Three hours later, the absorption of the soul ring was complete.
Just as Ning Tianchen stood up, a pair of sword wings mysteriously sprouted from his back, resembling the wings of a sword-winged dragon.
"External soul bone!" Chen Xin's mouth twitched slightly.
Ning Tianchen's luck was really something. The first time he hunted souls, his martial soul evolved. Now on his third soul hunt, he had even obtained the rare external soul bone.
It's important to know that external soul bones have growth potential and do not occupy the soul bone slots on the body. Their value is only slightly lower than a hundred-thousand-year soul bone.
Once an external soul bone fully integrates with a soul master, even if the soul master dies, no one else can seize it.
"My luck is really this good?" Ning Tianchen couldn't help but feel a bit dazed.
Shortly after, the information about the external soul bone was transmitted into his mind.
This soul bone was called Sword Wings, granting the ability to fly once activated. Moreover, the edges of the sword wings were exceptionally sharp, usable as weapons.
"A fine external soul bone."
After a pause, Chen Xin reminded him, "Tianchen, before the external soul bone fully integrates with you, you should be careful."
Ning Tianchen scratched his head, "Sword Grandpa, this external soul bone has already completely fused with my body."
"What!"
After some inspection, Chen Xin finally believed his claim.
External soul bones appear very rarely, and even Chen Xin did not know whether this was normal.
"Set aside the soul bone matter for now. How about your third soul skill?"
Normally, soul skills linked to soul bones must be kept secret. But Chen Xin and Ke Jie were no outsiders—they had helped him hunt this soul ring.
Ning Tianchen answered calmly, "My third soul skill is called Sword Wings Soaring, similar to Sword Elder's third soul skill. When combined with the external soul bone, the feather blades on the sword wings can be thrown as flying blades for ranged attacks."
"That's insanely powerful." Ke Jie said enviously.
If it were him, with such an opportunity, he'd probably have broken through to Title Douluo a long time ago.
"You've outdone your master. You're doing very well," Chen Xin sincerely congratulated him.
...
Ning Tianchen briefly tested the soul skill. Just as he prepared to leave, Chen Xin suddenly stopped him.
"Wait a moment."
"Sword Elder, what's going on?" Ke Jie and Ning Tianchen immediately became alert and scanned their surroundings.
"I sense a special soul energy fluctuation nearby. It's not from a soul beast, more like a rare treasure of heaven and earth," Chen Xin said gravely.
Ning Tianchen suddenly recalled, "Not long ago, I fought a six-hundred-year-old earth dragon."
"Such a soul beast could never naturally cultivate to six hundred years. The treasure you sensed is likely the key to the earth dragon's unusually high cultivation."
A treasure that can raise a soul beast's cultivation will very likely boost a soul master's cultivation as well.
This is no ordinary item. Since we've found it, we can't just pass it up.
Following the sensation, Chen Xin led everyone to the entrance of a cave.
Upon entering, they found a vast underground cavern.
After searching for a while, Chen Xin led them to a patch of medicinal herb.
Ning Tianchen didn't know much about celestial herbs, but judging from the soul energy radiating from this plant, it was definitely an immortal herb.
Chen Xin carefully examined it, then said regretfully, "It's a pity. This is Beast-Attracting Grass, which only works on soul beasts. Human soul masters cannot withstand its overwhelming power."
"Beast-Attracting Grass?" Ning Tianchen was puzzled.
After some explanation, he finally understood its effect.
This was a peculiar immortal herb—not consumed, but simply by being nearby and training beside it, the cultivation of soul beasts grows rapidly.
The location of this Beast-Attracting Grass was unique. Although the underground cavern was large, its passages were extremely narrow, making it hard for large soul beasts to enter, which allowed the grass to survive.
Ke Jie found traces nearby indicating earth dragon activity.
"These piles of soil and feces are from earth dragons. The creature that once lived here might be the one you and Miss Ning encountered."
Chen Xin pointed his right hand like a sword and lightly waved it. The Beast-Attracting Grass was cut down at the root.
"There were no soul beasts over ten thousand years old in the former Thunder Gorge. The Blue Electric Tyrannosaurus family has only been around for less than a thousand years, yet the number of ten-thousand-year soul beasts here has exploded. This must be closely related to this Beast-Attracting Grass."
Soul beasts over fifty thousand years old are almost impossible to be domesticated by humans. Once these soul beasts realize they are going to be captured and confined, they will choose to self-destruct and die.
Therefore, those high-level soul beasts in Thunder Gorge could only have broken through their limits after being captured and brought here.
"So Sword Elder means to say that the Beast-Attracting Grass was artificially planted here?" Ke Jie asked.
"Possible." Chen Xin said as he put the Beast-Attracting Grass into a soul-guiding device.
After all, it was a rare treasure of heaven and earth. Bringing it back to the sect would enrich their treasury. In the future, it might even be exchanged for better treasures.
"There should be more than just this one spot, but our soul hunting is over. Staying here too long will only bring trouble. Let's go—there's nothing worth lingering for."
Saying that, Chen Xin headed out of the cave.
"Sword Elder, maybe there are other treasures in this cave. Should we look around some more?" Ning Tianchen urged.
Chen Xin shook his head, "I've sensed it. There are no other treasures in the cave."
Ning Tianchen smiled helplessly.
After all, this place is not a treasure trove like the Ice-Fire Two Poles Eye. Heavenly treasures and materials absorb the surrounding natural energy while growing. In a place that isn't a treasure trove, no matter how many immortal grass seeds are sown, only one can grow to maturity.
The rest wither due to lack of nutrients during growth.
...
Inside the council hall of the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect.
Upon hearing Ning Tianchen's report, Ning Fengzhi's face showed a faint smile, "Well done. With the external soul bone, your future achievements are limitless."
Then his expression darkened as he frowned, "Sword Uncle, is the news Uncle Gu brought back true?"
Just as Ning Tianchen was about to leave when the serious topic arose, Ning Fengzhi called him back, "Tianchen, you should listen too. This matter concerns you as well."
Ning Tianchen was puzzled but stood aside attentively to listen.
Chen Xin revealed all his suspicions.
Hearing this, Ning Tianchen was stunned.
In his heart, the Blue Electric Tyrannosaurus family might not be a noble house, but they wouldn't stoop to such dirty deeds. Especially with Yu Yuanzhen acting honorably—it didn't seem like the kind of decision he would make.
Ning Fengzhi shared the same doubt and initially did not believe it either.
Chen Xin explained, "Tianchen and Rongrong will undoubtedly become the prodigies leading an era in the future. How could those inferior Blue Electric twins possibly compete with them?"
Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin both have innate soul power at level eight and are only three or four years older than Ning Tianchen.
In early cultivation, their soul power level might surpass Tianchen's, but after twenty years, the advantage of having full innate soul power will become apparent.