The atmosphere inside the side hall was solemn and dignified.
The Sea Princess looked at Jiang Zhen, who had already adjusted to his optimal state and whose aura was as calm and composed as the sea, and finally confirmed, " Jiang Zhen, after the sacrifice begins, my life's cultivation will be transformed into your soul ring and soul bone. The soul ring goes without saying, but which part of your body do you wish to be given the soul bone?"
Jiang Zhen pondered for a moment. He already had the bones of his left and right arms and legs, and the soul bone of his head. Although he was temporarily missing the bones of his torso, he had already made a selection.
External soul bones are rare and often possess extremely unique abilities that can grow alongside the soul.
As a top-tier soul beast with both spiritual and ocean attributes, the appearance of the Sea Princess's soul bone as an external part of her head might bring unexpected surprises.
"Your Highness," he raised his head, his gaze clear and firm, "if possible, I would like to obtain a piece of the head-attached soul bone. Thank you for granting my request, Your Highness."
"An external soul bone? That's a good choice." A hint of surprise flashed in the Sea Princess's eyes, then she nodded knowingly. "Alright, as you wish."
She said no more, her beautiful face displaying a mixture of determination and calm.
She slowly opened her arms, as if embracing the entire icy sea, and a vast energy, far more powerful and purer than during the previous battle, yet completely non-aggressive, surged forth from her body without reservation!
All the sea spirit beasts that sensed this aura, regardless of their strength, spontaneously lowered their heads in this direction and let out mournful and reverent low moans.
A dazzling ice-blue halo completely enveloped the Sea Princess and Jiang Zhen.
The terrifying energy of the Sea Princess, accumulated over 600,000 years of cultivation, split into two torrents, like hundreds of rivers flowing into the sea.
An even larger energy swirled around, slowly condensing and compressing in front of Jiang Zhen, transforming into a deep red soul ring that shimmered with a profound ice-blue luster and was surrounded by six golden patterns!
Its imposing aura is second only to that of the million-year-old golden ring, but it adds a sense of the vastness of the ocean and the dynamism of the spirit.
Meanwhile, another relatively pure and condensed energy, as if guided, converged towards the top of Jiang Zhen's head.
As the light shimmered, an exquisitely beautiful crown slowly took shape!
This crown is not made of metal, but seems to be naturally formed from the purest seawater and dazzling ice crystals, with a deep and transparent azure blue color and shimmering brilliance.
At the very front of the crown is the most eye-catching focal point of the entire crown—a meticulously sculpted and lifelike miniature mermaid.
Her appearance and demeanor were exactly the same as those of the Sea Princess herself.
Her face was exquisitely beautiful and solemn, her eyes slightly closed, as if immersed in an eternal chant. Her arms were elegantly outstretched, as if embracing the ocean, and the extended parts of her arms were cleverly connected and integrated naturally with the circular main body of the crown.
The crown's design thus appears even more elegant, sacred, and unique. It fits perfectly on Jiang Zhen's forehead and temples, signifying both supreme maritime authority and spiritual power, and complementing his handsome appearance and composed demeanor, making him appear like a deity.
This is the very essence of the Sea Princess's sacrifice—the Sea Heart Crown, the external soul bone attached to her head!
At the same time, the Sea Princess's energy-based body gradually became transparent, dissipating like bubbles and returning to the world.
Jiang Zhen dared not delay. The pure water spirit he had prepared beforehand instantly condensed and transformed into the form of the sea princess.
He carefully guided the fading yet still pure and powerful essence of the soul into the phantom spirit.
The phantom spirit trembled slightly, its empty eyes instantly filled with a lively spirit. Although its power was far less than before, the unique soul fluctuations clearly told Jiang Zhen that he had succeeded.
The soul of the sea princess has settled peacefully.
"Concentrate, merge."
Within the illusion, a faint yet clear reminder came from the Sea Princess.
Jiang Zhen nodded emphatically, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and focused all his efforts on guiding the brand-new 600,000-year-old deep red soul ring toward himself, while simultaneously connecting his spiritual power closely with the "Crown of the Heart of the Sea" above his head.
boom--!
A more powerful energy surged into the body, but unlike the gentle energy of the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, the Sea Princess's energy combined the surging power of the ocean with the delicacy of the spirit. The fusion process required simultaneously stabilizing the meridians and the sea of consciousness.
Two and a half hours passed quietly in the tense atmosphere of integration.
When Jiang Zhen opened his eyes again, it seemed as if a blue ocean tide and ice crystals flashed in his eyes. His aura became more profound and vast, and the range and precision of his spiritual perception reached a whole new level.
A series of astonishing spirit rings rose up beneath his feet:
Purple! Purple! Black! Ice blue! Red! Crimson! Gold! Crimson!
A total of eight spirit rings, especially the four red and gold spirit rings that defied common sense, emanated a terrifying pressure that could suffocate even a Title Douluo! Terrifying indeed!
He successfully broke through to level 87!
After calming his breathing slightly, Jiang Zhen immediately focused his mind on the power he had just gained.
Information about spirit rings and spirit bones naturally surfaced in my mind:
Sea Princess's Soul Ring Skill 1:
Sea Spirit Aria: Plays an ocean aria from the depths of the soul, providing large-scale and continuous healing to friendly units, restoring their soul power, and slightly increasing their all attributes.
Gentle melodies can also effectively soothe negative emotions such as restlessness and fear, and purify the mind.
Sea Princess's Soul Ring Skill 2:
Eternal Azure Cage: Summons the ultimate water element to form several or one massive, extremely tough azure bubble cages, imprisoning enemies and completely isolating them from the exchange of energy with the outside world.
At the same time, a mournful song that erodes the spirit will echo within the cage, continuously depleting the enemy's mental strength and will.
External Soul Bone - Crown of the Heart of the Sea, Soul Skill 1:
Oceanic Hymn: Instantly expands into a huge purifying aura, clearing all negative statuses from all friendly units within range, instantly restoring their injuries and soul power, and slightly enhancing the power of soul skills for a short period of time.
External Soul Bone - Crown of the Heart of the Sea, Soul Skill Two:
Tidal Heart Chain: Releases several invisible mental chains that can connect multiple enemies simultaneously, instilling negative emotions such as chaos, suspicion, and fear into their mental world, amplifying their inner desires and weaknesses, causing internal strife or making them lose control.
Alternatively, one can focus on connecting with a powerful enemy, forcefully disrupting their soul power circulation, and even have a certain probability of directly interrupting the soul skill they are using. The success rate depends on the difference in mental strength between the two parties.
As Jiang Zhen experienced this new ability system that combined powerful assistance, control, and mental interference, a satisfied smile appeared on his lips.
The boost brought about by the Sea Princess's sacrifice far exceeded expectations.
He looked up at the sea princess beside him, who was made of pure water spirits and was quietly "watching" him, and solemnly said:
"Thank you, Your Highness. Jiang Zhen will never forget his promise."
Princess Illusionary Spirit nodded slightly, her voice ringing directly in his mind, carrying a hint of weariness, yet also a sense of relief:
"Just remember your vow. I... look forward to the day you fulfill your promise."
Jiang Zhen felt the new power flowing through his body, and his gaze fell on the phantom spirit possessed by the Sea Princess beside him.
He pondered for a moment, then extended an invitation: "The continent is vast, and its scenery is completely different from this deep sea. I wonder if Your Highness would be willing to travel with me? So that you can witness firsthand the path I am taking."
He paused, his tone becoming more sincere: "Moreover, since your soul is newly settled, although this Pure Water Illusionary Spirit can nurture it, it still needs my soul power to sustain it in the long term. It would be safer for it to accompany me."
The sea princess Illusionary Spirit's eyes, shimmering with water, flickered slightly.
She gazed at the deep, icy blue expanse outside the palace, a blue that had stood for hundreds of thousands of years, and a faint curiosity, one that she herself was unaware of, quietly arose within her.
The mainland... that was indeed a world she had never truly understood.
The affairs of the tribe had already been settled, and now they exist in this peculiar form...
A cool, clear voice resonated through the soul connection, carrying a hint of relief and renewed anticipation: "Very well..."