Fatal Strike, This... This Is a Soul Bone?!

"Uh, no. If I used that move, this stupid turtle would probably be reduced to ashes."

Xu Bayan thought for a moment, and the black-red glow in his palm faded. He then extended a single index finger, where a speck of dark-red light gathered at the tip.

Then he raised his hand and pointed.

A dark-red beam of energy, thinner than a thumb, instantly struck the light armor on the Mutated Dragon-Scaled Tortoise.

Crack!

The light armor shattered like glass, even leaving a small hole through the tortoise shell.

However, since Xu Bayan had aimed at the edge rather than a vital spot, the Mutated Dragon-Scaled Tortoise was not killed in a single blow.

Watching the light armor shatter outright, Xu Bayan looked puzzled.

"Didn't they say it was immune to energy attacks?"

Xu Huxiao had no answer, but he still said, "The Dragon Scale Turtle's energy armor isn't absolutely immune to energy-type Soul Skills. There's a limit."

"Father, your attack was too strong, and..."

"And what?"

"And, Father, your fifth Soul Skill wasn't just an energy attack, was it? It should have contained Bloodline Power condensed into tangible form as well. Otherwise, with such low output, it couldn't have pierced the Mutated Dragon-Scaled Tortoise's light armor so instantly."

Xu Bayan burst into laughter. "I was planning to set a trap for you, but I didn't expect you to notice so carefully. Not bad. You truly are my son."

"..."

While the father and son were talking, the Dragon-Scaled Black Tortoise had gone through its initial terror of death. Perhaps its God nerve had snapped, because both the tortoise and snake roared furiously, becoming utterly crazed from the pain.

Hiss—Roar!

Yet no matter how crazed it was, the overwhelming pressure of their Soul Power aura left it unable to move much.

Unable to move did not mean it could not fight back.

This Dragon-Scaled Black Tortoise possessed another innate ability: Energy Reflection!

The Shadow Armor had shattered, but it had already absorbed fifty percent of the energy from Xu Bayan's Blood Demon Annihilation Cannon.

After the purple python on the tortoise's back hissed, its jaws opened beyond ninety degrees. A purple ball of energy began gathering before its mouth.

One inch, two inches... half a meter, one meter!

In the blink of an eye, a purple energy sphere one meter in diameter had condensed in front of the purple python's open jaws.

But it did not stop. After a single breath, the energy projectile had grown to a massive two meters wide.

Was this thing trying to make a Spirit Bomb?

Though Xu Huxiao mocked it inwardly, delight flashed in his eyes.

Just as he had imagined, this was the Dragon-Scaled Black Tortoise's Energy Reflection!

However, the threat he felt from that enormous purple energy sphere was far less than the energy beam his father had fired from his fingertip.

The energy was too dispersed, and it had only absorbed fifty percent of the original power.

Sure enough.

When the purple python flicked its head and spat the purple energy sphere toward them, Xu Bayan casually raised a hand and waved.

Bang.

The enormous purple energy sphere exploded midair. Under Xu Bayan's Soul Power control, it made only a sound no louder than a loud fart.

After destroying the reflected energy sphere, Xu Bayan said:

"Son, is there anything else you want to see? If not, I'll send this Mutated Soul Beast on its way."

"No, Father. Do it."

After receiving his answer, Xu Bayan walked toward the Dragon-Scaled Black Tortoise step by step. The closer he got, the weaker the soul beast's roars became.

That was because the blood throughout its body was completely out of control. Even its heartbeat was now moving entirely in rhythm with Xu Bayan's footsteps.

By the time Xu Bayan crushed its shell beneath one foot, the Mutated Soul Beast had completely entered its death throes.

Then, before Xu Bayan could call for him, Xu Huxiao stepped forward with a short blade and delivered the soul beast a fatal strike.

A dense purple Soul Ring slowly condensed above the Dragon-Scaled Black Tortoise's corpse.

This was an eight-thousand-two-hundred-year purple Soul Ring!

Xu Bayan kicked the tortoise shell aside and was about to speak when his gaze suddenly sharpened. He stared fixedly at the tortoise head beneath the shell.

A tempting strand of black light was showing there.

It was a black skull.

They had hit the jackpot!

Xu Bayan picked up the intact black skull, his breathing quickening.

"A Soul Bone! Hahaha, my luck really is extraordinary. I actually came across a Soul Bone just like this."

Looking at the Soul Bone in his father's hand, Xu Huxiao felt his body and Martial Soul sending out an overwhelming desire to absorb it.

But his will was incredibly strong, and he easily suppressed that urge.

"Father, is this the treasure every Soul Master dreams of, a Soul Bone?"

"That's right. And it's a relatively rare complete head Soul Bone. What do you think, son? Do you want it?" Xu Bayan shook the Soul Bone in his hand.

"Yes."

Xu Huxiao answered without the slightest hesitation.

Hearing his answer, Xu Bayan directly tossed the Soul Bone to Xu Huxiao.

"Then it's yours. I'm sure you've learned some knowledge about Soul Bones at the academy. The reason every Soul Master pursues them so madly is that they not only grant an additional skill, but like Soul Rings, absorbing a Soul Bone enhances a Soul Master's physique in every aspect. Soul Skill power is affected by the age of the Soul Ring and has an upper limit, but what makes Soul Bones precious is that they can grow alongside the Soul Master. The power of Soul Bone skills has enormous room for growth."

Xu Huxiao looked at the Soul Bone in his hand. Rather than putting it away immediately, he said sincerely:

"Father, I want to know whether absorbing this Soul Bone could make up for your dropped Soul Power Level. If it can, then I don't want it."

"More than gaining a Soul Bone skill, I want Father's body to recover."

That was his sincere thought. He did not intend to absorb this Soul Bone as his own head Soul Bone; he had another use for it.

Although the earlier Soul Bones were absorbed, the better, according to his plan, there would be higher-aged options for a head Soul Bone in the future.

For example, the future rewards of the National Soul Master Tournament.

For example, a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone that would drop with absolute certainty and transform into the most suitable form for its owner.

Moreover, this Soul Bone's skill somewhat overlapped with the Soul Ring skill he was about to absorb. Both were defensive Soul Skills.

[Item]: Head Soul Bone (Dragon-Scaled Black Tortoise)

[Effect]: After absorption, grants diamond-shaped light armor capable of defending against physical attacks.

[Value]: Four million Gold Soul Coins

[Description]: There are countless roads, but safety comes first. As long as you wear me, safety is guaranteed. Even a tractor can drive on the highway.

These descriptions were getting stranger and stranger. Xu Huxiao could not even be bothered to mock it.

This was information obtained through the Eye of Omniscience. Clearly, this Soul Bone skill was merely a straightforward defensive skill.

He did not want it.

Therefore, if this Soul Bone could help his father, he would not choose to absorb it.

Xu Bayan looked deeply gratified. He rubbed Xu Huxiao's head and said, "Keep it, silly boy. Absorbing this Soul Bone can't restore my level, and one more Soul Bone skill won't improve my strength much."

"But if you absorb it, it'll become a great help once you grow stronger in the future."

"Still, you follow the strong attack path. Judging from that Mutated Soul Beast's performance, this Soul Bone will probably provide you with a defensive Soul Skill."

"That overlaps somewhat with the Soul Ring you're about to absorb, but it's fine. Just store this Soul Bone for now. If you find a better one before level fifty, then replace it."

"If you don't find one, absorbing a Soul Bone will definitely be of enormous benefit to your future path as a Soul Master."

"Mm. Thank you, Father."

Xu Bayan had considered everything thoroughly, so Xu Huxiao did not need to explain anything further. Since it was useless to his father, he directly stored it in the Twin Dragon Rings.

"Huxiao, since you want to try absorbing a thousand-year Soul Ring, then begin. I'll guard you. Don't be afraid. Absorb it with confidence. Even if you fail, nothing will happen."

That was the confidence of a Titled Douluo who had once surpassed level ninety-five and comprehended Force.

An ordinary Titled Douluo would not dare say such words, but Xu Bayan was special. Combined with his Bear King Bloodline, his mastery of Bloodline Power could be said to be unmatched, so he dared to say it.

Xu Huxiao calmed himself and sat cross-legged. Hearing those words truly filled him with a sense of security.

But.

It was impossible for him to fail at absorbing a Soul Ring beyond his limit this time!

Because he still had an unused trump card.

Soul Power circulated around Xu Huxiao's body. In an instant, his arms transformed into Black Dragon-Scaled Arms edged in platinum, completing his Martial Soul Possession.

He raised a hand in a beckoning gesture, and the dense deep-purple Soul Ring slowly drifted toward him.

As it drew near, he could feel just how enormous the energy contained within this eight-thousand-two-hundred-year Soul Ring was.

The deep-purple Soul Ring hovered above Xu Huxiao's head, then began to contract and descend little by little.

Xu Huxiao could feel a heavy, solid energy pouring into his body. Before long, it had filled every one of his meridians.

He had no choice but to close his eyes and focus entirely on absorbing the Soul Ring.

Within his Martial Soul's inner vision.

His Platinum Dragon-Scaled Arms Martial Soul had transformed into two black dragons coiled in place, roaring toward the sky as they continuously devoured the purple-black Soul Ring energy from the Dragon-Scaled Black Tortoise.

But the Soul Ring energy exceeding eight thousand years was as solid as a gigantic falling meteor.

What the Martial Soul devoured was only the flaming energy dispersing from the edges. The dense meteor core of true energy had barely diminished.

Carrying immense pressure, the purple-black Soul Ring energy continued pressing closer. Under that pressure, the two black dragons were nearly unable to bear the burden.

If he did not act soon, then once the Soul Ring energy heavily damaged his Martial Soul, Xu Huxiao's body would suffer a severe backlash as well.

A Soul Master and Martial Soul were one entity. They flourished together and suffered together.

The immense pressure his Martial Soul felt was also what Xu Huxiao was experiencing. That suffocating feeling was remarkably similar to when he had comprehended Sword Douluo Chen Xin's Sword Force.

"Eight thousand two hundred years, fifteen hundred years beyond my limit. As expected, it's extraordinary. But if this is all you have, then obediently become my second Soul Ring."

"Dragon-Subduing Martial Dao Essence Realm, Blood-Essence Flower, bloom!"

The moment Xu Huxiao willed it, a deep-red Blood-Essence Flower silently appeared in the center of his right palm, which rested on his knee where outsiders could not see it.

This was the Blood-Essence Flower he had condensed after consuming the Demon Clam Pearl, along with countless heavenly treasures over the past two years.

It marked his Bloodline Power reaching the first stage of the Martial Dao Essence Realm.

But this Blood-Essence Flower was not merely an outward sign of powerful Bloodline Power. It truly stored dense, tangible Bloodline Power.

At a critical moment, it could release that Bloodline Power, greatly increasing all of his physical attributes by seventy percent and allowing him to enter the so-called Essence-Concentrating Cauldron State.

This was different from entering the Martial Dao Essence Realm in battle and doubling the power of his palm techniques.

Once he released and fused with this Blood-Essence Flower, it meant that Xu Huxiao had surpassed his previous physical limits!

As the Blood-Essence Flower in his palm diffused outward, faint red blood flames rose from Xu Huxiao's cross-legged body. His furrowed brows gradually relaxed.

It seemed the absorption of the Soul Ring energy was beginning to go smoothly.

Seeing this, Xu Bayan looked puzzled, then lowered the hand he had been preparing to use to interrupt the Soul Ring absorption.

His son had clearly reached the limit of his Bloodline Power circulation. Why had his Bloodline Power suddenly grown vigorous again? And... it was far stronger than before!

It was somewhat like Bloodline Power being condensed and then released, but Xu Bayan had only comprehended the secret method for condensing and storing Bloodline Power after reaching Soul Sage.

How had this brat done it?!

Was this a joke?!

Xu Bayan appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly, he was beyond shocked.

He had originally thought his son would not give up until he hit a wall. Even failing to absorb a Soul Ring beyond his level would count as a lesson. Xu Bayan had never imagined that a second Soul Ring could absorb one exceeding five thousand years.

But now...

"Judging by this brat, he's about to succeed in absorbing it!"