Shatter the Void, Return to Me! A Warning to Xu Tianran!

"Level 28!"

Xu Tianchen was shocked by his own soul power rank. He had to remember that he still possessed the Eye of Annihilation, a massive consumer of soul power. He never expected that even while carrying such a heavy burden, his personal soul power would still reach level 28.

Yet, upon a second thought, it made sense; it was unexpected yet completely reasonable. After all, starting from level 14, he had absorbed an external soul bone, a true dragon soul bone of at least one hundred thousand years, and a millennium spirit ring nearing eight thousand years.

With the Eye of Annihilation absorbing a bit more soul power, and his sun martial soul transforming into ultimate light while absorbing some more, the additions and subtractions roughly equaled this soul power rank.

It seemed that after another few months of cultivation, he would likely need to go hunt for another spirit ring.

"Right, what is your soul skill this time?"

Long Xiaoyao directly interrupted Xu Tianchen's "acting" in his personal one-man face-changing play, eager to see what kind of soul skills such a formidable soul beast could bring.

"Shatter the Void, Return to Me. By releasing my own destructive-attribute soul power, I draw in the energy of the surrounding space to reinforce myself. The amplification ratio is calculated based on the extracted energy; however much energy is drawn through soul power, a corresponding amplification will occur."

Xu Tianchen felt this soul skill was excellent. Even though neither of his first two soul rings possessed attack-type skills, they could be used all the way into the late stages of cultivation, ensuring they wouldn't become obsolete to only clearing minor mobs.

Besides, lacking an offensive soul ring skill did not mean he lacked combat capability!

First, as the great-grandson of Kong Deming, the father of rank-9 soul engineers, Xu Tianchen certainly wouldn't lack soul tools to use. Furthermore, the purple radiance annihilating heaven dragon martial soul was naturally offensive on its own, not to mention he still had two soul bone skills at his disposal.

"Hm, a decent skill. Good, since you've obtained your spirit ring, let's head back. I have important business to take care of tonight."

As Long Xiaoyao spoke, his tone seemed to carry a hint of anticipation for the evening.

"Important business? Are you going to make me a little junior brother?"

This sudden remark from Xu Tianchen made Long Xiaoyao's face flush slightly. He hurriedly waved his hand and said, "You're a child, what do you know? Stop letting your imagination run wild."

With that, Long Xiaoyao grabbed Xu Tianchen and flew toward Mingdu.

With the speed of an ultimate Douluo, Long Xiaoyao quickly delivered Xu Tianchen to the Purple Radiance Prince's Manor. While the speed was there, the comfort level could not compare to Kong Deming's method at all.

"I'll drop you off here. I have matters to attend to and will be leaving first. Remember to go inside on your own."

Long Xiaoyao deposited the somewhat dizzy Xu Tianchen next to the manor's main gates, patted him on the shoulder, and left.

"You're just retaliating against me because I exposed you!"

"Ugh, ugh, cough, cough, cough!"

Xu Tianchen sat at the front entrance, feeling the world spinning around him and his head pounding with dizziness.

"Second Brother, why are you sitting out here? Didn't you say you were in seclusion to stabilize your soul power?"

Hearing a familiar voice, Xu Tianchen looked up and saw his eldest brother, Xu Tianchen's older brother Xu Tianran, who seemed to have just returned from outside, followed by several servants and maids.

"Ah, it's Big Brother. I just came back from hunting a spirit ring. Where have you been enjoying yourself?"

"Enjoying myself? I merely went out for a breath of fresh air. And hunting a spirit ring? Didn't you just obtain your first spirit ring?" Xu Tianran asked with some doubt, his face carrying an inquiring expression.

"Help me inside first, we'll talk in my room."

Even though his head was spinning, Xu Tianchen wasn't brainless. Some matters certainly couldn't be discussed out in the open in front of so many people. If word leaked out to someone with ulterior motives, it wouldn't be good.

Xu Tianran supported Xu Tianchen into the estate and all the way to Xu Tianchen's courtyard. Xiao Su, who had been staying in the courtyard, saw Xu Tianran helping Xu Tianchen inside and quickly bowed in greeting.

Xu Tianran waved a hand, had Xiao Su open the room door, then supported Xu Tianchen over to the table and poured him a cup of hot water.

Xu Tianchen sat for a short while, drank the hot water, and felt much better. He instructed all the surrounding maids to leave, leaving only Xu Tianran and himself in the spacious room.

"You rushed back to your room and dismissed everyone. You can speak now. What on earth is going on?" Xu Tianran looked at the seated Xu Tianchen, his tone carrying a teasing undertone.

"Don't ask yet. Let me show you something first. I guarantee that once you see it, you'll be endlessly surprised."

Xu Tianchen looked at the calm Xu Tianran and flashed a wicked smile. Standing up, he activated his martial soul, and immediately, one yellow and one purple spirit ring materialized.

Xu Tianran's previously calm and composed expression instantly turned to shock and disbelief. The teacup in his hand slipped and crashed directly onto the floor, making a "bang" sound as the shattered ceramic body and tea scattered everywhere.

Xu Tianran's eyes widened to their limits, and his speech stuttered slightly. "Is this real? This isn't some illusion you conjured to mock me, is it?"

"Of course not. Didn't I take the Dragon Emperor Douluo as my master a while ago? And then—"

"Wait, what do you mean you took the Dragon Emperor Douluo as your master a short while ago? Which Dragon Emperor Douluo? The one named Long Xiaoyao?"

Xu Tianran directly interrupted Xu Tianchen's words, his tone filled with incomprehension.

"That's right, what's wrong? Is there a second Dragon Emperor Douluo on this continent?" Xu Tianchen blinked innocently at Xu Tianran.

"It's nothing, continue."

Xu Tianran squeezed out a smile, but a flash of jealousy and wariness flickered in his eyes. Although it vanished in an instant, it was still captured by Xu Tianchen sitting right across from him.

Despite harboring some suspicion that he might have misseen, Xu Tianchen decided to change what was about to slip out—the hundred-thousand-year soul bone—into a high-age soul bone instead.

"Later on, my master's wife gave me a gift, which was a high-age soul bone. As you know, I was already close to level 20, so after absorbing the soul bone, I broke through to level 20. I just came back from hunting the spirit ring."

"Alright then, get some rest early. You must be quite exhausted. Learn well from the Dragon Emperor Douluo from now on."

With that, Xu Tianran stood up from the stool, patted Xu Tianchen on the shoulder, and left. What Xu Tianchen did not know was that the moment Xu Tianran turned around, his smiling face vanished instantly, replaced entirely by wariness and jealousy.

He was afraid. He was afraid that his position as the heir apparent would not remain secure.

Just as Xu Tianran returned to his own courtyard, he noticed an old man standing there. The man's back was slightly hunched, and his eyes were half-closed as if he were dozing off.

Upon seeing the old man, Xu Tianran hurried forward, bowed respectfully, and called out, "Steward Zhao, why are you here?"

Even though Steward Zhao was advanced in years, Xu Tianran did not dare treat him like an ordinary old man in the slightest. This was not only because he was the steward of the prince's manor, but also because he was a rank-8 soul engineer. If not for special circumstances, he might have already broken through to rank-9. Of course, the most important reason was that he was the confidant of Purple Radiance King Xu Chengjing.

Hearing Xu Tianchen—Xu Tianran's voice, Steward Zhao, who had been half-dozing, opened his eyes. Although they looked somewhat cloudy, a sharp glint flashed within them the moment they opened.

"Heir, the Prince has words he wishes for me to convey to you."

"Please speak."

"The Prince said, 'I know about those little tricks of yours, and I won't interfere, but you must keep yourself in check. You must know what should be done and what should not be done.' Very well, that is all. I will take my leave."

Steward Zhao turned and left without looking back, leaving Xu Tianran standing frozen in place. His eyes were bloodshot, his fists clenched tightly, and he muttered under his breath, "What does it mean by what should and shouldn't be done?"

Xu Tianchen, entirely oblivious to these events, saw that Xu Tianran had left and turned to go to bed to sleep.

Following Xu Tianchen's awakening, the next day quietly entered his world with his eyes opening.

Yet the moment his eyes opened, he was startled by the scene before him.

Xu Tianchen instantly snapped to full sobriety. If he hadn't recognized what it was at the very last second, a Grand Void Annihilating Dragon Calamity would have blasted straight into his face.