Chapter 291: The Essence of Life Gold, The Eye of Life

"Fine, fine, you're amazing. Happy now?" The Ice Empress tugged on Qian Ran's arm, muttering softly.

Even as she said this, a strange feeling stirred within her—an inexplicable thrill at acting this way in front of the Snow Empress.

"Good girl." Qian Ran placed a gentle kiss on her smooth, flawless forehead. He decided against teasing the Ice Empress further.

He knew if he didn't rein in his desires, he might overindulge to the point of ruining himself. Enjoying pleasures was fine, but moderation was key.

Taking a deep breath, Qian Ran turned his attention to the other item on the table, besides the Divine Sealing Platform—the Devouring Spirit Dagger.

When Qian Ran's spiritual sense brushed against the sinister dagger, his body trembled slightly. The dagger instantly felt like a bottomless black hole, greedily trying to consume his spiritual power. A wave of extreme cold and malevolent energy surged along his spiritual thread, attempting to invade his mental sea.

However, a far stronger force erupted from within Qian Ran's consciousness, striking back at the dagger with overwhelming might.

The sinister blade let out a mournful wail, and the green glow it emitted shattered and dissipated completely.

"This dagger is truly sinister. No wonder so many high-ranking soul engineers fell victim to it," Qian Ran remarked, shaking his head. If not for his formidable spiritual power and protective Ultimate Ice, even he might have succumbed to its influence.

The Devouring Spirit Dagger had undeniably become a cursed object.

"Let me help." Qian Renxue, noticing his interest, stepped forward. The golden-gray fusion of her spiritual energy touched the dagger, causing it to tremble violently. A series of piercing wails echoed from the blade as though it were screaming in agony.

Within moments, all of the dagger's malevolent energy was purified.

The once sinister aura transformed into something pure and gentle.

The purification process was swift. Soon, the last trace of dark energy vanished from the dagger, and its faint green glow became as serene as clear water, free of any impurities. Its previously dark surface now gleamed like a crystalline green gemstone.

"You're getting better and better at using those two powers," Qian Ran said, casting a glance at Qian Renxue with a hint of envy. No matter how much potential he possessed, he had yet to reach the pinnacle of strength.

"Your future achievements will undoubtedly surpass mine," Qian Renxue replied. "Still, if I can recover my full power, I can rival Tang San—I might even become a dual god." Her eyes gleamed with determination. If she had possessed such opportunities ten thousand years ago, no amount of scheming on Tang San's part could have defeated her. Perhaps fate had destined her to encounter Qian Ran in this new era.

"What's your next step?" Qian Renxue and the Ice Empress, both towering figures of their time, could sense that the dagger contained a peculiar energy. However, its true nature eluded them.

"I need to cultivate for a while," Qian Ran said, sitting cross-legged on the floor. He placed the Devouring Spirit Dagger vertically against his brow, closing his eyes to focus.

As soon as the dagger touched his skin, a strange energy from his spiritual sea surged outward, pouring into the blade through the center of his forehead.

The dagger erupted with a brilliant green light, releasing a torrent of vibrant life energy into Qian Ran's body.

In that instant, Qian Ran's entire being glowed with a green hue, his spiritual sea included.

An unparalleled sensation of comfort swept through him, as though every cell in his body was joyfully singing, greedily absorbing the dagger's life energy.

Qian Ran could clearly sense the changes occurring within him. His meridians became more elastic, his organs sturdier, and his bones harder. It was as if every aspect of his body was undergoing a qualitative transformation.

The most noticeable change was in his meridians. Although they didn't widen, their newfound resilience convinced Qian Ran that they could now withstand far greater flows of soul power.

The green energy washed over him, purging his body of impurities through his pores.

Though Qian Ran's body was already exceptionally strong, the infusion of life energy made it even more formidable. His vitality had doubled—where once he had the equivalent of one hundred units of life energy, now he had two hundred.

Guided by Qian Ran's will, the dagger pressed against his forehead, releasing even more of its abundant life energy. Qian Ran was immersed in a blissful sensation beyond words.

Qian Renxue and the Ice Empress watched in silent awe as Qian Ran's transformation unfolded. Their exchanged glances revealed the shock in both their eyes.

They couldn't fathom the dagger's mysterious nature, nor why it had such a profound effect on Qian Ran.

Just as they thought Qian Ran's potential had already been pushed to its limits, he once again achieved a startling breakthrough.

Time passed. Eventually, a new development occurred—an eye appeared on Qian Ran's forehead.

The eye was slightly smaller than his natural eyes, its surrounding skin faintly tinged with green.

The eye's iris was golden, radiating a pure and vibrant light. When Qian Ran focused his attention on it, the eye moved slightly, exuding an indescribable aura of vitality and purity.

The Eye of Life.

This was one of Huo Yuhao's most iconic advantages, and now, Qian Ran had obtained it.

The Eye of Life was the essence of the Life Gold. Whenever Qian Ran needed it, he could draw upon the dagger's power by concentrating on the Eye of Life.

As long as Qian Ran didn't suffer a fatal injury, the life energy contained within the Eye of Life would continuously repair both his body and spiritual sea.

Life Gold was a rarity among rarities. The largest piece of Life Gold in the Douluo Continent lay beneath the Lake of Life in the Star Dou Forest, where Gu Yuena had hidden to heal herself.

Gu Yuena's choice of that location was likely due to the Life Gold's immense benefits for living beings.

Life Gold represented the essence of vitality. For any living creature, vitality was invaluable. With the Life Gold integrated into his being, Qian Ran's vitality now surpassed that of any human on the Douluo Continent. Even if he never ascended to godhood, he would live far longer than most humans.

"This feels amazing." Qian Ran stood and stretched, feeling refreshed and invigorated. While the Life Gold hadn't significantly increased his strength, its enhancement of his vitality had elevated his entire being. He now felt completely free of fatigue.

Unless he expended the Life Gold's energy excessively, he would no longer experience exhaustion.

(End of Chapter)