After months of stealth and bypassing potential inspections and surveillance, Yu Yuanchen finally crossed the border of the Heaven Dou Empire without incident and returned quietly to Dragon City.
When he shed his disguise and stepped through the gates of the familiar and majestic family estate, every clansman he encountered cast looks of surprise and awe his way. Over two years of training and bitter cultivation had left a profound mark upon him.
He still possessed that same face with sword-like brows and star-bright eyes, but the lingering traces of youth had completely faded, replaced by a temperament as steady as a mountain and as sharp as lightning. Years of relentless, grueling cultivation and the tempering of the thunder in Thunderclap Ravine had made his physique far more upright and robust than his peers. Beneath his deep blue training suit, his muscle lines were fluid and distinct; they were not bulging, yet every inch seemed to contain explosive power, like a dormant dragon, exuding a heart-palpitating might even in silence. His short, neat hair was the signature deep blue of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family, but as light played across it, tiny blue arcs of lightning danced and wandered within the strands, adding a touch of mystery. Most striking was the lock of hair falling over his forehead; it was not blue, but a noble purple-gold, echoing the purple-gold lightning that occasionally flashed in the depths of his eyes, making him appear all the more extraordinary.
"Grandfather, Father, I have returned." Yu Yuanchen stood in the Patriarch's study, bowing respectfully to Yu Boxuan at the head of the room and his father, Yu Mingfeng, to the side. His voice was calm, yet it could not hide the touch of emotion at being home.
"Chen'er!" Yu Mingfeng took a step forward and patted his son's shoulder firmly, feeling the rock-solid texture, his eyes filled with excitement and comfort. "Good! Good! It is good that you are back! Your aura is steady and your soul power is restrained; it seems you have gained a great deal over these two years!"
Yu Boxuan, sitting at the head of the room, swept his majestic gaze over Yu Yuanchen. When he sensed that his soul power had reached the peak of level sixty with an unimaginably solid foundation, and felt the bloodline power faintly radiating from his body—enough to make even him glance sideways—a flash of irrepressible, joyful light erupted in his eyes.
"Good! You are worthy of being my, Yu Boxuan's, grandson!" Yu Boxuan stood up abruptly and laughed heartily, his voice shaking the roof tiles. "A Soul Ancestor at thirteen, a Soul Emperor at eighteen! Looking across the history of the continent, who can compare?! Hahaha!"
After some small talk and concerned inquiries between family members, the conversation quickly turned to serious matters.
Yu Boxuan's expression turned solemn, and he said in a deep voice, "Chen'er, the matter of martial soul evolution you mentioned in your letter—is it true?" This matter was of great importance and could not be taken lightly.
Yu Yuanchen nodded solemnly. "Grandson would not dare to speak falsely. Since absorbing the Purple Lightning Dragon Soul Ring, and especially since the awakening of the 'Thunder God Power', I have indeed felt the martial soul origin become more active. My affinity with thunder is far beyond what it was in the past, and some kind of shackle deep within my bloodline seems to be loosening. I am eighty percent certain that if I can absorb another top-tier dragon-species soul ring, I will surely undergo a transformation at level seventy!"
He did not disclose the matter of the Thunder God Position Fragment; that was too shocking. Explaining it through martial soul evolution and the "Thunder God Power" was already enough to stun them.
Yu Boxuan and Yu Mingfeng exchanged glances, both seeing the resolve in the other's eyes.
"In that case, there is no time to lose!" Yu Boxuan made a prompt decision. "That 63,000-year pure-blooded Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon has long been prepared for you! To avoid any complications, we shall set off immediately for the depths of the Thunder Gorge! Mingfeng, you remain to guard the family and watch for any unusual movements from the Long family. Elder Qingtian is already waiting outside. I will personally act as a guardian for Chen'er alongside Qingtian to hunt the soul ring!"
Without a moment of hesitation, three figures quietly swept out from the depths of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family estate a moment later, like three bolts of lightning, shooting straight toward the Thunder Gorge outside the city. Aside from Yu Boxuan and Yu Yuanchen, the third person was another pillar of the family, a level ninety-four Titled Douluo known as the "Thunder Dragon," Yu Qingtian! He was an elder with a rustic face, eyes as sharp as a hawk's, and lightning faintly flickering around his body.
Deep within the Thunder Gorge, where restrictions were layered, lay the true core foundation of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family. In a hidden valley sealed by a powerful barrier, Yu Yuanchen finally saw his target.
It was a true giant dragon! Over thirty meters long, its entire body was covered in deep blue diamond-shaped scales, each as brilliant as a sapphire, refracting the omnipresent lightning within the gorge. Its massive dragon wings were folded behind it, and atop its ferocious dragon head, a single horn pointed straight to the sky, wreathed in terrifying, crackling electric snakes. It was bound to a stone platform in the center of the valley by several thick lightning chains engraved with runes, but even so, the dragon might it exuded was as vast as the sea—violent and majestic—and its golden dragon pupils were filled with defiance and rage. Its 63,000 years of cultivation made its strength in this thunderous environment comparable to an ordinary 70,000-year soul beast!
Sensing the presence of intruders, especially the undisguised pressure of the two Titled Douluo, Yu Boxuan and Yu Qingtian, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon let out a deafening roar, struggling violently. The chains clattered, and lightning erupted!
"Do it!" Yu Boxuan gave a low shout, and he and Yu Qingtian simultaneously released their martial souls.
Tyrant Dragon Douluo Yu Boxuan, a level ninety-six Power Attack System Titled Douluo, manifested his Martial Soul True Body. A phantom of a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, even larger and more terrifying than the imprisoned dragon in the valley, soared into the sky. Its dragon might was so vast that it directly suppressed the roar of the captive dragon, causing it to falter!
Thunder Dragon Douluo Yu Qingtian, a level ninety-four Power Attack System Titled Douluo, also transformed into a half-dragon state, lightning swirling around his body. Though not as overbearing as Yu Boxuan, he was nonetheless peerlessly sharp.
With two Titled Douluo joining forces to deal with a 60,000-year soul beast whose mobility was partially restricted, the outcome was already sealed, even if it was a top-tier dragon species.
The battle was intense but brief. The captive dragon fought to the death, spewing a Dragon Breath Thunderstorm capable of melting gold and stone, its dragon claws lashing out and tearing the air. But Yu Boxuan's Tyrant Dragon Claw was even more terrifying; every collision caused the captive dragon's scales to shatter. Yu Qingtian provided support from the side, his Thunder Dragon Domain's control and attacks constantly weakening the dragon's power.
Yu Yuanchen watched the battle intently from the side, not intervening. He needed a soul beast whose state was weakened to the extreme, but whose ferocity and origin remained intact, so he could deliver the final blow.
After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the captive dragon was covered in wounds, its aura withered, and its strength to struggle was far less than before, though the arrogance and madness in its dragon pupils remained undiminished.
"Chen'er, now!" Yu Boxuan gave a sharp shout, and he and Yu Qingtian simultaneously increased their suppression, pinning the dragon firmly to the stone platform.
A gleam of light shot from Yu Yuanchen's eyes, and he launched his strongest attack without hesitation! He instantly activated Thunder God Mode, his entire body covered in dragon scale armor, his claws condensing lightning to the extreme. Yet, the move he ultimately chose was the single-target finishing blow with the strongest piercing power—Thunder Dragon Shatters Void!
His figure moved like lightning, his purple-gold dragon claws seeming to pierce through space. Amidst the captive dragon's roar of unwillingness and despair, he pierced with pinpoint accuracy beneath its inverse scale, right into the location of its heart!
The condensed thunder energy erupted instantly, destroying its final life force.
The captive dragon's massive body twitched violently a few times before finally going limp, its golden dragon pupils gradually dimming. A deep, black-tinged-blue soul ring, with edges flickering with heart-palpitating blue lightning, slowly condensed and emerged from its corpse. Within that soul ring, a phantom of a giant dragon seemed to be roaring, and the energy fluctuations it emitted were vast and pure, far exceeding any soul ring Yu Yuanchen had absorbed before!
"Good! It is worthy of being a 63,000-year pure-blooded dragon species!" Yu Qingtian looked at the soul ring, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.
Yu Yuanchen calmed his surging bloodline power and sat cross-legged before the soul ring, beginning to adjust his state to prepare for this unprecedented challenge.
Meanwhile, Yu Boxuan and Yu Qingtian began to process the precious dragon corpse. Every part of a pure-blooded Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's body was a treasure. However, just as Yu Qingtian was carefully using his soul power to disassemble the dragon's right arm bone, preparing to collect the dragon marrow that might be contained within, he suddenly let out a sound of surprise.
"Patriarch, look!"
Yu Boxuan looked over at the sound. There, in the center of the thick dragon right arm bone, a bone about a foot long, carved as if from blue crystal with liquid thunder seemingly flowing within, was emitting a soft yet incredibly pure light! A powerful soul power fluctuation and dragon might radiated from it.
"This is... a soul bone? And a right arm soul bone of extremely complete quality!" A joyful light erupted in Yu Boxuan's eyes. "And looking at its quality and energy fluctuations, it is definitely a top-tier soul bone! This captive dragon actually nurtured such a treasure within its body!"
Soul bones, especially those from a top-tier dragon species of the same origin, were of immeasurable value! They could not only greatly enhance a soul master's strength but could also bring powerful soul bone skills and even provide a certain degree of nourishment to the martial soul.
Yu Boxuan made a prompt decision. "This item is a perfect match for Chen'er's attributes; it is meant for him! As it happens, the family had already prepared a 70,000-year Thunder Armored Python left arm bone for him, obtained some years ago. Its quality is also extraordinary; although its dragon blood is thin, the thunder power and defensive characteristics it contains should be of great benefit to Chen'er. We shall have him absorb both of these soul bones together!"
Just as Yu Boxuan and Yu Qingtian made their decision, placing the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon right arm bone alongside the silver-gray, scale-patterned Thunder Armored Python left arm bone—which had been taken from the family treasury and kept in Yu Boxuan's storage soul tool—waiting for Yu Yuanchen to finish absorbing the soul ring—
The soul power fluctuations around the seated Yu Yuanchen suddenly became violent. His pitch-black sixth soul ring flared with light, merging completely with him. A dragon roar seemed to echo within his body, and his aura broke through at this moment, stabilizing at the peak of level sixty-one!
He slowly opened his eyes, purple-gold lightning flickering within them, as if they had substance. Then, his gaze naturally fell upon the two soul bones beside him that were emitting astonishing energy fluctuations, especially the blue crystal-like dragon right arm bone, which resonated strongly with his bloodline.
Yu Boxuan looked at his awakened grandson and pointed to the two soul bones, a smile of comfort and anticipation on his face. "Chen'er, it seems your luck is even better than we imagined. These two soul bones are your next lesson."
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan