The First Thousand-Year Ring

"This is my innate domain—Sea of Tides."

"Within my domain, any attribute-based attack is ineffective against me. The power of all my attacks is doubled, and my attacks deal an additional 50% damage to enemies within the domain."

"At the same time, if I am attacked, both my physical and energy defenses will increase by 50%, stacking up to a maximum of 300%."

"Furthermore, the water elements within the domain will constantly heal the injuries and restore the Soul Power of me and any companions I recognize."

Of course, Jiang Lan did not mention that he could revive after reaching level one hundred. It was simply too shocking.

To be honest, when Jiang Lan learned about the effects of his domain, he had nearly failed to hold back his laughter.

In the game, Starlight King needed to inflict the Star-Sea Immersion effect on an opponent before becoming immune to attribute-based attacks.

Yet after Starlight King's exclusive trait had transformed into an innate domain, it could directly negate any attribute-based attack without any restrictions.

In a sense, this was quite the massive enhancement.

Moreover, his innate domain had gained the effect of Blade Lord Lus King's exclusive trait, "Tao." When attacked, not only would both of his defenses increase by 50%, but it would also constantly heal his injuries and restore his Soul Power.

Most absurdly, his dual defenses could stack all the way up to 300%, equivalent to a six-stage boost in the game.

Just who could defeat a tank that constantly regenerated health and mana, was immune to all attribute damage, possessed outrageously high defense, and dealt terrifying damage?

The strictest father of elemental Martial Souls had arrived.

"..." Upon hearing this, Shui Qinghan looked at Jiang Lan as if she were looking at some kind of monster.

Setting aside the domain's other effects, the fact that attribute-based attacks alone were ineffective against him already made Jiang Lan the nemesis of most Soul Masters with elemental Martial Souls.

It could be said that control-type Soul Masters like her, who relied entirely on ice elements for crowd control and damage, would likely be unable to hurt Jiang Lan in the slightest unless they overwhelmed him with Soul Power rather than relying solely on their Soul Skills.

After all, the greatest source of lethality from the ice element was low temperature.

"Lan'er, can your innate domain only heal your teammates' injuries and restore their Soul Power?" After remaining silent for a while, Shui Qinghan asked again.

Even if Jiang Lan's innate domain could only heal his teammates and restore their Soul Power, it could still be considered top-tier support, second only to the Nine-Heart Begonia and Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda.

However, based on Shui Qinghan's knowledge, a domain whose secondary ability could heal allies definitely possessed the ability to enhance allies as well. The only question was how strong that enhancement was.

"Of course not." Jiang Lan shook his head and replied, "As long as they are within my domain, both my teammates and I can enjoy the effects granted by the domain. However, the doubled attack power and defense increase after being attacked only apply to me."

"Hiss—" Shui Qinghan sucked in a sharp breath, and the look in her eyes as she watched Jiang Lan grew even more fervent.

With the effects of this innate domain alone, Jiang Lan could be called the strongest support.

Jiang Lan could completely understand why his teammates could also enjoy the effects of his innate domain.

After all, among the soul beasts of Douluo Continent, Starlight King's Lord of Tides skin would at minimum be a powerhouse on the level of the Water Dragon King. It might even be an existence as formidable as the Dragon God. How could it possibly lack the ability to empower its subordinates?

"Lan'er, what level of attack is needed to trigger your defensive boost?" Shui Qinghan asked.

With a 300% defensive boost, even a thousand-year Soul Ring might not be impossible to absorb.

"Any attack can trigger it." Jiang Lan merely clapped his hands a few times, and his dual defenses instantly stacked six layers, gaining a 300% boost.

Shui Qinghan: "..."

When people were speechless, they truly did laugh.

"A 300% defensive boost has raised your physical defense to nearly the level of a Quasi-Soul Elder." Shui Qinghan raised her hand and placed it on Jiang Lan's shoulder. After probing his current physical defense with Soul Power, she spoke.

"A Quasi-Soul Elder? Teacher, does that mean I can absorb a thousand-year Soul Ring?" Jiang Lan's eyes lit up as he asked.

"In theory, you can absorb one, but the pressure of a thousand-year Soul Ring far exceeds that of a hundred-year Soul Ring. It is simply too dangerous. I suggest choosing a Soul Ring of a little over eight hundred years as the best option." Shui Qinghan shook her head, refusing him tactfully.

"Teacher, I want to try!" Jiang Lan said with a determined expression.

"This... Fine. If anything goes wrong, I will immediately interrupt your Soul Ring absorption." Shui Qinghan hesitated for a moment before ultimately choosing to trust the strength of Jiang Lan's Martial Soul.

As she spoke, the vast Soul Power within Shui Qinghan surged forth, condensing into a giant hand of Soul Power that plunged directly into Cold Lake. It grabbed an Azurewave Dragon Sturgeon barely over a thousand years old, then casually snatched up Jiang Lan and turned to flee.

By the time the more than four-thousand-year-old Azure-Wave Dragon Sturgeon King in Cold Lake reacted, Shui Qinghan had already vanished into the dense forest with its offspring and Jiang Lan, leaving no trace behind.

With the unconscious Azurewave Dragon Sturgeon in one hand and Jiang Lan dangling from the other, Shui Qinghan rushed out of the Frozen Forest in the blink of an eye.

"Here. Stab it in through the gills." Shui Qinghan stopped, tossed the unconscious Azurewave Dragon Sturgeon onto the ground, then handed Jiang Lan a dagger.

"Yes~" Jiang Lan took the dagger and swiftly brought it down, efficiently ending the Azurewave Dragon Sturgeon's life.

It was just a fish. It was not as though he had never killed one before.

Soon, faint purple light drifted out from the dead Azurewave Dragon Sturgeon's body, condensing into a pale purple ring above it that radiated a magnificent glow.

"Sit cross-legged and use your Soul Power to draw in the Soul Ring," Shui Qinghan instructed.

"Yes, Teacher~" Jiang Lan immediately sat cross-legged and used the Soul Power in his body to draw in the pale purple thousand-year Soul Ring.

Drawn by the watery blue radiance, the pale purple thousand-year Azurewave Dragon Sturgeon Soul Ring slowly flew toward him.

As the thousand-year Soul Ring drew closer, Jiang Lan immediately felt unprecedented pressure. Even the bones throughout his body began to make faint sounds beneath it.

Very soon, the pale purple ring reached the space above Jiang Lan's head before directly settling around his body.

The next moment, a scorching energy surged into his body, causing dull waves of pain in his meridians.

Jiang Lan did not dare be careless. He hurriedly circulated his Soul Power and began absorbing and refining the Soul Ring.

Shui Qinghan watched Jiang Lan with a tense expression. The instant he showed any sign of being unable to endure it, she would intervene and interrupt his Soul Ring absorption.

Although that might injure Jiang Lan, his innate domain possessed healing abilities. It could heal his injuries and might even leave behind no hidden damage.

Soon, Jiang Lan's body stopped trembling, and he began successfully absorbing the thousand-year Soul Ring.

Shui Qinghan immediately let out a sigh of relief and stood guard for Jiang Lan with peace of mind.

Two hours later, Jiang Lan successfully absorbed the barely thousand-year-old Azurewave Dragon Sturgeon Soul Ring.

This thousand-year Soul Ring did not directly grant Jiang Lan any Soul Skill. Instead, it provided him with the skill pools of Lus King, Blade Lus King, and Starlight King, allowing him to choose one skill from them as this thousand-year Soul Ring's Soul Skill.

"Nice, it can work like this?" Jiang Lan's eyes brightened. Starlight King's Starlight skills were far more practical than a random Soul Skill.

After only a brief consideration, Jiang Lan selected one skill from Starlight King's skill pool—Starlight Strike.