[Congratulations, host, on completing the condensation of the Azure Dragon and Spirit-Suppressing Spear Martial Souls' bloodline Soul Rings.] [Use the Martial Soul Synchronizer now?]
"Yes."
With both bloodline Soul Rings successfully condensed, Lu Chen could sense that they were each around 3,100 years old.
The boost this gave Lu Chen's physical abilities was considerable. His complexion visibly turned a healthy, rosy hue, his breathing grew calm and deep, and he felt better than ever before. All that remained was to use the Martial Soul Synchronizer to fully stabilize the effects of the two Soul Rings.
Thus, when System Sis asked, Lu Chen immediately chose to use it.
[Martial Soul Synchronizer successfully used. The complete effects of the bloodline Soul Rings are listed below.] [Martial Soul 1: Azure Dragon] [First Soul Ring (bloodline Soul Ring), Soul Skill: Spirit Suppression Age: 3,100 years (evolvable-automatically increases as the body's tolerance improves; increases by suppressing evil souls) Effect: all attributes +100% (active/passive, continuously consumes Soul Power). When used passively, the maximum boost is 50%, but Soul Power consumption is correspondingly reduced. The Soul Ring does not appear when the Soul Skill is used passively; Allows simultaneous use of the second Martial Soul, Spirit-Suppressing Spear. Attacks carry the special effects of both the Azure Dragon and Spirit-Suppressing Spear.] [First Soul Ring (bloodline Soul Ring), Soul Skill: Dragon Shadow: Spirit Suppression Age: 3,100 years (evolvable-increases through improvements to the Azure Dragon bloodline and suppression of evil souls) Effect: sharpness +100% (active/passive, continuously consumes Soul Power). When used passively, the maximum boost is 50%, but Soul Power consumption is correspondingly reduced. The Soul Ring does not appear when the Soul Skill is used passively; Allows simultaneous use of the first Martial Soul, Azure Dragon. Attacks carry the special effects of both the Azure Dragon and Spirit-Suppressing Spear.] [Additional attack effects of the Azure Dragon and Spirit-Suppressing Spear: Five elements attribute damage; Dragon might (bonus effectiveness against ordinary Soul Beasts; suppresses certain special beings and living beings possessing dragon bloodlines, Soul Rings, etc.); Spiritual (inflicts Mental Interference on enemies with greater spiritual power than the user, and Spiritual Shock on enemies with lower spiritual power); Holy (suppresses enemies with negative attributes leaning toward darkness, evil, etc.);]
Lu Chen sat motionless in the pool of blood, staring at the Martial Soul panel for ages. Only at the end did he finally make out five words between the lines: please enter your text here.
He rose from the ground, and with what seemed like a mere flicker of a figure, Lu Yun was already beside him. Disregarding the blood covering him, he supported his arm.
The old man's concerned voice rang out. "It worked. How are you feeling?"
Lu Chen smiled. The two Soul Rings circling him lit up together, answering through action.
Azure scales flipped over and spread from his hands all the way up his arms. Almost instantly, Lu Chen's two fleshy palms became dragon claws gleaming with a cold metallic sheen.
Lu Yun understood what he meant and felt amused. The boy wanted him to test them himself.
You little rascal. You've only just become a Soul Master, and you already dare to "challenge" a Soul Ancestor? Fine, let's test you. Today, you'll learn that your grandpa will always be your grandpa.
His Steel-Winged Dragon Hawk Martial Soul emerged again, along with four Soul Rings in the optimal configuration. Yet they merely hovered quietly behind Lu Yun, showing no sign of activating any Soul Skills. He simply thrust his own scale-covered claws toward Lu Chen in a classic grappling move.
Facing Lu Yun's attack, Lu Chen curled his claws into fists and punched straight at Lu Yun's wrist.
"Well done."
Lu Yun offered a quiet word of praise, likewise changing his grappling attack. Curling his claws into a fist, he smashed it straight down toward Lu Chen's fist, which was coming in at an angle.
The grating screech of scales scraping together echoed in the ears of all three present. Neither of the two exchanging blows paid it any mind. Fighting with his Martial Soul for the first time, Lu Chen was in a state of extreme excitement, while Lu Yun intended to develop his grandson's combat skills and happily fed him moves.
The grandfather and grandson were getting carried away with their fight. As for Xiao Wu...
Xiao Wu said nothing. She simply kept sending pictures to the group.
[Xiao Wu: Precious footage of Lu Yun fighting someone with his Martial Soul for the first time.jpg × n] [Yanzi: Is Lu Chen fighting someone?] [Back to That Day: How is that possible? That's Lu Yun?!] [Xiao Wu: @Back to That Day, you know Grandpa Lu Yun?] [Little Fox: Senior Lu Yun? Wasn't his innate Soul Power half a level, leaving him unable to break through to Soul Elder his entire life? He's a Soul Ancestor┌(.Д.)┐?]
Holy frog, heaven's been duped!
[Liu Erlong: !!!] [Angel: ?] [Netherworld: ?] [Spirit Cat: ?] [...]
Watching the text messages race through the Chat Group, Xiao Wu was a little bewildered.
She had clearly only wanted the group members to admire Lu Chen's limit-breaking first Soul Ring and the precious footage of his first battle.
Two joyous things had clearly come together...
So why had the whole scene suddenly shifted to everyone gawking at a lousy old man?
Never mind the others-Liu Erlong and Back to That Day, those two with no sense of boundaries, were practically wearing out the mention button tagging her in the group.
Bibi Dong and Liu Erlong really were on the verge of going mad this time.
Lu Yun, a Soul Grandmaster with half a level of innate Soul Power, destined never to break through to Soul Elder, had suddenly transformed into a Soul Ancestor?
How had he done it? Could Xiao Gang possibly do it too?
Compared with Liu Erlong, Bibi Dong knew more about Lu Yun's circumstances, so she immediately summoned her two most dedicated workhorses.
"Greetings, Your Holiness." × 2
Two robed figures, one bright yellow and the other pure black, stood below the steps and bowed respectfully to Bibi Dong.
They were none other than Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo.
Seated upright on the Pope's Throne, Bibi Dong wore the Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown and black robes patterned with gold. Holding an ornate jeweled scepter, she looked down at the two standing below the steps, gave a slight nod, and said coldly:
"Where is Archbishop Lu now? By my reckoning, there are only five days until his investiture as Platinum Bishop?"
"Your Holiness, the Measure the Wind ceremony is indeed five days from now," Chrysanthemum Douluo answered in a soft, feminine voice, his features more delicate and beautiful than those of most women in the world.
"Archbishop Lu is currently cultivating at his residence. According to Old Ghost's observations, he will certainly break through to Titled Douluo within half a month at the latest, or seven days at the earliest. Then our Spirit Hall will gain another powerful Titled Douluo with a true dragon Martial Soul."
"A Platinum Bishop transforming into an elder will make another fine tale."
Beside Chrysanthemum Douluo, Ghost Douluo, entirely shrouded in black robes, nodded lightly and spared his words like gold. "Indeed."
"Hmm, so that's how it is..."
Bibi Dong's contemplative look made Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo instinctively lower their heads further, afraid they would be assigned another difficult task.
This pope's relationship with the Elder Hall and Worship Hall had always been delicate. In earlier years, the two of them had followed the previous pope, Qian Xunji, into the earth-shaking battle to encircle and kill Tang Hao... The outcome spoke for itself: Qian Xunji had died of severe injuries.
As the accompanying Titled Douluo, not only had they failed their mission, but they had also failed to protect the pope, taking the largest share of the blame outright. Although they had suffered no torture, their standing in Spirit Hall had plummeted. Despite being far from weak among the elders, they were frequently excluded by their colleagues and left out of their activities.
In the end, the two had no choice but to turn to Bibi Dong and work themselves to the bone for her, becoming her most loyal workhorses, unable to resist. It was easy to imagine what tasks Bibi Dong, already short-handed, would assign these two Titled Douluo with no way out. She truly worked them toward death as long as they weren't dead yet.
This time, however, they really were overthinking it. Bibi Dong was merely considering how to make arrangements without triggering the Chat Group's punishment mechanism.
A major secret concerning Martial Soul Evolution had to be discussed face-to-face.
But even from what little she had learned through the notebook and Chat Group, Bibi Dong understood that Lu Chen placed tremendous importance on the grandfather who had adopted him. If she rashly made arrangements involving him, she was extremely likely to trigger the Chat Group's punishment!
[...] [You're quite clever.]
Bibi Dong: ?
System Sis, who was monitoring Spirit Hall, really had wanted to give Bibi Dong a shock. Quite a few of this pope's thoughts were very impolite, and she could also be said to have made indispensable contributions to Tang San's growth in the original worldline.
Unfortunately, with the notebook and Chat Group around, Bibi Dong's madness had dropped sharply. In practice, this meant that before going crazy, she could actually use thought to barely restrain her impulse to act immediately.
Left without an alternative, she could only send an ellipsis as a warning.
On the dais, Bibi Dong, realizing she had escaped a calamity, weighed her words. "Ghost Douluo, I hear Archbishop Lu still has an elder brother named Lu Yun living."
Ghost Douluo hurriedly answered, "Indeed. He currently lives in his hometown, Dragon Soul Village."
Strange. Didn't the pope have me investigate Lu Yun before? Why is she asking again?
"How could he be without family at his side for such an important occasion as his investiture as Platinum Bishop? The two of you will go and invite him to attend the ceremony. Remember, I said-invite."
"As you command." × 2
"Go."
"We take our leave." × 2
Bibi Dong waved a hand. Watching the two turn and prepare to leave through the doors, she suddenly seemed to remember something and added, "One more thing!"
Are you freaking done yet?!
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo roared inwardly, but their expressions remained respectfully unchanged, fully demonstrating the exceptional professionalism of senior workplace veterans.
"Should the circumstances be unusual, you may respect the wishes of Lu Yun and his family."
"Yes. We take our leave." × 2
Only after they had walked far from the Pope's Hall did Chrysanthemum Douluo turn to his old friend and ask in confusion, "What is Her Holiness up to now? What does she mean, we may respect the wishes of Lu Yun and his family if the circumstances are unusual?"
What circumstances counted as unusual?
Lu Yun was one thing, but who was this family of his?
Weren't you the one responsible for investigating Lu Yun back then, Old Ghost? Say something, will you?
Ghost Douluo was much steadier by comparison. Shaking his head, he said:
"I don't know. How could Her Holiness tell us everything she's thinking? According to what I found back then, Lu Yun lost his wife when he was young and his son in middle age. He's been entirely alone all these years. Where would he get a fam... wait!"
"He really does seem to have family!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo froze, then seemed to remember something. "You mean that... he mentioned when he returned from visiting his family six years ago?"
Ghost Douluo nodded. "It should be that little boy. To think Lu Yun actually adopted that child. I have a feeling this mission might not be so simple."
At that, the two exchanged a look and both let out a long sigh.
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