Success! The journey home! (5.3k) (Please invest! Please send recommendation votes! Please send monthly votes!)

The group traveled through the Nameless Forest for a day.

Qin Xu seriously doubted that light-attribute soul beasts would live in such a dark, damp forest.

Yet the world was unpredictable like that.

A light-attribute soul beast appeared in their field of vision without warning.

"A Golden Earth Dragon around sixteen hundred years old!" Bai Jian exclaimed in surprise. "Good heavens, what kind of luck do these two girls have? One ran into a three-thousand-year-old Ice Jade Scorpion, and the other found a sixteen-hundred-year-old Golden Earth Dragon. Isn't their luck a little too good?"

By then, Qin Xu and the other three had also noticed the Golden Earth Dragon. Although it was a lesser dragon, it possessed a pure draconic bloodline, containing only Light Dragon blood. Unlike other lesser dragons, whose bodies held a tangled mixture of dragon bloodlines that hindered one another, its bloodline was exceptionally pure.

The Golden Earth Dragon was a quadruped, walking on all four limbs. Its overall shape resembled an herbivorous dragon like a Triceratops rather than a carnivorous one like a Tyrant Dragon. A thousand-year-old Golden Earth Dragon had pale golden scales, which deepened in color as its cultivation increased. When all its scales turned brilliant gold, it meant its cultivation had reached ten thousand years.

The Golden Earth Dragon they encountered was over ten meters long, with a tail nearly five meters long—longer than its body. At the tip was a hammer-shaped lump the size of a soccer ball, which swung heavily from side to side with its tail. A straight horn protruded from its head, an inch above the midpoint between its eyes, making it look rather silly.

The Golden Earth Dragon strolled leisurely among the trees as though patrolling its territory, completely unaware that the countdown to its death had already begun.

"How about this Golden Earth Dragon?" Bai Jian asked Ye Guyi.

"I..." Ye Guyi visibly hesitated. Compared to the vague, intangible imagery of the sun, the Golden Earth Dragon before her was clearly more appealing. She really wanted it.

Seeing her hesitation, Qin Xu reached out and squeezed her small hand. She turned toward him, and when she saw the encouraging smile on his face, she understood what he meant.

"I want it," Ye Guyi said firmly.

"All right, I'll go capture it." At her answer, Qin Feng immediately prepared to move.

"Wait, Feng." Bai Jian stopped him and looked at the four children. "For this last soul beast, let these four little ones experience the difference between soul hunting and soul fighting. Let them get a real taste of actual combat."

"But..." Qin Feng froze.

"Is that appropriate?" Ya Yun questioned. "They're children who aren't even seven yet. Aren't you rushing things a little?"

Qin Xu and the others all looked at Bai Jian as well. There was no fear in their eyes, only intense excitement and fighting spirit. Newborn calves feared no tigers—that saying described them perfectly at that moment.

"I'm not rushing things. Not in the slightest," Bai Jian said seriously. "They aren't just a bunch of six-year-old children. They're four Soul Grandmasters, four Soul Grandmasters who either already possess thousand-year soul rings or are about to. How can we judge them by the standards of ordinary soul masters?

"How can a tiger cub grow into the king of beasts without facing challenges?"

"But Uncle Bai... this is a thousand-year-old earth dragon!" Qin Feng said. "A hundred-year-old earth dragon, or some other weaker thousand-year soul beast, would be fine. But a thousand-year-old earth dragon is powerful enough that even professional Soul Grandmaster-level hunting teams avoid it! Shouldn't we reconsider?"

"With three Titled Douluos here, what are you afraid of?" Bai Jian asked. "Don't tell me you're worried you can't keep four children safe from a thousand-year soul beast?"

He had started questioning their abilities. What more could Ya Yun and Qin Feng say?

"Fine. Let's ask the children what they think," Ya Yun said.

"Xu, think this through. This is a thousand-year-old Golden Earth Dragon, not some stray cat or dog!" Qin Feng immediately turned to Qin Xu, his expression extremely stern. "Although your Third Great-Grandpa and I are here and can keep you safe, there's still a risk!"

"Sixth Grandpa, don't worry," Qin Xu said. "I know you're afraid I'll get hurt, but rest assured. I'm a son of the Qin Family. How could I back down just because I'm afraid of getting hurt? I'll be fine!"

Qin Feng was at his wits' end. Qin Xu's usual maturity and good sense had blinded him to the fact that he was only six or seven—the age when boys were at their most mischievous and knew neither the height of the heavens nor the depth of the earth, when they truly wanted to try everything firsthand.

"Well said, Xu!" Thoroughly satisfied, Bai Jian patted Qin Xu on the shoulder. "Don't worry. With your Third Great-Grandpa here, I absolutely won't let you get hurt. Little Xue Zhao, little Ye, what do you think?"

"It's merely a thousand-year-old earth dragon. What is there to fear?" Xue Zhao said.

"This is my soul ring. Of course I have to do it myself!" Ye Guyi said.

Both girls were brimming with enthusiasm, without the slightest thought of fear or retreat.

Seeing this, Ya Yun had nothing more to say. She could only caution Vielvi, "Vielvi, you're a control system soul master. Stay behind the others. You're not allowed to charge to the front."

"Hehe, I know, I know," Vielvi replied with a giggle.

They appeared before the Golden Earth Dragon. Bai Jian, Qin Feng, and Ya Yun formed a triangle around it, enclosing it within a circular area fifty meters across. Qin Xu and the other three stood directly in front of it, thirty meters away, facing it through several large trees.

Iridescent light shimmered in Ya Yun's eyes as she stood ready to subdue the Golden Earth Dragon at any moment.

The instant the four children appeared, the Golden Earth Dragon sensed their presence. Its orange-yellow eyes immediately locked onto their position, and its body went rigid as it assumed an attacking stance.

"Roar!" It let out a mighty bellow, a threat before battle intended to frighten these four humans away.

Naturally, Qin Xu and the others did not leave. They immediately revealed their martial souls. With two rings, Qin Xu's body underwent further Dragon Transformation. His right hand and forearm had both become a dragon claw, and the Heaven-Defying Demon Dragon's unique imposing presence had begun to reveal itself.

Xue Zhao, Vielvi, and Ye Guyi showed little change. Setting aside Ye Guyi, who had yet to obtain her second soul ring, this was simply a characteristic of Xue Zhao's and Vielvi's martial souls. Nothing could be done about it.

"Everyone, get ready to attack!" Qin Xu called out.

"Xu, I've synchronized with you." Vielvi's voice appeared in Qin Xu's mind, and another perspective automatically surfaced in his thoughts. It was a wondrous sensation. At the same time, the world seemed to become more finely detailed—even the tiny specks of dust in the air were clearly visible.

Good grief, did this switch on Blu-ray Quality? Qin Xu thought.

"Xu, what's Blu-ray Quality?" Vielvi's puzzled voice sounded.

Telepathy!

Qin Xu could only focus on what lay ahead. Fixing his eyes on the Golden Earth Dragon, he broke into a sprint as both soul rings behind him lit up simultaneously.

"Roooar!" A stirring, clear dragon roar burst from his mouth, spreading immediately in every direction and pouring straight into the Golden Earth Dragon's ears.

First soul skill, Heaven-Defying Demon Dragon Roar!

An astonishing scene unfolded. Upon hearing the dragon roar, the previously ferocious Golden Earth Dragon's eyes filled with terror. Like a deflated balloon, its entire body collapsed limply to the ground, trembling uncontrollably. Its orange-yellow eyes held nothing but fear.

Two blazing spheres of light and a volley of ice spears struck it, yet it remained motionless on the ground, allowing the attacks to land on its body. Its only reaction was to shift its head and bury it even lower.

Meanwhile, Qin Xu had become a blaze of white light. He flashed across more than twenty meters and appeared beside the Golden Earth Dragon in an instant. Looking at its massive, violently trembling body, he struck without hesitation, his claw making the air shudder and hum.

Whoosh!

Crack!

The black dragon claw plunged into the Golden Earth Dragon's body all the way to its base, striking its bones with a muffled snapping sound. Before Qin Xu's strength, its thick dragon scales were as flimsy as a sheet of thin paper, offering no protection whatsoever.

"Whimper..." Even after suffering such a devastating injury, the Golden Earth Dragon made no move. It merely kept crying mournfully. Qin Xu had broken its neck, and its vitality was slowly draining away. Its orange-yellow eyes gradually lost their luster. The fear within them was gone, leaving only deep bewilderment.

"This..." Qin Xu froze. Had he just brought a thousand-year-old earth dragon to the brink of death with a single blow?

"Little Ye, hurry over and finish it off!" Bai Jian appeared beside Qin Xu in an instant, waving to Ye Guyi. He had never expected this outcome. He had underestimated both the suppression exerted by a dragon's bloodline and Qin Xu's terrifying strength.

"Oh, okay!" Before Ye Guyi could even figure out what had happened, she hurried over and delivered the final blow to the Golden Earth Dragon, which had only a breath left.

"Bloodline suppression! How terrifying!" Qin Feng walked over, his face full of shock.

Ya Yun appeared as well, looking at Qin Xu with a more thoughtful gaze. If she had seen correctly, this child possessed ultimate darkness. In that case, a dragon roar that left a Golden Earth Dragon completely unable to resist clearly could not have come from an ordinary Black Dragon martial soul.

Ye Guyi began absorbing the soul ring.

Vielvi and Xue Zhao crowded around Qin Xu.

"Xu, hurry up and tell me! How was my Thought Synchronization soul skill? Wasn't it novel?" Vielvi asked, her eyes full of anticipation as she waited for his assessment.

"It's powerful. It absolutely deserves to be called a divine control system skill, and it suits you very well," Qin Xu assessed seriously. "If you paired it with a spiritual detection ability, your control and command capabilities would definitely become even stronger, Vielvi."

"A spiritual detection ability?" Vielvi looked thoughtful. Qin Xu's words had indeed given her a new direction to consider.

"Qin Xu, I want to fight you when we get back!" Xue Zhao declared in her cool voice, staring at him with burning eyes.

"Huh?" Qin Xu paused, then agreed rather helplessly. "All right, but let's make this clear first. It's only a spar."

Xue Zhao nodded, her blue eyes full of curiosity. The sight of Qin Xu breaking the Golden Earth Dragon's neck with one punch had left her unable to calm down. The strength behind that blow had definitely exceeded three thousand kilograms. Like a hunter delighted at the sight of prey, she felt her desire to fight ignite.

Elsewhere, Bai Jian and Ya Yun stood together.

"Xu's martial soul probably isn't as simple as a Black Dragon, is it?" Ya Yun asked, a sharp glint flashing through her eyes.

"If it isn't a Black Dragon, what else could it be?" Bai Jian countered with a chuckle.

"Hmph! Could an ordinary Black Dragon frighten a thousand-year-old Golden Earth Dragon into paralysis?" Ya Yun snorted softly. "Besides, Xu possesses ultimate darkness, doesn't he?"

Bai Jian looked at her with a smile. Rather than continuing to deny it, he simply said, "Perhaps. Once we get back, you can go find my eldest brother. Ask him whatever you're curious about. He should tell you."

"All right, I will!" Ya Yun immediately understood and nodded.

Bai Jian said nothing more, merely maintaining his smiling expression, which irritated Ya Yun immensely. Just as he had said, the fact that Qin Tianji had allowed Ya Yun to accompany them on their soul hunt proved that he intended to reveal Qin Xu's Royal True Dragon martial soul to her.

Qin Tianji and Wei Zhiyi must be using Xu's martial soul to dig a pit for this old homebody Ya Yun, Bai Jian speculated. Those two elder brothers of his were certainly scheming.

After some more time passed, Ye Guyi finished absorbing her soul ring.

She stood up with a delighted smile on her pretty face and a sparkle in her eyes, radiating joy from the inside out.

"Yiyi, judging by your expression, you must have obtained a very good soul skill." Qin Xu approached her and asked, secretly harboring a certain hope. That nearly one gram of great sun pure crystal ought to have had some effect.

"Yes, that's right!" Ye Guyi nodded emphatically. "My second soul skill is called Angel Assault. It's a close-combat soul skill that concentrates holy energy in my fist before releasing it. At the same time, it forms an energy shield, combining attack and defense."

In fact, the energy shield generated by Angel Assault could not only protect her, but also dissolve and suppress foreign soul power. Ye Guyi simply had not realized it yet. She would only discover this during a later practical combat class.

"A soul skill combining offense and defense. Very good indeed!" Bai Jian commented. From his perspective as a power attack system Titled Douluo, Ye Guyi's Angel Assault was indeed a soul skill ideally suited to a power attack system soul master.

After absorbing her second soul ring, Ye Guyi's soul power reached rank 22.

With that, all four children had obtained their second soul rings, bringing their soul-hunting trip to a successful conclusion.

"Come on, let's go home!"

The group began their return journey. On the way there, they had repeatedly stopped along the route, so it had taken a long time. On the way back, however, they traveled straight through. In just ten hours, they emerged from the Heaven Dou Mountains and returned to Green Mountain Town.

"What happened here?"

Unlike when they arrived, the atmosphere in Green Mountain Town had clearly grown heavy. Few people in town smiled. Almost everyone they saw wore some degree of dejection, uncertainty, confusion, or sorrow.

The sight puzzled Qin Xu, prompting his question.

"I don't know," Qin Feng replied from the driver's seat. "But there's no need to worry. We'll find out soon enough."

Just as Qin Feng had said, they soon learned why the atmosphere in Green Mountain Town was so heavy.

A Soul Elder-level hunting team had accidentally entered the territory of a ten-thousand-year soul beast in the mountains and been almost completely wiped out. Only its captain, an agility attack system Soul Ancestor, had escaped thanks to his superior speed.

The news immediately stirred sympathy and a sense of shared grief among most of the town's soul masters.

The team that had been wiped out had been one of Green Mountain Town's most successful hunting teams. No one had expected it to meet its end this way. With its loss, the town's soul-hunting market would likely face another upheaval.

"A soul-hunting team of ten soul masters, and only one survived. What a pity." Qin Xu felt a little regretful.

The team's members had come from the Black Dragon Duchy and other provinces of the Heaven Dou Empire. One had even come from the Star Luo Empire. In the end, they had all lost their lives in Heaven Mountain.

"If they made their living hunting soul beasts, they should have considered that this day might come. There's nothing to regret," Xue Zhao said coldly.

"But those were nine human lives. That means nine families. Their parents, wives, and children must be devastated." Ye Guyi looked sorrowful.

"Yes, how tragic." Even Vielvi showed a rare look of sympathy. The grief of seeing one's own kind suffer was indeed infectious.

"There's no need to dwell on this," Bai Jian said solemnly. "Being a soul master is inherently dangerous. In the future, you'll encounter many more deaths caused by failed soul hunts. What you can do is improve yourselves as much as possible, so you don't become someone others mourn."

"Yes," the four children answered in unison.

Before long, they returned to Yongdu City.

The four children went straight back to the Heavenly Profound Academy.

The day after their return marked the beginning of the annual New Year holiday. Almost every soul master academy on the Douluo Continent would close for the holiday. Although it was not long, they still had seven days off.

"The holiday starts tomorrow. A Liang, Yiyi, what are you planning to do?" Qin Xu asked.

"Cultivate." Xue Zhao gave a brief but unequivocal answer.

"Me too," Ye Guyi replied.

"All right." Qin Xu could only put on a regretful air. "I was thinking of inviting you to celebrate at the palace. There's a grand banquet there every New Year's Eve. It's really lively. It's such a shame you won't be coming."

"Boring," Xue Zhao said icily. "No matter how lively it is, it can't make me happier than improving my cultivation!"

Ye Guyi nodded vigorously in agreement, then asked, "Brother Xu, why aren't you inviting Vielvi?"

"Hehe, because I can be a host, of course! I don't need an invitation!" Vielvi came over with a giggle and a trace of smugness on her pretty face. "Are you really not coming? This will be my first time celebrating New Year at the Black Dragon King's Palace too. It would be such a shame if you didn't join us."

"I said I'm going to cultivate," Xue Zhao emphasized again.

Seeing this, Qin Xu and Vielvi could only give up.

Thus, the next day, Qin Xu, Zhang Lexuan, and Vielvi returned from the Heavenly Profound Academy to the Black Dragon King's Palace.

In previous years, this had always been the palace's busiest season, as preparations had to be made for the New Year banquet and the New Year's Day grand court assembly.

Over the past few years, Qin Xu had been young and his martial soul had not yet awakened. Qin Tianji had presided over everything on his behalf, so none of these matters had kept him busy.

But this year was different. This was the first New Year banquet and grand court assembly since his Martial Soul Awakening, and he had to preside over them personally. This was important both for him and for the Black Dragon Duchy. Thus, on his second day back at the palace, he became exceptionally busy.

On New Year's Eve, Qin Xu hosted his first New Year banquet. It was his first appearance as the Black Dragon Grand Duke before the duchy's principal officials, nobles, and soul masters. He held cordial exchanges and discussions with them that lasted late into the night.

On the first day of the New Year, the grand court assembly was the true main event.

The chief administrators of the Black Dragon Duchy's nine commanderies—Tianxing Commandery, Tianhai Commandery, Luohe Commandery, Snowfield Prefecture, Yinshan Commandery, Cold Mountain Commandery, Westguard Commandery, Plains Commandery, and Xuanhu Commandery—all arrived in Yongdu City. Qin Xu met and spoke with each of them in turn.

On the second day of the New Year, the Qin Family's clan gathering was another important occasion requiring Qin Xu's presence. All the family's current principal members came to pay their respects to him one by one and offer their New Year greetings.

On the third day of the New Year, Qin Xu finally got a day of rest.

On the fourth day of the New Year, the holiday ended, and Qin Xu went back to school.