Azure Dragon Protection! Azure Dragon Wind Control!

The absorption process took far longer than Qing Mufeng had expected.

After the deep-purple soul ring entered his body, its violent wind-and-wood power rampaged through his meridians like an enraged python, frantically tearing at their walls.

The Soul Power of a 5,900-year-old soul ring was suffocatingly dense.

Qing Mufeng gritted his teeth. Veins bulged on his forehead, and sweat poured down like rain, soaking his clothes.

His body trembled slightly, while a fine layer of blood beads seeped from his skin—the sign of capillaries rupturing under the impact of Soul Power within his meridians.

But he did not panic.

Deep within his dantian, the Azure Dragon Martial Soul opened its golden vertical pupils and coldly watched the deep-purple soul ring rampaging through his body.

It did not rush to suppress it. Instead, like a patient beast tamer, it waited for the soul ring's power to exhaust itself.

Qing Mufeng waited as well.

He circulated the Azure Dragon Method, opening all four pathways and guiding the violent wind-and-wood power through cycles within his meridians.

With every cycle, the unruly power weakened a little, while his meridians widened a little more.

It hurt. It truly hurt.

It was like someone repeatedly sanding the insides of his meridians with sandpaper, or countless fine needles piercing outward from within his body.

Every inch of his meridians and every acupoint endured immense pressure.

Yet he could feel his physique undergoing a qualitative transformation.

His meridians were widening, his acupoints expanding, and his muscles, bones, and internal organs were all being tempered by that wind-and-wood power.

Though the Soul Power of a 5,900-year-old soul ring was violent, the life energy contained within it was equally astonishing.

Painful, yet blissful.

Qing Mufeng had heard that phrase countless times in his previous life, but never had he understood it as deeply as he did today.

Time passed second by second.

Qing Zhengyue, Liu Yunlan, Qing Hongyuan, and Shen Wanqing remained around Qing Mufeng, facing the four directions and forming a square defensive formation.

Their gazes swept across the surrounding forest, alert for any soul beasts that might be drawn by the scent of blood.

Occasionally, low-level soul beasts approached, only to be frightened away by a single look from Qing Zhengyue.

One hour.

Two hours.

Three hours.

Only after the sky had gone from dark to bright, then from bright to dark again—after half a day had passed—did Qing Mufeng's breathing gradually steady and his trembling slowly cease.

The deep-purple soul ring had finally completed its fusion with his Martial Soul.

Qing Mufeng opened his eyes.

His golden vertical pupils were richer and deeper than before, with faint cyan wind patterns flowing in their depths.

With a thought, three soul rings slowly rose beneath his feet.

Yellow.

Purple.

Purple.

The first soul ring was dark yellow, eight hundred years old.

The second soul ring was purple, one thousand six hundred years old.

The third soul ring was deep purple, five thousand nine hundred years old.

The three soul rings slowly revolved around his body, their Soul Power fluctuations several times stronger than before the absorption.

Qing Mufeng closed his eyes and sensed the Soul Power within his body.

Level thirty-four.

He had crossed four full levels, from level thirty to level thirty-four.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement in his heart as he began to sense the new soul skill granted by his third soul ring.

Inheritance memories surged into his mind like a tide.

Third Soul Skill · Azure Dragon Protection

Soul Skill Attributes: Wood Attribute + Wind Attribute + Azure Dragon Power (Triple Composite Defensive Skill)

Soul Skill Effects:

Using wood as its foundation, wind as its function, and Azure Dragon Power as its core, it forms a three-layer linked defense.

First Layer · Wind Vortex: Soul Power is released to form a rapidly spinning wind vortex around the body, twisting, deflecting, and dispersing incoming attacks.

Second Layer · Wood Armor: Beneath the wind vortex, wood-attribute Soul Power condenses into a soft yet resilient wooden armor that receives the weakened remaining damage.

Third Layer · Azure Dragon Power: The power of the Azure Dragon bloodline is infused into the wind vortex and Wood Armor, greatly increasing the vortex's rotation speed and the armor's resilience, making its dispersing force stronger and faster.

The three layers work together, granting defense far beyond that of a simple wind shield or wooden shield.

Against physical attacks, the wind vortex rapidly twists trajectories and disperses impact force, while the Wood Armor cushions and absorbs it. With the enhancement of Azure Dragon Power, the rotation speed doubles;

Against soul skill attacks, the wind vortex breaks down the energy structure, while the Wood Armor assimilates the remaining energy. With the enhancement of Azure Dragon Power, the Wood Armor's resilience and recovery are greatly increased;

Against poison or curses, the Wind Wall isolates them, the wood attribute purifies them, and Azure Dragon Power enhances the purification effect.

This was a growth-type defensive soul skill.

As his Soul Power Level rose, the wind vortex would spin faster and faster, the Wood Armor would grow increasingly resilient, and the enhancement of Azure Dragon Power would become stronger as well.

...

After digesting the inheritance memories, Qing Mufeng's lips curled up slightly.

For offense, he had Azure Dragon Claw Probe; for recovery, Spring Returns to Earth; for defense, Azure Dragon Protection.

Attack, healing, and defense—he possessed all three.

At this moment, his combat system had finally formed a complete cycle.

But that was not all.

Besides a soul skill, the third soul ring had also brought him his third Innate Divine Ability.

Qing Mufeng closed his eyes and sank his consciousness into his dantian.

The Azure Dragon Martial Soul floated within that hazy little world, with three soul rings slowly revolving around it.

And deep within the Azure Dragon, a third cluster of light was awakening.

It was a cyan glow, brighter and more active than the first two.

Countless wind patterns flowed within it, like miniature tornadoes spinning madly in that confined space.

Qing Mufeng's consciousness touched the cluster of light.

In the next instant, an enormous flood of information poured into his mind.

Third Divine Ability · Azure Dragon Wind Control

Divine Ability Effects:

The Azure Dragon of the East flew without wings.

This was an instinct carved into the Azure Dragon bloodline. It required neither wings nor soul skills; it was an inborn gift.

Wingless Flight: One may walk through the air and fly using one's own power, without forming any visible flying organs. Soul Power transforms into wind power to support the body, allowing one to soar freely through the skies.

Explosive Speed: Flight speed far surpasses agility-type soul skills of soul masters at the same rank. It erupts from the very first step, accelerates extremely quickly, and turns with great flexibility.

Wind Control: One may sense and manipulate the surrounding air currents, forming Wind Walls for defense, Wind Blades for attack, wind currents to trap enemies, and Wind Binding to restrain them.

Wind Perception: One may perceive the surrounding environment through the movement of air. Every stir within a hundred zhang falls within the range of perception.

Instinctive Consumption: The consumption is extremely low, as natural as breathing. This is not a soul skill, but a bloodline talent—an ability the Azure Dragon is born with.

Growth Potential: As Soul Power Level and the awakening of the Azure Dragon bloodline increase, flight speed, flight altitude, flight distance, and the precision and power of Wind Control will all grow in tandem.

...

After digesting the information about the Divine Ability, Qing Mufeng's heart pounded.

Wingless flight.

He needed no wings, no visible organs of any kind. He could fly solely through his own power.

This was an ability possessed only by a true Azure Dragon.

He took a deep breath and rose to his feet.

"Feng'er, how do you feel?" Liu Yunlan was the first to rush over, looking him over from head to toe to make sure he was unharmed.

"Very good, Grandma." Qing Mufeng smiled. "Better than ever."

Qing Zhengyue walked over, swept his gaze over his grandson, and nodded slightly. "Level thirty-four. You absorbed the third soul ring very successfully."