Mu Chen saw Yao Chuan keeping his head lowered and staying silent. He assumed Yao Chuan was worried about the cost. After all, the price of a hundred-year Soul Spirit and a thousand-year Soul Spirit was worlds apart. An ordinary family simply couldn't afford one.
To keep Yao Chuan from feeling pressured, Mu Chen immediately patted him on the shoulder and reassured him in a relaxed tone.
"Yao Chuan, don't worry about the money."
Your Uncle Mu is an Eight-Star Saint Craftsman, after all. I've got enough savings to cover this."
"When ordinary people buy a Soul Spirit, they have no choice but to gamble on a random draw. If their luck is bad, they lose everything."
"But you're different. Forget a hundred-year Soul Spirit—even if it's a thousand-year Soul Spirit, you can pick whichever one you want! Whichever one catches your eye, we'll buy!"
Mu Chen spoke with absolute confidence, a hint of pride on his face.
The influence and wealth of an Eight-Star Saint Craftsman certainly gave him reason to be so sure of himself.
Yao Chuan felt a warmth in his heart after hearing that, but he shook his head to show that this wasn't about whether it was a thousand-year Soul Spirit or not.
He raised his head and looked at Mu Chen and Mu Xi with a serious expression, then voiced what he had in mind.
"Uncle Mu, Sis, I want to try a higher-level Soul Spirit. For example..." He paused, then uttered a single phrase. "An Indomitable Soul Spirit."
"An Indomitable Soul Spirit?"
The smile on Mu Chen's face froze at once. His voice rose slightly, and his eyes filled with astonishment.
"You... are you sure? That thing... isn't something to fool around with."
Mu Chen's tone turned grave.
He knew exactly what an "Indomitable Soul Spirit" meant. It was practically a legendary being that couldn't be absorbed, and the risks were enormous.
Yao Chuan nodded firmly, without the slightest hesitation in his eyes.
"I'm sure."
"I feel like... my Martial Soul needs an opponent like that. And my body and spiritual power should be able to withstand it."
Looking at Yao Chuan's determined little face, Mu Chen thought of his freakish physical constitution and spiritual power, as well as his two imposing Black Dragon Martial Souls. He fell into thought.
He was silent for several seconds, but in the end, he slowly nodded, choosing to respect Yao Chuan's decision.
"All right. Since you've made up your mind and have the confidence to back it up, Uncle Mu will support you."
"Let's go."
"We'll go find Old Li."
Mu Chen had respected Yao Chuan's choice, but when they told branch tower master Old Li the news, his reaction was much more intense.
Old Li sprang straight up from his comfortable chair, his eyes practically bulging out of his head.
He looked at Yao Chuan, then at Mu Chen, his face full of disbelief.
"What? You want an Indomitable Soul Spirit right off the bat? Old Mu, have you gone crazy? Or has your son gone crazy? Is that something you can just try on a whim?"
Old Li's voice had turned almost shrill.
He hurried over to Yao Chuan, trying to talk him out of the crazy idea.
"Kid, listen to Uncle Li. An Indomitable Soul Spirit isn't an ordinary Soul Spirit. It's formed from the remnant souls of top Soul Beasts with unyielding pride, the kind that would rather die than submit."
"They were unruly in life, and after death, their wills remain fiercely concentrated. They're extremely, extremely aggressive! Someone of your age and level has no business going near one! It's not as if top experts throughout history haven't tried to claim them. I know of one such case. It was a Level 90 Titled Douluo."
"A Titled Douluo! He thought he was strong enough and tried to absorb the Indomitable Soul Spirit of a ten-thousand-year Tyrant Dragon as his final Soul Spirit. Guess what happened?"
Old Li's expression turned grim.
"The Tyrant Dragon's remnant soul broke through its restraints by force! It turned on him during the fusion! And that Titled Douluo..."
Old Li made a slashing gesture across his throat.
"He was gone on the spot! That was a Titled Douluo! If even he couldn't withstand it, then what about you, a little kid who's only just awakened his Martial Soul..."
Old Li shook his head like a rattle drum.
"No! Absolutely not. The risk is too great! This isn't absorbing a Soul Spirit—it's gambling with your life! I can't just watch your son leap into a pit of fire, Old Mu, and I certainly can't let you have an accident on my turf!"
Yao Chuan remained calm after hearing Old Li's warning.
He already knew all this, but his resolve hadn't wavered in the slightest. He spoke again, his tone firm.
"Uncle Li, I still want to try. If I don't, I won't be satisfied."
Seeing that Yao Chuan wouldn't listen to reason,
Old Li stamped his foot in frustration and turned to Mu Chen.
"Old Mu, say something! Hurry up and talk some sense into this kid! He's too young to know better, but surely you do!"
Mu Chen looked at Yao Chuan, then at his anxious old friend. He took a deep breath and patted Old Li on the shoulder.
"Old Li, let him try."
"I understand why you're worried, but Yao Chuan isn't an ordinary child. You know his situation better than anyone. You saw the commotion when he awakened just now. His Martial Soul is special, and his spiritual power is far beyond that of an ordinary person."
"Maybe... he really can create a miracle. Besides, aren't the two of us old geezers right here watching over him?"
Mu Chen's tone turned exceptionally solemn.
"Don't worry. I'll keep a close eye on him the entire time. The instant anything goes wrong, I'll step in. I'll forcefully interrupt the fusion, and I won't let anything happen to him."
"You two are being completely reckless!"
Old Li pointed at Mu Chen and Yao Chuan,
panting with rage. But when he saw the unyielding look in Mu Chen's eyes and Yao Chuan's stubborn little face,
he finally gave in and let out a heavy sigh.
"Sigh, fine, fine! I can't win against you father and son. I must've owed you in a past life!"
"But I'll make this clear right now! I can provide an Indomitable Soul Spirit for you to try, but it'll have to be the lowest age available! And if anything seems wrong, you must stop immediately!"
"Old Mu, keep your eyes glued to him! Don't let him try to tough it out!"
Mu Chen immediately promised him.
"Don't worry! I'm even more nervous about this kid than you are. I'd never let him take a risk."
Only then did Old Li reluctantly walk to the control console in the center of the room, his fingers moving quickly across the holographic display.
He was still grumbling under his breath. "They really don't know the height of heaven or the depth of the earth... Young people these days..."
"If you really want to give it a try, then use this one."
"This one is relatively... well... 'gentle.'"
As he spoke, Old Li lightly tapped a special button on the console with his right hand.
Hummm...
The metal wall on one side of the room slowly split open.
A "Spirit Cage," constructed from high-strength special alloy and an energy field, was pushed out by a mechanical arm.
Light flickered inside the cage, which radiated powerful energy fluctuations and a pressure that made the heart tremble. The indistinct phantom of a powerful Soul Spirit appeared and disappeared within.
Its form instantly put Mu Chen on edge.
"This is..."
Mu Chen's voice changed pitch.
He pointed at the cage and stared at Old Li in shock.
"An Ao Jin White Flame Dragon?!"
"Old Li! What are you playing at?! This thing is even more vicious and difficult to deal with than an ordinary Indomitable Soul Spirit Tyrant Dragon!"
"You're giving this to Yao Chuan to try? There's no way he can absorb it! Are you trying to kill him?!"
Old Li chuckled.
He quickly waved his hands and explained.
"Don't panic, don't panic. Look carefully. This Ao Jin White Flame Dragon never fully matured. It wasn't very old when it was alive, so the Indomitable Soul Spirit formed from its remnant soul has an energy level roughly equivalent to a top-tier thousand-year Soul Spirit. It's still far from the ten-thousand-year level."
He paused, then added, seeing that Mu Chen still looked displeased.
"I know what you're thinking. I brought it out because I want Yao Chuan to understand just how terrifying an Indomitable Soul Spirit is."
"Even an Indomitable Soul Spirit formed from a juvenile Ao Jin White Flame Dragon has a will and aggression no less than those of an adult Tyrant Dragon!"
"It might make him back down once he understands the danger. If he still wants to try, at least he'll know what he's getting into. He shouldn't think Indomitable Soul Spirits are easy to bully."
Yao Chuan paid no attention to the argument between Mu Chen and Old Li.
His gaze
was already completely drawn to the Soul Spirit phantom inside the cage.
He could feel the two Black Dragon Martial Souls on his shoulders itching to move, as if they were very interested in this opponent.
And even
as though they were looking down on it from above.
He stepped forward, approaching the Spirit Cage that radiated an oppressive force.
The moment he drew near,
the cage shook violently!
The Ao Jin White Flame Dragon Soul Spirit inside seemed to have been thoroughly enraged!
A terrifying, violent spiritual shock, brimming with destruction and fury, burst from the cage like a tangible hurricane and rushed straight at Yao Chuan!
"Roar!"
A soundless dragon's roar exploded directly in the depths of their souls, filled with boundless arrogance and fury, carrying the most direct command!
"Human!"
"Get lost!"
The spiritual shock was so powerful that Mu Xi, standing not far behind Yao Chuan, instantly turned deathly pale!
She felt as if an invisible mountain had slammed into her head-on!
Her chest tightened, she struggled to breathe, and her head buzzed!
Her body staggered backward uncontrollably!
Mu Xi was horrified. She was already close to Level 20 and about to acquire her Second Soul Ring, a Soul Grandmaster!
Yet even standing off to the side and taking only a little of the shockwave was almost too much for her!
One could imagine just how terrifying the pressure must be on Yao Chuan, who was facing the full force of it!
This thing wasn't meant to be absorbed by a human at all!
And yet, in the face of this spiritual shock—powerful enough to make even a Soul Grandmaster collapse—
Yao Chuan didn't retreat. Instead, an even more excited light blazed in his eyes!
"Submit?"
He murmured softly, the corner of his mouth curling into a cold smile.
"Before me, the one who should kneel"
"is you!"
As his words fell,
BOOM!
An aura even more ancient, more majestic, and more domineering burst from Yao Chuan with a thunderous roar, as if it came from the very source of his bloodline!
Space around his shoulders twisted violently. Two dragon-shaped phantoms, jet-black from head to tail, their scales shimmering with a cold, profound luster, instantly solidified. They coiled over Yao Chuan's shoulders!
They held their heads high and unleashed soundless roars at the phantom of the Ao Jin White Flame Dragon inside the cage!
It was the absolute suppression of a being at the very pinnacle of life!
A king's majesty that could not be questioned!
"Roar!"
The Ao Jin White Flame Dragon phantom inside the Spirit Cage had been violent, unruly, and imperious. But the instant the two Black Dragon phantoms appeared, its spiritual shock met its natural nemesis! Its true ancestor!
Its illusory dragon body stiffened! Its violent aura deflated like a punctured balloon, weakening in an instant!
In those dragon eyes, once filled with ferocity,
for the first time, clear disbelief and a terror that reached deep into its soul appeared!
Its proud head lowered against its will.
Its enormous phantom even began to tremble, as though it might fall apart at any moment!
It didn't look "indomitable" in the slightest. It looked like a giant lizard scared out of its wits!
Yao Chuan's gaze was cold. Like a god high above, he looked down at the trembling Soul Spirit in the cage.
He moved his mind.
"Come here!"
"Form the contract!"
His voice carried a command that allowed no defiance.
There was no resistance, no struggle. Under everyone's stunned gaze,
the Ao Jin White Flame Dragon Indomitable Soul Spirit—which had just been so unruly that it had even dared to turn on a Titled Douluo—
was now as docile as the most obedient pet.
It turned into a streak of flowing pale flames and obediently merged into Yao Chuan's body.
The Soul Spirit Contract was formed perfectly.
Hummm...
A surge of pure and powerful Soul Power immediately surged through Yao Chuan's body.
His Soul Power Level shot up from Level 10 and stabilized at around Level 13, officially making him a Soul Master.
The entire room fell deathly silent. Old Li's mouth hung open wide enough to fit a goose egg, and his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Mu Chen sucked in a sharp breath, his hand clenching unconsciously.
Even he had been deeply shaken by the crushing display just now.
Mu Xi covered her little mouth, her beautiful eyes shining with disbelief.
Old Li stared at Yao Chuan, who stood there quietly as if he'd just done something utterly trivial.
Feeling as though everything he understood had been shaken to its core, he muttered to himself, his voice a little dazed.
"Wait... bro..."
"What just happened?"
"The way I understand Soul Spirit fusion... it's not supposed to be like this... You're supposed to establish a spiritual connection with the Soul Spirit, communicate carefully, and gradually earn its approval."
"Then give it some pure Soul Power as a sweetener, and finally, when the moment comes and it willingly bows its head... form the contract and absorb it in one smooth motion..."
"What are you doing? Just making it kneel? Taking it by force?"
"This..."
He pointed at Yao Chuan, then at the empty Spirit Cage.
In the end.
The well-traveled branch master of the Spirit Pagoda held it in for a long while before letting out a desperate cry.
"I won't accept this!"
Before you continue