"Increasing the flames' intensity to melt everything-interesting!"
Lou Gao looked at the melted shield before him with considerable satisfaction. Then, without taking any defensive stance, he stood where he was, revealing the entire suit of Ruyi Soft Armor he wore, and said solemnly,
"I'd like to see whether your Second Soul Skill can melt my Ruyi Soft Armor."
"Boy, keep attacking me."
Shortly after Lou Gao finished speaking, the moment the black flames touched him,
Boom-
A tremendous crash rang out, and black flames splashed in every direction. Everything within ten meters of Lou Gao turned into a sea of black fire, its extreme heat rapidly draining his Soul Power.
The black fire clinging to the Ruyi Soft Armor was like maggots burrowing into bone, impossible to extinguish. In just two minutes, multiple tears appeared in the supple, form-fitting Ruyi Soft Armor, and its stretchability declined drastically.
Although it had not caused Lou Gao any substantial injury, the inextinguishable black fire's highly explosive nature still filled him with alarm.
"Boy, withdraw your Soul Skill's effect. If this continues, my Eight Treasure Ruyi Soft Armor will definitely be ruined."
"Yes, Senior."
Long Qianming immediately swept his hand, and the black flames around Lou Gao vanished completely.
Lou Gao walked over to Long Qianming and took another look at Xiao Tian, who looked like a mishmash of creatures. Through this brief spar, the boy and beast had once again profoundly shocked him, but he was also deeply worried for Long Qianming.
"Boy, you were able to absorb a thousand-year second ring thanks to your External Martial Soul, but outsiders won't see it that way. If people harboring ill intentions learn of your thousand-year second ring, they'll kill you unless you join their sect or family."
"That goes for Spirit Hall as well as the Upper Three Sects. This age does not permit Soul Masters who break established norms to exist, especially Soul Masters without any backing."
Hearing this, Long Qianming nodded repeatedly. He understood the principle that the tree rising above the forest would be battered by the wind. Both his thousand-year second ring and his External Martial Soul, whose appearance had now changed drastically, were extremely conspicuous.
Xiao Tian in particular still had some piglike features. If those people in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan learned of this, they could easily deduce that he, Long Qianming, was still alive simply by analyzing the Martial Soul's attributes and appearance.
Given Yu Yuanzhen's personality and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's domineering conduct, they would certainly drag him back by force to guide Yu Xiaogang in cultivating his Luo Sanpao Martial Soul.
After all, he was the second known External Martial Soul Master on the entire continent.
Faced with Lou Gao's concern, Long Qianming feigned ease and said calmly,
"There's no need to worry too much, Senior. I won't be joining any academy anyway. As long as I'm a little careful in everyday life, no one will learn my secrets."
As he spoke, Long Qianming looked toward Lou Gao and continued teasingly,
"Senior, I trust you'll keep my secrets for me?"
In Long Qianming's established impression, Lou Gao had excellent character. Whether as a divine craftsman or, later, as a maker of Hidden Weapons for the Tang Sect, everything showed that Lou Gao valued loyalty and affection and could be trusted. Their time together had indeed confirmed that impression.
Otherwise, Long Qianming would not have gotten so involved with Lou Gao four years ago.
"Of course. You're my young friend, after all, and the person I have the highest hopes for!"
Lou Gao paused, put away the damaged Ruyi Soft Armor, and was in excellent spirits.
"We've been away for over two months. Now that you've obtained your Second Soul Ring, it's time we returned to Gengxin City!"
"When we get there, don't forget our earlier agreement, boy."
"Don't you know me by now, Senior? I naturally won't go back on my word. Learning forging from you is a very interesting prospect, too."
After solemnly giving Lou Gao his assurance, Long Qianming put the corpses of the two lesser dragon Soul Beasts into his Soul Tool, and the two set off on their return journey.
Meanwhile, within the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
Red decorations covered the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's grounds, and hundreds of festive lanterns hung high above doorways throughout the clan. Everyone, from the clan elders down to the servants, wore smiles brimming with pride.
Today marked the celebration of the hundredth day since Clan Leader Yu Yuanzhen had become a rank-92 Titled Douluo. It also meant that the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had achieved the feat of having two living Douluos for the first time in nearly seventy years.
Apart from Spirit Hall, every sect of any standing on the continent had sent representatives to offer congratulations.
The most important among them were the Clear Sky Sect and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. While congratulating Yu Yuanzhen, they were also gradually probing the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's next move.
Although the Upper Three Sects were branches of the same tree, there were still certain unspoken rivalries and antagonisms between them behind the scenes.
At that moment, Yu Yuanzhen sat firmly in the hall's seat of honor. Tang Zhen, the rank-91 War Hammer Douluo and leader of the world's foremost sect, the Clear Sky Sect, occupied the secondary seat to his left.
To his right sat Ning Yuanze, leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Due to the limitations of his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul, he was only a rank-79 Soul Saint.
The other sects took their places in the spectator seats according to their respective strength.
Filled with excitement, Yu Yuanzhen watched the core disciples who were about to awaken their Martial Souls enter the hall one by one.
In particular, he had even higher expectations for the strikingly spirited Yu Xiaolie at the head of the line than he had once held for Yu Xiaogang.
To better nurture Yu Xiaolie, he had kept his son at his side since birth, personally teaching him and expending enormous resources on his upbringing.
Two years ago, he had even found an exceedingly rare treasure, a stalk of Thunder Breath Grass. This herb could strengthen the lightning power of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul, making Yu Xiaolie stronger.
With so many resources supporting him, Yu Xiaolie's Innate Soul Power was bound to be extraordinary.
Today, he, Yu Yuanzhen, would finally shake off the label of a failure's father and announce to the entire Soul Master World that, under Yu Xiaolie's leadership, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan would rise to greater heights.
As grand ceremonial music rang out, Yu Xiaolie stepped into the Martial Soul Awakening formation under the expectant gazes of the many clansmen and guests.
As the awakening formation activated, golden light shone, and an enormous blue dragon phantom brimming with lightning power appeared behind Yu Xiaolie.
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul. Excellent."
The first to grow excited was not Yu Xiaolie himself, but Yu Yuanzhen, seated in the place of honor. The moment he saw the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul, the emotions suppressed in his heart finally found release.
This was in the bag. As long as it wasn't some Mutated Martial Soul, his Innate Soul Power was certain to be strong-at least rank eight.
If the exceedingly rare Innate Full Soul Power appeared, then their Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan replacing the Clear Sky Sect as the world's foremost sect would no longer be an idle dream.