High in the sky, fierce winds howled.
Carried by Yu Yuanzhen, Yu Tianming flew toward the Star Dou Great Forest at tremendous speed.
He looked down at the land racing beneath his feet, his heart surging despite himself.
"Grandpa, are we flying straight there like this? Why aren't we taking a carriage?" Yu Tianming asked in puzzlement.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect and the Star Dou Great Forest were not close to each other.
They were several thousand li apart.
"A carriage? That would be so slow. Even with a hundred-year Gale Horse, getting from the sect to the Star Dou Great Forest would take seven or eight days."
Yu Yuanzhen smiled. "Your grandpa is a Titled Douluo. Flying straight there is much faster."
As a rank ninety-five Titled Douluo and a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Soul Master, with wings after Dragon Transformation as well, he could easily break the sound barrier.
Yu Yuanzhen laughed heartily. "What, scared?"
Yu Tianming shook his head. "No, I was just thinking about my first soul ring... what kind of soul beast should I hunt?"
There was no way he could be scared.
His martial soul was Valstrax. How could he possibly be afraid of heights?
Valstrax excelled at high-speed flight, reaching Mach 17-seventeen times the speed of sound, far faster than Yu Yuanzhen could fly!
Yu Yuanzhen roared with laughter. "Don't worry. Grandpa will definitely find the best one for you!"
Before his words had faded, his speed surged again. Like a true thunderbolt, he tore across the sky, heading straight for the Star Dou Great Forest.
The outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Yu Yuanzhen descended from the sky with Yu Tianming, landing steadily at the edge of a dense forest.
"We're here."
Yu Yuanzhen let go and swept his gaze around. "This is only the outskirts. Most of the soul beasts here are ten-year and hundred-year ones, perfect for you to get some practice first."
Yu Tianming took a deep breath. The air was thick with the scent of vegetation, with a faint trace of the distinctive rank smell of soul beasts.
He clenched his fists, feeling the power surging within him. "Grandpa, I want to try a few hundred-year soul beasts first."
A trace of approval flashed through Yu Yuanzhen's eyes. "Good! You've got guts!"
He waved a hand, sending an invisible ripple of Soul Power outward. Soon, rustling came from the distant bushes.
"Roar-"
An enormous, pitch-black wolf suddenly sprang out, its scarlet eyes fixed on Yu Tianming.
It was over two meters long, its sharp claws gleaming coldly in the sunlight.
"A two-hundred-year Shadow Wolf. Extremely fast and skilled at ambushes." Yu Yuanzhen stood with his hands behind his back. "Go on. Grandpa will watch your back."
Yu Tianming did not summon his martial soul. "Grandpa, I want to try without using my martial soul."
Yu Yuanzhen raised an eyebrow. Before he could speak, the Shadow Wolf had already become a black blur and lunged at him!
"Just in time!"
A sharp light blazed in Yu Tianming's eyes. He stamped his right foot against the ground and shot forward like a cannonball.
Just before they collided, he twisted aside and smashed his right fist, wreathed in crimson Dragon Qi, into the wolf's head!
Bang!
With a dull impact, the Shadow Wolf's massive body flew backward, only coming to a stop after snapping a large tree.
Yu Tianming shook out his fist, somewhat disappointed. "A little too weak."
He had not struck to kill and let the Shadow Wolf leave.
Yu Yuanzhen's pupils contracted.
He had seen it clearly. That punch had been pure physical strength, without the slightest fluctuation of Soul Power.
As for that crimson Dragon Qi, it was fundamentally different from Soul Power, not the same thing at all.
"Keep going."
Yu Yuanzhen's voice was low as he raised his hand and released another ripple of Soul Power.
Soon, the ground began to shake.
An enormous rhinoceros-type soul beast charged out. Its entire body was earthy yellow, and the single horn on its forehead shone with a metallic luster.
"A five-hundred-year Ironclad Rhinoceros. Its defense is comparable to a thousand-year soul beast's."
Yu Yuanzhen cautioned him, "Its weak points are its belly and... groin."
At that, the corner of Yu Tianming's mouth twitched. There had been no need to mention the latter. Surely he couldn't punch the Ironclad Rhinoceros in the groin?
"Mm."
Yu Tianming answered and took the initiative.
The instant the Ironclad Rhinoceros charged toward him, he pushed off with both legs and leaped high, bringing his right leg down like a battle-axe!
Boom!
That kick actually split the Ironclad Rhinoceros's thick back armor by brute force, bringing its enormous body crashing to its knees.
Seizing the chance, Yu Tianming flipped onto its back, grabbed its horn with both hands, and exerted his waist-
"Up!"
Under Yu Yuanzhen's shocked gaze, the Ironclad Rhinoceros, weighing several thousand jin, was bodily swung up and then slammed heavily into the ground!
"Roar!"
The Ironclad Rhinoceros howled in pain.
Before it could struggle, Yu Tianming's fists were already raining down.
Every punch carried crimson Dragon Qi, easily breaking through the defense it took such pride in.
After ten punches,
the Ironclad Rhinoceros would not be getting up anytime soon.
Yu Tianming stood, his breathing not even disturbed. "Grandpa, find me something stronger."
Yu Yuanzhen drew a deep breath, then suddenly burst out laughing. "You little rascal! Your physical strength is far greater than even a Soul Elder's!"
"It's on par with some Soul Ancestors!"
The corners of Yu Tianming's mouth rose as well. He now had a clearer understanding of his physical strength: it was at least comparable to an early-stage Soul Ancestor's.
Rank-ten Soul Power, yet a body on par with a Soul Ancestor's-this was undoubtedly outrageous!
But,
thinking of his Valstrax martial soul, Yu Tianming felt it was only natural.
After all, Valstrax's body was terrifyingly powerful. Without an exceptionally strong body, it could never withstand speeds of Mach 17!
Afterward, Yu Yuanzhen took Yu Tianming into the mixed zone.
Raising a hand, he sent a bolt of lightning into the distance.
"Try this one!"
"Awooo-"
Accompanied by a furious tiger's roar, a white tiger over three meters long came charging toward them.
"A thousand-year soul beast, a Gale Tiger. Wind attribute. Watch out for its wind blades," Yu Yuanzhen cautioned calmly.
Yu Tianming finally looked serious.
With a thought, the Dragon Energy Jewel in his chest grew slightly hot, and crimson energy flowed throughout his body.
"Roar!"
The Gale Tiger pounced with a roar, its sharp claws wreathed in blue-green wind blades that sliced through trees wherever they passed.
Yu Tianming's gaze sharpened. He pushed off hard with both legs, blasting a shallow crater into the ground.
"Come on!"
Without dodging or retreating, he gathered crimson Dragon Qi around his right fist and drove it straight at the tiger's claws!
Boom!
Fist and claw collided, unleashing a tremendous blast of air. Yu Tianming was forced back three steps, his right sleeve shredded by the wind blades, revealing lustrous skin.
The thousand-year Gale Tiger, too, had its movement checked by that punch.
Such tremendous strength!
Yu Tianming was inwardly startled.
This Gale Tiger was far stronger than the previous soul beasts, truly worthy of being a thousand-year soul beast.
Just then, he suddenly noticed a ghastly wound on the Gale Tiger's belly, blood dripping from it continuously.
So this Gale Tiger had already been badly wounded!
"Roar!"
The Gale Tiger pounced again, spitting three wind blades from its mouth.
Yu Tianming darted aside. Six illusory crimson wing limbs suddenly appeared behind him, allowing him to change direction strangely in midair.
An opening!
Seizing the instant the Gale Tiger's pounce missed, Yu Tianming abruptly dove down, driving his right fist toward its wound like a cannonball!
Bang!
The punch landed squarely on the wound. The Gale Tiger let out a pained howl, fell to the ground, and rolled several meters away.
Yu Tianming did not pursue, instead landing steadily on the ground.
"Roar!"
The Gale Tiger clambered to its feet. Seeing that Yu Tianming was not attacking again, it glanced toward Yu Yuanzhen, turned, and fled.