Third Soul Skill; External Soul Bone; Crippling Tai Long

Tang Wutong searched for a moment and said, "There's an External Soul Bone on its right palm."

Lu Yuan's eyes lit up, and delight appeared on his face. "Put it away for now. I'll fuse with it later."

"Alright." Tang Wutong nodded and stored it in her soul tool.

Shortly afterward, Lu Yuan recovered some of his strength and drew over the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's Soul Ring to absorb it.

Tang Wutong quietly stood guard nearby, releasing her aura to deter any Soul Beasts intending to approach.

Since this was only a mixed zone, Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were basically impossible to find here. Most Soul Beasts feared her powerful aura and stayed far away from the valley.

Even if other Soul Beasts smelled the dense bloodstench coming from the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's corpse, they did not dare approach.

"Ugh..."

The eight-thousand-four-hundred-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear Soul Ring was drawn into his body, and excruciating pain like being sliced by a thousand blades instantly spread through every limb and bone.

Even his organs were struck by waves of tearing pain.

It was not Lu Yuan's first time absorbing a Soul Ring, but it was his first time experiencing such a sensation.

Logically speaking, with his current physique, he might have been able to successfully absorb even an ordinary Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring.

Yet the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear still gave him a firsthand taste of the agony of absorbing a Soul Ring.

Fortunately, he had not been overconfident earlier and had absorbed the Soul Bone along with it.

Otherwise, there really would have been some danger.

The energy in the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's Soul Ring was far more violent than that of an ordinary Soul Ring.

Lu Yuan's brows furrowed tightly as beads of bloody sweat seeped from his skin.

Heat continuously rose from him, spreading into a faint bloody mist.

Tang Wutong watched anxiously from the side, wishing she could share his pain.

Three minutes later, the situation finally eased somewhat.

Blood no longer seeped from his skin, and the Soul Ring's violent energy gradually stabilized as well.

Seven hours later.

Lu Yuan opened his eyes and let out a breath.

His soul power had risen to Rank 32.

Third Soul Skill: Dark Gold Rending Spear.

It infused the Sky-Propelling Spear with the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's rending power, coating the spear tip in a layer of dark golden radiance.

His next thrust would gain a 300% increase in attack power and ignore any defense enhanced by the enemy's amplification Soul Skills.

Striking an enemy would inflict a bleeding effect. Once afflicted, wounds would be difficult to heal quickly, causing the target to lose 5% of their vitality and soul power per minute for five minutes.

"This move's burst power is pretty strong."

Lu Yuan stood up, quite satisfied with the effects of this Soul Skill.

After absorbing this Soul Ring, his build had already approached that of an ordinary twelve- or thirteen-year-old boy.

It could only be said that the changes brought by Soul Rings were simply too comprehensive.

Lu Yuan released the Ice Dragon King Martial Soul again. When he saw that there were still only two ice-blue-and-gold Soul Rings beneath him, he quickly withdrew it back into his body.

Just as expected.

Without external energy, the Ice Dragon King could not generate Soul Rings.

"Master, do you want to absorb the Soul Bone now?"

Seeing that Lu Yuan had successfully absorbed the Soul Ring, Tang Wutong hurried over and brought up the Soul Bone again.

Lu Yuan considered it before saying, "Put it away for now. Soul Bones are different from Soul Rings. I'll absorb this one after my level is higher."

It was already getting late.

His main reason was that he did not want to spend the night in the Great Star Dou Forest.

Of course, there was another reason.

This Dark Gold Terrorclaw External Soul Bone was even harder to absorb than the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's Soul Ring.

In the original second Douluo novel, Xiao Xiao had absorbed the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's Soul Ring but had been unable to absorb its Soul Bone...

Tool Martial Souls differed from Beast Martial Souls.

When a Tool Martial Soul absorbed a Soul Ring, most of the energy was supplied to the Martial Soul itself, while only a small portion overflowed to nourish the body.

Beast Martial Souls were different. A large amount of Soul Ring energy poured into the body and directly transformed flesh, blood, and bones.

Even without activating possession, it would subtly strengthen the body over time. That was why Beast Martial Soul masters were naturally so tough.

Although Lu Yuan had the Ice Dragon King Martial Soul and could withstand most of the impact from physical transformation, meaning his arm would not nearly be crippled the moment he started like Xiao Xiao's had been, there was still a small risk in absorbing it.

He felt it would be better to play it safe.

He could absorb it sooner or later anyway, and the Soul Skill it contained was likely just Dark Gold Terrorclaw, nothing else.

Unless it mutated into an Ice Dragon Claw...

"Alright."

Tang Wutong silently put away the Soul Bone.

The two left the Great Star Dou Forest.

By the time they returned to Grand Mansion Academy, it was already dark.

Lu Yuan parted ways with Tang Wutong.

He had been about to return to his residence near the forest when his gaze swept across the training field and caught sight of someone.

It was a woman he had met briefly not long ago.

Ye Lingling.

Lu Yuan had not expected this girl to transfer to Grand Mansion Academy so quickly.

Just as he was about to go greet her, he saw a tall, burly youth walk over and strike up a conversation with Ye Lingling.

The youth had dark skin, rugged features, and short hair.

He was not hideously ugly, but on Douluo Continent, he was merely below average.

Ye Lingling looked resistant and took a slight step back, deliberately avoiding the youth's gaze. She was clearly deeply repulsed by him.

"This guy seems to be... Tai Long?"

Lu Yuan frowned slightly.

You little bastard, don't scare Ye Lingling away.

He had never liked Titan, Tang Hao's lapdog, much in the first place.

As long as Titan's grandson stayed at the academy and did not cause trouble, Lu Yuan could turn a blind eye and pretend he did not exist.

But now that this grandson was harassing the healer Lu Yuan had recruited, it was truly infuriating.

Lu Yuan's face darkened as he strode straight over.

Elsewhere.

Tai Long still held a rose in his hand, a smile he believed to be gentlemanly curling at his lips. "Ye Lingling, please date me."

"I'll cultivate desperately and become someone you can rely on, an impregnable wall that will never let anyone hurt you."

Ye Lingling looked away, her voice full of distance. "I'm sorry, but I don't want a relationship right now. Please stay away from me."

Tai Long understood her implication, yet he still refused to give up and asked, "Then can you tell me when you do want a relationship?"

The moment he finished speaking, a voice suddenly exploded!

"What are you doing?!"

"Hm?" Tai Long froze slightly and instinctively looked at Lu Yuan approaching him. "Who are you?"

Lu Yuan did not answer his question. He said coolly, "Ye Lingling isn't someone you can covet. Leave now, or you won't be studying here anymore."

Tai Long flew into a rage. "Hey, brat, you dare meddle in my affairs? Do you know who I am? I'm an elite of the academy's inner court. Even ordinary teachers have to show me respect!"

"Get lost right now, or even if I beat you to death, no one will dare ask about it!"

Lu Yuan frowned slightly and punched Tai Long in the chest, sending him flying with tremendous force.

"Ow, brat, you actually dared hit me? You're courting death!"

Tai Long gritted his teeth and scrambled up in a sorry state.

Realizing Lu Yuan was no weakling, he activated Martial Soul possession. His arms lengthened and hung below his waist, while black fur emerged over every exposed part of his body.

It was the Mighty Gorilla Martial Soul!

Tai Long raised both fists and leaped like a gorilla, smashing his arms down toward Lu Yuan.

"Lu Yuan..."

Ye Lingling recognized him, and a trace of worry flashed through her eyes.

After all, Lu Yuan had spoken up to help her out of this situation. She could not help worrying about what would happen to him next.

Lu Yuan's gaze turned cold. The Sky-Propelling Spear appeared in his hand, and he thrust it forward like lightning, aiming directly at Tai Long's outstretched fists.

With a wet tearing sound, Tai Long had no time to react. The spear tip pierced straight through his palm and fingers!

"Aah—!"

A bloodcurdling scream rang out as his entire right palm was pinned to the spear blade.

Lu Yuan sharply twisted his wrist and swung the spear, severing Tai Long's entire right hand.

"You talk too much. Didn't I tell you to get lost?"

Tai Long clutched his blood-spraying right arm desperately as his Martial Soul possession automatically dissipated.

Afraid Lu Yuan would truly kill him, he abandoned all concern for his dignity and fled the training field on hands and knees.

Lu Yuan said calmly, "Don't just call your father. He can't beat me. Remember to call your grandfather too."

Tai Long's body shuddered. Terror filled his face as he stumbled out of the academy in a daze.