Flowers bloom on two branches; let us tell one story at a time.
June 18
Deep in Shaolin Mountain, Chen Yu and his grandson Chen Jianjun had arrived at a gathering place of Azure Wind Cang Wolves two days earlier, only to discover that all the wolves had disappeared.
There were remains of the pack's food and carcasses, and judging by their condition, they had been there for at least half a year.
They could only look for other Wind Attribute Soul Beasts. Two days passed without any results.
Not only were Soul Beasts in the mountains and ridges hard to find, but even when they did find one, it was either too old or too young. After all, Soul Beasts around 1,500 years old didn't just conveniently turn up everywhere.
Chen Yu comforted him, saying, "Jianjun, how about this? We'll look around here again today. If we don't find anything suitable, we'll go to Dalin Mountain tomorrow."
"The mountains there are taller and more perilous than those of Shaolin Mountain, and there are more valleys too. There should be more flying Soul Beasts there than here."
The two talked as they walked, reaching the edge of the mountain forest.
Chen Jianjun wasn't discouraged. Calmly, he said, "All right, Grandpa. I'm sure I'll find something even better."
Before his words had even faded, they suddenly heard an eagle cry, and a flying figure hurtled toward them from afar.
It was a Roc, its entire body Azure, with only its beak and claws a purple-blue.
Chen Yu's eyes lit up, and he said delightedly, "Jianjun, this is a mutated Windshadow Peng, a Lightning Windshadow Peng. Wind is its primary attribute, with Lightning as a secondary attribute."
"You can tell its age just by looking at its wingspan. This one's wings are a zhang and a half to six chi long-about five meters. It's around 1,600 years old, just right for you."
The Windshadow Peng was a high-ranking flying species. It excelled at flight and was fierce and ferocious. Its Wind Attribute gave it a razor-sharp Cutting Attribute, making it extremely dangerous and difficult to deal with.
The Lightning Attribute of the Lightning Windshadow Peng not only boosted its speed, but also greatly increased its attack power, taking it to another level. It could be called a king among flying creatures.
In its eyes, the old man posed no threat at all, while the sturdy child, only 1.6 meters tall, seemed dangerous. So it swooped at Chen Jianjun first.
Chen Jianjun said excitedly, "That's right. It's even better than the Swiftlight Sparrow and the White-Headed Sea Dongqing. Grandpa, let me handle it myself first."
Chen Yu nodded. "All right. I'll watch and see what you can do."
After saying this, he retreated several zhang.
Chen Jianjun was extremely excited. He then summoned his Martial Soul, the Seven Kill Sword, which was four chi and three cun long, three cun wide, with a hilt one chi and two cun long.
Its blade shone bright silver, while its spine was Blue. The ancient-looking sword had a tactile quality to it, and its entire length glowed a clear Blue, like a long sword carved from crystal. Its killing intent was razor-sharp, and two Yellow Soul Rings appeared around it.
"First Soul Skill: Sword Power."
Sword Power was a buff skill that increased a Soul Master's attack, strength, and Soul Power by 50%.
In the blink of an eye-
It covered several hundred meters in an instant. A Wind Blade sliced over with the beat of its wings, sending grass and dirt flying.
Chen Jianjun activated Sword Shadow Form. A phantom sword appeared behind him, and he flipped backward like a hawk, dodging the attack.
In the same instant, he countered with a slash, cutting toward the Roc's wing. It dodged with a sideways turn in flight.
Seeing this, Chen Jianjun sent the Seven Kill Sword flying from his hand, thrusting it toward the Roc.
In the time it took a spark to fly off a flint, the Lightning Windshadow Peng turned around and tapped the sword tip with its beak, knocking the Seven Kill Sword back. Then it beat its wings, sending several Azure feathers hurtling toward him.
Chen Jianjun recalled the Seven Kill Sword and held it crosswise to block the feather attack. Blue flashed beneath his feet as he activated Sword Step. In just a few strides, he reached the Roc and brought down a two-handed slash in a Mount Tai Crushing Strike.
At this perilous moment, a small purple ball shot from the Lightning Windshadow Peng's beak and struck the blade. A muffled "thump" sounded, and Chen Jianjun was knocked several meters away, landing on the ground.
Taking advantage of the opening, it shot a hundred meters into the sky, then wheeled around and dived toward him.
"Second Soul Skill: Hard Sword."
As the second Yellow Soul Ring shone, the Seven Kill Sword grew half again as large, and the Blue light on its blade grew brighter.
This Soul Skill enhanced the Martial Soul itself, making the Seven Kill Sword sturdier and sharper, with more intense killing intent.
Chen Jianjun roared, "Slash!" and leaped into the air. Holding the Seven Kill Sword in both hands, he slashed out a crescent-shaped Blue Sword Radiance that shot straight toward the Lightning Windshadow Peng. The Sword Radiance was wildly violent, yet incomparably sharp.
At that moment, the Lightning Windshadow Peng was only about twenty meters away from him. Seeing the Sword Radiance slashing toward it, it let out another high-pitched eagle cry and beat its wings. Flecks of Azure light appeared all around its body.
As the Azure light flared, a huge cross-shaped Wind Blade howled toward Chen Jianjun.
The two streams of Soul Power collided in midair and annihilated each other. Blue and Azure Soul Power scattered in all directions, while ripples of air surged outward in wave after wave.
Chen Jianjun staggered back three heavy steps. It seemed he was still at a slight disadvantage when facing this top Soul Beast alone.
In an instant, the Lightning Windshadow Peng shot straight into the sky again. It then turned and beat its wings frantically, and a series of Azure energy feathers appeared around it.
Then it condensed and spun a Combination Technique: a feather tornado three zhang in diameter, which rushed toward Chen Jianjun.
Needless to say, if he were struck by this incomparably sharp tornado, Chen Jianjun would surely be minced into chunks of flesh.
Judging by its range, even the old man far behind Chen Jianjun was within its attack range.
"Second Soul Skill: Hard Sword Modified-Charge a Thousand Miles!"
Chen Jianjun used his Sword Step, Starstream Thunderstrike. Blue Soul Power surged over his body, forming Soul Armor that wrapped around him.
His attack and defense both increased greatly, and he charged forward at tremendous speed as Blue light soared from the Seven Kill Sword.
Here, it was clear that Chen Jianjun, a Power Attack System Soul Master whose strength leaned toward raw force, was a genius.
Not only was his attack powerful, but he could also draw inferences from one example and improve his Soul Skills. He truly was a direct descendant of the Seven Kill Sword.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The two streams of Soul Power still canceled each other out. The shockwave swept several zhang outward, and the nearby saplings instantly turned to fine powder and scattered with the wind.
Following the unspoken rule that a character couldn't die while there was smoke and dust everywhere, Chen Jianjun merely fell to the ground and spat out a little blood.
At the same time, although the Lightning Windshadow Peng's wings were disheveled, it shot upward again, circled around, and dived down. Its third eagle cry pierced the sky.
This time, it was even faster. Along with Azure light, Purple light also formed a Blue-Purple tornado.
Each Azure feather arrow leaped with streaks of Purple lightning, and its power was clearly much greater than before.
It was obvious that the forces of Wind and Thunder were being unleashed together. The winds and thunder changed color, and a wave of pressure swept over, making his elder brother's expression turn troubled.
Chen Yu's voice rang out. "Jianjun, that's enough. This beast is using its ultimate move. You'll have a hard time stopping it. Let Grandpa handle it."
After Chen Yu finished speaking, a deep Purple Soul Ring shone from his body. This was a Soul Skill from a Soul Beast that was already six or seven thousand years old.
"Fourth Soul Skill: Sword Dance Lotus Flower Flame."
A five-zhang-wide lotus flower suddenly appeared above the Lightning Windshadow Peng. It was a Sword Lotus, profound and vast, yet incomparably pure and noble.
Not only did the tornado around the Lightning Windshadow Peng vanish, but the beast was also fixed in midair, unable to move. Its whole body bled from the sudden stop.
Then the Sword Lotus slowly pressed down, and the Lightning Windshadow Peng fell to the ground with it. This was a Soul Skill that locked down and suppressed its target, useful for both offense and defense.
Luckily, it was already not very high above the ground. Otherwise, it might have fallen to its death outright.
It looked at the middle-aged man who had suddenly appeared before it, with a youthful face and white hair, as nine Soul Rings-two Yellow, two Purple, and five Black-unfurled around him. Despair showed in its eyes.
That's right, Chen Yu was a Titled Douluo, one of the Soul Master world's pinnacle figures, who looked down on the world.
Chen Yu said, "Jianjun, catch your breath first, then come over and kill it to absorb its Soul Ring."
After saying this, Chen Yu joined the index and middle fingers of his right hand and pointed twice. "Pop, pop." A bloody hole burst open in each of the Lightning Windshadow Peng's wings. They had clearly been crippled.
This was the Chen Clan's Peerless Sword Finger, a hereditary finger technique similar to the Six Meridian Divine Sword.
June 19, evening
When Chen Yu and Chen Jianjun hurried back, the family was having dinner.
"Father, you're back." Chen Xun and Ye Xiuxin hurriedly rose to their feet.
Looking at Chen Jianjun, Chen Xiaojun figured things must have gone well. "Hello, Grandpa. Big Brother, did you find the Azure Wind Cang Wolf pack you had your eye on?"
Chen Jianjun said happily, "Hahaha, I didn't find any Azure Wind Cang Wolves, but I did run into something even better: a 1,600-year-old Lightning Windshadow Peng."
Chen Xiaojun didn't understand and asked, "A Lightning Windshadow Peng?"
Chen Jianjun said with a sigh, "This kind of Soul Beast is extremely rare. It's practically the top Upper-ranked Soul Beast among those of the same rank, a mutated Ninth Grade Soul Beast."
"It can be called King-Level, weaker only than those legendary Transcendent Soul Beasts."
"Your brother nearly lost his life to it. If Grandpa hadn't stepped in, I might not have made it back."
Chen Xiaojun laughed and said, "Congratulations, then. What powerful Soul Skill did it give you? Looks like you're pretty satisfied, Big Brother."
Chen Jianjun said smugly, "Hahaha, of course."
"This top-grade thousand-year Third Soul Ring not only made my Seven Kill Sword even sharper, but greatly improved my physique."
"Even without activating a Soul Skill, I'm confident I could cut down a tree as thick as two people with a single sword strike."
"When I activate the Soul Skill, my speed, attack, and strength increase by 100% for ten minutes."
"And it has both Wind and Thunder attributes. Wind gives it Cutting and breakthrough power; Thunder brings Destruction and paralysis. My strength has increased greatly."
"Grandpa said I've reached the Soul Elder rank. Once I learn the Sword-Controlling Art, the Soul Skill will make my Seven Kill Sword even faster and give it an even greater boost."
"Except for some extremely fast Agility Attack Type Soul Masters, even Soul Ancestors might not be able to dodge it."
As Chen Jianjun spoke, he couldn't help grinning.
Chen Xiaojun praised him. "What a powerful Soul Skill."
Chen Xun laughed heartily. "Hahaha, son, congratulations. It really is a top-grade skill."
"You can attack at close range or from afar, and it also has two attributes. That's rare."
Ye Xiuxin smiled, her eyes narrowing as she rose and headed for the kitchen. "Father, please sit. Jianjun, sit down and eat first. Mom will make a few more dishes for you."
"All right, enough small talk." Chen Xiaojun kept staring at Chen Jianjun, his eyes shining. "Did you bring back the Lightning Windshadow Peng's carcass?"
Chen Jianjun said, "Grandpa brought it. What's up?"
Chen Xiaojun shouted toward Ye Xiuxin in the kitchen, "Mom, let's add two roasted Roc wings to the menu tomorrow-one with the secret seasoning, and one mildly spicy!"
Chen Jianjun: "..."
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