The fervor of the Martial Soul Awakening ceremony had yet to fade, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan in Dragon City remained immersed in the joy of both the Young Sect Master's children displaying peerless talent. However, for Yu Yuanchen and Ye Zhilan, this was merely the starting point of their children's long journey as Soul Masters. The true cultivation had only just begun.
A few days later, Ye Zhilan personally traveled deep into the Star Dou Great Forest to find Gu Yuena, who was in secluded cultivation there. As two like-minded friends on the path of Beast Taming, they naturally exchanged pleasantries. Upon hearing that Ye Zhilan wished to find suitable contract partners for Yunting and Yao'er, Gu Yuena was, of course, eager to provide her full support.
Relying on her absolute control over and profound understanding of the soul beast tribes, she quickly identified two young soul beasts with excellent bloodlines, immense potential, and temperaments relatively suited for young children.
The one chosen for the eldest son, Yu Yunting, was a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon cub with an extremely pure bloodline, already possessing eight hundred years of cultivation! Although this dragon was not yet an adult, its scales and claws were already magnificent, arcs of electricity dancing around its body, and its dragon eyes flashing with a wild, agile spirit that belied its age.
Gu Yuena stated that the True Dragon Bloodline within this dragon was dense. If the contractor's own bloodline talent was sufficient and it was carefully nurtured through the power of the contract, once its cultivation broke through ten thousand years, it might undergo ancestral reversion and ascend into a true Thunder Sacred Dragon! Its potential was self-evident.
As for their beloved daughter, Yu Yunyao, they selected an eight-hundred-year-old Star-Eating Vine. The Star-Eating Vine was renowned for its incredibly tough and exceptionally sharp vines, excelling in entanglement and strangulation. Even more terrifying was its devouring talent, which allowed it to extract energy from the creatures it entangled—or even other materials—and convert it into nutrients for its own growth, allowing its strength to increase much faster than ordinary soul beasts.
Coupled with its extremely tenacious life force, which allowed it to survive in various extreme environments, it could be called the top predator among plant spirit beasts! Ye Zhilan's own seventh soul ring had originated from a Star-Eating Vine over forty thousand years old, so she knew its potential and power well.
However, top-tier soul beasts possessed their own pride; even when young, they were not easily tamed. A contract required mutual consent, especially for the proud dragon race and the fierce Star-Eating Vine; coercion would only prove counterproductive.
The contract ceremony was arranged in a secluded valley by the Lake of Life in the Star Dou Great Forest. Yu Yuanchen also quietly followed, hiding in the shadows to act as a guardian, leaving the lead to his wife.
The first to undergo the contract were Yu Yunyao and the Star-Eating Vine. The Star-Eating Vine seedling was dark purple all over, its vines winding and emitting a faint suction and a fierce aura. If an ordinary soul master were to get close, their soul power would likely become slightly agitated.
Following her mother's usual teachings, Yu Yunyao focused her mind, attempting to establish communication with the Star-Eating Vine through her martial soul. A soft, vibrant, and life-filled emerald light rippled from the little girl's body, and the phantom of the white-and-gold Sacred Heart Immortal Begonia bloomed quietly, a noble status aura originating from the Life Origin permeating the air.
She could not conduct clear mental dialogues like high-level soul masters; she could only transmit vague thoughts of friendliness, acceptance, and mutual growth. At the same time, she mobilized her faint soul power to gently brush against the leaves of the Star-Eating Vine. The life-filled soul power made the Star-Eating Vine tremble slightly in comfort, and the previously agitated vines swayed gently as its fierce aura retreated like a tide.
Before reaching a thousand years, plant spirit beasts lacked developed intelligence and acted mostly on instinct. The status of the "King of Immortal Herbs" contained within the Sacred Heart Immortal Begonia held a natural deterrent for the vast majority of plants, akin to bloodline suppression.
Yu Yunyao closed her eyes, her long eyelashes fluttering as she struggled to concentrate. Though she was young, her martial soul was in tune with her heart, and the light of the Sacred Heart Immortal Begonia grew increasingly gentle, like a mother's embrace, softly enveloping the Star-Eating Vine. A pure Life Aura and soothing thoughts were transmitted along the invisible connection.
The trembling of the Star-Eating Vine gradually subsided, and its dark purple vines tentatively extended forward, touching the emerald halo. Though its intelligence was low, it could instinctively sense that this aura was highly beneficial to its growth and carried no malice. A moment later, it finally let down its guard, and the vines actively wrapped around Yu Yunyao's slender wrist, feeding back a faint yet clear sense of closeness and submission.
The contract formation lit up with a soft glow, enveloping the girl and the vine. The process was unexpectedly smooth; in less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the contract was complete! A deep yellow soul ring detached from the Star-Eating Vine's origin and merged into Yu Yunyao's body, becoming her first soul ring. The moment the soul ring formed, Yu Yunyao's soul power fluctuation rose sharply, breaking through to the thirteenth level!
The Star-Eating Vine appeared somewhat withered and had shrunk by a circle, wrapping around Yu Yunyao's wrist like an exquisite purple bracelet; it would need time to absorb soul power feedback to recover its Origin Qi.
"Success!" Ye Zhilan and Gu Yuena exchanged a smile. Yu Yunyao opened her eyes, looking curiously at the "new partner" on her wrist, and feeling a faint connection, a joyful smile appeared on her little face.
Next, it was Yu Yunting's turn. Facing the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon cub that held its head high with a disdainful gaze, the process was far more tortuous.
The dragon race was born proud, and this pure-blooded Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon was no exception. Even after sensing the faint pressure of the Thunder Sacred Dragon Bloodline emanating from Yu Yunting—a level far higher than its own—it merely reined in its recklessness slightly, lifting its dragon head and emitting a low Dragon Roar. The meaning was clear: You want me to submit? Show me what you've got!
Yu Yuanchen nodded slightly from the shadows; such was the nature of the dragon race—only strength could earn respect.
"Ting'er," Ye Zhilan said to her son, "it wants to see your strength. Fight with all your might and let it see if you are qualified to be its partner!"
Yu Yunting's small face tightened, but his eyes burned with excitement. He nodded heavily and shouted in a low voice, "Thunder Sacred Dragon, possess!"
Boom! Purple-Gold Lightning erupted! Although his soul power was only at the tenth level, the moment the pure and noble Thunder Sacred Dragon Martial Soul possessed him, the powerful Dragon Might still made the opposing Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon cub shudder, a flash of alarm crossing its eyes. This pressure, originating from the depths of the bloodline, could not be faked!
Without a word, Yu Yunting charged forward, his small fists wrapped in electric light. Although he was only six years old, he had been personally tempered by his father since childhood, and his physical fitness far exceeded his peers. If he were to encounter an ordinary hundred-year soul beast like a Wind Baboon, he would have the strength to fight it.
"Roar!" Despite being startled by the bloodline pressure, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon did not panic. It roared, its sharp claws wrapped in blue electric light as it struck back! Although it only had eight hundred years of cultivation, the dragon race possessed formidable physical bodies, with strength and speed far exceeding soul beasts of the same level, not to mention its thick skin and flesh!
Bang! Boom!
Fists and claws collided, and lightning splashed everywhere! Yu Yunting let out a muffled groan, his small body sent flying backward, rolling on the ground several times before steadying himself, his hands trembling slightly. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon merely swayed, leaving only a few white marks on its scales.
The gap in cultivation was simply too great! Although Yu Yunting had a top-tier martial soul and a solid foundation, the difference in cultivation was real. Furthermore, even though this Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon only had eight hundred years of cultivation, an ordinary Soul King would definitely not be able to take it down, let alone the current Yu Yunting.
His subsequent attacks, whether they were Thunder Power or close-quarters combat, were easily neutralized by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's superior strength, faster speed, and solid defense. If not for the natural suppression of the Thunder Sacred Dragon Bloodline making the opponent wary, he would have been defeated long ago.
In the end, Yu Yunting's soul power was exhausted, his martial soul possession ended, and his little face was pale as he leaned on his knees, gasping for breath. Though he had not given up, he no longer had the strength to fight.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon let out a low roar with a hint of triumph, looking down at Yu Yunting from its superior position. The wildness in its eyes had not diminished, but a trace of recognition had appeared in their depths. Although it had won, it clearly felt the terrifying potential of the opponent's martial soul. Moreover, it could also perceive the benefits brought by the contract—a temptation that could accelerate its growth and purify its bloodline.
Gu Yuena stepped forward at the right moment. After communicating with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon for a moment, she transmitted her voice to Ye Zhilan and the hidden Yu Yuanchen: "It agrees to the contract, but until this child's strength reaches a level it recognizes, it will not fully obey his commands; it will only provide a portion of its power to assist his cultivation and growth."
Yu Yuanchen secretly transmitted back: "That is acceptable. The dragon race has a proud backbone, as it should be. The contract is meant to be mutually beneficial, not a master-servant relationship. When Ting'er's strength is sufficient, the day will come when he earns its full submission."
Ye Zhilan nodded and relayed this to Yu Yunting. Although the little guy was unwilling, he knew this was the best result for now and gritted his teeth in agreement.
The contract formation lit up once more. This time, the process was slightly sluggish, but the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon did not resist in the end, and a deep yellow soul ring merged into Yu Yunting's body. His soul power also surged to the thirteenth level! The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon let out a low roar and returned to its lair to fall into a deep sleep to recover; clearly, condensing the soul ring had been a great consumption for it.
With this, both little ones had contracted soul beasts and officially stepped onto the path of a one-ring Soul Master. Ye Zhilan looked at her children, feeling a sense of comfort. Over the past six years, she and Gu Yuena had continuously perfected the Beast Taming Contract system, which was no longer the rough draft it had been at the beginning.
After a high-level soul master and a soul beast entered into an equal contract, the soul master could gain a powerful assistant, and the age of their soul rings could increase along with the growth of the contracted beast! The soul beast could also use the soul master's cultivation to accelerate its own growth, saving thousands or tens of thousands of years of bitter cultivation—it was truly a win-win situation.
However, promoting this method was not smooth sailing. Humans and soul beasts had long-standing grievances, and trust was difficult to build. Although Martial Soul Hall promoted it vigorously and Support System Soul Master sects like the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect responded positively (as they had weak combat power, and contracting powerful soul beasts undoubtedly greatly enhanced their survival and support capabilities), the vast majority of Battle Soul Masters remained on the sidelines or even held an exclusionary attitude.
After all, hunting soul beasts to obtain soul rings was a tradition that had lasted for ten thousand years, and the concept was deeply rooted. Furthermore, the Fierce Beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest, fearing that the Silver Dragon King would be discovered by the God Realm, only wore the guise of the Myriad Beast Sect—a hidden sect residing in the Star Dou Great Forest—to represent the soul beast side.
Because no one knew the background of the Myriad Beast Sect, most people did not trust it much, but with Yu Yuanchen backing Ye Zhilan, they remained in a state of skepticism.
Ye Zhilan and Gu Yuena also knew that this matter could not be rushed; they could only use time and practice to prove its superiority and subtly change the world's perceptions.
The matter of the contract was finished, and the two little ones were at the age to receive systematic education. Although Yu Yuanchen and Ye Zhilan were the best teachers themselves, they knew that a child's growth could never be achieved by working behind closed doors. Interacting with peers, coming into contact with a broader world, and experiencing the tempering of collective life were equally crucial.
"Ting'er, Yao'er," after dinner that day, Yu Yuanchen called his children to his side and asked gently, "You are now one-ring Soul Masters, and it is time for you to go to school. Dragon City has an academy for sect disciples with excellent faculty; on the continent, there are also famous schools like the Heaven Dou Royal Academy and the Five Elements Academy. Or perhaps... would you like to go to the Tianxing Martial Arts Academy?"
Yu Yunting and Yu Yunyao looked at each other and almost spoke in unison, their little faces filled with longing and determination:
"Dad, Mom, we want to go to the 'Tianxing Martial Arts Academy'!"
This answer did not surprise Yu Yuanchen and Ye Zhilan. The Tianxing Martial Arts Academy was founded by Yu Yuanchen himself, gathering the essence of the continent's martial arts and advocating the school motto: "As heaven maintains vigor through movement, a gentleman should unremittingly practice self-improvement," and it was the direct place for the inheritance of martial arts.
The two little ones had been influenced by it since childhood, full of yearning for the martial arts their father had pioneered and long since fascinated by that legendary academy.
"Good." A look of approval appeared in Yu Yuanchen's eyes. "Since you have chosen the Tianxing Academy, you must remember the school motto. Within the academy, one's background does not matter; only character, perseverance, and strength do. Although you are the children of Yu Yuanchen, you must also abide by the school rules, cultivate diligently, be friendly to your classmates, never bully the weak, and certainly never use the family's influence to act. Can you do that?"
"We can!" The two little ones puffed out their chests, their voices ringing out clearly.
Ye Zhilan also gently exhorted, "Academy life is different from home. You must learn to take care of yourselves and how to interact with others. If you encounter problems, you can ask your teachers for guidance or discuss them with your classmates. Your father and I will visit you often, but the path beneath your feet is one you must walk yourselves."
"We understand, Father."
The next day, the weather was clear and bright. Yu Yuanchen and Ye Zhilan personally escorted their Dragon-Phoenix Twin to the gates of the Tianxing Martial Arts Academy, which stood a hundred miles east of Dragon City, nestled against the mountains and overlooking the water with a magnificent presence.
The academy had already received word, and a vice-dean came out personally to welcome them. Looking at the pair of exquisitely carved, clear-eyed, and spirited children who were already one-ring Soul Masters, the vice-dean couldn't help but praise them inwardly, his attitude becoming increasingly respectful.
Handling the enrollment procedures, assigning dormitories (Yu Yuanchen insisted that his children live with the regular students to experience communal life), and collecting the academy uniforms and basic cultivation manuals... everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.
Finally, beneath the academy's massive stone monument engraved with the nine vigorous characters, "As heaven maintains vigor through movement, a gentleman should unremittingly practice self-improvement," Yu Yuanchen and Ye Zhilan came to a halt.
"Go on." Yu Yuanchen patted his son's shoulder and ruffled his daughter's hair. "Cultivate well. Remember, we will always be your support, but True strength comes from within."
"Goodbye, Father, Mother!" Yu Yunting and Yu Yunyao waved at their parents with reluctance, turned around, and with firm steps, merged into the crowd of boys and girls from all over the continent who carried their own dreams, walking toward that new world of challenges and opportunities that belonged to them.
Watching the receding Back View of their children, Yu Yuanchen and Ye Zhilan exchanged a smile, their eyes filled with Concern, anticipation, and, above all, endless trust.
"The children have grown up." Ye Zhilan leaned against her husband's shoulder and sighed softly, her eyes reflecting both reluctance and Comfort.
"Young eagles must eventually leave the nest to soar through the vast sky." Yu Yuanchen held his wife's shoulder, his gaze distant. "Our path, and their path, have only just begun."
───────────────
Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan