Qualitative Transformation

Deep within the forest, yin energy hung heavy. Ancient trees towered overhead, while gray-black miasma drifted slowly through the woods. Any ordinary Soul Master who entered this place would have one foot in the grave. In an open clearing, Ye Guyi sat cross-legged. Her white robes stood out sharply against the gloomy surroundings, and a faint holy aura flowed around her, utterly at odds with the deathly silence nearby.

The Immortal-Grade Herb and pills she had taken earlier had long since been fully refined. Their medicinal power had seeped into her meridians and bones, nourishing both body and soul to the fullest. At this moment, she was in the optimal state to absorb a spirit ring.

Huo Yuhao stood several yards away at her side, his expression calm and his eyes slightly narrowed. The Eye of Destiny on his brow had already opened, and a layer of pale golden destiny power quietly spread outward, forming an invisible barrier that sealed off the miasma and the hidden gazes within a thirty-meter radius.

He knew clearly that the God-Given Spirit Ring had been bestowed by the Angel God. Its origin was gentle, and there was absolutely no danger of backlash or death during absorption. Even so, he did not dare relax in the slightest.

The seventh spirit ring was the key to a Soul Master's qualitative transformation. Its age directly determined how far she could go in the future—whether she could walk the path of divine trials to the end and even touch Angel Godhood. There could be no carelessness.

"Angel God, this junior is prepared. Please bestow the God-Given Spirit Ring."

Ye Guyi's voice was calm, yet it carried an unquestionable resolve. As soon as her words fell, she closed her eyes, withdrew her consciousness inward, and devoted herself completely to receiving the spirit ring.

Buzz—

A faint tremor descended from the heavens. The previously gloomy sky suddenly split open, and an immense holy golden radiance poured down like a pillar reaching the heavens, enveloping Ye Guyi directly. The golden light was pure and boundless, without the slightest trace of malice, instantly dispersing a large swath of the sinister miasma around them.

At the heart of the pillar of light, a fist-sized golden sphere slowly condensed. Its entire surface gleamed like molten gold, spiritual light flowing across it. Within lay endless spirit ring origin power, capable of transforming according to the cultivator's endurance. It was the embryonic form of the God-Given Spirit Ring bestowed by the Angel God.

Huo Yuhao's expression tightened. The golden light in his Eye of Destiny flickered faintly as Dragon God Power quietly circulated within him, ready for him to act at any moment.

Guided by Ye Guyi's soul, the golden sphere in midair slowly rotated, its golden radiance gently pulsing. In only a few breaths, the solid sphere began hollowing out from its center. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth, like invisible skilled hands, shaped it into a perfect ring.

The ring gently settled over her from above, enclosing her within its center as it hovered silently and formed faint resonances with her Angel Martial Soul.

The spirit ring took shape, and its first color emerged—pure white.

That was the color of a Ten-Year Spirit Ring. Its light was faint and gentle, merging into her body without the slightest disturbance. This was merely the beginning of the God-Given Spirit Ring's transformation.

"Focus your mind and hold to oneness. Let nature take its course. There is no need to guide it deliberately," Huo Yuhao said in a low, steady voice.

Ye Guyi understood at once, and her aura became even more stable.

Before long, the white ring suddenly changed, turning bright yellow—a Hundred-Year Spirit Ring, naturally formed.

The yellow light flickered, then transformed again. Its color deepened continuously until it finally became a deep purple.

A Thousand-Year Spirit Ring.

The purple ring remained stable for only a moment before undergoing another transformation.

A deep black like ink instantly swept across the entire spirit ring, completely covering the purple.

A Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring had formed.

Only now had it truly reached the foundation of the seventh spirit ring.

The power of ten thousand years was vast and majestic, far beyond that of a thousand years. Even though the God-Given Spirit Ring was exceptionally gentle, Ye Guyi still furrowed her brow slightly, fine beads of sweat appearing at her temples. It was not danger, but the force battering her body and soul—her meridians were continuously widened, her soul power repeatedly condensed, and every moment pushed her toward her limits.

Huo Yuhao's gaze sharpened. The Eye of Destiny cast down a faint golden glow as a strand of warm Dragon God Power silently entered her body, stabilizing her condition and helping her maintain her focus at the edge of her limits.

"Guyi, hold on." His voice was calm but powerful. "The seventh spirit ring determines the foundation of your path. The more you endure now, the more possibilities your future will hold."

Ye Guyi clenched her teeth slightly and nodded in silence. Enduring the soreness and exhaustion within her, she continued guiding the spirit ring's power toward a higher level.

The true trial began now.

The pure black Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring began to tremble slightly—not because it was unstable, but because its origin power was constantly ascending. Threads of scarlet slowly appeared along its edges, like blood-red clouds staining it. Black and red intertwined, coiled around each other, then began to devour one another.

Ten thousand years, transforming toward one hundred thousand years.

This step was a chasm in spirit ring age, and also the dividing line between a mortal body and a demigod's body. There was no danger to her life, but it drained both mind and strength. Her body remained under extreme strain, her soul tightly stretched, and the prolonged torment was enough to stop the vast majority of Soul Masters here.

Ye Guyi's body trembled faintly, and her breathing grew hurried. Her white robes were soaked through with a thin sheen of sweat, and strain showed on her holy face. The sacred light around her flickered between bright and dim, but it never collapsed. She had only one thought in her heart—persist.

Huo Yuhao saw everything clearly. His expression remained composed, but his eyes had gained several traces of gravity. He knew that this was the most grueling moment, yet also the most crucial.

"Do not be distracted. Hold firm to your heart," Huo Yuhao said slowly, his tone carrying a calming strength. "You are the one chosen by the Angel God. A Hundred-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring is the opportunity you deserve. Take one step back now, and you will regret it for life. Take one step forward, and the world will open before you."

As his words fell, the golden light of the Eye of Destiny brightened once more. Dragon God Power flowed on gently and without end, continuously nourishing Ye Guyi's depleted soul and providing her with the final support she needed.

Time passed little by little. The forest was silent, with only the spiritual light of the spirit ring's transformation quietly flowing.

Under the red stain, the black continuously receded—from pure black, to half black and half red, until red gradually took the lead.

The scarlet grew increasingly vivid, while the darkness faded further and further.

No one knew how much time had passed. At the instant the final thread of ink-black was completely swallowed by crimson—

Buzz—!

A soundless wave of spiritual light spread outward. The spirit ring surrounding Ye Guyi had become an entirely crimson, shimmering Hundred-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring!

The red holy ring rotated quietly, majestic, weighty, and pure. It merged perfectly with the Angel Martial Soul, without the slightest incongruity or hint of violence. Everything had come naturally.

Ye Guyi let out a long breath of stale air. Her tightly closed eyes slowly opened, and two streaks of holy golden light flashed through them. Her aura surged several times stronger before swiftly withdrawing and returning to calm.

After a brief period of weakness, an unprecedented power filled her entire body.

"I... did it." She spoke softly, unable to hide the relief in her voice.

The burden in Huo Yuhao's heart finally lifted completely. The Eye of Destiny on his brow slowly closed, and his expression returned to its usual calm. He nodded slightly.

"The seventh ring has formed, and it is a Hundred-Thousand-Year God-Given Spirit Ring. The foundation of your path has been set. In your future cultivation, there will no longer be any stagnation."

As his words fell, the sinister wind of the Evil Demon Forest still howled, but around the two of them, everything was open and clear.

A Hundred-Thousand-Year seventh spirit ring had thus been forged.