Skill

Hum—

The spirit bone rose into the air of its own accord. A crimson-gold radiance enveloped his spine, gently merging into his body. There was no pain, no resistance, only a steady, inexhaustible stream of power flowing through his limbs and bones.

Xiao Jiu lay on his lap, bathing in the same light, its aura also quietly rising.

Time slipped away bit by bit.

The bright moon slanted toward the west, the warm sun began to rise, and the horizon gradually turned a pale, fish-belly white.

Lie Xu let out a long breath and slowly opened his eyes, a flash of golden light vanishing within his pupils.

He stood up and stretched, his bones popping with a continuous, rhythmic cracking sound.

Feeling the feedback from his body, Lie Xu couldn't help but reveal a look of joy; his current physical fitness had increased more than tenfold compared to before.

"Grandfather, I did it!!!"

Lie Yan rushed over, grabbed his arm, and immediately used his spirit power to carefully examine his grandson's condition.

After a long while, he suddenly couldn't help but burst into hearty laughter, his thick, calloused hand patting Lie Xu on the shoulder.

"Good, very good! My grandson has truly made history on the Douluo Continent—absorbing a 280,000-year spirit bone while still only a Spirit Master, hahahaha!"

As Lie Yan laughed, his eye sockets turned red and grew moist.

He sighed quietly in his heart, It's a pity that Chi'er cannot see this...

Just then, the door was pushed open, and a little blonde girl hopped inside. Seeing Lion Douluo's reddened eyes, she couldn't help but ask, "Fourth Grandfather, why are your eyes so red?"

Lie Xu, who had been immersed in sensing his own physical state, was startled by Qian Renxue's sudden appearance. He looked up at his grandfather and saw that his eyes were indeed quite red.

"What's wrong, Grandfather?" Lie Xu asked, his face full of concern.

"Grandfather is fine, I was just laughing too excitedly."

Lion Douluo smiled and shook his head, walking out of the room to leave the space to the two little "monsters."

Before leaving the doorway, he added, "Tidy up in a bit and come out for breakfast. Also, no bullying Xiao Xue."

Lie Xu's face was covered in black lines. He had just felt a twinge of heartache for his grandfather's lonely back, but now? Hmph, heartache? That was just an arrhythmia caused by insufficient blood supply to the heart.

Beside him, Qian Renxue acted like a pure little white flower, calling out to the doorway with a straight face, "Don't worry, Fourth Grandfather! Brother Xu would never bully me; he dotes on me so much."

Once Lion Douluo was far away, Qian Renxue turned to look at Lie Xu.

When she sensed the aura emanating from him, her eyes widened instantly.

"Brother Xu, you... how did you suddenly become so, so strong!"

Lie Xu smiled and ruffled her hair.

"Because my grandfather took out our family's ancestral spirit bone and let me absorb it."

"Ah? Brother Xu absorbed a spirit bone too?"

Qian Renxue's original desire to show off withered away instantly.

"That's right. Does that mean Xiao Xue absorbed one too?"

After all, Lie Xu's soul was that of an adult, and his mind was quite mature; he could easily see through Qian Renxue's little thoughts, though she usually kept them hidden.

"Mm-hmm."

Qian Renxue nodded like a chick pecking at rice.

"Last night, Grandfather let me absorb the torso bone of the Angel God Suit. He said it would increase my physical strength so that I could absorb higher-year spirit rings more easily."

"Wow, Xue'er is amazing too? Xue'er made history last night as well, you're truly great!"

Lie Xu praised her sincerely. Qian Renxue couldn't help but lower her head, twisting the corner of her clothes, her earlobes turning red as she whispered, "It's nothing, Brother Xu is the best..."

Lie Xu pinched Qian Renxue's cheek, a hidden smile in his eyes. "Let's go, let's go outside and test our spirit bone skills."

With that, he took her small hand and walked quickly to the center of the courtyard.

Since neither of them had attached spirit rings yet, they couldn't truly spar, so they could only use their spirit power to trigger the spirit bone skills and demonstrate them in the air.

"Xue'er, you go first." Lie Xu stepped aside, leaning against a tree with eyes full of anticipation.

Qian Renxue nodded, took a deep breath, and pushed her spirit power to its peak.

"Angel Protection!!!"

As her delicate shout fell, spirit power swirled around her. A golden pillar of light shot into the sky, and the phantom of an eight-winged angel solidified behind her.

The angel figure slowly knelt behind her, shielding the small girl in its embrace. Eight holy light feathers spread out simultaneously, unfolding like a dome. With a divine halo, it stood firmly in front of her.

After demonstrating her first spirit bone skill, Qian Renxue didn't stop, instead letting out another soft cry.

"Angel Holy Light!!!"

The angel figure that had been shielding her instantly flapped its wings and floated into the air. As Qian Renxue raised her arm, light gathered in the eight-winged angel's hands, forming a golden holy sword.

Qian Renxue pointed her finger forward, and the holy sword in the angel's hand flared with intense radiance. A dazzling white-gold holy light tore through the air, shooting out in the direction she pointed.

It was scorching, divine, and dazzling...

Wherever it passed, the blades of grass on the ground were instantly scorched, leaving behind a trail of black marks.

The angelic figure slowly dissipated, and Qian Renxue swayed, her small face deathly pale; it was clear that her soul power consumption had been excessive, leaving her completely exhausted.

Lie Xu stepped forward quickly, steadily supporting her and letting her lean against him as she sat on the lawn.

The little girl did not forget to look up and claim credit, "Brother Xu, my soul bone is amazing, right? It has two skills!"

"It's amazing, our Xue'er is the most amazing." Lie Xu smiled and gently flicked her nose, his tone filled with doting affection.

After resting for a moment, Qian Renxue sat up, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him, "Brother Xu, what is your soul bone skill?"

Her face was full of anticipation, and she even held her breath slightly.

"Yes, Little Xu, what is your soul bone skill?"

Lion Douluo and Chi Yuan also arrived in the courtyard at this moment.

Qian Renxue held Xiao Jiu, her eyes wide as she waited.

Chi Yuan also stood to the side, her face full of curiosity.

Lie Xu took a deep breath and spoke slowly:

"This soul bone granted me a total of four skills."

"Four?!" Lion Douluo was stunned, "How do I remember that when your great-grandfather handed it to me, he clearly stated there were only two!"

"It seems that because of my martial soul, it evolved." Lie Xu scratched his head, looking slightly embarrassed, and continued.

"Passive Skill: Amplification. As my soul power increases, it continuously amplifies my physical strength, thereby increasing the age limit of the soul rings I can absorb;

Active Skill: Berserk. After activation, all my attributes are increased by one hundred percent; speed, attack, and defense all skyrocket;

Control Skill: Beast Might. Whether it is a beast martial soul master or a soul beast, those with lower soul power than me will be suppressed by one hundred percent. Those at the same level will be suppressed by eighty percent, decreasing by twenty percent for each level higher.

The fourth one is..."