The Illusory Heaven Purple Spirit Dragon, despite being a true dragon, wasn't particularly large. From head to tail it measured only about five meters, with two pairs of dragon wings covered in light purple feathers like those of a bird. Its body was a deep violet, resembling transparent crystal, and its head, aside from two dark purple dragon horns, hardly looked like that of a dragon at all.
At this moment, the Illusory Heaven Purple Spirit Dragon was completely subdued by Xuan Zi. Its eyes were vacant, and its vitality dimmed.
"Ziyang, go ahead!" Mu En said with a faint smile. "Bone first, then ring!"
"Understood." Zhu Ziyang nodded lightly. The Repose of the World Reaper Scythe appeared in his hand. With a single sharp slash, he cleaved the dragon's head open.
Its body convulsed for a few seconds before falling still. A piece of purple spirit bone emerged from its skull, shimmering like amethyst crystal, radiating a mystical glow. There was no doubt – it was the Illusory Heaven Purple Spirit Dragon's skull bone.
Immediately afterward, a brilliant inner core shot out from within its body, sparkling with a noble purple hue like lightning. It tried to fly off into the sky, but Xuan Zi snatched it out of the air with lightning speed.
This was the dragon's dragon pellet – the essence of its entire being.
Zhu Ziyang paid no mind to the pellet for now. He needed to fuse the skull bone first before absorbing the soul ring.
The skull bone floated before him as he sat down, aligning his forehead with it. Closing his eyes, he activated his Grand Radiance Art, circulating his soul power while his spiritual sea roared into motion. Fusing a skull bone required not only soul power, but also spiritual power for perfect integration.
His spiritual power transformed into countless invisible tendrils, wrapping around the skull bone. As they tightened, the bone's latent power erupted, flooding the space with vast spiritual might. Zhu Ziyang seized the moment, forcefully pulling it into his forehead. His own spiritual power intertwined and merged with the bone's.
His soul power formed a blazing furnace, wrapping the skull bone, while his spiritual power refined and subdued the dragon's residual consciousness.
Mu En and Xuan Zi watched with pride and relief.
"Elder Mu, he's handling it so smoothly. He must be highly compatible with this skull bone," Xuan Zi commented.
"Hehe, this is only the appetizer," Mu En replied calmly.
The Illusory Heaven Purple Spirit Dragon's spiritual power was gentle and serene, like spring sunlight. For Zhu Ziyang, it was easy to absorb and fuse. As its soft aura was devoured bit by bit, his own spiritual power surged to new heights.
As a true dragon of the spirit attribute, its spiritual cultivation was approaching the formless realm. Had it not been targeted by Zhu Ziyang, it might have reached that level and become a Savage Beast. But fate had decreed it would become someone else's stepping stone – Zhu Ziyang's gain.
Time passed quietly. His spiritual power was compressed and expanded over and over in cycles, until the day faded, and moonlight bathed him in silver glow. Suddenly, he opened his eyes. All his aura retracted instantly, though his golden and silver eyes still shone brilliantly for a while before calming down.
He didn't even take a moment to feel the upgrades to his mental realm or check the two skills granted by the skull bone. His attention was entirely focused on the dragon pellet Xuan Zi handed to him.
"With the skull bone's boost, absorbing the pellet and fusing its soul ring should be much easier," Mu En's calm voice rang in his ear. "Once you've absorbed the ring, it will be time to condense your first soul core. Remember, Ziyang – stay clear-headed and absolutely calm.
If you fail to form your soul core on the first attempt, you may never get another chance.
So unless it's truly impossible, do not give up. With Xuan Zi and me guarding you, your safety is assured."
"Understood!" Zhu Ziyang nodded solemnly. Then his gaze fell upon the purple crystal dragon pellet as he began its absorption.
His pure, righteous soul power wrapped the pellet. Immediately, an intense resistance erupted from within as the dragon's last spiritual remnant struggled to survive. But Zhu Ziyang showed no mercy. His overwhelming Ultimate Light, infused with judgment, crushed its resistance utterly.
The pellet fell silent and obedient. Zhu Ziyang snorted disdainfully and began devouring its essence. The sheer volume of soul power was so immense that the surrounding air felt heavier.
The Repose of the World Reaper Scythe floated before him while his five soul rings – yellow, purple, purple, black, black – pulsed rhythmically. A blood-red ring quietly emerged beside the fifth, growing more solid with each pulse.
When the dragon pellet finally dissolved entirely, its place was taken by the newly formed blood-red hundred-thousand-year soul ring behind him.
He continued absorbing the remaining energy for several hours until the moon disappeared and the first light of dawn touched the land.
Yellow, purple, purple, black, black, red – six soul rings gleamed behind him, radiating a terrifying, oppressive might that shook the hearts of all who witnessed it.
Zhu Ziyang had successfully fused his sixth soul ring. But Mu En and Xuan Zi did not relax. Their expressions grew even more solemn, because what came next was the true test.
With his eyes still closed, Zhu Ziyang entered a mysterious state of enlightenment. Though his eyes were shut, he perceived everything around him with perfect clarity. In this moment of realization, he responded instinctively.
The scythe vanished. He extended his hands, palms up, as pure white soul power flowed out, purified of all elemental and bloodline traces until it nearly resembled world energy itself. It gathered in his palms, spinning faster and faster, merging into two swirling vortexes that soon combined into one giant spiral.
With its formation, the world energy within several hundred meters went wild, surging madly into the vortex. The dense spiritual energy above him condensed into near-solid clouds, streaming into his body.
His soul power spun at a frantic pace, compressing until it became dense and viscous, eventually crystallizing into a solid form.
As this solid soul power appeared, the world energy above raged violently, shaking the heavens. Xuan Zi and Mu En acted at once, their Title Douluo auras stabilizing the riotous energy field.
Within his spiritual sea, Zhu Ziyang's spiritual power erupted forth, merging with the solidified soul power and pulling it into his upper dantian. Through endless refinement, the fusion formed a rough diamond-shaped crystal, attempting to connect with his soul power pathways.
But it wasn't enough. Two more forces within his spiritual sea stirred – one gold, one silver, surging into the crystal. As the powers of destiny merged with the forming core, the final stage began.
The world energy clouds poured into his temples, brow, and crown chakra, feeding his emerging soul core. It began to spin, connecting with his internal pathways. Under the hammering of world energy, the grinding of destiny, and the polishing of his vast spiritual power, the crude crystal gradually became flawless.
The outside world calmed down. Xuan Zi glanced at the peaceful surroundings, then at Zhu Ziyang's composed face, a joyful smile blooming.
"Elder Mu, did he succeed?" he asked eagerly.
"Yes… he succeeded!" Mu En replied, his old face flushing with excitement as tears of relief filled his eyes. He tried to maintain his composure, but his trembling hands betrayed his elation.