Lin Qingzhou hesitated for a second. It wasn't because he was afraid of hurting Mu Ye, but because he was worried about revealing too much of what he could do.
But then he remembered that Mu Ye's Body Martial Soul excelled at defense. A level 94 Titled Douluo standing still while a Soul Grandmaster in his twenties hit him was probably about as dangerous as an adult letting a baby tickle him.
There was no point in holding back.
With a thought, purple-gold demonic markings spread outward from his chest, and both purple Soul Rings lit up at once.
The light of the First Soul Ring surged into his limbs. His muscles instantly tensed, and his bones gave a faint series of crackles. His body didn't grow, but its density surged dramatically in that instant.
That was his core ability—Power of End, a pure boost to his strength.
"An enhancement-type Soul Skill. It raises his strength by around thirty percent. Nothing fancy, but practical. Combined with his Innate Divine Strength, he can suppress thousand-year Soul Beasts through sheer brute force alone."
Lin Qingzhou briefly explained the effect of his first Soul Skill to Mu Ye.
Then the second Soul Ring lit up. A dark purple glow welled from his palm, condensing into a fist-sized orb. A layer of searing, dark purple destructive energy wrapped around it, while a faint glimmer of silver-white light could be seen swirling at its core.
"My second Soul Skill, Devour of End." He continued his explanation. "It inflicts both physical and energy damage, with a touch of mental impact. Anyone hit by it will suffer a moment of mental confusion."
As soon as he finished speaking, he was already moving. No windup, no warning—his body shot forward like a spring compressed to its limit and suddenly released. The protected floor beneath his foot gave way, leaving a shallow crater visible to the naked eye.
He crossed the dozen or so meters in a single stride, clenched his right fist, and drove it straight toward Mu Ye's chest, concentrated destructive energy wrapped around his knuckles.
Mu Ye didn't dodge or raise a hand to block. He simply thickened his Soul Power barrier a little.
Lin Qingzhou's fist slammed into the barrier with a muffled boom.
The destructive energy burst at the point of impact. A purple-black shockwave spread outward from Mu Ye's chest, making the training room walls hum. The indicators on the targeting machine in the corner jumped several notches.
Mu Ye's barrier didn't budge. But the look on his face was no longer as casual as before.
He looked down at the purple spots left on the barrier over his chest. They were spreading across its surface like cracks in ice struck by a hammer. The barrier hadn't shattered, but it had developed a pattern of fine lines.
"A level 24 Soul Grandmaster,"
he said slowly. "To leave spreading cracks in thirty percent of my defense with a single punch... That's at least the strength of a third-ring Soul Elder."
He looked up at Lin Qingzhou, eyes half narrowed. "The enhancement from your first Soul Skill is probably more than thirty percent."
Lin Qingzhou withdrew his fist and steadied himself, breathing a little hard. Mu Ye pondered for a moment before giving his assessment.
"Your strength and attack power are far above average for your level. With level 24 Soul Power and your physical strength, your actual combat ability is probably around that of a level 32 or 33 Soul Elder. And with the mental impact, you can gain an even bigger advantage against inexperienced opponents."
He paused, then added,
"But your weaknesses are obvious, too. You don't have enough Soul Power reserves, and both your Soul Skills consume a lot. If you go all out, you'll last only a few minutes at most."
"Against an opponent who can wear you down or control you, they could grind you to death. That's why the sect told you not to use your Soul Skills lightly. One more trump card means one more chance of surviving."
Mu Ye's assessment was simple and direct, every word hitting the mark. "Against someone at your level, one blow is enough. You can even fight people ten levels above you. But beyond that, when you run into a real tough opponent, you'll be at a disadvantage if the fight drags on because you don't have enough Soul Power."
Lin Qingzhou listened without feeling smug or disappointed. He simply nodded calmly. He knew Mu Ye was absolutely right.
His strength and explosive power could crush opponents at his level or even above it, but his limited Soul Power was his biggest weakness for now. There was no rushing that. He could only build it up gradually through cultivation and breakthroughs.
He drew back the light effects of both Soul Skills, and the purple-gold demonic markings faded back beneath his skin.
Mu Ye watched him withdraw his Martial Soul so smoothly, and a faint glimmer of approval passed through his eyes. The kid wasn't arrogant or impatient, and he knew his own strengths and weaknesses. That kind of temperament was even rarer than talent.
"All right, that's enough for today. Starting tomorrow, you'll train twice as hard. If your Soul Power doesn't increase, all that strength is just a paper tiger."
Mu Ye turned toward the door. Halfway there, he suddenly looked back and added in a casual tone, "By the way, if you still have energy left, put in another hour on your own. Don't slack off. I can smell it."
Lin Qingzhou smiled helplessly and clenched his fists again. The purple-gold demonic markings lit up once more, and the training room filled with the low whoosh of breaking air.
In the corridors of the Blacksmith Guild headquarters, Mu Ye strolled along with his hands behind his back, the smile he'd brought out of the training room still tugging at his lips.
After a few steps, he suddenly stopped at a corner and rapped on a decorative metal panel hanging on the wall.
"Old Zhen Hua, quit pretending."
The hidden door beside the metal panel slid open without a sound, and Zhen Hua stepped out with the unruffled calm of someone who didn't feel the least bit guilty about being caught. He held a cup of tea that had long since gone cold, clearly having spent quite a while in the secret room.
"How'd you know I was in there?"
"The distinctive smell of burnt oil from your forge carries through three walls." Mu Ye snorted. "How much did you see?"
"From beginning to end." Zhen Hua took a sip of the cold tea, his brows pinching together. "You just put the enhancement from his first Soul Skill at thirty percent. I don't think it's that low. I've seen no more than three enhancement Soul Skills below the fourth ring that can add over fifty percent to someone's base strength. His Power of End is at least at that level."
Mu Ye's lingering smile faded, and he nodded seriously. "The mental impact from his second Soul Skill is even more troublesome. Physical attacks and energy explosions are easy enough to defend against, but mental interference is impossible to guard against. Soul Masters at his level have weaker mental strength than he does. If they get hit, it's an instant kill. Even someone one level above him will be affected if their mental strength hasn't reached the Spirit Connection Realm."
"Are you showing off to me?" Zhen Hua glanced at him. "You found yourself a genius who can fight above his level, and now you're afraid no one knows?"
"Do I look like that kind of person?" Mu Ye replied without batting an eye. "I'm just stating the facts."
"You absolutely are." Zhen Hua drained the cold tea and set down the cup. "But seriously, that kid's hiding a lot. The forging world might benefit from him someday."
"Don't get ahead of yourself." Mu Ye patted his shoulder. "He still has to get past the two of us first. Starting tomorrow, his training gets twice as hard, and he'll have your forging lessons, too. Neither of us is letting him slack off."
Zhen Hua shook his head helplessly, though a smile tugged at his lips. The two of them walked side by side toward the end of the corridor. The whooshing sounds from the training room continued, one after another, tight and unbroken.
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