Luo Jiuyou: Earth-Splitting Mountain-Crushing Slash? Have I Become a Red-Eyed Berserker This Time?

The next two days passed peacefully yet productively.

During the day, Luo Jiuyou studied theory with Qian Xunji and Elder Jiang. At night, he immersed himself in the slaughter of Asura Purgatory.

The ghost soldiers in Mental Purgatory gradually increased from several dozen to over a hundred, and his combat skills grew ever more refined.

Every morning, his three senior sisters appeared at the gate of his courtyard right on time.

As usual, Bibi Dong pinched his cheeks, while Qian Renxue watched the spectacle from the side.

As usual, Ye Guyi stood at the very back, watching the three people ahead of her make a complete mess of things.

Luo Jiuyou pinched back, making Bibi Dong yelp, while Qian Renxue took the chance to pile on. The scene was as lively as a marketplace.

On the afternoon of the third day, Qian Xunji suddenly sent someone to summon Luo Jiuyou.

"Jiuyou, come with me."

Luo Jiuyou set down the book in his hands and followed Qian Xunji out of the study.

He noticed that Qian Xunji was walking faster than usual, and his face carried barely suppressed excitement.

"Teacher, where are we going?"

"The Worship Hall."

Luo Jiuyou's heart stirred, and he vaguely guessed what this was about.

The Worship Hall of Spirit Hall.

Beneath the Angel God statue, Qian Daoliu stood with his hands behind his back. Golden Crocodile Douluo, Azure Luan Douluo, and Mighty Lion Douluo sat on either side.

The gazes of the four consecrated elders fell upon Luo Jiuyou at once, carrying scrutiny, curiosity, and a trace of undisguised satisfaction.

Neither servile nor arrogant, Luo Jiuyou bowed. "Greetings, First Consecrated Elder. Greetings, three Consecrated Elders."

Qian Daoliu looked him over a few times, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

"Do you know why you were summoned here today?"

"This disciple does not," Luo Jiuyou replied calmly.

Qian Daoliu turned to Qian Xunji. "You tell him."

Qian Xunji cleared his throat, his tone carrying a hint of pride.

"Jiuyou, a few days ago, you mentioned the use of Whale Rubber. The Medicine Hall has already verified it.

Whale Rubber treated over fire can indeed temper the body and increase a Soul Master's physical strength and the age limit of Soul Rings they can absorb."

Luo Jiuyou revealed just the right amount of surprise. "So... it really works?"

"It works." Qian Xunji nodded, the smile in his eyes nearly overflowing.

"And the effect is far better than we anticipated. Long-term consumption benefits the physique of any Soul Master.

For Spirit Hall's future cultivation of Soul Masters, this is nothing less than an entirely new path."

Azure Luan Douluo chuckled. "A child's casual remark has actually shaken the foundations of Spirit Hall's future for decades to come."

Mighty Lion Douluo took over in a deep, rumbling voice. "That's why the boss called you here—merit cannot go unrewarded."

Qian Daoliu said nothing.

He slowly walked over to Luo Jiuyou, his gaze tranquil.

"Luo Jiuyou, you have been cultivating while carrying that sword on your back these past few days, correct?"

Luo Jiuyou had not expected the sudden question. He paused, then answered truthfully, "Yes."

"Take it out. Let this old man have a look."

Without another word, Luo Jiuyou removed the Asura Demon Sword from his back and held it horizontally in both hands.

The two-meter-long crimson greatsword was as light as nothing in his hands.

The dark golden demonic patterns on its blade slowly shifted beneath the Worship Hall's light.

The blood-red demonic eye seemed to come alive, sweeping its gaze around the room.

Qian Daoliu reached out and took the Asura Demon Sword.

He weighed it in his hand, raising a brow. "It weighs a full three thousand jin."

He looked again at Luo Jiuyou's slender shoulders, and his gaze gained several degrees of approval.

"Yet you carried it for several days without changing expression. Such perseverance is rarer than talent."

He returned the sword to Luo Jiuyou, stood with his hands behind his back, and nodded toward a jade box behind him.

"Open it."

Qian Xunji stepped forward and opened the jade box.

A vast, fierce, baleful aura rushed out from within.

Inside the jade box lay a dark crimson arm bone.

A dark red sheen flowed across the bone's surface. Faint, dense blood-colored patterns could be seen, as if something was slowly moving inside the bone.

Simply approaching it was enough to feel an ancient aura of savagery.

Qian Daoliu spoke slowly. "This left arm bone came from a seventy-thousand-year Bloodslaughter Demon Ape.

This beast lived for slaughter, its vicious aura reaching the heavens. Its Soul Bone also contains an immensely powerful will to kill.

An ordinary Soul Master cannot possibly control it. Forcing absorption would only result in backlash."

He paused, his gaze settling on Luo Jiuyou.

"And your martial soul possesses an aura of slaughter even more terrifying than that demon ape's. In this world, I fear you are the only one who would dare claim that you can control it."

He did not know which god stood behind the Asura Demon Sword, but he knew one thing.

The inheritance this child bore was absolutely far from simple.

This killing aura, this favor bestowed by a god, all foretold a future for Luo Jiuyou far beyond his imagination.

Qian Xunji opened the second jade box.

Inside lay a golden, gelatinous substance the size of a human head. It was translucent, its surface faintly tinged scorched brown, and it gave off a strange fishy fragrance.

"Ten Thousand Year Whale Rubber," Qian Xunji said. "It has been processed according to the method you described. It softened after being roasted over fire, and its medicinal properties have been activated.

The Medicine Hall prepared this specifically for you, to be given together with that Soul Bone.

The Soul Bone tempers your bones and strength, while the Whale Rubber tempers your blood, qi, and physique. Used together, they are far more effective than absorbing either alone."

Luo Jiuyou looked at the golden Whale Rubber, and his heartbeat quickened.

A seventy-thousand-year Soul Bone. Ten Thousand Year Whale Rubber.

It was hard to imagine that he had only wanted to improve his physique, yet he had received a seventy-thousand-year Soul Bone as well.

This was clearly Spirit Hall's investment in him.

He took a deep breath and cupped his fists solemnly. "Thank you, First Consecrated Elder. Thank you, Teacher."

Qian Daoliu waved a hand. "Do not thank us yet. Both the Soul Bone and Whale Rubber are high-year treasures, and absorbing them carries considerable risk.

Although your physique is stronger than that of others your age, you must not be careless when facing the killing aura of seventy thousand years and the surging medicinal power of Ten Thousand Year Whale Rubber.

Absorb them both here in the Worship Hall today. This old man will personally guard you."

Luo Jiuyou did not refuse. He sat cross-legged, first accepting the Ten Thousand Year Whale Rubber and placing it in his mouth.

The Whale Rubber melted the instant it entered his mouth, and a scorching current flowed down his throat into his abdomen.

In an instant, a layer of crimson spread across his skin. His blood and qi churned like boiling water, and even his breath became scorching hot.

He knew that this was the body-tempering effect of the Whale Rubber taking hold.

Its medicinal power surged through his body, washing over his meridians and flesh again and again.

Qian Daoliu pressed a hand against his shoulder and said gravely, "The Whale Rubber is remaking your physique. Circulate that meditation method of yours and refine it."

Luo Jiuyou gritted his teeth and nodded.

He could feel the medicinal power burning every inch of his muscles and meridians, while his blood and qi constantly roiled within him.

That scorching presence seemed determined to melt and recast his body from scratch.

He made no sound and did not struggle. He simply endured the burning tempering in silence.

Once the Whale Rubber's medicinal power had initially stabilized, his body was faintly hot, and tiny crimson-gold motes of light could vaguely be seen flowing beneath his skin.

Only then did he open his eyes, press the dark crimson arm bone against his left arm, close his eyes again, and channel Soul Power into it.

In an instant, a savage ape's roar exploded in his mind!

The residual killing intent left behind by the Bloodslaughter Demon Ape surged toward him like a burst dam.

But after cultivating the Asura Purgatory Technique these past few days, he had long since grown accustomed to killing intent.

Moreover, his spiritual power had been constantly tempered and strengthened during this time, becoming even more resilient.

Faced with such residual killing intent, he merely treated it as another trial to temper his mental fortitude.

Dark crimson light spread upward along his left arm, while blood-red patterns began to emerge across his skin, interweaving like a spiderweb.

From fingertips to shoulder, his entire left arm gradually turned a deep, dark crimson, as though it had been soaked in blood.

The color continued to deepen. Something seemed to be surging and burning beneath his skin.

Qian Renxue asked Bibi Dong softly, "Can he... can he endure it?"

For once, Bibi Dong did not joke around. Frowning, she said, "He should be able to... he's our junior brother."

"Don't worry," Ye Guyi said softly. "He's tougher than we think."

Time passed bit by bit.

Luo Jiuyou's brow furrowed tighter and tighter. A searing, stabbing pain came from deep within his bones, as though something was merging with his body.

At the same time, the Whale Rubber's medicinal power continued surging through him, intertwining with the Soul Bone's killing aura.

His flesh and spirit were being tempered together, his physique and will forged as one.

"Endure it." Qian Daoliu's voice came from ahead, still calm.

"When a Soul Bone merges into the body, it is equivalent to reforging your bones from scratch.

The Whale Rubber tempers your flesh. With both happening at once, the pain doubles—and so do the gains."

Luo Jiuyou did not respond, nor did he make a sound.

He could clearly feel a current of killing intent flowing from his left arm into his entire body.

It formed a subtle resonance with the killing intent within the Asura Demon Sword, as though they had always come from the same source.

At last, the dark crimson radiance slowly receded and fully merged into Luo Jiuyou's body.

He opened his eyes and lowered his head to look at his left arm—

His entire arm was an unnatural dark crimson. Fine blood-colored patterns surfaced across his skin, as though blood vessels were showing through from within, faintly throbbing beneath the surface.

The bloody color was deeper and richer than before. His entire arm looked as if it had been soaked in blood, giving off a faint aura of slaughter.

Bibi Dong's eyes widened. Pointing at his left arm, she cried out in shock, "Junior Brother! Your hand—it's completely red!"

Qian Renxue and Ye Guyi saw it as well, and both their expressions changed slightly.

"How... how could absorbing a Soul Bone turn out like this?" Qian Renxue unconsciously clenched her fists.

"Do not panic." Qian Daoliu's voice remained steady, though his steps had already quickened.

He strode over to Luo Jiuyou, pressed a hand to his left arm, and carefully sent Soul Power inside to examine it.

A moment later, his brow first creased slightly, then slowly relaxed.

"...There is no abnormality." Qian Daoliu withdrew his hand, his gaze falling on Luo Jiuyou's crimson arm.

"The Soul Bone has merged smoothly. There is no rejection, no Soul Power backlash. On the contrary—"

He paused, a flicker of surprise flashing through his eyes.

"His physique is still growing stronger. The Whale Rubber's medicinal power and the Soul Bone's killing aura are tempering his body in tandem. The circulation speed of his blood and qi is several times faster than before."

Luo Jiuyou moved his left hand, spreading and clenching his fingers as he felt the unceasing surge of power.

He stared at his completely crimson arm.

It gave him an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

Why did it feel a little like Ghost Hand?

"First Consecrated Elder," he raised his head, "this disciple feels... as though this Soul Bone was meant to belong to me. It is resonating with my martial soul."

Qian Daoliu was silent for a moment. His gaze swept back and forth several times between Luo Jiuyou's crimson left arm and the Asura Demon Sword at his side before he slowly spoke. "Resonance Link."

"Resonance Link?" Qian Xunji frowned. "What does that mean?"

"When an ordinary Soul Master absorbs a Soul Bone, they are 'using' the Soul Bone's power. The Soul Bone is an external object; the person is a person, and the bone is a bone," Qian Daoliu explained.

"But Jiuyou's case is different. His martial soul and the Bloodslaughter Demon Ape's power share the same origin, both carrying immensely heavy killing intent.

They have formed a deep resonance. The Soul Bone's power is actively merging into his body instead of being passively absorbed by him."

He looked at Luo Jiuyou. "This is an extremely rare situation. When a Soul Bone and a Soul Master form a Resonance Link,

it means the Soul Bone's compatibility with you has reached an extraordinarily high level.

It is no longer an external object, but a part of your body."

Bibi Dong's eyes lit up. "So Junior Brother's hand turned red because... that Soul Bone is merging with him?"

"You may understand it that way." Qian Daoliu nodded. "The improvement brought by this Resonance Link far exceeds the effects of ordinary Soul Bone absorption."

He once again sent in Soul Power and sensed carefully for a while. When he withdrew his hand, there was an undisguised shock in his eyes.

"His physical strength... has increased by at least five times."

"Five times?!" Even Qian Xunji's voice changed pitch.

"The Whale Rubber remade his flesh, the Soul Bone reforged his bones, and the two stacked together with the additional boost of the Resonance Link—"

Qian Daoliu looked at Luo Jiuyou. "His current physique is already equivalent to that of a Soul King."

Bibi Dong sucked in a sharp breath. "Five times?! A body equivalent to a Soul King? Doesn't that mean Junior Brother is practically made of iron now?"

Luo Jiuyou lowered his head to look at his crimson left arm.

The bloody color was slowly fading, returning to its normal skin tone. Only a few faint blood patterns remained on the back of his hand, like natural markings.

He clenched his fist, feeling the unprecedented fullness within his body.

Qian Daoliu spoke again. "The Soul Bone has initially merged with your body, and the Whale Rubber's medicinal power has also fused into your flesh. This Soul Bone has an extremely high compatibility with you, and its subsequent effects will continue to reveal themselves."

Luo Jiuyou closed his eyes and used his thoughts to communicate with the newly merged left arm bone.

A moment later, he opened his eyes and spoke with a somewhat strange expression. "This disciple has sensed the skill attached to the Soul Bone."

Luo Jiuyou raised his left hand and slightly spread his fingers.

The blood patterns on his left arm faintly lit up, and a scorching force seeped from his palm.

"Outrage Break. It condenses killing intent and blood qi onto a weapon, granting three seconds of Super Armor to the attack. After leaping up, it strikes the ground with overwhelming force,

triggering a large-scale shockwave and eruptions of blood-qi magma. Enemies struck will be blasted away, while their wounds continue to bleed."

Bibi Dong blinked. "Outrage Break? What a domineering name!"

The corner of Luo Jiuyou's mouth twitched as he silently complained, Outrage Break?

Isn't that the Berserker's level 45 skill from DNF?

It triggered wide-area explosive damage with blood and vitality, causing struck enemies to bleed continuously.

A large-scale attack skill with an inherent bleeding debuff.

And now, his left hand had turned completely red, like a Ghost Hand.

Together with that skill—

Damn it, I've turned directly into a Berserker?

Qian Xunji nodded in satisfaction. "With the dual tempering of Whale Rubber and the soul bone, both your physique and spirit have risen to a new level. Combined with your Asura Purgatory Technique, you'll be able to withstand a higher soul ring age when absorbing your first soul ring."

After all, Luo Jiuyou's meditation technique had come from the Asura Demon Sword.

It was therefore highly likely to be a gift from a god.

He simply did not believe that the absorption limit for his first soul ring would not increase.

Luo Jiuyou nodded. "This disciple understands."

Bibi Dong grabbed Luo Jiuyou's left arm. "Junior Brother, Junior Brother, let me see your hand! Did it really turn completely red just now?"

"It's back to normal now." Luo Jiuyou spread open his palm. "It only turns red when I activate it with Soul Power."

"Then activate it and let me see!" Bibi Dong's eyes sparkled.

Luo Jiuyou activated his Soul Power. The blood-red patterns on his left arm suddenly lit up, and his entire arm, from fingertips to shoulder, swiftly took on a dark crimson hue. Blood energy faintly churned beneath the surface of his skin.

Bibi Dong sucked in a breath. "Wow—! That's so cool!"

Qian Renxue leaned over for a look, deep in thought. "That color... it looks like it's been soaked in blood."

Ye Guyi watched for a while before reaching out to touch it. "It feels like it matches your sword well."

Luo Jiuyou withdrew his Soul Power, and his left arm returned to its normal skin tone. Bibi Dong was still not satisfied. "Junior Brother, when can you try that Outrage Break? I want to see it!"

"When we find an open area." Luo Jiuyou said. "The Worship Hall's floor is too expensive. I can't afford to pay for it if I break it."

Bibi Dong burst into laughter, Qian Renxue's lips curved slightly as well, and Ye Guyi lowered her head, her shoulders trembling faintly.

Before the laughter had even faded, Qian Daoliu's voice suddenly rang out.

"Regarding the first soul ring, this old man has just discussed it with the other worshippers."

Luo Jiuyou and the three senior sisters turned their heads at the same time.

At some unknown point, Qian Daoliu had returned. He stood beside a corridor pillar with his hands behind his back, his gaze resting on Luo Jiuyou.

"Based on your current physique and spiritual power—"

Bibi Dong immediately pricked up her ears. Qian Renxue also put down the pastry in her hand, while Ye Guyi leaned forward half a step.

Qian Daoliu spoke calmly. "A five-thousand-year soul ring should be within your limits."

The three little ones were utterly dumbfounded.

"...Five thousand years?" Bibi Dong's voice changed pitch. "Your first soul ring will be five thousand years?"

Ye Guyi said nothing, but her gaze lingered on Luo Jiuyou for quite some time, as though she were reassessing something.

Qian Daoliu waved a hand. "That number is not aggressive. With his current physique, he can withstand the impact of a soul ring below ten thousand years.

It's simply not advisable for the first soul ring to be too reckless. Five thousand years is already enough to leave his peers several lengths behind."

"Besides, you are highly likely to receive a Divine Trial in the future, which may raise your soul ring ages."

"But overall, the higher the soul ring age you absorb, the more Soul Power you can obtain, saving you a great deal of cultivation time."

Luo Jiuyou touched his left arm, whose skin tone had already returned to normal, and nodded. "This disciple understands."

Bibi Dong was still standing there in a daze, muttering, "Five thousand years... five thousand years..."

Qian Renxue mumbled, "Ridiculous."

As Ye Guyi watched Luo Jiuyou's back, only one thought flashed through her mind.

A five-thousand-year first soul ring.

This junior brother could truly leave everyone dumbstruck.

"Rest well tonight. At dawn tomorrow, I'll take you to obtain your soul ring."

"Yes, Grand Worshipper."