Dark golden light shot from Dugu Ce's eyes, striking the Lava Poison Earth Dragon head-on.
The Earth Dragon's movements suddenly halted, and gray-white stone patterns surfaced across its body.
But it was frozen for less than two seconds before the power of magma within it shattered those stone patterns.
Two seconds was enough.
Dugu Ce descended from the sky, his right leg wrapped in dark golden flames as he slammed it into the Earth Dragon's head.
"Boom!"
The Earth Dragon's massive body was sent flying by the kick. It crashed into the inner wall of the volcano, making the entire mountain tremble.
Golden Crocodile Douluo raised an eyebrow.
"That kick's power... nearly matches the full-force strike of a Soul Douluo."
Dugu Ce landed back on the rocks, caught his breath, and stared at the Earth Dragon embedded in the wall.
A crack split the Earth Dragon's skull, and dark red blood trickled down its scales.
But it wasn't dead yet. The orange-yellow glow in its eyes only grew more frenzied.
"Roar!"
The Earth Dragon suddenly tore itself free from the wall. Its scales bristled, and every bony spine along its back snapped off.
They transformed into dozens of dark red bone-spike darts, raining down on Dugu Ce.
"Last-ditch counterattack?"
Dugu Ce took a deep breath and thrust out both hands.
The Radiant Sacred Dragon's brilliant golden Soul Power in his left hand formed a shield before him.
In his right hand, the Calamity Sacred Dragon's dark golden flames gathered into a fiery serpent that charged at the bone spikes.
"Pfft, pfft, pfft!"
The bone spikes struck the light shield, bursting into clouds of dark red poisonous mist.
The fiery serpent pierced through the mist and coiled around the Earth Dragon's neck, tightening its grip.
The Earth Dragon struggled desperately, thrashing its massive tail and smashing the inner wall of the volcano until rocks flew everywhere.
But the dark golden fiery serpent clung to it like a festering wound, tightening its coils as its scorching poisonous flames seeped between the scales and burned its flesh.
Dugu Ce leapt off the rocks and landed atop the Earth Dragon's head.
He pressed his right hand against its cracked skull, pouring the Calamity Sacred Dragon's dark golden flames straight into its brain.
"Die."
The Earth Dragon let out a mournful, piercing wail. Its massive body convulsed violently a few times, then finally fell still.
A black Soul Ring slowly rose from its corpse.
Fifty-eight thousand years.
Its age was impressive, but it was still short of a hundred thousand years, making it a black Soul Ring of the ten-thousand-year rank.
Dugu Ce jumped down from the Earth Dragon's head, sat cross-legged on a rock inside the volcano, and began drawing the Soul Ring toward himself.
Golden Crocodile Douluo leapt down from the rim and stood nearby with his hands behind his back, watching quietly.
The purple Soul Ring slowly descended and settled around Dugu Ce.
The instant it entered his body, a torrent of violent magma power surged into his meridians, scorching every inch of his flesh.
Dugu Ce grunted. The Dark Gold Dragon Pattern on his chest suddenly lit up.
His Ice and Fire Golden Body activated on its own, suppressing the violent power.
Half an hour later.
The Soul Ring had stabilized completely around Dugu Ce: his fifth Soul Ring, black, fifty-eight thousand years old.
Dugu Ce opened his eyes and let out a long breath.
Within the blue-green light in his eyes, a hint of dark red magma coloring had appeared.
"How did it go?"
Golden Crocodile Douluo asked.
Dugu Ce stood up, stretched his limbs, and raised his right hand.
His fifth Soul Ring lit up, and scorching magma power gathered in his palm.
"Two Soul Skills.
More precisely, it's one Soul Skill with two ways to release it.
The first is called 'Magma Burst.' It converts Soul Power into magma and shoots it out. On impact, it explodes, causing burn and poison damage.
The second is called 'Earth Dragon Roll.' It uses Soul Power to trigger a small-scale earthquake. Enemies in the area will be shaken off balance for five seconds."
"One's for burst damage, the other for control."
Golden Crocodile Douluo nodded.
"Perfect for your Calamity Sacred Dragon.
How much did your Soul Power increase?"
"Level fifty-two."
Dugu Ce closed his eyes and sensed it.
"This Earth Dragon had plenty of energy. My Soul Power jumped an entire level."
"A twelve-year-old Soul King at level fifty-two..."
Golden Crocodile Douluo burst into laughter.
"If that girl Bibi Dong hears the news, she'll probably lose sleep over it."
Dugu Ce withdrew his Martial Soul and glanced at the Earth Dragon's corpse.
Golden Crocodile Douluo casually waved a hand. A streak of golden Soul Power split open the Earth Dragon's corpse, and he took out a dark red bone.
"A ten-thousand-year Lava Earth Dragon Right Arm Bone.
Want it?"
Golden Crocodile Douluo tossed the Soul Bone in his hand and looked at Dugu Ce.
Dugu Ce shook his head.
"Keep it, teacher.
I haven't decided how to arrange the Soul Bones I have yet. There's no rush to use it."
"Fine. I'll hold onto it for you."
Golden Crocodile Douluo tucked the Soul Bone away and leapt into the air.
"Let's go back to the mountain.
Your grandfather and the others must be getting impatient."
The two of them turned into streaks of light, leaving the volcano and heading straight for True Dragon Mountain.
True Dragon Mountain, summit.
Night had already fallen, and several bonfires had been lit among the mountains.
Dugu Ce and Golden Crocodile Douluo landed on the stone terrace. Dugu Xuan, Dugu Bo, Dugu Yan, and Yu Yin were waiting there.
"Ce'er!"
Yu Yin stepped forward and took her son's hand. She looked him over from head to toe, and only relaxed after confirming that he wasn't injured.
"Did you do it?"
Dugu Xuan stared at the black Soul Ring that had appeared beneath his grandson.
"I did."
Dugu Ce raised his right hand. His fifth Soul Ring lit up, and dark red magma churned in his palm.
"A fifty-eight-thousand-year Lava Poison Earth Dragon. Two Soul Skills, one for burst damage and one for control. My Soul Power's at level fifty-one."
Dugu Bo drew in a sharp breath.
"A fifty-eight-thousand-year fifth Soul Ring?
My fifth Soul Ring was only a little over twenty thousand years old..."
"That's why you're a Title Floor Tile, while Ce'er is the sect master of the Dragon-Serpent Sect."
Dugu Xuan twisted the knife without mercy.
Dugu Bo glared at him but didn't argue.
Golden Crocodile Douluo glanced around and asked,
"Are Yu Chengsi and his people still on East Peak?"
"They are."
Dugu Yan nodded.
"They made a fuss again during the day, saying the people on West Peak were using their greater numbers to bully them. They wanted to move camp."
"Move camp?"
Dugu Ce sneered.
"They're trying to get closer to the core region, aren't they?
Great-uncle, can the Myriad Poison Array be activated?"
Dugu Bo chuckled.
"Any time. Once I activate the array, the area around East Peak will become a death zone in less than half an incense stick.
Not a single person inside will get out."
"Then we'll act tonight."
Dugu Ce looked at Golden Crocodile Douluo.
"Teacher, let me borrow your name.
Tell them the Second Worship of Spirit Hall is inspecting True Dragon Mountain, and order everyone on East Peak to remain in camp and not go outside."
Golden Crocodile Douluo raised an eyebrow.
"You're trying to pin the blame on me?"
"No."
Dugu Ce shook his head.
"I just want Yu Chengsi and the others to stay put in their camp and stop wandering around.
Once the poisonous fog clears, outsiders will think they wandered into a forbidden zone on their own. The Dragon-Serpent Sect will have nothing to do with it."
Golden Crocodile Douluo laughed.
"You've got a devious mind, kid. Fine, I'll play along."
Dugu Ce turned to Dugu Xuan and Dugu Bo.
"Grandfather, great-uncle, head to the outskirts of East Peak and keep watch. Don't let anyone get out.
Sis, take Mother to West Peak and tell Yu Chengzhi's group that no matter what they hear tonight, they mustn't leave."
Before you continue