Douluo: Legend of the Dragon King: The Void Throne.

The golden sun rose from the eastern sea horizon, dispersing the last traces of darkness from the waters.

The deep blue sea was bathed in a golden-red hue, casting dazzling reflections across the vast expanse of ice.

As the night passed and the sun fully emerged, Xu Zihuang, enveloped in a halo of purple light, finally completed the absorption of his second soul ring.

With a crisp sound like shattering glass, the purple soul ring suddenly expanded, then contracted, syncing perfectly with the rhythm of the first soul ring beside him.

Two majestic purple soul rings now circled Xu Zihuang, imbuing him with an air of noble power.

"Young Master," several people called out in unison as Xu Zihuang opened his eyes and rose to his feet.

Scanning his surroundings, Xu Zihuang caught sight of the concerned faces of Wang Xiao and Yao Yang not far away and gave them a slight nod.

Just as Yao Yang had said, his second soul skill did indeed originate from one of the two powerful control-type abilities of the Evil Demon Killer Whale. With it, he had taken his first step toward becoming a control-type soul master.

His soul power had now also risen directly to level 22, nearly reaching level 23. At this pace, he was almost certain to break through to level 30 before turning eleven.

However, having two purple thousand-year soul rings as his first two rings would make it very hard for him to remain inconspicuous whenever he used his martial soul in the future.

He had actually started the fusion process in the early hours before dawn, and it had taken him less than an hour and a half to absorb the 3,000-year-old Evil Demon Killer Whale's soul ring.

Meanwhile, Lin Long and Meng Lang were still in the process of fusing their soul rings and had made far less progress. But since their soul power and auras remained steady, there was no immediate danger.

Wang Xiao and Yao Yang held their positions at the center, while the Royal Dragon Soul Master Regiment soldiers on guard maintained high vigilance.

Nearby, others were still busy dissecting the two ten-thousand-year Evil Demon Killer Whales. In contrast, the two 3,000-year-old Evil Demon Killer Whales that Xu Zihuang and Meng Lang had fused with were smaller and had already been fully processed. Only large bloodstains and shattered bones remained on the ice. A group of ice-attribute soul masters had frozen the whale meat, neatly transporting it to the warship's storage hold.

A rich, savory aroma wafted toward Xu Zihuang's nose. A plump soldier from the regiment approached with a tray carrying a large, golden-brown piece of pan-fried meat and chuckled.

"Young Master, here's a piece of Evil Demon Killer Whale tail steak, fried in butter. Please have a taste."

As he spoke, he pulled a set of chairs and a table from his storage soul tool, placed the tray on the table, and courteously pulled out a chair for Xu Zihuang.

"You've gone to some effort," Xu Zihuang replied with a smile, not standing on ceremony. He took a seat and began tasting the meat with a silver knife and fork that had been neatly placed on the tray.

Dining on whale meat while seated on a frozen sea, gazing out at the crashing waves and the rising sun—it could only be described with one word: luxury.

"It's my honor to serve," the soldier said with a respectful smile. He deftly pulled out a delicate glass cup from his soul tool and poured a fragrant green fruit juice.

His name was Rong Jin. Strictly speaking, he wasn't an official member of the Royal Dragon Soul Master Regiment.

He had served in Xu Zihuang's household since his birth and had loyally cared for the family for decades. Though his cultivation was not high—only at the early forties level—he had been among those left behind to guard the ship. His cooking, however, was truly exceptional.

During the past couple of weeks at sea, Rong Jin had handled all of Xu Zihuang's meals, morning, noon, and night.

Xu Zihuang wasn't bothered by his attentiveness. Some people were just naturally good at service. The fact that Rong Jin had willingly followed Wang Xiao into battle to rescue him was proof enough of his loyalty.

The golden-brown whale tail steak, rich with buttery aroma and its own unique savory flavor, was tender and juicy—perfectly to Xu Zihuang's taste. Paired with a refreshing cup of fruit juice, it made for a highly satisfying breakfast.

But just then, a startled shout came from the direction of the two ten-thousand-year-old Evil Demon Killer Whale corpses.

Though they had left the deep-sea zone, danger could strike at any moment. The earlier encounter with five Evil Demon Killer Whales was proof of that.

One moment, Xu Zihuang was calmly sipping his fruit juice. The next, he sprang to his feet in alert. His violet eyes turned a brilliant gold, and his two purple soul rings rose from his feet, unleashing a surge of powerful soul energy. The Royal Dragon Regiment soldiers also prepared for battle immediately.

"It's nothing—just that I found a soul bone inside this whale!" came a voice.

A young man standing by the massive tail of the ten-thousand-year-old whale sheepishly smiled as he realized he'd overreacted.

In his hands was a deep-black leg bone radiating a restrained but terrifying energy. The bone seemed to devour all surrounding light with its dark aura.

Though it was called a leg bone, it didn't resemble a human leg. It looked more like the flukes of an orca's tail.

Everyone instinctively held their breath. Even Xu Zihuang felt a surge of excitement upon seeing the soul bone.

Soul bones were extraordinarily rare treasures—far more valuable than soul rings. The stronger the beast, the more powerful the bone. And one from a ten-thousand-year Evil Demon Killer Whale? Its quality was undoubtedly among the highest.

The Evil Demon Killer Whale was already famed for its immense power. Fusing with this bone wouldn't just grant a potent soul skill—it would cause a fundamental leap in leg strength.

It was an ideal fit for power- or defense-type soul masters.

But truthfully, who wouldn't want a soul bone of this caliber? Even if it was better suited to specific types, anyone would benefit tremendously from fusing with such a treasure.

The young man hesitated for a moment, then decisively handed the soul bone to Wang Xiao, who was standing nearby.

He had not been blinded by greed. While it seemed like he was handing over the decision-making power to Wang Xiao, everyone knew full well that the bone would ultimately belong to Xu Zihuang.

All eyes turned to Xu Zihuang and Wang Xiao.

"Elder Wang, please hold onto this soul bone for now," Xu Zihuang said, meeting Wang Xiao's gaze. "Once someone has made a great contribution, it can be given as a reward. Obtaining this soul bone was the result of everyone's efforts, so it belongs to the group."

He knew that even if he fused it on the spot, no one would object.

But his vision extended far beyond such a simple prize.

With his talent, what kind of soul bone would he not have access to in the future? Just the Ten-Thousand-Year immortal herbs at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well could form multiple sets of top-tier soul bones. He had no intention of adhering to the Tang Sect's so-called rules. Once strong enough, he would take the entire Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for himself.

There was no need to waste a soul bone slot right now.

What mattered most at the moment was rekindling the spirit of this fractured Royal Dragon Regiment—turning them into his loyal and powerful support force.

"As expected..." Wang Xiao muttered with a complicated expression, nodding with mixed feelings.

This path won't be an easy one...

Yao Yang, standing off to the side, thoughtfully glanced between Xu Zihuang and Wang Xiao. Then, as if something clicked, the corner of his mouth lifted in a subtle smile.

The other soldiers of the Royal Dragon R

egiment were visibly moved—the fiery admiration in their eyes was unmistakable.

(End of Chapter)

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