Golden Crow Sun Bathing

Absorbing the Soul Ring took six hours!

When Su Chen woke up, he withdrew the Golden Crow Domain.

Within a ten-meter radius around him, everything had already been burned into a barren wasteland by the Golden Crow True Flame.

The sand and soil on the ground had melted into crimson lava.

Su Chen's eyes lit up.

The scorching effect of the Golden Crow Domain alone could greatly increase his combat strength.

And that was not all. By absorbing the seven-thousand-year Scarlet Sky Crying Phoenix Soul Ring, he had also obtained a powerful enhancement Soul Skill.

Golden Crow Sun Bathing!

Once activated, it increased all attributes by 100%, removed control effects, and granted immunity to negative effects, including poison, curses, corrosion, lightning paralysis, and even injuries, since injuries also counted as negative effects. Recovery speed would therefore increase after being injured.

The only disappointing thing was that absorbing this seven-thousand-year third Soul Ring had not granted him any additional Soul Power.

He only had level 31 Soul Power now.

How strange!

Su Chen's heart skipped a beat. Could it be because the Great Sun Golden Crow's Golden Crow True Flame counted as Ultimate Fire, causing his Soul Power to begin compressing on its own from the Soul Elder stage to the Soul Sage stage, which was why he had gained no extra Soul Power?

After sensing it slightly, he indeed discovered that his Soul Power was as thick and viscous as liquid mercury, far more condensed than that of an ordinary Soul Elder.

After confirming this, Su Chen could not help feeling somewhat melancholy.

His cultivation speed would greatly decrease from now on.

At that moment, Qian Renxue drifted over. She extended a slender, jade-like finger and poked Su Chen's forehead, her voice crisp and pleasant.

"Xiao Chen, you just absorbed a seven-thousand-year third Soul Ring. Why do you still look so unhappy? Could it be that this Soul Ring didn't suit you and you didn't obtain the Soul Skill you wanted?"

Su Chen came back to his senses. "No, Sister Xue'er."

"My third Soul Skill suits me very well. Golden Crow Sun Bathing increases all attributes by 100%, greatly improving my strength."

"I'm feeling down because I absorbed a seven-thousand-year Soul Ring beyond my limit, yet it didn't increase my Soul Power at all. I only have level 31 Soul Power now."

Qian Renxue understood and smiled.

"You little rascal, you're quite greedy. You obtained such a powerful Soul Skill and still aren't satisfied? How much Soul Power did you want to gain?"

"You awakened a Domain. Perhaps the excess Soul Ring energy was consumed in awakening it."

"A Domain Skill is something even countless Titled Douluo can only dream of. It would not be an exaggeration to say it rivals a hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring."

After Qian Renxue comforted him like that, Su Chen felt much better.

He stood up, straightened his spear-like back, shook his broad shoulders, and said with great ease,

"Sister Xue'er is right. I obtained a powerful enhancement Soul Skill and awakened a Domain. I really should be satisfied."

Qian Renxue took a step back and looked at Su Chen. Her gaze shifted as a gentle smile appeared on her lovely face.

Su Chen was nine years old.

When he had been seven, he had still looked like a child, his youthful innocence not yet gone.

Just over a year had passed, and after absorbing the seven-thousand-year Soul Ring, he already looked like an adult.

He was 1.7 meters tall, with broad shoulders and a slim waist, a well-proportioned physique, and especially that elegant, handsome face.

Even Qian Renxue's heart began to beat a little faster as she watched him.

Qian Renxue stepped forward on her own initiative, wrapped an arm around Su Chen's waist, activated Martial Soul Possession, and spread a pair of angel wings behind her.

"Let's go. Now that you've absorbed your Soul Ring, it's time for us to return to Heaven Dou City."

As Qian Renxue held him and flew into the air, an awkward expression appeared on Su Chen's face.

"Sister Xue'er, I'm already this big. Can't you let me fly on my own?"

Qian Renxue scoffed. With her free hand, she rubbed Su Chen's hair, messing up his neat locks.

"You're only nine. How big can you be? Besides, you're only a Soul Elder with level 31 Soul Power. That little Soul Power isn't enough to support you all the way back to Heaven Dou City."

The smile on her face grew softer, as though she were comforting a child.

"I know children your age already have strong self-esteem. Today, big sister will fly with you. In the future, you can fly with big sister."

"Then you can carry big sister back, all right? Let me tell you, no boy has ever held big sister around the waist. You'll be the first..."

By the end, Qian Renxue's tone was full of temptation.

Su Chen silently cursed, You really deserve a good shock, seducing a child who's only nine.

But then again, Qian Renxue was seducing him now.

That was a different matter altogether.

Su Chen said very seriously,

"Then it's settled. Pinky promise!"

Qian Renxue bit her lip, her eyes shimmering. She extended her delicate hand, hooked her little finger with Su Chen's, and pressed their thumbs together.

It was as though they had completed a very important ritual.

Her voice carried a faint dreamlike quality. "Xiao Chen, don't forget today's promise. Big sister has already engraved it in her heart."

How could Su Chen forget? He would definitely carry her someday. And besides that, he would do some things that would make Qian Renxue blush furiously.

One day later!

They returned to Heaven Dou City and first shared a meal to celebrate Su Chen's breakthrough to Soul Elder.

Only then did they part ways. Su Chen returned to Heaven Dou Royal Academy, while Qian Renxue returned to the Crown Prince's Residence.

Perhaps someone had tipped him off, because the moment Su Chen returned to Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Yu Tianheng came looking for him.

Compared to a year ago, Yu Tianheng no longer possessed a young man's arrogant swagger and high spirits. His expression was more rigid, his eyes fixed firmly on Su Chen, his face full of determination to wash away his humiliation.

"Su Chen, I challenge you again!"

"A Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Soul Master cannot be humiliated. As someone born into the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, I have borne the pride of the Upper Three Sects since childhood. I will never permit my own defeat!"

"The strength of us Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Soul Masters begins after reaching the Soul Elder stage. Only Soul Elders can master the Dragon Transformation Secret Technique!"

"Ever since I broke through to Soul Elder, I have waited until now, until you also became a Soul Elder. Now is the time for me to wash away my humiliation!"

Su Chen pressed a hand to his forehead. This useless Yu Tianheng had not been his match at the Great Soul Master stage. Did he think becoming a Soul Elder made him Su Chen's match?

"Yu Tianheng, you are not my opponent. You weren't a year ago, and you're even less so a year later. Move aside now."

Anger surfaced on Yu Tianheng's face.

"Arrogant!"

He instantly activated Martial Soul Possession. The sleeve around his right arm exploded inch by inch, dragon scales emerging from beneath his skin as blue-violet currents of electricity coiled around it.

Three Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, purple—also circled that dragon-transformed right arm.

"Today, I'll crush you completely!"

"Third Soul Skill, Thunderous Fury!"

"First Soul Skill, Thunder Dragon Claw!"

Enhanced by his third Soul Skill, the dragon-transformed right arm shone with dazzling lightning as it tore through the air and clawed toward Su Chen.

Su Chen narrowed his eyes, intending to teach him an unforgettable lesson!

Martial Soul Possession activated, and golden-red wings spread from behind his back.

First Soul Skill, Golden Crow Radiant Sun!

It increased strength and attack power by 50%, while also increasing the destructive power and range of the Golden Crow True Flame by 50%.

(I took the advice and changed the name of the first Soul Skill!)

Second Soul Skill, Golden Crow Chasing the Sun!

Its short-range acceleration rivaled teleportation, and it increased attack power by 100% in a straight line.

Su Chen neither dodged nor evaded. Under the dual enhancement of his Soul Skills, he charged straight at Yu Tianheng.

With a boom, Yu Tianheng spat blood. His body flew through the air like a tattered sack, tracing an arc before he landed more than ten meters away with his eyes rolled back.

That dragon-transformed right arm had been scorched pitch-black.

How could mere lightning contend with the Golden Crow True Flame!

Su Chen landed, withdrew his Martial Soul, and did not spare Yu Tianheng, who had fainted, another glance.

Trash was trash.

After a whole year, his cultivation had only improved this little.

A mere level 32 Soul Power was simply not worth mentioning before Su Chen's level 31 Soul Power.