met free Chapter 197 Xu Tianran's Second Gift
Chapter 197 Xu Tianran's Second Gift
Chapter 197 Xu Tianran's Second Gift
Upon seeing Xiao Hongchen, who had lost a hand, Huo Yuhao's first thought was that he must have tried to catch the Golden Dragon Spear back then.
However, Huo Yuhao could only pretend not to know at this moment, looking at Xiao Hongchen's empty sleeves with a slightly curious gaze.
Xiao Hongchen noticed Huo Yuhao's gaze and forced a smile.
"Is Master Lin curious about my severed hand?"
Huo Yuhao looked away and coughed awkwardly, "Sorry, I was rude."
Jing Hongchen changed the subject, saying, "Xiao, from now on you and Meng will be responsible for assisting Lin Gongfeng in testing the new soul tool."
"Lin Gongfeng, Xiao's few soul skills are all minor divine skills for testing soul tools."
Xiao Hongchen's four soul skills—Metal Control, Boiling Metal, Condensing Metal, and Sacrifice—are undoubtedly divine skills for a soul master.
However, there was no other way; Xiao Hongchen's soul skill could only enhance himself.
Compared to Lin Yi's Transformation Talisman Array and Creation Twin Dragon Transformation, which greatly enhance the entire Soul Master world, he appeared inferior.
Huo Yuhao gave a friendly smile: "It is my honor to work with Brother Xiao and Miss Meng."
Meng Hongchen's gaze lingered on Huo Yuhao for a moment, her wine-red hair fluttering in the wind. She covered her mouth and chuckled, "You're too kind, Elder Lin. It's truly an honor for us siblings to participate in your research."
Xiao Hongchen's gaze towards Huo Yuhao concealed a subtle, complex emotion.
Before Lin Yi appeared, he was always hailed as the number one genius of the Sun Moon Empire, with outstanding talent and a high opinion of himself.
However, witnessing the Azure Dragon Guard's display of power during the Soul Master Competition shattered Xiao Hongchen's pride.
In the final chaotic battle, he not only lost a hand, but also his confidence as a genius.
Now, seeing Lin Yi, whose martial spirit far surpasses that of the Three-Legged Golden Toad, in the Sun Moon Empire, Xiao Hongchen's resentment and jealousy were like venomous snakes gnawing at his heart.
Xiao Hongchen quickly composed himself and extended his remaining hand to Huo Yuhao: "Lord Lin, it's a pleasure to work with you."
Huo Yuhao grasped the hand and said with a nonchalant smile, "It's a pleasure working with you."
Xiao Hongchen's ambition has been completely destroyed.
This once spirited genius is now like a sword that has been brutally broken, its edge completely gone.
"Lord Lin, shall we begin now?" Meng Hongchen asked at the opportune moment.
"My fighting style is different from my brother's; I am closer to the traditional Soul Master fighting style using Soul Guidance Devices."
"My brother, on the other hand, primarily uses soul tools in his combat style, supplementing it with soul master techniques."
"I wonder who Elder Lin intends to fight first, or both at the same time?"
Huo Yuhao thought for a moment, then said, "Let's go together then."
"The Ice and Fire Creation Furnace is different from traditional weapon spirits. I can deal with you all even when your strength is suppressed, and I won't have a hard time holding my own."
Upon hearing Huo Yuhao's words, Meng Hongchen simply smiled, but a hint of resentment flashed in Xiao Hongchen's eyes.
They simultaneously leaped onto the center of the training field and gestured for Huo Yuhao to proceed.
Since the brother and sister were only there as sparring partners, Jing Hongchen and the others did not prepare in the manner of a formal competition.
As long as there are no casualties, let the three of them do whatever they want.
The Hongchen siblings suppressed their strength to the level of Soul Master and both activated their Martial Soul Possession.
Huo Yuhao has already stated that with his Ice and Fire Creation Furnace martial soul, he is confident that he can defeat and suppress all soul masters below the Soul King level in a one-on-one fight.
As their martial spirits possessed them, the brother and sister underwent a dramatic transformation.
Meng Hongchen's wine-red hair turned snow-white in an instant, and her blue eyes turned blood-red in a flash.
Xiao Hongchen, on the other hand, conjured a golden leg behind him, and his entire body was bathed in golden light.
Huo Yuhao walked onto the training ground, and the Transformation Furnace slowly appeared in his palm.
As he walked, he put on a pair of arm guards made of ice and fire dragon scales. The red and blue light that burst out from the alchemy furnace intertwined in mid-air to form two illusory dragon shadows, which finally coiled around his arms.
Two bright yellow spirit rings appeared beneath Huo Yuhao's feet.
Although he only displayed the strength of a Great Soul Master, he still made the Hongchen siblings feel a strange sense of oppression.
Zhu Qingbingchan and the Three-Legged Golden Spirit simultaneously issued piercing warnings, reminding them that this was an invincible martial spirit.
The Transformation Qi Refining Furnace has now transformed into a huge circular furnace with a diameter of three meters, gently pulsating above Huo Yuhao's head.
According to Huo Yuhao, the diameter of the Ice-Fire Creation Furnace expands by one meter every time he breaks through a realm.
When a martial soul awakens, it is one meter tall; when one becomes a soul master, it is two meters tall; and now, at the Great Soul Master realm, it has naturally reached three meters.
"Please, gentlemen."
After sensing the suppression from the Transformation Qi Refining Furnace, the Hongchen siblings exchanged a glance and then launched an attack in perfect unison.
Meng Hongchen raised both hands, and at that moment all her exposed skin turned into a crystal-clear white jade color.
Xiao Hongchen squatted down slightly, and golden protrusions rose up behind him.
As he flung out a dozen metal balls with one hand, thirty-six level-three metal cannon barrels slowly grew from the golden protrusion on his back.
If Xiao Hongchen didn't suppress his strength, he could condense 128 level-5 soul-guided cannons.
Meng Hongchen and Huo Yuhao both set off immediately.
At the same time, countless golden specks appeared in the air, surging towards Xiao Hongchen with the force of a vast ocean.
Huo Yuhao swung out the Holy Light Drum, and the drumhead rapidly expanded in the air, emitting a pure white and dazzling light.
With a deafening thud, the Transformation Furnace struck the Holy Light Drum.
The holy light and sound waves spread rapidly like ripples, causing the Hongchen siblings to feel a sudden tightness in their hearts at the same time.
It was as if an invisible hand had tightened around their hearts in an instant, making them hold their breath.
The Hongchen siblings were horrified to discover that their Soul Master-level Soul Power fluctuations were insufficient to shake the sound wave vibrations of the Holy Light Drum.
The metal barrel of Xiao Hongchen was slightly deflected by the sound wave, and the muzzle that was originally locked onto Huo Yuhao was now completely off course.
Meng Hongchen's forward charge suddenly came to a halt, her steps faltered, and an unnatural blush rose on her face.
Huo Yuhao seized the opportunity, tilted the Qi Refining Furnace sharply, and a scorching wave of fire erupted from the furnace mouth, aimed at Meng Hongchen.
Meng Hongchen suppressed the surging blood and qi within her body, and simultaneously drew a semi-circle with both hands. A ball of white and blue qi about a foot in diameter was flung out by her, colliding violently with the wave of fire spewed out by the Qi Refining Furnace.
Then a strange thing happened.
When the ice poison came into contact with the fire wave, the massive fire wave, three meters in diameter, suddenly swirled back, engulfing the ice poison and drawing it into the Transformation Furnace.
The chemical refining furnace emitted a deep, resonant hum.
Strands of extremely pure energy flowed from the furnace opening and were completely absorbed and refined by Huo Yuhao.
Upon seeing that Huo Yuhao had actually refined the Ice Poison, Meng Hongchen's expression changed drastically.
"You can even refine soul skills?!"
"The Ice and Fire Creation Furnace is an all-around martial soul that combines strong offense, defense, and even support?!"
Huo Yuhao smiled slightly, raised his right index and middle fingers together, and then waved them forward.
The Transformation Furnace once again spewed out a beam of light, which slammed into the Holy Light Drum.
The Holy Light Drum roared once again, this time the sound waves actually solidified into a tangible form.
The holy light, accompanied by red and blue sonic halos, rapidly spread outwards. The cannons behind Xiao Hongchen trembled violently under the sonic waves, and some were even shattered into fine golden specks on the spot.
Huo Yuhao leaped high into the air, landing on the Transformation Qi Refining Furnace: "Transformation Rune Array - Transformation Light!"
"Transform into azure waves!"
With the Qi Refining Furnace as the array's core, countless profound runes surged and roared around Huo Yuhao's body.
A terrifying surge of soul power erupted from the Transformation Furnace, like a volcanic eruption.
The Transformation Refining Furnace became even more dazzling than the sunlight, and a thick beam of light, like a torrent of water, directly enveloped Meng Hongchen!
"What a powerful attack!" Shock appeared on the faces of Jing Hongchen, Xuan Ziwen, and Lin Jiayi.
It's hard to believe that this was the first soul skill activated by a Great Soul Master!
Compared to their shock, Meng Hongchen, standing beneath the beam of light, instantly became extremely solemn.
"Ice Refraction!"
Her third spirit ring lit up instantly as she attempted to use the ice mirror formed by the refraction of ice to refract the light of transformation.
However, when the beam of light struck the ice mirror, the surface of the ice mirror twisted and deformed wildly, just like the surface of a lake rippling with waves!
Meng Hongchen could sense that the Transformation Light was refining the ice mirror formed by the refraction of ice at a heart-palpitating speed.
Just as Meng Hongchen was struggling to hold on, something even more terrifying happened.
A rushing sound like flowing water came from the Qi Refining Furnace, and a huge wave of water, interwoven with red and blue, crashed down on Meng Hongchen!
After activating the Transformation Light, Huo Yuhao stopped paying attention to Meng Hongchen.
He stepped on the Qi Refining Furnace and used its power to leap directly above Xiao Hongchen's head.
The red and blue dragon shadows on the Ice and Fire Dragon Scale Armguard, along with the second spirit ring simulated by Huo Yuhao, suddenly lit up.
The red and blue dragons on the Qi Refining Furnace roared and transformed into chains, instantly binding Meng Hongchen's body, trying to drag her into the Qi Refining Furnace to refine her alive!
Fear appeared on Meng Hongchen's face.
She felt extreme heat and extreme cold surging through her body. If she dared to mobilize her soul power to resist again, these two opposing forces would explode violently within her!
Just as the surging waves were about to engulf Meng Hongchen, Jing Hongchen, who was standing not far away, intervened in time to stop the waves that were enough to kill her.
Meng Hongchen was rescued by Jing Hongchen and taken to the training ground.
She stared in shock at Huo Yuhao, who was launching an attack on Xiao Hongchen in the center of the training field.
"What a powerful martial spirit! It actually suppressed me to this extent."
"Grandpa said this is only at the near-ultimate level. If it evolves into a dual-ultimate level in the future, could he just put Huo Yuhao inside and refine him into ashes?"
Jing Hongchen's expression was solemn.
When he rescued Meng Hongchen just now, he could feel the extremely terrifying refining power within the Transformation Azure Wave.
Lin Yi is currently only a Great Soul Master, but the refining power within him is enough to make even Jing Hongchen's soul power tremble.
"Second transformation of Soul Skill, what kind of powerful Soul Skill is this?"
In the center of the training field, a fierce glint flashed in Xiao Hongchen's eyes, and all the cannons were aimed at Huo Yuhao in mid-air!
At this critical moment, the waves of ice and fire that surged forth from the Azure Waves once again bombarded the Holy Light Drum.
Under Xuan Ziwen's extremely heartbroken gaze, the Holy Light Drum suddenly exploded, unleashing a powerful sound wave far exceeding anything seen before!
A sharp, stabbing pain shot through his heart, causing Xiao Hongchen to cough up a mouthful of blood.
The Ice and Fire Dragon Scale Armor glowed, and the shadows of the ice dragon and the fire dragon intertwined, forming a spiral shockwave that sent Xiao Hongchen flying.
"Brother Xiao, you flatter me." Huo Yuhao extended his hand to Xiao Hongchen.
Xiao Hongchen shook his head with a wry smile and pulled Huo Yuhao's hand to help him stand up.
"Lin Gongfeng truly deserves to be called the number one genius of our Sun Moon Empire."
"Whether it's the Soul Master techniques of the Ice and Fire Creation Furnace or the Soul Guidance Creation of the Holy Light Drum, they are all beyond my reach."
Xiao Hongchen's voice carried an undisguised sense of loneliness.
Huo Yuhao took out the pills that the Offering Hall had given him from his storage bracelet.
After he put them into the chemical refining furnace for secondary refining, he handed them to the Hongchen siblings.
"The side effects of this Rejuvenation Pill have been minimized, and it can quickly restore injuries after taking it."
Meng Hongchen took the pill, her fingertips seemingly unintentionally touching Huo Yuhao's palm.
A strange light flashed in her eyes, and she smiled, "Thank you, Venerable Lin."
Orange keenly noticed Meng Hongchen's actions.
Xiao Hongchen stared at the pill in his palm, his expression incredibly complex.
Lin Yi, with his superior talent and thinking, was not only far more capable than himself, but also possessed incredibly advanced alchemy skills.
"Perhaps Lin Yi is the key to my revenge against Gu Mingxi."
"Once his Ice and Fire Creation Furnace becomes a dual-polar furnace, perhaps he will be able to refine that spear."
Xiao Hongchen gripped the pill in his hand, his eyes gradually hardening.
He looked up at Huo Yuhao and asked, "Elder Lin, in the future, could you use me as a medicinal ingredient to help me reshape my severed hand?"
On the day his hand was severed, Jing Hongchen personally made him a soul tool hand.
However, no matter how high the level of the Soul Guiding Palm is, it cannot compare to a real flesh and blood body.
More importantly, this severely affected the precision of his soul tool manufacturing.
After hearing Xiao Hongchen's words, everyone present fell silent.
Huo Yuhao's eyes flickered; he really hadn't considered Xiao Hongchen's suggestion.
Given the various miraculous phenomena of the Qi Refining Furnace, this is not entirely impossible.
However, this requires Huo Yuhao to have a very deep understanding of the Qi of the human body and the Qi of heaven and earth in order to be able to reshape his limbs.
"Theoretically feasible."
Huo Yuhao pondered for a moment and said, "I really hadn't thought about this aspect before."
"But this requires a lot of experimentation and is extremely risky, which is beyond my current capabilities."
A glimmer of hope instantly ignited in Xiao Hongchen's eyes.
"It's okay!"
Xiao Hongchen was so excited that he knelt on one knee: "I can wait! I can wait as long as it takes!"
Huo Yuhao helped Xiao Hongchen up: "Brother Xiao, what are you doing? Once my cultivation improves, I will definitely try my best."
Jing Hongchen watched this scene with a look of satisfaction in her eyes.
Seeing Xiao Hongchen, who had been despondent because of his severed hand, regain his fighting spirit, he couldn't help but feel more grateful to Huo Yuhao.
Xuan Ziwen, with a pained expression, went around picking up the fragments of the Holy Light Drum.
"Master Lin, your Battle Form is simply—"
Xuan Ziwen's eyes were full of regret.
Huo Yuhao smiled slightly: "Researcher Xuan, there's no need to feel sorry for it. This was originally an experimental subject."
Then Huo Yuhao raised his hand and summoned a red and blue flame from the Transformation Furnace, which swept up the metal fragments on the ground: "As long as the core array is intact, it can be reforged at any time."
The fragments were remelted in the furnace and quickly returned to their complete form as the Holy Light Drum.
However, its size is much smaller than before.
This scene left everyone speechless.
Just then, a hearty laugh suddenly came from not far away.
The crowd turned to look and saw Wang Changming from the Hall of Offerings arriving with a burly middle-aged man.
"Hahaha, Lin Gongfeng truly lives up to his reputation!"
Wang Changming strode over, his eyes full of admiration.
"The old lady and her son watched the battle from afar; this Ice and Fire Creation Furnace is truly miraculous!"
"Come, come, let me introduce you to Elder Lin."
"This is my Wind King Yiheng, a level nine Soul Master and the leader of the Wall Lord Soul Master Corps."
Wang Yiheng's tiger-like eyes shone brightly, exuding an aura of iron-blooded ruthlessness.
His gaze was fixed intently on the Qi Refining Furnace in front of Huo Yuhao, and his voice was loud and clear: "Elder Lin, I have long admired your name. You are truly a young hero."
Wang Yiheng's gaze was fixed on the three figures, as if he wanted to completely dissect this strange furnace to see it clearly.
After a moment, he looked away, his gaze towards Huo Yuhao becoming even more intense, as if he were looking at a peerless gem.
He could not even imagine how many enemies the ten-meter-diameter Qi Refining Furnace would be able to refine on the battlefield in an instant once Huo Yuhao was crowned a Title Douluo.
"Brother Lin, I am a few years older than you, so I take the liberty of calling you my worthy brother."
"If my worthy brother doesn't mind, the doors of my Wall Lord Soul Master Corps will always be open to you!"
The Evil Soul Corps is one of the sharpest blades of the Sun Moon Empire.
The weight of Wang Yiheng's address of "my dear brother" was immense.
Huo Yuhao looked flattered and apprehensive: "Commander Wang, you flatter me. The Wall Lord Soul Master Corps is renowned throughout the continent, and my foundation is still shallow. I cannot bear such expectations from you."
"My dear brother, you are too modest!"
Wang Yiheng's towering, imposing frame exuded an aura of power: "This furnace is a divine weapon born for the battlefield!"
"On the battlefield, speed and ruthlessness are paramount! But once this furnace is lit, the enemy's soul tools are nothing but scrap metal, and their soul masters are nothing but pigs and sheep waiting to be slaughtered!"
"Not to mention its many miraculous effects, this is truly a national treasure!"
"The day Wu receives his title, the Ice and Fire Creation Furnace will become the number one weapon spirit in the world!"
Orange kept a low profile and remained silent.
Wang Changming and Wang Yiheng are both neutral. Their efforts to win over Lin Yi will not cross Xu Tianran's bottom line.
Even their appearance at this moment was secretly orchestrated by Xu Tianran.
Xu Tianran did not want to give Lin Yi time to choose a side.
He wanted to use the fastest time and the greatest benefits to bind Lin Yi to his side.
Lin Yi's attitude now is not just his own.
Judging from their previous encounter at the entrance of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, Xu Tianran already understood that Lin Yi's attitude had indirectly influenced the Hall of Worship's thoughts.
There are neutral factions, Xu Tianran's faction, and Xu He's faction within the ancestral hall.
Therefore, Xu Tianran learned of Wang Changming's intention to adopt Lin Yi as his godson immediately.
The military personnel behind Wang Yiheng are an important part of Xu Tianran's plan.
By cultivating good relations between the neutral faction within the military and Lin Yi, Xu Tianran could increase Lin Yi's influence in Mingdu, which could be considered his second gift to Lin Yi.
However, this wouldn't immediately categorize Lin Yi as part of the Shuangjiu camp, thus avoiding any reaction from Qi Deming, the head of the neutral faction.
Meanwhile, due to the military's intervention, Lin Yi's influence in the east has increased significantly, and those princes who want to win over Lin Yi again will have to pay an even greater price.
Can these princes, each fighting their own battles, offer resources that surpass those accumulated by the Crown Prince over the years?
Huo Yuhao has been in Mingdu for quite some time now, but Xu He has yet to come and see him.
It wasn't that Xu He didn't want to see him, but rather that he was completely kept in the dark and had no idea of Lin Yi's existence.
The princes who outwardly supported Xu He but secretly wanted to take advantage of the chaos to ascend the throne were all planning to bring Xu He to see Lin Yi themselves.
Right now, these princes are probably fighting tooth and nail over who will be the first to get to know Lin Yi.
Most importantly, Junjiu's intervention could instantly push Lin Yi into the eye of the storm.
Xu Tianran's intention was to make Lin Yi the focus of contention among various factions, thereby elevating his morale significantly.
It might be difficult to win over someone who harbors even the smallest, most subtle grudges.
However, a person who is elevated to a pedestal and becomes arrogant is easily controlled by power struggles.
Just as everyone was talking, the Sun and Moon Empire approached the frozen city of Oak.
Long Xiaoyao brought Qian Duoduo, Zhong Li, and their two brothers here.
"Remember their mission, especially the new theory about attribute fusion."
"Qian Duoduo is the dean of Shrek Academy, and the Zhongli brothers' activities have always been within the Douluo Three Kingdoms. As long as they don't expose themselves, the Sun Moon Empire will not notice their activities."
Qian Duoduo nodded stiffly, like a walking corpse.
The three Zhongli brothers, on the other hand, rubbed their hands together excitedly, their eyes filled with bloodlust.
"Go."
Long Xiaoyao waved his hand: "No matter what the outcome is three months from now, at least one of you must return to Oak City and report back to me."
Watching the four streaks of light shoot into the sky, Long Xiaoyao sighed, "I hope nothing serious happens."