Chapter 77: Level 97, Peak Douluo
Jingni took less than two hours to absorb her first 10,000-year spirit ring.
The second one, her 8th spirit ring, took a little over an hour, but its completion caused a violent stir.
The moment Jingni finished absorbing her 8th spirit ring, a pillar of energy, cold and sharp, shot into the sky. Her Spirit Power didn't just climb; it soared, instantly leaping from level 80 to level 90, crossing ten full levels of Spirit Power in a single bound.
This explosive breakthrough startled Yue Guan and Gui Mei, who were standing guard nearby, completely unaware of what was happening. They felt the surge of a new Titled Douluo and almost attacked, thinking an enemy had appeared.
Jingni, her eyes still closed, also sent a Spirit Power message to Qin Xuan, her voice calm as ever, "Husband. I have reached level 90. Do you want me to continue absorbing the 9th spirit ring now?"
Qin Xuan's explanation to the bewildered Elders was the same lie he had prepared earlier. He stated, with absolute confidence, that Jingni's rapid Spirit Power increase was due to her finally, fully integrating the complete set of high-quality Spirit Bones left by her deceased teacher, a process that was catalyzed by the Immortal Herb she had also absorbed.
This made Yue Guan incredibly jealous. The Immortal Herb was one thing—a matter of immense luck—but a complete set of Spirit Bones? That was a treasure capable of founding a new clan.
His effeminate face twitched, his eyes filled with unconcealed greed. If she wasn't Qin Xuan's wife, and if Qin Xuan and Ling Yuan Douluo weren't guarding her with such obvious intimacy, he might have been tempted to... silence her. For her treasures.
Gui Mei, on the other hand, grew increasingly suspicious. His spectral form remained shrouded in shadows, but his cold eyes scrutinized Qin Xuan.
He was a man of few words, so he opened his mouth, a hoarse sound escaping, but ultimately chose not to speak. The story was too convenient. A dead teacher, a set of Spirit Bones, an Immortal Herb, and now a 10-level jump? It was too perfect.
This matter, however, was temporarily glossed over as Qin Xuan gave Jingni the affirmative.
Hearing their conversation fade, Jingni continued, moving immediately to absorb her 9th spirit ring.
The third 10,000-year spirit ring, her 9th and final ring, would take even less time to absorb than the previous two.
As dusk approached, the setting sun in the west illuminated the Star Dou Great Forest, its bloody-red light filtering through the dense canopy. It created a uniquely beautiful and magnificent, yet unsettling, scene.
By this time, half an hour had passed since Jingni's level 90 Spirit Power fluctuation erupted. Logically, even if absorbing a spirit ring required time to adapt, it shouldn't take this long.
Moreover, it was too abnormal.
The surroundings were eerily quiet. The constant buzz of insects and cries of distant beasts had fallen silent. Not to mention Spirit Masters, even the birds in the trees seemed to be facing the end of the world, or perhaps the imminent birth of something terrifying. They flew away into the distance in panicked flocks, scattering like startled animals.
A palpable, frigid pressure began to emanate from Jingni's position.
With Jingni at the center, the ground began to freeze. White frost, intricate as lace, spread rapidly over the damp earth and thick roots. It continuously spread, passing beneath Qin Xuan and Ling Yuan's feet, who stood unfazed. The frost covered the surroundings, the air growing sharp and thin, and their breath plumed in visible white clouds.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei, standing further back, were greatly alarmed.
"What is this cold?!" Yue Guan shrieked, his voice high-pitched.
Before he could react or summon his Odd Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, the frost climbed his robes. He, along with the surrounding environment, was frozen solid in an instant. The ice encased him perfectly, leaving only his head exposed, unable to move a single muscle.
Gui Mei, as an Agility-Attack type Spirit Master, naturally had faster reactions and speed than Yue Guan. His figure instantly became transparent, his body dissolving into a black shadow as he soared into the sky to escape the encroaching ice.
However, he still couldn't escape the invasion of the cold. At a height of about 15 meters in the air, just as he thought he was safe, the icy air itself seemed to congeal. His toes were touched by the spreading cold, and the frost flash-froze him mid-flight. He, along with his ghost shadow, was frozen solid, suspended impossibly in the air, with only his head exposed.
"Ah, damn it! My Spirit! I can't feel my Spirit! What exactly is going on?" Yue Guan retracted his head, trying to break free, but found that not only was he unable to move below his neck, but the ice had also completely severed the connection to his Spirit Power.
At this moment, Gui Mei's hoarse, strained voice sounded from above him, "Don't waste your energy, Yue Guan. This is a Domain... a skill similar to our Spirit Fusion Skill. Our skills and movements are both frozen by this ice."
Compared to Yue Guan, Gui Mei was clearly much calmer, though his dark eyes were wide with shock.
From the very beginning, he had vaguely sensed that something was off with Qin Xuan. Or rather, he had vaguely sensed something was off ever since he, under the Supreme Pontiff's orders, sent Qin Xuan into the City of Slaughter.
The boy who went in was a genius. The man who came out was a monster.
He always felt that the other party seemed to be hiding something immense, but being a naturally aloof person, he didn't have a habit of digging for answers. He subconsciously ignored it, filing it away as the Holy Son's secret.
Now, the other party seemed to finally be revealing his true colors.
He was just very confused. Neither he nor Yue Guan had any grievances with Qin Xuan. In fact, they were his allies, his nominal subordinates from Spirit Hall. Why would the other party let that girl named Jingni deal with them?
This wasn't an attack meant to kill. It was a demonstration. A terrifying, overwhelming show of force.
"Slaughter God Domain Evolved Skill—Flowing Cloud Heavenly Frost Night."
An ethereal and pleasant voice, as cold and beautiful as the ice itself, echoed softly. The words hung in the frozen air, seeming to crystallize as they were spoken.
The sound instantly drew everyone's gaze.
The Changming Thorn Array, the mass of thorns and vines that had enveloped Jingni, had long since transformed into a massive, frozen 'ice house'.
With a resounding crash, the entire structure shattered, exploding outwards in a brilliant shower of ice shards that glittered in the dimming sunlight.
"I apologize, husband."
The black high heels of her boots creaked against the icy surface as Jingni, holding the Jingni Sword and clad in a form-fitting, purplish-red Spirit Bone armor, slowly walked towards Qin Xuan.
"Because the Slaughter God Domain has just evolved, I can't control it very well yet. I must chant the skill incantation when using it."
She exuded a unique, world-ending aura, as if being an enemy of the entire world didn't matter to her in the slightest. The sleek, dark-red armor, clearly a full Spirit Bone set, clung to her form, and faint wisps of frost slowly receded from the blade of the Jingni Sword.
[Ding!]
[Jingni—]
[Age: 24]
[Spirit: Jingni Sword]
[Spirit Power: Level 97]
[Spirit Ring Configuration: Red, Red, Red, Red, Red, Red, Red, Red, Red]
[Physique: Demigod]
[Mental Force: Limit Douluo]
[Domain: Slaughter God Domain (Mutated)]
[Talent: SSS-]
[Loyalty: 100]
[Affection: 100 (Undying Devotion)]
Not only did her physique reach Demigod level, but her Mental Force also reached the standard of a Limit Douluo. The enhancements from her nine 10,000-year spirit rings and a complete set of 10,000-year Spirit Bones were truly unimaginable.
The only gap between Jingni and Qian Daoliu, the High Priest of Spirit Hall, was now just two levels of Spirit Power.
Qin Xuan glanced at Jingni's personal attribute panel and smiled, a look of immense satisfaction and pride on his face.
"It's alright. You'll get more familiar with it later. But it seems your Slaughter God Domain has undergone a fascinating mutation and has forged its own path."
Jingni nodded slowly, her icy gaze sweeping towards the two frozen Titled Douluo, Yue Guan and Gui Mei.
Red.
Red.
Red.
Red.
Red.
Red.
Red.
Red.
Red.
Before their astonished gazes, and even Ling Yuan's, one 100,000-year spirit ring after another slowly rose from beneath her feet.
The spirit rings didn't rise quickly; almost every two or three steps Jingni took, another one would rise. But with the appearance of each spirit ring, Jingni's aura, as she walked towards Qin Xuan, became increasingly intense, increasingly heavy.
Just as the first spirit ring rose, Yue Guan and Gui Mei's faces turned painfully pale.
By the third ring, they gasped for breath, like oxen, their lungs burning from the cold.
By the fifth ring, the immense Spirit pressure, layered on top of the Domain's suppression, almost caused the two quasi-Titled Douluo with level 90+ Spirit Power to collapse.
If not for Jingni's restraining Domain supporting them—holding them up like insects in amber—they would have long been pressed flat to the ground.
And besides the pain on their faces, there was more. There was a profound, soul-shaking shock and a deep, bottomless disbelief.
At this moment, the physical pain was no longer important; it was the spiritual and mental shattering that consumed them.
It was unimaginable that someone could gather nine 10,000-year spirit rings on the same Spirit. Could it be that the other party also had Twin Spirits?
But even with Twin Spirits, it would be impossible to gather nine 10,000-year spirit rings.
Not to mention how difficult it was to kill a 10,000-year Spirit Beast, even if one could defeat them.
Where did she find nine 100,000-year Spirit Beasts?
There were simply too many questions in their hearts.
Let alone them, even Ling Yuan, who had known Jingni's spirit ring configuration in advance, was utterly stunned.
Seeing it explained was one thing. Feeling it was another.
This was the aura of 9 100,000-year rings. This was the pressure of a level 97 Peak Douluo.
If she had, before Jingni became a Titled Douluo, still wanted to compete for the position of "Eldest Sister" based on age... bah, based on cultivation... then now she didn't have even a tiny bit of hope of being the Eldest Sister.
She could only hope that the two of them would communicate as equals, as they had before.
Who told her that the other person was so powerful?
Nine 100,000-year spirit rings, a complete set of 100,000-year Spirit Bones that could form armor, and level 97 Spirit Power—how the hell could she compete with that?
Even the Second Guardian, Golden Crocodile Douluo, whose Spirit Power was as high as level 98, probably wouldn't be able to defeat her. Jingni's foundation was simply too monstrous.
Looking at the entire Spirit Hall, and even the entire continent, it was estimated that only the High Priest, the Limit Douluo Qian Daoliu, whose Spirit Power was as high as level 99, could surely win.
At this moment, Yue Guan and Gui Mei, frozen by the ice, were unable to even release their Spirits to resist Jingni's Spirit pressure. They were completely at her mercy.
This was exactly what Qin Xuan wanted.
He wanted them to submit, not to cripple or kill them.
He stepped forward, standing beside Jingni. He reached out and casually took her hand, his smile serene as he looked at the two terrified, frozen Elders.
"Elders," he said, his voice calm and friendly, "Now... I believe we can have a proper conversation."
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