"In the endless void, life and destruction intertwine,With the light of survival, illuminate the shadow of ruin,With the fire of destruction, ignite the seed of life.The spirit of life and the soul of death—unite as one.Life and death, cycle eternal—Heaven and earth, resound as one.Cycle of life and death—commence!"
After Xiao Lin and Tang San's brief chant, their soul rings began to merge—four intertwining loops forming the shape of an infinity symbol (∞).
In that instant, their soul power fused together, transforming into a single, supreme force.
A bright emerald radiance of ultimate life enveloped Tang San,while an aura of pure annihilation coiled darkly around Xiao Lin.
Under the power of their Fusion Soul Skill, these two opposing forces—life and destruction—coexisted briefly, reaching the level of ultimate attributes.
The powerful always suppress the weak,just as higher bloodlines suppress lower ones—and the Thunder Emperor Dragon's strength was diminished by more than twenty percent.
Of course, even then, his full power was far beyond what Xiao Lin and Tang San could truly contend with.But now, his dragon might and soul power pressure no longer had any effect on them.
Within his perception, the combined strength of their Fusion Technique had reached the level of a Soul Douluo.
"How strange… what terrifying talent."
The Thunder Emperor Dragon halted his test, his voice calm.
A moment later, Xiao Lin and Tang San's crushing pressure dissipated.Both collapsed slightly, leaning against one another, utterly drained.
The technique consumed immense energy,yet with the dragon's oppressive aura gone, they felt almost weightless—as if floating.
"I acknowledge you both," said the Thunder Emperor Dragon softly."Among all creatures I have ever seen, none surpass you.I believe you will become gods."
He spoke evenly, before slowly gliding toward Xiao Lin.
Then, in a shimmer of light, his massive form transformed into a young man in a cyan robe standing calmly by the lake shore.
"Even the Sea God from twenty thousand years ago did not possess talent such as yours."
He recalled that distant day, when the Sea God ascended to the Divine Realm—the entire continent had felt it.The Thunder Emperor Dragon had sensed that divine power back then,so for him to say this now meant he truly saw potential in Xiao Lin and Tang San far beyond ordinary mortals.
"If I hadn't offered my sacrifice, what kind of soul beast would you have sought?"
he asked curiously.
"A true dragon soul beast—around eighty or ninety thousand years old,"
Xiao Lin replied proudly.
"I see…"
Upon hearing that, realization dawned on the Thunder Emperor Dragon.So his sacrifice wasn't essential—just a glorious addition, not a necessity.
"Why didn't you accept my condition for equality?"
the dragon pressed, still hesitant.
"That…"
Xiao Lin hesitated, unwilling to reveal the secret of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings before Tang San.He feared that the old schemer, the Sea God, might one day peek into Tang San's memories.
"Let me handle this,"
a deep voice echoed in Xiao Lin's consciousness.The Fire Dragon King, impatient, took partial control of Xiao Lin's body.
Xiao Lin raised his right hand and clenched it into a fist, smiling faintly.
It turned out the Fire Dragon King wanted to speak directly with the Thunder Emperor Dragon.
Seeing Xiao Lin's offered fist, the Thunder Emperor Dragon instinctively bumped his own against it.
The next instant—his pupils dilated sharply.
His calm face froze into one of sheer terror.
From his perspective—a colossal fire dragon, dozens of times larger than himself,appeared before him, emanating divine-level spiritual pressure that crushed his very soul.
This was no illusion. This was a god-tier being.
And that dragon might—even more fearsome than Xiao Lin's Dragon King aura—suppressed his bloodline completely.He couldn't even think of resisting.
"Who… who are you!?"
"I am the Fire Dragon King."
With those simple words, the fiery giant vanished,returning to Xiao Lin's consciousness.
"Hmph, should've let me step in earlier,"grumbled the Fire Dragon King inside."Had to make the kid do all the talking first."
No one knew how long passed before the Thunder Emperor Dragon recovered from the shock.
When he looked at Xiao Lin again, his gaze had completely changed.
Xiao Lin had just been acknowledged—treated as an equal—by the Fire Dragon King himself.As for him…
No wonder Xiao Lin was destined for godhood.He wasn't just aiming for the divine realm—he was planning to challenge it!
The Thunder Emperor Dragon's thoughts spiraled.
He assumed Xiao Lin was the Fire Dragon King's successor, chosen to carry his will.
But wait—if Xiao Lin had the Fire Dragon King's backing, how could he still wield ultimate ice?
Could it be… there was also an Ice Dragon King?
Had Xiao Lin been recognized by both?
The Thunder Emperor Dragon's imagination soared.
He pictured himself becoming Xiao Lin's spirit ring, then ascending with him—rising into the Divine Realm,and carving out a new homeland for soul beasts under the heavens.
"Heh…"
The Thunder Emperor Dragon chuckled self-deprecatingly,then reverted to his true form once more.
In front of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings, his thunder suddenly felt… weak.
Without Ultimate Lightning, how could he stand beside Xiao Lin?He'd need his father's power at least…
For a fleeting moment, he pictured a touching "father-and-son" scene—his father smiling kindly as he passed down the ultimate thunder.
"Very well, Xiao Lin. I shall now offer you my sacrifice.The power may be… overwhelming, so brace yourself."
As he spoke, his entire body erupted in boundless azure soul power.
A soul beast's sacrifice might sound like an easy, miraculous exchange—but without an immensely strong physique, no human could endure the torrent of a hundred-thousand-year beast's essence.
Even Huo Yuhao, when he received the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm's sacrifice,only survived because the silkworm had sealed away most of its strength.
That was after testing countless spiritual-type soul masters.
Without great fortune, even talented ones would've been crushed.
But Xiao Lin's body—was more than capable.
As a surge of azure light entered him,the sacrifice began.
The dazzling brilliance stemmed from the Thunder Emperor Dragon's Azure Dragon bloodline,its power spreading outward in concentric rings of cyan light.
A soul beast's sacrifice was irreversible—but during the process, it also granted near-absolute protection:invincibility, immunity, and a time-stopping effect.
Indeed, as the ritual unfolded, time itself seemed to halt—only the Thunder Emperor Dragon could still move.
Yet within this special magnetic field, Xiao Lin stood—calm, aware.
He realized with astonishment that he wasn't restrained at all.
His Qiu Long Staff was even beginning to replicate the field.
That should've been impossible—more likely, it was resonating with the dragon's power.
So this was his true ability—a magnetic domain linked to time suspension.
Wasn't this similar to the Sky Azure Bull Python's "Time Deceleration Field"?Was the Thunder Emperor Dragon's domain derived from that?
"Ah, so he carries that bloodline!"
The Ice and Fire Dragon Kings, still unaffected within Xiao Lin's mind,spoke with sudden understanding.
"Isn't this the descendant of the Time Dragon King? Went down the lightning path instead—completely astray!"
"No, not quite his descendant.If it were, he wouldn't have strayed this far."
"As Xiao Lin would say… the purity's too low.Must be luck—pure luck."
(End of Chapter)