"Brother Su Chen is playing the flute again!"
Qian Renxue lay in bed as the soothing notes of the flute drifted through the window, swiftly bringing peace to her heart. This time, Su Chen was not playing a wandering tune, but a lullaby. Before long, Qian Renxue had drifted into dreams.
When the tune ended, Su Chen put away the Elegant Flute. With a light push from his toes and a few bounds, he reached the hill behind Dormitory Zero.
By now, Su Chen had learned noble etiquette, as well as music that could dispel loneliness. But this was a world where the weak were prey to the strong, and strength reigned supreme. With the Dragon God's Nine Trials, Su Chen was not worried about failing to become a god in the future. Only one thing troubled him: his first Soul Ring had no Soul Skill at all.
A God-Given Soul Ring would only produce the Soul Skill best suited to a Soul Master's Martial Soul. A situation like Su Chen's, with no Soul Skill whatsoever, was exceedingly rare. If a battle broke out, was he supposed to play the flute for his opponent?
Thud!
Su Chen loosely clenched his hands and stamped his foot, summoning his Martial Soul, the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon, once again. Yet no matter what he tried afterward, he could not unleash a single Soul Skill. All his frantic efforts accomplished was leaving him panting like a dog.
What exactly is my first Soul Skill?
Su Chen lay on a cold rock. Apart from the earth element around him becoming extremely active, nothing else changed. He reached out casually, but could grasp nothing. That sensation of something hovering just beyond his grasp left him deeply frustrated.
According to legend, after the Dragon God fell, he split into the Golden Dragon King and the Silver Dragon King. The Golden Dragon King inherited the Dragon God's formidable physical abilities: boundless strength, a body impervious to blades and spears, and unparalleled speed. He also possessed the power of destruction, with strength rivaling a God King's. The Silver Dragon King inherited the Dragon God's command over the elements, allowing her to freely control fire, water-including ice-earth, wind, light, darkness, space, and more.
Unable to discover his first Soul Skill, Su Chen did not grow impatient. The lessons in noble conduct and etiquette he had taken over the past few days proved their worth at that moment. He kept his emotions in check and calmly analyzed the possible reasons.
Could it be that my first Soul Skill isn't a skill at all, but the ability to control the earth element? Su Chen pondered. The Dragon God possessed the abilities of both the Golden Dragon King and the Silver Dragon King. As the heir to the Dragon God's divine throne, having received that God-Given Soul Ring, Su Chen might well have gained control over the earth element rather than one or two individual Soul Skills.
The more deeply he considered it, the more certain he became of his guess.
If that really is the case, how do I control the earth element and shape it into a Soul Skill that can attack an enemy?
Su Chen sat up on the rock, his mind racing. A self-mocking smile tugged at his lips as he said derisively, "Surely I can't just will it to happen and make a hand seal like those immortals in the Huaxia Plane."
With that, Su Chen looked at the large tree ahead and casually formed a hand seal, still mocking himself.
Whoosh!
An unbelievable sight unfolded. The surrounding earth element fluctuated violently. In front of the tree, Soul Power actually blended with the earth element around it to form a sharp earthen spike.
"Huh..."
Bewildered, Su Chen walked over to the tree and discovered that it really was that simple. The earthen spike he had just created clearly lacked refinement, leaving only a two-inch mark on the trunk. It would certainly suffice against ordinary people, but its offensive power fell far short of a Soul Skill from a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring.
"It really worked!"
Su Chen was overjoyed. The Soul Skill's power still needed improvement, but his first Soul Ring now had a skill. That was undoubtedly something worth celebrating.
"The earth rises slightly, so I'll call you Earth-Rising Thorn!" Su Chen murmured to himself. Greed stirred in his heart, and he added, "Apart from Earth Dragon Thorn, can I use other Soul Skills too?"
He put the thought into action at once. Su Chen began forming hand seals again, and his black Soul Ring shone with dazzling light. Before him, the earth element mingled with his Soul Power, forming an earthen dragon's head. The dragon's head opened its enormous mouth. Energy surged, and it finally spat out a mud projectile. The projectile traveled only three meters; its power likewise needed improvement.
"Haha, it really worked!" Su Chen's face lit up with delight. His first Soul Skill was not a single skill, but the ability to control the earth element and create all kinds of Soul Skills himself.
As someone who had transmigrated and played so many games, how could Su Chen possibly lack Soul Skills to draw upon?
The next day marked Su Chen's first week at the junior Soul Master Academy. It was Sunday, and according to the rules, students from the academy would come to challenge the residents of Dormitory Zero. Yet when Su Chen and Qian Renxue emerged, no other students were outside the dormitory. Only Director Yang and the academy's dean were there. Beside them stood two men in armor. Their armor was highly distinctive, one gold and the other black, as was their hair. The black-haired man's eyes exuded a sinister air, while the blond man's gaze was decidedly alluring.
"Why are you here?" Qian Renxue frowned slightly, recognizing the two men at a glance.
"Miss, we haven't come for you this time." The man with the alluring gaze spoke in a strange voice that shifted between masculine and feminine tones. His eyes finally settled on Su Chen.
"Me?" Su Chen looked at the blond man in surprise. Unless he was mistaken, this blond man was Chrysanthemum Douluo, whose title was Chrysanthemum. The other should be his bosom buddy-Ghost Douluo.
"Yes." The blond man nodded and asked, "Dean Liu, Director Yang, is this the child you mentioned?"
Sure enough, Dean Liu and Director Yang of the East Academy placed their right fists against their left shoulders and bowed slightly to the blond man. "Your honored Eminence, yes. His name is Su Chen!"
"Very well, child. Come with us," Chrysanthemum Douluo said with a smile.
"Where?" Su Chen asked.
"To the Star Dou Great Forest, of course, to obtain your second and third Soul Rings. I imagine ordinary hundred-year Soul Rings and Thousand-Year Soul Rings wouldn't catch your eye," Chrysanthemum Douluo replied. He had already learned from Director Yang and Dean Liu that Su Chen's first Soul Ring was a ten-thousand-year one.
Su Chen asked in confusion, "But isn't today challenge day?"
Director Yang smiled and affectionately patted Su Chen's shoulder as he explained, "Chen Huanhuan, who sparred with you last week, is still lying in a hospital bed. After those brutal methods of yours, no student has dared to come challenge you two this week. Ordinary students who want to obtain Soul Rings can only ask the academy's level-forty and level-fifty teachers for help. A few outstanding students can request escorts from above: Soul Kings over level sixty and Soul Saints over level seventy. Even the students of Dormitory Zero are only entitled to assistance from a Soul Douluo. Having two Titled Douluos dispatched at once is an honor not everyone can enjoy. Go on, child. I look forward to seeing your second and third Soul Rings!"
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