Mu En nodded after listening.
He did not rush to praise him. Instead, leaning on his cane, he paced twice around the study.
"The Yin-Yang Divine Dragon Transformation... it has enough presence." The old man stopped and turned to Mu Tianyi. "But presence alone is not enough. We need to figure out exactly what this form can do."
He reached out, placed a hand on Mu Tianyi's shoulder, and examined him carefully, his brows knitting slightly.
"A three-hundred-percent increase to all attributes, and a five-hundred-percent bonus to light and dark attribute damage..."
"A Martial Soul Fusion Skill of this intensity should not be sustainable for long with your current physique and Soul Power."
Mu Tianyi could feel it himself.
Although the two forces inside him were balanced, maintaining their circulation consumed an enormous amount of energy, like a fuel-guzzling beast.
It felt great to floor the accelerator, but the fuel tank was draining just as fast.
"Come on." Mu En withdrew his hand and headed for the door. "Let's find an open area. Xuan Zu will spar with you."
The two left Sea God Pavilion, crossed a bamboo grove, and arrived at an open field on the western side of Sea God Island.
This had originally been one of the grounds where Inner Court students practiced combat.
There was no one around at the moment. Only the afternoon sunlight blanketed the bluestone ground.
Mu En walked to the center of the field, turned around, tapped his cane against the ground, and sat cross-legged.
His white hair was thick, his body stooped. He looked like an old statue weathered by the years.
Yet his eyes shone with startling brightness.
"Come, Tianyi." The old man crooked a finger at Mu Tianyi. "Use your strongest state. No need to hold back."
Mu Tianyi took a deep breath and did not hesitate.
"Yin-Yang Divine Dragon Transformation!"
Two streams of energy, one black and one white, burst from his body and intertwined behind him into that profound Yin-Yang pattern.
His body grew taller, white hair spilling over his shoulders, while the dark streaks at his forehead looked as though they had been cut with a blade.
Behind him, black-and-white wings exploded open!
Two purple soul rings rose from beneath his feet and slowly revolved around his body.
Mu Tianyi clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within him. His black eyes ringed in gold locked onto Mu En.
"Xuan Zu, be careful."
His second soul ring lit up—Radiant Dragon Body!
A golden glow covered his entire body. The already terrifying all-attribute enhancement of the Yin-Yang Divine Dragon Transformation stacked with Radiant Dragon Body's two-hundred-percent boost to strength and light damage, causing Mu Tianyi's aura to surge dramatically.
He did not hesitate. His body flashed forward.
First soul ring, Sacred Dragon Rending Sky Claw!
Light power condensed around the dragon claw on his right arm. Five golden blades tore through the air with piercing sonic booms, striking straight for Mu En's face!
He held nothing back with this strike.
Its speed, power, and angle had all reached the absolute limit he could currently achieve.
Then—
Smack.
A withered hand rose unhurriedly, its five fingers spread wide, and steadily caught the dragon claw capable of rending steel.
Mu En did not move an inch.
He did not even change his seated posture.
"Not bad power." The old man's tone was flat, as if he were judging whether a dish was too salty. "But it's still not enough. Again!"
Mu Tianyi's pupils contracted slightly. He withdrew his claw and retreated, then stomped his right foot down hard.
Hell Demon Dragon right leg bone, activate!
Dark-purple light erupted from his right leg. The phantom of an ink-black demon dragon coiled upward, wrapping around his entire right leg.
This eighty-thousand-year soul bone had granted him a purely offensive soul skill—Demon Dragon Heaven-Shattering Strike.
It condensed the Destruction power of the Hell Demon Dragon into his right leg, unleashing a lethal kick.
When it hit its target, dark attribute damage doubled, and it also inflicted the "Dragon Might Suppression" effect, briefly suppressing the will to resist of lower-grade dragon-type Martial Souls.
Mu Tianyi spun, bringing his right leg down like a battle-axe!
This kick whipped up black shockwaves, and even the bluestone beneath his feet cracked into a spiderweb pattern from the aftershock.
Mu En still did not rise.
He merely raised his right hand. A ball of gentle holy light lit up in his palm as he pushed it upward.
Boom!
The black dragon-shaped force collided with the holy light, blasting out a visible ring of air.
Mu En's hand remained as steady as a rock.
But his brows twitched slightly.
Mu Tianyi took a breath, the fighting spirit in his eyes growing fiercer.
He did not use another soul skill.
Instead, he closed his eyes.
The essence of the Yin-Yang Divine Dragon Transformation was neither soul rings nor soul bones, but an entirely new form born from the fusion of two Martial Souls.
In this form, the power flowing through his body was neither pure light nor pure darkness.
It was Chaos Power, where Yin and Yang intertwined between the two.
That was the power he wanted to test.
Mu Tianyi opened his eyes and shot forward!
He did not use any soul skill. He merely condensed the Chaos Power within him into his right fist and punched toward Mu En's chest.
There was no sonic boom, no glow, and it even looked utterly ordinary.
But Mu En's eyes lit up.
The old man no longer blocked with holy light. Instead, he raised his left hand and caught the punch with his bare palm.
Fist and palm collided.
A dull sound rang out, like the beating of a war drum.
The corners of Mu En's mouth slowly curled upward.
"Now that punch is interesting." The old man nodded, and genuine approval appeared in his gaze.
Mu Tianyi's heart jolted.
It worked!
He took a deep breath as Yin and Yang power surged wildly through his body, preparing to launch an even stronger attack.
At that instant—
A boundless aura descended from above like the sea!
Mu En remained seated and did not even stand. He merely lifted his eyes and glanced at Mu Tianyi.
Just one glance.
Mu Tianyi's movements froze completely.
His body felt as though an invisible mountain had crushed down upon it. Every inch of muscle and every wisp of Soul Power was locked in place, leaving him unable to move.
It felt like an ant gazing up at the heavens.
"That's enough. Stop." Mu En's voice was calm, yet it carried unquestionable authority. "Withdraw your Soul Power. If you keep going, this will no longer be something you can control."
Gritting his teeth, Mu Tianyi slowly withdrew his power.
The Yin-Yang pattern behind him faded, his white hair turned black again, and his body shrank back into that of a child.
He panted heavily, his back already soaked through with cold sweat.
Mu En rose to his feet, brushed the dust from his robe, walked over to Mu Tianyi, and rubbed his head.
"Your Yin-Yang Divine Dragon Transformation is very powerful." The old man's tone was certain, his eyes full of gratification. "With your current condition, if you unleash everything you have, you can fight a Soul Emperor-level opponent."
Mu Tianyi's eyes widened.
A Soul Emperor?
He was only level twenty-five, not even a Soul Elder.
"And..." Mu En changed the subject, a sharp glint flashing through his deep eyes, "if you face a dragon-type Martial Soul with bloodline quality inferior to your Bright Sacred Dragon and Dark Sacred Dragon, you can suppress them even further."
"Martial Soul suppression is more lethal in a real battle than a gap in Soul Power Level."
Mu Tianyi paused, then the corners of his mouth slowly lifted.
Soul Emperor-level combat power, with the added suppression of dragon bloodlines.
That was the true value of the Yin-Yang Divine Dragon Transformation.
Seeing the trace of barely concealed smugness on his great-grandson's face, Mu En snorted and tapped his cane against the ground.
"Don't celebrate too soon. At most, this state of yours can last the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. After one fight, you'll need to rest for three days."
Before you continue