Douluo: Martial Soul Iron-Eating Beast, Never Be a Slave - Section 5

His father was only a Soul King, and his mother a Soul Ancestor. The only noteworthy thing was probably that after Zhao Wuji left the Zhao Clan, Zhao Mu's father had become the Zhao Clan's patriarch due to his Soul King strength.

Other than that, there was nothing special. Of course, Zhao Mu hoped that one day, his parents would stand before him and say with cheerful smiles, "Son, we'll come clean. We're both Title Douluo, so you don't need to work hard anymore!"

Unfortunately, no matter how Zhao Mu looked at them, his parents did not have the aura of experts. Besides Zhao Wuji, there had been no Vajra Bear Title Douluo in the original Douluo story—not even a Soul Douluo.

Moreover, Zhao Wuji had been considered a genius within the clan, which showed that Zhao Mu's father could not have been all that impressive either.

"It's not a holiday or anything. Why did you make such a feast?" Zhao Mu teased as he looked at the dishes on the table, which were clearly far more lavish than usual.

His father, Zhao Santai, glanced at Zhao Mu and asked sternly, "I heard from your Third Uncle that your martial soul mutated? And that you have Innate Full Soul Power?"

As Zhao Santai spoke, his mother, Zhao Ru, came out of the kitchen as well, looking at Zhao Mu with equal concern.

For people of Douluo Continent, martial soul Awakening was no less important than the college entrance exam in Zhao Mu's previous life—perhaps even more so. The college entrance exam did not necessarily determine a person's future, but martial soul Awakening on Douluo Continent truly could.

When they heard that Zhao Mu's martial soul had mutated, Zhao Father and Zhao Mother had both felt their hearts sink. On Douluo Continent, mutated martial souls generally became worse. Very few mutations were stronger than the original martial soul, so naturally, they had been worried from the start.

A useless martial soul truly meant no future on Douluo Continent.

What?

There were no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters?

Heh. Whoever said that was useless garbage!

However, after learning that Zhao Mu actually possessed Innate Full Soul Power, Zhao Father and Zhao Mother relaxed considerably. They understood that one's Innate Soul Power Level indirectly represented the strength of one's martial soul.

Thus, Zhao Mu's Innate Full Soul Power meant that his mutated martial soul was not a failed product, but a successful mutation.

Perhaps a successful mutation should not even be called a mutation. Evolution would be a more fitting term.

Facing his parents' eager gazes, Zhao Mu nodded. His Third Uncle had probably informed his father the moment he received the news.

After all, a Vajra Bear martial soul mutation and Innate Full Soul Power were each shocking enough on their own, let alone within the tiny Zhao Family.

"I heard your mutated martial soul is a..." Before Zhao Father Zhao Santai could finish, he suddenly froze. His gaze landed on the fluffy, oversized head that had abruptly appeared behind Zhao Mu.

"What an adorable little thing!" Unlike Zhao Father's stunned silence, Zhao Mother Zhao Ru was much more enthusiastic. She walked right over and rubbed Heibai's large head.

Sure enough, women had little resistance to fluffy things. The same applied to middle-aged women.

Heibai then allowed Zhao Mother to lead him aside without any hesitation. Only then did Zhao Father continue, "This is your martial soul? It has Innate Full Soul Power?"

Zhao Mu nodded. "It is indeed my martial soul. It possesses an independent life, and I named it Heibai."

"Heibai? That name is quite fitting!" Zhao Father muttered instinctively as he looked at Heibai's coloring.

"Oh, right, Father. I don't have Innate Full Soul Power anymore," Zhao Mu continued.

Before Zhao Mu could finish, Zhao Father's heart instantly leaped into his throat again. "What? You said you don't have Innate Full Soul Power?"

Innate Soul Power was equivalent to college entrance exam scores. It was extremely important.

Seeing Zhao Father instantly turn tense and serious, Zhao Mu hurriedly explained, "Father, I meant that I no longer only have Innate Full Soul Power. When my martial soul Awakened, I did indeed have Innate Full Soul Power, but now my Soul Power Level has already reached level fifteen."

"So it's Soul Power level ten... What?! What did you say? What level is your Soul Power?"

"Level fifteen. My current Soul Power Level is fifteen," Zhao Mu repeated.

"Fifteen Soul Power? Didn't you just Awaken your martial soul?" Once soul masters reached the limit of each rank, they generally needed to absorb a soul ring before they could break through and continue cultivating. Therefore, Zhao Mu's level fifteen meant...

Seemingly guessing what Zhao Father was thinking, Zhao Mu directly spread open his palm.

As his Soul Power stirred, a dazzling purple soul ring slowly rose from beneath Zhao Mu's feet, pulsing around his body.

"Purple?"

"A thousand-year soul ring?!"

"A thousand-year first soul ring?!"

Zhao Father and Zhao Mother were both so shocked that they lost their composure upon seeing the purple soul ring on Zhao Mu.

With their strength, a thousand-year soul ring alone would not have shocked them so badly. After all, they possessed thousand-year soul rings themselves.

But the position of Zhao Mu's thousand-year soul ring left them utterly stunned. If they had not seen it with their own eyes, they would never have believed it, even if beaten to death.

A thousand-year soul ring that should have appeared in the third soul ring slot had appeared as the first soul ring. It was simply inconceivable.

"Mu'er, how did you absorb this soul ring? Is your body all right?" Zhao Mother asked worriedly as she examined Zhao Mu's body.

As a soul master herself, Zhao Mother naturally knew just how dangerous it was for soul masters to absorb soul rings beyond their level.

Though Zhao Father was not as direct as Zhao Mother, the concern on his face could not be hidden.

Seeing the worry his parents displayed, warmth flowed through Zhao Mu's heart.

That was also why Zhao Mu dared to reveal everything to Zhao Father and Zhao Mother. He was not like certain people who had to hide things from their parents, as though exposing a secret meant they had to kill them to keep it hidden.

Zhao Mu then recounted in detail the events of his martial soul Awakening and the absorption of his first soul ring.

After hearing Zhao Mu's account, Zhao Mother looked uncertainly at Heibai, who had somehow climbed onto a stool and was using his front paws to paw at the food.

"You're saying this little fellow ate a purple bamboo stalk, and then you gained your first soul ring?"

Zhao Mu nodded truthfully.

Zhao Father, standing nearby, wore a thoughtful expression. After a moment, he seemed to remember something.

"The purple bamboo you mentioned should be called Thunder-Striking Bamboo! Your Second Grandfather planted it in the bamboo grove behind his courtyard."

The next morning.

The morning dew was heavy, and every trip down the woodland path quickly soaked the hems of their trousers.

Zhao Mu followed his father to a courtyard deep within a mountain ravine.

The courtyard was surrounded by simple bamboo fencing. However, it was no ordinary bamboo—it was the exact same purple bamboo Heibai had brought back before.

It was the Thunder-Striking Bamboo Zhao Mu's father had mentioned.

Heibai had eaten that bamboo stalk too quickly for Zhao Mu to inspect it properly. Now that he saw the fence made from Thunder-Striking Bamboo, he instinctively stepped closer to examine it.

"Careful, don't get too close! This fence made from Thunder-Striking Bamboo carries electricity!" Zhao Father warned from the side.

Hearing his father's warning, Zhao Mu stopped his outstretched hand in midair.

Electricity?

Good lord, wasn't this basically a natural electric fence?

After stopping Zhao Mu, Zhao Father stood outside the fence and called into the courtyard.

"Second Uncle! Are you there?"

As Zhao Father shouted loudly, movement immediately came from the house inside the courtyard.

Before long, an elderly man with a head full of white hair but a remarkably sturdy build walked out. His complexion was ruddy, and he looked full of vigor.

Zhao Mu sized up the old man. From the way his father had addressed him just now, it was not hard to guess that this was his Second Grandfather.

Second Grandfather was not tall. It seemed that none of the Vajra Bear Zhao Family members were particularly tall. Fortunately, Zhao Mu himself had undergone a genetic mutation and had not inherited the Zhao Family's short genes.

Moreover, Zhao Mu being the king of the children had something to do with his height. Taller children often seemed more formidable.

"Xiao San? Shouldn't you be busy being the clan patriarch? What brings you all the way here?" Second Grandfather asked.

"Xiao San?" Zhao Mu froze when he heard the form of address.

His father's full name was Zhao Santai, so it made sense for an elder to call him Xiao San. Still, the name made Zhao Mu feel rather uncomfortable.

Zhao Father shot Zhao Mu a glare, then cupped his hands toward Second Grandfather in greeting. "Second Uncle, something happened during Xiao Mu's martial soul Awakening yesterday. I came to ask you to take a look."

After Second Grandfather opened the fence, Zhao Mu followed his father into the courtyard.

Zhao Father also told Second Grandfather about Zhao Mu's martial soul Awakening and first soul ring.

When he heard that Zhao Mu's martial soul had mutated, Second Grandfather merely raised his eyelids and glanced at the black-and-white plump bear by Zhao Mu's feet.

A martial soul mutation was already an extremely low-probability occurrence during martial soul Awakening. A mutation that improved the martial soul was likewise exceedingly rare. For Zhao Mu to Awaken Innate Full Soul Power after his martial soul mutated, it could only be said that he had stepped in dog shit.

"Your martial soul ate Thunder-Striking Bamboo and formed a soul ring? Thunder-Striking Bamboo is far tougher than ordinary bamboo, and its electrical properties can paralyze anyone who touches it. Your martial soul can use Thunder-Striking Bamboo as food?"

As he spoke, Second Grandfather entered the inner room. When he emerged again, he held a length of purple bamboo in his hand.

He was also wearing a pair of thin gloves, likely for insulation.

"Given the properties of Thunder-Striking Bamboo, even some soul beasts nearing a thousand years cannot damage it. Can this little fellow truly eat Thunder-Striking Bamboo as food?"

As he spoke, Second Grandfather tossed the Thunder-Striking Bamboo toward Heibai at Zhao Mu's feet, apparently intending to verify it himself.

Heibai had been following Zhao Mu and had understood Second Grandfather's words.

He rolled his eyes at Second Grandfather, then grabbed the length of Thunder-Striking Bamboo with his front paws.

Although he had been underestimated, free food was free food.

He hugged the Thunder-Striking Bamboo and stuffed it into his mouth. As it entered Heibai's mouth, sharp fangs appeared beneath his goofy exterior.

The tough Thunder-Striking Bamboo Second Grandfather had described seemed utterly fragile beneath those fangs. Amid the crunching of teeth, Heibai devoured the bamboo stalk, leaving only a few scraps crackling with electric arcs on the ground.

"What sharp teeth. This little thing can actually eat Thunder-Striking Bamboo as food..."

Just as Second Grandfather marveled at Heibai's teeth, Zhao Father suddenly cried out, "Second Uncle, look at Mu'er..."