"Oh, Tianming, what is your first Soul Skill? How powerful is it?"
Yu Yuanzhen suddenly asked.
At his words, a glimmer of delight flashed through Yu Tianming's eyes. "Grandpa, my first Soul Skill is called 'Thunder Dragon's Wrath.' It's an enhancement-type Soul Skill."
As he spoke,
the purple Soul Ring around him abruptly lit up.
A bolt of purple-gold lightning descended from the sky, instantly enveloping his entire body.
Yu Tianming's presence surged at a rate visible to the naked eye. Dazzling purple-gold lightning patterns emerged on his silvery-white Valstrax scales, and the metallic lance-wings on his back were coated in lightning.
"A hundred and fifty percent boost to all attributes!"
Yu Tianming said with a smile as he felt the power surging through his body.
A brilliant gleam flashed in Yu Yuanzhen's eyes.
"Good! Good! Good!"
"Enhancement-type Soul Skills are very good, especially an all-around attribute enhancement like this. A hundred and fifty percent is a very high boost, too!"
As a Titled Douluo, Yu Yuanzhen naturally knew how powerful enhancement-type Soul Skills were.
Especially among the first few Soul Skills.
The first few Soul Rings of an ordinary Soul Master would never be particularly old.
Whether offensive, defensive, or control-type Soul Skills, they became chicken ribs-of little use, yet a pity to discard-once one reached Soul Douluo or Titled Douluo.
Only enhancement-type Soul Skills could continue to play a role that could not be ignored!
"Tianming, try using your Purple-Gold Dragon Claw!"
Yu Tianming nodded, and the lightning on his Purple-Gold Dragon Claw surged.
"Purple Light Dragon Claw!"
Yu Tianming gave a light swipe toward a large tree nearby, and five purple-gold claw marks instantly severed it at the waist.
The towering ancient tree, so thick it took several people to encircle it, was cut down just like that.
Leaping arcs of electricity still lingered on the cut.
"Even in my normal state, my Purple-Gold Dragon Claw is already very powerful. With the enhancement from 'Thunder Dragon's Wrath,' its power shoots up another huge notch!" Yu Tianming said excitedly.
Yu Yuanzhen stroked his beard and smiled.
"Enhancement-type Soul Skills generally don't consume much Soul Power. With your current Soul Power, you should be able to maintain it for half an hour."
Yu Yuanzhen watched his grandson finish testing his Soul Skill with satisfaction, then suddenly remembered something and asked, "Tianming, what level is your Soul Power now?"
Normally, Soul Masters had level-eleven Soul Power after absorbing their first Soul Ring.
But Yu Tianming's First Soul Ring was as old as four thousand years, and he had also absorbed an External Soul Bone, so even Yu Yuanzhen could not be sure.
Yu Tianming closed his eyes to sense the Soul Power circulating within him, then opened them and said, "Grandpa, my Soul Power is... level sixteen."
"Level sixteen?"
Yu Yuanzhen raised an eyebrow. This Soul Power Level was close to his estimate.
Yu Tianming, however, looked thoughtful.
After a long while,
Yu Tianming spoke hesitantly. "Grandpa, my physical toughness and strength seem... a little off."
"What?"
Yu Yuanzhen's expression changed, and he placed a hand on Yu Tianming's shoulder.
A stream of pure Soul Power probed into his body. As the examination continued, surprise and uncertainty gradually appeared on the face of this knowledgeable, experienced Titled Douluo.
There was no other reason.
Yu Tianming's body was simply too powerful!
This physical toughness was nothing like what a Soul Master should possess.
"A level-sixteen Soul Master, yet your physical toughness exceeds the limits of a Soul Ancestor and is no weaker than a Soul King's. Unbelievable!"
Yu Yuanzhen was utterly shocked.
Even though Yu Tianming's physical toughness had already rivaled a Soul Ancestor's before he obtained his First Soul Ring, this increase was still far too outrageous.
It was downright inhuman!
Immediately afterward.
Unwilling to believe it, Yu Yuanzhen squeezed Yu Tianming's shoulder hard, only to find that his fingers felt as though they were pinching a piece of Thousand Refinement refined iron!
"This..."
Yu Yuanzhen fell silent.
He was a Titled Douluo. Even a casual squeeze from him was enough to shatter the bones of ordinary Soul Ancestors, and even some Soul Kings.
Yet Yu Tianming's body had not budged in the slightest!
"Grandpa?"
Yu Tianming looked at him in puzzlement.
A sharp gleam flickered in Yu Yuanzhen's eyes. "When ordinary Soul Masters absorb Soul Rings, their bodies receive some strengthening alongside the increase in Soul Power, but never anything as outrageous as yours!"
He stared at Yu Tianming and said, enunciating every word:
"Your Valstrax Martial Soul seems to be more than just an ordinary Mutated Martial Soul. It makes your physical toughness far surpass others at the same rank, even crossing several realms!"
Yu Tianming clenched his fists. He could clearly feel the surging power within him, as though a casual strike could split mountain rock.
"Let's test your strength."
Yu Yuanzhen pointed at a three-meter-tall boulder nearby. "Punch it with all your strength."
Yu Tianming nodded and clenched his right fist. Lightning coiled around his Purple-Gold Dragon Claw as he suddenly stepped forward, his fist hurtling toward the boulder like a meteor!
"BOOM!!"
The boulder exploded instantly, sending shattered rock flying and clouds of dust billowing everywhere!
Yet Yu Tianming's fist did not bear a single scratch; even his skin had not reddened!
The shock in Yu Yuanzhen's eyes deepened. "The power of that punch already rivals a Soul King-level Power Attack System Soul Master!"
Yu Tianming said nothing, an unusual glint flashing through his eyes.
He had thought of a concept,
and that was-an Ultimate Martial Soul!
The Valstrax Martial Soul appeared to have no attribute whatsoever, possessing only pure Dragon Qi, yet it possessed a terrifying physique and strength.
Barring any surprises, the Valstrax Martial Soul should possess ultimate strength!
Ultimate strength...
Yu Tianming could not suppress the delight in his eyes. "This really is a huge surprise!"
One force could break ten thousand arts.
In his view, if ultimate attributes were ranked, ultimate strength could at least place in the top three, standing among the very best!
Yu Yuanzhen did not notice anything unusual about Yu Tianming and continued, "Your Valstrax Martial Soul grants you more than just Dragon Qi and a bloodline. It also grants you the ultimate physical enhancement!"
"Your physical toughness is enough to crush others at the same rank, and even let you fight above your level!"
The more Yu Yuanzhen spoke, the more excited he became.
"Combined with your Purple-Gold Dragon Claw and enhancement Soul Skill, you can probably already contend with a Soul Ancestor head-on!"
Looking at his excited grandfather, Yu Tianming smiled as well.
"Grandpa, I want to test my current limits!"
Yu Tianming did not voice his guess, because the concept of Ultimate Martial Souls did not yet exist in this era, making it difficult to explain.
Yu Yuanzhen laughed heartily. "Good! Once we're back at the sect, I'll personally spar with you!"
Afterward.
The two left Thunder Canyon directly.
Just as Yu Yuanzhen was about to lead Yu Tianming out of the mixed zone, he suddenly stopped, his brows furrowing slightly.
"Grandpa, what's wrong?" Yu Tianming asked, noticing something amiss.
Yu Yuanzhen's gaze sharpened as he looked northeast. "Two Titled Douluo-level presences are approaching."
"Titled Douluo?"
Yu Tianming's heart jolted. "Could they be from Spirit Hall?"
Yu Yuanzhen said calmly, "Across the entire continent, no other force besides Spirit Hall can casually dispatch two Titled Douluo."
After a brief moment of consideration, he told Yu Tianming, "Let's conceal our presence first and see what happens."
Grandfather and grandson restrained their Soul Power and hid atop a towering ancient tree.
Before long, faint footsteps came from the dense forest in the distance, and three figures slowly appeared.
Leading them was a blonde girl with delicate features and a pair of pale golden eyes that held a composure beyond her years.
Behind her followed two middle-aged-looking men with powerful presences.
One stood as straight and tall as a spear,
while the other was stout and half a head shorter, his presence equally powerful.