Exceptional Soul Beast, Rewards for the Elite Soul Master Competition

Exceptional soul beast.

Wang Qi had once seen records of a soul beast called the Fire Spirit in Spirit Hall's files held by Yu Xiaogang. It was hailed as the soul ring fire-attribute soul masters desired most, without equal.

The Fire Spirit had only two fixed soul skills: Fire Affinity and Flame Amplification.

Fire Affinity was a passive soul skill. Soul masters who absorbed a Fire Spirit Soul Ring, especially fire-attribute soul masters, could greatly increase their cultivation speed with the aid of Fire Affinity. It was an exceptional support-type soul skill.

Flame Amplification, on the other hand, was a boosting soul skill that comprehensively enhanced the quality of a fire-attribute soul master's flames.

Spirit Hall's records stated that a soul master who had absorbed a Fire Spirit Soul Ring had once killed a Titled Douluo while at the Soul Saint stage. He had been known as the strongest fire of that era.

Wang Qi was a transmigrator and knew that, ten thousand years later, people would classify Martial Souls in far greater detail. Ultimate Martial Souls were among those classifications.

The defining trait of an Ultimate Martial Soul was that non-ultimate attributes could not contend against ultimate ones. Ultimate attributes possessed absolute suppression over non-ultimate attributes. The fact that soul skill amplification alone could elevate one to the level of an Ultimate Martial Soul showed just how terrifying a Fire Spirit Soul Ring was.

Therefore, even if the Fire Spirit Soul Ring's suffix attributes did not include Talent Amplification, even if its age was far below the limit of his own soul rings, and even if its compatibility was only fifty, Wang Qi would still be willing to absorb the Fire Spirit Soul Ring.

What was more, the Fire Spirit Soul Ring's attributes, suffix attributes, and compatibility were all so high. Wang Qi was even less willing to give it up.

"Senior, do you see that flame soul beast in the valley? I'll leave my third soul ring to you."

Tang Hao appeared beside Wang Qi. Looking at the lone flickering flame in the valley, he asked doubtfully, "That ball of flame is a soul beast? Are you sure? I think that seven-thousand-year Flame Lord would suit you quite well."

"I'm sure. If I miss out on a soul beast on the level of a Fire Spirit, I'll probably regret it for the rest of my life."

Hearing Wang Qi's words, Tang Hao nodded. Tang Hao had no idea what a Fire Spirit was, but a deal was a deal. After nearly a month in the Mixed Zone of the Star Dou Great Forest, Tang Hao had grown thoroughly impatient. Now that Wang Qi had found his third soul ring, Tang Hao did not care in the slightest whether it was suitable or not.

Dense Soul Power erupted from Tang Hao's body, and an invisible barrier instantly enveloped the Fire Spirit.

Soul Power pressure and Divine Slaughter's Domain were released almost simultaneously, shrouding the Fire Spirit in the blink of an eye.

"Hmm? Is this little thing really a soul beast? Why are Divine Slaughter's Domain and Soul Power pressure completely useless against it?"

Tang Hao looked doubtfully at the flame, which had suffered almost no effect within Divine Slaughter's Domain. Once again, he questioned whether that ball of flame was truly a soul beast.

He clenched his hand in the air, and the Clear Sky Hammer Martial Soul immediately appeared. Nine soul rings—two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red—emerged beneath his feet as dense Soul Power pressure bore down on the flame soul beast.

The Clear Sky Hammer descended, and the flame turned into sparks, eventually gathering above Tang Hao's head. Tang Hao felt his Soul Power inexplicably fluctuate. Just as he wondered what that flame soul beast was trying to do, it returned to its previous position.

"Kid, what kind of soul beast is this Fire Spirit? It seemed like I didn't hit its physical body at all just now."

Tang Hao looked at Wang Qi in confusion. Once he realized Divine Slaughter's Domain could not restrain it and that the Fire Spirit would not leave easily, he withdrew the Soul Power pressure as well.

Wang Qi was not much better off than Tang Hao. He wore the same puzzled expression.

There was far too little information on Fire Spirits, and nearly all of it had been passed down by word of mouth. Fire-attribute soul masters only knew that a Fire Spirit looked like a ball of flame. No one knew exactly how it was to be absorbed.

Wang Qi did not answer Tang Hao's question. As expected, things passed down by word of mouth aren't reliable. In this world where strength reigns supreme, no one is willing to reveal their greatest secrets to outsiders.

He activated the Simulation Eye, triggering an illusion. Wang Qi immediately fell into an illusory realm.

Wang Qi did not answer Tang Hao's question. He activated the Simulation Eye, and as his consciousness touched the absorption probability, he immediately entered a simulated illusion.

Wang Qi was stunned. Seeing how the Fire Spirit turned into a soul ring within the simulation, he felt utterly terrible. If not for the Simulation Panel, Wang Qi would probably have been just like Tang Hao, wondering whether the Fire Spirit was truly a soul beast.

The way a Fire Spirit became a soul ring was completely different from the ways soul beasts became soul rings as Wang Qi understood them. At present, there were only two ways for a soul beast to become a soul ring.

First, the soul beast was killed, after which a soul ring condensed. Second, the soul beast voluntarily sacrificed itself.

Even if it had been ten thousand years later, Wang Qi would not have been surprised by the Soul Spirit cultivation system formed using magical knowledge from the world of undead mages.

But the Fire Spirit's method of becoming a soul ring was extremely peculiar. Once a fire-attribute soul master released their Martial Soul, the Fire Spirit would be drawn to the flames and directly transform into a soul ring, after which it would disappear.

Calling it disappearance might not have been entirely accurate. Rather, it would turn into an embryo somewhere in the world, waiting to be reborn after the person who absorbed its soul ring died.

"No wonder it's called a spirit. The depths of this soul beast are terrifyingly profound."

Wang Qi gave a bitter laugh. After completing Martial Soul Possession, he walked toward the Magma Flower Sea. His body was wrapped in golden flames, like a monarch of fire.

Thus, before Tang Hao's utterly bewildered eyes, the Fire Spirit suddenly vanished. When it reappeared, it was above Wang Qi's head.

Orange-red light enveloped Wang Qi, then exploded like fireworks within a few breaths. A dark purple soul ring immediately shrouded him.

Gentle energy, as warm as a mother's embrace, enveloped Wang Qi. Countless golden flames instantly swallowed him, and though he remained conscious, his awareness gradually sank away.

Tang Hao stared curiously at Wang Qi, who had transformed into an egg condensed from golden flames, his face filled with confusion.

"Who exactly is this kid? And what kind of soul beast was that? How could it be so strange?"

"His aura is steadily increasing. If not for the oath, I..."

As Wang Qi absorbed the soul ring, Douluo Continent became incomparably lively, all because the once-every-five-years All-Continent Advanced Elite Soul Master Competition was about to begin.

The two great empires began renovating their Great Soul Arenas, preparing to welcome this rare grand event of the soul master world.

This year's All-Continent Advanced Elite Soul Master Competition in particular would hold its finals in the Heaven Dou Empire. To display their confidence in victory, the Heaven Dou Royal Family had even put up a sizable tract of land as the championship prize for this All-Continent Advanced Elite Soul Master Competition.

Prince's Mansion, Heaven Dou City.

Crown Prince Xue Qinghe sat behind a long table, watching the middle-aged man pacing back and forth through the hall, his face full of worry.

"Your student does not know why Teacher is so anxious. Does Teacher lack confidence in this Heaven Dou Royal Team?"

The middle-aged man was Ning Fengzhi, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, one of the Upper Three Sects, and teacher to Heaven Dou's Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.

"Qinghe, it is not that I lack confidence in our Heaven Dou Team. But no matter how confident we are, we should not use national territory as the championship prize. What if the worst happens? Have you considered the consequences if Spirit Hall, or even the Star Luo Empire, wins the championship?"