Bibi Dong's gaze lingered on the emerald green vines that still danced gently around Song Qing's left hand. 'Seventeen thousand years… the Abyssal Demonic Dragon Emperor handled that with surprising ease, even at Qing'er's young age back then,' she mused, her pink eyes thoughtful. Now that he was a Soul Ancestor, his physical capabilities, enhanced by his powerful Dragon Spirit, were undoubtedly far greater. 'Even if his plant spirit is a simple one, it should be able to absorb a soul ring from a spirit beast of at least that level, perhaps even higher.'
"Qing'er," Bibi Dong said, her voice firm with determination, "it is time for your Second Spirit to obtain its Fourth Soul Ring."
Song Qing nodded, his dark eyes gleaming with anticipation. He had complete faith in his Primordial Life Tree Spirit's ability to handle any plant-based spirit beast. 'Bring it on,' he thought confidently. 'As long as it's a plant, my little tree will keep it in line.'
Bibi Dong immediately mobilized the vast resources of the Spirit Hall. She issued a series of commands, her tone brooking no argument. Her subordinates, accustomed to her often cryptic instructions, set about their tasks with efficiency, though they couldn't help but exchange bewildered glances. 'A high-level plant-based spirit beast?' they wondered. 'What could Her Holiness possibly need that for?' But they knew better than to question her directly.
Song Qing watched the flurry of activity with a sense of awe. Reports and information flowed in from all corners of the continent. It was a stark contrast to his previous experiences hunting spirit beasts with Dugu Bo. Back then, while defeating the beasts themselves was relatively straightforward, the process of locating a suitable one had often been tedious and time-consuming. 'Teacher is truly amazing,' he thought, shaking his head in admiration. 'This is so much easier than wandering around the Sunset Forest for days.'
Within a surprisingly short time, a promising lead emerged. A plant-based Spirit Beast, estimated to be around 26,000 years old, had been sighted in the Star Luo Empire. Disturbingly, the reports indicated that it had recently slaughtered a small village, leaving no survivors. The beast was identified as the Crimson Soul Devouring Vine King.
When Bibi Dong received this news, a cold fury flickered in her pink eyes. "A spirit beast that dares to slaughter innocent humans?" she murmured, her voice dangerously low. She turned to Song Qing, her expression serious. "Qing'er, this beast… it is powerful, and it has committed a grave sin. Would you want its soul ring?"
Song Qing nodded without hesitation. "Yes, Teacher. A spirit beast that powerful should have some very useful abilities."
The reports detailed some of the Crimson Soul Devouring Vine King's unique skills. It possessed the ability to Drain Life, slowly siphoning the life force from its victims, and Drain Soul Power, gradually weakening their spiritual energy. These were abilities quite different from the healing, copying, and binding skills his Primordial Life Tree Spirit currently offered.
This time, Bibi Dong decided that only she and Song Qing would go to deal with the Crimson Soul Devouring Vine King. The less people who knew about his Second Spirit and its capabilities, the better.
They traveled swiftly, Bibi Dong's immense spiritual power carrying them across vast distances in a matter of hours. Soon, they arrived at the location of the devastated village. The scene was gruesome, with the remnants of the village overgrown by thick, thorny vines that pulsed with a faint, crimson light. A palpable sense of malevolence hung in the air.
Bibi Dong's eyes narrowed as she surveyed the destruction. "This beast is even more wicked than the reports suggested," she said, her voice filled with disgust. She turned to Song Qing. "Stay close to me, Qing'er. This beast is powerful, but we will end its reign of terror."
They ventured deeper into the overgrown village, the air growing heavier with each step. Suddenly, the ground beneath them began to tremble, and massive, crimson vines erupted from the earth, their thorny tendrils lashing out with terrifying speed.
"There it is," Bibi Dong said calmly, her first soul ring, a deep purple one, illuminating beneath her feet. A wave of dark energy emanated from her, and the surrounding vines seemed to momentarily recoil.
The Crimson Soul Devouring Vine King was a monstrous sight. Its main body was a thick, gnarled vine as thick as a water barrel, with countless smaller vines branching out, each tipped with razor-sharp thorns. Its 'head' was a grotesque mass of thorny tendrils that writhed like snakes, and two glowing red eyes glared out from its center.
The beast roared, a chilling sound that seemed to drain the very warmth from the air, and launched another barrage of vine attacks. Bibi Dong moved with incredible speed and agility, dodging the attacks while simultaneously unleashing a dark purple energy that seemed to corrode the vines it touched.
"Qing'er," she said, her voice clear and commanding, "now!"
Song Qing nodded, focusing his mental energy. The three purple soul rings around his left hand, where the emerald vines were now fully extended, pulsed with power. He channeled his soul power, and the vines shot forward, aiming for the Crimson Soul Devouring Vine King's main body.
The King roared in fury as the emerald vines wrapped around its thick form, constricting tightly. The Primordial Life Tree Spirit within Song Qing exerted its natural dominance over plant-based life, and the Crimson Soul Devouring Vine King's movements became sluggish, its attacks losing some of their ferocity.
Bibi Dong then activated one of her seemingly weaker soul ring skills – a dark green light that enveloped the Crimson Soul Devouring Vine King. It didn't cause any immediate damage, but Song Qing could sense the beast's immense life force beginning to rapidly weaken, its crimson glow dimming.
"Now, Qing'er! Absorb its soul ring!" Bibi Dong instructed.
Song Qing nodded, focusing all his concentration. The fourth soul ring slot around his emerald vines began to glow, a vortex of dark energy forming. The Crimson Soul Devouring Vine King let out a final, agonizing shriek as its energy was forcefully drawn towards Song Qing's plant spirit. A black soul ring, radiating the oppressive aura of a twenty-six-thousand-year-old spirit beast, solidified around the emerald vines.
As the last vestiges of the Crimson Soul Devouring Vine King's soul energy were absorbed, a dark red light erupted from the beast's remains, coalescing into a tangible form. It was a crown, intricately woven from thorny vines that pulsed with a faint, crimson light. It floated gently towards Song Qing and settled perfectly onto his head.
"A Spirit Bone!" Bibi Dong exclaimed, a hint of surprise in her voice. "And it seems to be an External Spirit Bone for the head!" She looked at Song Qing, a proud smile on her face. "Qing'er, you have gained a very powerful soul ring and a rare External Spirit Bone!"
~~
Back in the quiet solitude of their temporary lodging within the Star Luo Empire, Song Qing focused inwards, his consciousness delving into the newly acquired Black Soul Ring. Through the connection forged by his Primordial Life Tree Spirit, the abilities of his fourth soul ring began to reveal themselves. A name instinctively surfaced in his mind: Crimson Soul Assimilation.
'Crimson Soul Assimilation… it sounds fitting,' Song Qing thought, a shiver of excitement running down his spine. He could feel the raw power coursing through his veins, a dark, potent energy that was both terrifying and exhilarating.
He quickly discerned that Crimson Soul Assimilation was comprised of two distinct active skills. The first was Life Drain. He could now project tendrils of crimson energy that, upon contact with a living being, would slowly but surely siphon away their life force, transferring it to him. The sensation was both gruesome and strangely invigorating.
The second active skill was Spirit Power Siphon. Similar to Life Drain, this ability allowed him to project crimson energy tendrils to draw away the spiritual energy of his opponents, weakening them while bolstering his own reserves. 'These are incredibly potent offensive abilities,' he thought, a hint of grim satisfaction in his mind. 'Quite different from my other skills.'
But it was the passive skill that truly astonished him: Soul Ring Resonance. As he focused on it, he understood its profound implications. From this moment forward, every time he absorbed a new soul ring for his Primordial Life Tree Spirit, the age of all his previous soul rings would increase considerably, pushing them closer to their next age bracket.
'This is… incredible!' Song Qing thought, his mind reeling. He could already feel the effects. The verdant energy of his First Soul Ring, Verdant Embrace, felt richer, more potent. The shadowy tendrils of his Second Soul Ring, Venomous Entanglement, seemed to writhe with a newfound vitality. But the most significant change was in his Third Soul Ring, Phantom Bind. The purple hue of the soul ring was now noticeably darker, with faint traces of black swirling within it. 'It's almost a Black Soul Ring already!' he realized, his heart pounding with excitement. This passive ability was far too valuable to reveal just yet.
When they returned to their lodging, Bibi Dong looked at him expectantly. "Well, Qing'er? What abilities did you unlock?"
Song Qing smiled, carefully choosing his words. "Teacher, my Fourth Soul Ring ability is called Crimson Soul Assimilation. It has two active skills. The first is Life Drain – I can drain the life force from my opponents." He paused, watching her reaction.
Bibi Dong nodded, her pink eyes narrowing slightly with interest. "And the second?"
"The second is Spirit Power Siphon. I can also drain their spiritual energy, weakening them," Song Qing explained, omitting any mention of the passive Soul Ring Resonance.
Bibi Dong's lips curved into a satisfied smile. "Those are both very powerful abilities, Qing'er. They will serve you well."
Later, after they had returned to the Spirit Hall in Martial Soul City, Song Qing focused on absorbing the External Spirit Bone. The Crimson Soul King's Crown felt warm against his forehead as he channeled his spiritual energy into it. A wave of intense energy flooded his mind, and a torrent of information poured into his consciousness.
'Incredible!' Song Qing thought, his mind buzzing with the newfound power. The Crimson Soul King's Crown greatly enhanced his mental energy, making his thoughts sharper and clearer than ever before. His spiritual energy also received a significant boost, his sensing range expanding even further.
But the most remarkable abilities granted by the Spirit Bone were perception-based, primarily focused through his eyes. The first ability he unlocked he mentally named Clear Sight Far Gaze. His vision became incredibly sharp, allowing him to see with astonishing clarity over vast distances, as if he were looking through a powerful telescope.
The second ability was even more astounding: Precognitive Glimpse. He could now, in fleeting moments, catch glimpses of potential future events, allowing him to anticipate danger and react accordingly. 'This will be invaluable in combat!' he realized, his heart pounding with excitement.
The third eye-based ability was Illusion Piercer. His eyes now possessed the power to see through illusions, no matter how intricate or powerful they might be. 'No more getting tricked by sneaky opponents!' he thought with a grin. Each of these abilities was exceptional, far surpassing anything he had anticipated.
But there was more. He discovered he now possessed the ability known as Soul Reading and through it, he could read the soul of any individual whose Soul Power was weaker than his own, gaining insights into their thoughts and intentions.
And even more terrifyingly, he could consume the soul of a defeated spirit beast or soul master to further strengthen his own mental power and spiritual energy. 'These abilities are too dangerous to reveal,' he thought, a sense of caution settling over him. 'No one can know about this.'
As he fully integrated the Spirit Bone, he felt a surge of energy coursing through his body. He checked his soul power and was astonished to find that it had broken through to Level 46, and he was already tantalizingly close to Level 47.
When he next saw Bibi Dong, she asked about the Spirit Bone. Song Qing smiled, carefully controlling his expression. "Teacher, the Crimson Soul King's Crown has greatly enhanced my mental energy and spiritual energy. It has also granted me some… perception-based abilities." He deliberately kept his explanation vague, omitting the more terrifying aspects of his newfound powers.
Bibi Dong smiled, clearly satisfied. "That is excellent news, Qing'er. It seems hunting that plant spirit was indeed worthwhile."
Soon after their return, a large section of the Spirit Hall grounds was cordoned off. Construction began on a sprawling garden, its size astonishing to the disciples.
A special restriction was placed on the area, a powerful barrier woven with Bibi Dong's own formidable spiritual energy, allowing entry only to the Holy Son and Her Holiness the Pope.
While the Titled Douluo of the Spirit Hall possessed the power to break through the barrier, none of them, not even the mighty Super Douluo, dared to incur Bibi Dong's wrath by doing so.
Rumors circulated among the Spirit Hall members that the garden was being created due to the Holy Son's fondness for growing plants, a seemingly innocent hobby for such a prodigious talent. No one suspected the true significance of this private sanctuary.
The rest of the day passed by for Song Qing in a quiet contemplation of his newfound powers. He spent time in his room, experimenting with his enhanced senses and the abilities granted by his fourth soul ring and spirit bone, a sense of immense power and responsibility settling upon his young shoulders.
~~
Here are Song Qing's updated skills:
[
Name: Abyssal Demonic Dragon Emperor
First Soul Ring:Abyssal Shadow Dash - Grants the user incredible bursts of speed, leaving behind shadowy afterimages. Second Ability (Unlocked): Abyssal Dragon Wings - Allows for temporary flight using condensed shadow energy.
Second Soul Ring:Shadow Dominion - Creates a field of darkness that enhances the user's senses and abilities while weakening opponents within it. Second Ability: Shadow Concealment: A wave of shadow energy briefly enveloping him, making him virtually undetectable to both sight and spiritual senses.
Third Soul Ring:Abyssal Draconic Claw: He could now manifest a massive claw of pure abyssal energy, capable of tearing through even the toughest defenses. Second Ability (Unlocked): Dragon's Might: It allows him to unleash a focused burst of draconic pressure, capable of stunning or even incapacitating weaker opponents.
Fourth Soul Ring:First Ability: Frost Spike Barrage: He can now unleash a volley of razor sharp ice spikes infused with abyssal energy, capable of piercing even the toughest defenses and inflicting deep frostbite. Second Ability: Abyssal Flame Dragon Breath: He can unleash a torrent of black flames, imbued with the corrosive power of the abyss, capable of not only incinerating targets but also rapidly depleting their soul power upon contact. First Passive Ability: Frostfire Resistance: It grants him significant resistance to both ice and fire-based attacks. Second Passive Ability: Elemental Adaptation: It grants his body to gradually adapt and build immunity to extreme temperatures, both hot and cold.
]
[
Name: Primordial Life Tree Spirit
Passive Abilities:Nature's Embrace: Possesses an innate connection to all forms of plant life, allowing him to use their senses to greatly enhance his Sensory Range. Ancient Wisdom: Seems to possess an inherent understanding of the natural world and its cycles, granting the user a natural intuition regarding plants, beasts, healing, and life energy.
First Soul Ring:Active Ability: Verdant Embrace - Emits a soothing green aura that rapidly heals injuries and restores stamina to all living beings within its radius. Passive - Continuously adapts Song Qing or anyone's physique in the range of this ability to perfectly harmonize with his spirit, gradually healing any inherent weaknesses or imperfections in his body. Second Passive Ability - Allows Song Qing to manipulate the flow of time for plant life within the area of Verdant Embrace, enabling him to rapidly increase their age. The power of Verdant Embrace has increased.
Second Soul Ring:Venomous Entanglement: He could now summon and manipulate thorny vines, imbued with a potent poison that could rapidly drain an opponent's soul energy upon contact. Passive Ability: As long as Song Qing can absorb different types of poisons, his Primordial Life Tree Spirit would be able to produce those poisons. This didn't just affect poisons but also to essence energies of any herbs that his Primordial Life Tree Spirit has absorbed. The power of Venomous Entanglement has increased.
Third Soul Ring:Phantom Bind - Active Ability: Creates incredibly strong and illusionary vines that can ensnare and constrict opponents, making them believe they are trapped even if they aren't entirely. Veiled Aura - Allows the user to partially conceal their soul power level, making it appear lower than it actually is. Consumed Soul Power upon activation but will not consume any more Soul Power thereafter. The power of Phantom Bind has increased, and the soul ring is nearing the Black Soul Ring rank.
Fourth Soul Ring:Ability Name: Crimson Soul Assimilation - Active Skill 1: Life Drain - Projects tendrils of crimson energy that siphon the life force from living beings upon contact, transferring it to the user. Active Skill 2: Spirit Power Siphon - Projects tendrils of crimson energy that drain the spiritual energy of opponents, weakening them while bolstering the user's own reserves. Passive Skill: Soul Ring Resonance - After every time Song Qing absorbs more Soul Rings for his Primordial Life Tree Spirit, the age of his previous Soul Rings will increase considerably.
]
[
Name: Silver-Winged Dragonbone Wings (External Spirit Bone)
Primary Ability: Aerial Supremacy - Grants the user the power of flight, significantly enhances agility and maneuverability in the air, and provides bursts of incredible speed.
Defensive Skill: Dragonbone Shield - By focusing soul power, the wings can be angled and solidified to create a sturdy shield capable of deflecting significant force.
Offensive Skill 1: Silver Wing Barrage - Allows the user to launch a volley of sharp, feather-like projectiles made of condensed bone and silver light from the wings.
Offensive Skill 2: Draconic Descent - A powerful dive attack where the user channels draconic energy into the wings, allowing them to plummet towards a target with devastating force and speed.
]
[
Name: Crimson Soul King's Crown (External Spirit Bone)
Passive Ability 1: Enhanced Mental Energy - Greatly enhances the user's mental clarity, focus, and processing speed.
Passive Ability 2: Enhanced Spiritual Energy - Significantly boosts the user's spiritual power and expands their sensory range.
Perception Ability 1: Clear Sight Far Gaze - Grants exceptionally sharp vision, allowing the user to see clearly and in great detail over vast distances.
Perception Ability 2: Precognitive Glimpse - Allows the user to experience fleeting glimpses of potential future events, enhancing their ability to anticipate danger.
Perception Ability 3: Illusion Piercer - Grants the user the ability to see through illusions of any kind.
Soul Ability: Soul Reading - Allows the user to read the thoughts and intentions of individuals whose soul power is weaker than their own.
Soul Ability: Soul Consumption - Grants the user the ability to consume the soul of a defeated spirit beast or soul master to strengthen their own mental power and spiritual energy.
]