Hiss~
Such talent, truly a monstrosity!
Xu Bayan was still in shock; a second soul ring exceeding five Thousand-Year was probably unheard of across the entire continent.
Truly...
He truly is my good son!
Two or three breaths later, Xu Bayan's shock turned into immense joy.
Not only that, but his own son was also a once-in-a-century twin-martial-souls bearer—double the joy!
The only slightly regrettable part was that he did not inherit the Blood Demon Raging Bear King martial soul. After all, as a father, a part of him secretly hoped his son would carry on his own martial soul.
However, Xu Bayan immediately thought that while the martial soul wasn't inherited, given the talent his son was currently displaying, his own self-created soul skill and burning ring secret technique could both be passed down!
Because his four heaven-treading forms and burning ring had extremely high demands on the practitioner, requiring a formidable physique and perfect control over blood-essence to possibly master them.
Judging from current developments, his son met both of these conditions completely!
Thinking of this, Xu Bayan felt much more relieved.
Yet right now was not the time for inheritance; the burning ring required a martial soul avatar to master, though he could begin tentatively teaching the four heaven-treading forms.
Xu Huxiao, currently absorbing a soul ring, knew nothing of his father's intentions.
Blessed by the blood-essence flower and having entered the essence-concentrating cauldron state, he had now broken past his body's original limits, making the absorption of the Dragon-Scaled Black Tortoise's soul ring much easier.
Within his martial soul's inner vision.
The two black dragons had entered triple amplification, their entire bodies suffused with blood-red flame aura. Their massive dragon bodies tightly coiled around the meteorite-like, solidified purplish-black soul ring energy entity, continuously devouring it.
One hour, two hours, three hours...
Until the red sun set in the west and twilight's golden glow scattered down.
Xu Huxiao opened his eyes, a ring of deep purple soul ring rhythmically pulsing merrily across his physical body.
Soul ring absorption successful!
Then, in an instant, this ring of purple soul ring shifted to a bright yellow.
Tortoise-breath state, soul ring color change!
Witnessing this scene, Xu Bayan asked in surprise, "What is going on? Huxiao, did something go wrong while you were absorbing your soul ring?"
Xu Huxiao had already prepared his explanation. "Father, I have successfully absorbed this soul ring. The current change in the soul ring's color is precisely a special ability bestowed by this mutated soul beast: the ability to control and alter soul ring color."
Hearing the explanation, Xu Bayan heaved a sigh of relief.
"Well, that really is a pleasant surprise. Changing it to yellow is great; after all, having a second ring be purple is indeed far too eye-catching."
Having absorbed the second soul ring, Xu Huxiao's body also underwent slight changes. His brow-ridges deepened, his shoulders and back broadened a fraction, making him look even more robust.
At the same time, the arms of his martial soul possession underwent subtle alterations as well; fine, platinum-edged black dragon scales sprouted purple magical patterns, lending his arms a bizarre and enchanting beauty.
Yet Xu Huxiao knew that it wasn't just surface changes—his martial soul had once again gained a defense reinforcement, and his soul power had also undergone a massive boost.
He clenched his fist, a surging sense of power washing into his mind. Gazing at his platinum-scaled arms, three seconds later, his personal status appeared in his mind.
[Human]: Xu Huxiao
[Age]: Eight years old
[Martial Souls]: Platinum Dragon-Scaled Arms, Monster Shrek, Hulk
[Rank]: Level 24
[Platinum Dragon-Scaled Arms - Soul Skills]: First Yellow - Multiplication: Gluttonous Grip; Second Purple - Shadow Counter-Spike Light Armor
[Inner Monologue]: Immense power, what a marvelous feeling—I am going to become invincible and strongest!!
Mustn't get full of myself...
Catching sight of his inner monologue, Xu Huxiao snapped right out of the joy of breaking through. He couldn't get arrogant; even with his increased strength, he was still nothing more than a rookie-level soul grandmaster.
Still, he had indeed taken one tiny little step further on the path toward becoming a god.
Furthermore, having absorbed an eight-thousand-two-hundred-year-old dragon-scaled black tortoise, coupled with the fact that he hadn't stopped cultivating when his soul power reached level twenty, his efforts reaped a bountiful reward.
His soul power had actually risen by four ranks!
Compared to the soul elder Sors in the cave earlier, Xu Huxiao could feel that his total pool of soul power was a whole cut above even his.
As for the soul skill.
Xu Huxiao focused his intent on the soul skill entry, and instantly the details of his second soul skill materialized in his mind.
[Shadow Counter-Spike Light Armor]: One hundred percent defense against energy attacks, twenty percent physical defense. If the light armor remains unbroken, it will absorb ninety percent of energy attacks and condense purple light bullets. If the light armor is broken, it will absorb fifty percent of energy attacks and condense purple light bullets.
This soul skill was the fusion of the two innate abilities of the dragon-scaled black tortoise: shadow armor and energy reflection.
Yet the hundred percent defense against energy attacks here should mean that as long as the opponent's soul power did not exceed his, absolute defense against energy attacks could be achieved.
On top of that, it possessed a certain degree of physical defense. Xu Huxiao tested it out; this twenty percent physical defense was roughly equivalent to a suit of iron armor, likely comparable to the physical defense of a standard soul grandmaster's hundred-year soul ring.
Xu Huxiao was very satisfied with his second soul skill, as it patched up his own shortcomings.
At his current stage, the physical defense of his platinum dragon-scaled arms was extremely strong, and his raw strength far surpassed his peers. Coupled with the eighteen dragon subduing palms, he was confident that even a soul-elder-tier assault-system battle soul master would not be his match.
Yet whenever he faced powerful energy attacks, all he could do was dodge. If he encountered large-scale energy attacks or locked-on techniques, he would fall into a very passive situation.
Now, with the shadow counter-spike light armor, Xu Huxiao's defensive weakness was gone, and he gained an additional ranged energy attack method.
This trip could be considered an unmitigated success.
Seeing that his son had successfully absorbed the soul ring, Xu Bayan asked, "Well, son, what kind of soul skill did that mutated soul beast add to your twin-arms martial soul?"
Faced with his father's inquiry, Xu Huxiao's second soul ring lit up. He raised both arms, and instantly, two curved, dark-purple light armors emerged behind his forearms.
The surface of the light armor was not entirely smooth, instead composed of many small hexagons, bearing some resemblance to the tortoise shell of a dragon scale turtle.
"It's this. I call it the shadow counter-spike light armor. Its abilities are identical to the capabilities previously displayed by the mutated dragon-scaled tortoise, primarily possessing defensive energy-type soul skills and the ability to absorb energy and condense reflected light bullets."
Xu Huxiao roughly explained the effects of his soul skill. The two pieces of light armor were not particularly large, but when brought together they could completely shield his front with room to spare.
As for soul power consumption, using it once basically cost one-third of his current soul power. That was to say, excluding the independent recovery of his yang origin soul power, he could use it three times, with each use lasting ten minutes.
The consumption was quite manageable. One had to realize this was an eight-Thousand-Year-two-hundred-year soul skill. A typical soul master's first four soul rings were optimally matched as yellow-yellow-purple-purple; even upon reaching the forty-rank soul ancestor stage, the upper limit of the soul ring they could absorb was only five Thousand-Year, and it was only at the fifth soul ring that they could break through the ten-Thousand-Year mark and reach around twelve Thousand-Year.
In other words, purely in terms of soul skills, energy attacks below the soul king level were utterly incapable of breaching Xu Huxiao's shadow counter-spike light armor.
Having listened to Xu Huxiao's description and witnessed the display of the soul skill, Xu Bayan roughly understood.
"Attacking and defending, it looks like you've chosen a balanced, aggressive path. Very good, an assault-system battle soul master should be just like that."
"Once you have your own team in the future, you'll understand that we are not control mages, nor agile-attack assassins, but assault warriors. In battle, we are the ones who must constantly stand at the very front of the team."
"During team battles, the situation faced by an assault-system battle soul master is the most dangerous and the most complex. While fulfilling our duties of protecting teammates and holding the line against pressure, we must also learn to protect ourselves."
"Therefore, the development of a balanced system suits an assault-system battle soul master best."
"Huxiao, seeing that you have a plan for your soul master path, Dad is very happy. But the future path of a soul master expert is still very long. To become a pillar of strength who can stand alone, you still need to remain unarrogant, unimpulsive, and practice with perseverance."
"I know, Father."
"Haha, truly my son! Let's go, get on the boat and head home. Luo Ming has probably finished absorbing his soul ring as well, and tomorrow we'll find Jingjing a suitable soul beast."
Hearing Xu Bayan's remarks, Xu Huxiao felt a long-lost sense of reassurance. This feeling of being guided and cared for was wonderful.
Returning to the Returning Moon Island manor, night had already fallen.
At Thousand Islands Lake, the illumination soul tools all over the islands lit up one after another, reflecting off the surrounding waters in brilliant, intoxicating colors.
Now that night had fallen, the various islands grew even livelier. There were street vendors, street performers, performance soul duel matches, complemented by beauties in skimpy clothing and all kinds of fine wine and food.
It truly lived up to its reputation as a holiday resort.
"Heavenly Paradise at Thousand Islands Lake, envying no mandarin ducks and envying no immortals. Huxiao, do you want to follow Uncle Xiao Kong out for a spin? We'll find a few pretty young misses and have a heart-to-heart talk by the lake, what do you say?"
After finishing dinner, Xiao Kong pulled Xu Huxiao aside and said with an expression of you know how it is.
A heart-to-heart talk in bed, more like...
Just as Xu Huxiao wanted to refuse, Yun Ji right beside them heard this and excitedly volunteered.
"Uncle Xiao Kong, take me with you, I want to go! And Jingjing too, the two of us together."
However, Xu Huxiao grabbed Yun Ji's hand and said, "Uncle Xiao Kong, you guys go have fun. Yun Ji and I are planning to study and consolidate our martial soul knowledge together tonight."
With that, he looked at the puzzled Yun Ji, and with a shift of his mind, a telepathic voice audible only to outsiders transmitted straight into Yun Ji's mind.
If you still want to complete that fate ritual, listen to me.
Hearing the voice echoing in her head, Yun Ji looked at the bustling scene outside and knitted her cute brows. She wanted so badly to go play, yet...
Fine, I'll listen to you.
Then, Yun Ji cast an envious look at the group about to head out and said, "You guys go ahead and play, Huxiao-gege and I won't be going tonight."
Seeing this, Xiao Kong spread his hands. "Alright, with such a fine evening and lovely scenery, we'll be off then. Let's go, Luo Ming, Jingjing."
Watching the few of them depart so happily, Yun Ji was consumed with envy. Just as their figures were about to vanish at the doorway, she shouted at the top of her lungs:
"Jingjing, remember to bring back some late-night snacks for me and Huxiao-gege!"
"Mm-mm, I will~"
Bao Jingjing returned a sweet smile to show she understood.
Then the heavy gates closed, leaving only Xu Huxiao and Yun Ji in the manor alongside the servants.
As for Xu Bayan, the moment they returned to Returning Moon Island, this Demon Bear Douluo had made up an excuse about his body aching all over, claimed he needed a massage and therapy, and then vanished. Right now, he was probably somewhere on the island groaning and humming in blissful enjoyment.
With the manor peacefully quiet, Xu Huxiao pulled the sulking Yun Ji along and headed to his bedroom on the second floor of the manor.
He switched on the illumination soul tool, shut the door, and drew the curtains.
Making sure the doors and windows were securely fastened, Xu Huxiao looked at Yun Ji and spoke.
"Alright, come over here. From here on, just do as I say."
Before you continue