Absorbing the Crimson Flame Sparrow Spirit Ring

Shen Lian followed Xu Tianxiang and Xu Ningxin into the broad field paved with bluestone.

A thin layer of frost covered the bronze war drums at the edge of the field, while several black battle flags of the Sun-Moon Empire snapped fiercely in the wind. The Purple Imperial Heaven-Extinguishing Dragon totems upon them seemed ready to burst into the sky at any moment.

At the center of the Martial Arts Arena, a youth dressed in moon-white training clothes was practicing his spearwork. His spear tip shattered the falling snowflakes, scattering tiny crystals of ice.

Hearing footsteps, the youth abruptly withdrew his spear and turned around. The Sun Martial Soul Token hanging at his waist swayed lightly with the motion, reflecting a dazzling glow.

He was Shen Lian's cousin, Xu Chengye. His black hair was bound beneath a jade crown, and his sharp brows and bright eyes carried the noble air of royalty, though a light sheen of sweat still lingered on his face from training.

"Grandfather, Aunt!"

Xu Chengye's eyes lit up as he hurried over, planting his spear on the ground with a dull thud.

He respectfully bowed to Xu Tianxiang and Xu Ningxin, though his gaze curiously examined Shen Lian standing nearby.

Xu Tianxiang gave a slight nod, the hem of his dragon robe sweeping across the icy ground;

Xu Ningxin, meanwhile, smiled gently and raised a hand to adjust the ornament beside her temple.

"Cousin, it's been a long time."

Xu Chengye smiled and waved at Shen Lian, his voice bright and hearty, before continuing:

"The last time we met, we were still riding horses and playing together!"

Shen Lian shook his head helplessly, a faint smile tugging at his lips:

"Cousin, it can't be helped. I need to cultivate my Soul Power, so I can't have as much time to play as I did before.

"Ever since awakening my Martial Soul, I've either been practicing with the blade or studying Martial Soul knowledge every day. I barely even have time to rest."

Hearing this, a trace of regret flashed through Xu Chengye's eyes. He reached out and patted Shen Lian on the shoulder:

"Cousin, why don't you come to Sun-Moon Royal Primary Academy? We could play together and cultivate together. There are plenty of interesting classes at the academy, and lots of powerful teachers too. It would definitely be more fun than staying at home."

Just as Shen Lian was about to refuse, Xu Tianxiang spoke first.

The emperor's expression was stern, his dragon-like eyes narrowing with a hint of frustration at his lack of progress:

"You brat, all you know is how to play. Little Lian is two years younger than you, yet he has already broken through to Level 20. You're nine years old, and you're still only Level 19. Look at your cousin, then look at yourself. Why aren't you hurrying up and cultivating?"

Xu Chengye looked as though he had been struck by lightning. His eyes widened, and even the knuckles of the hand gripping his spear turned white.

He opened his mouth, but no words came out. His mind had gone completely blank.

In his understanding, he possessed the Sun Martial Soul and Level 9 Innate Soul Power. Reaching Level 19 at the age of nine already made him one of the best among his peers, and even the academy teachers never stopped praising him.

Yet now, his cousin, who was two years younger, had reached Level 20 before him. A storm of shock surged through his heart.

"Is the gap between Level 9 Innate Soul Power and Innate Full Soul Power really this huge..."

Xu Chengye muttered to himself, his eyes filled with disbelief and frustration.

Only after a long while did he recover. When he looked at Shen Lian again, there was a little more admiration in his gaze:

"Cousin, you're incredible! I used to think I was pretty impressive, but now I know what it means that there's always someone better."

After saying that, he turned to Xu Tianxiang again, confusion in his eyes:

"Grandfather, why did you come to the Martial Arts Arena? Don't tell me you came all this way just to tell me that Cousin broke through to Level 20."

Xu Tianxiang shot him an irritated glare and flicked his sleeve:

"Do we have that much free time? We came to the Martial Arts Arena because your cousin is going to absorb his second Spirit Ring here. It's that Crimson Flame Sparrow Spirit with ancient Vermilion Bird bloodline. Watch carefully later and learn how your cousin absorbs a Spirit Ring beyond his limit!"

Only then did Xu Chengye understand. He nodded heavily, his gaze unconsciously shifting toward the enormous iron cage in the corner of the Martial Arts Arena, bound by layers upon layers of chains.

Inside the cage, the Crimson Flame Sparrow Spirit anxiously beat its wings. Crimson flames surged around its body, warping the surrounding air into strange ripples.

He suddenly felt both anticipation and nervousness, wondering what a shocking sight it would be when his cousin absorbed such a powerful Spirit Ring.

The air in the Martial Arts Arena suddenly turned scorching hot. Xu Tianxiang raised a hand in signal, and a Soul Emperor guard clad in black armor stepped forward.

The six Spirit Rings at his waist lit up one after another. Amid intertwined emerald-green and deep-blue light, a massive hammer condensed from Soul Power formed with a thunderous roar.

Sensing danger, the Crimson Flame Sparrow Spirit let out a sharp cry. The flames inside the cage surged wildly, turning the iron chains red-hot, yet they still held the Soul Beast with ancient bloodline firmly in place.

Boom!

Wrapped in force capable of splitting mountains and shattering stone, the enormous hammer smashed into the iron cage. Amid flying sparks, the Crimson Flame Sparrow Spirit's right wing was brutally broken.

It staggered and collapsed to the ground. Its crimson flames dimmed, and great patches of feathers fell from its wings, revealing charred wounds beneath.

Shen Lian saw tears in its eyes. A teardrop mixed with blood fell to the ground, instantly raising a wisp of white smoke.

The guard tugged on the chains, dragging the Crimson Flame Sparrow Spirit out of the cage.

It struggled to spread its wings, but its severe injuries left it powerless. A winding trail of blood stained the bluestone slabs beneath it, every drop burning and searing black marks into the ground.

Shen Lian gripped his dagger and stepped forward, the weapon's metallic chill forming a stark contrast to the blazing heat radiating from the Soul Beast.

The Crimson Flame Sparrow Spirit lifted its head to look at him. Its eyes held both fear and a trace of resignation.

Shen Lian took a deep breath. Without the slightest hesitation, he drove the dagger precisely into its right eye.

Warm blood burst forth, splashing across his clothes with a sizzling sound.

The Soul Beast's final mournful cry echoed through the Martial Arts Arena. Its flames gradually died out, leaving behind only a corpse emitting wisps of green smoke.

In an instant, a purple Spirit Ring rose from the corpse and hovered in the air.

The pressure it emitted made everyone present catch their breath. Xu Chengye's eyes widened as he instinctively took half a step back.

Shen Lian swiftly sat cross-legged on the ground and circulated his Soul Power to draw in the Spirit Ring.

A purple glow enveloped him, and a wave of heat rushed over him as though he had been placed at the mouth of a volcano.

The absorption process was far more difficult than he had imagined.

The Crimson Flame Sparrow Spirit's fire-attributed Soul Power surged through Shen Lian's meridians like raging tides, crashing wildly in every direction.

Shen Lian clenched his teeth, veins bulging across his forehead as he circulated his Soul Power, trying to tame this force.

The roar of the Purple Imperial Heaven-Extinguishing Dragon and the cry of the Vermilion Bird Remnant Soul clashed violently within his Consciousness Sea, while countless illusions formed of flames appeared before his eyes.

Xu Chengye stared fixedly at his cousin, feeling both astonishment and a touch of unwillingness in his heart.

Although he had also consumed Whale Rubber to strengthen his physique, he knew that he could not absorb a Spirit Ring of such high quality, one that was still seventeen hundred years old, as his cousin could.

Even so, witnessing his cousin absorb this Spirit Ring with his own eyes still left him deeply shaken.

He tightened his grip on his spear and silently swore that he would cultivate even harder. He could not let Shen Lian leave him far behind.

Three hours passed, yet even the cold wind in the Martial Arts Arena could not disperse the scorching heat in the air.

Shen Lian was drenched from head to toe. Sweat and blood mixed together, soaking a patch of the ground beneath him.

Finally, the purple Spirit Ring slowly merged into his body, and a brilliant light burst forth from within him.

Xu Ningxin covered her mouth, her eyes full of worry and heartache; Xu Tianxiang stroked his beard and nodded in satisfaction—the youngest Soul Grandmaster of the Sun-Moon Empire had been born.