The Blood Dragon that had been sleeping all this time seemed to have been enraged. A terrifying devouring force erupted from within Gu En.
When the berserk spatial energy encountered the blood-red aura, it became as docile as lambs. It was rapidly filtered and purified before finally merging into Gu En's bones.
A faint layer of blood-red markings surfaced across Gu En's skin. The Blood Dragon Martial Soul was forcibly reinforcing his body.
Time passed second by second.
Ning Fengzhi and the other two held their breath. For two full hours, Gu En remained completely motionless.
At last, the dark yellow soul ring fully drew in and pulsed steadily beneath Gu En's feet.
Gu En opened his eyes, silver light flashing through them, followed by an oppressive aura far surpassing that of a level-ten Soul Master.
"It worked!" Ning Fengzhi let out a long breath.
"Good lad! A first soul ring of nine hundred and ninety-nine years—such a thing has never been heard of in the history of Douluo Continent!" Chen Xin's eyes were filled with admiration.
Gu Rong asked eagerly, "En'er, what is your first soul skill?"
Gu En rose to his feet, the corners of his lips lifting slightly. With a light wave of his right hand, the phantom Bone Dragon behind him suddenly opened its enormous maw.
"First soul skill: Bone Dragon Void Flash."
Before his words had even faded, Gu En vanished from where he stood. In the next instant, he appeared behind a massive boulder a hundred meters away. Then, the boulder silently split into countless neat pieces, shredded apart by the lingering spatial ripples.
"Teleportation? No, teleportation with cutting damage!" Ning Fengzhi immediately saw through it. "And the distance and frequency of the teleportation..."
Gu En flashed back to his original spot and added,
"Uncle Ning, this soul skill allows me to perform three consecutive short-range spatial jumps. Enemies along the path of those jumps will be cut by spatial power."
"Most importantly, it carries the defensive attribute of the Bone Dragon Martial Soul. At the instant of teleportation, I enter a brief ethereal state and become immune to physical attacks."
"Offense, defense, and mobility all in one."
Chen Xin sighed. "Old Bones, your grandson may end up being even harder to deal with than you."
"Hahaha! Of course!"
Gu Rong laughed proudly.
"Come on, back to the sect! I want those old fellows in the sect to see what a true genius is!"
Gu En felt the abundant Soul Power within his body.
After absorbing this nearly millennium-old soul ring, his Soul Power Level had not remained at level fifteen. Thanks to his exceptionally deep foundation, it had surged directly to level seventeen.
That was right. Gu En's Innate Soul Power had exceeded full innate soul power, though it had not reached the innate level twenty of Qian Renxue. Instead, it stood in between, at innate level fifteen.
At the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest, the absorption of the soul ring had entered its final stage.
The dark yellow soul ring beneath Gu En's feet pulsed faster and faster, its color deepening to a critical point.
At that moment, the dormant Blood Dragon Martial Soul within him seemed dissatisfied with this "quasi-millennium" soul ring.
"Roar—!"
A dragon roar that only Gu En could hear rang out within his sea of consciousness.
The blood-red markings in his left palm suddenly erupted with blinding light. An aura of incomparably pure True Dragon Essence Blood flowed through his meridians and poured into the yellow soul ring.
The soul ring, which had already stabilized, began to tremble violently. Under the forced infusion of that high-grade dragon blood, the yellow coloring on its surface completely shattered, replaced by a noble yet sinister shade of purple!
"Buzz!"
The purple halo fully took shape, its deep violet radiance casting Gu En's face in an especially cold light.
"Pur-purple?!"
Even Ning Fengzhi, with all his experience and knowledge, could not help crying out in shock. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in his hand even swayed slightly.
"A first soul ring... of a thousand years? That's impossible!"
Sword Douluo Chen Xin's usually placid eyes were filled with shock.
The ironclad law of the Soul Master world had been torn apart by Gu En at this moment.
Gu Rong teleported directly to Gu En's side and repeatedly examined the purple gleam. Then he broke into wild laughter.
"Hahahaha! Good! What an incredible Blood Dragon! It can forcibly raise a soul ring's age! En'er, the secrets of your Twin Martial Souls may be enough to make even gods jealous!"
Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the rear garden of the Sect Master's residence.
News of Gu En's return had not yet spread through the sect, but Ning Rongrong had already been waiting at the entrance.
When she saw Gu En return safely—especially when she saw the pulsing purple soul ring beneath his feet—she froze in place.
"Brother Gu En... y-you really absorbed a millennium-old one?"
Ning Rongrong ran over, her large eyes filled with admiration and a trace of possessiveness that even she had not noticed.
Gu En put away his martial soul. Looking at the little girl before him, who had yet to reach his shoulder, he reached out and ruffled her hair.
"Mm. I got lucky. The Blood Dragon Martial Soul gave me a hand."
"It wasn't luck at all. Brother Gu En is the best!"
Ning Rongrong took the opportunity to wrap herself around Gu En's arm, rubbing her little face against it like a clingy kitten.
"Now that you're so amazing, let's see who in the sect still dares say I'm naughty. I'll tell them my fiancé is the genius with the first millennium soul ring and scare them to death!"
Gu En looked at her adorable attempt to borrow his prestige, and warmth rose in his heart.
He took an exquisite jade box from his robes. Inside was a Snowbone Ginseng he had casually picked in the Star Dou Great Forest. Though it was not an immortal herb, it was extremely beneficial for strengthening the foundation and nurturing vitality in support-system Soul Masters.
"Here, a gift for you."
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up. She took the jade box, but instead of looking at the precious herb, she stared at Gu En.
"I'll accept the gift, but Brother Gu En, you have to promise me one thing."
"What is it?"
Ning Rongrong raised her head slightly. The setting sun fell across her delicate face, outlining it with a soft golden glow. She said seriously,
"Once you become stronger, lots of girls will like you."
"But you're the fiancé of me, Ning Rongrong. Your first soul ring is mine, your second soul ring is mine... all of you has to be mine. You're not allowed to look at anyone else!"
Though her words carried the domineering air of a little witch, her clear, water-like eyes held the purest affection.
Gu En paused slightly, then smiled. He held out his little finger. "All right. Pinky promise."
"Pinky promise, hang yourself—no changing your mind for a hundred years!"
Their little fingers hooked together, casting an eternal silhouette beneath the setting sun.
In the days that followed, Gu En's treatment within the sect reached unprecedented heights.
Ning Fengzhi directly announced that Gu En would enjoy the same authority as the Sect Master in allocating resources.
Meanwhile, Gu Rong and Chen Xin argued fiercely over who would get to teach Gu En.
"You old bastard, En'er's first martial soul is the Bone Dragon, so naturally he should learn spatial control and combat techniques from me!"
"Old Bones, what you teach is just a sneaky fighting style! En'er's Blood Dragon Martial Soul is brimming with explosive power. It perfectly suits the attacking essence of my Seven Killings Sword. Learning the sword from me is the proper path!"
Gu En, meanwhile, grew rapidly under the "devil training" of the two Titled Douluo.
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