What is Power? The First Soul Ring Fed to Your Mouth!

The outskirts of the Sunset Forest.

As one of the two major habitats for wild spirit beasts within the Heaven Dou Empire, this place is a perilous zone filled with murderous intent and crisis for any common spirit master.

Ordinary spirit masters looking to obtain a suitable spirit ring often need to form hunting squads and search with extreme caution. In many cases, even if they risk their lives, they may not encounter a spirit beast whose age and attributes perfectly align with their needs.

But all this cruelty and hardship simply does not exist for the heir of Falake, the newly appointed Viscount Sky Wind of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Yao.

What is power?

Power is when Xue Yao's luxurious purple-gold carriage slowly rolls into this clearing on the outskirts of the Sunset Forest, only to find that a hundred-meter radius of absolute safety has already been leveled for him!

All around, five hundred Royal Knights have surrounded the camp, leaving no gaps.

The carriage comes to a steady halt.

A guard respectfully lifts the gold-threaded curtain.

Xue Yao steps onto the carriage stool and descends slowly. Two maids immediately step forward to light high-grade, precious incense known for its calming and insect-repelling properties.

"Viscount, you have had a tiring journey."

The chief guard of the Falake royal mansion, a level 62 Spirit Emperor powerhouse responsible for scouting ahead, greets him with a face full of smiles.

"Following His Majesty's instructions and your requirements, we have been searching the outskirts of the Sunset Forest day and night for the past few days, and we have already prepared a shortlist for your first spirit ring."

"Lead the way."

Xue Yao's tone is indifferent, as if he were merely strolling through his own back garden.

Surrounded by the chief guard and a general in purple-gold armor, Xue Yao walks slowly toward the center of the camp.

The scene before him would likely make any common spirit master struggling at the bottom of society vomit blood from jealousy.

In the center of the camp, three massive cages made of refined steel and black iron are prominently displayed!

Each bar of the cages is as thick as an infant's arm, engraved with formations designed to suppress spirit power. Inside the cages are three dying spirit beasts of the wind attribute, clearly having been thoroughly "disciplined" by experts!

"My lord, please look."

The chief guard points to the first cage and introduces it respectfully: "This is a Wind Baboon. It is about three hundred and ninety years old, possesses immense strength, and can spit wind blades. If you absorb its spirit ring, your first spirit skill will most likely be a reinforcement of physical strength or a projectile wind blade."

Xue Yao merely glances at the blood-covered, hideous-looking baboon slumped in the cage and shakes his head in disdain.

He is a noble Royal Griffin; absorb the spirit ring of a foul-smelling baboon? Setting aside whether the attributes match, the sheer lack of aesthetic and prestige alone makes it unworthy of him.

If it were that near-god-slayer from ten thousand years later, he might have considered it.

Just joking—that near-god-slayer was only a ten-year-old hybrid; he wouldn't consider it regardless.

Seeing that Xue Yao is unsatisfied, the chief guard immediately points to the second cage.

Inside this cage is a cyan giant wolf the size of a calf. Even though its limbs have been broken, its dark green eyes still gleam with a ferocious light, and it emits low growls from its throat.

"A four-hundred-and-ten-year-old Gale Demon Wolf," the chief guard continues. "A classic wind-attribute spirit beast, possessing incredible speed and astonishing biting power."

Xue Yao remains unmoved, rubbing his chin: "It's decent, but a wolf is a terrestrial creature. My Griffin martial soul is born to rule the sky; the traits of a ground-based spirit beast would, to some extent, limit the agility of my martial soul in the air."

This kind of picky treatment, akin to "choosing a concubine in a supermarket," makes the general of the Royal Knights who escorted him gasp in secret.

If it were an ordinary wind-attribute spirit master, they would be overjoyed to encounter a Gale Demon Wolf over four hundred years old. Only this peerless genius, highly valued by the Emperor, has the qualifications to make a Spirit Emperor-level powerhouse run their legs off, beat a top-tier spirit beast half to death, and serve it on a silver platter!

"The lord is wise! I knew these beasts of the earth would not catch your eye."

The chief guard laughs, a hint of smugness in his eyes.

He walks to the third cage and pulls off the black cloth covering it.

"Swish—!"

The moment the cloth is removed, a piercing eagle cry erupts from the cage!

Accompanying the cry, a cyan whirlwind slams violently against the refined steel bars.

Xue Yao's eyes finally light up.

It is a majestic bird of prey!

Its entire body is covered in feathers that look like they were cast from cyan metal. Its eagle eyes are sharp as lightning, and its razor-sharp beak and talons glint with a chilling cold light. Most uniquely, its tail features four long, deep-cyan tail feathers that resemble sharp swords.

"A mutated spirit beast, Azure Wind Falcon!"

The chief guard says, as if asking for credit: "An ordinary Azure Wind Falcon has grey-blue feathers. But this one has not only mutated, making its feathers as hard as refined steel, but its speed is also a full thirty percent faster than other flying spirit beasts of the same level!"

"What is even rarer is its age." The chief guard points to the four tail feathers. "One tail feather represents one hundred years, and this fourth feather has grown one-fifth of its length, which means its age is approximately four hundred and twenty years!"

"The theoretical master from Martial Soul Hall proposed that the limit for a first spirit ring is four hundred and twenty-three years. The age of this mutated Azure Wind Falcon is perfectly calculated; it maximizes your benefits without any risk of your body exploding! It is truly a top-tier choice tailored for your Griffin martial soul!"

Four hundred and twenty years, mutated, wind-attribute bird of prey!

Perfect!

Flawless perfection!

Xue Yao looks at the defiant mutated Azure Wind Falcon in the cage, and the Royal Griffin bloodline within him begins to boil, sending a surge of intense, predatory hunger.

"This is the one."

Xue Yao snaps his fingers, his tone as casual as if he were ordering a steak at a restaurant.

"Understood!" The captain of the guards immediately turned to his subordinates. "Open a gap in the cage and pin it down. Don't let it hurt the Viscount!"

Two guards at the level of Soul Ancestor stepped forward immediately. One of them released a heavy earth-attribute Martial Soul to suppress the Azure Wind Falcon, while the other carefully opened a small door in the iron cage.

The mutated Azure Wind Falcon, which had been extremely manic just moments ago, was pinned firmly to the bottom of the cage under the pressure of the Soul Ancestor-level power.

"Viscount, please."

The general in purple-gold armor held a gleaming steel spear in both hands, respectfully offering it to Xue Yao.

This spear was meant to deliver the final "finishing blow."

As Xue Yao took the spear, his gaze instantly shifted from languid to cold and sharp.

He walked slowly toward the cage.

The moment Xue Yao approached, the mutated Azure Wind Falcon seemed to sense the arrival of death. It struggled desperately, its sharp eagle eyes locked onto Xue Yao, attempting a final counterattack.

However, the instant its gaze met Xue Yao's.

"Hum—"

Xue Yao did not release his Martial Soul, but a brilliant golden light flashed deep within his eyes.

That was the primordial divine might of the Royal Griffin!

How could an Azure Wind Falcon ever compare to a mythical creature like a Griffin?

"Screech—!!!"

The mutated Azure Wind Falcon, which had been incredibly ferocious a second ago, let out a scream of extreme terror after feeling this terrifying bloodline pressure that stood above all living things. Its green feathers stood on end, and then, as if its spirit had been shattered, it abandoned all resistance, collapsing in the cage while trembling all over, not even daring to lift its head!

That was absolute submission from the depths of its soul!

"Hiss—"

The surrounding guards and Royal Knights gasped in unison as they witnessed this scene.

A mutated beast over four hundred years old had been scared into paralysis by a single glance from a six-year-old child?! What kind of Martial Soul suppression was this?!

Xue Yao paid no mind to their shock.

He walked to the front of the cage and raised the steel spear in his hand.

Puchi!

The spear tip severed the Azure Wind Falcon's artery and nerves with extreme precision, causing no unnecessary pain—it was clean and efficient.

Blood gushed out, staining the iron floor of the cage red.

The Azure Wind Falcon's body twitched a few times, the vitality in its eyes rapidly fading until it was completely dead.

Xue Yao casually pulled out the spear and tossed it to a guard nearby.

A faint glow of soul power began to condense above the corpse of the Azure Wind Falcon.

A few seconds later, countless yellow light particles gathered together, forming an exceptionally bright yellow ring with a hint of deep luster.

Four hundred and twenty years—a top-grade mutated first soul ring was born!

"Guard me."

Xue Yao did not waste time. He turned around and sat cross-legged directly on the soft carpet in the center of the camp.

"Boom!"

Five hundred Royal Knights struck their long spears against the ground in unison, turning outward to form an airtight wall of steel.

The general in purple-gold armor and the captain of the guards stood ten paces to Xue Yao's left and right like two door gods, vigilantly sensing every movement in the surroundings.

Xue Yao closed his eyes and shifted his focus.

"Cry—!!!"

A miniature version of a Royal Griffin proudly emerged amidst the light, circling above Xue Yao's head!

"Come!"

Xue Yao let out a low shout, his right hand making a fierce beckoning motion toward the yellow ring in mid-air.

The absorption had officially begun!