The Winged Dragon of Ra awakens

Looking at the Sunflare Golden-Winged Sparrow's corpse and the purple Thousand-Year Soul Ring that had fallen nearby, Lu Yang let out a heavy breath.

The battle had looked easy, but those two attacks alone had consumed nearly sixty percent of Lu Yang's Soul Power. Had it truly turned into a prolonged fight, he might not have lasted.

Lu Yang was well aware of how quickly he burned through Soul Power, and he had already devised a countermeasure: take advantage of his ability to choose his own Soul Skills and craft a third Soul Skill that combined attack and recovery.

That way, prolonged battles would no longer be his weakness. With the tremendous explosive power of Ultimate Fire and the might of the Winged Dragon of Ra Martial Soul, he would be invincible in the future.

"Lu Yang, are you really going to absorb this Soul Ring? Its age looks..." Dugu Yan asked.

Although she could not determine exactly how old the Soul Ring was, its deep color meant its age could hardly be low.

"This is the one. I want to try." Lu Yang was not particularly worried. He had made his decision long ago, and he would not back down now.

"Then go ahead. I'll stand guard for you," Dugu Bo said at that moment.

"Thank you, Your Eminence." After thanking him, Lu Yang walked over to the Sunflare Golden-Winged Sparrow, sat cross-legged, and began absorbing the Soul Ring.

Based on the experience Lu Yang had gained while absorbing his second Soul Ring, once he endured the impact of the Soul Ring's energy on his body, it should have been time to choose his own Soul Skill.

Yet as the impact of the energy gradually subsided, Lu Yang discovered that he had not entered the state that allowed him to choose his own Soul Skill this time. Instead, just as when he had absorbed his first Soul Ring, he received a fixed Soul Skill.

Still meditating, Lu Yang could not quite understand why things were different this time. Before he could think further, however, a terrifying surge of energy poured out of his dantian and flowed through his meridians into every part of his body.

This energy was far more formidable than the surge contained within the Soul Ring. The instant it emerged, it pushed his meridians close to their limits. The swelling pain was agonizing, leaving him no choice but to grit his teeth and endure it while circulating his Soul Power in an attempt to ease the pain.

Dugu Bo and the others standing guard nearby noticed this as well. Initially, Dugu Bo had paid little attention to the slight reactions in Lu Yang's body as he endured the impact of the Soul Ring's energy. That was an unavoidable step in absorbing a Soul Ring, so naturally, it did not concern him.

But once he had withstood that energy surge, the rest of the process should have proceeded smoothly. Why had his body suddenly begun reacting again?

Could he have failed? Dugu Bo wondered.

Yet just as Dugu Bo was puzzling over it, Dugu Yan was at a loss, and Ye Lingling was worrying, Lu Yang's Martial Soul manifested behind him.

Ripples of energy spread from the ball of light. What puzzled Dugu Bo and the two girls was that, as the energy dispersed, the dazzling light grew somewhat dimmer, allowing them to clearly see what had previously been concealed within it.

It was a golden sphere with a distinctly metallic texture. Golden patterns on its surface gradually lit up, and its tightly sealed golden shell unfolded layer by layer along the glowing lines. Enormous golden wings burst through the light on either side of the sphere, carrying flames that could scorch everything. The Sun God's Winged Dragon of Ra fully awakened from his spherical form, and divine pressure instantly enveloped the surrounding forest.

The instant Lu Yang's Martial Soul changed, Dugu Bo darted forward and shielded Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling behind him. He stood at the front, bearing the pressure of the Winged Dragon of Ra's arrival.

The terrifying divine pressure drew cold sweat from Dugu Bo's forehead. Yet it lasted only an instant before vanishing without a trace, as though it had never appeared.

The Winged Dragon of Ra's body also quietly changed, becoming illusory rather than solid. What had just happened seemed like a hallucination.

After a long while, Lu Yang emerged from his meditation. Looking at the three people standing dumbstruck nearby, he asked in confusion, "Why are you all looking at me like that?"

"Why!? Don't you know what just happened?" Dugu Yan immediately shouted.

Her shout truly left Lu Yang stunned for a moment. Then he realized what was going on.

To the people of the Douluo Continent, a Martial Soul was something that accompanied its owner for life. During the era of Douluo I, Martial Soul Evolution was rarely seen on the continent. That was why the Winged Dragon of Ra's appearance after unfolding from his spherical form had shocked Dugu Yan and the others so much.

What Lu Yang had not expected, however, was that this was not what concerned Dugu Bo. As a Titled Douluo, his horizons were far broader than Dugu Yan's. The secret of Martial Soul Evolution that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had pursued for nearly a century was hardly a secret in the first place, and his own Martial Soul, the Jade Phosphorus Snake Emperor, had evolved from the Jade Phosphorus Snake. Martial Soul Evolution alone would not have shocked him so much.

What shocked Dugu Bo was the pressure Lu Yang's Martial Soul had emitted earlier. It had far exceeded the level of a Titled Douluo, and that was what he could not understand. Still, Dugu Bo had no intention of questioning Lu Yang. For one thing, he had yet to get to the bottom of Lu Yang's background. For another, he kept feeling that it would be better not to broach the subject.

Meanwhile, Snake Lance Douluo, hidden in the shadows, also wiped the sweat from his forehead. His gaze, however, lingered on Dugu Bo, Dugu Yan, and Ye Lingling.

He had seen Lu Yang's Martial Soul Evolution clearly. Previously, in She Long's mind, Lu Yang had merely been one piece of the puzzle that would form Qian Renxue's future inner circle. But the talent Lu Yang had now displayed had already made him consider far more possibilities.

There was one thing She Long understood very clearly: Lu Yang's value had changed.

In the end, however, She Long did not act on his own initiative. After all, Dugu Bo was also a Titled Douluo. Even if he wanted to do something, he would have to proceed cautiously. She Long felt it would be better to report everything to Qian Renxue once he returned and let her decide how to handle it.

"Lu Yang, hurry up and show me your third Soul Skill!"

A short while later, Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling recovered from their shock. Both were deeply interested in the third Soul Skill Lu Yang had obtained and began pestering him with questions.

"All right, I'll show you." Lu Yang agreed, then took two steps back to put some distance between himself and Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling before activating his third Soul Skill.

"Third Soul Skill, Wings of the Sun!"

As Lu Yang's words rang out, golden armor instantly covered his entire body. This time, the armor was more complete than it had been when he possessed two Soul Rings.

What drew Dugu Yan's and Ye Lingling's eyes even more, however, was the pair of broad metallic wings on Lu Yang's back.

(Concept art of the Winged Dragon of Ra full-body armor)