In the blink of an eye,
a year had passed since Yu Tianming absorbed the Gold of Life.
"Phew, I finally broke through!"
Inside his dorm room, Yu Tianming opened his eyes. The fluctuations of Soul Power around him were exceptionally strong; he had reached rank twenty.
Seven years old, with rank-twenty Soul Power.
Aside from Qian Renxue, who had Innate Full Soul Power and received another ten ranks of divinely bestowed Soul Power, Yu Tianming was undoubtedly the fastest to reach it!
"A year already. Time really flies."
With a smile at the corner of his lips, Yu Tianming slowly rose and walked out of his dorm room.
Over the past year, Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, and the others had all become Soul Grandmasters. Next was Ye Lingling, who would soon make her breakthrough too.
Moreover,
having consumed thousand-year whale rubber followed by ten-thousand-year whale glue, Yu Tianheng and the others all had thousand-year soul rings as their second soul rings.
Yu Tianming had made enormous progress as well. Not only had his Soul Power risen by four ranks, but half a year ago, he had also attained the second realm of the Indestructible Vajra Body-Iron Bone!
By now, he had reached minor accomplishment in Iron Bone.
Gold of Life, the Indestructible Vajra Body, thousand-year whale rubber, ten-thousand-year whale glue...
These had transformed Yu Tianming's physique. Compared to a year ago, his body's tolerance had more than doubled!
As long as he could withstand the Soul Shock, he could absorb a soul ring over twenty thousand years old at the very least!
On the training grounds,
sunlight spilled across the bluestone ground, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow.
From afar, Yu Tianming spotted Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan sparring. Soul rings flickered around them, lightning interweaving with Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison, drawing the surrounding students to stop and watch.
Bang!
A streak of purple lightning exploded.
Dugu Yan leaped lightly backward, her green hair flying as she laughed. "Tian Heng, your Thunder Dragon Claw has gotten faster again!"
The poisonous mist winding around her fingertips had yet to disperse; clearly, she had held something back as well.
Yu Tianheng withdrew his fist and stood straight, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon phantom behind him slowly fading. "Yanzi, your Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison has gotten stronger too."
Suddenly, the noisy grounds fell silent for a moment.
Yu Tianheng turned in puzzlement and saw his younger brother.
The students who had been watching their match were all drawn to Yu Tianming, dozens of gazes turning toward him in unison.
The female students whispered among themselves, their faces flushed as they unconsciously tidied the stray locks at their temples.
Already a meter and sixty centimeters tall at seven years old, Yu Tianming had black hair and starry eyes. Dressed in the fitted martial attire unique to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, he looked like a young noble who had stepped out of a painting beneath the morning sun.
"Look, it's Yu Tianming!"
A girl wearing a bow tugged her companion's sleeve and whispered excitedly, "He's only seven, but he's already the strongest in our junior academy, and he's the young clan master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan!"
She never finished.
Dugu Yan suddenly turned, her emerald eyes sweeping coldly over the crowd.
The whispering female students immediately fell silent as cicadas in the cold.
Bang!
Purple lightning suddenly exploded in the center of the grounds, breaking the stiff atmosphere.
As Yu Tianheng withdrew his fist, the draconic might of his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul still lingered. He laughed and waved. "Tianming, you broke through to rank twenty?"
"Mm."
Yu Tianming walked over with a smile, the girls along his path stepping aside.
He could clearly hear the hushed discussion behind him. "He reached rank twenty... how is that possible? He's only seven!"
Ye Lingling suddenly rose beneath the shade of a tree, her long white dress fluttering lightly in the breeze.
She wore no veil. Her delicate, lovely face made several boys stare, but when they noticed where she was looking, they turned away sheepishly.
No one dared provoke Dugu Yan, and no one dared provoke Yu Tianming either.
Li Hao a year ago was the best example!
"Congratulations."
Ye Lingling offered him a sachet embroidered with a silver dragon pattern.
Yu Tianming smiled back. "Congratulations to you too."
His spiritual power was strong, and he immediately sensed that Ye Lingling had also reached rank twenty. She had only just broken through, and her presence was still unstable.
Taking the sachet,
Yu Tianming caught a faint medicinal fragrance. A tiny character for "Ling" was tucked into one corner.
Dugu Yan keenly caught this detail. She suddenly slipped between them and pinched Ye Lingling's little face with one hand. "Lingling, you're playing favorites! The sachet you gave me didn't have a pattern!"
At this sight,
a wave of discussion rose from the watching crowd.
Yu Tianheng helplessly pressed a hand to his forehead, while the brothers Shi Mo and Shi Mo, along with Yu Feng and Osler, exchanged looks.
Anyone with eyes could tell that both Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling were interested in Yu Tianming.
But the two girls were close friends and had not fallen out over it at all.
Of course,
neither the outgoing Dugu Yan nor the reserved, cool Ye Lingling had ever directly expressed what was in her heart.
Ultimately, it was because Yu Tianming was still too young.
"Ahem."
Seeing that the atmosphere had become a little delicate, Yu Tianheng coughed lightly and changed the subject with a smile.
"Once Tianming and Lingling get their second soul rings, all eight of us will be Soul Grandmasters. We can apply directly to enter the advanced academy!"
"Exactly. There's not much point staying at the junior academy anymore." Dugu Yan linked arms with Ye Lingling and nodded in agreement.
"Lingling, have you decided where to hunt for your soul ring?"
Yu Tianming suddenly asked.
"Huh? Not yet." Ye Lingling froze for a moment before answering.
"Then come with me tomorrow. I've already sent word back to the clan. My grandfather will come to the academy tomorrow and take me to the Star Dou Great Forest himself!" Yu Tianming invited her with a smile.
Ye Lingling was slightly taken aback. Her fair fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her dress as she said softly, "That... would be too much trouble for you and Thunder Douluo."
"Nine Heart Begonia has special soul ring requirements. I can just have my family take me to Sunset Forest..."
Before she could finish, Dugu Yan wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Silly Lingling, the soul beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest are much better quality than those in Sunset Forest!" A mischievous glint shone in her emerald eyes.
"Besides, think how safe you'll be with a Titled Douluo protecting you."
Yu Tianming smiled too. "It's no trouble. Grandfather specifically mentioned that I could bring companions. What kind of soul beast does the Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul need?"
The tips of Ye Lingling's ears reddened slightly. "Preferably a plant-type soul beast with a life attribute. Some animal-type soul beasts with better bloodlines and suitable attributes will work too."
She looked up at Yu Tianming. "It really won't be too much trouble?"
Ye Lingling did not want to trouble Yu Tianming's grandfather, afraid she might leave a bad impression.
"No trouble at all."
Yu Tianming smiled. Those soul beast requirements were not actually strict.
There were few animal-type soul beasts with a life attribute, but plenty of plant-type soul beasts. Most plant-type soul beasts possessed a life attribute.
Even the lowliest Blue Silver Grass possessed a life attribute.
That alone offered a glimpse of the whole!
A thousand-year soul beast was not difficult to kill either. He could easily do it himself.
"All right, then. Thank you!" Ye Lingling thanked him, her pretty face faintly flushed.
"You're welcome."
Yu Tianming smiled and waved a hand.
He was not made of stone, much less a saint without desires.
Everyone had a love of beauty.
Ye Lingling liked him, and he also liked this beauty who was cool on the surface but gentle at heart. Naturally, he did not mind helping her hunt for a soul ring.
It was no trouble anyway. He could simply leave it to his grandfather...