The words had barely fallen.
Before Shen Yan could react further.
That white figure turned straight into a streak of light and burrowed into his body.
In an instant.
Golden light spread over Shen Yan's entire body.
Following the contours of the bones in his chest, a golden treasure bone slowly lit up.
That treasure bone was like a tiny sun embedded in his chest.
Its radiance shone through his flesh, bathing the entire Cultivation Room in gold.
Shen Yan felt only that his entire body had been filled with a powerful force.
That force was domineering, ancient, and boundless, as though it had come from ages past.
It rampaged through Shen Yan's meridians, forcibly widening them wherever it passed.
Shen Yan gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead.
His entire upper body began to swell.
His muscles knotted, and his bones crackled.
It was as though something was taking root and sprouting inside him.
Itching, pain, and numbness intertwined.
Only when his body could endure no more did the swelling sensation slowly stop.
Shen Yan pitched forward, bracing both hands against the floor.
He gulped down air, sweat pouring from his forehead like rain.
Yet the golden treasure bone in his chest shone ever brighter.
Gritting his teeth, Shen Yan repeated in a low voice.
"Desolate... Desolate Heavenly Emperor!"
Meanwhile.
Outside the Nine Dragon Tower, the nine golden dragons on its surface manifested once more.
They circled endlessly around the golden pillar of light.
Their scales flashed and their claws swept through the air, thunderous dragon cries ringing out from time to time.
The dragon cries spread in every direction, leaving everyone nearby reeling as heaven and earth spun around them.
The higher their Soul Power, the more brutally they were suppressed.
Ning Fengzhi turned pale and had no choice but to circulate his Soul Power to resist.
Chen Xin and Gu Rong fared even worse, coughing up mouthfuls of blood and falling from midair.
The pressure of these nine golden dragons was actually more terrifying than during the previous auction!
On the streets of Heaven Dou City, countless high-ranking Soul Masters collapsed straight to the ground.
The low-ranking Soul Masters, on the other hand, merely felt their legs weaken and had to lean against the walls.
All of Heaven Dou City descended into chaos.
At Spirit Hall, above the Worship Hall.
Bibi Dong, Qian Daoliu, Golden Crocodile Douluo, Azure Luan Douluo, and the others all flew into the air.
They looked toward Heaven Dou City.
There, a golden pillar of light pierced the clouds, clearly visible even from so far away.
Golden Crocodile Douluo's eyes widened as he spoke in shock.
"In that direction-isn't that the tower we entered before?"
Qian Daoliu did not answer.
His expression grave, he stared at that golden pillar of light for a long while.
Then he slowly spoke.
"Isn't the Mysterious Tower's auction about to begin?"
Azure Luan Douluo nodded slightly.
"A month has indeed passed. It should be sometime in the next two days."
Qian Daoliu withdrew his gaze, turned, and flew toward the Worship Hall.
His voice drifted back from ahead.
"Have all the funds for this time been prepared?"
"If the items are good, we must secure them, no matter what."
Golden Crocodile Douluo and Azure Luan Douluo followed behind him, frowning slightly.
Golden Crocodile Douluo said quietly.
"Great Enshrined, we spent a great deal last time."
"One hundred million Gold Soul Coins and three Soul Bones-over half our reserves are already gone."
"I'm afraid it will be somewhat difficult this time."
Qian Daoliu did not look back.
"Difficult or not, we must secure them."
"We cannot let a single item from that tower slip by."
He intended to have Qian Renxue absorb the previous God-bestowed Soul Ring when she began her inheritance.
This time, if another divine-grade item appeared.
He had to secure it, whatever the cost!
Golden Crocodile Douluo and Azure Luan Douluo exchanged a glance, each seeing helplessness in the other's eyes.
But they also knew that the Great Enshrined was right.
In midair.
Bibi Dong glanced back in the direction the others had left, her gaze icy.
She asked Yue Guan beside her.
"Yue Guan, have all the resources been prepared?"
Yue Guan stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Your Holiness, everything is ready."
"Once this auction opens, we will secure the items."
Bibi Dong nodded.
She returned her gaze to the distant golden pillar of light.
A trace of resolve flashed through her eyes.
She silently swore to herself.
No matter who you are.
You will not stop my plan.
At the heart of the Star Dou Great Forest.
The surface of the Lake of Life was as still as a mirror.
Ancient trees towered all around, and the rich aura of life made this forest a paradise for Soul Beasts.
Suddenly.
The lake's surface exploded.
An enormous Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast emerged from the water.
The Sky Azure Bull Python!
His massive bull's head rose above the lake's surface as he looked toward distant Heaven Dou City.
There, a golden pillar of light pierced the clouds, clearly visible even from over a thousand li away.
A trace of gravity flashed through the Sky Azure Bull Python's eyes.
"What an overpowering force."
"Could another human Soul Master have broken through their limits?"
By the lakeshore.
A black giant ape was also looking in that direction.
He spoke in a deep, rumbling voice.
"Big Brother, there's something strange about this power."
"Should we go investigate?"
The Sky Azure Bull Python shook his head.
"Humans are not as simple as you and I imagine."
"I have a feeling."
"He will come looking for us."
The Titan Giant Ape froze, then asked in confusion.
"What would he want with us?"
The Sky Azure Bull Python shook his head again.
He did not know either.
But his instincts told him.
The being behind that golden pillar of light would come to the Star Dou Great Forest sooner or later.
In the Cultivation Room on the top floor of the Nine Dragon Tower.
Shen Yan lay sprawled on the floor, taking a long while to recover.
That domineering force finally began to settle.
Bracing himself against the floor, he slowly sat up.
The radiance of the golden treasure bone in his chest had also dimmed considerably, leaving only a faint halo.
Disbelief still covered his face.
"My third martial soul..."
"Is actually the Desolate Heavenly Emperor!"
Shen Yan took a deep breath, striving to calm his excitement.
The Desolate Heavenly Emperor!
The very being who stood alone in judgment over all eternity!
He had actually become my third martial soul!
Moreover, Shen Yan could clearly feel that his physique had grown several times stronger again.
He lowered his head to look at his chest.
There, a golden treasure bone flickered in and out of view.
"He even brought me a Supreme Bone to serve as a torso bone!"
The corners of Shen Yan's mouth could not help but rise.
What a windfall!
With the Desolate Heavenly Emperor martial soul and the Supreme Bone.
My combat strength will undergo a qualitative leap!
Shen Yan clenched his fists, feeling that ancient, domineering power inside him.
"Douluo Continent, your king has arrived!"
"Little Tower."
[I'm here, Tower Master.]
"Release the Tower Token announcement immediately. The divine-grade item for the second auction will be this Martial Soul Origin."
"Make sure all its effects are clearly written out for them."
[Understood, Tower Master. Editing the Tower Token information...]
Shen Yan rose and walked out of the Cultivation Room.
He needed to absorb Soul Rings, and he could not do that inside this Cultivation Room.
Not long after he left the Cultivation Room, Little Tower finished editing the Tower Token information and displayed it before Shen Yan.
[Nine Dragon Tower · Second Auction] [Auction time: one day from now] [Auction venue: first floor of the Nine Dragon Tower (entry with token)] [Auction item: Random God-Bestowed Martial Soul Origin] [Item effects: grants one random martial soul upon use. The martial soul can also produce its own Soul Rings based on its own strength.]
Seeing the last line, Shen Yan stopped in his tracks.
"Wait, this martial soul can even produce its own Soul Rings?"
Before you continue