Yue Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, and Yan Hongchen's Martial Soul Fusion

Yan Hongchen discussed it with Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, and they decided to go to the training grounds to try synchronizing their martial soul fusion.

Before leaving, they thought Liu Yueming should come along as well. It was better than having her stay cooped up in her room alone, so the three of them went to find her.

After hearing why they had come, Liu Yueming leaned against the couch and pondered for a moment before nodding. "All right. Since you're going to try it, I'll ask your Uncle Yue to stand guard for you. And if you want to determine its power, you can use him for that too."

Upon hearing Liu Yueming mention "Uncle Yue," Yan Hongchen swiftly ran through the Hongchen Family genealogy in his mind.

Jing Hongchen did indeed have an older brother, though he had died young, leaving behind a son named Yue Hongchen.

Yue Hongchen's martial soul resembled Yi Hongchen's Riftblade Giant Toad. It was an Ironclad Giant Toad with dual metal and earth attributes.

He specialized in defense and had spent recent years striving to break through to the Title Douluo realm. He had not emerged from seclusion in a long time.

"Mom, are you sure Uncle Yue has come out of seclusion?" Yan Hongchen was somewhat uncertain. "Otherwise, shouldn't we first make a preliminary attempt at martial soul fusion?"

He knew full well that for a Soul Douluo to break through to Title Douluo, they needed to condense a soul core. This step required prolonged preparation and a stroke of fortune. Once they failed, making another attempt would become far more difficult.

Yue Hongchen was already making his second attempt. After failing to condense one the first time, he had rested for a long while and readjusted himself before trying again only once he was certain there would be no problems.

Liu Yueming's tone was firm. "He has. Ever since you diagnosed me that day, your grandfather went to see him the very next day."

"He successfully condensed his soul core several days before we returned. All he lacks now is his ninth soul ring."

Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen's eyes lit up at the same time. If Uncle Yue could successfully break through to Title Douluo, it would be a joyous occasion for the entire family.

Their grandfather would no longer have to bear such a heavy burden alone, and their father would be able to break through in the future as well. Three Title Douluo in one family—there were only a handful of such families in the Sun Moon Empire.

"All right, you go to the training grounds. I'll go find him and join you shortly." Liu Yueming rose to her feet. As she headed outside, she turned back to remind them, "First, try to synchronize the frequency of your soul power. Remember, both of you must circulate your soul power together and carefully sense the frequency at which the other person's martial soul operates."

"As long as you can synchronize your soul power frequencies, your martial souls will resonate through that synchronized soul power. If the compatibility between the two martial souls is high enough, it can trigger martial soul fusion."

Xiao Hongchen acknowledged her and led Meng Hongchen and Yan Hongchen toward the training grounds.

The bluestone path stretched beneath their feet, bamboo shadows swaying on either side as the sunlight cast their shadows long behind them.

On the way, Xiao Hongchen turned his head toward Yan Hongchen. "Little brother, you heard what Mom said. You understand the conditions for a martial soul fusion skill, right?"

Yan Hongchen nodded. "Mm. Generally speaking, the chances of martial soul fusion are higher when there's a blood relationship and the martial soul attributes differ while complementing each other."

"For the three of us, it'll probably work. But what we really need to focus on is how high the compatibility is, how powerful it will be, and how many fusion skills we can produce."

A martial soul fusion skill was more than one plus one. Usually, having even one was already an enormous boost. Whether it was attack, defense, control, or support type, each was exceedingly precious.

The martial soul fusion skill between Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen was an attack type, and one where the two became one, similar to the Netherworld White Tiger, Enchantress, and Dragon-Serpent Combined Strike.

There was also another kind of pure martial soul fusion skill whose effect was heaven-defying without changing one's form, such as the Polarized Stillness Domain and Divine Revival Light...

Yan Hongchen knew there was no need to rush. He planned to wait until Liu Yueming and Yue Hongchen arrived before formally beginning the attempt. Before then, he could let the Phantom Water Spirit Toad get a feel for things first.

He stopped walking and activated his martial soul. The instant his martial soul beastification took effect, his skin took on a lustrous, water-ripple-like sheen, while his eyes transformed into Glazed Rainbow Eyes, specks of light flowing deep within his pupils.

"Little Spirit Toad, come out," he called in his mind. "I need your help. Tell me—which of them are you more inclined to fuse martial souls with?"

The Phantom Water Spirit Toad awakened from his spiritual sea and lightly leaped onto his shoulder. It blinked its Glazed Rainbow Eyes, water rippling across its body, its voice carrying the dazed fuzziness of one who had just awakened. "Master, what are we doing?"

Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen activated their martial soul beastification at the same time.

The golden third leg behind Xiao Hongchen was especially eye-catching, golden light flowing across its entire length. Meng Hongchen's hair had turned completely white, her eyes blood-red, with an ice toad as white as jade perched on her shoulder.

Yan Hongchen gestured at them. "Go by your first instinct. Which martial soul do you like better?"

The Phantom Water Spirit Toad tilted its head, its gaze sweeping back and forth between the two several times. A moment later, water rippled over its body as it gave its conclusion:

"The one with the extra leg behind him." Its voice sounded in Yan Hongchen's mind. "His body is in good condition. The origin essence in his body is currently stronger than that of the person beside him. If Master's soul power fuses with his, he can bear it."

It paused and looked toward Meng Hongchen, a trace of hesitation entering its tone. "The one beside him... her origin essence doesn't seem to have recovered yet, and there's already poison in her body. She might be a little weaker. If Master obtains a purification-type soul skill, consider trying after clearing it out."

Yan Hongchen's heart tightened. He had nearly forgotten about that. A poison-attribute soul master's poison harmed both others and themselves.

Meng Hongchen only had two rings now, so the drawback was not yet obvious. But by the time she reached four or five rings, the accumulated toxins within her body would begin to backlash against her.

For now, they could only treat the symptoms, not the root cause: ask the Snow Empress for a high-grade soul bone with ice and poison attributes. It could both improve her physical condition and redirect the toxins.

As for other methods, the body-tempering section of the Phantom Water Fleeting Life Record, Return-to-Origin Body Forging, contained cultivation for a dustless, immaculate body. But that would ruin Meng Hongchen's poison control, so he would have to think of another solution.

Just as he was deep in thought, Liu Yueming's voice came from afar. "Xiao'er, Meng'er, Little Yan, your Uncle Yue is here. Come meet him first."

The three followed the sound with their eyes. Behind Liu Yueming stood a tall, powerfully built man.

He had the back of a tiger and the waist of a bear, dark skin, and hands covered in calluses and scars.

He had a square face, thick brows, and eyes that seemed honest yet concealed a trace of fierceness. He wore a fitted black outfit, with two short-handled soul tool hammers tucked at his waist.

Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and Yan Hongchen had not seen this uncle of theirs for a long time. The three greeted him in unison, "Hello, Uncle Yue."

Yue Hongchen's gaze passed over each of their faces in turn, and a rough smile spread across his lips.

"Hello, you three little ones. The moment I came out of seclusion, I found that Xiao'er and Meng'er had both broken through to Great Soul Master. And Little Yan..."

His gaze lingered on Yan Hongchen for an extra moment. "You've reached Great Soul Master too!"

Liu Yueming quickly took over. "Cousin, Little Yan encountered a few fortuitous opportunities, which is why he suddenly broke through to over level twenty. You can ask Yi and Father about it later."

"Yi will likely break through to level eighty-four and emerge from seclusion in a few days. The two of you can catch up then."

"I called you here today to stand guard for them. Xiao'er and Meng'er have come up with a martial soul fusion skill, and they want to try it together with Little Yan."

Yue Hongchen swept a broad hand and agreed readily. "You're too polite, sister-in-law. When I get my ninth soul ring later, I'll still have to ask Yi and Uncle Jing to help me hunt a soul beast so I can break through completely."

A trace of regret entered Liu Yueming's voice. "It's just a pity I haven't been able to make a move these past few years. I'm rusty. I was injured recently, otherwise I could have lent you a hand."

She did not explain further, and Yue Hongchen did not ask. He merely nodded, then turned to the three children. "Go ahead and begin. With me here, nothing will happen."

Yan Hongchen took a deep breath and sat cross-legged opposite Xiao Hongchen.

There was barely any distance between them, their knees almost touching.

They slowly extended their hands, palms facing each other, with only a small gap between their fingertips.

"Little brother, relax." Xiao Hongchen closed his eyes. "Follow my rhythm."

Yan Hongchen nodded solemnly and closed his eyes as well. Xiao Hongchen had experience with this, so he would listen to him first.

The two mobilized their soul power at the same time. Invisible forces surged from their bodies, probing within the narrow space between their palms, colliding, retreating, then probing again.

Xiao Hongchen's metal-attributed soul power was fierce and domineering, like hammer blows; Yan Hongchen's water-attributed soul power was gentle and enduring, like a flowing stream.

The two utterly different types of soul power tried to merge, yet the instant they touched, they always bounced apart.