Beyond the Limits

"San, if anything goes wrong later, run straight out of the forest. Whatever you do, don't look back!"

Yu Xiaogang spoke nervously.

Although this Gale Griffin was only a hundred-year beast, its bloodline power was incredibly potent. Even with Ming Dashan's level forty-six soul power, he might not be able to kill it.

Boom!

A violent crash rang out, and Yu Xiaogang instinctively closed his eyes.

A long while passed.

Only after hearing no sounds of battle did Yu Xiaogang open his eyes.

"What?!"

He stared at the scene before him in astonishment.

The Gale Griffin's throat had already been slit by Yu Chen, and blood was still dripping from the short knife in his hand.

"It's dead?"

Yu Xiaogang waited a little longer. Only when no other Gale Griffins appeared did he dare approach.

"Dashan, how did you do it?"

His eyes were filled with shock.

But Ming Dashan looked just as surprised. "This soul beast fell out of the sky, plunged headfirst into the ground, and passed out."

"Well..."

Yu Xiaogang was left speechless.

"Perhaps this soul beast was injured and fled all the way to the Soul Hunting Forest. Flying nonstop exhausted its soul power, so it passed out."

After thinking for a while, he finally came up with an explanation.

Soon, a bright yellow soul ring slowly emerged above the Gale Griffin.

Yu Chen sat cross-legged and assumed a cultivation posture.

He stroked Xiao Bai Dragon's head. "Xiao Bai, let's begin."

Xiao Bai Dragon first glanced back, a gleam flashing through her purple eyes. Then she opened her mouth and sucked hard at the yellow soul ring.

The soul ring turned into a streak of light and went straight into her belly.

The next moment, Yu Chen felt an immense surge of energy pour into his body through his connection with Xiao Bai.

He immediately focused, guiding the energy through his body along the pathways of his meditation method.

"Yu Chen's luck is just too good!"

Yu Xiaogang couldn't help exclaiming.

The Gale Griffin had a wind attribute, an ancient bloodline, and the ideal age-and it had even knocked itself unconscious right in front of them!

Had he not witnessed it himself, he would never have believed it.

Ming Dashan also sighed with feeling. "Sometimes, luck is a kind of strength too."

With that, he walked over to the Gale Griffin's carcass and wielded his Long Sword Martial Soul, cutting out its organs and large slabs of lean meat.

Yu Chen was still growing, and soul beast meat was the best nourishment.

"Hm? Xiaogang, something seems off about this soul beast's bone age!"

Ming Dashan removed a rib and examined it closely.

A soul beast's age was generally judged by its outward characteristics, such as height, body length, and markings on its skin...

But the most accurate method was to test its bone density.

"Let me see!"

Yu Xiaogang took the rib and sent a faint trace of soul power into it.

"Oh no! This soul beast is already six hundred years old!"

Yu Xiaogang cried out in alarm.

According to his theory, the limit for a first soul ring was 423 years. If Yu Chen absorbed a six-hundred-year soul ring, wouldn't he be doomed to die?

Moreover, a detached martial soul offered limited physical enhancement, far less than an ordinary martial soul-not even as much as Blue Silver Grass.

Back then, Yu Xiaogang's own first soul ring had only been a hundred and fifty years old.

"What?!"

Ming Dashan's face also drained of color.

Six hundred years!

What were they supposed to do?

Once a soul master began absorbing a soul ring, the process could not be interrupted.

If they forcibly stopped him, his martial soul would shatter at best, leaving him unable to become a soul master ever again.

At worst, he would die on the spot.

"It's all my fault!"

Ming Dashan spoke in anguish. "I focused only on this soul beast's powerful attributes and overlooked its age. But how could a six-hundred-year soul beast be about the same size as a three- or four-hundred-year one?"

He had watched Yu Chen grow up and already regarded him as one of his own younger family members.

If anything happened to Yu Chen...

Ming Dashan had no idea how he could face Old Tom.

"Perhaps this soul beast was underdeveloped from birth. Its frail build might have gotten it driven out of its pack."

Yu Xiaogang offered an explanation.

Bitterness clouded Ming Dashan's face, and he sighed. "What's the point of discussing that now? Poor Yu Chen..."

His words abruptly stopped.

At that moment, Yu Chen's breathing was smooth, and his expression was calm.

But Ming Dashan knew it was probably all an illusion. Perhaps Yu Chen's body would break down in the very next second.

"Now we can only hope for a miracle!"

Ming Dashan spoke heavily.

Tang San also watched Yu Chen in silence, a trace of regret in his eyes.

I wanted to challenge Yu Chen again after we returned to the academy. I never imagined he would die here.

Ah, fate really does toy with people!

In the shadows.

A man in black robes quietly watched everything unfold.

"A bunch of ignorant humans!"

"How could a mere hundred-year soul beast shake the Golden Dragon King's bloodline power?"

He snorted coldly, light flickering in his eyes.

This man was none other than Di Tian.

After receiving Gu Yuena's orders, he had used spatial power to cross tens of thousands of li, arriving at Nuoding Academy the very next day. He had happened to see Yu Chen's group setting off in a carriage.

Di Tian finally understood why his lord had asked him to protect a child.

Yu Chen not only carried a fragment of the Silver Dragon King's divine soul, but also possessed the Golden Dragon King Bloodline.

Once the power of a divine beast entered a human body, it could elevate their bloodline and be passed down through generations.

Hundreds of millions of years ago, there had been a special race among humans known as the Dragonfolk. They were the dragon race's most trusted friends.

Unfortunately, the Dragonfolk had been wiped out in the last great war in the Divine Realm.

And Yu Chen possessed the power of both great Dragon Kings.

If he married a few hundred wives in the future, a powerful new Dragonfolk race could emerge after enough years.

Thus, Di Tian had captured a Gale Griffin from another primeval forest to help Yu Chen quickly improve his strength.

Back in the clearing.

As time passed, Yu Chen's breathing remained steady, without any sign of trouble.

"Well..."

Ming Dashan clenched his fists, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes. He asked uncertainly, "Xiaogang, do you think there might be a chance..."

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Yu Xiaogang shook his head like a pellet drum.

How could anyone possibly absorb a six-hundred-year soul ring as their first soul ring?

The data behind his theory had been copied from Spirit City!

No!

Borrowed!

How could it possibly be wrong?

Yet at that moment, Yu Chen not only showed no signs of breaking down, but his soul power was even increasing steadily.

Could my theory be about to be overturned?

Yu Xiaogang's heart grew heavy.

As Ming Dashan's friend, he was naturally glad that Yu Chen had broken through the limit.

But...

He was still counting on Tang San to prove his theory. Wasn't Yu Chen throwing a wrench into his plans by breaking through like this?

No, wait!

Yu Xiaogang suddenly saw the light.

If Yu Chen absorbs this soul ring, I can publish a new theory on soul ring age limits! And there's also the combination of Tang San's Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul and the Mandala Snake soul ring!

When that happens, I'll surely draw the eyes of the entire continent!

The more Yu Xiaogang thought about it, the more excited he became.

He wished he could return to the academy right then and write furiously.

This was a theory he had personally discovered, without any copying or borrowing.

However, Yu Xiaogang soon calmed down.

His miserable past experiences had taught him that with theory alone and no strength, he would still become a laughingstock.

He still needed the right opportunity.

At the very least, he would have to wait until both boys became Soul Elders before this theory would carry any weight.

"You have to succeed!"

Yu Xiaogang's eyes widened as he stared fixedly at Yu Chen.

Not long afterward.

"Phew-"

Yu Chen exhaled a breath of stale air and slowly opened his eyes.

"Yu Chen, you're finally awake!"

Ming Dashan looked overwhelmed with emotion, his eyes brimming with tears.

He rushed forward in a single stride, grabbed Yu Chen's right hand, and began examining him.

"Uncle Dashan, what's wrong?"

Yu Chen's face was full of confusion.

I only absorbed an ordinary soul ring. Why does everyone look so shocked?

Did a soul bone drop?

"Dashan, how is Yu Chen?"

Yu Xiaogang asked with concern.

After examining him carefully for a while, Ming Dashan's furrowed brow gradually relaxed. "Level thirteen! After absorbing this soul ring, Yu Chen's soul power has reached level thirteen!"

"Hahaha, this is wonderful!"

Yu Xiaogang laughed loudly, waving his arms and stamping his feet in excitement.

"Uncle Dashan, is there something wrong with this soul ring?"

Yu Chen asked.

However slow he might have been to catch on, he had realized something was amiss.

My soul power increased, and Yu Xiaogang is over here singing and dancing, as excited as a monkey. What's he showing off for?

"Yu Chen, the soul ring you absorbed was six hundred years old!"

Ming Dashan stroked Yu Chen's head. Beneath the excitement in his eyes lay an even greater wave of lingering fear.

He would rather Yu Chen absorb the most ordinary ten-year soul ring than put himself at risk.

"Six hundred years? But I didn't feel anything while absorbing it. It was a piece of cake."

Seeing Ming Dashan's worry, Yu Chen answered with a smile.

While absorbing the soul ring, he had felt that its energy was abundant.

Even with his extraordinary physique, he had still felt a trace of pressure.

But it had been only a trace.

"Oh, really? Hahaha."

Ming Dashan chuckled, and the guilt vanished from his face.

Yu Xiaogang moved closer. "Yu Chen, could you describe how it felt to absorb the soul ring? A six-hundred-year soul ring-that's a full two hundred years older than San's Mandala Snake."

"How did your soul power circulate?"

"Did you feel any stabbing pain in your meridians?"

"Was your mind clear?"

"..."

Yu Chen scratched his head and said helplessly, "Grandmaster, you've asked me so many questions at once. Which one should I answer first? We shouldn't linger here. Let's get out of the forest before we talk."

Ming Dashan also smiled and said, "This Soul Hunting trip was a complete success. Once we get back, let's celebrate properly at the Nuoding Hotel."

"All right!"

Chatting and laughing, they quickly left the forest.

In the shadows.

Di Tian watched their retreating figures and was just about to follow them.

The next moment, he looked behind a large tree in the distance, his gaze darkening.

"There's another little rat?"