"Martial Soul, Appear!"
With Ye Wen's sharp command, the transformed Nana martial soul, now imbued with the soul ring, appeared before everyone.
At this moment, Nana's martial soul was no longer transparent as it had been before. Instead, it radiated a silvery sheen so deep that its core was completely obscured, resembling a ball of liquid mercury.
As Ye Wen focused his will, the yellow hundred-year soul ring emerged, and he placed one hand atop Nana's martial soul.
"First Soul Skill—Armament!"
With the command given, Nana's martial soul instantly dispersed, spreading across Ye Wen's body like a second skin. In the blink of an eye, every part of Ye Wen's body, except for his face, was encased in a sleek, silver suit.
Though Ye Wen was still young, the use of this soul skill gave him an undeniable air of charisma.
This sight made Huo Yu'er's eyes sparkle with admiration.
Although this first soul skill was still a far cry from the advanced battle armors in the later versions of Ye Wen's world, it already bore the seeds of such a concept.
Huo Rui, meanwhile, didn't notice her granddaughter's subtle reactions. Though self-taught, she could still recognize the excellence of this soul skill.
"Ah Wen, your soul skill looks impressive. Can you tell me more about its effects?"
Ye Wen detected the subtle probing in Huo Rui's words and inwardly sighed. Though Grandma Huo seemed straightforward, she possessed a sharp mind.
However, Ye Wen had deliberately revealed the details of his soul skill to demonstrate his acceptance of the Huo family's support.
Thus, without hesitation, he explained:
"My first soul skill, Armament, compensates for the weaknesses of my summoning-type martial soul, granting me the same physical augmentation as beast-type martial souls when they're attached to the body. Moreover, due to the unique nature of my martial soul, the skill has evolved additional functions."
As he spoke, Ye Wen raised one hand, and in the next moment, a sharp blade extended from the side of his arm.
"My martial soul doesn't have a fixed form; it can transform into various shapes according to my will. After activating the Armament skill, this ability remains intact. This means every part of my body is now a weapon.
And…"
Here, Ye Wen's expression grew peculiar.
He picked up a stone from the ground and turned to Huo Rui.
"Grandma, watch this."
In the next instant, a pitch-black, unfathomable hole appeared in the palm of Ye Wen's left hand. Without hesitation, he tossed the stone in his right hand into the void.
Upon seeing this, Huo Rui's pupils contracted sharply.
"Space attribute!?"
Ye Wen nodded affirmatively. Even he hadn't expected that the seventh attribute he'd speculated about—space—would truly exist within him, manifesting immediately after obtaining his first soul ring.
In this era of Douluo, space-related tools were not yet widespread. Only a handful of individuals possessed the space attribute, the most famous being the Bone Douluo, guardian of the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda Sect.
Any soul master with the space attribute was automatically labeled as a rare talent.
Receiving Ye Wen's confirmation, Huo Rui found herself struggling to contain her excitement.
She was already satisfied with Ye Wen's talents and had deemed him a suitable match for her granddaughter. Now, with this rare spatial gift, it felt like a stroke of heavenly fortune for the Huo family.
Huo Rui's innate soul power had only been at Level 5, which made her breakthrough to Spirit Emperor at her age already remarkable.
However, what no outsiders knew was that since Huo Yu'er's birth, Huo Rui's luck had undergone a dramatic transformation. While acquiring her sixth soul ring, she had encountered an extraordinary opportunity, propelling her strength rapidly to the peak of Spirit Sage.
After six years of arduous cultivation, she had reached the pinnacle of Spirit Sage. Yet, she knew her potential had its limits. Perhaps she could break through to Spirit Douluo with a few more years of effort, but that would be the extent of it.
Having climbed to this height and built such a legacy, how could Huo Rui possibly settle for mediocrity?
The awakening of Huo Yu'er's martial soul had brought new hope to Huo Rui.
Perhaps their Huo family could produce a Title Douluo.
And now, here stood a son-in-law whose talent rivaled her granddaughter's, complete with a rare spatial attribute.
Huo Rui could envision that if the two remained united and supported each other, their lineage might one day rise to become one of the new Three Great Families.
The mere thought thrilled her beyond measure!
However, having reached her position, Huo Rui was well aware of the darker aspects of the world. For instance, she had heard rumors that the Bone Douluo of the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda Sect enjoyed assassinating prodigies from other families. Thus, she immediately issued a serious warning to her son and daughter-in-law:
"Whatever you do, don't reveal Ah Wen's spatial talent to anyone. Otherwise, we'll be inviting great trouble."
Due to Huo Rui's years of seclusion for cultivation, many of the family's businesses had been managed by this couple. Being astute individuals, they nodded earnestly in agreement.
Huo Rui also reiterated the same warning to Ye Wen.
Having read the original story, Ye Wen was well aware of the dirty secrets of Douluo Continent. Thus, he solemnly promised never to reveal his spatial talent.
With that said, the atmosphere on-site fell into silence.
Gradually, everyone's gaze shifted toward Xiao Wu.
Even someone as naive as Xiao Wu realized something unsettling.
Among everyone present, she was the only outsider, and Ye Wen's spatial talent was apparently a deadly secret—just like her identity as a hundred-thousand-year soul beast.
Instantly, panic gripped Xiao Wu. She began contemplating whether she should release some aura to summon Da Ming and Er Ming.
Coincidentally, Ye Wen also recalled Xiao Wu's reckless nature. Stepping forward, he addressed her seriously:
"Xiao Wu, I know our relationship isn't great.
But I hope you won't mention my spatial attribute to anyone once we leave the Star Dou Great Forest.
So, swear an oath using your martial soul. Swear to keep this secret, or face the destruction of your martial soul.
Of course, you can refuse to swear. But I can't guarantee what Grandma Huo and the others might do."
Initially, Huo Rui had hesitated over Xiao Wu's background due to her immense talent. However, Ye Wen's suggestion provided a fair compromise.
Though oaths held no real power, soul masters of this era genuinely believed in them.
Xiao Wu recognized that Ye Wen was offering her a way out. Relieved, she decisively took the vow.
At this moment, a faint sense of goodwill toward Ye Wen began to grow in Xiao Wu's heart.
With this resolution, both sides felt they had gained something, and harmony was restored among the group.
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