"A destruction-attribute dragon bone from the Sun Moon imperial treasury…"
Jiang Jue stared at the untouchable dragon claw before him, his thoughts churning as if he had recalled something.
He remembered that one of the great inherited martial souls of the Sun Moon imperial family was the Purple Radiant Heaven-Destroying Dragon. However, this kind of soul beast had never appeared in reality for ten thousand years; it only existed in the records of the Sun Moon royal lineage.
Among human soul masters, beast martial souls usually had corresponding prototypes among real soul beasts.
"Holy Son, perhaps you should look at some other soul bones. Although this one is good, it's extremely sinister. I'm afraid it could cause trouble…"
Seeing Jiang Jue's gaze fixed on the dragon claw external soul bone, the Soul Douluo's heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly pointed to several nearby hundred-thousand-year soul bones.
Having guarded the treasury for many years, he had seen this soul bone selected several times—only to be returned again and again. Many powerful figures within the Church had suffered because of it. Even those below Soul Douluo level would be injured by its destructive aura.
He didn't want anything to happen to Jiang Jue that might implicate him.
"Open it. Let this Holy Son take a look."
Jiang Jue said calmly. His tone was light, yet filled with unquestionable authority.
The Soul Douluo shuddered slightly. After a brief hesitation, he quickly opened the crystal cover and instinctively stood in front of Jiang Jue.
The order could not be disobeyed—he could only try his best to ensure the Holy Son remained unharmed.
As the layers of the crystal cover were opened, a long-suppressed aura of destruction burst out instantly. Black-purple light flashed brilliantly, carrying a momentum as if it could destroy everything.
The Soul Douluo was just about to act to block it when he suddenly saw a hand—covered in glittering ice crystals—reaching toward the dragon claw.
"Scrreeech! Scrreeech!"
In the next moment, the harsh sound of metal grinding echoed.
The slender hand passed through the surrounding destructive aura and grasped the dragon claw. The destructive glow on the claw circulated continuously, clashing with the ice crystals and canceling each other out.
"You are already ownerless, yet you still dare resist!"
With Jiang Jue's low shout, an extremely cold and violent Ultimate Ice erupted instantly. The dragon claw let out a mournful cry, and the destructive aura retreated back into the soul bone. It settled firmly in Jiang Jue's hand, no longer trembling.
"Hm?"
Just as Jiang Jue was carefully examining the dragon claw, a purple mark suddenly flashed on the back of his right hand, where previously there had been nothing.
It was the mark the Destruction God King had left on him earlier at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
"Clean this up."
Jiang Jue said lightly before leaving under the somewhat shocked gaze of the Soul Douluo.
After Jiang Jue left, the Soul Douluo spoke with a complicated expression:
"It seems the Holy Son had the strength first… and that's why the Church Leader gave him such authority."
Previously he had been confused by Zhongli Wu's orders. Since the founding of the Holy Spirit Church, no Holy Son had ever been granted such great power.
But now… he seemed to understand.
"Since this soul bone triggered the Destruction God King's mark… could it really be the remains of that Purple Radiant Heaven-Destroying Dragon recorded by the Sun Moon royal family?"
Lost in thought, Jiang Jue soon arrived at the entrance of his palace.
Standing there was a woman in a red robe, waiting expectantly.
Her stunning face was marked with several dark red, enchanting patterns. Even the loose robe could not conceal her magnificent figure.
The moment she saw Jiang Jue, a trace of fervor appeared in her dark-red eyes. She stepped toward him, bringing with her a wave of scorching wind.
"Mas— Holy Son."
"Ma Xiaotao? Why are you here?"
Jiang Jue looked at her, his gaze shifting slightly as he asked.
"Holy Son, I came to thank you. It was you who led me onto the correct path back then. My cultivation is now incredibly smooth, and I no longer have to worry about the evil fire."
Ma Xiaotao placed her fair, slightly flushed hands before her and bowed respectfully. Beneath the robe, a hint of pale skin was visible, and the dark red in her eyes deepened further.
Jiang Jue raised an eyebrow. His spiritual power swept across her, and he quickly understood.
Back then, the evil soul power he had injected into Ma Xiaotao was of extremely high quality. Under its influence, the evil fire in her body had gradually been assimilated.
Her cultivation had also skyrocketed to Level 76.
"Very good. Cultivate well. When the time comes to attack Shrek Academy, we'll need your strength."
"Work toward your teacher's level. In the future, your teacher will be left to you."
Jiang Jue reached out and patted Ma Xiaotao's shoulder.
"Yes… yes…"
"I will cultivate diligently and give my utmost effort, not failing your expectations, Holy Son."
As Jiang Jue's hand touched her shoulder, Ma Xiaotao's face flushed slightly. A hint of burning passion and loyalty flashed in her eyes, and her body trembled lightly as she responded.
Back then, in that environment, the figure before her had already carved itself deeply into her heart—something impossible to erase.
A voice within her heart told her that she only needed to obey.
"When you capture your teacher, I will naturally give you a reward."
Jiang Jue slipped his hands into his black robe and walked past her toward his hall.
He still had a piece of Blazing Gel left over from the one Meng Hongchen hadn't used last time. If Ma Xiaotao performed well, he wouldn't mind rewarding it to her.
As Jiang Jue entered, the doors of the hall slowly closed.
Ma Xiaotao stood outside for a moment in a daze. Gradually, fanaticism appeared in her eyes.
"A reward… a reward…"
"Teacher… I'm sorry… join the path of light with me…"
She murmured softly, her tone filled with excitement.
"And when the time comes, Tang Ya can capture Bei Bei as well. I'm sure the Holy Son will be pleased…"
Her figure flashed and vanished.
The place she headed for was the martial soul simulation cultivation chamber prepared for her by Feng Ling.
"Why does Ma Xiaotao feel a little… strange?"
Back inside the hall, Jiang Jue recalled the way she had looked at him and felt puzzled.
Yan Feng had also been pulled into the illusion by him before, but aside from extreme loyalty, he hadn't shown the same level of fanaticism as Ma Xiaotao.
"Better check the origin of this dragon claw first. The power of destruction…"
A hint of anticipation flashed in Jiang Jue's eyes.
He took out the dragon claw wrapped in Ultimate Ice and slowly moved it toward the Destruction mark on his right hand.
"Buzz!"
An invisible ripple spread outward.
The dark-purple Destruction mark seemed to trigger the divinity inside the dragon claw, as though it had encountered a mortal enemy.
In an instant, the entire dragon claw went berserk. The majestic divinity within it erupted along with the destructive power, and terrifying destruction energy filled the room.
Jiang Jue frowned.
Centered on him, a vast Eternal Frozen Domain expanded, confronting the destructive aura.
But before the dragon claw could make another move, the Destruction mark on Jiang Jue's right hand released dark-purple energy, forming an ancient and noble staff.
Suddenly—
It smashed down toward the dragon claw.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
With each strike, the destructive power on the dragon claw shrank slightly, being forced back into the soul bone.
After three crisp strikes, the dragon claw fell completely silent.
The staff seemed to nod in satisfaction, then circled Jiang Jue three times before turning back into the mark.
"…What?"
Jiang Jue froze for a moment.
He hadn't even made a move yet—and it was already resolved?
That considerate?
The Destruction mark stirred, and a stream of information flashed through Jiang Jue's mind.
His eyes lit up.
When he looked at the destruction dragon claw in his hand again, a trace of burning excitement appeared in his gaze.
"The Ancestor of Sub-Dragons, the Purple Radiant Heaven-Destroying Dragon… so it really was you."
(End of Chapter)