"That's right. This is a right leg bone — one of the six major soul bones. It came from a 50,000-year-old nearshore apex predator, the Demon Soul Great White Shark. I obtained it in my youth while adventuring outside the sect, but I already had a leg bone at the time, so I kept it stored away."
"Judging by its condition, it's flawless and of the highest quality. That shark possessed a rare imperial bloodline, and this soul bone carries a condensed essence of top-tier water-attribute energy."
"Once fused, you'll gain either a powerful offensive or control-type soul skill, along with a significant boost to your body and affinity for water elements. It'll benefit you greatly. Go ahead and absorb it here — I'll stand guard for you."
Xu Xiaoyun smiled warmly and handed the soul bone to Xu Sanshi — who looked like he'd just returned from a battlefield after the torment of Shrek's Outer Court.
"Old Ancestor, I…" Xu Sanshi's eyes welled up with emotion, but instead of reaching for the soul bone, he turned to look at Xu Tianxi.
Xu Tianxi turned his head and waved dismissively. "Don't look at me. You're the one who suffered at Shrek, not me. I'll earn my own top-grade soul bones in the future. Besides, I'm a spiritual-type soul master. This wouldn't be compatible with me anyway."
Xu Sanshi burst into laughter and clapped Xu Tianxi's shoulder with his usual cheeky grin.
"Don't worry, Tianxi! Once I graduate from Shrek, I'll personally help you hunt down some powerful soul beasts!"
Xu Tianxi gave him a meaningful smile. "You'd better be careful. My future targets will be tough. You can't even tank my spiritual attacks right now."
"Now is now. The future is the future! Starting today, I, Xu Sanshi, will turn over a new leaf! With Old Ancestor's help!"
He eagerly took the soul bone, sat cross-legged, and placed it beside his leg to begin fusing it.
A soft white radiance enveloped his body, misting into a glowing fog. Soon, Xu Sanshi's form was obscured by the swirling light.
Just then, Xu Xiaoyun turned to Xu Tianxi and said:
"Tianxi, I also have a left leg bone — a family heirloom. It came from a Golden Hawksbill Turtle. It should be a great fit for you. Would you like to try fusing with it?"
Xu Tianxi's eyes widened. "Ancestor… isn't that against protocol?"
He was only a Soul Master — fusing a top-tier soul bone at this stage felt… excessive.
Sure, Xu Sanshi had suffered through Shrek's hellish regime, so Xu Xiaoyun giving him his personal soul bone made emotional sense. But a clan-passed heirloom? That was on a whole different level.
Even if he was the Sect Master's own son and the most favored junior, shouldn't this still go through formal channels?
After all, the Golden Hawksbill Turtle was said to be a divine omen among turtle-type soul beasts — considered an emperor-like presence. Rare and revered, nearly on par with the Tri-Eyed Golden Lion in terms of prestige.
There were even legends that fusing one of its soul rings could evolve the Black Tortoise Shield into the Golden Black Tortoise — a qualitative leap.
True or not, Xu Sanshi did indeed achieve martial soul evolution after fusing a 100,000-year-old Golden Hawksbill soul spirit, directly laying the foundation for a future Title Douluo.
"No need to worry. I define the rules of this sect. If I say it's allowed, then it is."
Xu Xiaoyun said it with absolute serenity — an understatement wrapped in total authority.
"Of course, your body's still a bit too young to handle it. That soul bone is incredibly high-grade. If you fused it now, it might be dangerous. You'll need to wait until your third ring."
"For now… just eat."
The old man's calm declaration shifted into a smile.
"Alright."
Xu Tianxi glanced at his still-developing body, then at the violently twitching form of Xu Sanshi mid-fusion, and returned to devouring the culinary feast in front of him.
That night, Xu Sanshi leapt to his feet, laughing ecstatically.
"Hahaha! I did it! Just one level away from Soul Elder!"
Xu Xiaoyun frowned slightly and released a wave of dark light from his palm. With a few swift jabs to Xu Sanshi's meridians, his surging spirit power was abruptly suppressed — his level dropped from 29 to 26.
"Huh?! Ancestor, why'd you seal my power?!"
"Idiot. A five-level jump? Anyone with a brain would know you either ingested a divine treasure or fused a top-grade soul bone. High-level soul masters could spot it with a glance. You want to become a walking target?"
"This will also help you settle your foundation. You'll still be able to cultivate, just slower. Spend the next year understanding what it means to be a true defense-type soul master."
Xu Xiaoyun's stern tone silenced him instantly.
A ten-thousand-year soul bone was worth more than rivers of blood. If word got out, not even his Shrek status or sect identity could guarantee safety. Greed made fools of saints.
After a pause, Xu Sanshi noticed something.
"Ancestor… where's Tianxi?"
"He's with Elder Yue, learning soul tool theory. Nothing to worry about."
"What?! We're orthodox soul masters — why learn soul tool stuff? Isn't that a waste of time?"
Xu Xiaoyun shot him a flat look.
"One Class 9 stationary soul cannon can blow our entire sect to pieces. Even I can't survive more than a few blasts. Still think soul tools are worthless?"
"Uhhh…"
The mental image of their sect getting vaporized made Xu Sanshi shudder.
Clang—
Xu Xiaoyun summoned two soul devices — one to detect soul power, the other for strength metrics.
"These are the latest tools from the Sun Moon Empire. The Three Nations don't have anything like them. Even our alchemy labs use high-end soul tool furnaces now. Open your mind — soul tools are ours to wield too."
"Step up. Let's confirm your readings. As long as this machine can't detect your true level, we'll be safe."
"Got it."
Xu Sanshi stood up obediently and underwent the scan.
Everything came back clean. No soul power abnormalities, and his physical stats had already reached early Soul Ancestor standards.
Xu Xiaoyun nodded and added:
"Oh, and Tianxi just hit Level 13 after dinner. Better not slack off — or he'll catch up even with your soul bone boost."
"I swear I'll work hard! No more playing around in Shrek City! I'm going to crush Beibei and make our sect proud!"
"See that you do. I'll be watching."
Two Years Later
At a large metal workbench, Xu Tianxi sat focused as Moon Elder and Xu Xiaoyun watched from either side.
In his left hand, he held a metallic sphere; in his right, a fine engraving knife. His movements were fluid and rapid, sharp strokes forming intricate rune patterns across the surface.
Moonlight glimmered in his eyes. The crescent mark on his brow shimmered brightly, and behind his head, a full moon phantom faintly materialized — casting a silver reflection of the object in his hands.
As the runes bloomed into complex arrays, Moon Elder's eyes grew brighter. Xu Xiaoyun maintained his calm demeanor, but even he looked visibly pleased.
Finally, Xu Tianxi put down his tool and wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Elder Yue, did I succeed?"
Moon Elder carefully infused soul power into the core. A cool silver light lit up, rising into a three-foot-tall pillar.
"Success! You did it, Young Master!"
"This is a perfect Level 3 soul tool core array. It includes seven auxiliary arrays — that's something even a Level 4 engineer would find challenging!"
"Even by Sun Moon Empire's strictest standards, you're a certified Level 3 Soul Engineer!"
Moon Elder was overjoyed and turned to Xu Xiaoyun.
"And that's not all. The core includes a unique effect — a psychic paralysis feature based on his martial soul. Once crafted into a full tool, it'll rival the best Class 3 weapons!"
Xu Xiaoyun stroked his beard and smiled faintly. "You're not just flattering us, are you? To my knowledge, no one in the Three Nations has advanced this quickly."
"No flattery, Master Xu," Moon Elder replied seriously. "Even in the Sun Moon Empire, this is extremely rare — especially at his age!"
"Of course, the first reason is that his martial soul, the Lunar Mirage Eyes, is uniquely suited to soul tool crafting. It's honestly the best soul engineer martial soul I've ever seen."
"Second is your guidance. The Sun Moon Empire's engineers usually have weak soul power foundations. Young Master Tianxi, on the other hand, has reached Soul Elder-level stats despite only being Rank 20."
"His spiritual strength and control allow him to carve core arrays with unbelievable precision."
"Their certification system is more rigorous — especially on theory — but with his memory and intellect, it's just a matter of time."
Xu Xiaoyun nodded. "Aside from theory, any other weaknesses?"
"One — soul power."
"Young Master can't yet activate what he creates. Class 3 soul tools usually require close to three rings. This design is strong enough for Soul Ancestors to wield effectively."
Xu Xiaoyun laughed heartily. "That's no problem! If it's a soul beast we need, I'll catch it myself!"
"Tianxi, you've been at Rank 20 for almost three months now. It's time. Let me take you to hunt for your second ring — and meet your First Uncle while we're at it."
Xu Tianxi's eyes sparkled. "Can we go to the Extreme North? I want to hunt a Phantom Lunar Moth — they're known for illusion and mimicry. Perfect for my martial soul."
Xu Xiaoyun paused at the name — then nodded decisively.
"Elder Yue, prepare thick winter gear. We're heading to the Extreme North."
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin