The absorption of the blood-red soul ring proved to be a far more harrowing experience for Song Qing than any he had encountered before. The remnant will of the Ancient Void Abyssal Wyvern, furious at its defeat, lashed out with a barrage of vicious mental and spiritual attacks from within the soul ring itself.
'This is… unbearable!' Song Qing thought, his mind reeling under the assault. Images of the Wyvern's wrath, its dying screams, and its sheer power flooded his consciousness, threatening to overwhelm his sanity.
He gritted his teeth, his verdant eyes squeezed shut as he fought back with all his mental and spiritual fortitude, bolstered by the passive abilities of his Crimson Soul Emperor's Crown. The battle within his mind was a brutal and exhausting one, a desperate struggle for dominance against the dying will of a formidable hundred-thousand-year beast.
Hours blurred into what felt like an eternity. Song Qing's body trembled violently, sweat soaking his clothes as he endured the relentless onslaught. Just when he felt like he was about to succumb, a surge of pure abyssal energy from his Abyssal Demonic Dragon God Emperor spirit finally crushed the last vestiges of the Wyvern's resistance.
With a final, shuddering breath, Song Qing felt the soul ring finally settle, becoming an integral part of his being. He had done it. He had absorbed his fifth soul ring.
Unbeknownst to the exhausted Song Qing, as his Abyssal Demonic Dragon God Emperor spirit integrated with the new soul ring, a subtle, almost imperceptible resonance rippled through his other spirit, the Primordial Life Tree. The passive ability of his Fourth Soul Ring of the Primordial Life Tree Spirit, the 'Soul Ring Resonance', activated at this crucial moment, its effects flowing into his primary spirit.
A profound transformation began to take place within Song Qing's Abyssal Demonic Dragon God Emperor spirit. His first three soul rings, originally purple, signifying thousand-year spirit beasts, began to glow with an intense light. The purple hues deepened, then shifted, morphing into a rich, profound black. His first three soul rings had undergone an incredible evolution, now possessing the power of ten-thousand-year spirit beasts.
His fourth soul ring, which had been a deep purple-black, signifying its seventeen-thousand-year origin, now pulsed with an even more potent energy. Its colors swirled and intensified, settling into a shade that hinted at the power of a near fifty-thousand-year spirit beast.
The evolution of his soul rings brought about significant enhancements to their abilities. His First Soul Ring, Abyssal Shadow Dash, underwent the most dramatic change. It evolved into Abyssal Void Dash. While it still granted incredible bursts of speed and left behind shadowy afterimages, it now possessed a subtle Space Attribute. Song Qing could now, if he wished, incorporate minor, short-distance teleportation into his dashes, allowing for even greater agility and unpredictability.
His Second Soul Ring, Shadow Dominion, not only retained its ability to create a field of darkness that enhanced his senses and weakened opponents, but it also gained a power to control shadows instinctively in it.
Also, his previous ability Shadow Concealment had been evolved to this new ability: Shadowmeld. This ability allowed Song Qing to seamlessly merge with shadows in his Shadow Dominion, becoming virtually undetectable even within the darkness he controlled. Moreover, while he is using Shadowmeld, it's impossible to hurt him with physical attacks. It did have a limitation that he could only use it for a total of ten seconds within three hours.
The Third Soul Ring, Abyssal Draconic Claw, through which he could manifest a massive claw of abyssal energy, now possessed an even more fearsome ability: Abyssal Draconic Space Rend. This allowed him to infuse his abyssal claw with spatial energy, enabling it to tear through not just physical defenses but also create localized spatial rifts upon impact.
His Fourth Soul Ring, while not gaining a new ability, experienced a significant increase in power. The Frost Spike Barrage could now unleash a greater number of ice spikes with increased resilience, and his Abyssal Flame Dragon Breath possessed a considerably enhanced attack power, its corrosive abyssal flames burning with even greater intensity.
And finally, his Fifth Soul Ring, the hundred-thousand-year ring from the Ancient Void Abyssal Wyvern, granted him two extraordinary abilities. The first, a manifestation of the Wyvern's Space Attribute, was named Void Anchor. This allowed Song Qing to set up to three teleportation points within a certain radius. Once established, he could instantly teleport between these points at will.
The second ability was a formidable defensive skill: Abyssal Shadow Barrier. By channeling his abyssal energy, Song Qing could create a powerful barrier of solidified shadow that could withstand physical and soul power attacks up to twice the amount of his current soul power.
But the transformations didn't end there. As his fifth soul ring settled, Song Qing felt a surge of primal energy coursing through his very being. An inherent ability, dormant within his Abyssal Demonic Dragon God Emperor spirit, had finally awakened: Demonic Dragon Domain.
The effects of this domain were immense. When activated, a field of pure abyssal energy would erupt around Song Qing, twisting and distorting the space within. Within this domain, his abyssal-based abilities were amplified by an additional 30%. Furthermore, he could utilize his Void Anchor teleportation ability up to three times without expending any soul power, after which it would enter a one-day cooldown period.
Song Qing, though still exhausted from the soul ring absorption, felt an incredible surge of power coursing through him. He had become significantly stronger, his abilities enhanced beyond his wildest dreams.
'This… this is incredible!' he thought, his verdant eyes widening with awe as he sensed the changes within him. 'I feel… truly powerful now.'
As the others approached, their expressions a mixture of relief and concern, Song Qing slowly rose to his feet, a faint smile on his lips. He decided to keep the full extent of his newfound power and abilities a secret for now.
"I… I managed to absorb it," he said, his voice still a little hoarse. "It was… quite challenging."
"Are you alright, Qing'er?" Bibi Dong asked, her pink eyes filled with concern as she examined him closely.
"Yes, Teacher," Song Qing reassured her. "I'm just a little tired. But I gained some useful abilities. I can now teleport short distances, and my attacks have a… spatial tearing effect." He demonstrated briefly, creating a small ripple in the air with a wave of his hand.
The Titled Douluo exchanged impressed glances. Even that small demonstration was enough to showcase the power of his new soul ring.
Song Qing then turned his gaze towards the obsidian torso spirit bone lying beside the Wyvern's corpse. 'A torso spirit bone… this could grant me some incredible defensive abilities!' he thought with excitement.
However, he knew he couldn't fuse with it right now, not in his current exhausted state. "We will have to take this with us," he said, gesturing towards the spirit bone. "I will fuse with it when we return."
Bibi Dong nodded in agreement. "Rest now, Qing'er. You have done well." The journey back to their temporary lodging began, the atmosphere filled with a newfound respect for the young man who had just faced and conquered a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast.
~~
The journey back to their temporary lodging was filled with a sense of accomplishment and quiet contemplation. The successful acquisition of three powerful soul rings and a spirit bone had been a significant achievement.
As they traveled, Song Qing, feeling the immense power now coursing through him, shared some exciting news with the group.
"Teacher," he said to Bibi Dong, a wide smile on his face, "I have reached level 60 soul power!"
A collective murmur of impressed surprise rippled through the Titled Douluo. Bibi Dong's pink eyes widened slightly, though a hint of pride was evident in their depths.
"Level 60 already, Qing'er?" she asked, her voice filled with a mixture of astonishment and affection. "Your progress is truly remarkable."
Dugu Bo chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. "That little brat… he's advancing faster than a startled rabbit!"
Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo exchanged knowing glances. They had long recognized Song Qing's extraordinary talent, and this latest revelation only solidified their opinion.
"It was quite inevitable, young master," Ghost Douluo said, his voice raspy. "With a hundred-thousand-year soul ring, such a leap in power is to be expected."
"Indeed," Chrysanthemum Douluo added, his tone more flamboyant. "And I daresay, once you acquire your sixth soul ring, the improvement will be even more… dazzling!"
Qian Renxue smiled warmly at Song Qing, her purple eyes filled with pride. "I knew you could do it, Qing."
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing both rushed to his side, their cyan and dark eyes sparkling with admiration.
"Level 60! That's amazing, Qing!" Ning Rongrong exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement.
"You're so strong, Qing," Zhu Zhuqing added, leaning against him affectionately.
Bibi Dong, her gaze thoughtful, turned back to Song Qing. "Now that you have reached level 60, Qing'er, do you wish for us to begin searching for your sixth soul ring as well?"
Song Qing shook his head gently. "Not yet, Teacher. I would like to absorb the torso spirit bone from the Wyvern first. I believe that will further enhance my abilities, and then I will be better prepared for the challenges of acquiring my sixth soul ring."
Bibi Dong nodded in understanding. "That is a wise decision, Qing'er. Spirit bone absorption can be quite taxing."
Soon, the familiar silhouette of the Spirit Hall's main building came into view on the horizon. Their long and eventful journey had finally come to an end.
'It feels good to be heading back,' Song Qing thought, a sense of satisfaction washing over him. 'Rongrong will finally be able to absorb her skull bone, and I can finally fuse with that powerful torso bone.'
He glanced at Dugu Bo, who was flying beside them on his Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor, a newfound aura of power radiating from him.
'And I need to get those Immortal Herbs to Senior Dugu Bo as soon as possible,' Song Qing reminded himself. 'It's time to complete the evolution of his spirit.'
His thoughts then drifted to the small, unassuming pot within his soul tool. Inside, nestled amongst the rich soil, was a single, delicate seedling – the Blue Silver Empress, Ah Yin.
'Now that I have access to my herbal garden back at the Spirit Hall, with all those potent Immortal Herbs… I can finally accelerate Ah Yin's growth,' he thought, his verdant eyes hardening with a flicker of determination. 'The time to prepare for revenge against Tang Hao is drawing closer.'
He knew it would take time and careful cultivation, but with the unique properties of the Immortal Herbs, he was confident that he could rapidly mature the Blue Silver Empress. The thought of finally being able to confront Tang Hao, not just with his own power but with the spirit of Ah Yin by his side, filled him with a sense of grim anticipation.
The Spirit Hall loomed large and majestic as they approached, its white marble gleaming under the afternoon sun. The journey had been long and arduous, filled with danger and challenges, but they had emerged victorious, stronger and more united than ever before.
As they landed within the familiar grounds of the Spirit Hall, a sense of homecoming washed over Song Qing. He knew that this was just the beginning of their journey, that greater challenges and more powerful enemies lay ahead. But with his newfound strength, his loyal allies, and the unwavering support of his teacher, Bibi Dong, he felt ready to face whatever the future held.
The first order of business was to ensure Ning Rongrong and himself could safely absorb their newly acquired spirit bones. Arrangements were made within the Spirit Hall for secluded chambers with ample spiritual energy.
Then, Song Qing made his way to his personal herbal garden, a sprawling sanctuary filled with rare and potent plants. He carefully selected the appropriate Immortal Herbs for Dugu Bo, knowing exactly which ones would best facilitate the evolution of his Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor towards its draconic lineage. He packaged them carefully, eager to witness the transformation.
He also spent time tending to the Blue Silver Empress seedling, carefully transferring it to a larger, more suitable pot and selecting specific Immortal Herbs known for their rapid growth-enhancing properties. He nurtured the small plant with meticulous care, his mind filled with thoughts of the future and the role Ah Yin would play in it.
The Spirit Hall buzzed with a renewed sense of purpose. The successful spirit beast hunt had invigorated everyone, and the rapid progress of young Song Qing served as a constant source of inspiration.
~~
Here are Song Qing's current abilities: -
(This time I managed to add color of the Soul Rings.)
[
Name:Abyssal Demonic Dragon God Emperor
Passive Abilities:
Abyssal Divinity: Possesses a natural and profound affinity for abyssal energy, increasing the power and efficiency of all abyssal-based abilities by 50%. Grants a minor resistance to attacks imbued with divine power.Primordial Fear: Radiates an aura of primal, bone-chilling fear, overwhelming weaker opponents, causing them to freeze in terror, shatter their wills, or even lose consciousness.Emperor of the Beasts: Grants dominance over all beast-type spirits and spirit beasts, allowing suppression of their bloodlines and a degree of control.
First Soul Ring (12,000 Year): Black
Abyssal Void Dash: Grants incredible bursts of speed, leaving behind shadowy afterimages with the added ability to perform minor, short-distance teleportation. Abyssal Dragon Wings - Allows temporary flight using condensed shadow energy.
Second Soul Ring (15,000 Year): Black
Shadow Dominion: Creates a field of darkness that enhances the user's senses and abilities while weakening opponents within it and allows the user to control shadows in it.Shadowmeld - Allows the user to seamlessly merge with their Shadow Dominion, becoming virtually undetectable and while this ability is being used, it's impossible to hurt with Physical Attacks. Can only maintain this for a total of ten seconds within every three hours.
Third Soul Ring (23,000 Year): Black
Abyssal Draconic Claw: Manifests a massive claw of pure abyssal energy capable of tearing through the toughest defenses.Abyssal Draconic Space Rend - Infuses the Abyssal Draconic Claw with spatial energy, allowing it to tear through physical defenses and create localized spatial rifts upon impact. Dragon's Might - Unleashes a focused burst of draconic pressure, stunning or incapacitating weaker opponents.
Fourth Soul Ring (Nearly 50,000 Year): Black
First Ability: Frost Spike Barrage - Unleashes a volley of razor-sharp ice spikes infused with abyssal energy, piercing defenses and inflicting deep frostbite (increased number and resilience).Second Ability: Abyssal Flame Dragon Breath - Emits a torrent of black flames imbued with the corrosive power of the abyss, incinerating targets and rapidly depleting their soul power (increased attack power).First Passive Ability: Frostfire Resistance - Grants significant resistance to both ice and fire-based attacks.Second Passive Ability: Elemental Adaptation - Gradually adapts the user's body to extreme temperatures, providing immunity to heat and cold.
Fifth Soul Ring (Hundred Thousand Year): Blood-Red
Void Anchor - Allows the user to set up to three teleportation points for instant travel between them. Abyssal Shadow Barrier - Creates a powerful barrier of solidified shadow capable of withstanding physical and soul power attacks up to twice the user's soul power.
Inherent Ability:
Demonic Dragon Domain - When activated, creates a field of pure abyssal energy that amplifies the user's abyssal-based abilities by an additional 30%. Allows three free uses of Void Anchor teleportation within the domain per day, followed by a one-day cooldown.
]
[
Name:Primordial Life Tree Spirit
Passive Abilities:
Nature's Embrace: Grants an innate connection to all forms of plant life, allowing the user to use their senses to greatly enhance sensory range. Ancient Wisdom: Provides an inherent understanding of the natural world, granting intuition in plants, beasts, healing, and life energy.
First Soul Ring (5,600-Year-Old Ring): Purple
Verdant Embrace: Emits a soothing green aura that rapidly heals injuries and restores stamina to all living beings within its radius. Passive Ability: Harmonizes Song Qing or anyone within range, gradually healing inherent weaknesses and imperfections. Second Passive Ability: Manipulates the flow of time for plant life within Verdant Embrace, rapidly accelerating growth and increasing its potency.
Second Soul Ring (8,000-Year-Old Ring): Purple
Venomous Entanglement: Summons and manipulates thorny vines imbued with potent poison, draining the soul energy of opponents upon contact. Passive Ability: Absorbs various poisons and essence energies from herbs, allowing the Primordial Life Tree Spirit to reproduce them.
Third Soul Ring (13,000-Year-Old Ring): Black
Phantom Bind: Creates strong, illusionary vines to ensnare and constrict opponents, making them believe they are trapped even if they are not. Veiled Aura - Conceals soul power, making it appear weaker. This soul ring is nearing the Black Soul Ring rank. Can keep it active indefinitely without any consumption of Soul Power.
Fourth Soul Ring (37,000-Year-Old Ring): Black
Crimson Soul Assimilation:Life Drain - Projects tendrils of crimson energy to siphon life force from living beings upon contact, transferring it to the user. Crimson Soul Assimilation:Spirit Power Siphon - Projects tendrils of crimson energy to drain the spiritual energy of opponents, weakening them and bolstering the user's reserves. Passive Skill:Soul Ring Resonance - Increases the age of previous soul rings each time a new soul ring is absorbed.
Fifth Soul Ring (92,000-Year-Old Ring): Black-Red
Illusionary True Transformation: Can now transform his Physique and Soul Rings to anything he wants to. For the physique, he can change his hair color, eye color, skin color, and change his face structure, muscle structure, and even bone structure to some extent. For the Soul Rings, he can change their color and make them younger or older than their true age. Perpetual Spirit Manifestation: Can keep two abilities of Primordial Life Tree Spirit active at all times with no consumption to Soul Power. Passive Skill: Primal Resilience: It grants immense toughness and much greater healing capabilities.
]
[
Name:Silver-Winged Dragonbone Wings (External Spirit Bone)
Primary Ability:Aerial Supremacy - Grants the user the power of flight, greatly enhancing agility, maneuverability, and speed in the air.
Defensive Skill:Dragonbone Shield - Focuses soul power to solidify the wings, forming a sturdy shield capable of deflecting significant force.
Offensive Skill 1:Silver Wing Barrage - Launches a volley of sharp, feather-like projectiles made of condensed bone and silver light.
Offensive Skill 2:Draconic Descent - Channels draconic energy into the wings, allowing a powerful dive attack with devastating force and speed.
]
[
Name:Crimson Soul Emperor's Crown (External Spirit Bone)
Passive Abilities:
Enhanced Mental Energy: Greatly boosts mental clarity, focus, and processing speed. Enhanced Spiritual Energy: Significantly enhances spiritual power and expands sensory range.
Perception Abilities:
Clear Sight Far Gaze: Provides exceptionally sharp vision over vast distances. Precognitive Glimpse: Grants fleeting glimpses of potential future events, enhancing danger anticipation. Illusion Piercer: Sees through all forms of illusions.
Soul Abilities:
Soul Reading: Allows the user to read thoughts and intentions of those with weaker soul power. Soul Consumption: Consumes the souls of defeated spirit beasts or soul masters, strengthening mental and spiritual energy.
Soul Seizure:
Grants the ability to steal a target's Soul Ring and store their soul within the Crimson Soul Emperor's Crown.
]