Chapter 9: The Hundred Thousand Year Earth Ape Spirit Bone!
Hearing this, Qian Yang's thought shifted, and the Dark Gold Dreadclaw on his right hand slowly retracted. The dark gold hue on his palm also faded, returning to the tender appearance of a child's palm. Qian Daoliu stepped forward, gently picking him up once more, his tone carrying a hint of mystery: "Let's go, it's time for us to return to Spirit City. Once we're back, Grandpa will give you a surprise gift."
As he spoke, the figures of the two were like two bolts of golden lightning, streaking through the twilight sky of the Star Dou Great Forest, speeding towards Spirit City.
As evening approached, the afterglow of the setting sun dyed Spirit City a warm orange. Only then did Qian Daoliu return to the Hall of Worship carrying Qian Yang. As soon as they landed, Qian Yang impatiently tugged at the corner of Qian Daoliu's clothes, looking up with his small face and asking curiously, "Grandpa, what exactly is the gift you're going to give me?"
Qian Daoliu smiled and rubbed the top of his head. With a flip of his hand, an ancient-looking wooden box emerged from his storage soul tool. He slowly opened the box, and in an instant, a soaring red light erupted from within, like gushing magma, instantly illuminating the entire Hall of Worship. A dense aura of a Spirit Beast rushed towards them, carrying a primal and heavy essence originating from ancient times, similar to the overwhelming presence of hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beasts in Douluo lore.
"This is a hundred thousand year spirit bone." Qian Daoliu's voice carried a hint of reminiscence. "Back when I accompanied your Grandpa Gold Crocodile to obtain his ninth spirit ring, we slew a hundred thousand year Earth Ape. This is its Right Leg Bone. At that time, your Grandpa Gold Crocodile's Spirit Bones were already complete, so I have been keeping this bone. Now, it should have a true owner."
He handed the wooden box to Qian Yang, his eyes full of expectation. "Xiao Yang, I am giving this hundred thousand year Earth Ape Right Leg Bone to you today. I will act as your Protector here; you just absorb it in the hall."
Qian Yang held the wooden box with both hands, feeling the warmth and majestic energy coming from the Spirit Bone. His heart was full of emotion as he looked up and said earnestly to Qian Daoliu, "Thank you, Grandpa!"
After saying that, he sat cross-legged on the white jade floor of the Hall of Worship, placed the hundred thousand year Earth Ape Right Leg Bone next to his right leg, slowly closed his eyes, and mobilized the spirit power in his body to begin guiding the Spirit Bone's energy. As soon as the Spirit Bone touched his body, a violent energy far exceeding that of a thousand-year or five-thousand-year spirit ring instantly erupted. The primal aura filled the entire Hall of Worship, and even the air in the hall seemed to become heavy, as if suppressed by the will of a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast.
At this critical moment, a black and white light suddenly lit up beneath Qian Yang, and the taiji diagram slowly emerged, opening a barrier that enveloped his entire body. As soon as the violent hundred thousand year spirit bone energy touched the barrier, it was as if it had met its natural counterbalance, being slowly guided and transformed by the black and white twin fish. The originally surging torrent of energy gradually became gentle and orderly, merging bit by bit into his Right Leg Bone along Qian Yang's Meridians, forming a stable cycle of absorption.
This astonishing energy fluctuation instantly alerted Gold Crocodile Douluo, who was in seclusion within the Hall of Worship. A dark gold figure quickly rushed out from the side hall. When he saw Qian Yang absorbing the hundred thousand year spirit bone in the hall, Gold Crocodile Douluo's expression changed drastically. He walked quickly to Qian Daoliu's side and asked in a low, puzzled voice, "Big brother! Why are you letting Xiao Yang absorb a hundred thousand year spirit bone now? He's only six years old and has just broken through to become a Spirit Grandmaster; he simply cannot withstand such violent energy!"
Qian Daoliu's gaze fell upon the taiji diagram beneath Qian Yang, and he spoke with a calm expression, "This bone has been in our hands for decades. Rather than letting it gather dust, it's better to give it to someone in need. Xiao Yang's talent is far beyond our imagination; he is worthy of this Spirit Bone."
"But this is too risky!" Gold Crocodile Douluo was so anxious he stomped his feet. "Even if his talent is good, you can't joke with his life!"
"Rest assured." Qian Daoliu slowly closed his eyes, his tone carrying a sense of certainty. "Today in the Star Dou Great Forest, I witnessed the power of Xiao Yang's second Spirit, the taiji diagram. It can transform and suppress violent energy. It's just a hundred thousand year spirit bone; it won't stump him."
Seeing Qian Daoliu so certain and observing the stable energy fluctuations around Qian Yang, Gold Crocodile Douluo said no more, though he was still worried. He simply sat down cross-legged nearby, his eyes fixed on Qian Yang, ready to help at any moment.
Time passed bit by bit, and two hours slipped away. The worry on Gold Crocodile Douluo's face was gradually replaced by shock—he could clearly feel that the violent energy within the hundred thousand year spirit bone, which would even make a Spirit Douluo wary, was being methodically transformed by the taiji diagram. Not only did it not cause the slightest harm to Qian Yang, but it was also continuously tempering his spirit power, making the spirit power that had been slightly unstable due to the rapid leveling up become increasingly condensed and heavy.
What shocked him even more was that Qian Yang's spirit power rank was rising rapidly, soon breaking through the limit of a Spirit Grandmaster and steadily stopping at the realm of a Rank 30 Spirit Elder!
"Rank 30! He just finished absorbing double thousand-year spirit rings, and in the blink of an eye, he's broken through to become a Spirit Elder?" Gold Crocodile Douluo couldn't help but cry out in shock, his eyes full of disbelief.
Qian Daoliu slowly opened his eyes, his tone sounding as if it were only natural: "Xiao Yang's first spirit ring was already a thousand-year one, and he has also absorbed a five-thousand-year spirit ring and a hundred thousand year spirit bone. His energy has long since far exceeded that of an ordinary Spirit Grandmaster. Breaking through to Spirit Elder is merely a natural progression."
"The first spirit ring is a thousand-year one?" Gold Crocodile Douluo's eyes widened even further as he hurriedly followed up with a question, "Then what about the second spirit ring? Could it also be a thousand-year one?"
"Both spirit rings were taken from the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear; the first spirit ring is one thousand two hundred years, and the second spirit ring is five thousand years," Qian Daoliu responded calmly.
"Hiss—" Gold Crocodile Douluo sucked in a breath of cold air, so shocked he was speechless. After a long while, he murmured, "The first spirit ring is a thousand-year one, and the second is five thousand years. If it follows this rhythm, wouldn't the third spirit ring have to be a ten-thousand-year one?"
A smile curled at the corner of Qian Daoliu's mouth, and a flash of heroic spirit crossed his eyes. "If it weren't for the fact that Xiao Yang's body currently cannot withstand the energy of a hundred thousand year spirit ring, I would want to directly gather a full set of hundred thousand year spirit rings for him and let him reach the heavens in a single bound!"
While the two were talking, the black and white barrier beneath Qian Yang slowly retracted, and the taiji diagram turned into a stream of light and merged into his body. Qian Yang slowly stood up, and everyone was shocked to find that after this baptism by the hundred thousand year spirit bone, his height had actually increased quite a bit. His originally somewhat tender face now had a bit more composure. Although the spirit power fluctuations around him were not as terrifying as those of a Titled Douluo, they were as condensed as substance, exuding a sense of pressure that far exceeded his peers.
Qian Yang moved his right leg, feeling the majestic power contained within. His heart was full of joy—this hundred thousand year Earth Ape Right Leg Bone had not only allowed him to break through to Spirit Elder but also came with two powerful Spirit Abilities: one was "Earth Trample," which enhanced speed and strength, and the other was a defensive type, "Ape King Shield." Combined with the previous god slaying spear, Dark Gold Dreadclaw, and amplification Spirit Abilities, his strength had already undergone a qualitative leap.
"Grandpa, Grandpa Gold Crocodile, I've finished absorbing it!" Qian Yang turned to look at Qian Daoliu and Gold Crocodile Douluo, a bright smile appearing on his face.
Looking at the youth before him, the shock in Gold Crocodile Douluo's heart gradually turned into relief. He stepped forward, patted Qian Yang's shoulder, and said with praise, "Good lad!"