"What do you mean..."
"He's pulling out his ultimate move right from the start?"
Jiang Yan couldn't help marveling. A domain-type skill with such a powerful boost—just what he'd expect from the Dragon God Martial Soul.
He could tell, too, that the quality of a Soul Spirit probably made little difference to the Dragon God Martial Soul.
Take the little dragon lying in his Sea of Spirit, for instance. Jiang Yan focused on it and smiled helplessly.
There was no way a hundred-year Tyrant Dragon could have granted him this Soul Skill.
[Host, your first Soul Skill isn't a domain-type skill. It's merely an ordinary area-of-effect skill that boosts you and weakens others. Its effects can stack with any domain.]
The system explained patiently.
"..."
Jiang Yan smiled without a word. He saw through it at once. Of course it wasn't a domain-type skill; normally, multiple domains couldn't enhance someone at the same time.
The system had gone out of its way to make sure it didn't take up one of his domain slots.
How thoughtful of it.
"Yan'er, you've finished absorbing it. What's your first Soul Skill like? Show us."
Seeing that Jiang Yan was done, Leng Yaozhu's anticipation hadn't faded. Beside her, Jiang Luochuan and Jiang Lingli were watching just as intently.
"Yes, Teacher."
Jiang Yan answered with a smile. As he released his Martial Soul, a yellow Soul Ring rose around him.
First Soul Skill: Dragon Descends Upon the World!
Light burst forth. The pressure exerted by his bloodline remained unchanged, but his aura suddenly doubled in strength.
For everyone around him, it was another story.
Jiang Luochuan, Jiang Lingli, and even Leng Yaozhu could feel their strength drop sharply, though none of them had done a thing.
"It strengthens him while..."
"Weakening everyone else, regardless of their cultivation level?"
Leng Yaozhu froze and stared at her disciple in surprise. A thought occurred to her that even she found hard to believe.
Surely not. How could a mere Tyrant Dragon Soul Spirit grant a Soul Skill this powerful?
"Teacher, my first Soul Skill is called Dragon Descends Upon the World. It raises all my attributes by one hundred percent and reduces everyone else's attributes and abilities within its range by thirty percent," Jiang Yan explained with a smile.
"...?"
"So it wasn't bloodline suppression? It's an area-wide weakening effect?"
Leng Yaozhu fell silent. Jiang Luochuan and Jiang Lingli, meanwhile, stared wide-eyed in shock.
They had thought the change in their strength came from Martial Soul suppression. After all, among dragons, the influence of a superior bloodline was immense.
But this affected everyone within range!
It strengthened him and weakened his opponents! Did that mean he already had a domain as a mere One-Ring Soul Master?
Jiang Luochuan had the most mixed feelings of all. Domains usually appeared as eighth or ninth Soul Skills. Unfortunately, his own eighth Soul Skill focused on heavy attacks. Even he didn't have a domain yet...
"It isn't a domain-type skill. It's more like a suppressive effect from my Martial Soul's powerful bloodline. You could say it resembles one," Jiang Yan corrected seriously, shaking his head.
"Yan'er, what's its range?" Leng Yaozhu asked after collecting herself.
"Right now, it only reaches a hundred meters. But the range will grow with my cultivation. It'll get much larger in the future," Jiang Yan replied matter-of-factly.
"A hundred meters already?"
Leng Yaozhu was astonished. He was only a One-Ring Soul Master. As Yan'er grew stronger...
Even his first and weakest Soul Skill started by weakening his enemies.
Who in heaven or on earth could stand against him?
Her disciple was simply unstoppable.
"Yan'er's Soul Skill suits his Martial Soul perfectly. Perhaps only a skill like this could be worthy of such a sacred Martial Soul," Jiang Luochuan said, drawing a deep breath.
It truly was...
Such a sacred Martial Soul.
"And a talent this great mustn't be held back by a time-consuming secondary profession. Forging, for example."
Something occurred to him, and his expression turned stern.
"Grandpa, you can't change your tune like that."
"I was planning to go forge something today."
Jiang Yan felt helpless. It wasn't as though his grandfather had a grudge against any blacksmith. He really had planned to do some forging today.
He also wanted to look around, show the outside world to his two guardians, and buy some books on Soul Master theory.
And if he had the timing right...
The Silver Dragon King should appear in Aolai City within the next day or two.
Dragon God Bloodline or not, he had no intention of passing up a dragon girl who had practically fallen into his lap. Leaving her to the Tang Family?
In their dreams.
"Hm?"
"Yan'er knows how to forge?"
Hearing the exchange between grandfather and grandson, Leng Yaozhu couldn't help growing curious. Yan'er was only six.
He had only just reached the age for Martial Soul Awakening.
Could he be a blacksmith too?
"Tower Master Leng, Yan'er used to study forging at a workshop in the city. The idea was to give him another path in the future, and I supported it. But now... I don't think he needs to spend time on it."
"What do you think?"
Jiang Luochuan drew a deep breath. Yan'er had a teacher now, and perhaps she could talk some sense into him.
"Yan'er, do you enjoy forging?" Leng Yaozhu asked with a smile, turning to Jiang Yan instead of saying anything more.
"I do, Teacher."
Jiang Yan nodded earnestly. He believed he had a knack for it, especially now.
Others got out what they put in. He got ten times what he put in, with talent to help him along...
Why would he give that up?
"Then you have my support."
"Where's the workshop? I'd like to see you forge something, little one."
Leng Yaozhu smiled brightly and stroked Jiang Yan's hair. If he liked it, she would support him.
"Of course, Teacher. Shall we go... now?"
Jiang Yan had no reason to refuse. Ever since his Martial Soul Awakening, he'd felt that forging would come naturally to him.
Especially now...
He couldn't wait to get started!
"Of course. Let's go now," Leng Yaozhu agreed with a smile.
"...???"
Jiang Luochuan stood dumbfounded as master and disciple talked. Paired with his elderly face, his expression looked almost comical.
Tower Master, I've served you faithfully!
Why would you do this to me?
"Heh."
"Your concern is understandable, Mr. Jiang."
Leng Yaozhu took Jiang Yan's hand. Catching Jiang Luochuan's look, she smiled as she spoke.
"I understand what worries you. But a genius ought to develop in more than one direction. Besides..."
She glanced down at Jiang Yan, her smile deepening.
"My Yan'er was born to be the best of them all."
"..."
After Jiang Yan and the others left, the lively house suddenly fell quiet.
Not long afterward...
A silver-haired girl found her way to the front door, anticipation shining unmistakably in her adorable eyes.
"This is the place..."
"His scent is right here!"
"I'm coming to find him!"
Delight spread across Na'er's face. She drew a deep breath and, after a long struggle with herself, knocked on the door.
Knock, knock, knock—
She didn't dare knock hard. She only tapped lightly with her little fist. After three taps, she waited shyly where she stood.
A minute passed. Then two and a half...
No one came.
"Maybe I'm supposed to press this?"
She looked around uncertainly. Her gaze landed on the doorbell, and after a moment's hesitation, she pressed it gently.
Ding-dong— The doorbell rang.
But another minute passed, and still no one came.
"Is nobody home?"
"N-no, that can't be."
Na'er stood there in a daze, confusion and helplessness flickering in her lovely eyes. She waited much longer, but no one appeared.
His scent was strongest here.
If no one was home, then where...
Where was she supposed to go?
Na'er was lost.
"..."
While Na'er stood there at a loss...
At the forging workshop, Mang Tian stood in his work clothes, his face covered in stubble. The sudden arrival of Jiang Yan's group had left him unsure what to do.
Tower Master Jiang had only visited yesterday.
He had thanked Mang Tian for teaching Xiao Yan to forge, then told him the boy wouldn't be coming back. Mang Tian had regretted it for a long while afterward.
So what was going on today?
And then there was...
"Xiao Ran, Tower Master Jiang, Lord Jiang."
"And this esteemed lady is...?"
The woman was clearly someone of high standing, perhaps even more exalted than the two from the Jiang family. Mang Tian addressed her respectfully.
"This is Yan'er's teacher, one of the Spirit Pagoda's tower masters, a Four-Word Battle Armor Master: Her Highness Tianfeng," Jiang Luochuan introduced her.
"A t-tower master?"
"This junior greets Your Highness Tianfeng!"
Mang Tian's expression changed. A tower master of Spirit Pagoda Headquarters had taken Xiao Yan as her disciple!
No wonder Xiao Yan had stopped learning to forge.
If someone of her stature had recognized his talent, his gift for cultivation must be even greater than his gift for forging.
"You're Master Mang Tian, the one who taught Yan'er to forge, aren't you? I came to see his talent for myself. May we use the workshop?" Leng Yaozhu asked calmly.
"You're too courteous, Your Highness Tianfeng."
"Xiao Yan is the most talented student I've ever seen. If he wants to come here, I'd welcome him with open arms."
Mang Tian hurriedly shook his head and answered respectfully.
But from the look of things, did this great lady support Xiao Yan's forging? Did that mean...?
A light he couldn't hide sprang into Mang Tian's eyes. Excitement surged through him.
Yesterday, he'd thought the forging world had lost its rising star. But now...
Xiao Yan had peerless talent and wanted to forge. The forging world was about to welcome—a new future!
"..."
Na'er: Can someone tell Na'er where she's supposed to go?
Di Tian: My lord, where are you—?
Before you continue