"As for what exactly the Martial Soul is, there's never been anything like it in the history of the royal family, so I can't say for sure. I can only tell that it's a benign mutation, and it'll only benefit you."
At this, Xu Tianming nodded, then said with utmost seriousness:
"If that's the case, shouldn't I give my Martial Souls new names? How about the Radiant Sun Martial Soul and the Frost Moon Martial Soul?"
Kong Deming had no objections to something so trivial. His attention was entirely focused on one thing.
The mental impact he was inflicting on Xu Tianming had unknowingly reached the level of a nine-thousand-year Soul Beast!
Any stronger, and it would be a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast!
If Xu Tianming could still withstand it, that would mean his peerlessly talented nephew was already qualified to absorb a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring as his Second Soul Ring!
A Second Soul Ring... of ten thousand years.
Could those words really go together?
For a fleeting moment, Kong Deming even thought he was dreaming.
Inside the Mental Sea of Consciousness.
Seeing that Columbina's expression had turned somewhat strained, Xu Tianming couldn't help worrying:
"How are you doing, Columbina? Are you all right? If you can't manage, I'll ask my uncle to stop the test for now."
At this, Columbina shook her head, her voice still gentle:
"It's all right. I haven't reached my limit yet. It's just that Kuuvahki has been depleted for a while, and it's difficult to replenish it in this world. But fortunately, the moon is out, so I should be able to hold on a little longer. Given the mental impact you're facing now, even if it gets stronger, you'll be fine—as long as my Kuuvahki hasn't run out."
Hearing Columbina say this, Xu Tianming felt more at ease. To finish the test quickly and let Columbina rest, he withdrew his consciousness from the Mental Sea of Consciousness and said to Kong Deming, his gaze resolute:
"Uncle, raise the mental strength directly to the ten-thousand-year level. Don't worry. I think I can take it."
The mental impact of a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast was something an ordinary Soul Master might not be able to withstand, even after reaching the Five-Ring Soul King level. They could even die on the spot.
But remembering all the miracles far beyond common sense that he had witnessed in his nephew in just one day, Kong Deming steeled himself and stopped hesitating.
"All right! The mental impact of a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast will come in three seconds. Tianming, get ready!"
After Kong Deming's warning, Xu Tianming began silently counting down in his mind.
Three seconds passed in the blink of an eye.
Then a sudden stab of pain shot through his head.
Though he had been prepared, the pain struck so abruptly that Xu Tianming staggered, his body—previously standing firm—nearly toppling to the ground.
At the sight, Kong Deming was startled. He hurriedly withdrew the mental power he had released, then rushed over to steady Xu Tianming, who was swaying on his feet. He sent Soul Power into his body and carefully checked his condition.
"Uncle, don't worry. I'm fine. The impact from the Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast was just a bit too strong, and I wasn't ready for it."
Though the mental impact of a nine-thousand-year Soul Beast and that of a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast differed by only a thousand years, the gap between them was even greater than the gap between a thousand and nine thousand years!
According to Columbina, she had thought the increase in mental strength from nine thousand to ten thousand years wouldn't be much different from the earlier increases. So when the ten-thousand-year impact suddenly hit, she had been caught off guard, and part of the moonlight barrier had been pierced, injuring Xu Tianming's Mental Sea of Consciousness.
Fortunately, she had reacted quickly. She immediately strengthened the moonlight barrier and soothed the injured part with gentle moonlight, easing his pain.
"I'm sorry. I didn't protect you well enough."
Hearing Columbina's apologetic voice echo beside him, Xu Tianming, his pain now easing, took her soft hands in his and said with a faint smile:
"You don't need to apologize. I should be thanking you. Without your help, absorbing a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring as my Second Soul Ring wouldn't even be possible. If anyone should apologize, it's me. If I hadn't been so impatient just now and asked my uncle to raise the mental strength straight to the ten-thousand-year level, that wouldn't have happened."
Hearing Xu Tianming's words, Columbina tilted her head cutely:
"Eh? Is that so?"
"Mm, exactly. Don't worry. Just be more careful next time."
After reassuring Columbina, Xu Tianming's consciousness returned to his body. Under Kong Deming's anxious, alarmed gaze, he rose from his uncle's arms and said, looking completely at ease:
"Uncle, I told you I was fine. See? I'm perfectly all right now."
Kong Deming had already checked Xu Tianming's condition, but only now, seeing his nephew regain his energy with his own eyes, did he finally feel at ease.
"Good. As long as you're all right..."
Just as the uncle and nephew were reassuring each other, roughly a thousand meters away, a large Magic Flame Wolf—similar in appearance to the one Kong Deming had subdued, but clearly much bigger—was slowly approaching their location.
To be more precise, it was approaching the two-thousand-year Magic Flame Wolf Kong Deming had subdued.
When the large Magic Flame Wolf drew within a thousand meters of the uncle and nephew, Columbina suddenly furrowed her brow inside Xu Tianming's Mental Sea of Consciousness:
"It seems there's some kind of creature... Oh, I suppose I should call it a Soul Beast, right? It seems a Soul Beast is coming toward us. I can feel that it's very angry."
At this, Xu Tianming froze for a moment:
"Which direction? Can you tell how far away it is?"
"Hmm... Northwest. About nine hundred meters away."
"What? Nine hundred meters? Are you sure?"
Not knowing why Xu Tianming was so shocked, Columbina replied calmly:
"I'm sure. It's about eight hundred and seventy meters away now."
Xu Tianming, who had read the original Douluo story, knew that Soul Masters who didn't cultivate mental power generally had to reach level eighty before their mental perception could cover an area with a radius of about a thousand meters.
Even Huo Yuhao, who possessed a Mental Attribute Martial Soul, had needed the support of a Million-Year Soul Ring and Soul Power above level thirty to do that.
But Columbina could sense things a thousand meters away without even having a Soul Ring attached to her...
After taking a deep breath, Xu Tianming asked curiously:
"Can you tell me how far you can sense things when you're going all out?"
Hearing the question, Columbina thought for a moment, then gave her answer in her usual calm, gentle voice—an answer that left Xu Tianming completely stunned:
"If I go all out... I can sense everything the moonlight reaches. It's just that the farther away it is, the faster my Kuuvahki gets depleted."
Before you continue