"What you're using now is only the surface of the Immortal guild's Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track. You must not rush for results, nor should you be greedy. At your current level, trying to grant every clone identical movement patterns is premature. More importantly, your spiritual power is still insufficient. With your present cultivation, it is impossible to perfectly control three clones simultaneously. Focus first on strengthening your spiritual power. If you can step into the Spirit Sea realm within three years, your path ahead will be extremely broad."

Before stepping forward, Raziel had been brimming with confidence. The idea of three clones executing Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track simultaneously against different targets had made him feel nearly invincible. Yet faced with the old woman's calm words, he found himself completely unable to argue. Each flaw she pointed out was painfully accurate, striking at weaknesses he had sensed but never fully acknowledged.

Raziel bowed again, this time even deeper than before, his head nearly dipping below his knees. There was no trace of resentment in his heart, only genuine admiration. "Thank you for your guidance. I'll work harder and improve."

The old lady gave a brief nod. "Next."

Raziel returned to his teammates with slumped shoulders and a bitter expression. Violetta was already stepping forward, having received a few quiet instructions from Ray earlier.

Ray leaned closer to Raziel and asked softly, "What's wrong? Feeling discouraged?"

Raziel let out a self-mocking laugh. "Yeah. I thought I was pretty impressive, but now it feels like I didn't do well at all."

Ray shook his head with a calm smile. "I think it's the opposite. I'd bet you scored very high. That elder is clearly the core examiner. If she thought you were hopeless, would she have bothered giving you such detailed advice? We're students. We came to Central to learn. If we already knew everything, what would be the point of coming here at all?"

Raziel froze, then slowly straightened.

That's right. She wasn't tearing me down; she was pointing out my future path.

Ray gave him a reassuring pat on the leg. "Watch carefully."

By then, Violetta was standing at the center of the room, bowing respectfully to the three examiners.

"You may begin," the elderly woman said.

Violetta took a deep breath, her voice steady despite the pressure. "I apologize to the three examiners. I'm unable to fully demonstrate my specialty at this moment because it is still daytime. My martial soul changes at night. From a certain perspective, I believe I can be considered a… monster-type soul master. That is why I came to Central Academy."

Ray watched closely. Convincing Central's examiners with words alone was no easy task, which was why he had advised her to emphasize her uniqueness from the start. Central Academy accepted monsters, not ordinary talents. That single word alone was enough to spark interest.

"Oh?" One of the middle-aged examiners on the old lady's left leaned forward slightly. "In what way are you different at night?"

Violetta summoned her Ice Staff, gripping it with her right hand as two yellow soul rings rose beneath her feet. "During the day, my martial soul is the Ice Staff, which excels in battlefield control and long-range attacks. At night, I gain the power of starlight. My martial soul transforms into the Starwheel Ice Staff, and my soul skills change accordingly."

A glimmer of excitement flashed through the elderly woman's eyes. "The Starwheel Ice Staff… That martial soul originated in the Xu family many generations ago, though very few inherited it. Your surname is Xu, isn't it?"

Violetta blinked in surprise. "Yes! You know about my family?"

The old lady smiled faintly. "There are few things in the soul master world that Central Academy does not know. You may return."

Violetta stared at her, momentarily stunned. "But… I haven't finished explaining."

The old lady frowned slightly. "Since I know your origins, why would I be unfamiliar with the absolute control characteristic of your starlight abilities? Go back to your companions."

"Oh." Violetta bowed once more and returned to the group.

Ray had already risen to meet her, nodding approvingly. "You did well. Relax."

At his words, the tension drained from Violetta's shoulders. Ray then stepped past her and walked calmly toward the center of the room.

The elderly woman studied him with interest, a peculiar smile playing at her lips. "You seem very confident."

Her words caught him slightly off guard, but Ray immediately realized his lapse in etiquette and bowed. "Greetings to the three examiners."

The old lady chuckled softly. "Your teammates seem to trust you deeply. Show me what you can do. Show me why they place such faith in you."

"Yes," Ray replied simply. He understood now that the examiners had likely heard every word he whispered earlier. Their perception was terrifyingly sharp.

"My specialty is power," he said.

Golden light ignited in his eyes as his blood essence surged outward. In that instant, the roar of his blood filled his ears like a rushing river.

His right arm swelled with strength, golden scales spreading rapidly across it, and a radiant golden soul ring manifested above his body.

A sharp intake of breath echoed through the room.

The elderly woman's expression changed instantly, her composure shattering as her eyes widened in disbelief. The two middle-aged examiners beside her were no better, staring at the golden soul ring as though struck by lightning.

In the world of soul masters, the colors of soul rings had long been defined. White symbolized ten years, yellow a hundred, purple a thousand, black ten thousand, and red a hundred thousand. These five colors formed the foundation of all known soul ring classifications.

Yet throughout history, there had been exceptions.

Special-colored soul rings were legends in themselves, each representing an existence of terrifying power.

Within the long annals of Central Academy, a golden soul ring had appeared only once before.

That ring had belonged to Azrael, one of the original Central Seven Monsters and the founder of the Immortal guild, obtained after slaying a million-year soul beast.

Across the entire Xynnar Continent, million-year soul rings had appeared only twice. The second belonged to Spirit Ice King Orion Starlight, the legendary founder of the Spirit Tower. Yet even his was different. Orion Starlight's soul ring was white, indistinguishable from an ordinary ten-year ring, because it came from his fusion with the Skydream Iceworm, which had slept until reaching the million-year level.

According to later analyses, Azrael's golden soul ring had been forged directly through the death of a soul beast, giving it its resplendent color and overwhelming might. Orion Starlight's ring, while powerful beyond imagination, still fell short of that pinnacle.

And now, before their very eyes, a golden soul ring had appeared once more.

After the creation of spirit souls, Spirit Ice Douluo Orion Starlight had somehow obtained an orange-gold soul ring as well, one that granted him multiple soul skills derived from a ferocious spirit soul. He had been an existence that transcended common sense.

Throughout the long history of the continent, soul rings with special colors had been exceedingly rare. Azrael and Orion Starlight stood as the most illustrious examples, their names etched into legend precisely because of such anomalies.

It was for this reason that, even though Ray possessed only a single golden soul ring, its appearance immediately seized everyone's attention.

Once the old lady recovered from her initial shock, her brows slowly knitted together. She scrutinized Ray with increasing intensity, her gaze seeming to pierce straight through his flesh and bones. "Your soul ring is very strange. It doesn't appear to be formed from soul power at all. Instead, I sense fluctuations of blood essence, yet your soul power remains perfectly calm. Explain this to me. What exactly is going on?"

Ray did not panic. He answered honestly and steadily, "I don't really understand it myself. I only know that my blood essence is unusually strong. I believe this ability comes from my bloodline. However, since it grants me a soul skill, it manifests in a form similar to a soul ring."

As he spoke, the golden soul ring flared brightly. A deep, ancient dragon's roar surged out from within his body, resonating through the room. His muscles expanded, veins standing out clearly as a layer of radiant golden light enveloped him from head to toe.

"T-this…" The old lady's breath caught, her composure cracking for the first time. "Golden Dragon Body? You possess the Golden Dragon bloodline?"

Her words struck Ray like a thunderbolt.

The name of the soul skill had indeed surfaced in his mind before, yet hearing it spoken aloud by someone else unsettled him deeply. How could she know? Had there been others like him in the past?

No… that shouldn't be possible. She spoke of a Golden Dragon bloodline, while sealed within his body was the Golden Dragon King. Those were not the same thing.

Before Ray could unravel the confusion in his thoughts, the old lady vanished from her seat and reappeared in front of him in an instant, her movements so fast they left no trace behind.

"Punch me," she said, staring at him intently.

Ray froze. "P-punch you?"

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