External Spirit Bone: Heart Protecting Dragon Ribs

Star Dou Great Forest. Deathly stillness.

The deep-purple Spirit Ring, wreathed in flecks of golden light, hovered silently above the Dragon-transformed Qilin Colt's corpse, radiating an unnerving pulse of energy.

Under countless watchful eyes, Yu Xiaoheng sat cross-legged, ready to begin a feat destined to be recorded in Soul Master history.

Deep within the forest, Rou'er and Ah Yin's bodies trembled slightly.

It was not fear, but a shuddering hatred that arose from the depths of their souls.

"Killing... but not torturing the living..." Rou'er's voice trembled faintly.

"Are they... are they demons?"

Ah Yin's face was pale as paper.

If only one Soul Master had committed such cruel acts, he could still have been called a madman.

What was terrifying was that once the young man called the Young Master gave the order, not a single person in the entire clan—from Elders to Disciples—had hesitated.

It was obedience and fanaticism carved into their very bones.

A Title Douluo, a terrifying family, and a ruthless Young Master.

For the first time, they made Rou'er and Ah Yin feel profound despair for the future of Spirit Beasts.

On the other side, Yu Xiaoheng had already extended his Mental Power to inspect the Dragon-transformed Qilin Colt's corpse.

There was no Spirit Bone.

A few suppressed sighs rose from the crowd, carrying a trace of disappointment.

Yu Xiaoheng remained calm. Spirit Bones were things one could encounter only by chance.

What he looked forward to even more was the legendary External Spirit Bone.

Without further hesitation, he used his Mental Power to guide the Purple-Gold Thousand Year Spirit Ring down over his head!

"Boom—!"

The instant the Spirit Ring entered his body, a torrent of energy mixed with overwhelming resentment and berserk dragon-blood power exploded within him!

The impact far surpassed any record of a Thousand Year Spirit Ring in the Sect Records, and boundless hatred came crashing down upon him!

"Xiaoheng!" Yu Yuanzhen's heart leaped into his throat.

The Elders' expressions changed drastically. This energy fluctuation rivaled that of an ordinary Four Thousand Year Spirit Ring!

Yet Yu Xiaoheng's body merely jolted violently.

Beneath his skin, streaks of silver-blue Thunder Pattern suddenly lit up, and a faint golden glow emerged across his body.

The formidable physique of Dragon Body Perfection was like an immovable divine mountain, forcibly suppressing the berserk torrent of energy within his Meridians.

Pain flashed across his face. Veins bulged at his temples, and beads of sweat rolled down his skin.

Yet his back remained straight.

Seeing this, the concern on the faces of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan gradually faded, replaced by uncontrollable ecstasy and reverence.

At the very moment when everyone's attention was fixed on Yu Xiaoheng—

A figure quietly approached the corpse of the Fourteen Hundred Years Dawnlight Qilin Colt.

It was Yu Xiaogang.

Madness flickered in his eyes as he quietly summoned Luo Sanpao, drew a dagger from his waist, and swiftly sliced off a still-warm piece of Qilin Colt flesh.

"Eat it," he ordered.

Luo Sanpao's round body shrank back. Smelling the lingering Dragon Might and bloody stench from the meat, it did not dare step forward.

Yu Xiaogang's gaze darkened.

"You don't dare eat it? I'll teach you."

Before his words had even faded, he shoved the bloody chunk of meat into his own mouth before Luo Sanpao, endured his nausea, and swallowed it whole!

Luo Sanpao was stunned.

The next moment, as though inspired by its master's madness, it no longer hesitated and swallowed another piece of meat in one bite.

"Aaargh—!"

Almost instantly, intense pain swept through Yu Xiaogang's entire body!

A scorching energy rampaged through him, as though it intended to burn his organs to ash!

He had come prepared. He had consulted the Sect Records for accounts of consuming Spirit Beast flesh and knew that such a small piece would not be fatal.

But the pain far exceeded his expectations.

He writhed across the ground in agony.

Several Elders noticed the commotion and cast concerned looks his way, about to approach.

Just then, Yu Xiaoheng's Spirit Ring absorption seemed to hit a bottleneck, and the pain on his face deepened.

Whoosh!

Everyone's attention, including that of the Elders, was instantly drawn back.

They only gave Yu Xiaogang a hurried glance. Once Yu Xiaoheng's condition stabilized, they finally strode over.

Yet what came from their mouths was not concern.

"Yu Xiaogang! What are you doing?!"

"The Young Master is at a critical moment in absorbing his Spirit Ring. Why are you making trouble here? Are you trying to cause problems for the family?!"

Not one word praised his efforts. Not one word cared for his safety.

There was only rebuke.

In their eyes, his risking his life to seek a path to change his fate was merely "causing trouble."

Yu Xiaogang curled up on the ground, his body twitching in pain while his heart was deathly still.

He slowly raised his head and looked through blurred, tear-filled eyes at his Brother, who stood at the center of the crowd like a god descended upon the world.

Resentment, jealousy, venomous hatred... countless emotions intertwined, ultimately turning into bone-deep coldness.

Good. Very good.

Family? Kinship?

His heart hardened. From this day onward, to hell with family and to hell with brothers.

I only need to become stronger!

The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is nothing more than my stepping stone!

On the other side, this small interruption did not affect Yu Xiaoheng.

He had completely refined the Spirit Ring's energy. The Purple-Gold halo pulsed as it was about to merge with him.

Still, he felt somewhat disappointed.

Just now, he had clearly felt a strange energy gathering within his chest, as though it were about to condense into something tangible, but it ultimately fell short and dispersed.

It seemed that even with such intense hatred, condensing an External Spirit Bone still required tremendous luck.

At that moment...

An aged and imposing sigh rang directly in his mind.

"Such a fortuitous opportunity cannot be wasted."

It was the Ancestor!

Yu Xiaoheng's heart jolted.

"I possess a Secret Technique that can help the descendants of the Holy Dragon condense an External Spirit Bone. A Spirit Bone is required as the catalyst," the Ancestor's voice sounded again.

A Spirit Bone as the catalyst?

As he pondered this, the Elders' expressions suddenly changed. They seemed to have received some kind of command as well.

In a flurry, they pulled several Spirit Bones from their Soul Tools, but they were only Thousand Year quality, with some even merely Hundred Year quality.

Before they could act, Yu Yuanzhen had already stepped forward.

"Use mine!"

He took a brilliantly shining Ten Thousand Year Spirit Bone from his Soul Tool!

It was a Right Arm Bone, in the same location as the Sacred Dragon Bone!

Upon hearing the Ancestor's voice, Yu Yuanzhen's face filled with wild joy as he threw the Ten Thousand Year Spirit Bone toward Yu Xiaoheng!

The Spirit Bone was seized by an invisible force while still in midair!

"Crack!"

With a crisp sound, the incomparably hard Ten Thousand Year Spirit Bone was shattered alive, turning into fragments that filled the air!

Then, those glowing bone fragments flew into Yu Xiaoheng's chest like fledglings returning to their nest!

"Mm!"

Yu Xiaoheng let out a muffled groan, feeling an immense essence of life and Soul Power explode within his chest.

The force of condensation that had already dispersed appeared once more!

Under his inner vision, a Spirit Bone slowly took shape beside his heart!

External Spirit Bone: Heart Protecting Dragon Ribs!