Zhu Zhuqing watched silently from the side, her hands clenched tightly.
Although she knew Chen Jin was strong, every time she saw him act, she revised her definition of a powerhouse.
The young man whom Shrek Academy had once abandoned had now grown to a height that everyone could only look up to.
Now, facing a thirty-thousand-year Soul Beast, Chen Jin actually seemed as relaxed as if he were strolling through a quiet courtyard.
Such strength already far exceeded the bounds of his peers.
Shui Bing'er turned to glance at Zhu Zhuqing and could not help asking softly:
"Did you already know Chen Jin was this powerful?"
Zhu Zhuqing did not turn her head. Her gaze never once left the figure in the air; she merely nodded gently.
This was Chen Jin's power.
So powerful that it inspired despair, yet made people unable to resist wanting to follow him.
At the center of the battlefield.
The Flame King Lion panted incessantly, and its white-scorching flames began to dim.
Its successive all-out attacks had consumed an enormous amount of this thirty-thousand-year Soul Beast's Soul Power.
Chen Jin looked down at the enormous beast below, the patience in his eyes seemingly exhausted.
"The warm-up is over."
Chen Jin spoke.
As his words fell.
Chen Jin's body suddenly soared upward again.
Ten meters.
Thirty meters.
Fifty meters.
Until he hovered a hundred meters in the air.
It was as though invisible steps lay in the void; with every step he took, a ring of gold-red fire rippled beneath his feet.
Under Shui Bing'er and Zhu Zhuqing's astonished gazes, a pair of enormous gold-red wings suddenly manifested behind Chen Jin.
They were not illusory wings, but solid forms condensed from pure Ultimate Fire.
Every feather was clearly visible, shimmering with a sacred luster and radiating a pressure that made people want to prostrate themselves in worship.
The Nine-Heaven Divine Phoenix soared through the nine heavens.
The Phoenix Wings spread, blotting out the sky and sun.
At that moment, this entire region of the Star Dou Great Forest seemed to welcome a true sun.
The Flame King Lion sensed an unprecedented danger, and its massive body instinctively shrank backward.
But the Divine Phoenix's pressure had already locked it firmly in place, leaving it unable to move.
In the air, Chen Jin beat his wings fiercely.
"Go."
Chen Jin softly uttered a single word.
In an instant, fierce winds arose.
Gold-red flames surged wildly from his wings, gathering and compressing in midair before finally becoming a Flame Storm that spanned heaven and earth.
The storm connected heaven and earth, a full hundred meters in diameter, sweeping everything around it inside.
Violent Ultimate Fire raged wildly within the storm, warping space beyond recognition.
With the momentum to destroy heaven and earth, the Flame Storm swept toward the Flame King Lion.
The enormous beast roared, attempting to gather its remaining Soul Power into a defense.
But before that heaven-spanning Flame Storm, all its struggles seemed so feeble and futile.
The storm swallowed the Flame King Lion's massive body in an instant.
Ultimate Fire transformed into countless sharp wind blades, spinning and slicing wildly within the storm.
The sounds of tearing rang out incessantly within the storm.
They were the sounds of flesh being forcibly torn apart.
The Flame King Lion struggled in agony within the storm.
Its massive body was continuously stripped away and melted by Ultimate Fire.
Its screams echoed throughout the forest, filled with endless pain and despair.
Before this sacred Phoenix Fire, its formidable thirty-thousand-year body was as fragile as paper.
Only a few breaths passed.
The screams gradually weakened until they vanished entirely.
The Flame Storm slowly subsided, becoming a skyful of gold-red sparks that gradually dissipated into the air.
Where the enormous beast had stood, only a charred crater remained.
The Flame King Lion's massive body had been completely torn apart and vaporized by the storm, leaving not a trace of residue.
A strong, scorched smell filled the air.
Shui Bing'er and Zhu Zhuqing stared blankly at the scene, their minds utterly empty.
A thirty-thousand-year Soul Beast had been utterly obliterated by a mere Soul Elder, just like that.
It was nothing short of a miracle.
Chen Jin slowly folded his wings in the air and drifted down, landing firmly on the charred ground.
His clothes were spotless, and not even a single strand of his hair was out of place.
Just then.
Within the crater, specks of pitch-black light began to gather.
A moment later, an incomparably deep black ring of light slowly emerged from where the Flame King Lion had died.
It was a Black Soul Ring representing ten thousand years of cultivation.
The black radiance upon the Soul Ring flowed ceaselessly, radiating violent yet pure energy fluctuations.
Against the gold-red flames, this Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring appeared especially dazzling.
Chen Jin looked at the Soul Ring, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.
My fourth Soul Ring, secured.
Chen Jin stepped forward, slowly approaching the crater.
At the center of the crater, the ink-black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring hovered silently.
Its black radiance flowed ceaselessly through the void, radiating restless fluctuations of Soul Power.
Tides of savage energy spread outward, stirring up the scorched soil and rubble on the ground.
Zhu Zhuqing followed, her gaze settling on the Soul Ring.
As she looked at the Black Soul Ring radiating terrifying pressure, her beautiful eyes were filled with astonishment.
The black bodysuit Zhu Zhuqing wore had been damaged in several places during the earlier battle.
The fabric at her shoulder had split, revealing her fair, flawless shoulder.
Against the charred surroundings, that fair skin was particularly striking, exuding an alluring beauty.
Her graceful curves were fully revealed by the contours of her bodysuit.
Her full figure rose and fell gently with her breathing, her slender waist small enough to encircle with a hand.
Her long, straight legs in particular appeared even more rounded and astonishingly supple beneath the black fabric.
She approached with light steps, her boots making faint rustling sounds against the charred earth.
Although she wore leather boots, the slender, delicate outlines of her feet were still apparent.
"Chen Jin, are you really going to absorb this Soul Ring?"
Zhu Zhuqing's red lips parted slightly.
Concern covered her exquisite, lovely face, her gaze fixed on Chen Jin.
Chen Jin stopped and turned to look at her.
Looking at the woman before him, with her sizzling figure yet concern-filled eyes, Chen Jin gave a gentle smile.
"What, are you worried about me?"
Chen Jin looked at her, a hint of teasing in his words.
Under Chen Jin's direct gaze, a captivating blush rose over Zhu Zhuqing's fair cheeks.
She turned her head aside, avoiding his gaze, the tips of her ears reddening as well.
"I just don't want to see you throw your life away."
"This is a Soul Ring from a thirty-thousand-year Soul Beast."
Zhu Zhuqing spoke quietly.
"The universally acknowledged iron rule of the Soul Master World is that the limit for the fourth Soul Ring is five thousand years."
"The energy contained in a thirty-thousand-year Soul Ring simply isn't something a Soul Elder can withstand."
She turned back, her gaze falling on Chen Jin's face, her eyes filled with anxiety.
"The savage energy will burst your meridians apart instantly, making your body explode and killing you."
"Not to mention, the Soul Shock produced when a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast dies will wipe out your consciousness."
"This is too dangerous. I suggest you give up this Soul Ring and look for a suitable Soul Beast under ten thousand years old instead."
Zhu Zhuqing said a great deal in one breath, her full chest rising and falling repeatedly.
Shui Bing'er also walked over from the side.
Looking at the Black Soul Ring, she likewise felt her heart pound with alarm.
"She's right."
Shui Bing'er looked at Chen Jin and shook her head.
"Even a Soul King powerhouse would face nine chances of death and only one of survival trying to absorb the Soul Ring of a thirty-thousand-year Flame King Lion."
"You're only at the peak of level forty right now. Forcing yourself to absorb it would be no different from seeking your own death."
Shui Bing'er's words were likewise full of dissuasion, her expression grave.
Chen Jin listened to their advice, but his expression did not change at all.
He looked at the Black Soul Ring, his eyes holding only calm.
"Rules are for ordinary people."
Chen Jin's smile faded, revealing a powerful confidence.
"My Martial Soul is the Nine-Heaven Divine Phoenix, the king of all flames."
"This Flame King Lion's flame power was already completely suppressed before my Ultimate Fire."
"Before the Divine Phoenix's pressure, its soul doesn't even qualify to resist."
"To me, this thirty-thousand-year Soul Ring is nothing more than nourishment tailored to my needs."
Chen Jin looked at Zhu Zhuqing and extended his right hand.
His slender fingers brushed gently over Zhu Zhuqing's fair, tender cheek.
As he did, he wiped away a tiny smudge of charred dust clinging to her cheek.
The sudden intimate gesture made Zhu Zhuqing's body tremble.
She did not evade him, merely watching him quietly, an unusual light flickering in her eyes.
"Don't worry. I won't gamble with my own life."
Chen Jin withdrew his hand, his words carrying a powerful confidence that brooked no refusal.
"Just watch from the side."
With that, Chen Jin hesitated no longer.
He turned and walked toward the edge of the crater.
Watching his retreating back, Zhu Zhuqing parted her red lips, but ultimately did not try to dissuade him again.
She knew that once Chen Jin decided something, no one could change it.
Besides, this man had always been able to create miracles.
Nearby, Shui Bing'er watched their interaction, light flickering in her beautiful eyes.
She stepped back a few paces, leaving Chen Jin enough space.
Chen Jin sat cross-legged beside the crater.
He closed his eyes and began to regulate his breathing.
The Nine Heavens Divine Phoenix Martial Soul within him rumbled, and gold-red Soul Power surged through his meridians like a great river.
Chen Jin opened his eyes and beckoned through the air with his right hand.
Buzz!
The Black Soul Ring at the center of the crater hummed.
Black light blazed brilliantly, staining the surrounding charred trees with a layer of eerie black.
Then the Soul Ring transformed into a thick stream of black light and shot toward Chen Jin.
The black stream of light instantly enveloped Chen Jin's entire body.
Incomparably ferocious energy poured into Chen Jin's body like floodwaters bursting through a dam.
Boom!
Chen Jin felt a tremendous explosion resound within his mind.
Scorching flame energy rampaged through his meridians, attempting to tear his body apart.
It was the savage energy of a thirty-thousand-year Soul Beast, carrying an aura of unwillingness and destruction.
Intense pain instantly swept through his entire body.
Chen Jin's brows furrowed.
Gold-red feather patterns began to emerge across the surface of his skin.
It was the Nine Heavens Divine Phoenix Martial Soul spontaneously protecting his body.
"Hmph."
Chen Jin let out a muffled grunt.
He guarded his mind and circulated the Ultimate Fire Soul Power within him at full strength, beginning to forcibly suppress the rampaging energy.
The Divine Phoenix's overwhelming pressure erupted throughout his body.
The black energy ravaging Chen Jin's meridians instantly grew docile upon sensing the aura of the Nine-Heaven Divine Phoenix.
Like subjects coming before their sovereign, all its ferocity melted away and was purified in the blink of an eye.
The pain remained, but it was now entirely within Chen Jin's tolerance.
Under the impact of that terrifying energy, tiny cracks kept forming in his meridians, only to be swiftly repaired under the nourishing warmth of Ultimate Fire.
With every repair, his meridians grew tougher and wider, able to hold more Soul Power.
The Flame King Lion's lingering will manifested in Chen Jin's Sea of Consciousness and let out a soundless roar of fury.
It was an enormous flaming lion, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws as it tried to tear Chen Jin's spiritual form apart.
Yet before it could approach, a gigantic gold-red Divine Phoenix appeared in the void.
The Divine Phoenix gazed haughtily down at the giant lion and let out a clear Phoenix Cry.
Sacred golden flames swept forth, instantly annihilating the Flame King Lion's lingering will and turning it into the purest spiritual energy.
That pure energy flowed back into Chen Jin's Sea of Consciousness, greatly enhancing his spiritual power once again.
Time ticked by, second by second.
Beside the deep pit, Zhu Zhuqing and Shui Bing'er watched Chen Jin anxiously.
Zhu Zhuqing clasped her hands together so tightly that her knuckles had gone bloodless.
Her gaze never left Chen Jin for even a moment as she silently prayed for him.
Only as she watched the gold-red light flickering over Chen Jin's body and sensed his gradually stabilizing aura did her heart settle a little.
"He really is absorbing a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring..."
Shui Bing'er murmured to herself beside her.
As she watched, her heart was filled with shock.
This completely shattered her understanding of the Soul Master World.
A Soul Elder could actually withstand the impact of a thirty-thousand-year Soul Ring.
Moreover, he showed no signs of his body exploding and killing him.
Just what kind of existence was this Chen Jin?
As Shui Bing'er looked at Chen Jin's handsome, tranquil face, she fell into a daze for a moment.
About two hours passed.
The streams of black light shrouding Chen Jin began to gradually draw inward.
That ink-black Soul Ring had completely merged into Chen Jin's body.
The gold-red feather patterns on Chen Jin's body slowly faded, and his skin regained its fair, lustrous appearance.
His breathing grew long and deep, and the fluctuations of Soul Power emanating from him were several times stronger than before.
Boom!
A powerful blast of air swept outward in all directions, with Chen Jin at its center.
It scattered the clouds of dust and scorched earth around him.
Chen Jin slowly opened his eyes.
Deep within them, gold-red Phoenix Flame flashed and vanished, and then calm returned.
It had worked.
The level-forty bottleneck had been broken.
He was now a true Soul Ancestor.
Moreover, he was a Soul Ancestor with a ten-thousand-year Fourth Soul Ring.
Chen Jin rose and, with a light leap, jumped from beside the deep pit back onto level ground.
The sound of bones grinding rang through the silent woods, carrying a beauty brimming with power.
He felt nothing but boundless strength filling his body, Soul Power surging ceaselessly through his meridians.
"How do you feel?"
Zhu Zhuqing hurried over, her beautiful eyes full of concern.
She looked Chen Jin up and down, only breathing a sigh of relief after confirming that he was unhurt.
Having hurried too much, she accidentally stepped on a loose, scorched stone, and her body swayed.
Chen Jin reacted swiftly, reaching out and wrapping an arm around her slender waist.
Zhu Zhuqing's delicate body stiffened, then softened in Chen Jin's embrace.
Their bodies pressed together.
Chen Jin could distinctly feel the astonishing suppleness and warmth of her body.
Her faint, delicate fragrance drifted into his nose, sending a ripple through his heart.
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