Absorb It Now!

Lor Diarra didn't give Chen Li any chance to object. Or rather, in his fervent research mindset, the experimental subject's personal will and safety concerns were utterly insignificant in the face of "exploring the truth."

"Let's go! We're going right now! I can't wait to see the results!" Lor Diarra growled, grabbing Chen Li's wrist.

How could Chen Li resist the power of a six-ring Soul Emperor? Chen Li felt an immense force pull him forward uncontrollably, the wind whistling past his ears as the scenery blurred and rushed backward.

Lor Diarra seemed extremely familiar with the area. He dragged Chen Li straight towards the deeper parts of the ecological field, into the high-level Soul Beast zone with its even tighter security.

Thanks to his research permit and status, the guards along the way merely conducted a cursory check before letting them pass.

Soon, they entered a vast area simulating a mountain environment with lightning. Here, lightning elements were exceptionally active, with faint arcs of electricity occasionally streaking across the air. On a steep cliff platform, an extraordinary Soul Beast stood proudly.

It resembled an eagle, but its entire body was covered in magnificent blue-purple feathers. The edges of its wings flickered with electrical sparks, and its sharp beak and claws bore natural lightning patterns.

It was a lightning-attribute flying Soul Beast, a Thunderclap Eagle. Judging by its aura and the intensity of its lightning, its cultivation was definitely over a thousand years!

"Good! This is it! A Thunderclap Eagle of around thirteen hundred years, a top-tier lightning-attribute beast. Its Soul Ring quality is absolutely superior for its age!"

Lor Diarra's eyes were filled only with the fervor of experimentation. He released Chen Li, licked his slightly dry lips, and stared intently at the eagle, as if it were perfect experimental material.

"Kid, are you ready?" he asked without looking back, his voice full of seduction and urgency. "This will be the most important step in your Martial Soul research! It might also be your only chance to break through your predicament! Let's see what your limits are, what your Martial Soul... is truly craving!"

Chen Li steadied himself, looking at the thousand-year Soul Beast exuding a dangerous aura, then at Lor Diarra beside him, who seemed to be in a frenzy. He took a gentle breath, suppressing all his emotions. Deep within his eyes, a faint, almost imperceptible flash of lightning and anticipation flickered.

Lor Diarra's low growl, filled with fervor and urgency, pulled Chen Li back from his rapidly spinning thoughts.

"I'm ready," Chen Li narrowed his eyes, shifting his gaze from the frenzied Lor Diarra to lock firmly onto the majestic and dangerous Thunderclap Eagle on the cliff platform ahead.

The pressure of the thousand-year Soul Beast faintly emanated, carrying the sharp, electric scent characteristic of lightning.

"Then let's try it! Let me see your limit reaction!" Lor Diarra roared. Before he even finished speaking, he had already transformed into a blurred afterimage and shot forward again!

The six Soul Rings behind him flashed simultaneously. Especially the pitch-black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, which suddenly unleashed a condensed, tangible mental pressure, striking precisely at the Thunderclap Eagle's head!

"Screech!"

The Thunderclap Eagle let out a painful, sharp cry. The electrical currents coursing over its body instantly became chaotic, and its massive form swayed violently. It stumbled and fell from the cliff platform, clearly suffering a heavy blow on a spiritual level, entering a state of brief disorientation and weakness.

As a researcher, Lor Diarra understood how to weaken a target efficiently and controllably, rather than simply killing it with brute force.

"That's enough, quickly!" Lor Diarra instantly retreated to Chen Li's side, his breathing slightly rapid. The continuous use of high-level Soul Skills had taken a toll on him, but the excited gleam in his eyes grew stronger as he stared intently at Chen Li and the struggling eagle.

Chen Li didn't hesitate. Lightning flashed beneath his feet, and he charged forward. Facing this weakened thousand-year Soul Beast, he had to ensure the final blow was his.

He raised his right hand, the primal power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit surging within him. Highly condensed lightning compressed and shaped wildly in his palm, finally forming a Lightning Holy Spear nearly three meters long, woven entirely from deep blue lightning, its tip spitting blinding purple electricity!

This was not a Soul Skill, but a self-created killing move born from his deep mastery of lightning power, its might far exceeding its form when he dealt with lower-level Soul Beasts!

"Go!"

The Lightning Holy Spear flew from his hand, tearing through the air with a sharp explosion, trailing a dazzling blue-purple tail flame. It was like a true divine punishment, piercing the Thunderclap Eagle's head with pinpoint accuracy!

Boom!

The violent lightning power instantly exploded within the eagle's skull! It couldn't even let out a final cry. Its body stiffened abruptly, then turned black and smoking, crashing to the ground with a thud, its life force completely extinguished.

A deep purple Soul Ring slowly condensed and rose from the Thunderclap Eagle's charred corpse. It glowed with a purple light, as if tiny arcs of electricity flowed within it, emitting energy fluctuations far more powerful and pure than a Hundred Year Soul Ring, possessing a fatal attraction for any lightning-attribute Soul Master.

"Quick! While it's still here! Absorb it!" Lor Diarra's voice trembled slightly with excitement. He raised his recording board again, his pen tip almost piercing the paper.

"Observation focus: Thousand-year Soul Ring structural stability, energy interaction patterns during initial contact with the Martial Soul's origin, critical point of collapse..."

Chen Li sat cross-legged before the Soul Ring as instructed, calmed his mind, and used his Soul Power to try and attract the purple Soul Ring.

Hum! The thousand-year Soul Ring seemed to sense the pure lightning aura within him and floated over obediently, hovering steadily above his head. It slowly descended, its purple light enveloping his figure.

"It's reacting?! The energy is starting to interact?! Could the strength of a thousand-year Soul Ring be enough to match?!" Lor Diarra's eyes widened, almost unable to believe the initial smooth progress he was witnessing. This was completely unlike the instant collapse he had predicted countless times before!

However, just as the purple Soul Ring was about to make contact with Chen Li's body for the deepest level of fusion, An anomaly occurred again!

Ding~

Crack!

The deep purple Soul Ring, without any warning, erupted with countless fine cracks from the inside!

Immediately after, the entire Soul Ring structure completely shattered, transforming into a large mass of dense energy mist with specks of purple light. It swirled around Chen Li as if alive, flowing with a mournful sound for several breaths before finally dissipating into the air with unwillingness, vanishing without a trace.

Another failure.

Still an insurmountable gap.

"This... this..." The ecstatic joy on Lor Diarra's face froze, slowly replaced by immense confusion and an even deeper desire for research.

He stared intently at the spot where the Soul Ring had vanished, then suddenly looked at Chen Li, as if trying to see something extraordinary in him.

"Why? Hundred Year Soul Rings were like this, and a Thousand Year one isn't either?! The collapse mode is almost identical, just that the Thousand Year Soul Ring held on a little longer... Is it truly an absolute rejection of status? What kind of Soul Ring does your Martial Soul's origin require?!"