Chapter 56 - 56: Absorbing a Forty Thousand Year Old Spirit Ring

"You've really outdone yourself Flame Emperor." Xiao Yan said, in astral projection, with a deadpanned expression.

"I couldn't help it okay! It's been awhile since I used any of my skills in the physical world, so yeah, I might have gone a bit overboard..." Flame Emperor said with a nervous chuckle as Xiao Yan and Igneel, who was also in a astral projection form, stared at him with not so amused eyes.

Currently Flame Emperor sat down cross-legged where the ten thousand year old spirit ring was floating, in the middle of the big a.s.s crater he was responsible in doing, though he used his spirit power to swept away all the dust in the area so his clothes wouldn't get dirtied, alongside Ma Xiaotao, who had her head peacefully sleeping in his l.a.p.

The injuries on Ma Xiaotao's body were all healing at the moment, due to feeding her a tier 4 Beneficial Nine Suns Pill, which heals wounds, externally and internally, and temporarily cures all kinds of pain that would last for a couple of hours.

Igneel sighed and said,

"Flame Emperor, that power you used, Mini Buddha's Fury Flame Lotus, was enough to kill a group of five Spirit Emperors or could severely injure a Spirit Sage. Which, from the spars we usually do, a low powered Buddha's Fury Flame Lotus could easily replicate that. Not only that, you've practically exhausted Xiao Yan's spirit power reservoir, which means any spirit beast would easily kill him right now, thankfully the latter has enough Soldier Pills for him to last till now to recover his lost spirit power. So yeah, you've really gone a bit overboard."

Flame Emperor twitched his lips and scratched his cheek, saying,

"Sorry. As I said before, it's been a while since I have a real body so I've been getting a bit rusty in judging the output of firepower I needed to kill someone or something. Though you couldn't blame me for that, after all, that was a Golden Lion King, evolved from a thousand year old Golden Lion. Their almost invulnerable defense is something that this body's current skills and abilities couldn't hope to put a scratch. So I had to use the skills I had, that Xiao Yan had not been able to get the knowledge, to deal with it."

Xiao Yan nodded in understanding but frowned, asking,

"Yeah but that begs the question, how come you can use space manipulation and the Mini Buddha's Fury Flame Lotus? I remember you saying that, using the latter would strained my body and sapped every bit of spirit power I have, and use my life force as well, thus killing me."

Flame Emperor shook his head and said,

"To answer your first confusion... In my life, when someone reaches a certain level of cultivation; anyone would have a innate sense of controlling the space elements around them. It was to the point of creating, pocket dimensions, wormholes and their very own realm with life inside, ecology and such but not human life. Though their self created realm or dimension couldn't possibly contend with the original realm they reside in."

"So me, someone who had attained the peak of cultivation of my world and becoming a God, manipulating the space elements is as easy as controlling the flame elements around. As our souls is in the process of being assimilated, however slowly it is going, I'd assume that the knowledge to be able to control the space elements would now come to you now." Flame Emperor's expression turned serious and said, "Though I have to advise you, don't show off your space control until you can create a wormhole as a means of escape from people who wants the knowledge of how you can do so, especially with a spirit and any of your spirit rings that has no relation to space manipulation."

Xiao Yan nodded and Flame Emperor continued with his explanation.

"As for your second confusion? Because it's the small version of the real Buddha's Fury Flame Lotus I've warn you about. With my teacher's help, I had created that technique to help reduce the stress and other strains the real Buddha's Fury Flame Lotus had on my body, though it also reduced the firepower of it."

"The real Buddha's Fury Flame Lotus takes too long to make, due to the need in concentration and energy consumption, it would have taken me several minutes to make at the current moment with your cultivation. While the mini version of it is something that I can make easily with a flip of my hand. You would also have the same limit as I currently have, when you get the knowledge of using this ability."

Xiao Yan nodded in clear excitement and awe, while Flame Emperor turned towards Igneel, saying,

Xiao Yan and Igneel blinked their eyes, twice, tilting their heads in confusion until realization shone in the latter's eyes, who face palmed.

"I forgot about the Spirit Douluo with the Ice Dragon spirit that you knocked out. Where the heck did you put him?"

"Just a couple of meters away from the cave, hidden between a bunch of branches and nature." Flame Emperor nonchalantly replied.

Xiao Yan looked between the two, confusion clear on his face, asking,

"Uh, what are you guys talking about?"

Flame Emperor and Igneel looked towards him for a moment and the former looked away, mumbling,

"... knocked out..." Flame Emperor's voice was so low that Xiao Yan could only make out those couple of words.

"Knocked out? Knocked out who?" Xiao Yan questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Rubbing the back of his head, Flame Emperor turned towards Xiao Yan and said.

Xiao Yan stared at Flame Emperor with an expression of 'what the f.u.c.k'.

"So I have a hidden expert bodyguard, which is a Spirit Douluo, and you knocked him out?" Flame Emperor nodded to which, in turned, had Xiao Yan holding his head with both hands yelling.

"We could have avoided this whole mess if you didn't knocked him out?! What the f.u.c.k Flame Emperor?!"

"Hey! I knocked him out, cause he was just a ten steps away from discovering your secrets. I didn't realize there was a incoming forty thousand year old spirit beast until it was roaring around." Flame Emperor replied with a indignant expression. To which Xiao Yan and Igneel stared at him once more in silence.

"Alright, alright. Fine. This situation has gotten out of control, so what should we do now?" Xiao Yan gave up first and asked.

Flame Emperor said,

"Well that Spirit Douluo would be awake in about ten minutes, so it would be alright to absorb this spirit ring now."

Xiao Yan stared at Flame Emperor with a incredulous expression, saying,

"What the f.u.c.k are you saying?"

"I mean, absorbing this spirit ring? Are you serious? This came from a ten thousand plus years old Golden Lion King. Which I'm pretty sure wouldn't be compatible to me as this spirit beast does not have a fire attribute for my spirit. So, why would I absorb this?"

Flame Emperor rolled his eyes and turned towards Igneel, who let out a sigh, and said.

"You're correct, this spirit beast does not have a fire attribute to be compatible with your spirit, but its attribute as lightning is." Xiao Yan widened his eyes in understanding and Igneel continued.

"Now that you devoured the Nine Dragon Lightning Flame, your spirit has acquired the attribute of lightning. Although it didn't used its lightning abilities, this spirit beast is without a doubt has an attribute to lightning elements. I could sense it from this spirit ring. So it'll be alright for you to absorb this spirit ring. It could also explain why it was so fast and how high its defense is, if its related to that certain traitorous divine beast I had countered in the past."

"That certain traitorous divine beast?" Xiao Yan asked, noticing the clear anger and disgust look on the Fire Dragon King's face.

Igneel nodded with a cold gaze and said,

"During the war of Gods and Divine Beasts, our race would have won if it weren't for 12 Divine Beasts that had suddenly sided with the Gods. Those traitorous bastards, not only did they turned on us, but they were also the ones who had the most kill count on divine beasts. Especially since they weren't any ordinary divine beasts, they were peak 1st Class God level cultivation and some of them have the strength equalling a low ranked God King!"

"My kind were quickly being killed off that my father, the Dragon God, had no choice but to appear on the battlefield, earlier than expected. To which he was sliced into two, the Golden Dragon King and Silver Dragon King, by the Asura God."

"Now, that certain divine beast I'm talking about is the Golden Lion God. His defense and strength were just second to the Golden Dragon King and his lightning could be equal to the Thunder God. He is the leader of those other traitorous divine beast." Igneel had his hands clenched into tight fists that ignited into flames and crackling in lightning.

Xiao Yan and Flame Emperor were both silent. The former didn't know what to say while the latter was sympathetic, after all, he also felt the same against a certain demonic being.

Several breaths of time later, Igneel calmed down and closed his eyes. His flames and the aura of vengeance were slowly being snuffed out.

Igneel, with his eyes now opened, let out a long sigh and said.

"Sorry... I-I lost control for a moment there."

Flame Emperor smiled and shook his head, saying,

"It's alright. Anyone who feels the same as you would have reacted the same, so don't feel ashamed. Though, are you okay now?"

Igneel nodded with a small smile.

"Yeah, I'm alright now."

Flame Emperor nodded and turned towards Xiao Yan, asking,

Xiao Yan hesitated for a moment, and asked.

"Are you sure I would be able to absorb this spirit ring? What about the soul shock of it?"

Flame Emperor waved off Xiao Yan's worries, stating,

"Bah! That guy's remaining soul in the spirit ring wouldn't dare cause trouble for you, not after having his physical body burned into a crisped, even if he did he wouldn't be a matched for you in terms of spiritual power, cause I restored all your spiritual power and probably had it reached the peak of tier 5. So be thankful for my greatness brat!"

Xiao Yan's worries disappeared and finally nodded with a smile.

"Thank you Flame Emperor."

Flame Emperor smiled and closed his eyes, letting go of his possession on Xiao Yan's body, which the the latter now occupied once more.

Xiao Yan, opening his eyes, let out a sigh of relief and smiled as he tilted his head to looked down on the sleeping figure Ma Xiaotao.

C.a.r.e.s.sing the most beautiful red long hair that he ever seen, Xiao Yan's eyes turned soft and muttered,

Cold sweat dropped on Xiao Yan's forehead and back as he tried to calmed down the frantic beating of his heart, and slowly rising of his dragon.

'Down my son! It is not your time!' Xiao Yan took several deep breaths and slowly moved the head of Ma Xiaotao out of his *ahem* dragon *ahem* area.

Moving Ma Xiaotao's body several of meters away from his body, for her safety in some certain dangers, Xiao Yan let out a long sigh of relief as he also tuned out the loud laughing of a certain pair of ghosts behind his back.

Rising his head up, Xiao Yan stared at the ominous looking black spirit ring floating in the air, determination and will appeared in his eyes.

Without saying anything, Xiao Yan released his spirit out. The Heavy Xuan Ruler appeared, embedded in the ground, in front of him. Two spirit rings rose over his body, revealing one purple spirit ring and the a black spirit ring.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan used his spirit to let the spirit ring come towards it and let the absorption process begin.

As wisps of the spirit power within the black spirit ring come towards Xiao Yan's spirit, silence reigned upon the barren wasteland.

Dozens of breaths of time later, a shadow appeared behind Xiao Yan.

It was the hidden expert that Flame Emperor had knocked out! He was currently looking around in vigilance. His hood was down, revealing a tall old man with a long light blue hair and beard, and dark blue eyes.

After looking around the area, the man finally sagged his shoulders in relief.

Turning his eyes towards Xiao Yan's back and the unconscious form of Ma Xiaotao, the old man walked towards the latter, standing in guard, as he knew that absorbing a ten thousand year old spirit ring would release some waves of spirit power, that had remained in the spirit ring, around the area around the one absorbing it.

Any normal person would have their eyes widened in shock and disbelief; as someone so young, and just absorbing a spirit ring to be at Spirit Elder level, would dare to absorb a ten thousand year old spirit ring.

But the old man had witnessed a lot of things in his life, so although a bit shocked and surprised, he just shrugged it off as he saw the boy already having ten thousand year old spirit ring with him and now absorbing another one.

Impossible? Something that shouldn't be possible? Where's the common sense of seeing someone absorbing a ten thousand year old spirit ring, despite not being thirteen and is just on the way to become a Spirit Elder?

Honestly, the old man could only say that this was the work of a monster that was his young master.

Sighing, the old man combed his long hair have and muttered,

"Sigh, the old generation are really being overtaken by the new and the one leading is this monster of a young master I'm watching over. Old friend, I hope you know that your son is someone that will certainly destroy the common sense of the Douluo continent. This old Hao is both scared and excited to see what the young master would soon become in the near future..."

Old Hao closed his eyes and smiled as he spread his senses all over for surveillance.

'But until then, I'll protect you with everything I can do. I promised your father, my cousin, that much after all...'

========================================================================

(A/N: I was going to add an omake in the end, but... I decided not to. Though, should I add one in the next? Let me hear your opinions.)