Martial Soul Fusion Skill

He took stock of what he had.

Over the past year, he had scrimped and saved, supplemented by his Work-Study Student stipend and the occasional odd job for the academy. He had managed to save about ten Gold Soul Coins.

"This time, we'll have to rely on ourselves."

Lin Ming spoke to Little Lei Yi, who was perched on his shoulder and poking at the Star Dou Great Forest on the map.

"Yi!"

Little Lei Yi looked up. Her tiny face was full of determination as she nodded firmly. A faint arc of electricity flickered over her, as if to say, No problem.

Lin Ming smiled and began making his final preparations.

At a blacksmith's shop in Nuoding City, he had ordered several thin but sturdy throwing knives, along with a short sword.

His only requirement for the short sword was that it be sharp enough.

The sword alone had cost him five Gold Soul Coins.

He spent another three Gold Soul Coins on ten days' worth of necessities and a more detailed map of the outer reaches of the Star Dou Great Forest.

He carefully sewed the rest of his money into the lining of his clothes, in case of emergencies.

He hadn't told anyone where he was going.

A child with ten levels of Soul Power heading alone into a forest full of Soul Beasts sounded like a death wish to anyone who heard it.

A relatively open clearing on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

The air reeked of scorched earth and carried a faint smell of blood.

Lin Ming leaned against a tree, his chest heaving. Sweat and dust mingled on his forehead and slid down his cheeks.

His coarse cloth clothes had several scorched, ragged tears, exposing the slightly reddened skin beneath.

Ten meters in front of him, a Soul Beast nearly two meters long and as tall as his waist crouched low, letting out a series of growls.

It resembled a leopard, but its streamlined body was covered in short, dark blue fur dotted with silver. Its four paws crackled with fine blue arcs of electricity, and sparks danced at the end of its long, steel-whip-like tail.

A Lightning Leopard, around four hundred and thirty years old.

It was the target Lin Ming had been searching for over the past two days.

A lightning-attribute Soul Beast known for its speed and ferocious lightning attacks, its Soul Ring was considered top quality among Soul Beasts of the same age.

The fight had lasted nearly fifteen minutes.

Lin Ming had used almost every trick at his disposal, except for his trump card.

Little Lei Yi hovered in a battle stance in front of him to one side. The golden light around her had dimmed, and the lively arcs of electricity that usually danced around her had grown sparse.

Her tiny chest rose and fell, and the lightning mark on her forehead glimmered faintly.

She had used Thunder Sacrifice three times, but each time it had paralyzed the Lightning Leopard for less than half a second. The beast's resistance to lightning was exceptionally high.

Swift as Lightning let Lin Ming just barely keep up with the Lightning Leopard, but it consumed an enormous amount of Soul Power.

With Lightning Cut coating his throwing knives and short sword, he had only managed to leave a few shallow wounds on the beast, and had instead thoroughly enraged it.

The Lightning Leopard was simply too fast!

Just like its name.

Its attacks were as swift as lightning.

Every pounce came with afterimages and a shriek that seemed to tear through the air, while its lightning-charged claws could rip through tree trunks with ease.

If Lin Ming hadn't relied on his foresight and Little Lei Yi's interference to keep the beast at bay, it would have already torn him open.

"Hah... hah... I can't let this drag on."

Lin Ming's gaze sharpened.

A prolonged fight put him at a disadvantage. His Soul Power was draining too quickly, and the commotion and smell of blood could attract other Soul Beasts.

The Lightning Leopard seemed to have lost patience as well. Its deep-blue eyes locked onto Lin Ming as it lowered its hindquarters, every muscle in its body tensing.

Stronger arcs of electricity burst from its fur. It was gathering its strength, preparing to deliver a decisive blow.

Now!

A fierce glint flashed in Lin Ming's eyes. He made his decision. "Little Lei Yi!"

"Yi!"

Little Lei Yi, connected to him in spirit, let out a sharp, ringing cry.

Her tiny body erupted in an unprecedented golden radiance, turning into a streak of golden lightning. She wasn't attacking—she was charging straight at Lin Ming without hesitation.

The Lightning Leopard paused. The two little things that had been fighting it had suddenly turned on each other, and its mind struggled to make sense of it.

But that moment of confusion—

Was enough.

As Little Lei Yi's figure became golden lightning, Lin Ming had already closed his eyes and focused. All his attention and Soul Power surged frantically toward the palm of his left hand.

At the same time, he reached out to the source of Lei Yi deep within his soul.

The instant Little Lei Yi entered his body, an enigmatic, ancient tremor awoke within him, as if it had come from the very origin of thunder.

"Martial Soul... Fusion!"

Lin Ming growled and snapped his eyes open. Golden lightning erupted in his gaze.

He opened his left palm. A streak of golden lightning, bright enough to pierce the heavens, suddenly blazed into existence.

Humm!

Space seemed to tremble.

A majestic aura, impossible to describe in words, burst outward from Lin Ming.

It wasn't the oppressive force of Soul Power. It was something on a higher level, an aura bearing the will of judgment and destruction.

Lightning stretched rapidly from Lin Ming's left hand.

A spear about 1.2 meters long, seemingly forged from flowing, liquid Golden Thunder, appeared in his hand. He gripped it firmly.

The spear wasn't solid. It was a mass of dazzling golden lightning.

Its mere presence warped the air around it, filling it with faint crackles.

Behind Lin Ming, a blurry golden figure appeared. Its silhouette resembled Lei Yi, yet was somehow different. It, too, held a lightning spear, its gaze lowered indifferently.

[Self-Created Martial Soul Fusion Skill: Wrathful Thunder God's Judgment · Lei Yi (Extremely Incomplete)]

All of this happened in the blink of an eye.

For the first time, the Lightning Leopard's eyes showed the utmost fear, instinctive and undeniable.

Its fur stood on end as the instinct of a Soul Beast screamed at it.

Run!

Run now!

But it was already too late.

Lin Ming felt all the Soul Power and mental strength in his body being frantically drained by the "Spear of Judgment" in his hand.

He knew he could maintain this form for only an instant.

No hesitation. No fancy moves.

He summoned all his strength and hurled the lightning spear at the Lightning Leopard, whose movements had seized up under the pressure.

The golden lightning spear left his hand without a sound. It seemed to tear through space and vanish from where it had been.

The next instant—

A point of golden light appeared in the very center of the Lightning Leopard's forehead.

Boom!

It wasn't a deafening crash, but a muffled rumble, like thunder exploding.

The Lightning Leopard froze in place. All life vanished from its eyes.

A charred hole, about the width of a thumb, pierced straight through its forehead.

No blood flowed.

The beast's violent lightning energy was judged by a higher form of thunder and instantly annihilated, its power silenced.

Thud.

The four-hundred-and-thirty-year-old Lightning Leopard collapsed limply to the ground.

A yellow Soul Ring slowly appeared.

"Success."

Lin Ming gasped for breath, his vision darkening in waves.

Little Lei Yi was forcibly ejected from his body and fell beside him, letting out a feeble cry.

"Yi..."

Lin Ming gazed at the Soul Ring, which was over four hundred years old, and a flicker of joy crossed his eyes.

But then he warily glanced around. The commotion had been too great. He had to absorb the Soul Ring and leave immediately.

He sat cross-legged and was about to draw the Soul Ring toward himself when his ears twitched.

Faint but clear footsteps came from the southeast. There was more than one person, and he could also hear the indistinct sound of girls talking.