Second Soul Skill! Ancestor of Strength!

(Hu Liena beautiful image)

Lin Jiang gritted his teeth, the veins on his forehead bulging.

He could feel it—

This spirit ring was not the twenty thousand years he had estimated.

At the very least... it was close to thirty thousand years!

This was not what he had expected!

A second spirit ring, nearly thirty thousand years old!

The power of the Golden Dragon King within his body surged frantically, attempting to suppress this violent energy.

But the energy was too strong, crashing against his meridians again and again, tearing them apart!

Pain!

Ten times more painful than last time!

Yet Lin Jiang did not retreat.

He clenched his teeth, his entire body trembling, and fine beads of blood began to seep from his skin once more.

Only one thought remained in his mind—

He wanted to succeed.

He had to succeed.

If he couldn't even endure this, how could he reach the very end?

Lin Jiang sat cross-legged in the canyon, his body flickering with golden light as he fiercely resisted the violent black spirit ring.

Dugu Yan, under the guise of "guarding the dharma," had been right by Lin Jiang's side the entire time.

She sat on a rock, resting her chin in her hands, staring at Lin Jiang's face without blinking.

This kid...

He really was handsome!

Although he was only seven, one could already see the man he would become from his brows, eyes, and facial contours.

The more Dugu Yan looked, the more mesmerized she became.

She could finally enjoy the view properly.

Hehe.

Just as she was feeling pleased, she suddenly remembered something and looked down—

Wait!

Her jacket was still tied around Lin Jiang's waist!

Last time, after he finished absorbing his first spirit ring, the kid's clothes had been shredded to nothing, and she had kindly lent him her jacket to cover his shame.

What if his clothes exploded again during this second spirit ring?

That was her designer jacket!

Without a second thought, Dugu Yan reached out and snatched the jacket back.

Lin Jiang was slightly startled by the movement and frowned, but he quickly sank back into his struggle against the spirit ring.

Dugu Yan hugged her jacket, crouched back down on the rock, and watched Lin Jiang with peace of mind.

"Hehe." (Lecherous giggle)

Now she could enjoy the view in peace.

Time ticked by, second by second.

Day.

Night.

Another day.

Another night.

Dugu Bo stood far away at the edge of the canyon, staring at that golden figure without saying a word.

Three days and three nights.

Three whole days and nights.

Finally—

On the morning of the fourth day.

Lin Jiang snapped his eyes open!

A golden light shot straight into the sky!

"BOOM—!"

A violent shockwave erupted from his body, instantly pulverizing the surrounding rubble into dust!

Dugu Yan was knocked onto her backside by the blast, but she ignored the pain, staring fixedly at Lin Jiang.

The dust settled.

Lin Jiang slowly stood up.

Two black spirit rings rotated slowly around him.

One was eleven thousand years old.

The other was twenty-nine thousand years old.

He had succeeded.

Dugu Yan opened her mouth, about to cheer—

Then she froze.

Because around Lin Jiang's waist...

It was completely empty.

"..."

"..."

The canyon was silent for three seconds.

Dugu Yan looked down at the jacket in her arms.

Then she looked up at Lin Jiang.

Then she looked back down at the jacket.

Lin Jiang followed her gaze downward.

Then he froze as well.

"..."

Dugu Yan's face turned bright red at a speed visible to the naked eye.

But this time she didn't look away; instead, she stared at Lin Jiang, her eyes growing brighter and brighter.

How is he even more intense now...

The dust cleared completely.

Dugu Bo walked over from a distance, holding a neatly folded set of clothes in his hands.

"I had them ready long ago." He handed them to Lin Jiang with a hint of a smile on his lips.

Lin Jiang took the clothes and silently put them on.

Dugu Yan stood to the side, clutching her jacket, her face still flushed, but her eyes kept darting toward Lin Jiang.

With the clothes on, it was certainly less of a spectacle.

But it wasn't bad either.

Lin Jiang finished dressing and stretched his limbs.

The two black spirit rings rotated slowly around him, emitting a faint pressure.

"Tell us," Dugu Bo said, crossing his arms. "What is your second spirit skill?"

Lin Jiang closed his eyes, sensing the violent power surging within him.

Then he opened them.

"This spirit skill... is very simple and brutal."

He raised his right hand and clenched his fist.

Golden light condensed on his fist, but unlike the first time, this light was faintly streaked with blood-red patterns—the signature power of the Giant Strength Ancient Dragon.

"The spirit skill is named—Ancestor of Strength."

As the words fell, the second spirit ring flared brightly!

Lin Jiang's fist was instantly covered in a layer of blood-gold light, and the surrounding air began to tremble!

"It provides a massive, direct boost to attack power," Lin Jiang said, staring at his fist. "The destructive force of every strike is doubled."

He withdrew his spirit power, and the blood-gold light dissipated.

Dugu Bo was silent for two seconds.

Then he gave a thumbs-up once more.

"Awesome!"

Simple and brutal, yet the effect was explosive.

A spirit skill that purely boosted strength was the perfect match for Lin Jiang's first spirit skill, the Golden Dragon Body!

Lin Jiang was also very satisfied.

These two soul skills became more powerful as his level increased.

The Golden Dragon Body provided defense and base strength, while the Ancestor of Strength doubled his attack power and destructive force.

In future fights, he would be able to knock out any little brat with a single punch.

"Where are we going next?" Lin Jiang turned his head to look at Dugu Yan.

Dugu Bo gave a wink from the side.

Dugu Yan understood instantly.

She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Lin Jiang's arm.

"Going home!"

Lin Jiang: "Hm?"

"Going to our home!" Dugu Yan said righteously, hugging him even tighter.

Lin Jiang could feel the soft sensation against his arm.

Furthermore—

She seemed to be doing it on purpose, hugging him tighter and tighter.

Lin Jiang turned to look at her.

Dugu Yan tilted her chin up with an expression that said, "Do you have a problem with that?"

Lin Jiang silently withdrew his gaze.

Fine.

Home it is.

Returning to Dugu Manor.

Just as they entered the main gate, Dugu Yan turned around and blocked Lin Jiang's path, hands on her hips.

"My little gentleman, welcome home."

Lin Jiang: "..."

He silently walked around her and headed inside.

Dugu Bo followed from behind and slapped Lin Jiang on the back, causing him to stumble.

"Lin Jiang, don't be shy, kid!"

Lin Jiang steadied himself and looked helplessly at the old man and the young woman.

"Old Poison, how come even you—"

Dugu Bo smiled without a word.

Nonsense, of course he had to help his granddaughter tie this kid down firmly.

A monster who could take down a ten-thousand-year soul beast at the age of seven—why leave him for someone else if he didn't tie him down?

Dugu Yan followed right behind Lin Jiang, laughing happily.

"Hehe."

Once they entered the main hall, Dugu Bo pulled a small brocade pouch from his robes.

"Lin Jiang, this old man has a good item for you."

Lin Jiang: "Hm?"

Dugu Yan leaned over to take a look and curled her lips: "A storage Soul Tool? Grandpa, what's so special about that? I have plenty."

She took off her own ring and grabbed Lin Jiang's hand to slide it onto his finger.

"Lin Jiang, take this. My storage space is huge!"

Lin Jiang looked at the ring that had appeared on his finger, then at Dugu Yan's face, which was waiting for praise.

"...Thank you?"

Dugu Yan nodded in satisfaction.

Dugu Bo coughed from the side.

"Mine is not just an ordinary storage Soul Tool."

He handed the pouch to Lin Jiang.

"This is called a Wish-fulfilling Hundred Treasure Pouch—it can store living things."

Lin Jiang's eyes lit up.

"Really?!"

He took the pouch and examined it over and over.

Living things?