But I Succeeded

Chen Li understood. The Rumble-Rumble Fruit itself granted him fundamental and powerful abilities like controlling lightning and elementalization. Theoretically, he could simulate various forms of lightning attacks through precise control, similar to the Thunderbirds and Thunder Dragons from his memories.

However, the difference with a Soul Skill lay in its not being a simple change of form. Instead, it was a solidified, sublimated unique characteristic or rule tendency formed by combining the origin rules of a Soul Ring with a Martial Soul.

The core value of this Thunder Strike - Law Breaker wasn't in the form or power of the lightning, but in its added magic-breaking characteristic, its extreme penetration and destruction against energy defenses!

This was a qualitative improvement, allowing his lightning attacks to exert far beyond conventional armor-breaking effects when facing specific types of enemies. This was precisely what he urgently needed, something that could effectively deal with various defense-type Soul Masters or opponents who relied on Soul Skill protection.

The first step had finally been steadily taken...

The heavy stone that had been weighing on Chen Li's heart for months finally landed.

Not only had he resolved the desperate situation of being unable to absorb a Soul Ring, but he had also ascended in a single step, establishing his foundation with a Thousand-year Soul Ring and acquiring such a practical and powerful Soul Skill. This proved that the path he envisioned—refining the Gulp Gulp Fruit and absorbing the Rumble-Rumble Fruit—was completely feasible!

The achievement of his goal also caused his ambition to grow quietly, like a ferocious beast unchained. Since he possessed such a heaven-defying start and a unique growth system, his sights naturally couldn't remain limited to merely surviving or becoming a little stronger.

He wanted to stand higher, see further, and even... touch the realm of the legendary gods! To seize his destiny completely into his own hands!

Slowly, Chen Li exhaled the turbid air from his lungs, which carried a scent of blood and scorching, as if expelling all the past grievances, unease, and confusion along with it.

He opened his eyes.

In an instant, within the depths of his dark eyes, fine purple lightning arcs flashed and vanished, sharp, bright, and carrying the purity and penetration of nascent thunder.

His entire demeanor was completely different from the quiet yet inevitably gloomy youth he had been before. He now possessed an inner confidence, determination, and a hint of the sharp edge belonging to a strong individual.

The moment his gaze refocused and he became fully conscious, Yue Guan, who had been sitting by the window, moved.

There was no afterimage, no sound. It was as if space itself had slightly distorted, and his figure had vanished from the chair, appearing like a ghost directly a step away from Chen Li.

The speed of a Titled Douluo was displayed to its fullest extent.

Yue Guan looked down at Chen Li, who had just gotten up, his body still covered in bloodstains but his spirit high. There was no smile on his alluring face; instead, it was shrouded in a faint frost. Sharp light glinted in his peach blossom eyes, and his voice carried a clear displeasure and questioning tone:

"You've got quite the nerve, kid?"

Yue Guan's voice wasn't loud, but it carried the unique mental pressure of a Titled Douluo, directly assaulting Chen Li's mind. "Who gave you the guts to use Level 10 Soul Power to touch a Thousand-year Soul Ring? Hmm? Are you tired of living, or do you think the Martial Soul Hall saved you just to collect your corpse?"

His tone seemed filled with blame and anger, as if Chen Li hadn't just created a miracle but had engaged in a foolish act of suicide.

"Lord Yue Guan." Chen Li steadied himself. Despite his tattered clothes and blood-soaked body, he still bowed respectfully to the Titled Douluo before him.

This respect wasn't entirely feigned. Regardless, it was Yue Guan who had brought him back from the border mountains to the Martial Soul Hall, giving him the opportunity to access a higher platform. Without the Martial Soul Hall, without the sign-ins here, he didn't know when he would have awakened the Gulp Gulp Fruit, let alone when he would have taken this first step to break free.

Yue Guan looked at the sharpness and vibrant energy that hadn't fully faded from Chen Li's eyes. The feigned anger in his heart subsided a bit, and his tone softened, though it still carried a warning.

"You're too impatient. Miracles are miracles precisely because they are unreproducible. You were lucky to succeed this time, but what about next time? Remember, ambition and power both require life as a vessel. If your life is gone, then everything is gone."

His words were half reminder, half probe.

He knew that this six-year-old child must harbor deep resentment towards the Star Luo Empire and the Dust Family. If this resentment were guided properly, it would become a sharp blade aimed at the enemy; if it got out of control, it could also backfire. He needed to ensure Chen Li's hatred was effectively utilized, not blindly burned.

"But I succeeded, Lord Yue Guan." Chen Li raised his head, a clean yet undeniably confident smile appearing on his face.

With a slight movement of his mind, the phantom image of lightning behind him reappeared. The deep purple Soul Ring rotated slowly in the lightning, emitting a captivating and magnificent glow.

He gazed greedily at this first Soul Ring that belonged to him, not just with his senses but with his eyes—a token symbolizing the breaking of chains and the path to infinite possibilities.

"Cough..." Yue Guan was momentarily speechless by his frank and slightly boastful demeanor, then waved his hand. "Forget it, it's a good thing in the end. Rest well and stabilize your realm. Tomorrow, I will take you to meet Your Majesty the Pope."

"Yes." Chen Li retracted his Martial Soul and responded solemnly. He knew that from the moment he successfully absorbed the Thousand-year Soul Ring, his status had undergone a qualitative change.

He would transform from a curiosity worth observing into a treasure worth investing in.

Actively displaying this miracle to Bibi Dong and Yue Guan was his best choice at the moment.

Hiding might bring temporary safety, but here in the core of the Martial Soul Hall, under the watchful eyes of Titled Douluo, deliberate concealment would instead arouse deeper suspicion and investigation.

Demonstrating his value, entering their core view, and gaining overt protection and resource allocation was the safest strategy at this stage.

As for Soul Tools that could hide Soul Rings? How could the Martial Soul Hall not have them?

"Alright, this place can't be stayed in anymore. Your potential also allows you to go to a more central location." Yue Guan glanced at the messy room and the broken doorframe. "Someone will take you to your new residence. Get some good rest."

Soon, a silent deacon arrived and led Chen Li to another, quieter, and better-equipped independent courtyard. Yue Guan then flickered and disappeared.

The new room was spacious and tidy.

Chen Li washed away the bloodstains and changed into new clothes, but he felt no sleepiness. He sat cross-legged on the bed, not immediately starting to meditate, but sinking his consciousness into the system space to carefully examine the first Soul Ring he had just acquired.

[Soul Ring 1: [Thousand-year Soul Ring (Quality: Excellent)] (Upgradable)]

His gaze was fixed on those three words: Upgradable.