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"Human… you… are a formidable opponent." The Deep Sea Demon Whale King's spiritual will carried a sense of resigned calm. "Begin… this Emperor… will fulfill his promise."
The deep purple sacrificial flames once again burned from his shattered body. This time, they were purer, more resolute.
Xuan Ming nodded, then plunged into the sea to absorb the Black Dragon Martial Soul's second spirit ring.
The deep purple flames, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, began to surge into his body. The immense energy, nearly a million years old, scoured his meridians, bringing tearing pain and a rapid increase in power.
However, just as the sacrificial process had stabilized, an anomaly occurred again!
Inside his body, the Dragon Bones of the Ice Dragon King and Fire Dragon King, which had been dormant, suddenly erupted with an unprecedented brilliant light, as if pulled by some force!
The red and blue illusory Dragon Souls appeared uncontrollably, no longer with their previous majesty or jest, but with a resolute, tragic, and unhesitating grandeur!
"Little brother, don't get distracted, stabilize the spirit ring!" The Ice Dragon King's voice echoed in his mind, still with that familiar tone, but with an added, ineffable weariness and… relief.
"What are you doing?!" Xuan Ming's heart violently shook, and an ominous premonition instantly seized him.
He tried to divert his attention to stop them, but the energy impact of the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's spirit ring was too violent. He couldn't move at all, and could only "watch" everything happening within his body.
He saw the Dragon Souls of the Ice Dragon King and Fire Dragon King guiding the last and most fundamental energy torrent from their Dragon Bones, not into Xuan Ming's body, but… fiercely rushing towards the Torso Spirit Bone that was slowly condensing and forming from the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's sacrificial flames!
That was the most crucial of the six Spirit Bones for a Spirit Master, carrying the core strength of the body!
Boom—!!!
The red and blue Dragon Bone energy, like a flood released from a dam, surged wildly into the still-forming deep purple torso bone! That Spirit Bone transformed at a visible rate!
Its color gradually changed from deep purple to a profound, dark purple that seemed to contain a starry sky. Complex and ancient dragon patterns began to emerge on its surface, and the energy fluctuations it emitted skyrocketed exponentially!
It was breaking through! Under the irrigation of this primordial divine energy from the Dragon Bones, it forcibly broke through its limits, advancing from nearly a million years to a true… million-year Spirit Bone!
"Ice, we didn't seem to discuss this before." Xuan Ming's mood became incredibly heavy. He felt that the Dragon Bone energy of the Ice Dragon King and Fire Dragon King was being consumed at a burning rate! This was not merely slumber; this was… primordial exhaustion!
But it wasn't over yet!
Just as that Torso Spirit Bone was about to fully form, emitting the terrifying aura unique to a million-year Spirit Bone, as if it could suppress the void, the illusory Dragon Souls of the Ice Dragon King and Fire Dragon King exchanged glances. Their eyes were filled with complex emotions accumulated over countless years, finally settling into a serene calm.
They took one last look at Xuan Ming's soul origin, struggling amidst the spirit ring energy, and then… they burst into flames!
That was not physical fire, but the most complete burning and sacrifice of their soul origin!
"Little brother, don't be sad. Didn't we agree on this long ago?"
In the sea of consciousness, the Ice Dragon King, for the first time, condensed into a human-like illusion, with her usual haughtiness on her face, but with tenderness hidden in her eyes.
"I don't remember you telling me about this." Xuan Ming tried his best to resist and prevent this Dragon Soul power from merging into his body, but it was clearly in vain.
The spiritual consciousness of the Ice Dragon King and Fire Dragon King was already scarce, and their wills were on the verge of dissipating. Sacrifice burns the soul, and once the soul energy is completely consumed, it truly… disappears completely! There won't even be a chance for reincarnation, let alone resurrection!
"I did say it, more than once." The Ice Dragon King stepped forward and gently embraced Xuan Ming.
"I said I would help you at all costs."
"There's no need for that." Xuan Ming's voice trembled slightly.
"You don't have to go this far."
"There is a need." The Ice Dragon King closed her eyes.
"It was I who pulled you onto this path; you shouldn't have to be this tired."
The Ice Dragon King's voice grew softer and softer, and her body began to turn transparent. "So… let me pave the last stretch of the road for you."
Rumble—!!!
The Black Dragon Martial Soul let out a soul-shaking roar the moment it merged with these two divine Dragon Soul origins!
The Spirit itself began a drastic transformation, its form becoming more ferocious and majestic. Subtle red and blue patterns began to appear on its dark dragon scales, as if the power of ice and fire had been deeply imprinted within it!
And the torso bone that had just formed within him finally stabilized after completely absorbing the Dragon Bone energy and the lingering glow of the Dragon Soul sacrifice.
It was entirely a deep dark purple, with dragon patterns flowing on its surface, emitting a vast aura like an ancient beast awakening, and a trace of… the ancient pressure belonging to the Dragon God!
Million-Year Abyssal Dragon Emperor Torso Spirit Bone!
But Xuan Ming felt no joy at all. The Deep Sea Demon Whale King's spirit ring was successfully absorbed. Although his spirit power level did not increase due to the spirit ring, the quality of his spirit power had reached an extremely terrifying state, even surpassing that of an ordinary super Douluo. The torso bone brought an unparalleled surge of power, and the Black Dragon Martial Soul also clearly became stronger.
Yet, his heart was filled with a cold, dead silence.
He could clearly feel the soul aura of the Ice Dragon King and Fire Dragon King… rapidly dissipating, like candles in the wind, about to be completely extinguished… In the God Realm, within the magnificent divine temple.
The scene reflected in the light mirror made the expressions of the several God Kings unusually solemn. They clearly saw the resolute, soul-burning sacrifice process of the Ice Dragon King and Fire Dragon King.
"These two fellows… are so resolute!" The God of Evil put away his playful smile, his brow furrowed. "With their souls completely burned out, even the imprint of reincarnation will vanish. This is true annihilation of both body and Spirit!"
A ripple flashed in the Asura God's cold eyes, but he did not speak.
"Not good!" The God of Goodness suddenly stood up, her face changing. "Their last imprints are about to scatter!"
Almost without thinking, she suddenly reached out her right hand! A mysterious and unfathomable divine force, carrying the meaning of judgment and order, instantly penetrated the barrier between the God Realm and the mortal world, disregarding the distance of space!
This divine force was not an attack, but precisely locked onto the special imprint representing the divine trial qualification on Xuan Ming, and using this imprint as a medium, like the most exquisite carving knife, forcibly branded two extremely subtle, almost imperceptible divine consciousness imprints deep within the core dragon patterns of the newly formed, dark purple torso bone that exuded million-year pressure!
These two imprints, like the firmest anchors, firmly locked onto the last trace of the primordial Dragon Soul imprint of the Ice Dragon King and Fire Dragon King, which was about to completely dissipate!
Buzz—!
The dragon patterns on Xuan Ming's torso bone flickered slightly, and the two dark red imprints flashed and disappeared, completely hidden.
The soul perception of the Ice Dragon King and Fire Dragon King, which was originally as faint as a dying spark, miraculously stabilized, though still weak to the point of near-silence, and no longer continued to dissipate!
"Phew… that was close!" The God of Goodness withdrew her hand, letting out a sigh of relief and wiping away non-existent cold sweat. "They almost really disappeared like that. Although it's not much different from being dead now, at least a seed was left, and there might be a chance to rekindle it in the future."
Her sudden action made the other God Kings look at her.
"I say, are you… too lacking in confidence in me?" The God of Evil was somewhat speechless.
The God of Goodness was slightly stunned. "What's wrong?"
"When I bestowed this second trial, I had already left the Dragon Soul imprints of the Ice Dragon King and Fire Dragon King on this kid's ice fire divine crown." The God of Evil said helplessly.
"Do you think I would do things without any backup measures?"
As soon as the God of Evil spoke, the eyes of the several God Kings in the divine temple focused on him.
The God of Goodness frowned slightly: "You left Dragon Soul imprints on the ice fire divine crown? When was this?"
"Just when I bestowed his second trial." The God of Evil spread his hands, with an expression that said, "How are you only just noticing?"
"I saw that those two old fellows were in a bad state, ready to fight to the death for this kid at any moment, so I conveniently left a contingency. After all, if they really died in the divine trial, and this kid's mentality collapsed, wouldn't all our efforts be in vain?"
"However, this kid doesn't know about this yet. It's good to let him suffer for a while; a little pressure helps him grow faster, you know."
"Pressure?" The God of Goodness looked at the hollow Xuan Ming in the light mirror.
"I think his pressure can't get any greater. Any more… and there might be problems."
"Not enough." The Asura God said faintly.
"The Dragon God's mess is much more troublesome than this. If he can't handle it now, it just means he's nothing special."
The God of Destruction glanced at the Asura God, but also said nothing.
"You're being too harsh…" Poseidon couldn't stand it anymore.
"You shut up!" The Asura God glared at Poseidon.
"You don't even know how troublesome this matter is. Don't interfere."
...Devil Whale Sea Domain.
Xuan Ming slowly opened his eyes. The Million-Year Abyssal Dragon Emperor Torso Spirit Bone perfectly fused with his body, bringing an unparalleled sense of power, as if he could shake mountains and rivers with a mere flick of his hand.
The transformation of the Black Dragon Martial Soul was even more evident, its majesty greater, with ice and fire dragon patterns subtly appearing.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz—!!!
Four dazzling halos, each emitting a distinct yet boundless aura, suddenly ascended from beneath his feet.
The first two: the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's platinum-gold, and the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's dark crimson-gold.
The latter two: the Ice Dragon King's ice-blue, and the Fire Dragon King's crimson-red. Both special spirit rings bore faint golden dragon patterns.
The power was stronger than ever before.
However, there was no joy in his ice-blue eyes, only a cold, dead silence and emptiness.
He clearly remembered every moment of the Ice Dragon King and Fire Dragon King's final burning of their Dragon Souls, transforming into points of light that merged into his body, and he remembered their final wills, filled with relief and resolve.
He could no longer feel their soul aura, not at all.
That sense of emptiness was more unbearable than any physical pain.