"Don't mention this to anyone outside."
Yu Yuanzhen withdrew his gaze and looked at Yu Tianming, admonishing him solemnly, "Spirit Hall is powerful, and there are factional struggles within it. We shouldn't get involved."
"I understand, Grandfather."
Yu Tianming nodded in agreement, but countless thoughts swirled through his mind.
Qian Renxue was nine years older than Tang San, while Yu Tianheng was seven years older than Tang San, and he was three years younger than his older brother Yu Tianheng...
Qian Renxue should have been eleven now. With innate level 20 Soul Power, gaining twenty levels in four years wouldn't be difficult.
She should have come to hunt for her fourth Soul Ring.
At this point, the real Xue Qinghe probably hasn't been assassinated yet, has he?
Yu Tianming narrowed his eyes as he thought.
He was four years older than Tang San, so there was still plenty of time, but he could already begin preparing and planning for certain matters and things...
"Let's go. It's time to head home." Yu Yuanzhen patted his grandson's shoulder. "You still need to properly digest what you gained from obtaining your Soul Ring this time."
"All right, Grandfather."
Yu Tianming gathered his thoughts and followed his grandfather out of Star Dou Great Forest.
Elsewhere.
Three figures raced through the forest.
Qian Renxue lightly tapped her toes against the branches, her long golden hair glimmering in the sunlight.
Snake Lance Douluo followed close behind, while Porcupinefish Douluo scanned their surroundings warily.
"Young master, that child just now..." She Long suddenly spoke, keeping his voice very low.
Qian Renxue didn't slow her steps, a trace of interest flashing through her pale golden eyes. "A six-year-old Soul Master. Rare indeed."
Porcupinefish Douluo's corpulent body nimbly leaped over a gully as he added, "It isn't just his age. That child's physical strength... was practically inhuman."
Qian Renxue finally stopped, landing on a thick branch.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled light and shadow over her delicate face.
"Tell me in detail."
Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo exchanged a glance. The former said gravely, "From what I sensed, that child's physique and blood vitality were astonishing, far stronger than even yours."
"Moreover, he should have only just obtained his first Soul Ring, yet his Soul Power was at least level 15."
Porcupinefish Douluo added, the fat on his face trembling slightly.
Qian Renxue gently tapped the trunk with her slender fingers, producing a rhythmic tapping sound.
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan..."
Qian Renxue murmured softly, "It seems this clan, which claims to possess the continent's foremost Beast Martial Soul, has produced a monster."
Snake Lance Douluo hesitated for a moment, but still said, "Young master, that child gave me a very strange feeling. His Martial Soul probably isn't the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. It should be something even stronger."
"In his presence, I actually felt a faint sense of bloodline suppression!"
Snake Lance Douluo's Martial Soul was very unusual. Though it was a Tool Martial Soul, its Martial Soul Avatar was like that of a Beast Martial Soul, transforming him into a Two-Headed Golden Giant Python.
Snakes were naturally suppressed before dragons.
And Valstrax was a powerful Elder Dragon, its bloodline standing above the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon and even the Golden Sacred Dragon!
"Bloodline suppression?"
Qian Renxue's delicate brows furrowed slightly.
"Yes."
Snake Lance Douluo nodded. "Although the enormous difference in strength made the feeling very faint, it was definitely there."
Qian Renxue pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "How do you think his talent compares to mine?"
Both Titled Douluos' expressions changed at once.
Snake Lance Douluo hurriedly said, "Young master, you are the inheritor of the Angel Martial Soul, with innate level 20 Soul Power. How could anyone compare to you?"
"I want the truth."
Qian Renxue's voice grew a few degrees colder.
At her words, the two exchanged a glance. Porcupinefish Douluo said, "In terms of physical talent alone... that child is indeed astonishing. But his Martial Soul's quality and innate Soul Power naturally fall short of yours, young master."
Qian Renxue neither agreed nor disagreed. She turned and continued onward. "Let's keep moving."
"Young master."
"Hm?"
Qian Renxue turned her head.
Porcupinefish Douluo drew a hand across his neck, a savage expression appearing on his folds of facial fat. "Should we just..."
Snake Lance Douluo likewise made a throat-slitting gesture, his Snake Lance Martial Soul flickering in and out of view in his palm.
"Fools."
Qian Renxue knitted her brows.
"Leaving aside whether it would succeed, even if we sent word back and had someone assassinate Yu Tianming, we would be the first people Yu Yuanzhen suspected."
"What I want is the entire Heaven Dou Empire, not to beat the grass and startle the snake."
Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo immediately bowed. "We were foolish."
Qian Renxue continued, "Don't bring this up again. I have other plans."
"Understood!"
Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo answered in unison.
Above True Dragon Mountain, a streak of blue-purple lightning tore across the sky.
Yu Yuanzhen retracted his dragon wings and landed steadily before the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's mountain gate.
Seeing Yu Yuanzhen and Yu Tianming return, the disciples guarding the gate immediately bowed respectfully. "Welcome back, Sect Master, Young Sect Master!"
"Rise."
Yu Yuanzhen nodded slightly and strode through the mountain gate, holding Yu Tianming's hand.
"At this hour, your father should have finished handling his affairs and returned home. Let's head straight over," Yu Yuanzhen said.
"All right!"
Yu Tianming nodded.
When grandfather and grandson reached the courtyard, Yu Mingyuan and his wife Mu Qingling were there, one drinking tea and the other watering flowers.
Seeing the two of them, Yu Mingyuan and Mu Qingling immediately stopped what they were doing.
"Tianming!"
Mu Qingling hurried forward and swept her son into her arms. "Did you get your first Soul Ring?"
Yu Tianming nodded with a smile. "Yes, from a four-thousand-year-old Purple-Gold Thunder Dragon."
"Four thousand years!"
Yu Mingyuan's pupils contracted, and he looked at his father. "Wasn't that far too risky?"
Mu Qingling hurriedly felt all over her son's body, fearing that absorbing a Soul Ring of such an advanced age had caused problems with his body or meridians.
Yu Yuanzhen laughed heartily. "Not only did Tianming successfully absorb a four-thousand-year Soul Ring, he also obtained an external soul bone!"
"An external soul bone?!"
The couple stared at Yu Tianming in shock.
With a thought from Yu Tianming, a purple-gold dragon claw appeared over his right hand. "This is my external soul bone, the Purple-Gold Dragon Claw."
Yu Mingyuan's hands trembled slightly with excitement. "Good! Wonderful!"
Yu Yuanzhen stroked his beard with a satisfied smile. "Tianming's physical strength is even more astonishing. He has already surpassed Soul Ancestors and rivals Soul Kings."
The family basked in their joy, only returning indoors for dinner when the sun sank behind the western mountains.
During the meal, Yu Yuanzhen brought up their encounter with people from Spirit Hall in Star Dou Great Forest.
"Spirit Hall sent two Titled Douluos to protect a little girl?" Yu Mingyuan's brows knitted tightly. "What's that girl's background?"
Yu Yuanzhen shook his head. "They claimed she was Light Feather Douluo's granddaughter, but I don't believe it."
"Grandfather, who is Light Feather Douluo?" Yu Tianheng asked.
"A powerful expert from Spirit Hall whose Soul Power is even higher than mine." Yu Yuanzhen glanced at his eldest grandson and explained with a smile.
"Oh."
Yu Tianheng nodded.
"Don't spread word of this," Yu Yuanzhen said solemnly again. "Our relationship with Spirit Hall is delicate. Don't provoke them."
Yu Mingyuan nodded, then turned to Yu Tianming.
"Tianming, in a few days, I'll take you and Tian Heng to Heaven Dou Royal Academy."
"I can go to the academy too?" Yu Tianming's eyes lit up.
Heaven Dou Royal Academy had not only an advanced academy, but also a junior academy within it.
"Of course."
Yu Mingyuan smiled.
Mu Qingling stroked her son's head. "Once you're at the academy, listen to your older brother. Don't cause trouble, but don't be afraid of trouble either."
"Remember, you're the young sect master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. No one gets to bully you!"
Yu Tianming nodded firmly. "I will."