In an instant, centered around Qiu'er, an indescribably brilliant golden light erupted with overwhelming intensity!
This golden light was not just ordinary illumination—it was the concentrated essence of life force fused with a higher, ineffable power: the force of fate!
The golden light shot into the sky, instantly illuminating the night as if it were daytime.
Even the bright moon and stars in the heavens paled in comparison to this pure and potent golden radiance.
A massive, intricate array composed of golden runes swiftly unfolded beneath Qiu'er's body, spreading across the entire clearing.
Within the array, incomprehensible symbols flowed and rotated like living entities, emitting boundless waves of energy.
A powerful energy hurricane swept outward from Qiu'er, causing Dai Chengfeng's robes to flutter violently and the leaves of the towering ancient trees to sway wildly, as if paying tribute and mourning for this self-sacrificing Imperial Auspicious Beast.
Qiu'er's enormous golden form began to grow hazy and translucent at the center of the array.
However, the vertical eye on her forehead grew brighter and brighter, as if condensing all her essence into that single point.
"Qiu'er…"
Dai Chengfeng gazed at the scene, taking a deep breath. There was a trace of reluctance in his eyes.
But soon, resolve replaced it!
"I will definitely succeed! You won't leave me!"
At this moment, the brilliance of the array reached its peak…
The next second, the vertical eye transformed into an extremely condensed beam of golden light, detaching itself from Qiu'er's body along with the vast ocean-like life force and fate power.
Like rivers flowing into the sea, it surged toward Dai Chengfeng's body!
"Ugh—!"
Instantly, the overwhelming surge of energy caused Dai Chengfeng to let out a muffled groan.
But he had already activated the Xiantian Technique, fully guiding and absorbing this power.
He could clearly feel his dantian soul power skyrocketing like a rocket, while his limbs and bones were being washed over and transformed by a warm yet immensely powerful energy.
Simultaneously, a strange soul ring slowly rose from beneath his feet.
It wasn't the traditional yellow, purple, black, or red but rather an unprecedented, noble, mysterious, and dazzling color—rose gold!
This rose-gold soul ring, although estimated to be around 2,500 years based on Qiu'er's current cultivation, emitted energy fluctuations and contained rule powers no less formidable than an ordinary hundred-thousand-year soul ring!
This was the unique soul ring of the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, imbued with the power of fate!
As the soul ring took shape, information about two powerful soul skills naturally surfaced in Dai Chengfeng's mind:
Fate's Despair: A powerful single-target weakening skill.
Upon hitting the enemy, it drastically reduces their physical defense, energy defense, and even luck, plunging them into a state of "misfortune," making them more vulnerable to attacks and prone to mistakes.
Soul Severance: An even more terrifying soul attack skill.
It directly targets the opponent's soul, causing immense pain while having a chance to temporarily strip or weaken part of their soul power, leaving them disoriented or even suffering temporary memory loss.
These two soul skills greatly enhanced Dai Chengfeng's ability to weaken his opponents.
However, the benefits of Qiu'er's sacrifice didn't stop there.
The sheer magnitude of Qiu'er's power, combined with the residual potency of the Four Symbols Five Elements Lotus that Dai Chengfeng had consumed earlier but not fully absorbed, was now completely unleashed and fused.
Dai Chengfeng's soul power level began to skyrocket uncontrollably!
Level 53… Level 55… Level 58…Finally, it broke through the Level 60 bottleneck with unstoppable momentum!
He only needed one more soul ring to become a Soul Emperor!
And just as his soul power increase stabilized, Dai Chengfeng felt a wave of warmth followed by intense heat emanating from his head. It was as if something within his skull was being reshaped and sublimated.
The Spiritual Condensation Wisdom Skull he had previously absorbed was now being devoured, fused, and transformed by a more advanced and fundamental force!
A new external soul bone materialized under the influence of the sacrificial power—the Three-Eyed Golden Lion Fate Skull, a growth-type external soul bone!
This Fate Skull seemed to perfectly inherit the original work's tyrannical attribute of devouring other soul bones.
It directly absorbed Dai Chengfeng's existing Spiritual Condensation Wisdom Skull as nourishment, instantly boosting its own age to a terrifying 99,999 years!
It was just one year shy of reaching the pinnacle level of a hundred-thousand-year soul bone!
Furthermore, the soul bone skill Divine Vision Kill, which Dai Chengfeng had gained after fusing with the Spiritual Condensation Wisdom Skull, underwent a significant upgrade in range and power following this fusion.
Moreover, Dai Chengfeng awakened an entirely new, even more extreme single-target attack soul bone skill—Divine Apex Kill!
Condensing ultimate killing intent and spiritual power into a single point, it launched a fatal strike that ignored the opponent's soul power defenses, directly attacking their spiritual essence with devastating power. This skill was almost tailor-made for dueling strong opponents or challenging those of higher levels.
As for the three additional powerful abilities originally associated with the Three-Eyed Golden Lion Fate Skull…
- Soul Shockwave: Uses spiritual force vibrations to cause dizziness, fear, or even severe mental trauma based on the disparity between the user's and target's spiritual power.
- Judgment of Fate: Manipulates the power of fate to forcibly enhance one's own luck, ensuring smooth success in endeavors.
- Spiritual Immunity: Grants immunity to three divine-level or lower spiritual attacks per day.
Due to the influence of Dai Chengfeng's Heavenly White Tiger martial soul, these effects underwent some changes, but none were omitted.
However, as the sacrifice neared its conclusion and Qiu'er's massive form nearly dissolved into particles of light, with her soul origin about to enter a long slumber according to the laws of the ritual…
"Now!"
Without hesitation, Dai Chengfeng immediately closed his eyes and focused.
His powerful spiritual force acted like the softest thread, carefully enveloping and gathering the intact golden soul aura nurtured by the Soul-Shaping Pill's potency.
Qiu'er's soul seemed to sense his presence, transmitting a feeling of dependence and comfort as it actively moved closer to him.
Encountering no resistance, this complete soul was gently guided by Dai Chengfeng into his middle dantian.
And the moment Qiu'er's intact and powerful soul, imbued with the essence of the Imperial Auspicious Beast, entered Dai Chengfeng's middle dantian—
BOOM!!!
It was as if a dragon's roar resounded from the heavens within Dai Chengfeng's body!
The ancient dragon core, formed from the essence of the Ancient Dragon King, had remained dormant in his middle dantian.
Although Dai Chengfeng had initially refined it, its core power had always been restrained.
Now, it was as if an iceberg had been thrown into molten lava or as if the sleeping Ancient Dragon King had encountered its bloodline heir—it suddenly burst forth with an unprecedented and terrifying fluctuation!
------------------------------------------------------
Join my Patreon to read an exclusive novel – 'Douluo: Rebuilding Hao Tian Sect'
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)