Burning Rings and Force

Xu Bayan rose to his feet. Wrapped in a black cloak trimmed with gold, he flew through the air toward the cleared central soul arena platform and placed his right hand over his chest in salute to the main platform of the VIP stands.

"Thank you, Your Holiness, for agreeing to Demon Bear's unreasonable request."

"I created this 'Burning Ring' Soul Skill by chance. I hope to use this celebration as an opportunity to display it, exchange insights with everyone, and make up for its shortcomings."

Upon hearing this, the Soul Masters in the Great Soul Arena, including those in the VIP stands, all revealed curious expressions.

A Self-Created Soul Skill—and one created by a Titled Douluo at that!

Every Soul Master was interested, their gazes focused on the central soul arena platform.

After all,

in the world of Soul Masters, obtaining a powerful Soul Skill suited to oneself was already difficult. Self-Created Soul Skills were even rarer, seen only among Soul Masters with an exceptionally refined command over their Martial Souls.

"Self-Created Soul Skills have always been closely guarded secrets. I never expected Demon Bear Douluo to be willing to display his openly. I wonder whether we might learn a few of its finer points."

"In my opinion, he's merely showing off to make a name for himself. Who would be foolish enough to reveal a Soul Skill they painstakingly researched without holding anything back?"

"Who cares? Being able to witness a Titled Douluo demonstrate a Self-Created Soul Skill is a gain whether he holds back or not!"

"Hmph, what could trash Soul Masters like you possibly understand? Move aside for this genius. Once I learn a few things, I might generously give you some scraps."

"..."

"Damn it! Brothers, there's an obnoxious show-off here. Beat him up!"

"Pah! I, Bao Buhei, hate show-offs most in my life. Kick him in the balls!"

The Soul Masters in the outer stands discussed heatedly.

The top Soul Masters in the VIP stands watched Xu Bayan, whose Soul Rings had already lit up in the arena, each harboring their own thoughts.

Bibi Dong returned to Qian Xunji's side. Curiosity showed on the surface, but her eyes were cold and empty. She had no interest in Soul Skills, but Xu Bayan had offered up his own eighty-thousand-year left leg Soul Bone.

For the sake of that Soul Bone, she would help him once today.

Lin Xie, seated among the elders, merely sneered. He did not know what trick Xu Bayan intended to play, but he knew that before absolute strength, everything was useless.

"I heard that this barbaric bear severed his own left leg and stripped out his Soul Bone to save his son. His cultivation has permanently fallen to the Soul Douluo level. Hehe, he's a cripple now, so ashamed that he doesn't even dare show his true form."

"Yes. Demon Bear is unworthy of his position. Perhaps we should convene the Elder Council and remove Xu Bayan from his elder's seat." Lei Dao's face was stiff, but his words struck directly at the heart of the matter.

Ghost Leopard Ao Miao expressionlessly glanced at Flash Mongoose and Lei Dao, who were echoing each other, his sword-like brows furrowing. He said nothing.

In the world of Soul Masters, conflicts had never extended to one's family. This time, Lin Xie had openly broken that rule. Although Ao Miao also had some friction with Xu Bayan,

that was merely ordinary rivalry.

From the bottom of his heart, he despised Lin Xie's underhanded methods. At the same time, he became wary of the man. Now that he knew Lin Xie had no bottom line, if conflict arose with the Lin Family in the future, he would have to kill this mad dog with lightning speed and leave him no chance to retaliate or catch his breath.

Otherwise, he would surely suffer at his hands. The Xu Family was a warning example!

As for the other seven sect masters, they more or less knew about the circumstances behind the widely spread news over the past two days that Demon Bear Douluo's son had been kidnapped. They all looked toward the soul arena platform with grave expressions.

On the soul arena platform,

Xu Bayan's tall, burly body stood alone. After activating Martial Soul Possession and revealing his Soul Rings, his first Soul Ring had visibly become dim and illusory, clearly different from the solid radiance of the other eight Soul Rings.

At the same time,

the cloak around him fell away, revealing nothing where his left leg should have been. He stood on only his right leg. This was the first time he had exposed himself before everyone.

The Soul Masters below the stage all sucked in cold breaths at the sight.

Those who knew some of the details and those who did not all began whispering among themselves. For a time, the Great Soul Arena became as noisy as boiling water.

Yet none of this affected Xu Bayan in the slightest. Expressionless, he began introducing his Self-Created Soul Skill, Burning Ring.

"Burning Ring can only be used by Beast Martial Soul Masters with powerful blood qi. It is a Self-Created Soul Skill I developed to connect my immense blood qi with the power of my Soul Rings."

"This Soul Skill is an explosive technique. It is activated in three stages and requires perfect control over one's Martial Soul."

As he spoke, Xu Bayan circulated his Soul Power and activated the complete Burning Ring Self-Created Soul Skill.

"The first stage is Qi-Blood Ring Fusion. It requires one's blood qi to reach the level where it can be projected and controlled. By stimulating the blood qi through special acupoints, it is poured into the Soul Rings, like this."

"Qi-Blood Ring Fusion, Seven Star Acupoints, open!"

Xu Bayan brought two fingers together. His sword fingers blurred as he consecutively struck seven major acupoints across his shoulders, brow, chest, abdomen, and other locations.

Buzz—

In an instant, a powerful crimson storm enveloped him.

Three breaths later.

The storm subsided. Xu Bayan's body had shrunk, his entire figure becoming smaller by a size. Even so, he appeared exceptionally lean and muscular, his knotted muscles resembling forged steel.

Both his aura and Soul Power began to rise...

Eighty-six, eighty-seven, eighty-eight, eighty-nine!

His Soul Power rose four levels in the blink of an eye!!

Under the effects of his powerful projected Soul Power, his body actually floated three inches above the ground.

The people in the VIP stands revealed thoughtful expressions. Lin Xie's narrow, lightning-like eyes darkened as he put away his mocking disdain.

With the Qi-Blood Ring Fusion complete, Xu Bayan's gaze was as cold as iron as he continued.

"The changes to my body caused by Qi-Blood Ring Fusion are normal. Next is the second stage, Blood-Soul Double-Cycle Circulation. Blood qi drives the power of the Soul Rings, gathering it within the body to circulate through the heavenly cycle, stimulating and feeding back into the flesh."

Xu Bayan took a deep breath. He gathered qi in his right palm and pressed downward, then gathered it again and pressed down once more. After repeating this three times, his muscular body shuddered, his shirt exploded apart, and a dense layer of blood-colored flame slowly rose over his body. His Soul Power rose once more.

Level ninety!!

As Blood-Qi Soul Power entered his body, the airflow around Xu Bayan began to distort. Powerful crimson energy swept outward, even crushing the floor of the soul arena platform and affecting the surrounding environment.

At this point,

all the Soul Masters in the inner and outer stands stopped talking, shock filling their eyes.

That was because the powerful pressure had actually affected the flow of blood qi in every one of their bodies!

Though the effect seemed minor, how could such a vast range of influence be possible?!

In the eyes of ordinary Soul Masters, only domain-type Soul Skills could achieve broad, indiscriminate control.

The people in the VIP stands looked grave, because they too could feel the blood qi within their bodies surging.

Experiencing this strange sensation for the first time, Ning Fengzhi found that it could affect the circulation of his blood qi from such a great distance. He turned to Sword Douluo Chen Xin beside him.

"Uncle Sword, could this be a domain? But I do not feel the obvious restraint of one. What exactly is happening?"

Chen Xin watched the crimson figure on the soul arena platform. Within that crimson color was not only an abnormal blood qi phenomenon, but also killing intent so dense it was nearly tangible!

The intensity of that killing intent made the sword soul of his Seven Kill Sword stir restlessly.

"Sect Master, if I am not mistaken, this should be a derivative application gained after a domain reaches a higher level—Force. Domains mainly spread outward for area control, while Force focuses on enveloping and strengthening oneself. It is completely contained, much like the Sword Force I recently comprehended."

"Force has a greater range of influence than an ordinary domain, but its control over Soul Masters is much weaker. It mainly strengthens single-target attacks. If you calmly circulate your Soul Power, you can eliminate its effects."

After hearing this, Ning Fengzhi immediately circulated his Soul Power. Sure enough, the disturbance in his blood qi vanished at once.

"Another application of a domain? But Uncle Sword, didn't you only grasp Sword Force after breaking through level ninety-six? Bayan, he..."

"He may have briefly broken through level ninety-six."

Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Ning Fengzhi spoke with only slight movements of their lips, communicating through Sound Thread Transmission without letting anyone else know.

On the central soul arena platform,

Xu Bayan clenched his fist, feeling the boiling, surging power within his body. His voice hoarse, he continued.

"After the second stage is complete, the increase in Soul Power is limited, but it greatly enhances physical strength—by roughly five times. Not bad."

"Next comes the final third stage, Martial Soul Burning Ring. This step can only be performed after activating the Martial Soul Avatar. The avatar controls the Blood-Qi Soul Power and maintains its high-speed, explosive state."

"Demon Bear Avatar, Blood Demon Raging Bear King! Come forth!!"

Ding!

Xu Bayan's seventh Soul Ring lit up. A massive black-and-red phantom of a demonic bear let out a wild roar and embraced his physical body from behind.

Avatar Possession!

Xu Bayan's body changed. The muscles, tendons, and bones across his body expanded severalfold, reaching nearly three meters tall in an instant. Fine black-gold bear fur covered his body. With a shake of his twin arms, blood-red claws sprang from his fingertips. His black hair grew thick and long, reaching his waist, while eerie crimson markings appeared around his eyes.

At the empty place where his left leg had been, a black-gold phantom limb actually appeared, replacing his missing left leg.

His Soul Power and aura continued to rise. Ninety-one, ninety-two.

Ninety-three!

Ninety-four!

Level ninety-five!!

"Ah—!!"

Xu Bayan clenched both fists and roared toward the sky.

Boom!!

Pure, ultimate power burst outward, covering the soul arena platform beneath Xu Bayan's feet in dense cracks as though it had been struck by a massive hammer. In the blink of an eye, it caved in into a deep pit.

Xu Bayan stood suspended in the air. The Soul Rings around him began to burn with crimson flames—blood-yellow, blood-purple, blood-black. The Soul Rings had actually become rings of fire.

This...

His Soul Power had directly increased by ten levels!!

Whoosh!

Lin Xie stood up, his face filled with shock. He cried out sharply in disbelief, "Th-This!! How is this possible?! He can return to his peak through nothing but a Self-Created Soul Skill!!"

The others also looked grave. Demon Bear Douluo had suffered severe damage after stripping away his Soul Bone; that was certain. Yet he had actually raised his Soul Power back to its peak through a single Self-Created Soul Skill.

What astounding talent!