Six-Year-Old Soul Elder

He led Lin Yi deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest.

"Thirty levels of Innate Soul Power—unprecedented throughout history. Your first Soul Ring was three hundred years old, which laid a solid foundation. Your second should be around five hundred years old. Anything less would be unworthy of your talent." Chen Xin spoke calmly, but his decision brooked no argument. He intended to give his newly accepted disciple the strongest possible foundation.

The two continued through the dense primeval forest. This time, finding a suitable target took longer. It had to match the Snow Lotus Martial Soul's attributes, and its age had to be carefully controlled at around five hundred years. That was no easy task.

Several days later, beside a Cold Pool, they encountered a Soul Beast guarding a strange crystalline plant at the pool's center: a five-hundred-year-old Mystic Ice Turtle.

This turtle-type Soul Beast had exceptionally strong defenses, its shell encased in thick ice. Though its movements were somewhat sluggish, the icy breath it spat from its mouth could freeze a Soul Elder in an instant.

"This beast's ice attribute complements your Snow Lotus Martial Soul. Its defensive traits may give rise to a good protective Soul Skill." Chen Xin kept his words brief. The next moment, the Seven Kill Sword Intent surged skyward.

The battle was all but decided from the start. Before Sword Douluo's razor-sharp sword energy, which could tear through space, the Mystic Ice Turtle's vaunted defenses were no more substantial than paper. Chen Xin pierced through its shell with precision and shattered its spirit. A deep, icy-blue Soul Ring appeared above its corpse.

With his first experience behind him, Lin Yi absorbed the Soul Ring much more smoothly this time. The five-hundred-year Soul Power surging into him barely stirred the depths of his thirty levels of Innate Soul Power.

The Soul Ring settled into place, its light fading.

Lin Yi opened his eyes, a hint of delight flashing across them. The Snow Lotus Martial Soul's second Soul Skill was called "Ice Lotus Protection"! It condensed Soul Power into a blooming shield of crystalline ice. Not only could it effectively block physical and energy attacks, but it could also convert some of the impact into a gentle healing light as it absorbed attacks, sending that energy back to the person it protected.

Attack and defense in one, with healing hidden in protection! This second Soul Skill was far more valuable than ordinary ones.

When Chen Xin sensed the effect of Lin Yi's newly acquired Soul Skill, even his normally placid face showed a trace of satisfaction. The potential of this disciple's Martial Soul was truly astonishing.

"Excellent. Your second Soul Ring is over five hundred years old, and your body's capacity to endure it far exceeds that of your peers. But we must be extremely cautious with the third." Chen Xin looked at Lin Yi, his tone serious. "By conventional standards, a Soul Elder's third ring reaches its limit at around a thousand years. But your constitution is special, and your foundation is solid. You may be able to absorb one that's older. Still, too old would be dangerous, while too young would waste your talent. Around fifteen hundred years should be ideal."

And so began a two-month search.

This time, their goal was extremely specific, yet even harder to find: a Soul Beast around fifteen hundred years old with attributes related to ice or healing.

Sword Douluo took Lin Yi across nearly every gathering place of ice-attribute Soul Beasts in the outer and mixed regions of the Star Dou Great Forest.

They encountered suitable beasts along the way, but their ages were never quite right.

Once, they came across a thousand-year-old Frost Wolf. Its Soul Skill might have been decent, but Chen Xin sensed it briefly before shaking his head and rejecting it. "It's too young. It won't benefit you much. Choosing it would waste the foundation you've built."

Another time, they sensed from afar an Extreme Cold Demon Spider nearing nineteen hundred years old. The murderous, frigid aura it gave off nearly froze the air around it solid.

Chen Xin furrowed his brows and studied Lin Yi's condition for a long while. In the end, he quietly led him away. "This beast is already nearing the level of a Soul Ring fit for a Soul Ancestor. Its Soul Shock and energy surges are far too violent. You may have a foundation of thirty levels, but your mental strength and meridians still need time to be tempered. Forcing the absorption would be too risky. It isn't suitable..."

Day after day passed. Just as Lin Yi was beginning to feel anxious himself, a turning point finally came.

Outside an underground cavern beneath an ancient forest frozen for ten thousand years, they found their target: a sleeping Ice Plains Bear. The giant bear stood over four meters tall, its fur as translucent as ice crystals. Its snores rumbled like thunder, and every breath stirred up thick clouds of icy mist. The energy fluctuations it gave off were just about fifteen hundred years old—steady and weighty, filled with the purest ice-attribute power and formidable vitality.

"This is the one." Chen Xin's eyes flashed. "The Ice Plains Bear has tremendous strength and defense, as well as tenacious vitality. Its Soul Ring could grant you an even stronger protective ability or an area-wide support effect. Its age is right, too."

Chen Xin dispatched the fifteen-hundred-year-old Ice Plains Bear with his usual clean efficiency. The Seven Kill Sword Intent locked onto it, and one dazzling strike pierced straight through its body, leaving the finishing blow to Lin Yi.

A deep-purple Soul Ring, radiating immense energy and a bone-piercing chill, slowly rose from the Ice Plains Bear's massive body.

"Clear your mind, guide your Soul Power, and guard your spiritual core," Chen Xin reminded him gravely, standing by to protect him.

Lin Yi took a deep breath and sat cross-legged. He extended his mental power toward the deep-purple Soul Ring.

He knew this would be the most crucial—and most challenging—absorption among his first three Soul Rings.

The fifteen-hundred-year Soul Power poured into his body like a river bursting its banks. The extreme cold seemed poised to freeze his blood and Soul Power solid. At the same time, the Ice Plains Bear's ferocious will battered his mind. Its roars and fury threatened to tear his consciousness apart.

Yet Lin Yi's foundation was simply too strong. His thirty levels of Innate Soul Power formed a sturdy dam, holding firm against the torrent. The Snow Lotus Martial Soul spontaneously released a cool, gentle aura that soothed the swelling pain in his meridians. And his mental strength, far beyond that of anyone his age, let him retain a sliver of clarity amid the Soul Shock.

No one knew how long it took. When the last surge of unruly Soul Power had been tamed and the final trace of its violent will ground away, the deep-purple Soul Ring fully merged with him.

His third Soul Skill awakened—Extreme Cold Domain!

It released an area of extreme cold centered on him. Within the field, allies received continuous minor healing and increased resistance to ice, while enemies were eroded by the chill, their speed reduced and the circulation of their Soul Power impeded.

A powerful area-support Soul Skill that combined healing, enhancement, and weakening!

Lin Yi opened his eyes. A flash of purple flickered in them and vanished, while the aura around him grew several times stronger. With all three Soul Rings gathered around his Snow Lotus Martial Soul, he had officially become a Soul Elder—and with the optimal Soul Ring Configuration at that!

Chen Xin looked at his disciple, who had successfully absorbed the Soul Ring and stabilized his aura. His eyes filled with even greater approval. He gave a slight nod. "Three Soul Rings, three exceptional support skills. Your Snow Lotus Martial Soul has established its foundation. It's time to return to the sect and begin the next stage of your training."