirely of Warm Jade, and engraved with intricate soul-guiding patterns.

Beneath the cauldron, a gentle Geocentric Fire burned slowly; inside, dozens of medicinal herbs of different ages and properties tumbled and fused under the precise guidance of Soul Power, emitting a unique medicinal fragrance.

On the jade table beside her were numerous ancient books and notes, including medicinal herb guides and incomplete prescriptions from the Douluo Continent, as well as magical potion books and priest healing techniques brought from the Saint Demon Continent. There were even some basic pharmacology principles from her previous life that Yu Yuanchen had reconstructed from his memories.

Since breaking through to Super Douluo decades ago, Yu Yunyao's Cultivation Level has slowed down. At this level, simply accumulating Soul Power is a slow and painstaking process; what's more important is the understanding of one's own Martial Soul and the laws of heaven and earth.

She inherited her mother's Sacred Heart Immortal Begonia Martial Soul, which grants her control over all plants and trees in the world and an extremely keen sense of Life energy. She has immense potential in both combat and support, but her ambitions lie elsewhere.

After accompanying her mother, Ye Zhilan, to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and witnessing the wonders of the many Immortal Herb there, Yu Yunyao developed a strong interest in herbal medicine.

Especially after learning that her mother had used two Immortal Herb to evolve the Nine Heart Begonia into the Sacred Heart Immortal Begonia, she had a thought: could she reproduce some of the miraculous effects of the Immortal Herb by cultivating and refining ordinary spiritual medicines?

She possesses the Sacred Heart Immortal Begonia Martial Soul, and when she cultivates it to a high level, she can indeed accelerate the ripening of plants to a certain extent.

However, even with her Super Douluo Cultivation Level, it would take her more than a year of hard work to mature a true Immortal Herb, and it would also cause her considerable damage.

For her, the Immortal Herb itself was no longer of great use. If it was only used to help the younger generation of the sect, it would be too inefficient and would not be widely available.

She told her father, Yu Yuanchen, about this idea. After listening, Yu Yuanchen did not directly affirm or deny it, but guided her to think, "Yao'er, if you can accelerate the growth of Immortal Herb, it can certainly solve the problem for a while, but the number of Immortal Herb is ultimately limited, and you cannot accelerate the growth of others forever."

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to Immortal Herb and you feed him for a lifetime. I cannot pass on your skill in accelerating the growth of immortal Immortal Herb, but you can try to analyze and thoroughly study their properties, and find lower-grade, more readily available medicinal materials to Simulation similar effects through formulation and refining. If you succeed, the benefits will not only extend to a few members of your sect, but to countless ordinary people throughout the world who aspire to the Great Dao."

Her father's words were like a wake-up call, pointing Yu Yunyao in the right direction. From then on, she devoted most of her energy to the study of "alchemy".

She no longer focused on replicating a particular Immortal Herb, but instead delved into the medicinal properties of various herbs and the principles of their compatibility. Using the Immortal Herb in the Yin-Yang Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well as her "blueprint," she analyzed the origins of their medicinal effects and then attempted to combine and replace them with ancient or thousand-year-old medicinal herbs.

The process was extremely complicated and difficult. The conflicting properties of the herbs, the control of the heat, the timing and intensity of the Soul Power injection... the slightest mistake would destroy the entire batch of herbs. If it weren't for her family's wealth and the support of the entire Federation and sect behind her, she simply couldn't withstand such a drain.

However, Yu Yunyao inherited the strengths of both her parents, possessing both patience and comprehension. Over the years, she failed countless times but also successfully refined many pills with unique effects. Although their medicinal effects were far inferior to those of Immortal Herb, their advantage lay in the relatively easy availability of materials, and the success rate of refining them was gradually improving.

Among them, the most successful was the "Marrow Cleansing Pill".

She referenced the medicinal properties of the new Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower that her mother had nurtured (not by directly using the Immortal Herb, but by analyzing its essence of Purification and refinement), supplemented it with more than a dozen kinds of ancient and millennia-old Jade Lingzhi, Bone-Cleansing Flower, Snow Lotus Herb, and other spiritual herbs, and used a special Soul Guiding Array to control the heat and the fusion of medicinal power, finally forming the elixir.

This pill can cleanse the physical body of impurities and enhance Innate Soul Power, with significant effects on Soul Master below level five. The one that Yu Xiaogang took was one of her creations.

Of course, this pill also has limitations. Each person can only take it once in their lifetime, and the improvement effect varies from person to person. The fact that Yu Xiaogang was able to improve by two and a half levels is not only because the quality of the pill is extremely good, but also because Yu Xiaogang's talent is too poor.

"Freeze!"

With a soft shout from Yu Yunyao, the cauldron's radiance subsided, the lid opened, and three pale green pills, each the size of a longan, round in color, and emitting a refreshing medicinal fragrance, flew out and landed in the Jade Bottle in her hand.

"Success! Three pills were successfully formed this time, all of superior quality!" Yu Yunyao's beautiful eyes flashed with joy. This time she tried a new formula, designed to gently nourish the meridians and assist the Soul Master in breaking through bottlenecks, and it seemed to be working well.

She carefully put away the pills, and looking at the mountain of medicinal herbs and notes in the workshop, a satisfied smile appeared on her face. This "Path of Alchemy," though arduous, had allowed her to find her own path, a path different from her father's conquests and her mother's life-saving deeds, but one that could benefit the world in a different way.

Deep within the Imperial Dragon Pass of the Saint Demon Continent lies a valley shrouded in Thunder Barrier.

Yu Yuanchen stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the imposing figure sitting cross-legged in the center of the valley, his body radiating dragon-like Blood Essence and soaring battle intent—it was his son, Yu Yunting.

After decades of honing his skills and diligent training, Yu Yunting's Cultivation Level has reached the peak of the Level 99 Titled Douluo!

His three Dragon Clan contract partners (Thunder Sacred Dragon, Purple Blazing Dragon, and Break Evil Dragon) have also grown to the level of 100,000 years, and are connected to him in mind and aura.

"Yunting, are you ready?" Yu Yuanchen spoke slowly, his voice calm, yet carrying a hint of barely perceptible solemnity.

Yu Yunting opened his eyes, his gaze blazing with a sharp light, like two tangible bolts of lightning. He stood up, his bones crackling and popping, and a terrifying, domineering, and unstoppable fighting spirit soared into the sky, stirring up the Wind and Clouds!

"Father!" Yu Yunting's voice boomed, filled with unwavering confidence and anticipation, "Your son is ready!"

Yu Yuanchen nodded slightly, his gaze profound. "Your path is the thunder that breaks through evil and upholds righteousness, unparalleled in its power and ferocity, unlike my Primordial Star Law or your mother's path of plants. An ordinary God Position may not be suitable for you. Even if you were to forcibly inherit it, it might limit your potential."

He paused, then continued, "Although there are currently no vacant First-level God positions in the Divine Realm that are compatible with you, and only a few Second-level Deity with limited potential remain, there is still a chance if we wait patiently. This new path to godhood is merely our deduction, and it carries considerable risk."

Upon hearing this, Yu Yunting showed no fear whatsoever; instead, his eyes blazed with even greater fervor. He grinned, revealing his pearly white teeth, his heroic spirit shining through. "Father! This new path to godhood suits me perfectly! God Position inherited from behind the scenes can't compare to the exhilaration of earning it through one's own hard work! Father, I'm willing to go! Whatever the risks, I'll fight my way through!"

"Anyway, with you here, at least I won't die. As long as I don't die, it's not a big deal."

"You little rascal." Looking at his son's spirited and confident appearance, Yu Yuanchen's eyes flashed with a hint of relief. He knew that this new path to godhood was destined to be full of thorns and bloodshed, but it was also the most suitable path for Yu Yunting.

"Very well! Since that's the case, I, your father, will protect you!" Yu Yuanchen said no more and stood silently to the side.

Ultimately, it's up to the children to walk their own paths.