First Soul Skill, Golden Thunder Transformation

The group ventured deep into the forest, and occasionally, low-level soul beasts would sense the oppressive aura of Qian Xunji and scatter in all directions.

Dean Zhu was extremely familiar with the terrain, avoiding unnecessary trouble along the way while leading the three of them toward the tracks of the three soul beasts Lin Fan required.

Dean Zhu often brought students from the junior Soul Master Academy to the Martial Soul Forest, so he was naturally intimately acquainted with it.

Before long, they arrived in a bamboo grove.

The closer they got to the bamboo grove, the more intense the lightning-attribute soul power in the air became.

Several golden bamboo stalks were visible, with fine sparks of lightning flickering between the leaves, radiating a warm yet pure energy fluctuation.

"Thirteen double-bamboo nodes—Dean Zhu, that must be a thousand-year Golden Thunder Bamboo!" Lin Fan said, looking at one of the thick, golden bamboo stalks.

"It is a thousand-year Golden Thunder Bamboo!"

Dean Zhu lowered his voice, his eyes unable to hide his surprise. "It's about thirteen hundred years old; it fits your requirements perfectly, Lin Fan!"

Qian Xunji nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping across the grove. He instantly sensed a soul beast lurking nearby, its soul power fluctuation no more than six hundred years—not worth mentioning to him.

Lin Fan felt a surge of joy. As he looked at the Golden Thunder Bamboo, which was pale gold all over with fine lightning patterns winding around its body, the lightning-element Star Dust within him began to stir frantically. A continuous sense of resonance washed over him; clearly, this Golden Thunder Bamboo was the soul beast most compatible with him.

At this moment, Lin Fan's disdain for Yu Xiaogang deepened.

The so-called Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul were nothing more than common knowledge known to the few powerhouses in the soul master world, repackaged as exclusive theories.

It might fool those who couldn't even afford an education.

Even then, Yu Xiaogang hadn't shared this theoretical knowledge with anyone else, except for his own disciples!

For a beast martial soul to absorb a plant-type soul ring was a viable path for a soul master's cultivation; it was just that few were willing to try it because beast martial souls were indeed better suited to absorbing soul rings from beast-type soul beasts.

Those who didn't know better were instead being swindled by Yu Xiaogang, who passed it off as his own original theory and was hailed as a true master!

Dean Zhu before him was merely a Soul King, yet he knew the compatibility between soul beasts and martial souls like the back of his hand, far surpassing that armchair theorist Yu Xiaogang.

If not for Yu Xiaogang's deliberate hype, his set of theories wouldn't be worth mentioning at all.

"Senior Brother!" Bibi Dong tugged on Lin Fan's sleeve, pointing at the Golden Thunder Bamboo. Her small face was full of curiosity, yet also carried a hint of anticipation.

Lin Fan snapped out of his thoughts and gave Bibi Dong a gentle smile, then turned to Dean Zhu and Qian Xunji, cupping his hands. "Teacher, Dean Zhu, I have decided. I want the soul ring of this Golden Thunder Bamboo."

"Very well. Since your mind is made up, then let us begin."

Qian Xunji spoke calmly, his tone carrying an unquestionable majesty. "The one guarding the Golden Thunder Bamboo is a six-hundred-year Thunder Pattern Snake. I will handle it to ensure the Golden Thunder Bamboo's soul ring remains intact."

Before the words had even faded, Qian Xunji flashed away. Without using any soul skills, he simply released a sliver of his aura, and a shrill hiss echoed from the depths of the bamboo grove. The Thunder Pattern Snake was instantly stunned by the pressure, losing all ability to resist.

At the same time, Dean Zhu beat the thousand-year Golden Thunder Bamboo until it was on the verge of death. "Lin Fan, come over and deliver the final blow."

Hearing this, Lin Fan's face lit up. He took the machete from Dean Zhu and slashed hard at the Golden Thunder Bamboo's wound!

Plant-type soul beasts were different from others; they could only remain in place. Like the Golden Thunder Bamboo, their means of attack were singular, relying only on the golden lightning radiating from their bodies.

As the Golden Thunder Bamboo died, a pale purple soul ring began to hover around its stalk.

"Sit down and absorb it," Dean Zhu said calmly.

Lin Fan nodded, then sat cross-legged. Under his guidance, the pale purple soul ring slowly descended around him.

Seeing this, Dean Zhu stood guard to the side, though his eyes were filled with anticipation.

This was a genius who had reached a thousand years for his very first soul ring!

Although Dean Zhu didn't know why Lin Fan and Bibi Dong both needed to absorb thousand-year rings for their first, he knew it was a secret.

He had his guesses, but Dean Zhu's heart remained firmly with Martial Soul Hall.

If Qian Xunji didn't speak of it, he wouldn't ask; he would know when the time was right.

As time passed, Lin Fan's back was completely drenched in sweat, but judging by his expression, it didn't seem to be too difficult for him.

Bibi Dong watched Lin Fan, feeling very worried. "Teacher, will Senior Brother be alright?"

"He will. Looking at him, this thirteen-hundred-year Golden Thunder Bamboo hasn't even reached the limit of what he can absorb," Qian Xunji said calmly.

"It hasn't reached his limit yet!" Bibi Dong looked at Lin Fan with some surprise, then let out a sigh of relief.

Two hours flew by.

"It looks like it won't be long before he finishes absorbing it," Qian Xunji said, observing Lin Fan's current complexion.

Bibi Dong nodded, her expression full of expectation.

Seeing Lin Fan's state, a look of astonished joy appeared on Dean Zhu's face.

Another half-hour passed, and the pale purple soul ring swirling around Lin Fan suddenly flared with brilliant light.

His tightly closed eyes snapped open, a flash of golden lightning flickering in his pupils, and his aura surged upward.

"He succeeded!" Dean Zhu couldn't help but whisper, his face full of incredulous delight.

Absorbing a thousand-year soul beast for a first soul ring, and doing so so smoothly without the slightest backlash—such talent was unheard of. Looking across the entire soul master world, it could be called peerless!

Lin Fan stood up slowly and stretched his limbs, his bones popping with crisp sounds. A sense of power far exceeding what he had before filled his entire body.

"Senior Brother, hurry and tell me, what is your first soul skill!" Bibi Dong rushed forward, shouting with anticipation.

Lin Fan rubbed Bibi Dong's head affectionately, then said, "My first soul skill is called Golden Thunder Transformation."

"It can enhance the penetration of my lightning, and all soul skills released afterward will be boosted by 30% in every aspect. Furthermore, for every level my soul power increases, this percentage will also rise by 1%, up to a maximum of 50%."

"Moreover, after absorbing the soul ring dropped by the Golden Thunder Bamboo, my lightning can continuously temper my body."

"And because it is a thousand-year soul ring, the soul power energy it provided allowed me to jump directly to level thirteen."

As his words fell, two sharp intakes of breath sounded.

Bibi Dong turned around in confusion, looking at the astonished Qian Xunji and Dean Zhu. "Teacher, Dean, is there something strange about this?"

Hearing this, Qian Xunji gave Bibi Dong a playful flick on the forehead. "I tell you to study hard, but you just won't listen."

"The further Lin Fan progresses, the greater the benefits this soul skill will provide him!"

"A full 50%—even some low-level support-type soul masters couldn't achieve that."

"With this soul skill, it's equivalent to Lin Fan having an extra support-type soul master assisting him in the future."

"And since Lin Fan is already at level thirteen, he has effectively saved four or five months of cultivation."

Upon hearing this, Bibi Dong looked shocked. "What! It's actually that powerful!"

She turned her head to look at Lin Fan with an expression of admiration. "Senior Brother, you are too amazing!"

Lin Fan smiled slightly and then said, "Teacher, because my soul ring was absorbed from the Golden Thunder Bamboo, my Lightning Element martial soul has undergone some changes."

"Although it can only continuously strengthen the physique, it can also enhance others as well!"

Qian Xunji nodded. "Not bad. However, I imagine this strengthening process requires a long time to hone, right?"

Lin Fan nodded. "It's similar to the Golden Thunder Bamboo, but because we are human, it might be a bit faster."

"Then in the future, Dong'er can join you to strengthen her physique," Qian Xunji said with a smile.

Hearing this, Bibi Dong was stunned. "Senior Brother, how do we strengthen it?"

Lin Fan smiled slightly. "When we cultivate, just stay close to me."

"Ah?" Bibi Dong's face instantly flushed red. Thinking of what that implied, she couldn't help but mutter to herself, Doesn't that mean dual cultivation?