Absorbing a Soul Ring beyond one's level was no different from taking a walk through the gates of hell for an ordinary Soul Master.
The vengeful spirit and impact of a five-thousand-year-old Soul Beast were enough to tear a prospective Soul Elder's Spiritual Sea apart in an instant.
But Xue Yao was different.
Not only had two years of extreme training forged his body into one far stronger than his peers', he also possessed the vast spiritual power he had accumulated over two lifetimes.
On top of that, the divine-grade Martial Soul Royal Griffin exerted absolute bloodline suppression. The moment the tiny remnant of the Wind-Breath Dragon's violent resentment entered Xue Yao's Spiritual Sea, an invisible golden claw crushed it to pieces.
Time passed, second by second.
Everyone behind him stared fixedly at the white-clad boy sitting cross-legged.
At last, about half an hour later—
"Vmmm—"
With a crisp hum of Soul Power, the deep-purple Soul Ring finally stabilized around Xue Yao.
It shone alongside his previous yellow and purple rings, radiating a powerful fluctuation that made the heart tremble.
Xue Yao slowly opened his eyes. A streak of blue-gold light, as tangible as a physical object, flashed in their depths and vanished.
He exhaled a long breath of stale air. Feeling the abundant Soul Power surging through him like a mighty river, he curved his lips in satisfaction.
Level 31!
He had not only crossed the threshold into the Soul Elder rank, but the immense energy contained in the five-thousand-year Soul Ring had pushed his Soul Power straight to the peak of Level 31!
Of course, more than the increase in Soul Power, Xue Yao wanted to know what kind of absurd Soul Skill this top-grade five-thousand-year Sub-Dragon Soul Ring had granted him.
At a thought, he immediately examined the information about the Soul Skill appearing in his mind.
Third Soul Skill—[Quick Move]!
This was a purely enhancing skill.
Base effect: When activated, it instantly increased the user's speed—and that of his detached Martial Soul—by eighty percent! What's more, the effect could stack with the second Soul Skill, [Ride the Wind]!
If that were all, this Soul Skill would have been merely decent. After all, the second Soul Skill, [Ride the Wind], boosted speed by a full 120 percent.
But when Xue Yao saw the hidden additional effect, even his composure couldn't stop his heart from pounding.
[Quick Move] special mechanic: When an enemy target is under the effect of a "defensive Soul Skill"—such as a shield, hardening, or armor enhancement—the speed boost from this Soul Skill is doubled!
"A sure-kill!" Xue Yao exclaimed inwardly, his eyes blazing with excitement.
In Douluo Continent's combat system, the most troublesome opponents were defensive Soul Masters wrapped in turtle shells.
Against enemies who buried themselves behind layers of shields, agility-type Soul Masters often found themselves in the awkward position of barely scratching them, only to be worn down to death.
But now, [Quick Move] was the perfect solution!
In physics, kinetic energy equals mass multiplied by the square of velocity.
The faster you moved, the more the destructive force of your charge and cuts soared by a geometric multiple!
Just imagine encountering an enemy who had activated their strongest defensive shield. Xue Yao could trigger his third Soul Skill, doubling the speed boost to a tremendous 160 percent!
And if he stacked it with two uses of [Ride the Wind] for a 240 percent increase...
At that terrifying speed, combined with Little Griffin's incredibly powerful body-check ([Flash Strike]) or the piercing physical force of its wind attribute ([Gale Pierce]), it would be a complete dimensional mismatch!
Be it a Xuanming Turtle or a Diamond Mammoth, no matter how many layers of turtle shell they wore, they would be instantly pierced and torn apart by such extreme speed and kinetic energy!
This was an absolute armor-piercing divine skill, one that countered every "turtle shell"!
The stronger the enemy's defenses, the faster he charged—and the harder he killed!
"Yao'er."
Just as Xue Yao was silently working out his tactical combinations, Feng Cang's voice rang in his ear, tense with excitement and solemnity.
Xue Yao looked up and saw that Feng Cang had come to stand before him.
The Soul Douluo, who was Level 83, looked at Xue Yao with more than the familiar affection he had always shown him. There was also an almost feverish reverence in his gaze.
"Yao'er, you succeeded. A five-thousand-year third ring—this is nothing short of a miracle."
Feng Cang lowered his voice, his tone laced with ruthless resolve. "But a tree that towers above the forest invites the wind to snap it. The talent and strength you've revealed today are far too astonishing. Before you've fully matured, the outside world must never learn that the Farack Kingdom has produced a peerless genius like you. Otherwise, Spirit Hall's assassins will swarm in."
Feng Cang glanced coldly back at the knights and guards in the distance. In a voice only the two of them could hear, he said, "I've already seized their rosters by force. Their parents, wives, and children are all in my hands. If any of them dares to let out even half a word, I'll wipe out their entire families."
As Feng Cang reported, Xue Yao rose and lightly brushed off the nonexistent dust on his clothes.
He gave a slight nod, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.
Feng Cang had played the villain perfectly.
His methods were swift and thunderous, without the slightest hesitation. That was exactly the resolve a worthy protector should have.
But the art of kingship demanded both kindness and authority.
Since Feng Cang had brought authority to bear to the utmost, it was now Xue Yao's turn to show kindness.
Xue Yao slowly turned to face the Royal Knights and the Kingdom Guard.
These elite soldiers, usually so proud, had witnessed Xue Yao's miraculous instant kill of a Sub-Dragon. Then Feng Cang had threatened the lives of their entire families. Now they were on the brink of collapse.
A hint of rueful apology softened the expression on Xue Yao's delicate eight-year-old face.
He stepped forward and slowly approached the soldiers.
"Everyone, please rise."
Xue Yao's voice was clear and gentle, like a spring breeze sweeping over their taut nerves.
As he spoke, he untied a heavy money pouch from his waist.
"Today's events came about rather suddenly. Elder Feng was overly concerned for me, so he may have gone too far just now and offended you with his words."
As he spoke, he walked up to the knight captain at the front—the man Feng Cang had slapped flying, whose mouth was still bloodied.
Xue Yao reached out with his fair little hand and personally helped the tall knight captain to his feet.
Then he took a large handful of glittering coins from the pouch and placed them directly in the captain's hand.
"A hundred Gold Soul Coins." Xue Yao smiled at the captain's stunned expression. "You accompanied me deep into Sunset Forest and worked hard all the way. Take this as a little something from me personally. Buy yourselves some drinks. For Elder Feng's rudeness, I, Xue Yao, apologize on his behalf. I hope you'll forgive him and not take it to heart."
With that, Xue Yao truly bowed his head slightly, offering the soldiers before him a remarkably proper apology.
Then he waved his hand, and a shower of golden light flew from the money pouch, landing precisely in the hands of every soldier present.
A hundred Gold Soul Coins each!
That was the equivalent of ten whole years of pay for an ordinary Kingdom soldier!
For these low-ranking officers and knights, it was an absolute windfall!
Every soldier present stood dumbstruck, their minds briefly blank as they held the heavy Gold Soul Coins in their hands.
This exalted prince, this divine prodigy who had slain a five-thousand-year-old Sub-Dragon at just eight years old, had actually... personally handed out money to them?
And he had even apologized to common soldiers like them for one of his guards' rough treatment?!
An indescribable warmth surged through every soldier's heart!
The fear and buried resentment caused by Feng Cang's death threat were instantly smashed to pieces by the weight of the gold in their hands and Xue Yao's warm, humble smile.
"Y-Your Highness! You honor us too much!" The knight captain's eyes reddened. Clutching the coins in his hand, he dropped to one knee again with a thud. This time, there was not the slightest hint of coercion in his movement. It was filled with absolute fervor and utter devotion!
"We swear to serve Your Highness unto death! If even a single word about today's events passes our lips, there's no need for Elder Feng to act—we'll cut off our own heads and beg Your Highness's forgiveness!"
"We swear to serve Your Highness unto death!!!" All 250 members of the elite guard dropped to one knee in unison. Their eyes held none of their earlier fear; in its place was the utmost adoration and reverence!
To serve a peerless future ruler with godlike talent, compassion for his subordinates, and such generosity was a blessing they would never have earned in eight lifetimes!
Behind them, a flicker of astonishment passed through Feng Cang's cloudy old eyes.
He looked at Xue Yao's slight yet upright figure and couldn't help drawing in a sharp breath.
Because he had suddenly noticed a terrifying detail.
Xue Yao had said he was apologizing on Feng Cang's behalf. He had given every soldier a generous reward. He had been so warm and gentle that they felt as if they were basking in a spring breeze...
And yet! From beginning to end, Xue Yao hadn't even glanced at the two rosters Feng Cang held!
He hadn't said a word about having Feng Cang return them!
What did that mean?
It meant that with the gentlest smile and the most generous reward, Xue Yao had won these people's hearts.
But at the same time, he had tacitly allowed Feng Cang to keep their families—every last one of them—as hostages in his iron grip!
A mountain of gold and a prince's favor in his left hand, a blade poised over the necks of their loved ones in his right!
Kindness and authority, used in tandem!
How could an eight-year-old child wield such a method? This was clearly the work of an unrivaled king, one who understood the art of imperial rule and held the hearts of men in the palm of his hand!
Feng Cang lowered his head to look at the two thin rosters in his hands, then glanced at the white-clad boy ahead, smiling as he reassured the soldiers.
At that moment, the Level 83 Soul Douluo felt a reverence toward an eight-year-old child that came from the depths of his soul.
"The Farack Kingdom... is about to see a true dragon rise," Feng Cang murmured inwardly, trembling.
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