God-Bestowed Spirit Ring

Some time later.

The Enfeoffment Ceremony came to an end, the rosy clouds dispersed, and Spirit City erupted completely.

In a single day, the entire city knew.

Spirit Hall's newly appointed Holy Son, Su Qi, possessed Innate Level-Twenty Full Soul Power, a God-Grade Spirit, and talent unrivaled throughout history.

Countless Spirit Hall disciples and stewards stopped along the way, all turning their gazes toward the two figures walking side by side.

Along the way back, everyone whispered among themselves, their voices full of astonishment and respect.

"Is that the newly appointed Holy Son?"

"I heard he's only six. Why does he look like an adult? He grew up way too fast."

"Shh! Keep your voice down. What do you know? Having an adult's physical constitution at six means he can absorb spirit rings with higher age limits. Idiot!"

"Right! How did I not think of that? Then His Highness the Holy Son's spirit rings must be the absolute best possible configuration?"

The discussions rose and fell without end.

Su Qi walked calmly, his expression placid, as though he had not heard any of the praise around him.

At his side, Hu Liena followed at an unhurried pace.

As the Pope's Direct Disciple, her residence was adjacent to the Holy Son's Palace. Both were located within the Pope's Palace, so they naturally traveled the same way.

Walking along the bluestone path, Hu Liena realized that Su Qi was a full head taller than her. Walking together, they looked more like siblings.

"Your Highness, how did you grow so much in just three months?"

Hu Liena raised her eyes toward Su Qi's head and could not help saying, "When we met in the library more than three months ago, you only came up to my waist. You were small and adorable."

"In just a few months, you've not only grown tall and straight, but you're even so much taller than me. Your temperament has also become so steady that you seem like a completely different person. I'm almost embarrassed to call you small and adorable now."

Su Qi lowered his head and smiled at Hu Liena. "Perhaps absorbing spirit rings beyond my level twice, and having my body remodeled by spirit ring energy beyond its limits, accelerated my physical development."

"As for my temperament, I trained in the Star Dou Great Forest for several months. I fought every day and became accustomed to danger. Naturally, I changed."

"So that's how it is." Hu Liena's face was full of astonishment. "You became a Two-Ring Great Soul Master at six years old and even possess Level-Twenty-Nine soul power. I never expected that, after only a few months apart, you would already be at the same level as me."

"Senior Sister, you're Level-Twenty-Nine as well?" Su Qi asked.

"Yes." Hu Liena's eyes were gentle as she looked at Su Qi with a faint smile. "Once we break through to Level Thirty together, we should have the chance to travel together and obtain our Third Soul Rings."

"Probably not." Su Qi considered it before saying, "Once my soul power reaches the Level Thirty bottleneck, I don't intend to obtain my Third Soul Ring."

"Why?" Hu Liena reminded him, "If you don't obtain your Third Soul Ring and remain stuck at the bottleneck, your cultivation speed will slow considerably."

"I know." Su Qi's gaze stretched into the distance, deep contemplation hidden in his eyes.

"But for me, not obtaining the Third Soul Ring for now has more advantages than disadvantages. Senior Sister, forgive me for not being able to explain further. You'll understand when the time comes."

"Fine." Hu Liena said teasingly, "Our Holy Son is protected by a Deity anyway, so I certainly don't need to worry. I only need to look forward to what surprises await us in the future."

Su Qi laughed. "Senior Sister, you flatter me. I can't be certain there will be any surprises either. I just want to give it a try."

Hu Liena encouraged him, "A Nine-Hundred-Year First Soul Ring, a Thousand-Year Second Soul Ring, growing into an adult in three months, and discovering the secret of Whale Gel—Your Highness, you created so many miracles shortly after joining Spirit Hall."

"I believe that next, you'll get what you wish for as well."

Looking back at Hu Liena's sincere gaze, Su Qi smiled. "I'll borrow your kind words."

As they chatted along the way, Hu Liena realized that she did not find Su Qi childish or naïve in the slightest, despite his being six years old.

When they spoke, it felt entirely like an interaction between peers.

Rather than saying that this Holy Son had become a completely different person, it was more accurate to say that his temperament from a few months ago better suited his current youthful appearance. He no longer gave off a sense of incongruity.

After discussing cultivation, Hu Liena and Su Qi spoke of everyday family matters as well.

The two gained a general understanding of each other's family situations, becoming more familiar and closer in the process.

Before long, they arrived at the Pope's Palace.

"I'll head back to my room first. Let's talk again when we have time." Hu Liena waved, turned, and entered her room.

Su Qi watched her leave. Then his smile faded as he headed alone toward the room reserved for the Holy Son.

What he had told Hu Liena about temporarily not obtaining his Third Soul Ring had not been empty words. Su Qi truly intended to do so.

The Asura First Trial was currently half complete. All that remained was for him to break through to Level Forty soul power within one year.

According to the original work, if one happened to be stuck at a soul power bottleneck without obtaining a spirit ring while completing a Divine Trial, one seemed to receive an additional God-Bestowed Spirit Ring as a Divine Trial reward.

Su Qi intended to delay obtaining his Third Soul Ring so that, after completing the Asura First Trial, he could use the Divine Trial reward to obtain two God-Bestowed Spirit Rings at once.

It was said that the age limit of a God-Bestowed Spirit Ring was determined entirely by a soul master's talent and the limit of what their body could endure.

The greater the pressure a soul master could withstand while absorbing it, the higher the spirit ring's age limit and the better its quality.

Furthermore, a God-Bestowed Spirit Ring could generate the most compatible exclusive soul skill according to the characteristics of the soul master's spirit.

Therefore, if he waited until the Level Forty bottleneck to absorb two God-Bestowed Spirit Rings, the Asura Demon Sword spirit would certainly gain the strongest Third and Fourth Soul Skills, and its potential would be maximized.

The only concern was whether breaking through soul power bottlenecks without spirit rings would slow his cultivation speed and prevent him from completing the Asura First Trial within a year.

Regarding this issue, Su Qi wanted to first compare his cultivation speed before and after the Level Thirty bottleneck.

If his cultivation speed met his expectations, he could proceed according to plan.

Otherwise, he could only abandon the idea of obtaining two God-Bestowed Spirit Rings and prioritize completing the Asura First Trial.

While pondering this, Su Qi had already returned to the Holy Son's Palace. He found a solemn young man in golden robes standing outside the door.

"Greetings, Your Highness the Holy Son."

The young man in golden robes bowed slightly and explained, "I have been ordered to come and guide Your Highness through Spirit Hall's major buildings and facilities, as well as its rank classifications, rules, and regulations."

After introducing the rank classifications and rules, the young man in golden robes led Su Qi to the Consecration Hall.

The Consecration Hall had been built near Douluo Hall. It was a smaller palace separated from the Elder Hall, where the Seven Great Consecrated Elders all lived in seclusion.

The path leading to the Consecration Hall consisted of nine hundred and ninety-nine steps crafted from radiant jade.

Each step was one chi high and eighteen chi long. The radiant jade seemed to have been made from special forging materials; whether day or night, it always retained its original colors and never lost its brilliance due to changes in the surroundings.

In truth, Su Qi knew that the young man in golden robes had brought him to the Consecration Hall under the guise of being a guide because the consecrated elders had instructed him to do so.

He saw through it but did not expose it because, in his previous life, he had been the Eighth Consecrated Elder and had shared friendships with every one of the consecrated elders.

This meeting could also be considered a reunion with old friends under a new identity.