As Xu Yue's First Soul Ring lit up.
In an instant,
A bright yellow shockwave burst from around him.
Immediately afterward, a dazzling transparent shield covered in elemental patterns formed around him, enveloping his entire body.
"This is my First Soul Skill, Jade Shield."
"When activated, it can deal a small amount of damage to enemies within a certain range while providing me with a shield that lasts one minute."
"While the shield exists, it weakens all elemental attacks by twenty percent. If the opponent's cultivation is one ring higher than mine, the reduction drops to ten percent; if they are two rings higher, it becomes ineffective."
"Of course, if their cultivation is lower than mine, then it works the other way around."
"A defensive Soul Skill? It does suit the characteristics of the Geo Element." Mu Chen murmured, then looked at Mu Xi. "Xiao Xi, test Xiao Yue's Soul Skill defense."
"Dad! I'm a Soul Grandmaster." Mu Xi pouted in displeasure. "A-Yue only just became a Soul Master."
"With me here, do you think I'd let Xiao Yue get hurt?" Mu Chen was rather speechless as he looked at the overly protective Mu Xi.
"It's fine, Sister Mu Xi." Xu Yue smiled. "I'm quite confident in my Soul Skill. Come at me."
"All right." Mu Xi nodded. "A-Yue, if you can't hold on, tell me beforehand."
As soon as she spoke, a brilliant golden fireball appeared above Mu Xi's head, radiating a scorching, luminous aura.
At the same time, two bright yellow Soul Rings rose beneath her feet.
Looking at Xu Yue standing not far away, she did not hesitate. Her fair, slender hand lifted, and she pointed forward.
"First Soul Skill, Solar Flare."
A thumb-thick beam of golden-red light immediately burst from Mu Xi's fingertip and shot toward Xu Yue.
The next moment.
Boom!
Scorching golden flames exploded before Xu Yue, scattering sparks across the surrounding floor.
Before they could even begin to burn, Mu Chen casually waved a hand, and the tiny flames instantly went out.
As for Xu Yue, who had been targeted, the Jade Shield around him bloomed with a dense bright yellow radiance, blocking the Solar Flare beam without suffering the slightest damage.
Seeing this, Mu Chen and Yuan Bao'er nodded to themselves.
"Sister Mu Xi, you can use a little more strength."
Hearing Xu Yue's words, Mu Xi's fighting spirit rose as well. As a two-ring Soul Grandmaster, she still had to display a bit of big-sister authority in front of her younger brother.
"Second Soul Skill, Sunshine!"
Scorching light erupted, illuminating the entire room so brightly it was painful to look at. The temperature suddenly soared as though blazing waves of fire were roasting Xu Yue.
Yet Xu Yue, standing within it, was not harmed at all. Instead, he began pacing back and forth as casually as if strolling through a garden.
The Jade Shield on his body glimmered faintly, blocking not only the damage but even the heat.
However, it was still only a First Soul Skill, and Xu Yue had only just made his breakthrough.
Under the searing force of Mu Xi's Second Soul Skill, the Jade Shield gradually dimmed, with fine cracks beginning to appear.
Only after Mu Xi had expended a tenth of her Soul Power did Mu Chen finally call out, "All right, stop."
His gaze shifted to Xu Yue. "The Soul Skill's defense is quite good, but isn't its duration a little short?"
A duration of one minute was indeed rather brief. Many defensive Soul Skills innate to Martial Souls lasted at least three to five minutes, which truly did not quite match the grade of Xu Yue's Martial Soul.
"Cough, cough..." Xu Yue coughed twice, drawing everyone's attention. "Perhaps I didn't explain myself clearly earlier."
"The Jade Shield does indeed only last one minute, but its cooldown is only forty seconds, and it consumes very little Soul Power.
"Moreover, the shielding effect of the First Soul Skill will gradually grow stronger as my Soul Power Level rises."
Hearing Xu Yue's additional explanation, Mu Chen's tightly furrowed brow relaxed somewhat. "If that's the case, then it's acceptable, but..."
"What if Jade Shield can also be applied to teammates?"
Xu Yue added again. At the same time, his Soul Skill's cooldown had ended, and he immediately activated it.
Bright yellow light flashed. This time, not only Xu Yue, but Mu Chen, Mu Xi, and Yuan Bao'er all received the protection of Jade Shield.
Constellation Two: Stone, Hear Me, Uncle Mu!
"..."
Late at night, in the bedroom.
To celebrate Xu Yue obtaining the Thousand-Year First Soul Ring and becoming a Soul Master, Yuan Bao'er prepared a lavish dinner for everyone.
Xu Yue sat cross-legged on his bed, his eyes fixed on the Soul Spirit lying before him.
"I heard from the Spirit Master that you cannot see. Today, I will open your eyes, so you can observe everything in this world alongside me."
As he spoke, the Star of Eden appeared out of thin air and floated beside Xu Yue. The Authority of Rock activated instantly.
His amber eyes now shone with dazzling bright yellow light.
If someone looked closely, they could even see a square elemental sigil within those eyes.
This was the symbol of the Authority of Rock.
Immediately afterward, he pointed forward.
A golden light burst from his fingertip, brilliant but not blinding, instead carrying an air of heavy, eternal majesty.
"Rock is the bone that draws in the six directions!"
As the Authority of Rock erupted.
Xu Yue's fingertip became like the sharpest carving knife, moving constantly across the Soul Spirit's body as he sculpted it.
Dazzling light swept across it, and that body which had only begun to resemble a dragon became increasingly lifelike.
Its tiny dragon horns became more eye-catching, while the two rows of rocky spines along its back grew more pronounced. Its dragon body and Dragon Claws gradually took shape at that moment.
At the final moment, Xu Yue focused his gaze, his expression solemn, and rapidly tapped his fingertip against the Soul Spirit's tightly shut eyes.
"Stone holds jade within the eight desolations and shines!"
As Xu Yue's words fell, endless Geo Element began gathering at his fingertip, transforming into two golden lights that condensed at the Soul Spirit's eyes.
As time passed, a golden slit slowly opened.
Boom!
The next moment, a bright yellow shockwave exploded within the room, and two golden beams shot from the Soul Spirit's eyes.
"Awooo!"
Dragon Eye Dotting was complete. The Soul Spirit opened its golden dragon eyes and looked at everything around it.
Then it turned its gaze to Xu Yue before it. Without the slightest hesitation, it pushed off with its sturdy dragon claw and crashed into his embrace.
"Ha ha!" Feeling the Soul Spirit's closeness toward him, Xu Yue could not help but laugh.
"Since your eyes have been opened, it's time to give you a name. From now on, you'll be called Azhdaha."
"Awooo!" Azhdaha responded excitedly.
"No, no!" Xu Yue repeatedly shook his head, his expression turning serious as he corrected Azhdaha.
"You can do that in front of me, but if you meet strangers or enter battle in the future, you must say it like this..."
"Cough, cough..." He cleared his throat, lowered his voice, and growled with extreme solemnity.
"Mortal, do not overstep your bounds!!!"
Xu Yue looked at Azhdaha in his arms and smiled. "Come, learn with me. Mortal, do not..."
Knock, knock, knock!!!
At that moment, a sudden knocking came from the wall beside him, accompanied by an annoyed shout from a girl.
"A-Yue! What are you doing?! After Awakening Day, you'll be going to Primary Academy. Why aren't you sleeping already?!"
Mu Xi's voice passed through the wall and reached Xu Yue and Azhdaha's ears. One human and one dragon stared at each other.
After a moment, he finally answered loudly.
"Got it, Sister Mu Xi. I'll rest right away."
With that, Xu Yue helplessly shrugged and looked at Azhdaha.
"All right, someone's spoken. Time to cultivate."
Before you continue