Homecoming

On the way home, the warm sun filtered through layer upon layer of leaves, scattering fragmented patches of light across the road where the father and son walked, like a flowing golden painting.

Liu Qing wore a solemn expression as his hands carefully opened the box containing the whale rubber. He held it in his palm, his gaze fixed tightly on the whale rubber inside as he examined it closely.

The whale rubber was an elegant pale yellow, its surface as smooth as a mirror and gleaming with a warm, gentle luster. When brought close for a sniff, its faint fishy odor seemed to come and go, as though telling of its mysterious origins in the deep sea.

"Xiao Feng, hold onto this. This is an extremely rare treasure." Liu Qing handed the whale rubber to Liu Feng, his eyes full of expectation.

Liu Feng accepted the whale rubber with both hands. It felt soft to the touch, and he could clearly sense a warm, mysterious power slowly flowing within it.

Thinking back to the shopkeeper's introduction of the whale rubber at the pharmacy, his thoughts drifted away on their own.

Among the noble class of Douluo Continent, whale rubber had been praised to the heavens for its special effects in the bedroom. Countless nobles fought to obtain it, driving the price of high-grade whale rubber steadily higher to an astonishing degree.

But Liu Feng knew clearly that, for low-level Soul Masters, whale rubber was an even more precious treasure for improving physical quality.

Liu Feng frowned slightly, his gaze locked on the whale rubber in his hand as he pondered in silence.

He knew that when absorbing Soul Rings below ten thousand years, physical quality played a decisive role.

From that perspective, whale rubber could help Soul Masters increase the age limit of the Soul Rings they absorbed, providing powerful support for the growth of low-level Soul Masters.

It was just that this century-old piece of whale rubber offered limited improvement, while higher-grade whale rubber was far beyond what an ordinary family like theirs could afford.

"Dad, what exactly does this whale rubber do?" Liu Feng looked up and asked. He truly could not imagine how his father intended to use it.

The corner of Liu Qing's mouth lifted slightly, revealing a gentle smile as he patiently explained, "Whale rubber forms in the brains of whale-type Soul Beasts from the deep sea. Hunting Soul Beasts at sea is difficult to begin with, which is why it is so precious. Its main effect is to stimulate bloodline power. I plan to use it to prepare medicine. During your future training, it can make your bloodline power more vigorous, speeding up your cultivation and, as much as possible, preventing you from being unable to intensify your training because you are still young and lack sufficient bloodline power."

Liu Feng clenched the whale rubber tightly, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He was moved by his father's devotion to him, yet he also felt the weight of responsibility.

He secretly clenched his fist, determination shining in his eyes. At the bottom of his heart, he swore that he would cultivate even harder and never disappoint his father's expectations.

When the father and son finally arrived at Liu Family Village, Grandpa Liu Bai had already been waiting eagerly beneath the old locust tree at the village entrance.

The moment he spotted them in the distance, a delighted smile bloomed across Liu Bai's face. That smile was like the warm sun of spring, warm and kind.

He quickly came forward, his voice trembling slightly as he said, "You're finally back! My heart has been hanging in suspense. I've been hoping you would return safely."

Liu Feng smiled broadly and said respectfully, "Grandpa, we're back! Everything went smoothly this time. I successfully obtained my Soul Ring, and I'm already a One-Ring Soul Master!"

As he spoke, pride gleamed in his eyes, as though he were announcing his growth and transformation to the entire world.

Liu Bai was overjoyed. He nodded repeatedly and said happily, "Good, wonderful! You truly are Grandpa's good grandson! Come on, let's go home. Grandpa will make you a feast for lunch!"

As he spoke, he took Liu Feng's hand in one hand and Liu Qing's in the other, walking toward home with happiness and satisfaction written all over his back.

The moment they returned home, Liu Bai headed straight for the kitchen, his heart full of joy.

He wanted to prepare a lavish feast for his returning grandson and son to celebrate Liu Feng's successful acquisition of a Soul Ring.

Liu Bai opened the storage room in the corner of the kitchen and took out the Soul Beast meat he had prepared long ago.

The Ironclad Boar meat was rosy in color, with clear grain and a unique, enticing meat aroma that seemed to call for people to taste it.

The Armor Snake meat was white as jade and tender in texture, as though it contained endless delicious flavor.

The Blue-Eyed Rabbit meat had a faint pink hue. Its flesh was delicate, and merely looking at it made one drool.

Liu Bai skillfully cut the Ironclad Boar meat into evenly sized chunks, placed them in a large basin, added clean water, and washed them meticulously. Every piece was cleaned until spotless, without a trace of impurity.

After washing it, he removed the meat and let the water drain away.

Next, he poured an appropriate amount of oil into the pot. Once it heated up, he added scallions, ginger, and garlic to stir-fry until fragrant.

In an instant, a rich aroma filled the kitchen, immediately stirring everyone's appetite.

Liu Bai added the chunks of Ironclad Boar meat to the pot and stir-fried them quickly. The meat rolled continuously in the pot, gradually turning golden and crisp.

Afterward, he added precious herbs and freshly picked forest ginseng, then poured in an appropriate amount of soy sauce, cooking wine, and sugar before continuing to stir-fry everything evenly.

Finally, he added an appropriate amount of clean water, covered the pot, and let it simmer over low heat.

As time passed, the aroma of braised Ironclad Boar grew increasingly rich, drilling straight into everyone's nasal cavities and making them unable to resist swallowing.

After dealing with the Ironclad Boar, Liu Bai began preparing the Armor Snake.

Just like that, after about an hour, the clear-stewed Armor Snake broth turned milky white, fragrant enough to fill the nose. The snake meat became tender and smooth, melting in the mouth as though it were dancing on the tongue tip.

Finally, there was spicy stir-fried Blue-Eyed Rabbit, its fragrant heat constantly teasing everyone's noses.

During the cooking process, Liu Bai occasionally tasted the dishes and adjusted the seasonings as needed. Every movement was filled with care for his family.

After a round of busy work, the three dishes were finally complete.

Liu Bai brought them one by one to the stone table in the courtyard. Every dish was excellent in color, aroma, and taste, making people's appetites surge at a glance.

Then he brought over the porridge that had been simmering on the stove for quite some time, preparing for the family to share this warm moment.

Separate Threads.

After returning home, Liu Qing set down the bundle in his hand, entered the room, and pulled out a large wine jar that had been sealed away beneath the bed for many years.

He had deliberately prepared this wine jar years ago, always hoping for a chance to brew a jar of precious medicinal wine to support Liu Feng's cultivation.

He gently blew the dust off the mouth of the jar and carried it beneath the jujube tree in the courtyard.

Then he opened the bundle containing tiger bone and deer bone.

The tiger bone was an ancient-looking beige, hard in texture, as though it still retained the majestic aura of the Tiger in life, inspiring awe. The deer bone was comparatively slender, lighter in color, and carried a gentle aura.

Liu Qing carefully placed the tiger bone and deer bone into the wine jar in order. Each piece of bone made a crisp sound as it fell into the jar, as though playing a mysterious melody.

Next, Liu Qing selected angelica, astragalus, as well as poria, jujube seed, and other ingredients with calming effects from the medicinal materials he had bought.

He washed each of those medicinal materials clean and placed them in a bamboo basket to drain.

Sunlight fell upon the medicinal materials, and they seemed to be granted life as they gave off a unique radiance. Every leaf and every root appeared to be telling of their magical effects.

When Liu Bai saw Liu Qing preparing to steep medicinal wine, he came over to help as well.

He took a stone mortar from inside the house, removed the Jade Marrow Ganoderma from its box, and gently placed it into the mortar.

He picked up the pestle and began carefully grinding the Jade Marrow Ganoderma.

As the pestle continued grinding, the Jade Marrow Ganoderma gradually became a fine powder, giving off a Faint Fragrance. The scent seemed to soothe the heart and refresh the mind.

Liu Qing placed the drained medicinal materials into the wine jar and added an appropriate amount of white wine.

The moment the white wine poured into the jar, a strong aroma of alcohol rushed into the air, blending with the fragrance of the medicinal materials to form a unique and enchanting scent, as though a mysterious aura were spreading through the air.

"Dad, give me the Jade Marrow Ganoderma powder." Liu Qing spoke to Liu Bai. Liu Bai handed over the ground Jade Marrow Ganoderma powder, and Liu Qing carefully sprinkled it into the wine jar.

The moment the Jade Marrow Ganoderma powder touched the wine, it quickly blended into it. The color of the wine also seemed to become richer and deeper, as though it contained endless energy.

Liu Qing picked up a wooden stick and gently stirred the medicinal wine in the jar, allowing the medicinal materials, bones, and Jade Marrow Ganoderma powder to blend thoroughly.

As he stirred, the wine continuously rolled, and the aroma it released grew even richer, as though foretelling that this jar of medicinal wine would possess Magical Effects and safeguard Liu Feng's Cultivation Path.

The family sat around the table. Liu Bai served Liu Qing and Liu Feng each a bowl of soup and said with a smile, "Hurry and taste it. Grandpa specially prepared all of this for you. This forest ginseng was freshly picked by our family. Stewed together with Soul Beast meat, all the nutrients have gone into the soup. Drink more. It will benefit your cultivation."

During the meal, Liu Feng eagerly began telling his grandpa about his experience obtaining the Soul Ring, starting with the hardship of searching for the Earth Net Spirit Root Soul Beast and weaving through the depths of the forest, brushing past all kinds of unknown dangers.

Then came the danger of outwitting and fighting the Soul Beast. Every moment had been heart-stirring, making it feel as though one were right there.

Then there was the joy of successfully absorbing the Soul Ring. The sense of achievement and satisfaction rising from the bottom of his heart filled his face with a happy smile.

He gestured animatedly, excitement sparkling in his eyes. Every movement and expression was full of life.

Liu Bai listened with great interest, occasionally frowning nervously as though he himself were standing in that dangerous scene.

At other times, he smiled in relief, proud of Liu Feng's courage and persistence.

He could not stop sighing. "It truly wasn't easy, Xiao Feng. You've suffered a lot along the way. But this also proves that you have the perseverance and courage to become a powerful Soul Master."

After eating and drinking their fill, Liu Feng set down his bowl and chopsticks, wiped his mouth, Cleared His Throat, and said, "Grandpa, I still haven't told you about my First Soul Skill."

Liu Feng stood up and walked to the middle of the courtyard. His hands moved as he imitated the casting of his Soul Skill, as though he wanted to display that magical skill before everyone.

"My First Soul Skill has no offensive power," Liu Feng paused before continuing, "but it can form a large Root Network beneath the ground. As long as someone stands on this Root Network, they can recover Soul Power and physical strength."

He closed his eyes, as though constructing that magical Root Network in his mind. Every root was clearly visible, and he could vividly sense every flow of energy.

"Imagine that after an intense battle, everyone is exhausted, with almost no Soul Power left."

"At that moment, my Root Network spreads out. Everyone can stand on it, quickly recover their physical strength and Soul Power, and prepare for the next battle."

His voice was infectious, making everyone seem to see the tense battlefield and the hope brought by the Root Network.

"Although its current Recovery Ability cannot compare to that of a dedicated Healing System Soul Master," Liu Feng frowned slightly before breaking into a smile again, "first, this is only my first Soul Skill, so there will definitely be room for improvement in the future."

"Second, it can provide large-scale healing, and this Root Network can remain for a long time. It draws energy from underground to maintain itself, which will also greatly help speed up my own cultivation."

He squatted down, his fingers lightly tracing over the ground as though drawing the shape of the Root Network. Every line was filled with longing for the future.

"While cultivating, I can let the Root Network continuously absorb underground energy and convert it into my Soul Power. That way, my cultivation speed can increase greatly."

After hearing this, a flash of surprise appeared in Liu Bai's eyes. He nodded repeatedly in praise. "Xiao Feng, this Soul Skill is incredibly practical! Whether in battle or cultivation, it will be of great use! You must make good use of it and cultivate diligently!"

As he spoke, he gently patted Liu Feng's shoulder, his eyes full of expectation, as though he could already see Liu Feng becoming a powerful Soul Master in the future.

Liu Qing added from the side, "That's right, Xiao Feng. Your Soul Skill will be tremendously helpful in team battles. If you have the chance to take part in team missions in the future, you must make the most of it."

"Also, you must constantly explore more possibilities for your Soul Skill and uncover its potential. For example, you can try controlling the range and shape of the Root Network so it can adapt more flexibly to different situations."

Liu Feng nodded vigorously and said firmly, "Don't worry, Grandpa, Father. I will definitely cultivate diligently and never disappoint your expectations!"

The family continued chatting in the courtyard, enjoying this rare time of reunion.

Sunlight fell over them, warm and comforting, putting everyone in an especially relaxed mood.

They chatted as they enjoyed the tranquil afternoon. Every word and every smile was filled with warmth and happiness.

Liu Feng felt a warm strength flowing through his heart.

After the meal, Liu Feng returned to his room and carefully placed his Soul Master Badge beside his bed. Looking at the badge, his heart was filled with anticipation for the future.

He knew that becoming a One-Ring Soul Master was only the beginning. A long Cultivation Path still awaited him.

Liu Feng sat by the bed, recalling everything he had experienced along the way, his heart full of emotion.

From the initial Martial Soul Awakening, when that flash of light seemed to illuminate his entire world.

To successfully obtaining his Soul Ring now, every step had been filled with hardship and challenges. Countless days and nights of effort and persistence had brought him the growth he possessed today.

He planned to rise early every day for Soul Power meditation, sensing the flow of Soul Power between heaven and earth in the quiet early morning and strengthening his Control of Spirit Power.

During the day, he would follow his father and learn more about Soul Beasts and herbs, understanding the habits of every Soul Beast and the effects of every herb to broaden his knowledge.

At night, he would practice using his Soul Skills, constantly experimenting beneath the moonlight, exploring more mysteries of his Soul Skills, and steadily increasing his strength.

Thinking this, he took a deep breath, slowly closed his eyes, and began another round of meditation cultivation.