"Hmm? Only a Wind Dragon?" Xie Xie's voice remained flat, devoid of disappointment. "That'll do."
He wasn't surprised. In a branch office like Donghai's, a high-tier True Dragon was a rarity, and a hundred-year Wind Dragon was a solid foundational choice.
"Excellent. Little brother, please fill out this registration form first," the Spirit Caller said, beaming as he handed over the documentation required by the Spirit Pagoda. "Once that's done, I'll take you for your Mental Force evaluation."
Xie Xie took the pen and wrote with practiced, elegant strokes: Name: Xie Xie. Age: 6. Martial Soul: Time-Space Dragon King. Potential: Innate Full Soul Power.
The Spirit Caller stared at the paper. Even though he had suspected as much, seeing it written down made his heart skip a beat. Innate Full Soul Power... How many years had it been since Donghai City produced a genius of this caliber?
Perhaps never. He realized immediately that he needed to alert the Branch Pagoda Master. This wasn't just a talented kid; this was a political goldmine.
"Follow me, all of you," the Caller urged, leading them into a specialized testing suite. He motioned for Xie Xie to sit on a sleek, high-tech chair equipped with a neural-scanning helmet. "Try to stay relaxed. The machine will do the rest."
The digital display on the wall began to climb.
20... 30... 50... 80...
The Spirit Caller's professional smile began to falter. For a six-year-old, a Mental Force of 50 was already considered "prodigy" territory—the entry point of the Spirit Origin Realm. But the counter didn't slow down.
100... 120... 150...
"Gods above..." the Caller whispered.
The numbers finally flickered and locked into place: 183.
"One hundred and eighty-three!" the Caller choked out. "Spirit Resonance Realm!"
Xie Tianhai and Jiang Yun stood frozen. They exchanged a glance that screamed the same question: What kind of monster did we create?
In the Douluo Continent, the Spirit Origin Realm is the starting point for almost all Spirit Masters, and many never leave it. To reach the Spirit Resonance Realm (100–499 points) usually required years of meditation and at least three or four Spirit Rings. Yet here was a boy who hadn't even touched his first Spirit Soul, already surpassing the mental capacity of a seasoned Spirit Elder.
"Spirit Caller Uncle?" Xie Xie's calm voice cut through the stunned silence. "Is the test finished?"
"Y-yes! Quite finished!" The Caller fumbled for his specialized camera, snapped a high-resolution photo of the results with a cryptographic watermark, and bowed slightly. "A Mental Force of 183 is... unheard of for your age. You could absorb a Thousand-Year Spirit Soul with that capacity, let alone a Hundred-Year one. Please wait in the lounge. I will personally fetch the Wind Dragon."
As the Caller scurried out, Xie Xie leaned back. He recalled that in the original timeline, even the multi-talented Gu Yue only had a Mental Force of around 150 at the one-ring level. He had already surpassed the Silver Dragon King's human avatar in raw mental power.
"Son," Xie Tianhai said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Are you... actually human?"
Xie Xie just gave him a blank, deadpan stare.
Five minutes later, the Spirit Caller returned carrying a shimmering energy containment sphere. Inside, a miniature, emerald-green dragon drifted in stasis.
"The price for a Hundred-Year Wind Dragon is three million Federation credits," the Caller said.
Xie Tianhai didn't even blink. He swiped a premium black card through the terminal with the nonchalance of a man buying a loaf of bread. "Keep the change. We're leaving."
Back at the Xie villa, the atmosphere was thick with anticipation. In the center of the training hall, Xie Xie released the containment seal. The Wind Dragon expanded, manifesting as an elegant, two-meter-long beast. It let out a defiant roar, its eyes flashing with primeval arrogance.
Hmph.
Xie Tianhai released his Shadow Dragon soul. Seven rings exploded into existence, and the sheer pressure of a Spirit Saint forced the Wind Dragon to its knees.
"Begin, son," Xie Tianhai encouraged. "With your Spirit Resonance mental strength, this thing can't resist you."
Xie Xie nodded. He closed his eyes and summoned the Time-Space Dragon King.
The moment the pale blue, shimmering dragon phantom appeared behind him, the Wind Dragon didn't just submit—it prostrated itself. It wasn't fear; it was worship. It recognized the ultimate sovereign of its lineage.
Xie Xie sat cross-legged, guiding the yellow Spirit Ring toward his body. As the energy merged, the System's cold, clinical voice chimed in.
[Congratulations. You have successfully absorbed the Hundred-Year Wind Dragon.]
[Unparalleled System: Evolution Triggered.]
[Soul Spirit Upgrade: The Wind Dragon has evolved into the "Storm Dragon King." Potential: 100,000-Year (Red). Limits can be increased via Soul Power infusion.]
[Level Breakthrough: Current Cultivation — Rank 12 Spirit Master.]
[First Soul Skill Unlocked: Time-Space Piercing.]
[Skill Description: Utilize the Power of Spacetime to teleport instantaneously. Your Dragon Claws will dash through the void toward the target, ignoring 100% of physical and energy defenses. While active, the Host is immune to all damage and status effects (Physical, Blood-Qi, and Mental) from enemies of the same Rank.]
An ignore-defense teleport that grants invincibility during the dash? Xie Xie's heart hammered. This was a perfect counter to both the Golden and Silver Dragon Kings.
He opened his eyes, a faint blue light swirling in his pupils.
"How is it?" Jiang Yun asked breathlessly. "What's the ability?"
Xie Xie smiled. "It's called Time-Space Piercing. It allows me to teleport, ignore all defenses, and grants me temporary invincibility against anyone at my level."
Silence.
Xie Tianhai and Jiang Yun stared at each other for a long, drawn-out minute.
"Our son," Xie Tianhai said, his voice trembling with a mix of terror and awe, "is going to become the strongest Limit Douluo in history."
Meanwhile, at the Shrek City Spirit Pagoda Headquarters...
A stunning woman with flowing crimson hair sat behind a mahogany desk, staring at a digital file sent from the Donghai branch.
"Innate Full Soul Power... Rank 183 Mental Force at age six... Time-Space Dragon King."
A predatory, intrigued smile curled on her lips. She tapped the screen, lingering on Xie Xie's heroic young face.
"Xie Xie," she whispered. "What an interesting little monster. Perhaps it's time I took a disciple."