Five Years of Secluded Cultivation, Beginning to Lay Out Plans

Deep in the Sunset Forest, miasma hung heavy in the air, and ancient, towering trees blotted out the sky, making it difficult for even sunlight to pierce through the layers of overlapping leaves.

Only at the core, the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well formed its own world, isolating itself from the noise and disturbances of the outside.

It is said that in the mountains, time loses its meaning, and one forgets the passing of years; Chen Jieqi had been cultivating in seclusion here, perfecting his "path of caution" to the extreme. It had been a full five years since he last hunted a Light Bird.

Thanks to his focused seclusion and meditative prayers, Chen Jieqi's soul power cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds, and within two years of obtaining his soul ring, he had steadily reached level 30.

This time, Chen Jieqi chose not to venture out to hunt for a soul beast; instead, he entrusted Dugu Bo to bring back a Sacred Radiance Pegasus of nearly 5,000 years for him.

Under the protection of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, Chen Jieqi successfully absorbed the soul ring, and his soul power jumped directly to level 33, at which point he had only just turned eight and a half years old.

"A true, well-deserved number one Soul Elder of the continent;

even that little angel of Martial Soul Hall, Qian Renxue, likely hasn't achieved this."

Chen Jieqi looked at his slowly growing frame and praised himself inwardly.

On the other side, Dugu Yan's cultivation speed was no less impressive.

At sixteen, she had broken through to level 40. For the sake of safety, she was not allowed to choose a ten-thousand-year soul beast, but instead absorbed a White Armored Earth Dragon of nearly 8,000 years, ultimately settling her soul power at level 42.

This talent and achievement made her famous at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, becoming the most dazzling new star in the entire Heaven Dou Empire.

As for Dugu Bo, after condensing his Soul Core and resolving the stubborn ailment of his martial soul's backlash, not only did his appearance become refined and dignified, but his soul power also rose with the tide, completely shedding the title of "weakest Title Douluo."

Coupled with his long-term stationing in Tiantou City, with this Title Douluo providing protection, no one dared to harbor any designs on Dugu Yan.

Half a year ago, the eleven-year-old Chen Jieqi, driven by his unremitting efforts, finally broke through that bottleneck, and his soul power climbed like bamboo splitting, steadily reaching level 40.

Perhaps due to his transmigration and rebirth, Chen Jieqi's innate soul power was different from ordinary people, and his mental strength was already condensed and powerful.

Three years ago, he had also absorbed the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, further increasing his mental foundation.

This confidence led the naturally cautious Chen Jieqi to finally make up his mind to set a Radiant Giant Elephant of nearly 12,000 years as his fourth soul ring.

Although the process of Chen Jieqi absorbing the Radiant Giant Elephant soul ring had some twists and turns, he eventually landed safely, and his soul power soared all the way to over level 42, though it was a pity that the Radiant Giant Elephant did not drop a soul bone.

Another half year passed quietly. Under the nourishment of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, Chen Jieqi's soul power became increasingly vigorous and condensed.

At eleven and a half, his soul power was already incredibly close to level 44, and the Holy Light circulating around his body carried a heavy sense of power, ready to step into the next level at any moment.

Meanwhile, far away at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, the eighteen-and-a-half-year-old Dugu Yan also had a soul power as high as level 46, standing head and shoulders above the rest in the academy.

At this rate, in another two to three years, she would be able to successfully promote to a Soul King.

Lifting his eyes to look toward the outside world, his gaze piercing through the layers of green mist, Chen Jieqi said in a low voice:

"Five years."

One could see a youth of only eleven and a half, with a slender and upright figure. His white training suit was kept spotless by the spiritual energy of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

Standing quietly by the well, he looked like a piece of cold jade isolated from the world, surrounded by an aura of peace.

His long hair was a rare silver-white, as if tempered by the Holy Light for years, blended with the cold white of moonlight and the Cold Spring.

It draped softly over his shoulders, lifting gently with the breeze, making his skin appear even more clear, fair, and translucent.

His face was cold and refined, with clean and sharp lines; the roundness of childhood had faded, replaced by a steadiness and calmness beyond his years.

His features were clear, his brows a pale silver-gray, devoid of any hostility. His eyes were a very pale gold, like cold stars condensed from the Holy Light of the Heart of the Naaru.

The most striking feature was the center of his forehead—

a pale golden, half-inch-sized mark of the Heart of the Naaru was quietly embedded there.

Shaped like a suspended sacred light core, the patterns were simple and solemn. Usually, it was only faintly visible, flowing with an imperceptible Holy Light.

When he moved his mind, his forehead would light up with a soft golden glow, carrying an inviolable, sacred pressure.

His nose was straight, his lips pale; when pressed together, the lines were cold and sharp.

The corners of his mouth often held a smile, carrying a sacred charm that made people unable to help but want to draw near.

His entire demeanor was awe-inspiring, extremely pure, and extremely holy, like a young saint standing at the intersection of ice, fire, and Holy Light.

Silver hair, fair skin, golden eyes, and a sacred mark, hiding ice and fire within, carrying the Holy Light in his heart; without saying a word, a single glance was enough to put people at ease and prevent them from harboring evil thoughts.

This is our protagonist, Chen Jieqi.

Having arrived in the Douluo Continent so many years ago, from a swaddled infant to the present, I finally possess a sliver of self-preservation power.

Gazing toward the direction of Tiantou City, shrouded in clouds and mist in the distance, the pale golden light in the depths of Chen Jieqi's eyes flickered slightly, his inner voice resounding with conviction:

"In the original work, Tang San could ascend to the throne of a god and dominate the world; why shouldn't I, Chen Jieqi, be able to do the same!"

He stood up and flexed his fingers, a cold glint flashing across his eyes.

"He has already pocketed the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, one of the greatest 'cheat codes' for Tang San, and holds the advantage of foresight that no one else possesses.

As long as I first destroy the yet-to-be-awakened Blue Silver Emperor inheritance of Tang San, and then capture that frisky rabbit,

the so-called 'Chosen Son' will be nothing more than a Clear Sky Hammer soul master with slightly better talent.

As for that Blue Silver Grass he has cultivated into a complete mess, it is not to be feared at all."

Although Chen Jieqi currently has no grievances with Tang San, he knows the growth trajectory of Tang San in the original work all too well; if not curbed, he will surely become a major threat in the future.

Moreover, in the cultivation of our generation of soul masters, the strong have always taken all since ancient times, not to mention that the rabbit is a 100,000-year-old beast in human form—there is no reason to let it go.

The key to all of this is Tang Hao, who views that rabbit as his exclusive property and is not only immensely powerful but also notoriously unscrupulous in his methods.

According to the memories of my past life, Tang Hao should be hovering around level 93 or 94 right now, likely not exceeding level 95.

Although he may not be able to exert his full strength due to old injuries, he is capable of 'hacking'—not only can he drag others down with him, but his ability to escape is also top-tier.

Given Dugu Bo's combat style, he might be able to suppress Tang Hao, but wanting to keep a Clear Sky Hammer soul master of this caliber is almost impossible!

Although Dugu Bo's cultivation speed has completely returned to normal after condensing his 'poison sac soul core' over these past few years, and with the subsequent consumption of the 'Eight-Petaled Immortal Orchid', his cultivation speed has been advancing by leaps and bounds.

His current soul power has reached the peak of level 94, and that barrier is as thin as a cicada's wing; he could step into level 95 at any moment and become a true Super Douluo.

However, Dugu Bo's own combat style still leans toward group battles and control; while he can engage in long-term wars of attrition with his 'soul core', he is perfectly capable of facing opponents of the same level, but his only flaw is a lack of explosive power.

This leads to the fact that when facing a 'mad dog' type of soul master like Tang Hao, he might be able to suppress or maneuver around him, but there is absolutely no way to keep the other party there.

Thinking of this, Chen Jieqi's brows furrowed slightly.

A trace of hesitation flashed across his face, but it immediately smoothed out as he muttered in a low voice:

"Since I can't keep him, there is no need to rush.

As for 'Hammer' Tang, let him continue to rot in this 'crippled' state for another two years.

Two years is enough for me to grow to a new height; when the time comes, I can just find someone to cooperate with and join forces to take him out. There will always be a way."

The reason Chen Jieqi chose to come out of seclusion now is precisely to fulfill the previous request of Dugu Yan:

to join the Heaven Dou Royal Academy and prepare for the 'Soul Master Tournament' in a few years.

Standing at the exit of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, the wind gently stirred his long silver-white hair, and Chen Jieqi's heart was calm and waveless.

In his view, winning the championship of the Soul Master Tournament is nothing more than reaching into his pocket to retrieve an item—a sure success.

Becoming famous throughout the world, becoming the focus of everyone's attention, or even being granted land and titles are only one aspect of his needs.

More importantly, there is the scheme hidden deep within him—the Heart of the Naaru grants him the ability to control Holy Light, and the power of Holy Light can be gathered and enhanced through faith.

Chen Jieqi needs to establish and spread faith; only after becoming famous can his actions produce a 'celebrity effect'.

Only in this way can he gather enough power of faith as quickly as possible. The more sufficient and pure the faith, the stronger the Holy Light will be, and it can even evolve!

This is not a matter of a single day or night; it will be a long and arduous project. He needs to settle his heart, lay out his plans step by step, and guide the process.