Chapter 39: The Vermillion Bird and the God of Death
Two yellow and two purple spirit rings rotated rhythmically around her body, shimmering with a dazzling, oppressive light.
Liu Erlong settled into a defensive stance, flames erupting around her as she instantly completed her Spirit Possession. Her fiery red hair danced wildly, and her Spirit, a magnificent Fire Dragon, materialized as a roaring phantom behind her. The flames weren't just an aura; they seemed to be an extension of her very being, radiating an intense, scorching heat that warped the air.
The late-arriving gray-robed Elder hid behind a large, thick-barked tree. Upon seeing Liu Erlong summon her Spirit, he felt his head swell to twice its normal size. He cursed inwardly, 'My dear young lady, of all people to provoke, you chose the one person who seems carved from shadows and slaughter.'
This young man was no simple traveler. The spirit power fluctuations emanating from him felt even stronger and denser than his own. He was a 6-Ring Spirit Emperor, yet this youth's aura felt... deeper.
'A genius from a powerful clan, without a doubt. But which one?' he wondered, his eyes wide with apprehension.
'This aura… it seems to be a fire-attribute dragon Spirit. Could it be that female Tyrant Dragon from the rumors?'
Qin Xuan, hearing the muffled thoughts of the hiding Elder, felt a flash of surprise. He hadn't expected his reputation—or rather, Liu Erlong's—to be known even here. He opened the system pop-up he had shielded, only to find a flood of information already streaming in.
[Detected a conquerable Goddess, please bind her as soon as possible, Host!]
[Liu Erlong Affection +60]
[Liu Erlong Affection -10]
[Liu Erlong Affection -20]
[Liu Erlong Affection -30]
[Liu Erlong Affection +75]
The notifications flickered, the affection points fluctuating wildly as Liu Erlong's own emotions—anger, suspicion, confusion, and a strange flicker of interest—warred within her. 'Plus 60? Minus 10, 20, 30... then plus 75?' Qin Xuan almost laughed. This woman's mind was a battlefield.
System Profile:
[Illegitimate daughter of Yu Luomian, the second-in-command of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
Twenty-one years old.
Spirit Power: Level 41.
Spirit: Fire Dragon.
Talent: A+.
Affection: 75 (Shy, Disappointed, Angry at Her Own Incompetence)]
They had just met, and even under a complete misunderstanding, her affection had already reached 'more than friends, less than lovers.' This female Tyrant Dragon truly was a love-struck fool, just as the stories implied.
"Bind," Qin Xuan murmured to himself, then turned to Jing Ni. He spoke softly in Chinese, a language Liu Erlong couldn't understand, "Wǒ huì hěn kuài." (I'll be quick.)
[Ding! Binding successful.]
[Liu Erlong's affection has reached above 70. Congratulations, Host, you have received one Bronze Blind Box.]
Jing Ni, understanding his words perfectly, gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod. Her expression remained as placid as still water, completely unfazed by the furious Spirit Ancestor opposite them.
Qin Xuan took a simple wooden stool from his spirit tool and carefully helped Jing Ni sit down beside him. His movements were gentle, a stark contrast to the cold aura he had directed at the Elder.
Watching this warm, considerate scene, Liu Erlong's fiery aura faltered. She finally, truly realized she had misunderstood.
This man in front of her hadn't forcibly abducted any girl. This incredibly beautiful, baby-faced girl hadn't been threatened, abused, or coerced. The tenderness in his gesture as he seated her was genuine.
It was possible they truly were a married couple. Liu Erlong felt her face burn. She had charged in, full of righteous fury, only to find she had completely misjudged the entire situation.
After all, in Douluo Continent, early marriage and childbirth were perfectly normal. In the original work, the lewd Sausage Uncle Oscar's father was only 14 when he was born.
However, just as her righteous anger was replaced by burning embarrassment, Qin Xuan's next action made her explode on the spot.
"Then let's do this," Qin Xuan strode towards Liu Erlong, his pace unhurried.
"What do you want to do?" Liu Erlong's heart trembled. Her anger returned, now mixed with a bad premonition. She tensed, readying her first Spirit Ability.
"What do you think?" Qin Xuan didn't stop, slowly raising his right hand.
Immediately, a breathtaking golden light condensed in his palm, forming a longsword. The sword was ancient and noble, but it was adorned with lifelike, demonic patterns of white bats, giving it a sinister, predatory beauty.
At the same time, six spirit rings of terrifying proportions appeared quietly, rising from beneath his feet.
Two yellow, one purple... and three black.
Huang! Huang! Zi! Hei! Hei! Hei!
The six spirit rings didn't pulsate rhythmically like Liu Erlong's; instead, they remained perfectly still, stacked vertically around his body, enveloping him in an aura of profound, ancient power. The pressure they emitted was suffocating, far beyond her own Level 41.
If the first three spirit rings seemed relatively normal, then the latter three black spirit rings filled Liu Erlong with shock and absolute fear.
Especially the fourth and sixth spirit rings.
The former broke the Spirit Master's fourth spirit ring limit, reaching 10,000 years. The latter... its color was so deep it seemed to swallow the light, its age unfathomable to her current understanding.
"A 10,000-year fourth ring... a Spirit Emperor... how is this possible? How old are you...?" Liu Erlong exclaimed. She, who had always believed her talent was no weaker than any genius on the continent, suddenly felt a strong, crushing sense of defeat.
At this moment, the gray-robed Elder of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, who had been secretly protecting Liu Erlong, could no longer hide upon seeing Qin Xuan's Spirit and spirit rings.
Ignoring his own shock, he swiftly flashed out from behind the large tree and shielded Liu Erlong, his face pale but resolute.
"Respected Spirit Emperor, may I ask from which great power you hail, young prodigy? I am Yu Yuanqing, an Elder of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
He bowed respectfully, his voice strained. "My young lady was quite presumptuous just now, and I ask that you, honored sir, show mercy for the sake of my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. My Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan will surely offer a generous reward in the future."
At the same time, he immediately completed his own Spirit possession. It was a Fire Flood Dragon, a mutated form of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon.
He also had six spirit rings, but they were simply incomparable to Qin Xuan's.
Two yellow, three purple, and one black.
He hadn't even achieved the optimal spirit ring configuration. Moreover, he was not young; with his temples full of white hair and being at least 70, his potential was exhausted. If he didn't encounter any fortuitous opportunities in this life, he would likely remain a Spirit Emperor.
Qin Xuan had already noticed the gray-robed Elder but had no intention of engaging him.
He released his entire aura without reservation.
It was not just the pressure of a Spirit Emperor; it was something else. A bone-chilling cold, a tangible, suffocating killing intent erupted from him, spreading like a blood-red mist that instantly enveloped the area.
The powerful killing intent seemed to make the entire Soul Beast Forest tremble.
The Spirit Beasts around, who had been deterred by Qin Xuan's powerful aura and dared not approach, instantly scattered like birds and beasts, fleeing in a blind panic.
"Such powerful killing intent... how is this possible?!"
If Qin Xuan's spirit ring configuration was enough to make Yu Yuanqing feel utterly bewildered, then the killing intent he now carried brought him absolute, primal terror. This was not just power; it was death itself. It was the aura of a true God of Death, a domain of slaughter.
"How many people," Yu Yuanqing stammered, "How many people has this young man killed to accumulate such killing intent?"
Looking at Jing Ni and Liu Erlong, the former remained expressionless, elegantly seated on the wooden chair, appearing calm and composed, as if this suffocating pressure was nothing but a spring breeze.
As for Liu Erlong, she was already pale with fright and trembling all over. Her four spirit rings vanished, her Fire Dragon Spirit retracting into her body as if slapped by an invisible, divine hand, completely suppressed.
This was still because Qin Xuan hadn't deliberately targeted her; otherwise, given the significant disparity in spirit power, such immense killing intent, if concentrated and released upon her, would have caused her to faint, or worse. In severe cases, she might even become an idiot.
Of course, Qin Xuan wouldn't do that.
What shocked Yu Yuanqing even more was yet to come: a special, suppressive pressure emanated from the golden longsword in Qin Xuan's hand.
He felt as though all his spirit power was being suppressed by this special aura, as if some terrifying entity resided within that sword. His Fire Flood Dragon Spirit seemed to tremble out of fear, and all his spirit power felt suppressed by this special aura. The white bat patterns on the golden sword glowed with a faint, malevolent light.
This was the Slaughter God Domain.
Even the light from his six spirit rings became dim.
His strength, which was already inferior to Qin Xuan's, was further greatly reduced after being suppressed by the Slaughter God Domain.
Now, Yu Yuanqing feared he couldn't even stand a chance against Qin Xuan when he had just regained his memories.
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