Inside the great hall.
Everyone's gaze was fixed firmly on the silver dragon silhouette.
It had six sharply angular wing limbs, a crimson core in its chest that pulsed like a living thing, and a sharp lance blade at its tail that swept about unconsciously.
Yu Tianming's Martial Soul, Valstrax, was astonishing in every respect!
No dragon-type Martial Soul like this had ever appeared on the Douluo Continent.
"No, this Martial Soul..."
Yu Xiaogang suddenly took two steps forward, staring intently at the structure of Valstrax's wings.
"These... these wing-limb proportions, these joint angles..." His voice abruptly rose. "This is a defective product of an incomplete mutation!"
The moment those words left his mouth.
The great hall fell deathly silent.
Yu Yuanzhen, Yu Minghe, and the others all frowned. Yu Tianheng looked worried as well, afraid that something really was wrong with Yu Tianming's Martial Soul.
Meanwhile, a gleam of delight flashed through the eyes of those in Yu Luomian's faction.
"Yu Luomian..."
Yu Tianming narrowed his eyes. He was in no hurry to speak, instead giving Yu Xiaogang and Yu Luomian a long look.
Yu Yuanzhen spoke in a low voice. "Xiaogang, what do you mean by that?"
At his question.
Yu Xiaogang drew a deep breath, looking utterly confident as he pointed at Valstrax's back. "Look at these wing limbs."
"A normal flying Martial Soul has a wingspan at least one and a half times its body length, but this one..."
Showing off his knowledge was one of Yu Xiaogang's few pleasures.
A hint of smugness entered Yu Xiaogang's voice. "This Martial Soul's wings are too short and too thick. They simply can't support flight!"
A dragon-type Martial Soul with wings that could not fly was undoubtedly absurd.
A sudden snicker came from the crowd belonging to Yu Luomian's faction.
In an instant, as though some taboo had been broken, everyone began whispering.
"I heard the young clan master had been outstanding since childhood, with an incredible physique. I thought he'd be the hope of our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan..."
"And his Martial Soul turned out to be defective?"
"With a Martial Soul like that, is he still qualified to be the young clan master?"
Hearing these remarks, Yu Yuanzhen's expression turned terrifyingly dark, as did Yu Minghe's. Both were about to speak.
But before they could erupt, a boy in brocade robes who looked seven or eight suddenly squeezed out of the crowd.
It was none other than the fifth elder's grandson, Yu Tianlin.
The fifth elder belonged to Yu Luomian's faction, so Yu Tianlin was also hostile toward Yu Tianming.
"Oh my, oh my~"
Yu Tianlin covered his mouth theatrically, but his eyes narrowed maliciously into slits. "The Martial Soul our young clan master awakened..."
He deliberately drew out his words, sweeping his gaze over Valstrax's short wing limbs.
"Wings that can't even fly? Isn't that just a ground-bound chicken? Hahaha-"
The grating laughter stopped abruptly.
"Insolence!"
Yu Yuanzhen roared in anger, and Titled Douluo-level pressure instantly enveloped the entire hall.
Yu Tianlin, who had spoken so rudely, immediately turned deathly pale. His legs buckled, and he dropped to his knees.
Yet Yu Xiaogang stepped forward, braving his father's pressure as he said gravely, "Father, I'm only telling the truth."
"This Martial Soul's wing structure clearly defies all logic. It couldn't possibly..."
"Second brother!"
Yu Minghe suddenly shouted, "You haven't even figured out your own Martial Soul. What gives you the right to make baseless judgments about Tianming's?"
As a father, he would not stand by and let his son be slandered.
Yu Tianheng also looked at Yu Xiaogang with some disappointment. What had just happened had greatly lowered his opinion of this second uncle.
"Tianming, relax."
Yu Tianheng moved close to his younger brother. Seeing that he had remained silent all this time, he thought he was overly nervous.
"I'm fine, Brother."
Yu Tianming looked at his older brother and smiled, then stepped forward.
"Who said... my Martial Soul couldn't fly?"
He raised his hand gently, and the phantom of Valstrax behind him burst into dazzling silver light.
"Roar-!"
A sky-shaking dragon roar rang through the clouds, and terrifying pressure swept across the hall.
Everyone present felt a shudder from deep within their bloodline. Even their Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Souls began trembling involuntarily.
Draconic might swept through the hall!
Valstrax was an Elder Dragon from Monster Hunter. Even on the Douluo Continent, it was unquestionably an existence above the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon.
"Such powerful draconic might!"
Facing that draconic might head-on, Yu Xiaogang grew dizzy and immediately staggered back several steps, nearly falling to the floor.
"Second Uncle!"
Yu Tianming's voice rang out, striking Yu Xiaogang's heart like a massive boulder.
"Watch closely."
The next moment, the crimson core in the Valstrax Martial Soul's chest suddenly erupted with dazzling light, and its six wing limbs abruptly spread to their fullest extent.
Under everyone's shocked gazes, scorching crimson flames shot from the six wing limbs!
"Boom-"
Violent currents of air swept through the hall, and the reactive force slowly lifted Yu Tianming's body into the air.
Of course Valstrax could fly, and its flight speed was incredibly fast!
Its six wing limbs simply were not wings in the traditional sense, but more like six precision thrusters!
"Impossible!"
Yu Xiaogang staggered backward and struck a pillar. "This violates the basic laws of Martial Soul structure... how can wings like that fly?"
The theoretical framework he took such pride in was nothing but a joke at that moment!
Hovering in the air, Yu Tianming did not immediately confront Yu Xiaogang. Instead, he looked coldly down at Yu Tianlin.
The lance blade at Valstrax's tail suddenly extended, cutting through the air with a piercing whistle before stopping against the boy's forehead.
"Now, why don't you repeat what you just said?"
Yu Tianming was no pushover. He would show no mercy to anyone who provoked him.
Yu Xiaogang was his second uncle, and with his grandfather and father both here, he could not easily attack him outright. But he had no such reservations about Yu Tianlin.
"G-Grandpa, save me!"
Yu Tianlin stared at the sharp dragon tail right before his eyes and felt the threat of death.
He immediately collapsed to the floor in terror.
"Insolence!" The fifth elder, Yu Mingfeng, flew into a rage, his Soul Douluo-level presence erupting with a thunderous surge. "You dare-"
Before he could finish, an even more overwhelming pressure suddenly descended.
Yu Yuanzhen merely gave him a casual glance. Enveloped by that formidable Soul Power pressure, the Soul Douluo expert felt as though lightning had struck him.
"Clan Master..."
Yu Mingfeng turned deathly pale, then turned and bowed to Yu Yuanzhen. "I failed to discipline him properly. Please spare Tianlin this once on account of his youth and ignorance."
Yu Luomian frowned and spoke as well. "Clan Master, children don't know any better..."
"Have him apologize to Tianming first."
Yu Yuanzhen's voice was terrifyingly calm. His rank ninety-five Soul Power enveloped the great hall, leaving everyone struggling to breathe.
Yu Mingfeng's expression shifted several times before he finally shot his grandson a fierce glare.
"You little wretch! Hurry up and apologize to the young clan master!"
By then, Yu Tianlin had already been frightened out of his wits, and a large patch of his crotch was soaked.
Trembling, he knelt on the floor and slammed his forehead heavily against it. "Y-Young Clan Master, please forgive me! I had eyes but couldn't see. I was spouting nonsense..."
Valstrax's tail blade still rested between his brows, and a drop of blood slid down the bridge of his nose.
"Remember, if you dare speak rudely again, an apology won't be enough."
Yu Tianming knew very well that the kind were bullied. As the young clan master, he had to establish his authority.
And Yu Tianlin was a good target for that.