The scene of ascension was something the black-robed figures by the Transformation Dragon Pool had witnessed countless times. Naturally, they paid it no mind, yet even now they were stunned by the enormous Azure Dragon phantom hovering behind Lin Lei's body.
"An Azure Dragon phantom — a mid-level God can manifest an 'Azure Dragon phantom'." The black-robed figures were all dumbstruck.
Just like the divine beasts 'God-Eating Mouse' and 'Noble Beast' and others, when a divine beast such as the 'Azure Dragon' unleashed its innate divine ability, a phantom of its true form would naturally form behind it. If it were a genuine divine beast, even at the lower-level God stage, it could produce the true-form phantom upon using its 'innate divine ability.'
But the Azure Dragon clan was different.
The reason was that in the entire Azure Dragon clan, only the ancestor — the 'Azure Dragon' — was a true divine beast 'Azure Dragon.' As for all the other descendants, whether of the second generation, third generation, or even Lin Lei himself — they all carried Azure Dragon blood, but were not true divine beasts of the 'Azure Dragon' variety.
When they used their innate divine abilities, the power was far inferior to the ancestor's.
Though inferior to the ancestor, the innate divine abilities among the Azure Dragon clan's descendants still varied in strength.
Because innate divine ability was linked to soul power, those with formidable innate divine abilities would, upon reaching the upper-level God stage and possessing the strongest soul power, be barely able to manifest an 'Azure Dragon phantom.'
Those with weak innate divine abilities would find that even as upper-level Gods, they could not manifest an 'Azure Dragon phantom.'
Only those whose innate divine abilities were extraordinarily powerful could manifest an 'Azure Dragon phantom' while still at the mid-level God stage.
As for manifesting an 'Azure Dragon phantom' during the lower-level God stage — that was something that likely only the ancestor, the sole true 'Azure Dragon,' could achieve.
Among the Azure Dragon clan's second generation, for instance, only during the mid-level God stage could they manifest the 'Azure Dragon phantom.' As for the third generation, only some among them could do so at the mid-level God stage.
"A mid-level God manifesting an 'Azure Dragon phantom.'" The black-robed figures exchanged glances, their eyes filled with shock.
*Hummm~~*
Lin Lei's original body stood to one side, and floating beside it was the Lin Lei clad in a teal-green robe, with teal-green hair — his water-attributed divine clone, its aquatic aura radiating outward. The water-element divine clone merged directly into Lin Lei's original body.
The Azure Dragon phantom had long since vanished.
"So this is what the ancestral temple baptism truly is." Lin Lei closed his eyes, sensing the ocean of his soul.
Deep within his mind, upon the surface of the soul ocean, his four divine clones — Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water — sat in meditation. At the center of the four divine clones rested the black stone, and above the black stone hovered the soul of Lin Lei's original body.
At the same time —
The entire soul ocean was suffused with a dense cyan glow.
Back on the Yulan Continent, when Lin Lei was still in the Saint Realm, this cyan glow had saved his life on several occasions. But as Lin Lei's strength grew, the cyan glow's power became far too weak to withstand others' soul attacks.
Yet during this ancestral temple baptism, the cyan glow had grown thousands of times stronger.
"Innate divine ability — so it's something this extraordinary." Lin Lei was thoroughly astonished. "It's not pure divine power, nor pure soul power. Only when soul power merges with this cyan glow can one unleash the innate divine ability."
Now Lin Lei understood why innate divine abilities could only be performed by divine beasts — no one else could learn them.
Like Bei Bei's 'God Devouring.'
Like Di Lin's 'Sky Swallowing.'
They were all rooted in divine beast bloodlines, which imbued the soul with something special. For the Azure Dragon clan, that special quality was this 'cyan glow.' Even Lin Lei could not comprehend exactly what kind of energy this cyan glow was.
It did not belong to divine power. It did not belong to soul power.
Through the ancestral temple baptism, Lin Lei had naturally comprehended his innate divine ability and simultaneously comprehended one of the profound mysteries of the Water-element Laws.
"This innate divine ability, 'Dragon Cry,' shares some common ground with my 'Black Stone Prison' — both affect the soul rather than kill outright." Lin Lei had obtained that 'black stone' in the Amethyst Mountain Range. Through the black stone, he could channel soul power to affect his opponent, leaving them in a dazed and muddled state.
This 'Dragon Cry' also affected the soul.
"My innate divine ability, 'Dragon Cry,' is inferior to the 'Black Stone' when it comes to soul influence." Lin Lei also noticed the difference between the two. Beyond the soul's influence, his innate divine ability 'Dragon Cry' carried another special kind of effect.
"Influencing speed?" Lin Lei shook his head. "No, that's not it... It's influencing... time — yes, the flow of time!"
The Azure Dragon clan's innate divine ability, 'Dragon Cry,' not only affected the soul but also contained an influence upon 'time.' Although the soul influence was not terribly powerful, the ability to affect 'time' was nothing short of monstrous.
Neither the seven elemental Laws nor the four Supreme Laws involved time.
Time was an existence beyond grasp.
Yet...
The divine beast 'Azure Dragon's' innate divine ability touched upon 'time.' Presumably, only an innate ability that came with one's very nature could have any involvement with time.
Bei Bei's 'God Devouring' directly devoured divine sparks.
The Azure Dragon's 'Dragon Cry' influenced time.
Both were impossible to cultivate. The pity was that Lin Lei was not a true Azure Dragon, so 'Dragon Cry's' full power could never be displayed.
"That said, when I use 'Dragon Cry' now, its effect on time is minuscule — almost negligible." Lin Lei thought of the ancestor in his mind's eye. "If the ancestor — a true 'Azure Dragon' — used his innate divine ability, it would surely be terrifying."
His own bloodline was pure, yet he was still far, far from the ancestor.
"My soul power is still weak. When I use the innate divine ability, its effect on time is too slight. Once I reach the upper-level God stage and absorb a large quantity of amethysts, when my soul has strengthened dozens of times over, the innate divine ability's influence on time will surely become significant."
Lin Lei understood all too well how frightening the manipulation of time could be.
"But this ancestral temple baptism has already greatly increased my strength." Lin Lei's heart brimmed with joy.
The greatest benefit this power-up brought Lin Lei was, above all, that cyan glow. The cyan glow combined with soul power could not only unleash the 'innate divine ability' but also — serve as a soul defense!
Back in the Saint Realm, the cyan glow had been able to withstand soul attacks.
Now, after the ancestral temple baptism, the cyan glow had grown thousands upon thousands of times stronger. Once fused with soul power, this soul defense would be truly astonishing.