Near-Ten-Thousand-Year Third Ring, Initial Formation of the Corona Emperor Domain

As the deep-purple, almost black Soul Ring descended, the entire Broken Cliff fell silent for a moment.

The Beast Tide still churned in the distance.

The surviving birds still circled overhead.

The screams of the Black Market Soul Hunting Group came intermittently from deep within the forest.

Yet around Di Yao, it was as if an invisible pressure had suddenly enclosed him.

Hu Liena stood not far away, her face pale, her fingers clenched tightly around her dagger.

She desperately wanted to rush over.

But she knew she could not.

Once Soul Ring absorption began, interference from outsiders would only get Di Yao killed.

Dugu Bo stood on the other side, his brows tightly furrowed.

"Absorbing a near-ten-thousand-year Soul Ring as his third ring... this brat is truly gambling with his life."

Yue Guan rarely wore no smile.

He watched Di Yao, Soul Power flickering faintly in his palm.

"If he cannot endure it, I will sever the Soul Ring."

Dugu Bo said coldly, "If you sever the Soul Ring, he will be crippled too."

Yue Guan said softly, "Better crippled than dead."

Hu Liena's face turned even paler when she heard that.

But Di Yao seemed completely unable to hear the sounds outside.

The Soul Ring descended onto him.

Boom!

A terrifying surge of Soul Power erupted instantly.

Di Yao's body jerked violently, and the tiny cracks that had already healed burst open again.

Blood seeped from his shoulders, arms, and chest.

The moment it emerged, it was evaporated by the Dark Gold Flame.

Pain surged over him like a tide.

But that was not the most dangerous part.

The next instant, the lingering will of the Corona Golden Eagle King charged into Di Yao's spiritual world.

It was a void of dark gold.

At its center hung a great sun.

Beneath the sun stood Di Yao's consciousness.

Before him, the lingering will of the Corona Golden Eagle King spread its tattered wings, its eyes filled with venomous hatred.

It refused to accept this.

It was the King of the Broken Cliff.

It devoured sunlight, commanded the flocks, and had ruled Sunset Forest for many years.

Yet now, it was to become the third Soul Ring of a human youth.

It let out a shriek and, carrying all the resentment within the Soul Ring, lunged at Di Yao's consciousness.

Di Yao did not move.

He raised his head.

Behind him, the Dharma Image of Demon Emperor Di Jun slowly emerged.

Mystic Gold Emperor Robe.

Dark gold crown.

The great sun descending.

Behind the Dharma Image, the Three-Legged Golden Crow opened its golden eyes.

The lingering will of the Corona Golden Eagle King abruptly froze.

It felt the suppression of a higher existence.

Yet it did not retreat.

A lingering will had only its final instinct remaining.

It wanted to devour Di Yao's Sun Fire Core Flame.

As long as it consumed the Core Flame, it would still have a sliver of a chance to strike back.

The lingering will of the Golden Eagle King shrieked as it charged toward the Dark Gold Sun.

Di Yao's gaze was icy.

"You?"

The Three-Legged Golden Crow spread its wings.

At that moment, it was no longer merely a phantom.

It extended a talon from the Dark Gold Sun and clamped it around the neck of the Corona Golden Eagle King's lingering will.

The Golden Eagle King struggled frantically, golden flames bursting from its wings.

But the moment those flames touched the Three-Legged Golden Crow, they became like subjects before their sovereign and were gradually swallowed by the Dark Gold Sun instead.

Di Yao raised his hand.

The Demon Emperor Manifestation raised its hand as well.

The struggling lingering will of the Golden Eagle King was forcibly dragged by the Three-Legged Golden Crow toward the depths of the sun.

The Golden Eagle King gave one final shriek.

It refused to accept this.

But refusal was useless.

The Dark Gold Sun opened like an ancient furnace and swallowed it whole.

Boom—!

In the outside world, dazzling light suddenly erupted around Di Yao.

Hu Liena raised a hand to shield her eyes from the glare.

She heard a faint crack of bones.

She heard flesh tearing.

And she heard Di Yao's muffled groan, forced down in his throat.

It was very soft.

Yet her heart still tightened.

"Di Yao..."

She called out softly.

There was no response.

The Soul Ring was still pressing down.

More and more cracks spread across Di Yao's body.

The residual medicinal power of the Golden Crow Vine finally took effect at that moment.

Strands of dark-gold vine patterns emerged from Di Yao's meridians, wrapping around his flesh, bones, and Soul Power, as though forcibly weaving his body back together before it could split apart.

The Core Flame of the Fusang Red Heart Lotus stabilized the Great Sun Golden Flame.

The body tempered by the Great Sun Blazing Grass endured the impact of the Soul Ring.

The Golden Crow Vine tightly linked his martial soul and physical body.

Not one of the three Immortal Herbs could be absent.

A faint tremor appeared in Dugu Bo's eyes.

At last, he understood why Di Yao had been so eager to absorb three Immortal Herbs in succession.

It was not greed.

It was not recklessness.

This third Soul Ring had required such preparation from the very beginning.

Without those three Immortal Herbs, Di Yao could never have endured this long.

Yue Guan saw it as well and said softly, "From the moment this little fellow obtained the Immortal Herbs, he had been planning for this Soul Ring."

Hu Liena bit her lip and said nothing.

She merely stared fixedly at Di Yao.

Time passed bit by bit.

The Soul Ring's color gradually stabilized.

The deep-purple, almost black glow eventually formed into a heavy Soul Ring beneath Di Yao's feet.

First ring: deep yellow tinged with purple.

Second ring: purple.

Third ring: deep purple, almost black.

As the three Soul Rings slowly rose, every avian soul beast across the Broken Cliff fell silent.

It was not deathly silence.

They had been suppressed.

An imperial pressure from the depths of the sun slowly spread from Di Yao.

Behind him, the Dark Gold Sun appeared.

Beyond the sun, a Corona Halo vaguely emerged.

It was not a complete domain.

It was still very immature.

Its range was small.

Its light was unstable.

Yet the instant it appeared, all the surviving avian soul beasts let out low cries and landed one after another, no longer daring to fly.

Dugu Bo's pupils constricted slightly.

"A domain prototype?"

Yue Guan's expression changed as well.

Di Yao slowly opened his eyes.

The dark-gold light in them was deeper than before.

He rose to his feet, his body swaying once.

Hu Liena almost instinctively stepped forward.

This time, she did not ask whether she could support him.

She simply stood slightly in front of Di Yao, blocking any soul beasts that might pounce.

Di Yao glanced at her and did not tell her not to.

He lowered his gaze to his third Soul Ring.

Soul Power circulated through his body, and the ability of his Third Soul Skill emerged.

Di Yao raised his hand.

The Corona Halo expanded slightly.

Dark-gold light enveloped an area several yards wide.

Within that range, the flow of Soul Power in the surviving avian soul beasts visibly slowed.

The souls of beasts were suppressed by the high-ranking solar pressure.

Meanwhile, the power of the Great Sun Golden Flame was amplified by the Corona Halo, burning more quietly and more dangerously.

Di Yao said softly, "Third Soul Skill."

"Corona Emperor Domain."

As his words fell, the Corona Halo suddenly flared.

Several Fire Crows that still wanted to flee froze midair and crashed directly to the ground, lowering their bodies and not daring to move.

Dugu Bo's expression was complicated.

"This third ring is more frightening than the fifth ring of many Spirit Kings."

Di Yao was not pleased with himself.

He merely sensed the rapidly draining Soul Power within him, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

The Corona Emperor Domain was powerful.

But it consumed a great deal of Soul Power.

At his current level, he could not maintain it for long.

This was only a prototype.

Not a complete domain.

But it was enough.

At least at the Soul Elder stage, it was enough for him to establish his system.

Hu Liena looked at Di Yao's third Soul Ring, her eyes holding shock and a trace of indescribable complexity.

She said softly, "You succeeded."

Di Yao withdrew the Corona Emperor Domain.

The pressure around them abruptly eased.

His face visibly paled further.

"This is only the beginning."

Hu Liena looked at his pale face, her brows knitting again. "Can you stop saying things that make people want to hit you every time you succeed?"

Di Yao glanced at her.

"The truth."

Hu Liena was so angry she laughed.

Just as she was about to say something, the distant forest suddenly fell silent.

It was not that the Beast Tide had stopped.

A heavier presence had overwhelmed the Beast Tide.

On Broken Cliff, shattered stones trembled faintly.

It was as though an invisible giant hammer had appeared in the air.

Yue Guan's expression darkened instantly.

Poison mist silently rose around Dugu Bo as well.

Hu Liena tightened her grip on her short blade.

She almost immediately thought of that name.

Tang Hao.

Di Yao raised his head as well.

He had just absorbed the Third Soul Ring. His body was weak, and his Soul Power was greatly depleted.

This was the best time to kill him.

From deep within the distant mountains and forest, heavy Hammer Intent drew closer and closer.

There was no figure in sight.

Yet it made everyone feel as though the entire forest was bowing its head.

Hu Liena instinctively stepped in front of Di Yao and lowered her voice. "You can't fight again right now."

Di Yao stared into the distance.

There was still dried blood at the corner of his mouth.

But his gaze was cold.

Calm.

He said softly, "So you finally couldn't hold back."

In the distance.

A stretch of trees silently toppled.

The killing intent of the Clear Sky Hammer pressed over from beyond the forest.

The Third Soul Ring beneath Di Yao's feet trembled faintly.

The Corona Emperor Domain had only just formed.

The killing intent of a Titled Douluo had already arrived.