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--- Chapter 494 ---
Han Yuan narrowed his silver eyes slightly. "You… can sense my Martial Souls?"
"Vaguely," The green firefly responded, its voice very calm and somewhat reverent. "Although I cannot discern the exact origin of your spirits, you possess the raw potential to reach a realm far beyond mortals."
"Actually... It pains my heart that I am just not worthy enough to stand by your side."
"Is that so?" Han Yuan tilted his head in marvel, wondering if this Emerald Flame Firefly King possessed an innate analytical ability.
Then again, since he was standing right before the tiny creature, his own sealed origins might have leaked a little, making its detection instincts flare up automatically.
Behind him, Han Tianyi, Zhen Hua, and Mu Ye shared a swift look of quiet realization. They understood perfectly why the Emerald Flame Firefly King reacted this way.
The logic was simple. Back in the ancient era, the Angel God Qian Renxue had dominated her entire generation with a single God-level Martial Soul, the Seraphim.
Yet, Han Yuan surpassed that with twin God-level Martial Souls!
His innate talent was higher than Qian Renxue's, and even grander than Sea God Tang San in legend!
"Number 8 speaks the truth..." Another voice echoed from the second pillar, high-pitched, crisp, and laced with a subtle touch of self-deprecating irony.
"Number 11, you feel the same way?" Han Tianyi called out to the Spirit Soul inside the second pillar.
The Spirit Soul named 'Number 11' was naturally another Ultimate Spirit Soul, resembling a pure white-furred cat with black and gold prints. Its eyes were deep, yellowish-green, gazing at Han Yuan with a mix of admiration and hesitation.
Mu Ye leaned forward, his deep eyes widening as he recognized the cat's origins. "Wait... isn't that the legendary Heavenly White Tiger, renowned in ancient history for its tyrannical physical strength, defensive toughness, and absolute mastery over the Ultimate Metal element?!"
"The Spirit Pagoda actually managed to recover this beast... Although it's merely a cub right now, its baseline capability could easily rival standard ten-thousand-year spirit beasts and human Spirit Kings!"
Number 11 bowed its feline head slightly. "I am indeed a Heavenly White Tiger, but my current bloodline has not yet undergone complete purity atavism to become a true Heavenly White Tiger King. That deficiency makes me rather unworthy to serve as this boy's spirit ring."
"Perhaps Number 17 and Number 21 are better suited for him than I am."
As the cat's high-pitched voice faded, the energy fields around the third and fourth pillars naturally unsealed, revealing 'Number 17' and 'Number 21.'
Number 17 was a notorious aquatic sovereign in Douluo history—the Evil Spirit Orca.
But having undergone complete true bloodline atavism, it had evolved into a Great Evil Orca, possessing a massively strengthened skeletal frame, impenetrable hide, and dual control over Ultimate Water and Ultimate Darkness.
As for Number 21, it appeared as a cluster of dense white clouds flashing with violent, faint-crimson electricity. It was a pure, destructive elemental entity known as the Thundercloud Beast, wielding the explosive Ultimate Lightning element.
The Great Evil Orca floated closer to its barrier, its dark eyes locked onto Han Yuan. "There is something embedded deep within your aura... that makes my very bloodline tremble."
"I am more than willing to become your Spirit Soul, but I doubt my current cultivation can offer a meaningful leap to your foundation. Of course, if you choose me, I will gladly follow your command into battle."
"Me as well," added the Thundercloud Beast, numerous crimson sparks crackling rhythmically. "I can feel an overwhelming, almost unrivalled element of destruction resting inside your spirit origin."
"I crave that purity. But like Number 17, my current rank cannot offer an explosive surge to your cultivation. I could grant you an exceptional offensive spirit skill, but a monster like you will hardly lack offensive power in the future."
"Even you two..." Han Tianyi stood speechless. There were countless elite Soul Masters across the continent who would kill for even a fraction of praise from these Ultimate Spirit Souls and a chance to contract them.
Yet here, these revived ancient Spirit Beasts and Spirits actually regarded themselves as unworthy, voluntarily bowing out before his grandson's sheer existence.
The Emerald Flame Firefly King, 'Number 8,' let out a soft sigh. "Number 30, Number 42, and Number 67... are you three not going to reveal yourselves?"
The fifth, sixth, and seventh pillars finally cast a soft glow upon being called out.
"Hmm... Something is wrong..." Zhen Hua, who was familiar with forging, especially divine meteorites fallen from the sky, suddenly felt a sharp jolt violently strike his very soul. His innate instinct as a Divine Craftsman was screaming.
"Such rich Blood and Qi Energy..." Simultaneously, Mu Ye also discerned a brimming, terrifying vitality surging from one of the remaining Spirit Souls.
As the Sect Master of the Body Sect, his senses were razor-sharp to the Blood and Qi Energy brought by immense vitality, and one of these Ultimate Spirit Souls had instantly seized his full attention.
Nevertheless, neither elder sensed the faint, unimaginably cosmic energy quietly emanating from the seventh pillar.
Han Yuan gazed at that final container with a sudden, burning heat in his silver eyes. Deep within his sea of consciousness, the Star Liberation Crown was pulsing in throbbing resonance.
Even then, Han Yuan tightly suppressed the sensation, keeping the Star Liberation Crown sealed within his origin for the time being.
"I am lazy..." A calm voice echoed from the fifth pillar. "I already knew I stood zero chance with this boy, so I gave up before we even started."
'Number 30' was a piece of exquisite jade with a metallic luster, known as the Nebula Iron Spirit, an elemental Spirit Soul revived and born from a fallen meteorite. Technically, it was a pure Metal Elemental entity.
Unlike the others, it didn't possess an Ultimate Attribute. Yet, it wielded a very powerful ability. It could directly expand a Soul Master's spiritual sea and tune their perception toward all minerals, gems, and metals.
It was the greatest dream contractor for Spirit Engineers and Blacksmiths could ever ask for from Spirit Soul.
Interestingly enough, if a Spirit Master with the Seven Treasure Glazed-Tile Pagoda martial soul contracted this spirit, evolving their martial soul to the Nine Treasure Glazed-Tile Pagoda was very much guaranteed.
Zhen Hua wore a look of deep, bittersweet regret. "Sigh... if only I had encountered this Spirit Soul in my youth, I might have breached the Divine Craftsman threshold a full decade earlier."
While Zhen Hua possessed a Fire Elemental martial soul and the Nebula Iron Spirit leaned heavily toward Metal Element, their combination would easily lead to a smoother path in the art of forging. It's not like Zhen Hua was known for his combat strength anyway.
"Yeah, same for me..." Grunted 'Number 42,' revealing the miniature figure of a Titan Giant Ape.
But this specific sixth Ultimate Spirit Soul had undergone a rare bloodline mutation during its revival. The raw vitality had altered its very foundation, transforming it into a Blood Titan Ape, renowned for its fearsome Blood and Qi reserves, total brute force, and an unexpected command over the element of Wind.
"Damn... Spirit Pagoda really hides a lot of things..." Mu Ye stared at the Blood Titan Ape and let out a heavy sigh just as Zhen Hua had.
If he had contracted this Spirit Soul in his younger days, reaching Limit Douluo while leading his dual Battle Armor-Mecha combat style would have been a certainty.
Yet, despite all these rare, powerful Spirit Souls showing themselves, Han Yuan's gaze never moved from the seventh pillar ever since its reveal.
Han Tianyi noticed his grandson's unmoving gaze, his expression shifting. "Xiao Yuan... what is it?"
Han Yuan slowly raised his hand, pointing straight at the silent seventh pillar. "That Spirit Soul... No. The Stars are calling to me!"