Fire Element Manipulation

Star Luo City.

In a laboratory, Ji Lin raised his head from the workbench and let out a long breath.

"Finished."

Looking at the Rank 1 spirit tool in his hand, Ji Lin wore a gloomy expression.

A full year had passed since he obtained his first soul ring and completed the attribute connection with the Auspicious Beast.

Back then, Di Tian had brought a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone in exchange for the Auspicious Beast. He had been so compliant because he had sensed Chi Yuan's strength.

The exchange was completed smoothly, and Ji Lin and Chi Yuan returned directly to the Star Luo Empire with the soul bone.

A year had passed, and Ji Lin was now seven years old.

Seven-year-old Ji Lin was already a Level 20 Soul Grandmaster candidate. The eight-hundred-year Blazing Sun Fire Dragon soul ring he had obtained a year ago had directly raised his Soul Power to Level 13.

With the Body Tempering Pill from his fifth treasure chest, as well as the boost from Void Sword Qi, Ji Lin had risen seven levels in just one year.

Xu Jiujiu had called him a little monster.

The Body Tempering Pill was a fictional medicine commonly found in many wuxia novels and fantasy stories. It could enhance the user's physique, strength, and endurance.

Over the past year, Ji Lin had spent most of his time cultivating and increasing his Soul Power, while the rest was spent studying theoretical knowledge and spirit tool crafting.

Since he had devoted most of his time to cultivation, it had taken Ji Lin a full year to become a Rank 1 Soul Engineer, relying on his powerful Mental Power.

The one who taught Ji Lin about spirit tools was a Rank 5 Soul Engineer Xu Jiujiu had applied to Xu Jiawei for on his behalf.

There was no helping it. The original Three Douluo Kingdoms had rejected spirit tools, and outstanding high-ranking Soul Engineers were far too scarce. Even in an empire like the Star Luo Empire, which placed relatively greater importance on spirit tools, there were not many high-ranking Soul Engineers. And even when there were, they had projects of their own and no time to teach a child the fundamentals.

Being able to find a Rank 5 Soul Engineer was already due to Ji Lin's talent and the standing of his teacher, Chi Yuan Douluo.

Over the past year, Great Strength Douluo Cheng Gang, the man Chi Yuan had once knocked flat with a single punch, had unwillingly come to challenge Chi Yuan to a spar. After getting beaten black and blue, he never dared provoke her again.

Whether it had been a test or something else, after Great Strength Douluo, Great Hammer Douluo had also come to challenge Chi Yuan. Even Shattered Star Douluo had sparred with her once. Of course, none of them had gone all out.

After that, no one came to challenge Chi Yuan again, and the Star Luo Empire increased its allocation of resources to Ji Lin.

Spirit Beast Meat of all grades, Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, pills without side effects—everything was provided.

Ji Lin's seven-level rise in a year owed much to those resources.

One had to know that the golden age of cultivation for soul masters was between twelve and thirty. After thirty, as the body became fixed and genetic development ceased, cultivation speed would drop drastically. Thus, nearly all Titled Douluo-level powerhouses had laid a solid foundation before turning thirty. The very strongest could even reach an eight-ring cultivation before thirty, with some becoming Titled Douluo outright.

For Ji Lin to rise seven levels in a year before the age of twelve, hard cultivation alone would never have been enough.

His future advancement would not be so fast. After all, he had already consumed the pills and Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures he could take. Taking more would not produce the same effects as the first time.

No matter how good a pill was, one would develop resistance to it.

Ji Lin's Treasure Chest System had also condensed its seventh item when he turned seven: another Feather Crossing Dust feather. Heaven knew how wonderful Ji Lin's expression had been when he saw the second Feather Crossing Dust feather.

Both his third and seventh treasure chests had contained Feather Crossing Dust feathers. He had used one during the attribute connection with the Auspicious Beast, leaving him with one remaining.

Who knew what rules governed the treasure chests' condensation? They could even produce the same item.

Today was the day Chi Yuan would take him to obtain his second soul ring. Their destination was still the Star Dou Great Forest.

Leaving the laboratory, Ji Lin arrived outside Chi Yuan's room and knocked on the door. "Teacher Chi Yuan, I'm ready. Let's go."

Chi Yuan pushed open the door. It creaked as it slowly opened, revealing the hazy light outside. Her face remained expressionless, but a trace of amusement appeared in her eyes.

She looked at the neatly dressed Ji Lin standing at the door.

Without saying a word, she picked him up and shot into the sky, transforming into a streak of red light that vanished beyond the horizon.

This time, Ji Lin had learned from last time's lesson. His Storage Spirit Tool was packed with pots, bowls, utensils, ingredients, seasonings, portable tents, and every other sort of daily necessity.

Ji Lin had clearly prepared for a prolonged battle.

However, their luck was clearly excellent this time. They had barely entered the Mixed Area of the Star Dou Great Forest when they discovered a fire-attributed spirit beast of roughly three thousand years—a three-thousand-year Winged Fire Dragon. Like the Blazing Sun Fire Dragon from last time, it was a draconic subspecies. Its bloodline was inferior to the Blazing Sun Fire Dragon's, but its age was high enough, making it perfectly suited to become Ji Lin's second soul ring.

A three-thousand-year draconic spirit beast was obviously far beyond anything Ji Lin could handle. Chi Yuan was the one who acted again.

It was over in an instant. Chi Yuan's moves were as swift and decisive as ever. She tore through space, appeared above the Winged Fire Dragon's head, knocked it unconscious with one punch, and took it away in one fluid motion.

This time, Ji Lin directly used Heavenly Fire Holy Judgment to finish the Winged Fire Dragon. He sat cross-legged and began absorbing its soul ring. This was clearly much harder than absorbing his first soul ring, given that it was a three-thousand-year soul ring. Ji Lin took a full two hours to finish absorbing it.

Ji Lin summoned Heavenly Fire Holy Judgment. One yellow and one purple soul ring rose and fell around him, emanating an imposing aura.

A pair of flaming wings suddenly emerged behind Ji Lin. They resembled the blazing wings of a phoenix, gleaming brightly and radiating dazzling light. The fiery wings fluttered gently in the air, stirring waves of heat. The surrounding air itself seemed to ignite, forming streams of distorted heat.

These flaming wings were not only incomparably beautiful but also contained immense power. Whenever Ji Lin flapped them, flames surged forth, forming blazing firestorms.

Ji Lin beat his wings, stirring the surrounding air into fierce currents. He slowly rose into the sky, as though freed from the shackles of gravity. As he climbed higher, the scenery below grew smaller and smaller, while his heartbeat gradually synchronized with the rhythm of his wings. During that flight, Ji Lin felt a freedom and tranquility unlike anything he had ever known. It was as though he had become the ruler of the sky, in control of his own fate.

After flying wildly through the air for a while, Ji Lin slowly descended, flapping his wings as he calmed his excited emotions.

Seeing Ji Lin land, Chi Yuan asked with a smile in her eyes, "Is your second soul skill a flight-type skill?"

Looking at Chi Yuan, Ji Lin awkwardly scratched the bridge of his nose with his index finger.

"My second soul skill is called Fire Element Manipulation. It enhances my control over and affinity with fire elements. Just now, I used fire elements to form a pair of wings. Not only can they give me a flying speed no slower than the Winged Fire Dragon's, but they can also unleash firestorms ahead to attack enemies and deal fire damage. Combined with my Ultimate Fire, their power is considerable."

"As expected of a three-thousand-year soul ring with true dragon bloodline. This soul skill is quite good." Chi Yuan praised him with her arms folded across her chest.

"Since the soul ring has been absorbed, we should leave. This Winged Fire Dragon didn't produce a soul bone. We found a suitable target so quickly this time that I thought my luck had finally improved."

Looking at the dismembered Winged Fire Dragon, Ji Lin's face was full of helplessness.