Chrysanthemum Douluo froze at the sight of the soul bone radiating golden light in Lin Hao's hand.
Then emotion flooded his delicately handsome face, and his eyes reddened slightly as he choked out in his soft voice.
"Hao, you... you child..."
Chrysanthemum Douluo reached out and picked up the Ten-Thousand-Year Golden Blade Mantis Right Arm Bone. His fingertips gently traced the intricate patterns on its surface, feeling the keen energy contained within as countless emotions surged through his heart.
"In all my years, this is the first time I've ever touched a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone."
"But Hao, just knowing you have this thought makes me happy."
"This Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone is far too precious, though. You should keep it for yourself..."
Chrysanthemum Douluo's eyes brimmed with pride and emotion, but he still moved to place the Ten-Thousand-Year Golden Blade Mantis Right Arm Bone back in Lin Hao's hand.
"Teacher!"
Lin Hao swiftly pulled his hand away and spoke with utter seriousness.
"I've already chosen a Ten-Thousand-Year Netherworld Scorpion Left Arm Bone. That poison-attribute soul bone is important to my future plans."
"But as for this Golden Blade Mantis soul bone, I'm following the food system path. I intend to draw out my singular velvet sky chrysanthemum martial soul's ability to forge an indestructible body to its fullest."
"In the future, my body will most likely be my weapon."
"So this soul bone isn't suitable for me. It would be far more useful to you, Teacher."
"You've treated me so well, Teacher. Not only did you take me as your disciple, but you also prepared so many cultivation resources for me. For my sake, you even considered leaving His Holiness the Pope."
"If I didn't know how to be grateful, would I still deserve to be your disciple?"
"No matter what, you have to accept this soul bone!"
"Hao, you..."
Faced with Lin Hao's earnest words.
Chrysanthemum Douluo was even more moved, yet he still intended to refuse.
But after Lin Hao insisted again and again.
Chrysanthemum Douluo finally accepted it with tears in his reddened eyes, deeply touched.
"All right! I'll accept this soul bone!"
"Hao, taking you as my disciple was the best decision I've made in my entire life!"
"From now on, master and disciple will stand as one. No one in Spirit Hall will be able to bully us!"
In the blink of an eye, a year passed.
Throughout that year, Lin Hao cultivated diligently.
Every morning, he got up before dawn to exercise, then attended the academy.
In the afternoon, he returned to the Quiet Chamber at the Chrysanthemum Residence and focused on cultivation.
At night, he studied herbology under his teacher, Chrysanthemum Douluo, along with all kinds of knowledge about Soul Masters and Soul Beasts.
Every day was packed to the brim.
As for cultivation resources.
There was no need to mention the medicinal Soul Beast meals his teacher, Chrysanthemum Douluo, had prepared daily, the occasional spirit medicines, and the other soul power foods.
On top of that, Lin Hao continued using his First Soul Skill: Singular Velvet Sky Gathering whenever he had soul power, eating every Spirit-Gathering Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum he could without interruption.
Spirit Hall even supplied ten-thousand-year whale glue specially for him, and the supply never ran out!
In just one year.
Lin Hao's height shot up again, leaping straight from 1.5 meters to 1.8 meters!
Walking through Spirit City, he stood slightly taller than even Xie Yue and Yan.
No one could have guessed that this tall, straight-backed youth was actually only a little over seven years old.
And his increase in height was the least of it.
Under the daily, uninterrupted nourishment of the Spirit-Gathering Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum's medicinal power and the constant tempering of ten-thousand-year whale glue.
Lin Hao's physical abilities reached a level that could only be called heaven-defying.
Although his cultivation was still only that of a rank-eighteen Soul Master.
When it came to physical abilities.
Lin Hao felt he was already no weaker than a Soul Elder with a top-tier beast martial soul!
As for why he had reached that conclusion, it was because he had already tested it.
After he grew close to Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan.
The three learned that the Spirit-Gathering Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum produced by Lin Hao's first soul skill could not only improve their physical abilities, but also give their bodies an effect akin to spirit gathering grass, gathering spiritual energy from the world and accelerating cultivation.
So they begged Lin Hao to make three Spirit-Gathering Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemums for each of them every day to aid their cultivation.
In exchange, Lin Hao proposed one condition.
The three had to help hone his practical combat skills.
Whenever they had time each week, Lin Hao would spar with Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan.
But against Hu Liena's mental soul skills and Xie Yue's technique-oriented, agility-focused fighting style.
Lin Hao could only say he was tempering his willpower and footwork.
Only when fighting Yan could Lin Hao enjoy a thoroughly exhilarating clash where every punch struck flesh.
And when Yan refrained from using soul skills.
With his current physical abilities, Lin Hao could actually fight Yan after Martial Soul Possession without falling behind at all!
That day.
In Spirit City, on the plaza before the Pope Hall.
A tall, straight-backed youth dressed in black stood on one side of the plaza. His skin was fair, his muscles sleek as a leopard's, and his long black hair danced in the wind. A confident smile played at the corners of his handsome face.
Opposite him stood another equally tall youth in a tight crimson outfit, with short red hair and striking, martial features.
They were none other than Lin Hao and Yan!
Nearby, Hu Liena and Xie Yue stood watching the fight.
Hu Liena wore a long golden dress, her short golden hair gleaming in the sunlight and her delicate features alluring.
Xie Yue looked handsome and aloof, his arms folded across his chest as he watched the two facing off with focused eyes.
"Flame Lord, possess me!"
Once the fight began.
Yan gritted his teeth and roared, summoning his martial soul.
In an instant, a mass of scorching flames erupted from his body. The phantom of the Flame Lord appeared behind him and abruptly merged into him.
Yan immediately grew taller, his muscles swelling as a thin layer of stone armor streaked with molten cracks formed over his skin.
Three soul rings, two yellow and one purple, swiftly rose from beneath his feet and circled his body.
"Lin Hao, take this!"
After martial soul possession.
Yan roared and charged at Lin Hao, throwing a punch. His stone-armored fist whistled through the air with such crushing force that it seemed capable of punching straight through a wall.
Lin Hao answered with a broad, unrestrained grin.
Since he followed the food system path, Lin Hao did not summon his martial soul. He merely tensed his muscles.
His fair skin instantly took on a faint golden sheen, as though coated in a thin film of gold.
Then Lin Hao kicked off the ground with a mighty push.
Like an arrow loosed from its bowstring, he charged fearlessly toward Yan.
"Come on, then! Senior Yan, let me see whether you've improved!"
The moment his words fell.
The two had already reached each other.
Both swung their fists at once, colliding violently in midair.
Bang!
A deep, thunderous impact exploded across the plaza. Waves of air spread outward, whipping up a cloud of dust.
Under Lin Hao's punch.
Several fine cracks actually appeared in the stone armor covering Yan's right hand!
"What?!"
Yan's pupils contracted, a flash of shock crossing his face.
But Lin Hao gave him no chance to catch his breath.
He immediately unleashed a tempest of attacks: straight punches, hooks, whipping kicks, knee strikes...
Wave after relentless wave of attacks surged toward Yan.
Although Lin Hao did not hold an overwhelming advantage in raw strength.
Against Yan, whose martial soul specialized in power attacks and defense, excelling in strength and durability but falling considerably short in agility and reflexes.
Lin Hao's advantage became apparent.
That was because the medicinal tempering Lin Hao received from the Spirit-Gathering Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemums and whale rubber worked on his entire body.
It left Lin Hao's physical abilities with almost no weak points!
Strength, defense, explosive power, and agility had all improved across the board.
Thus, faced with Lin Hao's lightning-fast attacks from tricky angles, Yan could not keep up at all.
His ponderous fists struck empty air again and again.
Meanwhile, Lin Hao flitted around him like a phantom, occasionally landing a heavy blow on Yan's body or stone armor.
The blows drove him back repeatedly, his feet cracking the stone slabs beneath them.
Unable to use soul skills.
Yan had absolutely no answer to Lin Hao. He could only roar in helpless fury, unable even to touch the hem of Lin Hao's clothes.
Watching the fight from the sidelines, Hu Liena and Xie Yue wore complicated looks, their faces filled with shock.
"Our little brother Lin Hao seems to have grown stronger again..."
Hu Liena murmured, disbelief shimmering in her beautiful eyes.
Xie Yue shook his head as well, smiling wryly.
"Lin Hao is a food system Soul Master, yet his physical abilities are actually better than ours."
"If word got out, people's jaws would hit the floor!"
"And Lin Hao is still only a Soul Master!"
"A rank-eighteen food system Soul Master, relying on his physical abilities in his normal state and reinforcement from soul power, can actually trade blows with a Soul Elder like Yan-and even gain the upper hand."
"Even if Yan can't use soul skills, that's already heaven-defying!"
Before you continue