Mountain Dragon King Domain

It felt as though the entire world had suddenly come crashing down upon him.

His body felt as if it had been struck by a mountain. Every bone in his body creaked and groaned, as though they might shatter at any moment.

Within his meridians, the energy from the Mountain Dragon King was wildly battering every inch of his body, as if it wanted to tear him apart from within.

"Hiss—" Lin Ming sucked in a sharp breath. Veins bulged on his forehead, and beads of sweat rolled down like rain.

Pain.

A tearing agony surged from the depths of his soul, tenfold—no, a hundredfold—worse than when he had absorbed the Dark-Gold Terrorclaw Bear Spirit Bone!

It was a crushing sensation as though his entire body were about to be ground into dust, as heavy as the collapse of heaven and earth. It felt even more like countless mountains were repeatedly grinding over his bones, making even his marrow cry out in pain.

He felt his consciousness being squeezed bit by bit by the incoming energy. His vision repeatedly darkened, and the immense pressure churned his internal organs without end.

He could even hear the faint groans of his bones under the crushing pressure, as though they could collapse at any time.

Fortunately, Lin Ming's body had been tempered by three Immortal Herbs. The strength of his bones, meridians, and muscles far surpassed those of others at his level. He clenched his teeth and forcibly endured the immense pressure, guiding the Mountain Dragon King's power to flow slowly through his body.

One cycle, two cycles, three cycles...

Every cycle of energy through his body brought fresh pain. That energy was as scorching as molten lava, yet as frigid as an icy river.

Lin Ming gritted his teeth and persevered, unwilling to stop even for a moment. The Soul Power within him was like a starving pack of wolves, madly devouring the energy released by the Mountain Dragon King. With every bit it consumed, his aura grew stronger.

Gradually, the heart-rending agony began to turn numb. Lin Ming's consciousness rose and fell amid wave-like pain, and he told himself that he could not give up.

He still had too many unfinished things to do. He still had to protect those around him who cared for him.

He did not know how much time had passed.

Lin Ming was soaked through with sweat, his lips purple and his face deathly pale. Even the ground beneath him had been drenched over a large area.

His consciousness grew hazy from the pain. Several times, he nearly passed out, only to be dragged back by an unyielding will.

Finally, just as he was nearing his limit, that immense energy seemed to find an outlet. His Soul Power suddenly surged like an unbridled wild horse, smashing through an invisible dam.

Boom!

The Soul Power within Lin Ming surged forth like a mighty river flowing eastward, breaking through one shackle after another before finally stabilizing at the peak of level thirty-nine—only one step away from becoming a level-forty Soul Ancestor!

He opened his eyes and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air. That breath was like a sharp sword, blasting a deep crater into the ground.

A golden gleam flashed through his eyes, like thunder from the depths of the earth. His entire being exuded an aura as steady as a mountain.

At the same time, two pieces of information flooded into his mind. They were the two Soul Bone skills granted by the Mountain Dragon King Torso Bone.

The first was a domain—Earth Domain. Within its range, the power of the earth was under his command. It could greatly enhance his defense and life recovery speed, while causing enemies to suffer the earth's pressure, drastically reducing their speed and slowing their movements. It was like a living prison of crushing weight.

As long as he stood on the ground, the earth would become his most loyal ally.

The second was a powerful attack skill—Mountain Dragon Shatters the Void. It gathered the Mountain Dragon King's power upon his fist and smashed through the void. Its attack range was immense, and its destructive force was even more terrifying.

When activated, the earth would provide him with an endless supply of power, allowing the strike's might to reach its utmost limit. One punch was enough to shatter a small hill.

Lin Ming slowly withdrew his power, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

The 100,000-Year Mountain Dragon King Torso Bone had given him two Soul Bone skills in one go: one for domain control, and one for single-target burst damage. It was balanced in both offense and defense.

Together with his previous Darkgolden Terrorclaw, Void Piercing, and Heaven-Piercing Battle Intent, his current combat strength was already enough to contend with some ordinary level-sixty Soul Emperors.

"Just one more step, and I'll break through to Soul Ancestor." Lin Ming clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within him. A roguish curve lifted at the corner of his lips.

"Qian Renxue, I'll grow stronger as quickly as I can. Only then can I stand before you and help you bear the storms that should have been yours."

He kicked open the door. The sunlight outside the courtyard was bright, and the day was beautiful. He narrowed his eyes at the sky, then turned and went to find Ning Rongrong.