Scales and Claws Emerge, Storms Gather

Time flew by. Three months had passed since Yu Yuanchen entered seclusion.

Deep within Thunder Gorge, the charred stone platform was now shrouded in increasingly dense, thick arcs of lightning. From afar, it resembled a blue cocoon of thunderlight, containing immense energy that made one's heart tremble.

Yu Yuanchen sat cross-legged at the center of the lightning cocoon, his aura as steady and heavy as a mountain. After three months of tireless cultivation, aided by the nearly inexhaustible lightning-attribute origin qi within the gorge and the miraculous effects of that wisp of "Thunder God Power," his gains far exceeded expectations.

His injuries had long since healed, and his Soul Power had naturally broken through to level forty-three, steadily advancing toward level forty-four. This pace might not have seemed as explosive as before, but only Yu Yuanchen knew that the purity, total amount, and control of his Soul Power now far surpassed those of ordinary Soul Ancestors. He could even rival some Soul Kings with unstable foundations.

The greatest changes had come from his body and Martial Soul.

The effects of continuously tempering his body with "Thunder God Power" had gradually emerged. Beneath his skin, a faint layer of pale golden radiance flowed. His muscle fibers were packed tightly like dragon tendons, and his bones were lustrous white as jade, ringing with a metallic sound when struck. His raw Physical Strength had surged; without using Soul Power, his fists and feet alone could shatter steles and split stone. His meridians had also become several times broader and tougher. Soul Power coursed through them like rushing rivers, swift and uninhibited.

As for the Purple Gold Scale above the Martial Soul phantom's head, its color seemed to have deepened slightly during these three months of tempering, while the restrained golden gleam within it had become somewhat more apparent. Though it was still tiny, its presence became increasingly clear in Yu Yuanchen's perception.

He gradually realized that this was no simple mutation. The appearance of this scale seemed to resonate with some slumbering power deep within his bloodline. Whenever he fully activated his Martial Soul, he could faintly sense that the flow of blood throughout his body centered around that scale. The Dragon Might it emitted carried not only the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's inherent tyranny, but also an indescribable antiquity and nobility.

On this day, Yu Yuanchen awoke from deep meditation. With a thought, he attempted to guide a wisp of "Thunder God Power" slowly toward the Purple Gold Scale.

At first, the Purple Gold Scale did not react and remained quietly embedded in place. But when that wisp of purple-gold energy touched its surface, a sudden change occurred!

"Buzz—"

An incredibly faint hum, as though it had arisen from the depths of his soul, sounded. The Purple Gold Scale abruptly lit up. Though its radiance remained restrained, it was like a miniature black hole, instantly absorbing that wisp of "Thunder God Power" completely! Immediately afterward, a weak yet incomparably pure warm current carrying the aura of supreme majesty flowed back out from the scale, surged upward against the current, and fused into Yu Yuanchen's limbs and bones—especially his dragon-transformed right arm!

"Urgh!"

Yu Yuanchen's body trembled slightly, and blue dragon scales instantly surfaced uncontrollably on his right arm. To his surprise, the scales on that arm seemed deeper in color than before. Around their edges, there was even a faint, nearly imperceptible purple-gold gleam! At the same time, a sense of power far purer and stronger than before rose from his right arm, as though a trace of the True Dragon Power slumbering within it had quietly awakened!

He subconsciously raised his dragon-transformed right arm. Without using a Soul Skill, he merely spread his fingers slightly and lightly slashed forward.

"Screech!"

Five pale purple streaks of electricity flashed through the air, accompanied by a faint sound of space tearing. A hard boulder the size of a millstone ahead of him silently split down the middle, its cut as smooth as a mirror!

The combination of pure Physical Strength and a trace of bloodline power was actually this formidable!

Yu Yuanchen looked at his right hand, his eyes filled with shock and wild delight. He could feel that the dragon transformation of his right arm had undergone a fundamental upgrade. It was not merely an increase in strength and defense, but a... rise in rank! Though it was extremely faint, the direction was already clear!

This scale... really is extraordinary! It seems to be purifying and refining my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Bloodline! Yu Yuanchen understood. It absorbs "Thunder God Power" and returns purer Dragon Blood Power... This is a beneficial cycle!

He tried guiding "Thunder God Power" into the Purple Gold Scale once more, but this time, the scale only grew faintly warm. It did not absorb any more energy, and the warm current it returned was negligible.

It seems this process cannot continue endlessly. It requires accumulation, or perhaps my body and Martial Soul can only withstand this much improvement for now. Yu Yuanchen was not disappointed. Instead, he became even calmer. This confirmed his guess: it was a slow but steady path of evolution, and there was no rushing it.

He returned his attention to controlling his power. Soul Power flowed ceaselessly through his body, obeying his will as easily as moving his fingers. With a thought, the four Soul Rings beneath him appeared in succession.

First Soul Skill, Thunder Dragon Claw! It was no longer a simple giant claw attack. He could alter its form at will—sometimes condensing it into an incomparably sharp spear, sometimes spreading it into a net that covered and restrained, and even splitting it into several smaller thunder claws the instant it struck, allowing it to attack multiple targets.

Second Soul Skill, Thunderous Might! The range of his Electric Field Perception had doubled, and its precision had improved further. He had even begun trying to see whether this pervasive electric field could be used not only for perception, but also to interfere with an opponent's Soul Power circulation to a certain extent, or... produce a weak numbing effect.

Third Soul Skill, Wrath of Thunder! The One Hundred Percent Attack Power Boost remained, but he discovered that under the enhancement of "Thunder God Power," this boost seemed able to reach a deeper essence of power, granting his attacks a trace of a difficult-to-defend-against "spell-breaking" quality that was especially effective against energy-based defenses.

Fourth Soul Skill, Thunder God Power! This was the focus of his research. Beyond its initially discovered ability to enhance Soul Skills and comprehensively improve his condition, he attempted to control this power with greater precision. For instance, he could compress it to the extreme at his fingertip, forming an indestructible "Thunder God Finger"; or distribute it evenly over the surface of his body, forming an invisible layer of "Thunder God's Aegis" with astonishing defensive power. He even tried merging it with his Spiritual Power. Though he was still far from the perfect fusion of Ruling the World, it made his gaze more imposing and could cause opponents with weaker Spiritual Power to lapse into a momentary daze.

All kinds of ingenious ideas were continuously tested, adjusted, and perfected in his hands. His Combat Method had long surpassed this world's Soul Masters' fixed understanding of Soul Skills, becoming more agile, unpredictable, and impossible to guard against.

It is time to leave seclusion. Feeling the surging power within his body and his completely renewed state, Yu Yuanchen was certain. His three months of seclusion had yielded remarkable results. Although his Soul Power Level had not risen much, his actual combat strength had undergone an earth-shaking transformation. He was confident that if he encountered Long Li, that Black Flame Demonic Dragon Soul Emperor, again, he could defeat him head-on even without relying on schemes or overexerting himself!

He rose to his full height, and the lightning arcs coiling around him, like obedient pets, withdrew into his body one after another. With one step, he reached the edge of the stone platform. With another, his figure blurred as though he had merged with the lightning, instantly appearing at the entrance to the gorge.

Yu Boxuan, who had been guarding outside the gorge, opened his eyes almost at the same moment. When his gaze fell upon Yu Yuanchen, he was briefly stunned. Then unconcealable delight and a trace of... shock erupted in his eyes!

At this moment, Yu Yuanchen's figure seemed even taller and more well-proportioned. His skin was smooth and lustrous, with a faint treasure-like radiance flowing across it. Deep within his formerly azure blue eyes, purple-gold lightning seemed to have settled. Every opening and closing of those eyes naturally revealed a majestic and profound presence that inspired awe. His aura was restrained yet deep and powerful. Standing there, he seemed perfectly fused with the thunderous environment around him.

More importantly, Yu Boxuan sensed from his grandson a bloodline pressure unlike that of an ordinary Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul—more ancient and more pure! Though it was exceedingly faint, it undeniably existed!

"Chen'er, you..." Yu Boxuan rose to his feet, uncertainty in his voice.

"Grandfather, your grandson has successfully emerged from seclusion." Yu Yuanchen bowed in salute, his tone calm yet naturally confident.

"Good! Good! Good!" Yu Boxuan said "good" three times in a row. He strode forward and firmly patted Yu Yuanchen's shoulder. Feeling the incomparably solid sensation beneath his hand and the faint force of Countershock, he was even more gratified. "Level forty-three at the peak! Your foundation is incomparably solid, and your qi and blood are as vigorous as a dragon's! More importantly, your Martial Soul... seems to..."

His burning gaze fixed on Yu Yuanchen, filled with scrutiny.

Knowing that he could not hide it from an expert like his grandfather, Yu Yuanchen briefly explained, "During seclusion, your grandson gained some insight into the power of the Fourth Soul Skill and tried using it to temper my body. It seems to have... slightly improved the purity of my bloodline." He did not explain the Purple Gold Scale in detail. It involved his greatest secret, and it was not convenient to reveal it for the time being.

"Improved bloodline?!" Yu Boxuan's eyes flashed brightly, and his excitement was impossible to contain. The purity of a top-tier beast Martial Soul's bloodline was directly related to its upper limit of potential! His grandson could actually improve his bloodline purity on his own—this was simply a miracle never before heard of! "Heaven blesses our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan! Chen'er, this matter is of great importance. You must never mention it to outsiders!"

"Your grandson understands." Yu Yuanchen nodded.

"Come, let us return first." Yu Boxuan suppressed his excitement, and his expression turned solemn. "The outside world has not been peaceful during the three months you were in seclusion."

After returning to the Main Hall, Yu Boxuan dismissed everyone else and informed Yu Yuanchen of the situation outside.

The Long Family was indeed unwilling to accept defeat. Although open conflicts had decreased, their actions in secret had become more frequent and sinister. Several of the clan's external businesses had suffered repeated suppression and sabotage by unknown forces. Several core disciples carrying out missions outside had encountered assassination attempts. Though most had been thwarted, they still caused losses and panic. All signs indicated that the Long Family was plotting something greater and might even be... seeking outside assistance.

"According to reports from our covert agents, Long Xiao recently traveled in secret to Spirit Hall's temple in the Heaven Dou Empire, as well as... the Elephant Armored Sect." Yu Boxuan's voice was low. "Though we do not know what exactly they discussed, it cannot have been anything good."

Yu Yuanchen's gaze turned cold. "They want to join forces with outside powers and completely destroy our clan?"

"That is not impossible." Yu Boxuan sighed. "Our clan is strong, but if we must face the Long Family, the Elephant Armored Sect, and perhaps even Spirit Hall's secret support at the same time, the situation will become extremely unfavorable."

The atmosphere in the hall became somewhat heavy for a moment.

After a while, Yu Yuanchen raised his head. Purple-gold lightning flashed through his eyes and vanished. His tone was resolute. "Grandfather, soldiers come, generals stop them; water comes, earth blocks it. Fear cannot solve the problem. The most urgent matter is to continue increasing our strength. Your grandson believes that although secluded cultivation is good, true growth often requires tempering through battle. I request permission to participate in Family Affairs and deal with the Long Family's provocations!"

He looked at Yu Boxuan, his gaze clear and sharp. "It is time to start collecting some debts."

Yu Boxuan looked at his grandson's confident, steady eyes and sensed the hidden power within him that made one's heart tremble. He pondered for a long time before finally nodding slowly.

"Good! A young eagle must eventually spread its wings. However, your own safety must always come first. Do not act rashly."

"Yes!"

Yu Yuanchen clasped his hands and accepted the order, then turned and walked out of the Main Hall. Sunlight fell upon him, and his tall, straight figure resembled a sharp sword about to leave its sheath—its edge restrained within, yet impossible to conceal.

The Hidden Dragon had quietly transformed, its scales and claws beginning to show. Storms were gathering beyond, and the time had come to test its edge!