Wings of Light

"What is this...?"

Ye Qing looked at the object in Ye Feng's hand, his eyes widening slightly.

It was a pair of tiny wings, shaped like a swan's outstretched wings. Yet rather than having the texture of feathers, they had a lustrous sheen, like a work of art carved from white jade.

"A Soul Bone?!"

"Yes, this is a Soul Bone, and an exceedingly rare external soul bone at that." There was a hint of wonder in Ye Feng's voice as well.

"You've probably read about Soul Bones. A Soul Master can normally absorb six in total: the head, torso, and four limbs. Like Soul Rings, Soul Bones cannot be changed once absorbed. But external soul bones are an exception. They don't occupy any of those six slots, and after being absorbed, they can grow alongside their Soul Master."

Ye Qing took the little wings, looking slightly dazed.

Of course he knew what an external soul bone was.

If the seventy-thousand-year Light-Breaking Right Arm Bone Mu En had given him was already a top-tier Soul Bone, then this external wing Soul Bone was worth even more than that Light-Breaking Demon.

Even though it was currently only seven hundred years old.

Wait, even a seven-hundred-year Soul Beast could drop an external soul bone? Was I really the protagonist?

An ordinary seven-hundred-year Soul Beast was unlikely to produce even a normal Soul Bone, let alone an external soul bone. His luck was so good that it hardly seemed real.

Seeing Ye Qing remain silent, Ye Feng explained, "Light Unicorns belong to the first tier just below the very strongest Soul Beasts. Even though this one was only seven hundred years old, I'm not actually surprised it could drop a Soul Bone. Powerful Soul Beasts have a higher chance of producing Soul Bones than ordinary ones."

"That power can refer to a Soul Beast's age or the strength of its bloodline. Light Unicorns fall into the latter category."

"But producing this pair of external soul bones was quite unexpected."

To explain what this Soul Bone did, one first had to mention the characteristics of Light Unicorns as a species. As everyone knew, aside from the distinctive horn on their heads, wings were another standard feature of unicorns.

That was why unicorns had another name: Pegasus.

Their horns contained their power, but the medium through which they controlled light elements was not the horn atop their heads. It was the wings on their backs.

Every Light Unicorn was born with a pair of Wings of Light, even a newborn. These Wings of Light greatly enhanced their affinity for the light attribute and improved their ability to control light elements.

Their Wings of Light could also grow. Upon reaching the ten-thousand-year level, every Light Unicorn had a chance to evolve its two wings into four. Only a Four-Winged Light Unicorn had the potential to reach a hundred thousand years.

After reaching a hundred thousand years, a Four-Winged Light Unicorn likewise had a chance to evolve its four wings into six.

A Four-Winged Light Unicorn's limit was a hundred thousand years of cultivation, while a Six-Winged Light Unicorn had the potential to reach the ferocious beast level. How much farther it could go depended on its own opportunities and fortune.

Rumor had it that the Light Unicorns' ferocious beast patriarch was a Light Unicorn that had evolved six wings, and whose light attribute had almost reached the ultimate level.

After hearing Ye Feng's explanation of the Light Unicorn's wings, Ye Qing suddenly became even more interested in them.

They could evolve into six wings at the hundred-thousand-year level. If they evolved into a divine artifact in the future, wouldn't that mean eight wings? And once they became a Super Divine Artifact, would they have ten or even twelve?

Well, well. My wing count was above yours?

But if they really worked that way, with more wings granting greater affinity for and amplification of the light attribute, wouldn't I no longer need to add light-attribute Soul Rings? With these Wings of Light, plus that Light-Breaking Demon...

Reaching ultimate light in the future would be a sure thing!

"Go ahead and absorb them. A Soul Ring and Soul Bone produced by the same Soul Beast can only bring out their full effect when absorbed by the same Soul Master." Ye Feng patted Ye Qing's shoulder.

"Understood." Ye Qing nodded, cradling the little wings and pressing them against his chest.

Absorbing a Soul Bone was much easier than absorbing a Soul Ring. Every Soul Master instinctively craved Soul Bones, involuntarily developing a powerful desire to merge them into their own body.

Once Ye Qing connected with the Wings of Light through his soul power, they naturally transformed into a streak of light and merged into his body.

Had it been possible to see through him, one would have clearly seen the Wings of Light transform into featherlike patterns after entering Ye Qing's body, imprinting themselves onto a pair of his ribs.

Compared with the pressure and aching fullness he had felt while absorbing his Soul Ring, all Ye Qing felt while absorbing the Wings of Light was warmth and comfort. It was even more comfortable than cultivating inside the Golden Tree.

Dense light elements enveloped him.

The sensation was even more comfortable than lingering under the covers on a winter morning.

This was what happened when a Soul Bone was a perfect match. Absorbing an incompatible Soul Bone would only cause pain, but if it was compatible and highly attuned to its Soul Master, it would bring nothing but comfort.

In less than an hour, Ye Qing completely absorbed the Wings of Light external soul bone into his body, achieving a perfect fusion.

Unlike when Tang San absorbed the Eight Spider Lances, there was no need to spend a great deal of time afterward fully fusing with them.

The moment he finished absorbing them, Ye Qing already had perfect control over the Wings of Light.

"That felt so good..." After waking, Ye Qing stretched and could not help letting out a soft exclamation.

With the Soul Bone absorbed, Ye Qing's first soul hunting trip came to an end. Thanks to Ye Feng's tremendous speed, grandfather and grandson soon left the Star Dou Great Forest and headed toward Shrek Academy.

During the journey, Ye Qing tested his soul power again.

The Wings of Light external soul bone had not increased his soul power by much. After all, external soul bones needed to absorb their Soul Master's soul power to grow. They barely had enough for their own growth, so how could they have much left to feed back to Ye Qing?

Although the Wings of Light had not given him soul power, the baptism of light elements during their fusion had digested all the power accumulated within his body, allowing him to smoothly break through to level fourteen.

That had saved him nearly a month, at least.

Bei Bei had awakened his Martial Soul three months before him, yet his soul power level was still only level thirteen. Despite awakening three months later, Ye Qing's soul power level had surpassed Bei Bei's by one.

He had come from behind and taken the lead.