Suotuo Intermediate Soul Master Academy.
A corner of the training ground behind the hills.
The afternoon sun blazed overhead, baking the bluestone pavement until it was faintly hot to the touch.
At the edge of the grounds, several towering trees cast dappled shade. Xiao Wu sat cross-legged beneath them, cultivating her Soul Power with great diligence.
Meanwhile, Tang Yin stood in the middle of the grounds. A few strands of blue hair hung over his forehead, soaked with sweat and clinging to his fair cheeks.
Behind him, the Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul appeared.
At the same time, he released the Blue Silver Domain to aid him.
Two Yellow Soul Rings pulsed around him.
"That can't be right!"
"I can clearly gather my Soul Power together now. Why can't I turn it into a wave of light and release it?!"
Tang Yin closed his eyes slightly and focused with all his might. He held his hands out in front of his chest, palms facing each other with a fist's width between them. A faint blue-silver glow shimmered between his palms.
The glow gradually grew stronger and more solid. Meanwhile, his First Soul Ring skill, Light of Recovery, continually absorbed the sun's power, supplying him with energy.
This Soul Skill was originally a healing skill, but Tang Yin was now using it to create an offensive weapon.
Four years ago, when he obtained his First Soul Ring, the idea of creating a Self-Created Soul Skill had taken root in his heart. Whenever he had a spare moment, he would experiment.
If others could create one, why couldn't he?
The thought was like a wildfire: once it caught, it could not be extinguished.
Tang Yin kept recalling the long-range waves of light he had seen at the Great Soul Arena.
"Whoosh—!"
The Blue Silver Emperor drew upon the sunlight that filled the air.
Wisps of pale golden energy gradually gathered between his cupped palms.
Little by little, the wave of light steadied, then began to expand and brighten at a visible pace. It was no longer a gentle pale gold, but a blazing, almost pure white!
"Forget it! This time, I'm definitely going to succeed!"
"Fire!"
Tang Yin thrust both palms forward. The wave of light split in two and shot out from his left and right hands.
"Boom!"
Xiao Wu's eyes flew open. She happened to see the blazing white waves of light shoot out.
"Hiss!"
She instinctively held her breath, her clear, limpid eyes wide with tension and anticipation.
"Ahhh—!"
Tang Yin gritted his teeth and growled, steadily increasing his Soul Power output.
"Sun! Light! Flare!"
A deafening roar rang across the training ground, drawing the eyes of everyone nearby.
Where the two waves of light struck, two charred craters appeared, each three meters wide.
The smell of scorching earth drifted through the air.
At the sight, Tang Yin leaped three meters into the air with excitement.
"I finally did it!"
Smoke and dust slowly drifted across the training ground.
Once his excitement settled, Tang Yin's chest heaved. His face was somewhat pale from the heavy expenditure of Soul Power, but his eyes shone brilliantly.
Xiao Wu slowly rose to her feet and stood there, stunned.
Her pink eyes stayed fixed on the two craters. When she looked back at Tang Yin, her small mouth hung slightly open, and for a long moment she couldn't close it.
"Tang Yin, the power of this Soul Skill could probably match a Soul Elder's Third Soul Skill!" Xiao Wu said as she slowly came over to him, full of admiration.
Tang Yin took several deep breaths, calming his surging blood and Soul Power. He turned to Xiao Wu and gave her a relieved, slightly pale smile. "It can be even stronger!"
"That move must use up a lot of energy, right? Why are you so pale?" Xiao Wu furrowed her brow and gently brushed the sweat from Tang Yin's forehead.
"I mainly tried too many times. Otherwise, I wouldn't be this tired. But it's fine. I finally succeeded." Tang Yin sat cross-legged, his breathing gradually evening out.
"Congratulations! Let's go out and have a huge feast to celebrate later!" Xiao Wu clapped her hands and laughed.
Tang Yin smiled and nodded.
"Now that you've got such an amazing Self-Created Soul Skill, let's see who dares look down on your Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul!" Xiao Wu clenched her fist, looking as though she had finally gotten her revenge.
Tang Yin smiled and turned his gaze back to the charred marks, his eyes deep.
The success of his Self-Created Soul Skill, Sunlight Flare, didn't just mean he had gained another powerful attack. More importantly, it proved that he wasn't useless—that he, too, could create a Soul Skill!
And his approach was right!
Besides, the form and effects of a Self-Created Soul Skill weren't set in stone. He could still change them in the future!
All of this required Tang Yin to understand the essence of his Martial Soul and Soul Skills for himself, and to explore and use the rules governing energy!
As far as he knew, after a Titled Douluo reached level ninety-five, every level gained represented a deeper understanding of their own Martial Soul. Otherwise, why would some people with the same talent be stuck at level ninety-five their whole lives, while others could break through level ninety-nine and even become gods?
The sun still blazed over the training ground.
After recovering some Soul Power and strength, Tang Yin stood up and smiled. "I'll go back and wash off, then change clothes. After that, we'll go have a feast!"
Xiao Wu nodded enthusiastically and followed beside Tang Yin. She glanced back at the two craters he had left behind. "Tang Yin, do you think I could learn to create a Soul Skill like that too?"
"Of course. It's just... not easy." Tang Yin smiled.
"By the way, now that you've left the training ground in that state, do you think the academy will make us pay for the damage?" Xiao Wu asked worriedly, furrowing her brow.
Tang Yin scratched his head awkwardly. "It's fine. They're only two craters. We can afford to pay for them."
After returning to the dormitory, Tang Yin began washing the sweat from his body, while Xiao Wu waited outside.
Meanwhile, in the dean's office of Suotuo Intermediate Soul Master Academy—
Dean Broto sat behind his desk. Two people sat opposite him: Flender and Yu Xiaogang.
"Old Bro, I came to ask you about something." Flender took a small sip of tea. Finding it to be top quality, he promptly drained the cup.
Yu Xiaogang remained silent, exuding an air of aloofness.
Anyone who didn't know better might have thought Flender was his lackey.
Broto didn't respond. Instead, he looked at Yu Xiaogang and asked, "Dean Flender, who is this?"
Flender smiled as he introduced him. "This is my good brother, Yu Xiaogang, once the Horn of Wisdom of the Golden Iron Triangle."
Broto looked enlightened, but didn't pay him much mind. His gaze lingered only briefly on Yu Xiaogang before returning to Flender. "Flender, what did you want to ask me?"
Flender asked, "Old Bro, have you recently taken in a boy and a girl as students? The boy's name is Tang Yin, and the girl's is Xiao Wu. Their Martial Souls are Blue Silver Grass and Soft Boned Rabbit, respectively!"
Broto's eyes shifted slightly. "No."
"Really?" Flender took a few steps toward Broto and leaned forward.
"Indeed not." Broto remained calm and unconcerned. "My Suotuo Intermediate Soul Master Academy may not have admission standards as absurd as those of your Shrek Academy, but we don't let just any Tom, Dick, or Harry enroll."