Chapter 134: The Birth of the Eternal Flame and the Commandment
"Wait, what did you just say? What if I don't want to become a spirit?" Liehuo Xingjiaoshu stared at Xiao Qiang, feeling as though she had misheard him completely.
"If you don't want to become a soul spirit, you can still be used to hunt for soul rings and soul bones later. Don't worry, I'll make the process easier for you. Since a 100,000-year soul beast will definitely produce a soul bone, I have no intention of torturing you."
Liehuo Xingjiaoshu fell silent for a long time after hearing Xiao Qiang's words. And then the fiery soul beast finally exploded, cursing.
"Why? Why should I be your soul ring if you're not even a soul spirit?"
"Because soul masters in this world have to hunt soul beasts to obtain soul rings. As a soul beast yourself, you should understand your value to a level 90 soul master."
"I know you may not be willing to become a soul spirit. But let me ask you—how many 100,000-year-old soul beasts willingly become soul rings? Soul spirits are actually a buffer—a compromise that allows some consciousness to remain. If you're willing, I'll preserve your mind and give you the chance to live on with others. If you refuse… then I'm sorry. I'm still human. And hunting 100,000-year-old soul beasts when necessary is standard practice for human soul masters."
"I won't say whether this is right or wrong. From the perspective of soul beasts, this is greed. But from a human's point of view, hunting high-level soul beasts for soul rings and soul bones is instinct—survival."
"You can call me greedy, insidious, mean, or despicable. That's your right. But once you've said all that, I will still make you into a soul ring. With the development of soul spirits, maybe one day humans won't need to hunt soul beasts anymore. But until that day comes, we need time to transform—and some soul beasts will be sacrificed in the process."
"You… don't mind me. I was just joking." Liehuo Xingjiaoshu suddenly changed her tune. "Actually, I've been here for 10,000 years. I want to go outside too. This soul spirit idea of yours… it aligns with mine."
She considered asking for help from Xue Di, who was nearby. But Xue Di was lounging on a chair made of Octagonal Black Ice Grass, playing idly with a black ice crystal while soaking her feet in the cold spring, completely indifferent to Liehuo Xingjiaoshu's situation.
Naturally, soul beasts would help others of the same race in danger. But if they were from different races? Then the other soul beast might be no better than a human. Given that the Ice Emperor was currently inside Xiao Qiang's body, Liehuo Xingjiaoshu realized she couldn't count on Xue Di at all.
She wasn't even born in the Far North. She wasn't one of Xue Di's descendants. Fairy herb soul beasts like her were often seen as food by other beasts. If it had been the 300,000-year-old Red King instead of Xue Di here, she would've already been devoured.
Now, Liehuo Xingjiaoshu wasn't sure if even the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass could survive in this world.
"It's best that you agreed," Xiao Qiang said calmly. "Don't worry. The soul master I've chosen for you isn't bad. He wields the Angel Martial Spirit and will be a great priest of my power—someone with a high position in the future."
After convincing Liehuo Xingjiaoshu, Xiao Qiang obtained the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone and Longing for the Autumn Water Dew from the Youxiang Qiluo Immortal Product.
The Eight-Angled Ice Grass also volunteered to become a soul. But Xiao Qiang didn't plan to absorb it just yet. Thanks to the awakening of his Mangekyō Sharingan, his soul had reached Version 3.0, enabling him to preserve souls for a long time.
So, he made the Eight-Angled Ice Grass into both a soul and a soul bone. He kept the original body and used it to help himself break through to the 60th level.
After refining the Forgotten River Autumn Water Dew and the Eight-Angled Ice Grass's body, Xiao Qiang's soul power successfully reached level 60. The energy of the Autumn Water Dew also completed his missing bloodline, allowing his Mangekyō Sharingan to evolve into the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
"I wonder how many levels I'll gain from this?" Xiao Qiang mused aloud.
Even if the 100,000-year-old Eight-Angled Ice Grass was mostly hollow and missing most of its soul power, it certainly wouldn't only give him one level.
Afterward, he took out the Silver Dragon Staff. With Tian Meng and Xue Di's help, he transferred the Yin-Yang Eye of Ice and Fire—a 50-meter-radius area and the land 50 meters beneath it—into a private space he had opened with the staff.
Once he had packed up the entire Yin-Yang Eye and relocated it, Xiao Qiang reappeared beside Mu Qingxue and the others, then summoned the 100,000-year-old Liehuo Xingjiaoshu.
The moment Mu Qingxue saw the fiery soul beast, her eyes lit up. She wasn't exactly sure what kind of soul beast it was, but she could feel the blazing heat radiating from it. She knew instinctively that if she absorbed this soul ring as her seventh, she would gain access to Ultimate Fire.
Ultimate Fire combined with the Angel Martial Spirit—even at the 70th level—would give her enough strength to rival an average Titled Douluo. She had broken through to level 70 four years ago, and her cultivation hadn't slowed. Plus, after eliminating that evil soul master earlier, she had received a massive soul power feedback.
With the 100,000-year-old soul ring, Mu Qingxue was confident she could leap straight to Soul Douluo.
An Eight-Ring Soul Douluo with Ultimate Fire and 100,000-year soul abilities could even fight Super Douluo.
"Come on, Miss Qingxue," Xiao Qiang said. "Follow my instructions. I'll guide you on how to fuse a hundred thousand year soul."
Mu Qingxue didn't hesitate and began the fusion as instructed.
Soon, her soul ring configuration changed from two yellow, two purple, and two black—to two yellow, two purple, two black, and one red. She had officially become a Seven-Ring Soul Saint. But she didn't stop there.
Half an hour later, a second red 100,000-year soul ring emerged. Then, the colors of her earlier soul rings began to change: the two yellow and two purple rings turned black to match her fifth and sixth.
By the time she finished, Mu Qingxue had six black rings and two red rings. When she opened her eyes, the aura she released was that of an Eighty-Third Level Soul Douluo.
Xiao Qiang casually tossed her a crystal ball to test her level. With a simple injection of soul power, the ball displayed "83."
Mu Qingxue was overwhelmed. With a soul ring configuration of six black and two red, she felt like she had stepped into an entirely new world. She had not only become a Soul Douluo, but her ring ratio was practically unheard of.
"You can use that special method on me," she said, steadying her breath. "I can sense that she still has the potential to give me another 100,000-year ring. And with six black rings… we've already exceeded what we initially agreed upon."
Xiao Qiang nodded. He brought his hands together in a prayer-like gesture. His first, second, fourth, and fifth soul rings began to glow.
The three 100,000-year soul rings that Tian Meng had transformed merged with the fifth ring—also a 100,000-year ring. While it should've added up to a 400,000-year ring, soul ring fusion wasn't a matter of simple arithmetic. As seen in Douluo Dalu I with Huo Wu, or in Douluo Dalu II with Xu Sanshi, ring fusion followed an exponential growth.
Through this fusion, the combined soul rings transformed into a golden million-year soul ring.
As the dazzling ring lit up, Xiao Qiang opened his blood-red eyes—his gaze filled with a strange, sacred pressure. This was his first soul ring, now enhanced to a million-year soul skill called:
Commandment.
With his prayer pose now dissolved, Xiao Qiang spoke solemnly, his voice low and resonant.
"Please… no matter what happens, never betray me."
As his words faded, Mu Qingxue felt something strange take root in her mind. It wasn't painful or invasive, just… there. A presence, a warning—a limitation.
This was the effect of Xiao Qiang's million-year soul skill. But as long as she never betrayed him, it would never harm her.