SoulLand:Ascending to Godhood through Science

"Still too weak."

The Soul-Battle Beasts stood frozen, slack-jawed in awe. To them, You Chen seemed like a god, effortlessly felling the colossal dragon that had given them such immense trouble. Yet this "god" sighed softly, looking genuinely dissatisfied.

This was no act. You Chen truly felt unimpressed.

The "Fists of Wind and Clouds" he had used were undeniably powerful. If measured by spirit skill age, the technique surpassed Dragon Roar of the Wind and could easily qualify as a 30,000-year-level skill.

Moreover, as a hybrid close-range technique that combined physical and soul power, its actual strength exceeded even some 50,000-year-level skills due to You Chen's exceptional physical prowess.

But its biggest flaw was its speed.

If the timing of the collision between the Wind and Cloud punches wasn't perfect, the fusion would fail, and the advanced "Fists of Wind and Clouds" technique wouldn't activate.

In a real battle, no opponent would stand still, allowing You Chen the luxury of perfect execution. Without preemptively immobilizing the target with Soul-Binding Technique, using this move mid-combat would be almost impossible.

This made it far less practical than Dragon Roar of the Wind.

Shaking off his thoughts, You Chen noticed his subordinates staring at him, their eyes full of reverence. Frowning, he surveyed the group before speaking loudly:

"Why are you standing around? Are you waiting for praise?"

He continued, "Your performance was commendable, and you contributed to this victory over the Earthfire Dragon. But defeating the dragon was merely our primary objective; the mission isn't over until we leave the Star Dou Forest safely! Stay alert! If anyone lets down their guard and falls prey to an ambush, don't expect me to save you!"

His words snapped everyone out of their daze. The group dispersed, following their squad leaders' instructions to organize patrols and maintain vigilance.

Turning to Ignis, You Chen's tone sharpened.

"Ignis, the Earthfire Dragon is unconscious. What are you waiting for? Do you need me to drag it to you personally so you can finish it off?"

Ignis flinched at his reprimand, hastily nodding. "I wouldn't dare, Leader! I'll do it now!"

She approached the dragon swiftly, delivering the final blow before beginning to absorb the ten-thousand-year spirit ring using Soul Power Borrowing Technique.

The hunt had naturally caused a commotion, drawing nearby soul beasts toward their location. As Ignis focused on absorbing the ring, other Soul-Battle Beasts took on the task of repelling intruders.

Meanwhile, You Chen stood motionless, watching Ignis closely. He had complete confidence in the Soul Power Borrowing Technique, but scientific research required both bold hypotheses and careful validation.

The leap from thousand-year to ten-thousand-year spirit rings was significant. While the calculated limit for a fourth ring in the new era was between 10,000 and 11,000 years, this ring came from a high-tier spirit beast with an age of 12,000 years.

Fortunately, everything proceeded smoothly.

By temporarily raising her spirit power to level 42 using the technique, Ignis found the absorption process far more manageable.

After just half an hour, she opened her eyes. From the unstable fluctuations in her spirit power, it was evident that she had reached level 45.

Although it seemed like she had gained five levels, the true increase was only three. Even so, being a 15-year-old at level 45 rivaled Tang San's achievements in the original timeline.

You Chen smiled with satisfaction.

"How do you feel?"

Ignis took a moment to adjust to her new state. Even her typically cold expression softened, a hint of joy lighting up her face.

"Leader, I feel incredible! This spirit ring exceeds my expectations. The compatibility must be over 90%. I can feel a significant enhancement to my martial spirit. The new spirit ability is called 'Red Dragon Battle Form.' It boosts both strength and defense!"

As she spoke, Ignis activated the spirit ring. In her martial spirit-enhanced state, her dark-red scales shimmered with a molten glow, resembling the Earthfire Dragon's earlier Burning Mode.

You Chen nodded approvingly. "A ten-thousand-year augmentation skill is valuable even at the Title Douluo level. But that's not all."

He reached into his storage soul tool and produced a deep crimson spirit bone.

"This is the Earthfire Dragon's torso bone. A spirit ring paired with its corresponding spirit bone offers unparalleled compatibility."

"Leader, I… I can't accept this!" Ignis shook her head firmly. "This hunt was a team effort. My contribution alone doesn't merit such a priceless treasure!"

Her serious expression drew a chuckle from You Chen.

"Have you forgotten? After absorbing this ring, you're now the first 'Dragon Sovereign.' No matter how valuable this spirit bone is, you could claim it with your 'wish.' Or are you really willing to pass up something so perfectly suited to you?"

"I…"

Ignis's resolve wavered. She mumbled to herself, "I want it… no, I need it. But using the only wish on this feels wasteful… and earning enough merit to exchange for a ten-thousand-year spirit bone would take at least a decade…"

Clap!

You Chen clapped his hands, startling Ignis from her internal conflict.

Before she could respond, he thrust the spirit bone into her hands.

"As your leader, I won't force you to use your wish. But with your current merits, you're already at the top of the list to claim this bone. Instead of wasting time, absorb it now. Then, repay me by working harder!"

"But—"

"No buts! I don't care what you think; I care what I think! I'm the leader, and that's final!"

"…Yes, Leader."

Blushing slightly, Ignis accepted the spirit bone.

She didn't absorb it on the spot but did so later. The resulting spirit bone ability, 'Red Dragon Battle Mark,' didn't surprise anyone.

The ability boosted speed and overall resistances, synergizing perfectly with 'Red Dragon Battle Form.' When used together, both abilities received additional bonuses.

With the absorption of the ten-thousand-year spirit bone, Ignis's power now bordered on Soul Emperor-level combat strength.

(Note: In the original series, absorbing spirit bones inconsistently increased levels. To maintain consistency, this story assumes spirit bones do not grant direct level increases.)