After lunch, the sun had begun to sink westward.
The wind from Sea God Island swept across the lake with a salty, damp scent, rustling the parasol tree leaves along the shore.
Mu Tianyi changed into a light set of martial attire.
His black short tunic was cinched at the waist, its cuffs tightened. He looked a little less like an inexperienced boy and a little more sharp and capable.
When he reached the shore of Sea God Lake, he spotted two figures from afar.
One was bent at the waist and leaning on a cane, his long silver-white hair swaying gently in the wind. It was none other than his Xuan Zu, Mu En.
The other...
Mu Tianyi's gaze paused slightly.
Zhang Lexuan stood by the lake, backed by its shimmering waters, her head slightly turned toward the direction from which he was approaching.
The girl had changed into martial attire as well.
Her pale cyan belted long dress had been replaced by a silver-gray outfit.
The cuffs were tightly bound, and a black belt encircled her waist, outlining a slender yet far from delicate figure.
Her black hair was tied high into a ponytail, revealing her smooth forehead and fair neck.
She looked entirely different from the gentle, scholarly girl she had been that morning.
At that moment, there was a touch more heroism between her brows. Her stance was no longer as prim and proper as that of a noble young lady; instead, her back was straight, her shoulders relaxed, and she faintly exuded a composure that did not match her age.
Mu Tianyi stared for a moment.
That temperament...
She was like a sword hidden within its sheath.
She did not draw attention, but one could not help feeling that she would be razor-sharp once unsheathed.
Mu Tianyi felt that the single word "cool" could not have suited Zhang Lexuan better at that moment.
"Tianyi, you're here." Zhang Lexuan spoke first and smiled at him. Her voice remained soft and gentle, though her tone was much more natural than it had been that morning. "You're all ready, right?"
Mu Tianyi came back to himself, gave a dry cough, and walked over.
"I'm ready, but why are you here too, Sister Lexuan?"
Mu Tianyi was somewhat surprised.
Zhang Lexuan explained, "It's quite a coincidence. My Soul Power reached level twenty-nine some time ago, and after cultivating for a while, I was only one step away from level thirty."
"At noon, while I was in my room, I had nothing to do, so I cultivated for a bit and broke through. Mu En decided to bring me along as well."
"So that's how it is. Congratulations, Sister Lexuan."
Then Mu Tianyi looked toward Mu En and respectfully performed a junior's salute.
"Xuan Zu."
Mu En stroked his beard and assessed his great-grandson with a smile.
"Good. You look spirited."
The old man paused, then glanced at Zhang Lexuan, the smile at the corner of his mouth deepening.
"Everyone's here. Let's go."
From Sea God Island to the Star Dou Great Forest, it would not take long at Mu En's speed.
However, considering that the two youngsters needed to travel on their own, the old man rarely refrained from using his full strength. Instead, he led them along at an unhurried pace, walking and resting along the way.
The Star Dou Great Forest.
One of the three major wild Soul Beast habitats on Douluo Continent, it lay slightly southeast of the continent's center and stretched for thousands of miles.
Tens of thousands of Soul Beasts lived here.
There were low-level Soul Beasts that were ten or a hundred years old, as well as ten-thousand-year, hundred-thousand-year, and even legendary beings of still higher levels.
As for the Core Zone, even Titled Douluo did not dare enter it lightly.
When Mu En led the two children to land on the outskirts, the sky was still bright.
Before them stood ancient trees that blotted out the sky, their trunks so thick that several people could not have wrapped their arms around them. Vines hung down from the branches like curtains of green.
The forest was dimly lit. Every now and then, a beast's roar sounded from deeper within, low and heavy with pressure.
The air was filled with the scent of earth and decaying leaves.
Mu Tianyi took a deep breath, and the Soul Power within him began circulating naturally.
A white phantom of a massive dragon flickered into view behind him, as though it too were sensing the aura of this land of Soul Beasts.
Mu En walked ahead with his cane. His pace was not quick, but every step he took was firm.
He did not release his Martial Soul, nor did he deliberately radiate any pressure.
Yet when those eyes, deep as the sea, swept across their surroundings, the Soul Beasts within several hundred meters had long since sensed danger and fled without a trace.
After walking for some time, Mu En stopped and turned to look at Mu Tianyi.
"Tianyi, what requirements do you have for your second Soul Ring?"
"Or is there a Soul Beast you already have your eye on?"
Mu Tianyi pondered for a moment.
Mu En did not rush him, merely waiting quietly with his cane.
His great-grandson had inherited the Bright Sacred Dragon bloodline from the same lineage as himself, but the path he would take was destined to be different.
The old man had lived for more than two hundred years and had seen far too many geniuses confined by their elders' experience.
Back then, he had planned a steady, reliable path for Tianyi's father.
That man had indeed done well. At a young age, he had already become a Soul Douluo, placing him among the continent's top combatants.
Yet the old man knew in his heart that such a height was not the true limit of the Mu family bloodline.
Tianyi's arrival had shown him another possibility.
This child had reached level twenty at only eight years old. His talent was even greater than Mu En's had been.
More remarkably, his Martial Souls were equally heaven-defying:
The Twin Martial Souls of the Bright Sacred Dragon and the Dark Sacred Dragon.
If such an uncut gem were carved using the old methods again, it would be nothing short of a waste.
Thus, Mu En had long made up his mind.
No forcing, no restrictions, no taking matters into his own hands.
He would provide the resources that needed to be provided and stand before the disasters that needed to be blocked. As for which path to take...
Mu Tianyi would choose for himself.
As an elder, it was enough to stand by the side and offer a few suggestions.
"I've already decided on my second Soul Ring." Mu Tianyi raised his head, his tone resolute.
A pale purple Soul Ring rose from beneath the boy's feet.
He extended one hand, palm facing upward. A pale golden phantom of a Bright Sacred Dragon condensed at his fingertips into a miniature dragon claw, its five fingers sharp as hooks.
This was Mu Tianyi's first Soul Skill—Sacred Dragon Rending Sky Claw.
As he spoke, the boy lightly swiped his fingertips, leaving five faint Light Traces in the air.
"The effect of this first Soul Ring is to gather the power of light in the dragon claw and unleash an extremely fast rending attack."
"At the same time, the attached 'Light Traces' continuously burn the wound with light, weakening the target's ability to recover." (For example, Soul Power recovery and the effects of enhancement support.)
Mu En nodded, approval appearing in his eyes.
"My first Soul Ring follows a direct attack path." Mu Tianyi withdrew the dragon claw, his gaze steady. "So for my second Soul Ring, I intend to focus on enhancement attributes to complement it."
Mu En stroked his beard thoughtfully and waited for him to continue.
Zhang Lexuan stood quietly to the side, listening. Her gaze rested on Mu Tianyi's profile as he spoke seriously, her eyes filled with undisguised curiosity.
"I've looked through the Soul Beast illustrated guides in Sea God Pavilion." Mu Tianyi raised his head, his black eyes bright. "For my second Soul Ring, I plan to challenge one around five thousand years old."
Mu En's brows twitched slightly.
A five-thousand-year second Soul Ring.
Even among the monster students of Shrek Academy, with its ten-thousand-year legacy, such a decision had never been made before.
However, for Mu Tianyi, who had already consumed Whale Rubber, it was merely a small case.
"I've chosen the type of Soul Beast as well."
The corners of Mu Tianyi's mouth lifted slightly, confidence filling his voice.
"I want a Golden Earth-Scaled Dragon."
Before you continue