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 been burned into desolation 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 Burning effect of the Golden Crow Domain alone could greatly multiply his combat strength.
Not only that, absorbing the seven-thousand-year Scarlet Sky Crying Phoenix Soul Ring had also granted him 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, and lightning-induced paralysis. Even injuries counted as negative effects, so recovery speed increased after being wounded.
The only regret 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 itself from the Soul Elder to Soul Sage stages, which was why he had not gained any additional Soul Power?
After sensing it briefly, he indeed discovered that his Soul Power was as 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 be greatly reduced from now on.
At that moment, Qian Renxue drifted over, extended her slender jade-like finger, and poked Su Chen's forehead. Her voice was 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 failed to give you the Soul Skill you wanted?"
Su Chen came back to himself. "No, Sister Xue'er."
"My third Soul Skill suits me very well. Golden Crow Sun Bathing increases all my attributes by 100%, greatly boosting my strength."
"The reason I'm troubled is that I exceeded my limit to absorb a seven-thousand-year Soul Ring, yet it didn't raise my Soul Power at all. I only have level 31 Soul Power now."
Qian Renxue understood and smiled faintly.
"You little rascal, you're quite greedy. You gained such a powerful Soul Skill and still aren't satisfied. How much more Soul Power did you want to gain?"
"You awakened a Domain. Perhaps that excess Soul Ring energy was consumed to awaken it."
"Domain skills are something even countless Titled Douluo can only dream of. Saying it rivals a hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring would not be an exaggeration."
After Qian Renxue comforted him like this, Su Chen felt much better.
He rose to his feet, straightened his back like a great spear, rolled his broad shoulders, and said with great ease:
"Sister Xue'er is right. I gained 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. Tenderness surfaced on her lovely face as her eyes shimmered.
Su Chen was nine years old.
When he had been seven, he had still looked like a child, his youthful innocence not yet gone.
Only a little over a year had passed, and after absorbing a seven-thousand-year Soul Ring, he already looked like an adult.
He stood 1.7 meters tall, with broad shoulders, a slender waist, and a well-proportioned physique, especially when paired with that refined and handsome face.
Even Qian Renxue's heart began to race a little as she watched him.
Qian Renxue stepped forward on her own initiative and wrapped an arm around Su Chen's waist. Activating Martial Soul Possession, a pair of angel wings spread from her back.
"Let's go. Now that you've absorbed the Soul Ring, it's time for us to return to Heaven Dou City."
A trace of awkwardness appeared on Su Chen's face as Qian Renxue held him and took flight.
"Sister Xue'er, I'm already this grown up. Can't you let me fly on my own?"
Qian Renxue gave a soft laugh. With her free hand, she ruffled Su Chen's hair, turning his neat hair into a mess.
"You're only nine. How grown up can you be? Besides, you're merely a Soul Elder with level 31 Soul Power. That little Soul Power isn't enough to support you flying back to Heaven Dou City."
The smile on her face grew gentler, as though she were comforting a child.
"I know children your age already have strong self-esteem. Today, your sister will fly with you. In the future, you can fly with your sister."
"Then you can carry me back, all right? Let me tell you, no boy has ever held your sister around the waist. You'll be the first..."
By the end, Qian Renxue's tone was full of temptation.
Su Chen cursed inwardly. You really deserve to be shocked badly, tempting a child who's only nine.
But then again, Qian Renxue was tempting him now.
That made it a different matter.
Su Chen said seriously:
"Then it's settled. Pinky promise!"
Qian Renxue bit her lip, her eyes rippling as she extended her delicate hand. She linked her pinky with Su Chen's, then pressed their thumbs together.
It was as if they had completed a very important ritual.
Her voice seemed somewhat ethereal. "Xiao Chen, don't forget today's promise. Your sister has already engraved it in her heart."
How could Su Chen forget? In the future, he would definitely carry her back. And besides that, he would do some things that would make Qian Renxue blush furiously.
A 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 stiffer, his gaze fixed tightly on Su Chen, his face full of determination to erase his past 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 carried the pride of the Upper Three Sects since childhood. I will never accept my own defeat!"
"The true strength of us Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Soul Masters begins after reaching Soul Elder. Only Soul Elders can master the Dragon Transformation Secret Technique!"
"After breaking through to Soul Elder, I waited until now—until you also became a Soul Elder. Now is the time for me to erase my humiliation!"
Su Chen rubbed his forehead. This useless Yu Tianheng had been no match for him at the Grand Soul Master stage. Did he think becoming a Soul Elder made him a match now?
"Yu Tianheng, you are not my opponent. You weren't a year ago, and you're even less so now. Move aside."
Anger appeared on Yu Tianheng's face.
"Arrogant!"
He instantly activated Martial Soul Possession. The sleeve of his right arm burst apart inch by inch, dragon scales emerged from beneath his skin, and blue-violet currents of electricity coiled around him.
Three Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, and purple—also circled his dragonized right arm.
"Today, I'll make you suffer a crushing defeat!"
"Third Soul Skill, Thunderous Fury!"
"First Soul Skill, Thunder Dragon Claw!"
Empowered by his third Soul Skill, Yu Tianheng's dragonized right arm blazed with brilliant lightning as it tore through the air and clawed toward Su Chen.
Su Chen narrowed his eyes, intending to teach him an unforgettable lesson!
Activating Martial Soul Possession, 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 Golden Crow True Flame's lethality and destructive range 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 Instantaneous Movement, and its attack power increased by 100% when moving in a straight line.
Su Chen neither dodged nor evaded. Under the amplification of his two enhancement Soul Skills, he charged straight at Yu Tianheng.
With a boom, Yu Tianheng spat blood, his body flying through the air like a broken sack. His eyes rolled back as he fell to the ground more than ten meters away.
That dragonized right arm had been burned black.
How could mere lightning contend with Golden Crow True Flame!
Su Chen landed, withdrew his Martial Soul, and did not spare Yu Tianheng, who had passed out, another glance.
Trash was trash.
He had only gained this little cultivation in an entire year.
A mere level 32 Soul Power was not worth mentioning before his level 31 Soul Power.
Before you continue