Yu Tianlin, the Ancestor

[The reckoning begins! The foundation of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is actually this pathetic?!]

Above the Sky Curtain, golden words seemed alive, carrying an authority that judged all things as they completely ignored Yu Yuanzhen's roar.

That overwhelming aura silenced every clamoring voice in the Chat Group.

Di Tian fell silent.

The Star Luo Emperor also shut his mouth.

They could refuse to show Yu Yuanzhen any respect, but they could not disregard the transcendent power displayed by the Sky Curtain.

Everyone, including Spirit Hall's Pope Bibi Dong, held their breath and stared fixedly at the sky.

They knew that the true reckoning was only beginning now.

Golden light flowed as new words slowly took shape.

[The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan possesses a long legacy and is renowned throughout the world for possessing the world's strongest beast Martial Soul—the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. The clan's power is enough to shake the continent's balance.]

[Yet where does its foundation lie? Who was the source of its glory?]

[Today, we examine the clan's first ancestor—Yu Tianlin!]

Yu Tianlin!

When those three words appeared, the thousands of clan disciples within the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's gates froze for a moment before erupting into waves of reverent cheers!

"It's Ancestor Tianlin!"

"According to legend, he was the first ancestor of our clan to reach the realm of Title Douluo!"

"It was Ancestor Tianlin who, with his masterful command of lightning, roamed the continent and laid the foundation for the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's eternal legacy!"

The disciples' faces were filled with fervor and pride, as though the Sky Curtain was about to reveal the most glorious chapter in their clan's history.

Before the clan's main hall, the elders stroked their beards, their faces brimming with smug satisfaction.

Though they were dissatisfied with being ranked tenth, the Sky Curtain beginning its examination with their ancestor was itself an honor!

Only Clan Leader Yu Yuanzhen's expression remained dark enough to drip water.

Tenth... That number was like a thorn buried deep in his heart.

Shrek Academy.

"Yu Tianlin?" Flender pushed up his glasses and looked toward Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang beside him. "Xiaogang, is that your family's legendary ancestor?"

A rare trace of excitement and reverence also appeared on Yu Xiaogang's face.

"Yes. The clan records state that Ancestor Tianlin was an unprecedented genius, the idol and goal of every descendant of our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan!"

His words were filled with longing.

Even though he had been rejected by the clan because of his mutated Martial Soul, the pride in his bloodline still filled him with respect for that legendary ancestor.

Just as everyone's anticipation reached its peak, the image on the Sky Curtain finally changed.

The golden light faded, revealing a clear scene before everyone.

It showed a rather thin young man with delicate features and plain clothes, standing at the center of a Martial Soul awakening formation.

The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's disciples instantly fell quiet, somewhat at a loss.

"This is... Ancestor Tianlin in his youth?"

"Why... does he seem different from what we imagined?"

In their imaginations, an ancestor capable of founding such a great clan had to be born with an imposing physique, stride like a dragon and tiger, and possess extraordinary bearing.

Yet aside from being reasonably handsome, the young man in the image displayed nothing exceptional.

Yu Yuanzhen's brows furrowed tightly as well.

Something was wrong.

This seemed somewhat different from the portrait described in the clan's secret records.

The next moment, the image on the Sky Curtain moved.

The awakening formation blazed with light, and behind the young man, the phantom of a Martial Soul slowly emerged.

Here it came!

Every member of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan straightened their backs at that moment, ready to welcome the blue lightning dragon that had illuminated the ages!

Yet the instant the Martial Soul phantom fully solidified, the entire world fell silent.

That was a... dragon?

It did possess some draconic traits, but its body was short, its thick limbs sprawled against the ground, and its head lacked the majestic ferocity of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. Instead, it looked somewhat... comical.

Most importantly, not a trace of lightning coiled around its body. Only a few faint blue halos flowed across its surface.

Th-this... What was that?

A young disciple could not help rubbing his eyes before stammering, "Th-this is a Four-Legged Earth Dragon, isn't it? A drake?"

"Impossible! Could the Sky Curtain have made a mistake?! How could our ancestor's Martial Soul be something like this?!"

"That's right! This definitely isn't the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon!"

The crowd instantly exploded, with doubts and angry shouts rising one after another.

They could not accept it!

The source of the world's strongest beast Martial Soul, which they had always taken such pride in, was actually a drake that crawled on the ground?!

This was like pressing their clan's dignity into the dirt and grinding it beneath a heel!

Within the Heavenly Dao Chat Group, there was an even more deathly silence.

Only after more than ten seconds did a message finally appear.

Star Luo Emperor: "Heh, the world's strongest beast Martial Soul? Interesting. Truly interesting."

That mockery nearly made Yu Yuanzhen's lungs explode with rage.

Yu Yuanzhen: "Nonsense! Utter nonsense! Our clan records clearly state that Ancestor Tianlin's Martial Soul was—"

Before he could finish, a line of icy golden words appeared on the Sky Curtain again, cutting off all his excuses.

[Yu Tianlin, Martial Soul: Four-Legged Earth Dragon (drake species).]

[Innate Soul Power: Level Five.]

BOOM!!!

If the form of the Martial Soul had merely humiliated and enraged the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan...

Then the words "Innate Soul Power: Level Five" were like a merciless hammer, smashing apart the last shred of hope in their hearts!

Innate Soul Power: Level Five!

Among ordinary Soul Masters, that talent was considered decent.

But placed upon a legendary ancestor who had founded one of the Upper Three Sects, it was simply a joke!

Inside Spirit Hall.

Bibi Dong had initially watched with interest, but when she saw "Innate Soul Power: Level Five," a trace of astonishment appeared on her exquisite face for the first time.

Then the astonishment turned into a cold curve on her lips.

So that was it...

The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's root lay here.

An ancestor with a low-quality Martial Soul and mediocre talent.

No wonder that, aside from brute strength, this clan had nothing else worth mentioning.

Shrek Academy.

Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and the others looked at one another, their mouths wide enough to fit an egg.

"Level Five at birth? You're joking, right? That talent... is even worse than mine!" Ma Hongjun cried out.

Everyone's gaze subconsciously focused on Yu Xiaogang.

The Grandmaster's body trembled slightly, not from excitement, but because the Martial Soul theory system he had spent his entire life building had suffered an unprecedented impact at that moment.

A Four-Legged Earth Dragon Martial Soul, a Soul Master with only Level Five Innate Soul Power...

How had he founded a top-tier clan that revered "dragons" and prided itself on "talent"?

It defied logic!

It overturned everything Yu Xiaogang knew!

"No... That's impossible..." Yu Xiaogang muttered blankly. At that moment, cracks appeared in his faith.

Within the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, there was already dead silence.

Every disciple and elder stood frozen, their minds completely blank.

Pride, glory, faith... At that moment, the Sky Curtain mercilessly shattered them all.

Yu Yuanzhen trembled all over. His old face turned from red to purple, then from purple to white. His breath caught in his chest, and he nearly spat out blood.

Yet the Sky Curtain's "judgment" continued.

The scene shifted, revealing Yu Tianlin's life of arduous cultivation.

In the image, he was pursued by Soul Beasts until he was covered in wounds just to obtain a hundred-year Soul Ring.

To break through a bottleneck, he secluded himself for years until he became gaunt and haggard.

There was none of the legendary youthful vigor, none of the unmatched brilliance of a peerless genius.

There was only an ordinary man of mediocre talent struggling along a rugged path, every step difficult.

At last, the image froze.

A line of summary text slowly appeared, becoming the final straw that broke the camel's back.

[Yu Tianlin spent his entire life pouring out his heart and blood. Only at the age of sixty did he barely break through Level Sixty and enter the realm of Soul Emperor.]

A sixty-year-old Soul Emperor!

Across the entire Douluo Continent, every Soul Master who saw those words felt their minds buzz as they completely lost the ability to think.

Before the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's gates, a young disciple could no longer bear the immense contrast. His knees gave way, and he collapsed to the ground, his face filled with devastation.

"Ancestor... was... was only a Soul Emperor?"