The Soul Skill's Effect is Quite Good

Lin Qingzhou hesitated for a second. It was not because he feared hurting Mu Ye, but because he feared exposing too much of his own background.

But he immediately reasoned that Mu Ye's Body Martial Soul was renowned for its defensive prowess; a level 94 Title Douluo standing still to let a level 20-something Soul Grand Master attack him was likely no different than an adult letting an infant tickle them.

There was no point in hiding anything further.

With a thought, purple-gold magic patterns spread from his heart, and two purple soul rings lit up simultaneously.

The light from the first soul ring surged into his limbs first. His muscles tensed instantly, and his bones emitted a faint, crisp clicking sound. His body did not grow in size, but his overall density skyrocketed in that instant.

That was his core ability—Power of End, a pure amplification of strength.

"An amplification-type soul skill, increasing strength by about thirty percent. Not flashy, but practical. Combined with my Innate Divine Strength, I can suppress thousand-year-level Soul Beasts with brute force alone."

Lin Qingzhou explained the effect of his first soul skill to Mu Ye concisely.

Immediately after, the second soul ring lit up. Dark purple light surged from his palm, condensing into a fist-sized orb of light. The exterior of the orb was wrapped in a layer of scorching, dark purple Power of End, while a faint, silvery-white glimmer could be seen circulating at its core.

"Second soul skill, Devour of End," he continued to explain. "Dual physical and energy damage, with an added trace of mental shock. Once hit, the opponent will experience a momentary state of mental confusion."

As soon as he finished speaking, he moved. There was no charging up, no warning; his body sprang forward like a spring compressed to its limit, leaving a visible shallow crater in the reinforced floor beneath his feet.

He crossed the dozen-meter distance in a single stride, his right hand clenched into a fist wrapped in concentrated Power of End, striking straight toward Mu Ye's chest.

Mu Ye did not dodge or raise his hands to block; he simply thickened his soul power protective layer by a few degrees.

Lin Qingzhou's fist slammed into the protective layer, producing a dull, explosive boom.

The Power of End detonated at the point of impact, and a purple-black shockwave rippled outward from Mu Ye's chest. The walls of the training room hummed from the aftermath, and the target machine's dashboard in the corner jumped several notches.

Mu Ye's protective layer remained unmoved. However, the expression on his face was no longer the nonchalance from before.

He looked down at the lingering purple light spots on the protective layer over his chest. Those spots were spreading along the surface like a cracked ice sheet struck by a hammer—though it hadn't shattered, it had fractured.

"A level 24 Soul Grand Master,"

He spoke slowly, "To leave spreading cracks on thirty percent of my defense with a single punch—this strength is at least on the level of a three-ring Soul Elder."

He looked up at Lin Qingzhou, his eyes half-squinted. "The amplification ratio of your first soul skill is likely more than thirty percent, kid."

Lin Qingzhou retracted his fist and stood steady, his breathing slightly rapid. Mu Ye pondered for a moment before delivering his assessment.

"Your strength and attack power far exceed those of your level. With level 24 soul power and the foundation of your physical constitution, your actual combat power is roughly at the level of a level 32 or 33 Soul Elder. If you combine it with the effect of the mental shock, you can take further advantage against inexperienced opponents."

He paused, then added.

"However, your shortcomings are also very obvious. Your soul power reserves are insufficient. Both soul skills are high-consumption types; if you go all-out, you can only last a few minutes at most."

"If you encounter a war of attrition or a control-type opponent, you will be worn down to death. That is why the sect says not to use your soul skills lightly. Every extra trump card you hold is an extra layer of protection for your life."

Mu Ye's evaluation was simple and direct, hitting the nail on the head with every word. "Against those at your level, it's a one-hit affair. You can even fight those ten levels higher. But beyond that, when you encounter a truly tough opponent, your lack of soul power reserves will cause you to suffer if the fight drags on."

After listening, Lin Qingzhou was neither smug nor dejected; he simply nodded calmly. He knew in his heart that Mu Ye was absolutely right.

His strength and explosive power could crush those at his level or even higher, but his total soul power was currently his most glaring weakness. This was not something that could be rushed; it could only be accumulated slowly through cultivation and breakthroughs.

He retracted the light effects of his two soul skills, and the purple-gold magic patterns faded back into his skin.

Mu Ye watched the efficiency with which he retracted his martial soul, a flicker of imperceptible satisfaction crossing his eyes. This kid was neither arrogant nor impetuous and was well aware of his own strengths and weaknesses; this temperament was even rarer than his talent.

"Alright, that's enough for today. Starting tomorrow, your training intensity will double. If your soul power doesn't grow, no matter how great your strength is, you're just a paper tiger."

Mu Ye turned and walked toward the door. Halfway there, he suddenly looked back and added in a casual tone, "Oh, and if you still have energy left, add another hour of training yourself. Don't slack off; I can smell it."

Lin Qingzhou smiled helplessly and clenched his fists again. The purple-gold magic patterns lit up once more, and the low sound of wind being broken echoed through the training room.

In the corridor of the Blacksmith Guild headquarters, Mu Ye paced slowly with his hands behind his back, the smile he had brought out from the training room still lingering at the corners of his mouth.

He walked a few steps before stopping at a corner, reaching out to knock on a decorative metal plate hanging on the wall.

"Old Zhen Hua, stop pretending."

The hidden door next to the metal plate slid open silently, and Zhen Hua stepped out, his face showing a calm composure even after being caught. He was holding a cup of tea that had gone completely cold, clearly having been in the secret room for quite a while.

"How did you know I was here?"

"I can smell the unique burnt-oil scent of your forging furnace through three layers of walls." Mu Ye snorted. "How much did you see?"

"From start to finish." Zhen Hua took a sip of the cold tea, his brows furrowing slightly. "You evaluated his first soul skill's amplification ratio at thirty percent just now. I don't think so. Among soul skills below the fourth ring, I've seen fewer than three that can force an increase of over fifty percent on base strength. His Power of End is at least at that level."

Mu Ye wiped the lingering smile from his face and nodded seriously. "The mental shock from the second soul skill is even more troublesome. Physical damage and energy bursts are easy to defend against, but mental interference is impossible to guard against. If a soul master of the same level has weaker mental power than him, getting hit means instant defeat. Even those one level higher will be affected as long as their mental power hasn't reached the Spirit Connection Realm."

"Are you showing off to me?" Zhen Hua glanced at him. "You picked up a genius capable of cross-level combat and you're afraid others won't know?"

"Am I that kind of person?" Mu Ye remained expressionless. "I am merely stating the facts."

"You are." Zhen Hua downed the cold tea and set the cup aside. "But in all seriousness, this child hides too many things. My forging world might even benefit from him in the future."

"Don't think that far ahead yet," Mu Ye patted his shoulder. "He still has to pass our tests first. Tomorrow, the training intensity doubles, and he has to attend your forging lessons too. No one is allowed to slack off."

Zhen Hua shook his head helplessly, though a hint of a smile tugged at his lips. The two walked side by side toward the end of the corridor, while the sound of wind being broken continued to emanate from the training room—one strike after another, relentless and steady.