First Soul Skill

Zhang Fei came running over with an enormous Eight-Foot Serpent Spear held in both hands, looking utterly ridiculous.

She Long pointed his Snake Lance at the Golden-armored Dragon Lizard's eye socket. "See that? Stab in there with all your strength, and it'll become your Soul Ring."

Zhang Fei took a deep breath and backed up a few steps to give himself room for a running start. Gripping the spear shaft tightly with both hands, he aimed at the Golden-armored Dragon Lizard's eye socket, then charged forward at full speed.

Arcs of electricity danced around the tip of the Eight-Foot Serpent Spear as it viciously plunged into the Golden-armored Dragon Lizard's eye socket.

"Pfft!"

A dull piercing sound rang out. The incomparably sharp spearhead entered through its pupil, drove straight into its brain, and easily pierced through the Golden-armored Dragon Lizard's skull.

The Golden-armored Dragon Lizard's massive body only stiffened violently, its limbs stretching taut for an instant before going completely limp. It collapsed bonelessly to the ground, utterly lifeless.

Blood surged down the spear shaft and splattered across Zhang Fei's face, reeking and scorching hot.

"So disgusting!"

Zhang Fei did not even have time to pull out the Eight-Foot Serpent Spear. He immediately let go, staggered back two steps in a fluster, and frantically wiped his face with his sleeves and the hem of his clothes.

She Long stood to one side and let out a snort of laughter.

Zhang Fei glared at him. That old bastard knew blood would spray everywhere, yet he didn't warn me beforehand. Good thing I can handle this mentally. If it were someone more fragile, they'd be traumatized for life.

Compared to strangling that pig earlier, the sight of blood splashing onto his face and brain matter spilling out was far more psychologically overwhelming.

In his previous life, he had merely been a student who had just finished his endless life of cramming questions, inexperienced in the ways of the world. Faced with such a bloody impact at point-blank range, his stomach churned, and he nearly threw up.

While grumbling inwardly, he ruthlessly wiped his face twice more.

At the same time, a dark yellow Soul Ring slowly rose above the Golden-armored Dragon Lizard's corpse.

After taking a moment to recover, Zhang Fei pulled out the Eight-Foot Serpent Spear and recalled it into his body. Then he summoned his Golden Python martial soul again.

"Sit cross-legged, calm your mind, and guide the Soul Ring into you with your consciousness," She Long said. "I'll guard you from the side, so don't worry. Just steady your mind. You don't need to concern yourself with anything else."

Zhang Fei sat down as instructed, adjusted his breathing, and then sent a command toward the floating yellow Soul Ring with his consciousness.

As if sensing something, the Soul Ring slowly drifted over. It circled above Zhang Fei's head twice before abruptly sinking down and entering his body through the top of his head.

A vast force crashed into his meridians like molten iron being poured into his veins—scalding, tyrannical, and wildly rampaging.

Zhang Fei's entire body jolted. The veins on his forehead instantly bulged, and his teeth ground together with a creak.

The Golden-armored Dragon Lizard's Soul Power was exceedingly violent, carrying the innate ferocity and wildness of a draconic subspecies. It rampaged through his body as if it wanted to burst his meridians apart.

He circulated his meditation technique with all his strength, guiding that violent power along a fixed route, sorting it out and taming it.

It hurt. It really hurt. Cold sweat poured from his forehead.

Every inch of his meridians felt as if it were burning. The pain sank into his bones and surged outward from within, leaving him nowhere to hide.

But Zhang Fei gritted his teeth without making a sound. His hands rested on his knees, clenched so hard that his knuckles turned white, while every muscle in his body tensed.

She Long stood three steps away, his gaze fixed on Zhang Fei's body the entire time. The moment he detected any sign that Zhang Fei could no longer endure it, he would intervene immediately.

Although Zhang Fei's body trembled violently, the effects of the Whale Rubber body tempering began to show. No matter how the energy battered them, his strengthened meridian walls firmly protected the final line of defense.

An hour passed, and the noon sun climbed over the treetops.

The burning pain within Zhang Fei's body finally began to fade layer by layer, replaced by a warm, full sensation that left his entire body feeling comfortable.

A dark yellow Soul Ring formed beneath him and slowly pulsed.

Zhang Fei slowly exhaled a long breath of stale air. He felt as if some restraint within him had been completely shattered. Soul Power circulated much faster than before, and the capacity of his meridians had clearly expanded considerably.

He slowly opened his eyes, and a flash of gold vanished from his pupils.

Zhang Fei rose to his feet and looked down at himself, only to discover that he had grown a little taller.

He had originally been just over 1.3 meters tall, but now he was close to 1.4 meters.

The muscle definition in his arms and legs had also become much clearer. He could not exactly be called muscular, but his physique was clearly outlined, taut, and powerful, no longer as chubby as before.

The baby fat on his face had receded somewhat, and his jawline had tightened slightly. He had lost some of his childish immaturity and gained a trace of youthful vigor.

"It worked? How do you feel?" She Long walked over and looked him up and down.

"Very good," Zhang Fei said with a grin, moving his limbs. "My whole body feels incredibly comfortable. And I can feel that my base attributes have improved by a huge amount. I'm bursting with strength."

She Long nodded slightly and continued, "What is your first Soul Skill?"

Zhang Fei sensed the information contained within that dark Soul Ring and said, "First Soul Skill: Golden Armor Body. Strength and defense are both increased by one hundred percent."

"One hundred percent? That high?" She Long's brows shot up, and clear surprise appeared on his face.

Among the Soul Masters he had seen, the enhancement from first Soul Skills that increased basic attributes was generally around fifty percent.

Zhang Fei himself was somewhat surprised as well. He nodded. "Yes. Maybe it's an additional bonus from absorbing a Soul Ring beyond my limit. I feel like if I activate my first Soul Skill now, I could punch that pig from before flying."

"Mm, the Golden-armored Dragon Lizard truly deserves to be called a strength-type draconic subspecies soul beast. The effect is indeed astonishing." She Long drew a deep breath, his tone full of satisfaction.

He took out a crystal ball from his storage Soul Tool and held it out before Zhang Fei. "Come, test your Soul Power."

Zhang Fei reached out and pressed his hand against the crystal ball. The familiar suction came over him. Specks of light appeared at the bottom of the crystal ball, then rapidly rose.

"Level twelve. Absorbing an eight-hundred-year Soul Ring and directly advancing two levels is quite good."

She Long announced the number, and the satisfaction on his face deepened.

Zhang Fei withdrew his hand, finally feeling completely relieved.

With this kind of start, there were probably not many people his age across the entire Douluo Continent who could contend with him.

A faint surge of pride at looking down upon the masses rose in his heart, and his back unconsciously straightened a little.

She Long put away the crystal ball and saw Zhang Fei's smug expression. Without another word, he raised his hand and slapped Zhang Fei on the back of the head.

With a crisp "smack," Zhang Fei's budding arrogance was slapped away.

"You're only a one-ring Soul Master. What are you so smug about?" She Long said disdainfully. "You still have a long way to go. Once we get back, I'll have to train you properly!"

Rubbing the back of his head, Zhang Fei wailed inwardly, It's over, it's over. My good days are about to end!

"Alright, we've got the Soul Ring. Let's hurry back."

As soon as he finished speaking, She Long walked over to Zhang Fei, placed a large hand on his shoulder, and prepared to wrap him up and soar into the air.

"Grandpa, wait, wait!" Zhang Fei hurriedly reached out and grabbed She Long.

She Long frowned. "What is it now?"