"Come on, let Xiao Qi and me see what your Third Spirit Ability is."
Dugu Bo urged her with a smile.
Excitement flashed in Dugu Yan's eyes as she immediately circulated her Soul Power.
Two yellow Soul Rings and one purple Soul Ring appeared around her waist. Dark-golden dragon scales instantly covered her body.
The golden horn on her forehead lit up. Her Single-Horned Golden Flood Dragon Martial Soul Possession was complete, and the purple Soul Ring began to glow.
[Third Spirit Ability: Earth Dragon Body]
Consumes 30% of her base Soul Power to enhance herself, increasing her strength by 100% and her defense by 150%. When connected to the earth, it also increases her earth attribute by 50% and continuously restores her Soul Power. Duration: half an hour!
Dugu Yan gave a low cry. The ground beneath her feet trembled faintly, and a heavy aura of earth energy spread like a tide, enveloping her whole body.
In an instant, her aura surged. Her already sturdy frame grew even more solid, and the rocky thorns gleamed with a cold, metallic sheen. She looked like a moving mountain, utterly indestructible.
"What a powerful aura!"
Chen Jieqi exclaimed. Even the holy light of the Heart of the Naaru was faintly suppressed by the earth-type pressure.
Dugu Bo stroked his beard, his eyes full of astonishment.
"Yanyan, that Thorn Earth Dragon Soul Ring really is a perfect match for your Single-Horned Golden Flood Dragon. With the Earth Dragon Golden Melon's enhancement,
the effect of this Third Spirit Ability is already every bit as strong as the Star Luo Dai Family's White Tiger Vajra Transformation and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's Thunder Fury!"
"That's right, Grandpa. Yanyan's Third Spirit Ability doesn't just enhance all her abilities; it increases her strength by 100% and her defense by 150%.
It also boosts her earth attribute when she's standing on the ground. That makes it a very well-rounded enhancement to both her abilities and her attribute.
Most importantly, it also restores Soul Power. The recovery may not be very strong, but it gives Yanyan even greater endurance in battle.
It pairs extremely well with her [First Spirit Ability: Earth Power] and [Second Spirit Ability: Elemental Simulation]."
Dugu Bo's eyes were even more approving when he finished listening. He looked at Dugu Yan, his voice brimming with pride.
"Yanyan, with your Martial Soul and the effects of your Spirit Abilities, you're probably in a class of your own among Soul Elders.
"Your Soul Power is only at level 34, but you could still hold your own against some ordinary Soul Ancestors."
Dugu Yan felt the surging power within her and smiled with satisfaction.
"Thank you, Grandpa. I'll keep working hard."
At that moment, her thoughts were consumed by the strength her new Spirit Ability had given her. She didn't care at all that no Spirit Bone had dropped.
Chen Jieqi, however, grumbled to himself as he glanced at the Thorn Earth Dragon's corpse, regret flashing in his eyes.
"Looks like I really can't compare with someone blessed by fate like Tang San...
"His third Soul Ring had exceeded the age limit, but it was only 2,000 years old when it produced a top-grade External Soul Bone—the Eight Spider Lances.
"Dugu Yan's was nearly 3,000 years old, and it was even a Sub-Dragon Species Soul Beast, but it still didn't drop one."
The next morning, the rising sun pierced the mist over the wasteland.
The three of them finished packing and set off for Corona Forest to the west.
Chen Jieqi walked at the front, his eyes full of anticipation.
"Grandpa, Yanyan, Light Birds are top-tier light-type Soul Beasts. They should resonate perfectly with my Heart of the Naaru.
"Even if I don't get a Soul Ring from this fight, I can still get some good practice!"
Dugu Yan nodded.
"Don't worry. With me here, I can drag it down even if it's flying in the sky!"
Dugu Bo walked at the back with his hands behind him and laughed heartily.
"Go all out. With your grandpa here, even a ten-thousand-year Light Bird won't be able to cause trouble!"
Several days later, the three of them finally reached the central region of Corona Forest.
The air here had grown warm and almost scorching. Flecks of golden light drifted through it, and every translucent leaf of the Sunlight Parasol Trees gave off a gentle glow.
The ground beneath their feet looked as if it were covered in warm gold. Even the air they breathed carried the pure, bright aura of light.
"So this is the Light Bird's territory..."
Chen Jieqi spoke softly. The holy light of the Heart of the Naaru resonated with the surrounding light energy of its own accord, and a faint golden glow rose around him.
Dugu Yan clenched her dragon claws. Her dark-golden scales took on a deeper hue in the warm light.
"What powerful light energy. Even my earth-type Soul Power feels soothed by it."
Dugu Bo walked at the back with his hands behind him. He narrowed his eyes as he looked into the depths of the canopy.
"Be careful. These birds are proud and fiercely territorial!"
The three of them moved slowly across the ground covered in warm gold, their eyes sweeping over layers of golden leaves as they searched for the legendary streak of golden light.
"It's coming!"
As soon as Chen Jieqi spoke, the pale-gold Naaru Brand quietly appeared between his brows.
A gilded figure slowly circled down from above. It was a Light Bird just over a thousand years old.
Its wings spanned more than four meters. Its feathers looked as if they had been forged from molten gold, three golden crests standing straight atop its head, while its tail feathers trailed a long streak of light.
It hovered above the treetops, looking down with amber eyes full of innate pride and sanctity.
"Caw—!"
A sharp cry pierced the forest. Sound waves wrapped in light energy surged out, setting the golden motes throughout the forest rippling. Even the Warm Gold Moss on the ground glowed more brightly.
"I'll go first!"
Dugu Yan gave a low shout, and her Martial Soul possessed her in an instant.
Dark-golden scales covered her body. The golden horn on her forehead lit up, and both her arms transformed into dragon claws covered in rocky thorns.
[First Spirit Ability: Earth Power]
A wave of earth energy burst from beneath Dugu Yan's feet and slammed into the halo of sound waves from the Light Bird. Golden and earthy-yellow ripples of energy spread in layers, scattering the golden motes all around them.
[Second Spirit Ability: Elemental Simulation]
Dugu Yan swept up a hand. Three long earthy-yellow spears instantly took shape, whistling through the air as they shot straight for the Light Bird's left wing—the key to its flight.
Anger flashed in the Light Bird's amber eyes. It suddenly beat its wings.
"Holy Light Barrier!"
A translucent golden film instantly unfurled in front of it, like a sacred shield.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The three earthen spears struck the barrier in succession. Earth energy exploded, sending out rings of golden ripples, but the holy light completely dissolved them, leaving not a trace.
"What powerful defense!"
Dugu Yan was startled. The Light Bird's defenses were even stronger than she'd expected.
Looking down at her, the Light Bird's golden beak began to glow faintly, its amber eyes filled with anger.
"Light Breath!"
A golden beam as thick as a baby's arm blasted down. The air warped and distorted wherever it passed, scorched by the heat.
"Rock Barrier!"
Dugu Yan cried out. Earth energy surged around her, and a two-meter-tall earthen wall of rock rose before her with a thunderous crash, its earthy-yellow patterns gleaming with weight.
"Rumble!"
The golden light slammed into the wall. Its surface instantly turned white and cracked, and layers of scorched earth flew into the air. The whole wall shook violently before finally crumbling apart.
The remaining golden light struck Dugu Yan's dark-golden scales, leaving only a faint white mark that vanished in a flash.
She swayed, but held her ground, the corner of her mouth curling into a cold smile.
"That's all your attack can do?"
Then her aura abruptly surged.
[Third Spirit Ability: Earth Dragon Body]
Dugu Yan's body grew taller and larger. A heavy earthy-yellow glow covered her dark-golden scales, and earth energy shimmered sharply around her claws.
The rocky thorns around her grew denser and heavier, and Soul Power gathered around her in a surging tide.
"Rock Thorn Dragon Binding Array!"
She gave a low cry. The earth rumbled, and several sharp spikes clad in dark-yellow stone armor burst from the ground, rapidly weaving together into a huge cage.
It trapped the Light Bird on the branch at its center, its golden feathers and the earthy-yellow thorns facing off against one another.
The Light Bird cried out in fury and fear, beating its wings frantically.
"Light Feather Piercing!"
Dozens of golden feathers shot out like a downpour, whistling through the air as they slammed into the Rock Thorn Cage.
"Crack, crack—!"
The rock shattered and sprayed outward. Cracks spread across the cage, but it still held the Light Bird fast, never quite breaking open.
At the same time, Dugu Yan launched herself upward, using the rock thorns to leap into the cage. Earth energy surged to its limit, gathering around her dragon claws.
Her right claw struck like a dragon's roar, tearing through the air as she lunged at the Light Bird!
"Crack—!"
The Holy Light Barrier that had withstood several attacks finally gave way. It shattered under the force of her dragon claw.
"Pfft!"
The blow struck the Light Bird directly, sending golden feathers flying.
"Caw—!"
The Light Bird let out a mournful cry, its holy light beginning to dim as its huge body plunged straight down from the sky and crashed onto the warm golden ground.
It struggled to flap its wings and take off, but several earthen spikes pierced straight through it.
After a few more moments, it finally ran out of strength. The light energy within it scattered wildly, and the luster slowly faded from its amber eyes.
Dugu Yan landed steadily. The earth energy around her gradually subsided, and the Rock Thorn Cage dissolved along with it.
She turned to Chen Jieqi and called out:
"Xiao Qi, hurry and land the final blow!"