Chapter 24: The Second Soul Ring
As soon as the duel ended, Qian Renxue hurried over to the two of them.
Before Lin Beiya could even greet the little angel, he suddenly felt a sharp kick to his knee. Thankfully, the protection of his Gold Cloth absorbed most of the impact, leaving him unhurt— but his mind was full of confusion as he stared blankly at the fuming girl in front of him.
"Hmph! You've been holding back whenever you spar with me, haven't you?!"
"What, do you look down on me?"
"Ah?"
Lin Beiya almost wanted to cry. This woman's logic defies heaven itself!
But he quickly figured out why she was angry. His mind spun rapidly, and within seconds, he came up with a suitable excuse.
"Xiaoxue, I swear I didn't hold back! This state I just used—I only recently comprehended it. I couldn't even use it before."
"Really?"
Qian Renxue eyed him suspiciously, studying his smiling face for several seconds. But after hearing his explanation, her anger seemed to melt away, replaced by reluctant acceptance.
Watching her friend being coaxed so easily, Lei Ying could only press a hand to her forehead helplessly.
Still, she didn't expose Lin Beiya's white lie—she simply glared at him sharply, as if to say, 'You owe me one.'
Feeling guilty, Lin Beiya scratched his head awkwardly, giving her a grateful smile in return.
After that incident, the two could be said to have become friends through battle. Over the following half-year, Lin Beiya often sparred with Lei Ying. Both of their combat skills improved tremendously.
At the same time, he never neglected his visual training—his soul power and his five senses continued to grow steadily stronger.
That night, dressed in his Gold Cloth, Lin Beiya sat cross-legged in meditation as usual. Then suddenly, the bottleneck at Soul Power Rank 19 quietly shattered.
He broke through naturally into the realm of a Soul Grandmaster.
"Finally! I can obtain my second soul ring… how exciting!"
During the past year and a half, Lin Beiya had completely used up that entire piece of ten-thousand-year whale rubber to temper his body. He could now clearly feel that his physique far surpassed others of his age— even among soul masters of the same level, his body was several times stronger.
This time, his target was a thousand-year soul ring.
After successfully absorbing it, he planned to tell Qian Daoliu about the whale rubber's miraculous properties. Once that old man learned of its benefits, he would definitely make his precious granddaughter take some— and when that happened, Lin Beiya could also enjoy a bit of reflected fortune.
With that pleasant thought, he drifted off into a deep, peaceful sleep.
The next morning, after breakfast, he met up with Qian Renxue and Lei Ying at the pavilion.
"What?! You've already reached rank twenty? That's way too fast!"
Both of them are about eight years old now. Qian Renxue's cultivation had also progressed rapidly thanks to her innate talent—she'd already reached rank twenty-eight. But she couldn't deny that the gap between her and Lin Beiya was gradually shrinking.
Lei Ying, however, was even more shocked. With her innate rank-nine soul power, she had always been hailed as a prodigy— yet standing before these two monsters, she suddenly felt her confidence being mercilessly crushed.
"You two are absolute freaks."
"That's right! Totally monstrous—rank twenty already?!" Qian Renxue nodded eagerly in agreement.
But Lei Ying simply rolled her eyes.
"I was talking about both of you, not just him!"
"Eh? I… uh…"
Caught off guard, Qian Renxue froze, unable to find a comeback. When she realized that her soul power was still higher than Lin Beiya's, her face turned red as a cherry.
Her embarrassed expression was so adorable that Lin Beiya and Lei Ying couldn't help but laugh.
"Beiya, are you planning to go get your second soul ring?" Lei Ying asked.
"You should be careful. The difference between a hundred-year and a thousand-year soul ring is enormous. I'd advise you not to take that risk."
"I understand, Sister Ying," Lin Beiya said with a confident smile. "But I still want to give it a try. The Gold Cloth strengthens my physique by about ten percent—it might just be enough."
Lei Ying sighed softly.
"In that case… I wish you good luck."
She knew that no matter what she said, he had already made up his mind. Even so, she couldn't help but feel a trace of worry in her eyes.
The warmth in their concern stirred something deep within Lin Beiya's heart.
Having been an orphan in two lifetimes, he had rarely experienced such genuine care.
It made him even more determined to secure a brighter future—not only for himself, but also for the girls who had come to mean so much to him.
To convince Qian Daoliu of the whale rubber's miraculous effects, he had to obtain a thousand-year soul ring this time.
"I'm going to find the old man and see when he plans to arrange my soul beast hunt."
"Alright," Qian Renxue replied softly. "I'll send someone to the academy to ask for leave on your behalf."
"Thanks."
With excitement stirring in his chest, Lin Beiya slowly made his way toward the Angel Temple.
Months ago, he had already chosen his target soul beast. For his second soul ring, bovine-type beasts were the most suitable— and among them, he had found a perfect match in the bestiary:
The Golden-Armored Bull.
A beast whose entire body was covered in gleaming golden plates, resembling living armor itself. How could he not choose such a magnificent creature?
Inside the grand hall, before the statue of the Angel God, Qian Daoliu—ever the devout believer—sat cross-legged, silently praying.
Sensing Lin Beiya's approach, the old man slowly opened his eyes. After briefly examining the boy's soul power, a faint smile appeared on his face.
"Oh? You've already reached rank twenty? You're ready to hunt for your second soul ring, then?"
"Yes, Grand Worship. I broke through just last night."
Qian Daoliu nodded, but the warmth in his expression soon faded into solemnity.
"Beiya, I know your physique far surpasses that of an ordinary soul master at your level. But attempting a thousand-year soul ring for your second is still far too dangerous. You should think carefully."
"I've already made up my mind, Grand Worship," Lin Beiya answered firmly.
"The seven-hundred-sixty-four-year limit was established through the experience of our predecessors… but who's to say I can't redefine that limit myself?"
His reply came without a moment's hesitation, his tone filled with conviction.
Qian Daoliu was momentarily taken aback, then nodded slowly, a flicker of admiration shining in his eyes.
"Very well. Tomorrow, I'll have someone escort you to the hunting grounds. Go prepare yourself."
"Thank you, Grand Worship."
As Lin Beiya's figure disappeared from the temple, Qian Daoliu's eyes softened with both approval and concern.
This boy… he had already become someone very important to his granddaughter. If anything were to happen to him, it would no doubt wound her deeply.
After pondering for a moment, Qian Daoliu decided against sending an ordinary escort. Instead, he summoned the Seventh Worship—Demon Suppressing Douluo.
"Big brother, what's the matter?"
"That boy, Lin Beiya, is about to obtain his second soul ring. I want you to personally accompany him."
"For a second soul ring? Isn't that a bit excessive?"
Soul masters were plentiful in the Spirit Hall, and sending a Soul Saint-level expert for a second-ring hunt seemed like overkill.
Demon Suppressing Douluo couldn't help but feel that Qian Daoliu was using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
But Qian Daoliu simply shook his head slowly.
"You don't understand, old seventh. That boy intends to attach a thousand-year second soul ring."
"What?! Is he trying to get himself killed?"
"No," Qian Daoliu replied calmly.
"Physically speaking, that child's body already rivals a Soul King. I'm only sending you as a precaution."
"This…"
Demon Suppressing Douluo fell silent.
He had only caught glimpses of Lin Beiya in the past—mostly while secretly protecting Qian Renxue. But hearing that the boy's physique could already compare to a Soul King despite only being a Soul Grandmaster… was truly shocking.
After a long pause, he steadied his emotions and nodded seriously.
"Understood, big brother. Leave it to me. I won't let anything happen to that kid."
Now, he too understood just how terrifying this boy's potential truly was. Given time, Lin Beiya would surely become a pillar by Qian Renxue's side. If helping him now meant ensuring her future, then Demon Suppressing Douluo didn't mind going the extra mile.
"Good. Then I can rest easy," Qian Daoliu said, finally relaxing.
"Oh, and one more thing—when it comes to choosing the soul ring, listen to his judgment. His martial soul is special—it cannot be viewed through common sense."
"Understood."
—
End of Chapter