"Ancestral-grade Martial Souls, and two at that—can a human truly reach such a level of power?" Wang Gang, who was being pressed to the ground by the overwhelming aura, was trembling—not out of fear, but from excitement. "Twelve layers of soul light... doesn't that mean twelve rounds of Nirvana? Lord, just how powerful are you?"
The stronger Lin Qian's talent and strength, the more exhilarated Wang Gang became.
Wang Qiongxing, his grandfather, and one of the four elder leaders of the human race in the Ancient Forest World, had made a monumental decision. Now, the person stabilizing the aura before him, Lin Qian, was to be the master of the entire Ancient Forest World's human race.
As the new ruler of the human race, if Lin Qian didn't possess formidable strength, it would be impossible for him to command the masses. However, Wang Gang had never doubted Lin Qian's ability to lead.
Whether it was the tremendous help the Refining Elixir provided to the human race or the fact that Lin Qian had reached the pinnacle of the Life and Death Realm at the age of twenty-six, any single achievement was enough to earn the reverence of others. Moreover, since this decision was collectively made by the four highly respected elders, the rest of the human race would have to comply.
Wang Gang had imagined that Lin Qian was extraordinarily strong and exceptionally gifted. But the scene before him was beyond anything he could have anticipated—beyond even his wildest dreams.
Leaving aside the twelve layers of soul light and the dual Ancestral-grade Martial Souls, the fact that Lin Qian had reached the Awakening Realm at just twenty-six years old was enough to render Wang Gang speechless with admiration. He even pinched his thigh to make sure he wasn't dreaming.
As the nine dragons dissipated, Lin Qian deactivated his martial equipment, and the imperial robe made of his Emperor Intent Soul Power returned to his body, stabilizing his aura.
Lin Qian slowly closed his eyes and focused on his Dantian, where the Thunder Night Sword and Cloud Sword Martial Souls floated silently. Although the size of the dual sword Martial Souls hadn't changed significantly, their appearances had undergone substantial alterations.
The Thunder Night Sword was now covered in crimson-gold lightning, with nine golden dragons weaving through it, as if they were bathing in a sea of thunder.
The Cloud Sword, meanwhile, was shrouded in misty, frigid clouds, with nine golden dragons leaping joyfully among them.
It was clear that both the Thunder Night Sword and Cloud Sword had evolved, becoming more attuned to Lin Qian.
"The Awakening Realm... it truly is extraordinary." Lin Qian opened his eyes, his pupils returning to their normal state, and gazed at his palms, feeling the surge of power within him. A smile of excitement spread across his face.
From now on, even the lowest-ranking generals and beast commanders of the Huaxia Empire would be able to join the battle, leading stronger imperial and beast armies and demonstrating their true potential.
"It's truly remarkable!" Lin Qian said to himself as he stood there, stretching his body and sensing the tremendous changes within. He felt that all the hardships of recent days had not been in vain.
When breaking through to the Awakening Realm, the soul power that surged through the Dantian and Martial Souls was extremely painful. The high-speed circulation of soul power tore at the meridians, and the vibrations from the process placed immense strain on the Dantian.
If it weren't for Lin Qian's meridians and Dantian being far tougher than those of an ordinary Soul Warrior, his body might have already shattered under the force of such soul power.
Fortunately, Lin Qian was no ordinary person. He endured the pain of every breakthrough with composure, only needing a day's rest after each failed attempt.
For most Soul Warriors with Ancestral-grade Martial Souls, breaking through to the Awakening Realm was smooth and effortless. This was one of the greatest advantages of possessing an Ancestral-grade Martial Soul.
Yet, Lin Qian had been blocked by the threshold of this breakthrough for some time. Without the catalyst of his recent anger, he might have needed even more time to succeed.
Nevertheless, the benefits of the breakthrough were immediately apparent. Lin Qian could clearly feel that both his physical strength and soul power had increased significantly.
At that moment, Wang Gang and the others, having slowly risen from the ground, began to approach Lin Qian.
But just as they took their first steps, they saw Lin Qian suddenly raise his right arm and punch towards the side.
They couldn't see how Lin Qian had thrown the punch. All they saw was him suddenly standing there in a punching stance. The next moment, an invisible force shot from his fist, stirring up a cloud of dust, shattering trees into splinters, and sending debris flying in all directions before it exploded outward.
Boom!
The thunderous sound reached their ears, and before them, a massive three-zhang-wide trench appeared, with the earth and stones slowly settling back down from mid-air.
Wang Gang and the others, who had been about to approach Lin Qian, froze in place.
Lin Qian had unleashed such power without releasing any soul power, which meant that the display of strength they had just witnessed was purely from his physical body.
"Just a single punch can generate such power..." Ba Lei Tu murmured in awe, unable to close his mouth as he stared at the massive trench before Lin Qian.
He quickly calculated that even the strongest elders of the Red Horn Tribe, who specialized in body refinement, might be able to accomplish such a feat.
But how could the two be compared? The elders of the Red Horn Tribe had been at the Awakening Realm for an untold number of years, while Lin Qian had only just reached the first stage of the Awakening Realm. The difference between them was immense.
Yet, their physical strengths seemed remarkably close.
With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Ba Lei Tu studied Lin Qian closely, beginning to doubt whether the person before him was truly human.
Suddenly, Lin Qian's soul power surged from within, releasing a faint chill that immediately made Wang Gang and the others shiver, their teeth chattering from the cold.
Realizing the effect his power was having, Lin Qian quickly reined in his White Orchid Ice Soul Power, deciding not to test its full strength.
Otherwise, Wang Gang and the others might have been frozen to death on the spot.
He also refrained from using his Crimson-Gold Thunder Soul Power and Bright Yellow Emperor Soul Power. The former's electrical surges would likely have reduced the onlookers to charred remains, while the latter's Emperor Intent would have activated his imperial aura, potentially crushing them under its weight.
It couldn't be helped—having just broken through to the Awakening Realm, Lin Qian's physical body and soul power had undergone massive enhancements.
Compared to previous breakthroughs, this was a qualitative leap, so it was only natural that he hadn't yet fully mastered his newfound strength.
Moreover, the Heavenly Mark had ceased its infusion of spiritual energy into his body. With his sudden increase in power, his body had changed dramatically, and the Heavenly Workshop needed time to make the necessary adjustments before resuming the energy flow.
Not only that, but the Imperial Emperor Technique that Lin Qian practiced would also need to be recalibrated by the Heavenly Workshop.
However, what truly delighted Lin Qian was the evolution of his Martial Soul attributes.