Martial Soul Suppression

Night had deepened, and Eastsea Academy's Dormitory grounds lay especially quiet beneath the moonlight. Tang Wulin had just reached his Dormitory building and was about to push open the door when he spotted Wang Jinxi leaning in the shadows of a corner, apparently waiting for him.

"Wang Jinxi?" Tang Wulin sounded surprised. "It's so late. Did you need something?"

Wang Jinxi stepped out of the shadows, moonlight spilling over his conflicted expression. He looked at Tang Wulin, hesitating to speak, as though gathering his words—or his courage.

"Tang Wulin, can I... ask you something?" Wang Jinxi's voice was a little hoarse.

Seeing his solemn expression, Tang Wulin nodded. "Of course. Let's talk inside."

They entered the lounge on the Dormitory's ground floor and found a corner to sit in.

Wang Jinxi drew a deep breath and looked Tang Wulin straight in the eye, finally asking the question that had troubled him for so long. "It was during the promotion tournament that I first realized my martial soul could be suppressed. That was when I learned martial soul suppression even existed. And... you were the one suppressing it."

He paused, frustration and confusion coloring his voice. "I don't understand. Whether your martial soul is the Soft Bone Rabbit or Blue Silver Grass, neither should be able to suppress my Ancient Dragon King. The Ancient Dragon King is a top-tier beast martial soul. How could it fear Blue Silver Grass or a rabbit? So why is my martial soul so utterly suppressed in front of you? It feels like an ant facing a mighty dragon. I can't even muster the thought of resisting."

Tang Wulin fell silent.

He had thought about this question himself. But he knew there were things he could not reveal—or rather, things even he had yet to understand.

After some thought, he raised his head, looked at Wang Jinxi, and slowly said, "Maybe... it's because of my bloodline."

"Bloodline?" Wang Jinxi froze.

"Yes." Tang Wulin nodded, a trace of bewilderment in his eyes. "My situation is rather unusual. You could think of it as a special martial soul, or as something that isn't a martial soul at all. It still hasn't awakened into a true martial soul form, but I can feel it fused with my blood. It can do exactly the same things as a martial soul."

Looking at Wang Jinxi's shocked eyes, he continued, "So the suppression you feel might not come from my Blue Silver Grass or Soft Bone Rabbit, but from this... Bloodline power inside me. I don't really know what it is. I'm still trying to figure it out myself."

Wang Jinxi opened his mouth as if to speak, but no words came. He looked at Tang Wulin, his eyes filled with conflicting emotions: awe at that mysterious power, and helplessness at having his own martial soul suppressed.

"Then... what are you going to do?" Wang Jinxi asked.

Tang Wulin shook his head, stood, and patted Wang Jinxi's shoulder. "I don't really understand it either. But since it hasn't awakened yet, let's let nature take its course. As for your martial soul being suppressed... perhaps that suppression will weaken as you grow stronger."

He paused, his tone turning earnest. "But Wang Jinxi, the strength of a martial soul isn't the only thing that determines victory or defeat. What truly decides the outcome is our own will and effort. Isn't that right?"

The resolve in Tang Wulin's eyes shook Wang Jinxi. He nodded and stood, fighting spirit rekindling in his gaze. "You're right. A martial soul is only the starting point, not the finish line. I'll work hard!"

"That's the spirit." Tang Wulin smiled. "Get some rest. We still have training tomorrow."

"Yeah."

They exchanged smiles, and the barrier between them seemed to dissolve like smoke in that moment. Wang Jinxi watched Tang Wulin's back as he headed upstairs, his eyes filled with complicated emotions. He knew this boy was destined to become the most important rival of his life—and his most important friend.

After returning to his Dormitory, Tang Wulin stood by the window and gazed at the bright moon outside, but his heart was far from peaceful.

“Bloodline Suppression...” he murmured, a trace of confusion flashing through his eyes. He could feel the power inside him gradually awakening, and he had to find answers as soon as possible.

"Perhaps I really should ask Teacher Wu."

Night had deepened, and Eastsea Academy's faculty Dormitory grounds lay silent.

Tang Wulin and Wang Jinxi knocked on Wu Changkong's door. It opened a crack, revealing Wu Changkong's stern face. When the door swung fully open, however, both boys' eyes widened, and they nearly burst out laughing.

Teacher Wu, who normally dressed all in black and was as cold as frost, was wearing thick fleece pajamas printed with little bears. Even the cuffs had fluffy hand warmers, creating an adorably jarring contrast with his unapproachable face.

"Laugh, and I'll throw you out," Wu Changkong said coldly, stepping aside to let them in.

Both boys immediately covered their mouths and entered, struggling to hold back their laughter.

Wu Changkong closed the door and resumed his stern demeanor. "What brings you here so late?"

Wang Jinxi glanced at Tang Wulin, then gathered his courage. "Teacher, it's about martial soul suppression. When we spar, my martial soul is already suppressed so badly it can't lift its head before I've even attacked. I can't accept that. The fight hasn't even started, yet I've already lost."

Wu Changkong showed no surprise. He merely cast a calm glance over them. "Martial soul suppression does exist. In your case, it isn't merely a matter of attributes, but of a difference in rank."

He turned toward Tang Wulin, his tone growing serious. "Wulin, your situation is unusual. Since Wang Jinxi has brought it up, I'll help you untangle this knot today. Release your bloodline power first. Don't use soul power, only your bloodline."

Tang Wulin nodded and drew a deep breath. With a thought, an ancient, domineering aura burst from his body.

"Roar—"

A deep dragon's cry echoed through the small Dormitory. A layer of brilliant golden scales instantly covered Tang Wulin's right arm. His muscles swelled, and his right hand transformed into a razor-sharp golden Dragon Claw radiating terrifying pressure!

Mysterious patterns flowed across the Dragon Claw. Merely looking at it made Wang Jinxi tremble in the depths of his soul.

"This... this is your true form?" Wang Jinxi sucked in a sharp breath. He could sense that this was Tang Wulin's true trump card. Beside it, Blue Silver Grass seemed utterly pale and insignificant.

A gleam flashed through Wu Changkong's eyes as he studied the Dragon Claw. Then he told Wang Jinxi, "Now release your martial soul. Don't resist that pressure. Try to feel it and resonate with it."

Wang Jinxi gritted his teeth. His legs had gone weak, but he forced himself to release his martial soul.

"Martial Soul Possession, Ancient Dragon King!"

With a low roar, a majestic phantom of the Ancient Dragon King appeared behind Wang Jinxi. Yet because he had not mastered Martial Soul Avatar, the phantom remained somewhat insubstantial. Under the pressure of the golden Dragon Claw, it shivered like a subject standing before his sovereign.

"Don't be afraid. It won't hurt you," Tang Wulin said softly, reining in a little of his draconic pressure.

Just then, a miracle occurred.

When the pressure of Tang Wulin's pure Dragon Clan bloodline touched Wang Jinxi's Ancient Dragon King Martial Soul, the trembling phantom began to shake—but now it shook not with fear, but with excitement!

The Ancient Dragon King greedily absorbed that pure Dragon Qi. Its once-insubstantial body grew more solid, its scales became clearer, and even its horns seemed more imposing. Its formerly dim glow turned dazzling, and there was even a faint sign that it might evolve into a legendary "Dragon King"!

Watching this, Wu Changkong's expression flickered with confirmation.

A moment later, Tang Wulin withdrew his bloodline power, and his right arm returned to normal. Wang Jinxi also withdrew his martial soul, but he was still overwhelmed with shock. He could feel how greatly his martial soul had been nourished in that brief instant. Even his bottleneck had loosened considerably.

"Teacher... what was that?" Tang Wulin asked, bewildered.

Wu Changkong clasped his hands behind his back and spoke slowly. "I understand the characteristics of both your martial souls. Tang Wulin, your bloodline power is exceptionally pure. Although you cannot fully control it yet, it possesses the purest aura of a Dragon Clan sovereign. Wang Jinxi, although your Ancient Dragon King is a top-tier martial soul, it ultimately arose through an acquired mutation. Its bloodline is not the purest."

He paused, sweeping his gaze over them. "Your martial souls actually complement each other. Tang Wulin's bloodline can promote your martial soul evolution, Wang Jinxi, bringing it closer to a true Dragon King. In turn, Wang Jinxi's martial soul can stimulate Tang Wulin's bloodline, gradually strengthening your power. The increase is small, but it does exist."

Wu Changkong walked to the window and looked out into the night. "I considered having you cultivate with your Dormitory rooms right beside each other to maximize this complementary effect. But at the time, I wasn't certain whether it might cause a backlash."

He turned back to them, his tone firm. "Now, however, it seems my concerns were unnecessary. In any case, tonight you'll first try cultivating together here. Tang Wulin will release his bloodline aura, and Wang Jinxi will circulate his cultivation method to absorb it. Remember, this is a rare opportunity. Don't waste it."

Tang Wulin and Wang Jinxi exchanged a glance, each seeing shock and anticipation in the other's eyes.

"Yes, Teacher!" they answered together.

The night was dark as ink. Inside Class Zero's boys' Dormitory, two beds had been pushed side by side, leaving only an arm's length between them. A unique scent lingered in the air, mingling a faint, cool metallic fragrance with the vitality of growing plants.

"Are you ready?" Tang Wulin sat cross-legged on his bed and drew a deep breath, a golden gleam flickering in his eyes.

Wang Jinxi closed his eyes and focused, nodding firmly. His voice trembled slightly. "Go ahead. I'm ready."

Tang Wulin said no more and willed his power into motion. In an instant, an ancient, domineering aura brimming with vitality slowly spread from his body. This time, he did not form a Dragon Claw. Instead, he gently released his pure Golden Dragon King Bloodline Power, which filled the space between them like a warm golden current.

Wang Jinxi felt the air around him grow heavy, as if he were immersed in a golden ocean. That aura carried supreme majesty, yet strangely, it showed no rejection of him at all.

"Circulate your soul power. Guide this aura through your meridians, then draw it into your martial soul." Tang Wulin's voice was low and steady, resonating like evening drums and morning bells.

Wang Jinxi circulated his soul power as instructed. As the golden current poured into him, every cell in his body seemed to leap and cheer. The Ancient Dragon King phantom appeared behind him once more, greedily opening its enormous jaws and gulping down the golden current.

"Roar—"

An ethereal dragon's cry rang through Wang Jinxi's Sea of Consciousness. Nourished by the golden current, the Ancient Dragon King's form grew increasingly solid. Its once-dim scales began to shine with a faint silver glow, and the patterns on its horns became clearer.

Sensing Wang Jinxi's changes, Tang Wulin was inwardly astonished. He could feel his bloodline power being rapidly absorbed, yet as he released it, his own blood and vital energy grew even more active.

Was this what it meant to complement each other?

Tang Wulin focused more intently on controlling the flow of his bloodline power. He discovered that as Wang Jinxi absorbed it, a stream of pure soul power flowed back to him. Though small in quantity, it was exceptionally gentle, nourishing his meridians.

Time slipped by in silence.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Wang Jinxi's forehead, and the fluctuations of his soul power began climbing steadily. His soul power, previously stalled around rank twenty-three, now surged against his bottleneck like floodwater bursting through an opened sluice, unstoppable.

Crack.

As though a barrier had shattered, Wang Jinxi's soul power suddenly surged upward, breaking straight through the threshold of rank twenty-three, then ranks twenty-four and twenty-five!

But it did not stop. The golden current seemed inexhaustible, driving him onward.

Boom!

With another muffled rumble, Wang Jinxi's soul power finally stabilized at rank twenty-six!

At the same time, the Ancient Dragon King phantom behind him abruptly opened its eyes. Two beams of silver light shot several feet outward before fading. The phantom had grown more solid, radiating a sovereign's aura.

"Whew—"

Wang Jinxi let out a long breath and slowly opened his eyes, which brimmed with wild joy. He felt the abundant soul power inside him, then looked at Tang Wulin, too excited to speak.

Tang Wulin also withdrew his bloodline power. His face was slightly pale, but his eyes were smiling. "Congratulations. Rank twenty-six."

"Wulin, this is incredible!" Wang Jinxi exclaimed. "Your bloodline power didn't suppress me at all. Instead, it became nourishment for my martial soul! I feel like my Ancient Dragon King has taken a huge leap in its evolution!"

Tang Wulin smiled. "I felt it too. The soul power you sent back felt very soothing in my meridians."

They exchanged smiles, and the barrier between them vanished like smoke in that moment.

"All right, don't let it go to your heads." Wu Changkong's voice suddenly came from outside the door. Clearly, he had been observing them in secret. "Today was only your first attempt. Don't get greedy. Wang Jinxi, you've just broken through to rank twenty-six and need to consolidate it. Tang Wulin, you've expended a considerable amount of bloodline power. Get some proper rest."

Both hurriedly answered, "Yes, Teacher!"

Wu Changkong pushed open the door and entered, still wearing his bear-patterned pajamas. This time, however, the boys found him especially endearing. He checked their physical condition and nodded. "The results are better than I expected. From today onward, you'll stay beside each other. Cultivate for one hour every evening. Don't get greedy. Progress step by step."

"Yes!" they answered together.

Wu Changkong turned and left, closing the door behind him.

"Let's sleep. We have to get up early for training tomorrow." Tang Wulin lay down and pulled up his blanket.

"Yeah." Wang Jinxi lay down as well, looking at the ceiling with a smile on his lips. "Wulin, from now on, you're my brother."

Tang Wulin smiled without saying anything, but warmth filled his heart.