Led by the formidable Titled Douluo, the group swiftly traversed the eerie depths of the Nether Spirit Forest. The air grew heavy with a palpable sense of dread and raw power as they reached a vast cavern, its ceiling lost in shadow, the ground littered with the bones of colossal beasts.
In the center of the cavern, its massive form casting long, distorted shadows, was the Ancient Void Abyssal Wyvern. Its scales were a swirling vortex of deep purples and blacks, and its eyes glowed with an unsettling, intelligent light.
Song Qing stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the monstrous beast. "Teacher," he said to Bibi Dong, his voice calm despite the immense pressure emanating from the Wyvern, "I would like to fight this beast alone… for a short while, at least."
Bibi Dong's pink eyes widened in alarm. "Qing'er! Are you mad? A hundred-thousand-year spirit beast is not a mere plaything! Their strength rivals that of a Titled Douluo, sometimes even surpasses it! And this is an Abyssal Wyvern… it is far more dangerous than other beasts of the same age. It might even be comparable to the Titan Giant Ape Clan!"
"I understand the risks, Teacher," Song Qing replied, his verdant eyes filled with determination. "But I need to test something."
Bibi Dong's expression remained worried and unconvinced. She opened her mouth to protest further, but at that moment, Dugu Bo stepped forward, his green eyes thoughtful.
"Your Holiness," Dugu Bo said, his voice surprisingly calm, "perhaps letting the little brat test his mettle isn't such a bad idea. It will give him a firsthand experience of the power of a hundred-thousand-year beast. At the very least, it will be a valuable lesson."
Bibi Dong shot Dugu Bo a fierce glare, her eyes practically daring him to utter another word. Dugu Bo, despite the intensity of her gaze, stood his ground.
Seeing the impasse, Song Qing stepped forward, his gaze returning to his beloved teacher. "Teacher, I promise you, if my… trick doesn't work, I will immediately call for assistance. I just want to have a proper, challenging battle against this beast. Don't you trust me even this much?" He added a touch of wounded innocence to his tone.
Bibi Dong's resolve finally wavered under the earnest gaze of her precious disciple. She sighed, a hint of reluctant agreement in her eyes. "Alright, Qing'er. But you must promise me that the moment you sense you are in danger, you will call for us. Do you understand?"
"I promise, Teacher," Song Qing said, a grateful smile on his lips. He turned and began to walk towards the Ancient Void Abyssal Wyvern, his heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and trepidation.
The Wyvern watched his approach with cold, calculating eyes. Its massive form shifted slightly, its powerful muscles coiling beneath its obsidian scales.
'It's bloodline… the Space Attribute… it truly feels incredibly potent,' Song Qing thought, his senses on high alert.
'But I need to see if my theory holds true.' He focused his mind, channeling his spirit power, and the Abyssal Demonic Dragon God Emperor manifested behind him, its imposing form radiating an aura of immense power and primal dominance.
'When I used my spirit against Liu Erlong's Fire Dragon, I managed to suppress it significantly,' he recalled. 'This Wyvern, while powerful, is not a true dragon. There's a strong possibility that the Emperor Of The Beasts passive ability will have an even greater effect.'
As the Abyssal Demonic Dragon God Emperor materialized, its very presence seemed to cause a ripple in the air. The Ancient Void Abyssal Wyvern, which had been observing Song Qing with a predatory calm, suddenly tensed, its violet eyes widening slightly.
Song Qing took a deep breath and activated his passive abilities. The aura of Primordial Fear washed over the cavern, causing a tremor in the very air. The Wyvern, however, remained unfazed, its will too strong to be affected by mere fear.
But then came the effect of Emperor Of The Beasts. A wave of pure dominance, of ancient draconic authority, surged outwards from Song Qing's spirit. The Ancient Void Abyssal Wyvern, despite its immense power, staggered back slightly, a low growl rumbling in its chest.
'Incredible!' Song Qing thought, his verdant eyes widening in surprise. 'The suppression is far greater than I anticipated!'
"Fourth Soul Ring Ability!" Song Qing roared, unleashing his first attack. "Frost Spike Barrage!"
A volley of razor-sharp ice spikes, crackling with abyssal energy, shot towards the Wyvern.
"Hmph!" the Wyvern hissed, its voice a low, guttural rumble. "Abyssal Barrier!" A swirling shield of dark energy erupted around it, deflecting the ice spikes with ease.
"Not bad, little human," the Wyvern spoke, its voice echoing through the cavern. "But you will need much more than that to even scratch me!"
"We shall see," Song Qing replied, a determined glint in his eyes. "Second Soul Ring Ability! Shadow Dominion!"
A sphere of intense darkness erupted around Song Qing, expanding rapidly to encompass a significant portion of the cavern, including the Wyvern.
"What is this trickery?" the Wyvern roared, its violet eyes scanning the sudden darkness.
"My domain," Song Qing's voice echoed from within the darkness, his senses enhanced. "Now, let's continue our dance! Third Soul Ring Ability! Abyssal Draconic Claw!"
A massive claw of pure abyssal energy materialized within the darkness, tearing through the air towards the Wyvern.
"Space Rend!" the Wyvern roared, and the very air in front of it seemed to tear open, creating a fissure in space that swallowed the abyssal claw whole.
All the Titled Douluo watching from the edge of the cavern were stunned. Even Bibi Dong's usual composure was slightly shaken.
'He's actually fighting it!' she thought, her pink eyes wide with disbelief. 'And he's holding his own… so far.'
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing clung to each other, their eyes wide with a mixture of fear and admiration. Qian Renxue watched with a calm intensity, her purple eyes never leaving Song Qing's form within the darkness.
"Impressive, human!" the Wyvern's voice echoed from within the Shadow Dominion. "You possess a powerful dragon spirit indeed! But let me show you true power! Abyssal Breath of Destruction!"
A torrent of black flames, imbued with the corrosive power of the abyss, erupted from the darkness, engulfing a large area.
"First Soul Ring Ability! Abyssal Shadow Dash!" Song Qing's voice called out, and a series of shadowy afterimages flickered through the darkness as he narrowly avoided the devastating attack. "Fourth Soul Ring Ability! Abyssal Flame Dragon Breath!"
A counter-torrent of black flames erupted from Song Qing, clashing against the Wyvern's abyssal breath in a spectacular display of raw power.
"You are stronger than you appear, little human!" the Wyvern hissed, its voice filled with grudging respect. "But can you keep up with my speed? Space Teleportation!"
The Wyvern vanished from one spot and reappeared instantly behind Song Qing. "Abyssal Wing Strike!" its massive wing, crackling with abyssal energy, slammed towards Song Qing.
"Silver-Winged Dragonbone Wings! Dragonbone Shield!" Song Qing yelled, his external spirit bone materializing on his back, forming a sturdy shield just in time to block the Wyvern's powerful attack. The force of the blow sent him hurtling forward.
"Not bad!" the Wyvern praised. "You are quite skilled for a human! But let's see how you handle this! Space Split!"
The air around Song Qing shimmered and cracked, as if the very fabric of space was being torn apart. Razor-sharp spatial rifts appeared, threatening to slice him to pieces.
"Crimson Soul Emperor's Crown! Precognitive Glimpse!" Song Qing activated his other external spirit bone, his mind racing, anticipating the Wyvern's movements. He narrowly dodged the spatial rifts, his movements guided by fleeting visions of the immediate future.
The battle continued, a furious exchange of powerful abilities. The Wyvern teleported, unleashed abyssal energy blasts, and manipulated space with terrifying ease. Song Qing, despite the Wyvern's overwhelming power and experience, used his agility, his intellect, and the surprising effectiveness of his spirit's suppression to evade its attacks and land his own.
The Titled Douluo watched in stunned silence, their initial worry slowly giving way to awe at Song Qing's incredible performance against a creature of such immense power. Even Bibi Dong's lips curved into a small, proud smile. Her little Qing'er was truly extraordinary.
Meanwhile…
The battle raged on, the cavern echoing with the roars of the Wyvern and Song Qing's determined shouts as he unleashed more of his formidable abilities.
"Second Soul Ring Ability! Shadow Concealment!" Song Qing yelled, his form briefly dissolving into pure shadow, making him a difficult target for the Wyvern's attacks.
"Hmph! You cannot hide from me, little insect!" the Wyvern bellowed, its violet eyes glowing brighter as it tried to pierce through the fleeting darkness. "Abyssal Sense!"
"Silver Wing Barrage!" Song Qing's voice echoed from a different location as a volley of sharp, bone-like projectiles shot towards the Wyvern.
Bibi Dong watched the unbelievable spectacle unfold, her pink eyes narrowed in a mixture of worry and astonishment.
'He's actually holding his own against a hundred-thousand-year Abyssal Wyvern!' she thought, her mind reeling. 'Even with the suppression, this is beyond anything I could have imagined.'
Dugu Bo stood beside her, his green eyes wide with disbelief. "That little brat… he's a monster! I've never seen anything like it!"
The other Titled Douluo exchanged stunned glances. They had witnessed many powerful soul masters in their long lives, but a Soul Sage battling a hundred-thousand-year beast with such ferocity and skill was unheard of.
Ning Rongrong's cyan eyes were filled with tears of worry. "Qing… be careful!" she whispered, clutching Zhu Zhuqing's hand tightly.
Zhu Zhuqing's dark eyes were equally concerned, but they also held a flicker of fierce pride. "He's strong, Rongrong. He can do this…Definitely."
Qian Renxue watched silently, her purple eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions – worry, admiration, and a deep, unwavering faith in Song Qing's abilities.
"Third Soul Ring Ability! Dragon's Might!" Song Qing roared, unleashing a focused burst of draconic pressure that staggered the Wyvern momentarily.
"Space Rend!" the Wyvern countered, tearing open another spatial rift that narrowly missed Song Qing. "You are persistent, little human! I will give you that!"
Song Qing continued his relentless assault, weaving in and out of the Wyvern's attacks, his movements fluid and unpredictable. He unleashed more than ten more powerful abilities in quick succession: Abyssal Shadow Dash, Silver Wing Barrage, Abyssal Draconic Claw, Frost Spike Barrage, Abyssal Flame Dragon Breath – a constant barrage of offensive and evasive maneuvers.
But the strain was beginning to show. Song Qing's breath came in ragged gasps, and sweat beaded on his forehead.
'My soul power… it's draining too quickly,' he thought, his movements becoming slightly slower. At level 57, his body simply couldn't sustain such an intense output of energy for much longer.
"Teacher!" Song Qing finally called out, his voice strained. "I need a little help!"
Bibi Dong, who had been poised to intervene at the first sign of real danger, didn't hesitate. With a swift, graceful movement, her Death Spider Emperor spirit erupted from her body, its terrifying form filling the cavern.
"Seventh Soul Ring Ability! Death Spider Emperor True Avatar!" Bibi Dong's voice echoed, and her body merged with her martial spirit, transforming into a colossal, nightmarish spider-human hybrid. Her aura intensified, a wave of oppressive darkness washing over the Wyvern.
The Ancient Void Abyssal Wyvern, already significantly suppressed by Song Qing's spirit, roared in frustration as Bibi Dong's immense power crashed down upon it. The Death Spider Emperor's razor-sharp legs lashed out, tearing through the Wyvern's tough scales, and streams of deadly poison seeped into its wounds.
Bibi Dong fought with ruthless efficiency, her every attack precise and devastating. The Wyvern, despite its hundred-thousand-year cultivation, was now clearly outmatched. Its movements became sluggish, its roars weaker. The continued suppression from Song Qing's spirit was taking its toll, sealing away many of its most powerful abilities and reducing its overall strength by a significant margin.
'It's still incredibly powerful, even suppressed,' Bibi Dong thought, her pink eyes glinting with determination. 'But Qing'er held it off for an astonishing amount of time.'
In a matter of minutes, Bibi Dong had beaten the Ancient Void Abyssal Wyvern to within an inch of its life, its massive body lying battered and broken on the cavern floor.
"Now, Qing'er," Bibi Dong said, her voice carrying a hint of pride, "finish it."
Song Qing, though exhausted, stepped forward, his verdant eyes fixed on the barely conscious Wyvern. He channeled the last of his strength into his Abyssal Demonic Dragon God Emperor spirit.
"Third Soul Ring Ability… Abyssal Draconic Claw!" he roared, manifesting a massive claw of pure abyssal energy that descended upon the Wyvern, delivering the final, decisive blow.
The Ancient Void Abyssal Wyvern let out a final, weak groan before its life force faded away. A blood-red soul ring, even more vibrant and potent than the one Dugu Bo had absorbed, materialized above its massive corpse. And as expected from a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast, a shimmering, obsidian-colored torso spirit bone appeared as well.
Song Qing, his body aching with exhaustion but his spirit soaring with triumph, stepped forward towards the blood-red soul ring. He knew the absorption process would be long and arduous, likely taking several hours, but the reward would be immense. This was his fifth soul ring, a hundred-thousand-year ring from a creature with the rare and powerful Space Attribute. His strength was about to take another monumental leap forward.