Soul Ring Beyond Its Limit

As they looked at the powerful Dark Tortoise before them, Yang Lin and Sun Yu both wore deeply worried expressions. This was a 540-year-old soul beast; even as a Second Soul Ring, it would have been an excellent age. No Soul Master in history had ever possessed a First Soul Ring of such an age.

Yet Yang Xiong did not hesitate in the slightest. He picked up a sharp sword and thrust it directly at the Dark Tortoise's head, blood instantly covering the blade.

But even so, the Dark Tortoise did not die in a single blow. Its eyes, which had been shut after it was knocked unconscious, began to open, as though it was starting to regain consciousness.

What was more, the Dark Tortoise bit down hard on the sword, shattering it outright, while its head seemed poised to retract into its shell.

Lin Gong, who had been observing the Dark Tortoise from the side, reacted swiftly. Countless strands of Soul Power emerged around him, and innumerable purple bamboo stalks immediately wrapped around the turtle's head. It was as though its head had been trapped in a bamboo forest, unable to move.

"Why aren't you doing it? Once this Dark Tortoise retracts its head, you won't be able to kill it with your strength!" Lin Gong shouted angrily.

Yang Xiong did not hesitate either. He grabbed another sword from nearby and drove it straight into the Dark Tortoise's eye, piercing clean through its entire head.

It had to be said that the Dark Tortoise's defenses were truly formidable. Even its most vulnerable eye and head seemed as hard as iron. No wonder it would later be known as the strongest defense-system soul beast.

After Yang Xiong stabbed it several more times, the ground was already covered in blood. Following one final struggle, the Dark Tortoise eventually stopped twitching, and a yellow Soul Ring appeared.

Lin Gong withdrew the bamboo and spoke with a grave expression. "Yang Xiong, it's not too late to regret this. If you fail to absorb the Soul Ring, you could be crippled at best and die outright at worst."

A faint smile appeared on Yang Xiong's face. "Teacher Lin, there seems to be something unusual about your Martial Soul. It shouldn't be ordinary bamboo, right? It looks rather like the legendary Purple Emperor Bamboo."

Lin Gong's face darkened. "Hurry up and absorb the Soul Ring, brat. Otherwise, it'll dissipate."

Yang Lin hurriedly said from the side, "Thank you for earlier, Teacher Lin. The child doesn't know any better. Please don't take offense."

Yang Xiong sat cross-legged on the ground, summoned his Martial Soul, and began absorbing the Soul Ring.

Unlike ordinary Martial Souls, the source of his Martial Soul did not manifest on his right hand. Instead, his entire body seemed to be filled with Soul Power.

Under the pull of Yang Xiong's Soul Power, the Dark Tortoise's yellow Soul Ring rapidly descended around his body.

As the Soul Ring settled into the Soul Ring position of his Body Martial Soul, an inexhaustible force seemed to surge into Yang Xiong's body. That power was especially violent and ferocious, as though it were about to crush him completely.

Once the Soul Ring's power entered his body, it seemed to quickly seep into every part of him. His skin, blood, and bones all felt as though they had been stimulated. Every drop of blood began to boil, his skin felt as if it were being torn apart by tremendous force, and even his bones seemed to be crushed.

The agony of absorbing a Soul Ring beyond its limit far exceeded Yang Xiong's expectations. It was as though he had been cast into blazing magma, his entire body seeming on the verge of melting.

To Yang Lin, Sun Yu, and Lin Gong, Yang Xiong's face was twisted in agony. The skin all over his body had turned crimson, as if blood might seep out at any moment.

The three of them were filled with anxiety. From the looks of it, the Soul Ring absorption seemed to be failing, and his body could explode at any time.

But unexpectedly, as time slowly passed, Yang Xiong's pained expression gradually calmed. Even the faint blood-colored aura emanating from his body slowly subsided, while the yellow Soul Ring around him shone with exceptional brilliance.

When Yang Xiong opened his eyes, he felt incomparably full of strength. It was as though his entire body had undergone some kind of baptism, and both his strength and every other aspect of him had improved significantly.

Yang Lin and Sun Yu hurried to his side. Sun Yu, in particular, looked exceptionally nervous. "Little Xiong, how do you feel now? Is there anywhere in your body that feels uncomfortable?"

Yang Xiong carefully examined his body and even meditated for a moment. He found that the circulation of Soul Power within him seemed to have become much faster. He even seemed to have grown a few centimeters taller, and the muscles on his body appeared firmer as well.

Yang Xiong also carefully examined his Martial Soul. As his body grew stronger, his Full-Body Body Martial Soul seemed to have become slightly more powerful too. However, the change was still minor and did not resemble a Second Awakening at all.

"Dad, Mom, I feel perfectly fine. And my Soul Power seems to have reached level thirteen."

Yang Lin and Sun Yu hurriedly examined Yang Xiong's body once more. They even took out a Crystal Ball to test his Soul Power. His condition was indeed excellent, and his Soul Power was remarkably stable, not at all like someone who had just reached level thirteen.

Only then did the two of them breathe a sigh of relief. Lin Gong, meanwhile, seemed rather excited. "I never thought I would witness history among Soul Masters. Yang Xiong, you may be the first Soul Master in history whose First Soul Ring exceeds five hundred years."

Just then, a figure swiftly appeared in the air. The man was extraordinarily tall, his frame like a massive skeleton. He was none other than the Bone Douluo they had seen before.

Everyone hurriedly bowed. "Greetings, Bone Elder."

Bone Douluo wore a grave expression as well. "Everyone present today, listen carefully. Yang Xiong absorbed a four-hundred-year Mystic Turtle Soul Ring. No one is to reveal a single word of this to anyone else. Any violator will be punished for leaking sect secrets."

Bone Douluo was renowned throughout the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. He was the sect's guardian deity, revered by all, and his words carried the weight of an imperial decree within the sect.

Everyone hurriedly nodded. Clearly, no one dared question Bone Douluo's words.

Even Yang Xiong found it rather strange. Absorbing a Soul Ring was only a minor matter, so why had it attracted a figure as important as Bone Douluo? From the looks of it, he had likely been present all along.

But Yang Xiong had no mind to worry about that now. All his attention was on the First Soul Skill he had gained, because it was even better than he had imagined—enough to be called a divine skill.

Yang Xiong did not make any fuss over it and merely returned home with his parents. Lin Gong, however, looked rather displeased. He had witnessed a miracle in the Soul Master world, one that might even change its history, yet he could not publish this research while being within the sect.

After Yang Xiong returned to his room at home, his calm expression instantly twisted. He spat out a mouthful of blood, and the Soul Power throughout his body seemed to spiral completely out of control.