Chapter 77: The Level 97 Peak Douluo
Jing Ni took less than two hours to absorb the first 100,000-year spirit ring. The second took a little over an hour, but it caused quite a stir. The moment she finished absorbing her eighth spirit ring, her spirit power instantly soared from level 80 to level 90.
The ten-level jump startled Yue Guan and Gui Mei, who were unaware of what was truly happening.
Jing Ni sent a spirit power message to Qin Xuan, asking if she should continue absorbing the ninth ring. Qin Xuan's public explanation was that her rapid increase was due to inheriting a complete set of high-quality Spirit Bones from her deceased master, as well as absorbing an Immortal Herb.
This made Yue Guan incredibly jealous. The Immortal Herb was one thing, but a complete set of Spirit Bones? If she wasn't Qin Xuan's wife and protected by a Titled Douluo, he might have been tempted to kill her for her treasures. Gui Mei, on the other hand, grew increasingly suspicious, but being a man of few words, he chose not to speak.
The matter was temporarily glossed over, and Jing Ni continued to absorb her ninth spirit ring. The third 100,000-year ring took even less time than the previous two.
As dusk approached, the setting sun illuminated the Star Dou Great Forest in magnificent hues. By now, half an hour had passed since Jing Ni's level 90 spirit power fluctuation had erupted. Logically, adapting to a new ring shouldn't take this long.
Something was abnormal. The surroundings had become eerily quiet. Not only were there no other Spirit Masters, but even the birds in the trees seemed to sense an impending apocalypse, scattering into the distance as if fleeing something terrifying.
With Jing Ni at the center, the ground began to freeze. Frost spread outward, creeping beneath the feet of Qin Xuan and Ling Yuan and covering everything in a layer of white. Yue Guan and Gui Mei were greatly alarmed. Before Yue Guan could react, he and his surroundings were frozen solid, with only his head exposed.
Gui Mei, an agility-type Spirit Master, reacted faster. His figure turned transparent as he soared into the sky, but he couldn't escape the encroaching cold. At a height of fifteen meters, the frost touched his toes, and he too was frozen mid-air, a ghostly statue with only his head free.
"Ah, damn it! What is going on?" Yue Guan struggled, but found he couldn't move his body or even use his skills.
Gui Mei's hoarse voice sounded beside him. "Don't waste your energy, Yue Guan. This is a domain skill, similar to our Martial Soul Fusion Technique. Our skills and movements are frozen."
Compared to Yue Guan, Gui Mei was much calmer. He had sensed from the beginning that something was off with Qin Xuan, ever since he'd sent him to Slaughter City. He'd always felt the boy was hiding something, but his aloof nature kept him from prying. Now, it seemed Qin Xuan was finally revealing his true colors. He was just confused as to why.
"Slaughter God Domain Evolved Skill—Flowing Cloud Heavenly Frost Night."
An ethereal voice echoed softly, drawing everyone's gaze. The sword array that had enveloped Jing Ni, now an ice dome, shattered with a crash.
"My apologies, husband," Jing Ni said, her voice calm. "Because the Slaughter God Domain has just evolved, I can't control it perfectly yet. I still must chant the incantation when using it."
Her black high heels clicked against the icy surface as she walked toward Qin Xuan. Clad in form-fitting, purplish-red Spirit Bone armor and holding her sword, she exuded an aura of someone who wouldn't care if the entire world were her enemy.
Jing Ni—
Age: 24
Spirit: Jing Ni Sword
Spirit Power: Level 97
Spirit Ring Configuration: Red, Red, Red, Red, Red, Red, Red, Red, Red
Physique: Demigod
Mental Force: Limit Douluo
Domain: Slaughter God Domain
Talent: SSS-
Loyalty: 100
Affection: 100 (Undying Devotion)
Not only had her physique reached the demigod level, but her mental force had also reached the standard of a Limit Douluo. The enhancement from nine 100,000-year spirit rings and a complete set of Spirit Bones was unimaginable. The only gap between her and Qian Daoliu was now just two levels of spirit power.
Qin Xuan glanced at her attribute panel with a contented smile. "It's alright. You'll get more familiar with it. It seems your Slaughter God Domain has mutated and forged its own path."
Jing Ni nodded, her icy gaze sweeping over Yue Guan and Gui Mei.
One by one, nine crimson spirit rings rose from beneath her feet. With every few steps she took toward Qin Xuan, another ring would appear, and with each one, her aura grew more intense.
When the first ring rose, the faces of Yue Guan and Gui Mei turned pale. They gasped for breath, the immense pressure nearly causing the two quasi-Titled Douluo to collapse. If not for the ice holding them up, they would have been pressed to the ground. More than the physical pain, they felt a spiritual shock that was beyond belief.
How could someone have nine 100,000-year spirit rings on a single Spirit?
Even Ling Yuan, who knew Jing Ni's configuration in advance, was utterly stunned. If she had any thought of competing for the position of "Eldest Sister" before, that hope was now completely gone. With nine 100,000-year rings, a complete set of top-tier Spirit Bones, and level 97 spirit power, how could anyone compete? Even the Second Priest, at level 98, probably couldn't defeat her. Across the entire continent, perhaps only the High Priest, Qian Daoliu himself, could claim certain victory.
Qin Xuan saw that his two prospective subordinates were about to be crushed. He wanted them to submit, not to be crippled.