Sky-Sealing Domain!

"Now?" Ning Rongrong froze, looking at him with some concern.

"It's just eaten its fill, so its guard is at its lowest. This is the best time for a surprise attack. But are you really sure? That's a Ten-Thousand-Year Azure Luan, a descendant of an ancient divine beast!"

Lin Ming did not answer, because he had already charged out.

Like an arrow loosed from a bowstring, he raced forward close to the ground. Fallen leaves were swept up by his speed, forming a long trail behind him.

The Heaven-Piercing Divine Spear dragged behind him, its tip carving a deep furrow into the earth and sending sparks flying. His goal was clear—launch a lethal strike while the Azure Luan was busy feeding.

However, the Azure Luan's reaction far exceeded his expectations.

When Lin Ming was less than thirty meters away, the Azure Luan suddenly raised its head. A mocking glint flashed through its amber eyes, as though it were ridiculing this overconfident human.

It had discovered the human hiding in the shadows long ago. It simply could not be bothered with him.

In its eyes, a human who had not even reached level thirty was not enough to fill the gaps between its teeth. Yet this tiny human actually dared to provoke it?

He truly did not know the meaning of death.

The Azure Luan let out a clear cry, filled with pride and disdain.

With a beat of its wings, it shot into the sky, stirring up a violent gust as it effortlessly evaded Lin Ming's ambush.

It circled once in the air, looking down at Lin Ming with utter arrogance and contempt, as if he were no more than an ant.

Its gaze seemed to say: A level-thirty human like you thinks he is worthy of being my opponent?

Though his strike missed, Lin Ming was not discouraged. Instead, he grinned, flashing his white teeth. "As expected of an Azure Luan. You're quick. But that makes this interesting. I wouldn't even look twice at an opponent who was too weak."

The Azure Luan clearly could not understand his words, but it could sense the provocation emanating from this human. It was enraged.

It was an Azure Luan! A descendant of the ancient divine beast Phoenix! The king among avian soul beasts! How dare a puny human provoke it? This was an insult to its bloodline!

The Azure Luan cried out furiously again, folding its wings before diving down like an azure-blue meteor, even faster than before!

Its claws gleamed coldly beneath the sunlight. Its five talons were like five razor-sharp daggers, aimed directly at Lin Ming's head, determined to tear this arrogant human to pieces!

"Good!" Lin Ming roared. Rather than retreating, he advanced. He stomped hard against the ground and shot forward to meet it head-on.

The Heaven-Piercing Divine Spear swept upward in his hand. A platinum spear radiance soared into the sky, ripping through the air as it collided fiercely with the Azure Luan's claws!

"Clang—!"

Spear and claws collided with a deafening metallic crash, like two divine weapons striking each other. A visible ring of air burst outward from the point of impact, throwing fallen leaves and shattered stones into the air and forming a circular shockwave.

Lin Ming felt a tremendous force travel through the spear. It numbed the web between his thumb and forefinger, made both arms tremble slightly, and sent him skidding back seven or eight meters before he regained his footing.

Two deep furrows were plowed beneath his feet, turning up the soil. He shook his numbed arms, but excitement gleamed in his eyes.

The Azure Luan was also sent tumbling upward by the strike. It rolled several times through the air before stabilizing itself. It shook its head, and the contempt in its eyes faded, replaced by caution and surprise.

This human's strength had exceeded its expectations. A level-thirty human had actually blocked its diving attack head-on? That was simply unbelievable.

Even so, it did not believe it could lose. It was the ruler of the skies. As long as it remained in the air, this human could do nothing to it. It possessed the advantage of speed and altitude. It could keep diving down to attack, wearing down the human's stamina until he collapsed from exhaustion.

With a beat of its wings, the Azure Luan prepared to climb once more and use its aerial advantage to wear down this human.

Then it suddenly discovered something terrifying.

It could not fly.

It was not that it did not want to fly. An invisible force was suppressing it, as though an unseen hand were pressing it into place, or as if the gravity around it had suddenly increased tenfold.

It desperately beat its wings, making them whistle through the air, yet it could only rise less than a meter off the ground. It could no longer soar freely as it had before.

The harder it struggled, the stronger that suppressive force became, as though the entire sky were rejecting it.

What was happening?!

The Azure Luan panicked. For the first time, fear appeared in its amber eyes.

It had never encountered anything like this. It was an Azure Luan, the ruler of the skies. The sky was its home ground, its territory, its kingdom.

But now, its home-ground advantage was gone! It could not understand what had happened, and the fear of the unknown threw it completely into disarray.

Watching the flustered Azure Luan, Lin Ming's lips curled into a triumphant smile.

Sky-Sealing Domain.

This was the domain ability inherent to the Heaven-Piercing Divine Spear, one of the most tyrannical abilities of this divine spear. Although its current range was only ten meters in every direction, that was already enough.

Once the Azure Luan entered this range, it could forget about taking flight again. This was the majesty of the Heaven-Piercing Divine Spear as the king of all weapons—in my presence, no living being may stand above me.

A bird that could not fly had at least half its combat strength crippled. Without the advantage of the sky, the Azure Luan was like a tiger with its teeth pulled, left only to be slaughtered.

"Rongrong! Now!" Lin Ming shouted as the soul power within his body erupted in full.

"I'm on it!" Ning Rongrong had long been prepared. The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda slowly rotated in her palm, radiating brilliant seven-colored light that made her little face shine.

Her gaze was focused and resolute. At this moment, she was no longer that willful, mischievous little devil. She was a qualified support Soul Master.

"Nine Treasures Unleashed, Glazed Light—Nine Treasures Have a Name: First, Strength!"

A red light flew from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and accurately entered Lin Ming's body. He felt a warm current surge through his entire body. His muscles bulged slightly, and his strength instantly soared!

"Nine Treasures Have a Name: Second, Speed!"

A cyan light followed close behind and entered Lin Ming's body. His body became far lighter, as though a tremendous burden had been lifted from him, and his speed increased dramatically!

"Nine Treasures Have a Name: Third, Soul!"

A purple light entered Lin Ming's body. The soul power within him churned like boiling water, greatly enhancing both his recovery rate and output!

This was the terrifying aspect of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda! The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda could only apply three enhancements at once, while the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda could apply all nine simultaneously!

Although Ning Rongrong only had three soul rings and could only use three enhancement skills, the effects were already nearly twice as strong as those of a Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda of the same level! And as her level rose, the enhancements would only grow stronger.

Lin Ming tightened his grip around the spear shaft, feeling the surging power within him. Fighting intent blazed in his eyes like twin flames dancing in his pupils.

"Come on, let me see just how strong a descendant of an ancient divine beast like you really is!"

He kicked off the ground fiercely and shot toward the Azure Luan like a cannonball, cracking the earth beneath his feet inch by inch.

The Heaven-Piercing Divine Spear transformed into a skyful of spear shadows, engulfing the Azure Luan like a raging storm. Every thrust carried fierce killing intent.