Absorbing a Thousand-Year Soul Ring

Star Dou Great Forest, outskirts.

Ye Buqun's Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon True Body emerged. With the Soul Power boost from his Third Soul Skill, he forced the Peerless Dragon Snake, which had been in a Martial Soul fusion state, back to their original forms.

Afterward, Ye Buqun returned to normal and landed on the ground.

Although Dragon Duke and Snake Granny had been defeated, they had not suffered any serious injuries. Dusting themselves off, they once again found themselves at a loss when facing such a powerful Title Douluo.

Ye Buqun said calmly, "My apologies, you two. It seems this Soul Ring is ours now."

Dragon Duke Meng Shu looked helpless. "We were simply outmatched. Farewell!"

After all, they had lost the battle and the wager, so Dragon Duke and Snake Granny prepared to leave.

"Please wait, seniors. Though you had a claim to this Soul Ring, it belongs to us now. However, I will hunt a more suitable Soul Ring for your granddaughter, and I also have something to give her." Ye Buqun was doing this because he felt that this family was not bad.

It was clear from the battle just now that this young man had the strength to obtain a more suitable Soul Ring for their granddaughter. Of course, Dragon Duke and Snake Granny were also capable of hunting one or two thousand-year Soul Beasts for their granddaughter, though they likely could not do it as easily as this young man.

Moreover, the young man truly surprised them. At such an age, his rank was actually higher than Dragon Duke's, an established Soul Master who had lived most of his life. This made them even more curious about him.

Meng Shu looked at Chao Tianxiang. She nodded, indicating that she was willing to stay and see what kind of Soul Ring this mysterious young man could bring their granddaughter. Meng Yiran herself was not opposed to it either.

"Then please wait a moment."

As Ye Buqun spoke, he gestured for Doudou to finish off the Ice Dual-Winged Serpent, which had only one breath left.

Doudou stepped forward and, following Ye Buqun's instructions, plunged a knife into the serpent's vital spot.

Before long, even the serpent's final trace of life vanished, and it lay completely still.

Faint purple points of light gathered above the Ice Dual-Winged Serpent's body. The glow of the forming Soul Ring was clearer and brighter than that of a hundred-year yellow Soul Ring. Before she even touched it, Doudou could sense the extraordinary energy contained within it.

"Begin, Doudou. Sit cross-legged and do your best to protect your Martial Soul with your mind."

Under Ye Buqun's guidance, Doudou did as she was told. She spread open her right hand, and a flash of white light appeared. The adorable white dove emerged from her palm. She gathered Soul Power in her hand and used it to draw the Soul Ring toward herself.

She focused her mind on her right hand. As the thousand-year Soul Ring approached, she felt an unprecedented pressure descend upon her.

Doudou's brows knitted tightly. The purple Soul Ring rose above her head, then rapidly contracted until it was only as thick as a fist before gradually settling over her Martial Soul.

At that moment, Doudou felt an intensely frigid chill invade her body through her right hand, wildly coursing into her internal organs. The powerful discomfort made her body tremble.

"Steady yourself, child. Every Soul Master goes through this when absorbing a Soul Ring. The higher the quality of the Soul Ring, the more severe it is. Resist it with your will, and the final victory will be yours." Since Doudou was about the same age as his granddaughter, Dragon Duke Meng Shu stepped forward and encouraged her when he saw how much she was suffering.

Doudou's first two Soul Rings had only just surpassed a hundred years, and neither had been combat-oriented. Their attributes were relatively mild, making them easier to absorb. Absorbing a thousand-year Soul Ring all at once was truly a first for her, and she could clearly feel the intense discomfort.

After hearing Dragon Duke's words, Doudou's consciousness completely sank into a world of ice and snow. She felt as though her internal organs and every inch of skin were freezing, as if the piercing cold were eroding every cell in her body. All of this was unprecedented for Doudou.

Doudou was, after all, a petite young girl. Encouraged by Dragon Duke Meng Shu, Ye Buqun, and the others, she endured the discomfort for more than half an hour.

Afterward, Doudou's furrowed brows finally relaxed. It seemed she had endured the painful sensation, and the Soul Ring had fully fused with her.

It was said that Soul Masters had two major thresholds: level thirty and level seventy. Reaching level thirty meant entering another tier. One could basically shed the title of "low-level Soul Master," gain a bright future, and experience a qualitative leap in strength.

Doudou would never have dreamed that she could advance to Soul Elder at such a young age, and that her Third Soul Ring would be a thousand-year Soul Ring.

After the Soul Ring finished fusing, Doudou was so excited that she nearly cried. She could not help rushing forward and throwing her arms around Ye Buqun, thanking him again and again.

If not for Ye Buqun, she would never have had such an exciting moment.

Doudou hugged him very tightly, and what Ye Buqun felt was that after absorbing the Soul Ring, she seemed to have developed even better.

She had been so overcome with emotion that only after calming down slightly did she seem to realize that Dragon Duke, Snake Granny, Meng Yiran, and the others were present. She immediately released Ye Buqun, feeling rather embarrassed.

Then Doudou bowed to Meng Shu. "Senior Dragon Duke, thank you for encouraging me just now. Otherwise, I don't know whether I could have held on."

Dragon Duke Meng Shu smiled and waved his hand. "It was nothing, just a small matter. This old man merely spoke a few words. I did not truly help you."

Ye Buqun also said politely, "I must also thank Senior Dragon Duke for yielding to us. Next, it is time for me to fulfill my promise."

Hm?

"Third Soul Skill: Eye of Mirror!"

With a thought, Ye Buqun immediately summoned his Mirror Beast Martial Soul and activated his Third Soul Skill. Countless phantom mirrors appeared around them, covering vast regions of the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

"Th-this is?!" Dragon Duke and the others could not help but stare in shock.

Ye Buqun closed his eyes and used his Soul Skill to search every corner reflected by the mirrors.

Because of his powerful Soul Power, he could now see several hundred kilometers away. In the real world, this was even more useful than surveillance satellite radar.

He quickly locked onto a target within the reflections and said to the others, "Everyone, follow me!"

As he spoke, a Seven Kill Sword more than three meters long formed beneath his feet. He grabbed Doudou's hand and pulled her aboard, then led everyone toward the southeast—

More than ten kilometers away.

A massive black spider was devouring a dead deer-type Soul Beast. Its abdomen was over a meter in diameter, and its eight spear-like legs were each more than two meters long. The tips of its legs were exceptionally sharp, making almost no sound as they pierced the ground—