Yu Qing brought Duan Xin before the Ember Dragon's massive body. The man and the Dragon, despite the vast disparity in size, formed a peculiar balance at this moment.
Duan Xin looked up at the beautiful gigantic Dragon before her, which seemed forged from ruby and molten rock. Although there was tension in her eyes, there was more determination and courage. The Ember Dragon lowered its massive Dragon head, its golden vertical pupils scrutinizing the tiny human female with complex emotions.
"Xiner," Yu Qing's voice was steady, carrying a reassuring strength, "release your Spirit, and then... follow my guidance. Learn my hand seals and listen to my incantations."
"Yes, Husband!" Duan Xin nodded heavily, taking a deep breath, and a flash of crimson light appeared in her beautiful eyes.
Buzz—!
A scorching aura erupted from within her. The phantom of a majestic Dragon roar sounded behind her, and fine red Dragon scales appeared on the surface of her body. A pair of slightly illusory Dragon wings spread out behind her—Crimson Flame Red Dragon, Possession.
Immediately afterward, Yu Qing began forming hand seals with both hands. His movements were fluid and natural, his fingers flying, leaving trails of afterimages. Complex, ancient, and profound hand seals flowed from his fingertips, seemingly weaving an invisible net of Law. Simultaneously, he began chanting a low, obscure incantation. Every syllable contained a peculiar power, causing the surrounding energy to resonate and vibrate.
Duan Xin was fully focused, her eyes fixed on Yu Qing's hands, her ears catching every syllable of the incantation. She tried hard to imitate him; though clumsy, she was exceptionally focused and serious. Her hands also began forming seals, and she recited the profound incantation.
As she completed each hand seal and recited each line of the incantation, the phantom of the Crimson Flame Red Dragon Spirit possessing her grew brighter. Mysterious golden characters condensed from the Void Realm, and as if alive, they were sequentially branded onto the Spirit phantom.
These golden characters grew in number, linking together, eventually forming a massive, complex Golden Contract Formation that radiated a vast aura. The Formation slowly rotated, emitting a gentle yet irresistible power, gradually expanding to envelop the massive Ember Dragon in front of it.
When the final hand seal was formed and the last line of the incantation was recited.
"Contract—Complete!"
Yu Qing and Duan Xin simultaneously shouted the command.
Boom!!!
The entire Golden Formation suddenly erupted with dazzling light, illuminating the entire volcanic crater as if it were daytime. A profound and mysterious Contract power permeated the space between heaven and earth.
The Ember Dragon at the center of the Formation trembled violently. It closed its burning golden eyes, and in its Sea of Consciousness, a complete Contract document composed of countless golden runes also appeared. It carefully "read" every clause of the contract, feeling the fairness, restraint, and promise contained within.
After a long while... the Ember Dragon suddenly opened its Dragon eyes. The last trace of hesitation vanished. It let out a high-pitched Dragon roar, and a pure and powerful mental force mixed with its Origin mark surged from its brow, like flowing molten rock, violently injecting itself into the Golden Contract Formation, branding a burning, Dragon-shaped mark at the very bottom of the Contract document.
The Contract—Established.
The next moment, a miraculous and shocking scene unfolded.
The Ember Dragon's massive body, covered in ruby-like scales, began to emit a dazzling white light. In this white light, its body gradually became transparent and illusory, eventually dissolving completely into the purest energy particles, while its Soul, maintaining its Dragon form, clearly separated and floated in mid-air.
It watched its energy-formed body continuously contract and condense, finally transforming into an impossibly large, ink-deep black spirit ring, whose edges flickered with a circle of blazing firelight.
"This feeling..." the Ember Dragon's Soul murmured in confusion, "it feels somewhat like... Sacrifice?"
Yu Qing's voice sounded at the right moment, explaining, "This method does borrow some principles from Sacrifice, but the essence is completely different. Sacrifice is overbearing and absolute, a one-sided offering and gift from the Spirit Beast. The Soul Spirit Method, however, focuses more on fairness and symbiosis. The Spirit Beast retains its intelligence and power, and the Spirit Master provides a platform for growth. Both parties get what they need and grow together. It can be called... the fairest contract."
Just then, Duan Xin let out a muffled groan of suppression. The black spirit ring that had just settled upon her suddenly erupted with a terrifying torrent of energy, rushing into her body like a breached river, slamming into her Meridians, Dantian, and even her Soul.
"Ugh ah—!" Duan Xin's pretty face instantly turned pale, and her body trembled violently. Fine beads of blood seeped out from under her skin, instantly staining her like a person covered in blood. Her expression was twisted by immense pain, but though she clenched her teeth tightly, she refused to utter a single scream. She was relying on her tenacious willpower to endure the shock!
The Ember Dragon's Soul watched this scene, a trace of worry flashing in its eyes: "Can she... truly withstand the energy impact of my spirit ring? Know that although I am only seventy-five thousand years old, due to my unique Bloodline, the sheer magnitude of my spirit ring's energy is absolutely no less than that of ordinary eighty or ninety thousand year spirit rings, and even approaches some spirit rings that have just entered the hundred thousand years level. Such an impact... is no small matter!"
Yu Qing stared intently at Duan Xin, an almost imperceptible tension deep in his eyes, but his tone was incredibly firm: "She is my wife. I unconditionally trust her will and ability. Moreover... this is a part you must witness firsthand—whether the contractor you chose possesses the resilience and potential worthy of your pride."
Hearing this, a strange look flashed in the Ember Dragon's eyes. It said no more, simply watching quietly. It had to admit that the tenacity displayed by this human female at this moment was indeed somewhat beyond its expectations.
Time slowly passed in agony... A day and a night went by.
Duan Xin struggled through the pain but never gave up. Her will, like refined steel, grew tougher with every trial. This was certainly due to her strong personality, but it was also inseparable from Yu Qing's long-term meticulous cultivation—various rare Medicinal Cuisine continuously solidified her Foundation, and the "Thousand Refinements Method" repeatedly tempered her physique, making her physical strength more than ten times greater than that of Spirit Masters of the same Rank. Only then did she possess the capital to withstand this terrifying energy.
Yu Qing appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly, he was also sweating. It wasn't until he keenly noticed that Duan Xin's painfully twisted expression gradually smoothed out, and the blood beads seeping from her body began to coagulate. Furthermore, the phantom of the Crimson Flame Red Dragon Spirit, instead of dimming under the energy impact, became increasingly solid, and its form even began to undergo subtle changes—the color of its Dragon scales became deeper, its edges faintly exhibiting a ruby luster similar to the Ember Dragon's; its Dragon horns became more rugged and sharp; the temperature radiating from its body suddenly increased several times over, and a more powerful, more majestic Dragon Might faintly emanated from it.
"Success!" Yu Qing felt a sudden release of tension in his heart, and his eyes burst forth with joy. The most crucial and dangerous step of the spirit soul contract—the energy Fusion—had been overcome.
Early the next morning, when the first ray of dawn cut through the darkness and shone upon Duan Xin.
The wild energy torrent within her finally subsided completely, docilely integrating into her limbs and bones, becoming part of her power. The black seventh spirit ring also fully stabilized. Within the deep black, the circle of blazing fiery-red light became even more dazzling, and the energy fluctuations it emitted clearly reached a level close to ninety thousand years.
"Buzz—!" The Ember Dragon's Soul let out a cheerful soft cry, transforming into a crimson stream of light that violently plunged into the spirit ring. The spirit ring flashed once, then completely contained its brilliance.
"Huu—!" Duan Xin slowly exhaled a long breath of turbid, scorching air and slowly opened her eyes.
In her eyes, it was as if molten rock was flowing, radiating brilliant light. She subconsciously raised her hand, and with a slight movement of her mind, shua, her arm was instantly covered in a layer of crystal-clear, ruby-like Dragon scales! Sharp, knife-like Crimson Dragon Claws extended from her fingertips, radiating terrifying high temperatures and sharpness.
"This... this is..." She looked at her transformation in disbelief, feeling the surging, tidal power within her, a strength that even shocked herself. Her spirit power Rank soared wildly, starting from the Rank 70 Bottleneck.
Rank 71, Rank 72, Rank 73,...
Ultimately, it settled at Rank 75, an increase of five Ranks!
"Husband, I... I succeeded! I really succeeded!" Duan Xin was so excited she couldn't contain herself. She suddenly jumped up, hugged Yu Qing, and cheered excitedly, tears welling up. This was not just an increase in Rank, but a transformation at the level of life itself. She could feel that her connection with her Spirit had never been so close, as if she had truly transformed into a Dragon.
Yu Qing smiled as he caught her, gently patting her back, his heart also filled with a sense of accomplishment and joy: "Mm, you succeeded! This is not just your personal success, but it also proves... that my Soul Spirit Method is indeed viable."
"Come," Yu Qing released her and smiled, "Release your seventh spirit ring and let everyone see... your first spirit soul companion."
Duan Xin nodded vigorously, her pretty face beaming with excitement and pride. With a thought, seven spirit rings rose from beneath her feet in sequence: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black.
When the seventh spirit ring rose, everyone's gaze sharpened. The deep black spirit ring was a full circle larger than the other spirit rings, and the fiery red glow around its edge, like a burning corona, emitted heart-pounding energy fluctuations. Its age was, surprisingly, infinitely close to ninety thousand years.
"Oh?" A hint of surprise flashed in Yu Qing's eyes. "During the contract process, it actually utilized the Ember Dragon's pure Origin and the profundity of the Soul Spirit Method to raise the spirit ring's age to nearly ninety thousand years? What an unexpected delight."
Duan Xin let out a soft cry: "Seventh Spirit Ability, Martial Soul True Body!"
Boom! The nearly ninety thousand year old black spirit ring suddenly burst forth with light. Duan Xin's body was completely enveloped in crimson light, and red jade-like Dragon scales rapidly covered her entire body. Her body stretched and transformed within the light.
In the blink of an eye, a gigantic flaming Dragon, over fifteen meters long, covered entirely in crystalline red jade scales, with a slender and elegant physique, yet exuding terrifying Dragon Might and high temperatures, appeared before everyone! It was her Martial Soul True Body—the Scarlet Flame Ember Dragon True Body.
And the moment she completed her transformation, that seventh spirit ring also simultaneously detached from her body, flashing in the air and transforming into a solidified, agile Ember Dragon with golden flames burning in its eyes. Different from before, this Ember Dragon, formed from the spirit ring, had shrunk considerably, only about five or six meters long, but its demeanor was arrogant and its eyes were nimble, clearly retaining complete intelligence and consciousness.
"Hahaha! It's gone, it's gone! That damned Origin wound! It's truly completely vanished! I finally... I finally don't have to wait for death, hahaha!" The Ember Dragon's Soul let out a joyous Dragon roar, circling and flying excitedly in the air, fully venting the five thousand years of pent-up frustration and pain.
The Sky Azure Bull Python's huge ox eyes also showed relief, and a deep voice sounded: "Ember Dragon, congratulations on your new life."
The Ember Dragon stopped flying and looked at Da Ming, its Dragon eyes filled with sincere gratitude: "Thank you, Tian Qing. I will engrave this kindness in my heart!" It then looked at Yu Qing, its gaze becoming extremely solemn: "Human... no, Yu Qing, thank you. Your Soul Spirit Method saved me. I swear by the Dragon God that from now on, I will do my utmost to protect your wife, help her reach the Peak, and never betray today's contract!"
Yu Qing smiled and nodded: "I believe you." He could feel that the miniature Ember Dragon before him, its Soul strength and the power it contained, was absolutely no less than that of an ordinary Titled Douluo. With its protection, Duan Xin's future would be even safer.
Just then, the Ember Dragon suddenly lowered its head, looking at the churning lava below. A trace of reminiscence and complexity flashed in its Dragon eyes, and then, it plunged headfirst into it.
After a few breaths, with a splash, it broke through the lava and flew out again. In its Dragon mouth, it held a dark red torso bone, from which emanated astonishing energy fluctuations and a dense, fierce aura.
It placed the bone in front of Yu Qing and said in a deep voice: "This is the torso bone of a Hundred Thousand Year Hell Demon Hound. Five thousand years ago, it was the one that left me with that damned Origin wound. I spent a great price to kill it, and its Spirit Bone has been submerged deep in this lava, suppressed and nourished by my power. Today, I present it to you as a small token of my gratitude."
"Oh~?" Yu Qing raised an eyebrow. Was this... an act of repayment?
He bent down and picked up the Spirit Bone, which was warm to the touch yet exuded a cold, fierce aura. With a brief perception, he confirmed that it was indeed a high-quality ten thousand year spirit bone, and its attributes were extremely compatible with Duan Xin's Spirit.
He hardly hesitated, casually tossing this ten thousand year spirit bone, coveted by countless Spirit Masters, to Duan Xin: "Xiner, the attributes of this Spirit Bone perfectly match yours. Take it and absorb it!"
Duan Xin was both surprised and delighted, quickly catching it, her pretty face flushed with excitement: "Thank you, Husband!" She didn't act coy or refuse, immediately sitting cross-legged to begin absorbing this ten thousand year spirit bone.
"!" Seeing Yu Qing's casual act of gifting the bone, a hint of shock and bewilderment flashed in the Ember Dragon's huge Dragon eyes! "Human, this is... a ten thousand year spirit bone, and you just... gave it to her so easily?"
Yu Qing smiled indifferently, his tone matter-of-fact: "She is my wife. What is mine is hers. Besides, this Spirit Bone is of no great use to me, but it is a treasure to her. If it can enhance her strength, then that is its best destination. Why not?"
The Ember Dragon fell silent for a long time upon hearing this. Its gaze towards Yu Qing became increasingly complex. Finally, it nodded and whispered, "As a partner... you are, quite good, human." In its tone, there was even a hint of... admiration, even envy.
As it spoke, its body changed again. Amidst flashing red light, it transformed into a miniature Dragon only fifty centimeters long, carved entirely from red jade. It flapped its tiny wings, flew to Yu Qing's shoulder, and coiled there, appearing very affectionate.
Yu Qing smiled, reaching out to gently stroke its cool, hard scales. His gaze then turned to Duan Xin, who was absorbing the Spirit Bone.
Several hours later... "Boom!" A stronger aura erupted from Duan Xin's body. She successfully absorbed the Hundred Thousand Year Hell Demon Dragon Torso Bone, and her spirit power surged again, directly rising from Rank 75 all the way to Rank 79, just one step away from Spirit Douluo.
If she hadn't condensed a Soul Core, and the spirit power required to advance each Rank far exceeded that of ordinary people, it might not have been impossible to directly break through to Rank 80.
At the same time, the miniature Ember Dragon coiled on Yu Qing's shoulder also suddenly emanated a scorching energy fluctuation. Its aura, in turn, rose with the tide, subtly exuding... the pressure of a Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beast.
"This is..." Yu Qing felt this aura and looked at the little Ember Dragon on his shoulder with some surprise.
The Ember Dragon raised its head, its small Dragon face seemingly also showing a trace of disbelief: "spirit soul and host, sharing life and power, growing together... your Soul Spirit Method truly... opened my eyes! At this rate, it probably won't be long before I can reach the hundred thousand year level."
It suddenly turned its head, its small golden vertical pupils staring intently at Yu Qing's profile, its tone half-joking and half-serious: "I have to say, human, if you weren't human, but a powerful Spirit Beast... I would insist on keeping you by my side as my partner!"
Upon hearing this, Yu Qing's mouth twitched sharply, and his expression became a little strange: "Wait... you... you're a female Dragon?" He only belatedly realized this.
The Ember Dragon tilted its small head, its tone carrying a hint of confusion: "Yes? Of course, I'm a female Dragon. Didn't Tian Qing tell you?"
Yu Qing: "..." He really didn't know. The Sky Azure Bull Python hadn't mentioned it at all. He had always thought this domineering Ember Dragon was a male Dragon!
At this moment, a bold, even somewhat absurd thought, suddenly popped into Yu Qing's mind:
"System... can I... contract a spirit soul as a Dao Companion? If that's possible... wouldn't that be... hiss—!"
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