Back at the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
Yu Xuan parted ways with his father and returned to the separate courtyard where he lived.
He had just reached the front courtyard when he ran into Yu Xiaogang charging around on Luo Sanpao's back.
The words "utterly unwilling" were written all over Luo Sanpao's face, and he kept crying "luo, luo." Yu Xiaogang, however, kept his face taut and paid no attention to what he wanted.
Yu Xuan smiled. "This Luo Sanpao really is like a living creature."
"Hm?" Yu Xiaogang froze when he heard the voice. He looked up and saw Yu Xuan.
"Big brother, you're back?"
"Yes, I just obtained my first Soul Skill."
Yu Xiaogang frowned. "What kind of Soul Beast did the Soul Ring you absorbed come from?"
"A Tail Blade Flame Dragon, a type of sub-fire dragon," Yu Xuan said.
"Why did you absorb that?"
Yu Xiaogang looked displeased. He had clearly recommended the Wind Eagle to his big brother, yet his brother hadn't chosen it. He obviously didn't approve of him!
Yu Xuan's face darkened. "Xiaogang, is that any way to speak to your big brother?" he said coldly.
"What kind of thing did you recommend? Father said that for dragon-type Martial Souls, it's best to absorb the Soul Rings of sub-dragons. Who knows more, you or Father?"
"You... you'll regret this!"
When Yu Xiaogang saw his brother bring up their father to put pressure on him, he was struck speechless and could only force out an empty threat.
"I'm your big brother! You have no right to threaten me!"
Yu Xuan sneered, and as he spoke, a purple Soul Ring rose beneath his feet!
That was right: it was the very Thousand-Year Soul Ring Yu Xiaogang had never obtained in his entire life!
"P-purple Soul Ring, a Thousand-Year Soul Ring?! How is that possible?!" Yu Xiaogang's expression changed drastically, and he tumbled off Luo Sanpao's back.
But he paid no attention to the pain in his body. Propping himself up on his elbows, he moved in front of Yu Xuan. "Impossible. How could anyone absorb a Thousand-Year Soul Ring as their First Soul Ring?"
He remembered that the clan's records of maximum Soul Ring ages stated it clearly: the limit for a Soul Master's First Soul Ring was 423 years. How had Yu Xuan managed to absorb a Thousand-Year Soul Ring?
Only a prospective Soul Elder whose Soul Power had reached level thirty could absorb a Thousand-Year Soul Ring.
What gave his big brother, a level-ten Soul Scholar, the ability to absorb one?
Was the gap between them really that great?
Yu Xuan said, "There's nothing impossible about it. Your knowledge is simply too shallow."
"My knowledge is shallow? Fine... just you wait. Don't even think about asking me to choose and recommend Soul Beasts for you again!"
Furious and flustered, Yu Xiaogang leaped onto Luo Sanpao's back and rode him into his room.
Yu Xuan: "..."
He was fairly certain now that Gangzi probably hadn't understood anything when he recommended the Wind Eagle a few days ago. He hadn't deliberately tried to harm him.
It was just as well that Yu Xiaogang wouldn't offer him any more advice. At least he would have some peace and quiet.
Yu Xuan returned to his living room.
He sat cross-legged on the floor and took the greatsword out of his Soul Tool, the Fire Dragon Ring.
The Fire Dragon Ring was the name he had given his Storage Soul Tool. Its internal space was a full thirty cubic meters.
The greatsword landed with a dull thud.
"How am I supposed to absorb it?" Yu Xuan looked down at the imposing greatsword, stumped for the moment.
He remembered that Soul Bones were absorbed by placing them against the corresponding body part, but this sword... if he remembered correctly, it seemed to have evolved from the bony spike at the tip of a tail.
Did that mean he had to place it against his tailbone?
No, surely it wouldn't come to that.
Yu Xuan fell silent for a moment, then placed the flame-shaped sword directly in front of him and directed his Soul Power to draw on the Soul Bone.
Before long, the Soul Bone turned into liquid energy and seeped into his body.
"It works after all. External Soul Bones of the weapon type don't have to be absorbed against a corresponding body part."
Delighted, Yu Xuan put aside his distracting thoughts, focused his mind, and guided the External Soul Bone to fuse with his body.
Under his deliberate control, all the Soul Bone's energy flowed into his left palm.
As the Soul Bone's energy transformed it, a piercing pain shot through his left palm. That meant the flame-shaped sword was fusing with it.
From now on, he could summon the External Soul Bone through his left palm.
About five hours later, Yu Xuan's eyes flashed. He had successfully fused with the External Soul Bone.
With a thought, red particles poured from his left palm, and a greatsword nearly two meters long appeared in it!
Soul Bone Skills.
Dragon Flame Enhancement: summoned the greatsword, increasing all attributes by 50%, with an additional 100% increase to strength and attack.
Flame Ember Slash: the greatsword burned, allowing it to slash in close combat or release flaming sword Qi for ranged attacks. When sword Qi from a charged strike hit an enemy, it triggered a fiery explosion.
"It doesn't seem right to keep calling you the flame-shaped sword. I think it's time I gave you a name."
Yu Xuan ran his fingertips along the blade. After a moment's thought, he said, "I'll call you the Sword of Flame Radiance."
In the name, "flame" referred to fire, and "radiance" to sunlight. The sword's light was to blaze as fiercely as the scorching sun.
Yu Xuan was very pleased with the name.
The next day.
Yu Yuanzhen personally came to the separate courtyard where the brothers lived and had a servant summon them to the front courtyard.
The brothers arrived in the front courtyard one after the other.
Seeing Yu Xiaogang riding astride Luo Sanpao and making him howl, Yu Yuanzhen immediately frowned. His voice turned stern. "Xiaogang, what are you doing?!"
"I... I'm exercising Luo Sanpao. He's too fat. Maybe once he slims down, he can turn back into a dragon." Yu Xiaogang lowered his head, his voice growing quieter and quieter.
"You... I really don't know what to do with you."
Yu Yuanzhen sighed. Of course he knew it was fucking useless, but he couldn't bring himself to crush his son's hopes.
Yu Xuan said, "Father, you came here in person. Is something the matter?"
Yu Yuanzhen drew his gaze away from Yu Xiaogang. "You've both awakened your Martial Souls. According to the rules of our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, you need to spend two months learning combat techniques from your fifth uncle, Yu Luowu."
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul has close-combat Soul Skills, and combat techniques can improve our strength to a certain extent. Although neither of your Martial Souls is a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, learning them will still be useful."
"I have no objection, Father. Take me to see Fifth Uncle." Yu Xuan looked eager. What he lacked was practical skill in close-quarters combat.
"All right. What about you, Xiaogang? Although you awakened a Trash Martial Soul, I still recommend that you learn a move or two. You never know when they might come in handy." Yu Yuanzhen smiled and turned his gaze back to Yu Xiaogang.
"Dad, is there still any need for me to learn combat techniques?"
Yu Xiaogang was still reeling from the shock of the Thousand-Year Soul Ring. Right now, all he wanted was to give up and keep messing with Luo Sanpao.
Seeing his younger son's dejected expression, Yu Yuanzhen immediately spoke more harshly. "Xiaogang, it's bad enough that you awakened a Trash Martial Soul. How can you have no desire to improve yourself?"
"If you don't think it's necessary, then move out of this courtyard and find somewhere else to sleep your days away. Stop disturbing your big brother's cultivation every day!!"
"I..." Seeing that his father seemed genuinely angry, Yu Xiaogang hurriedly changed his tune. "Dad, I was wrong. I'm willing to learn combat techniques."