NOVEL NEXT Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Huang Yuan's Third Soul Ring
Tai Long suddenly felt a sense of fear toward Yu Tianyan.
"Are you seriously injured?" Tai Long asked.
Huang Yuan waved his hand dismissively and said, "It's not serious. But since I was defeated by him, I've come to deeply realize my shortcomings. After recovering from my injuries, I've been practicing in seclusion. Jing Ling and Jiang Zhu have been doing the same."
Hearing this, Tai Long breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. "Ah, so you've all been in seclusion?"
Then he smiled and said, "Huang Yuan, it's been a long time. Come on, I'll treat you to a drink."
In the Douluo Continent, it wasn't uncommon for teenagers as young as 13 or 14 to get married or drink alcohol. Children matured early here. Tai Long had been lonely and restless these past three months. Though he had followers, their talents were mediocre at best. Coming from a powerful family, Tai Long's pride made him view these followers as subordinates rather than equals. He had no true friends.
Huang Yuan, however, shook his head. "Maybe another time. I want to visit my parents first. We can talk after that."
With that, Huang Yuan turned and left. Tai Long, though regretful, understood. Family came first. Even as he walked away, Tai Long felt a strange sense of loss, as if something important had slipped away. Helplessly, he turned back. Determination filled his heart—he would train in seclusion as well. He couldn't afford to fall behind.
Yu Tianyan had long decided to keep Tai Long at arm's length. Though a pure power-type soul master like Tai Long would generally be an asset, his grandfather, Titan, was a problem. Titan was nothing more than a loyal follower of Tang Hao, the Clear Sky Douluo. No matter how much Yu Tianyan might give, he knew Titan's loyalty would never shift. Worse, Titan might even cause trouble if Tai Long were to absorb the Heart Fire. If Titan retaliated or tried to kidnap Tai Long, it would provoke a response from Liu Erlong, whose fiery temper would undoubtedly escalate the conflict. Such incidents would also stir up tension with the other three single-attribute clans, a scenario Yu Tianyan couldn't afford. Tang Hao's protective nature only complicated things further.
Thus, Tai Long was a liability. Yu Tianyan saw no reason to waste effort on someone whose loyalty lay elsewhere. Even tricking Tai Long into absorbing the Heart Fire was unwise. The process couldn't be hidden forever, and the truth would inevitably come out. Tai Long's education under Titan would ensure that his allegiance never wavered from Tang Hao or Tang San. Yu Tianyan couldn't comprehend Titan's obsession. How could a clan with exceptional forging skills degrade itself to servitude? Yet, the reality was clear. By giving up on Tai Long, Yu Tianyan had already prepared for the challenge of recruiting others for the upcoming All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Competition. A team needed at least seven members, and while some academies had substitutes, Lan Ba Academy's talent pool was alarmingly shallow. If he couldn't find worthy recruits within three years, Yu Tianyan vowed to reevaluate his own martial ethics.
Time flew by, and Yu Tianyan celebrated his tenth birthday, surrounded by Liu Erlong, Yinshu, Huang Yuan, Jing Ling, and Jiang Zhu. His soul power had reached level 28. In less than a year, he had risen six levels, meditating while tempering his body. Even Tang San, the son of destiny, would struggle to match such cultivation speed. With the Heart Fire's aid, both Jing Ling and Huang Yuan had broken through to level 30. Yet, they hadn't obtained soul rings. Following Yu Tianyan's advice, they focused on physical training instead. Jiang Zhu, being an auxiliary spirit master, faced slower cultivation progress. With less compatibility with the Heart Fire, her soul power was only at level 29.
After the birthday celebration, Liu Erlong personally led Yu Tianyan, Jing Ling, and Huang Yuan to the Sunset Forest to hunt for soul rings. The two students were ecstatic. Most soul masters relied on academies to obtain soul rings, as personal resources were scarce. Ordinary soul masters often settled for soul rings far below their endurance, limiting their potential. But with Yu Tianyan's help, Jing Ling and Huang Yuan were destined to receive optimal soul rings.
Yu Tianyan suggested a canine soul beast for Huang Yuan's third soul ring. A soul ring from the same species could enhance martial soul evolution. Huang Yuan, whose martial soul was the Lone Wolf, faced suppression from higher-level beast martial souls. To counteract this, Yu Tianyan aimed to improve its quality. Finally, they found a 1,700-year-old Bloodthirsty Wolf. Yu Tianyan didn't conceal his Fallen Heart Flame's abilities, burning the wolf until it was half-dead. Huang Yuan delivered the final blow and absorbed the soul ring.
As the absorption concluded, a right leg bone burst forth. After brief hesitation, Huang Yuan decided to absorb it as well. The soul ring's ability, Magic Wolf Transformation, boosted attack and defense by 20% for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, the soul bone's ability, Bloodthirst, doubled attack power for three seconds—a game-changing skill in life-and-death combat. The absorption process slightly altered Huang Yuan's martial soul, adding blood-red streaks to its gray-white form. Yu Tianyan advised seeking another bloodthirsty wolf for the fourth soul ring to further enhance the martial soul. Huang Yuan, trusting Yu Tianyan completely, even asked him to decide on the fourth soul ring.
Next, the group prepared to find a soul beast for Jing Ling. However, they first needed to understand the origins of his previous soul rings to make an informed decision.
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(End of chapter)