Twelve-Year-Old Soul King

After obtaining his fourth Soul Ring and advancing to Soul Ancestor, Lin Yi's life gradually shifted in a subtle way.

Sword Douluo Chen Xin believed that shutting oneself away to study would never lead to greatness; a true Soul Master needed to grow through the trials of blood and fire.

Thus, over the next two years, Lin Yi began a systematic course of practical training.

In the first year, he mainly accompanied the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's expeditions.

These groups were usually led by sect stewards, and most of their members were young disciples at levels twenty or thirty. Their missions were to hunt suitable low-level Soul Beasts, gather medicinal herbs, or handle affairs on the sect's outskirts.

Within these groups, Lin Yi played the role of a purely support-type Soul Master.

He concealed the innate chill and sharpness brought by his Ice Dragon Martial Soul, revealing only his Snow Lotus Martial Soul. When the group encountered ten-year or hundred-year Soul Beasts, he didn't join the attack directly. Instead, he moved along the edge of the battlefield, precisely releasing Healing Light to restore injured companions or raising Ice Lotus Protection to shield teammates facing lethal attacks.

At first, the other disciples in the group didn't pay him much attention. He was young, after all, and a support-type Soul Master.

But after they survived several dangerous situations thanks to Lin Yi's reaction speed—which far surpassed that of ordinary support-type Soul Masters—and his precise timing, their eyes toward him changed completely.

His area-wide Extreme Cold Domain could slow down a pack of Soul Beasts at a critical moment, giving the group a chance to catch their breath.

He had even used Breath of Ice Sealing to paralyze an agile Soul Beast the instant it touched his clothes as it tried to ambush him, allowing his teammates to finish it off with ease.

That year, Lin Yi not only mastered the four Soul Skills of his Snow Lotus Martial Soul, but also gained a deeper understanding of teamwork and how to protect himself and support others amid the chaos of battle.

His Soul Power steadily increased through repeated exertion and recovery in real combat, rising from level forty-one to level forty-four.

In the second year, Sword Douluo changed the training regimen. He began taking Lin Yi to the Soul Fighting Arenas in various major cities.

Here, Lin Yi no longer faced Soul Beasts with dull wits, but Soul Masters of all kinds, each with varied and unpredictable tactics.

At first, Sword Douluo paired him with a sect disciple who specialized in assault or agility, and had them compete in two-on-two Soul Fighting.

On the cramped arena stage, under the gaze of countless spectators, Lin Yi's support abilities faced a true test.

He had to anticipate his opponents' targets and attack paths, decide in the blink of an eye whether to heal or raise a shield, whether to use Extreme Cold Domain to restrict his opponents or rely on Breath of Ice Sealing for passive defense—or even to catch them off guard.

His coordination with his teammates grew from clumsy to seamless. The powerful support abilities of his Snow Lotus Martial Soul became renowned after one victory after another, but also attracted more and more counterstrategies.

This forced Lin Yi to keep adjusting his tempo and the order in which he released his Soul Skills, and his battle intelligence grew by leaps and bounds.

After that, Sword Douluo had him join a seven-person team made up of peripheral sect Soul Masters, where they took part in more complex and unpredictable team Soul Fighting.

In the seven-on-seven melees, Lin Yi truly understood the importance of seeing the big picture. He no longer focused only on his own teammates; he also had to keep an eye on the opposing support and control-type Soul Masters, judging how the entire battle was unfolding.

His Pure Lotus Protection and Extreme Cold Domain were brought to their fullest potential in team battles, turning the tide at critical moments time and again.

Two years in the Soul Fighting Arenas stripped away the last trace of childishness from Lin Yi, leaving his gaze calm and sharp. His combat experience, ability to adapt on the spot, and fine control over his Soul Power all reached heights beyond the reach of his peers.

His Soul Power Level also climbed from forty-four to forty-seven through this intense tempering.

After leaving the Soul Fighting Arena, he returned to the sect for a period of quiet cultivation and consolidation. Another year and a half passed. When Lin Yi was eleven, the surging Soul Power within him finally broke through the bottleneck once more, reaching level fifty!

An eleven-year-old Soul King! Even Ning Fengzhi and the two Douluo, who had long since grown numb to such news, were once again swept by a storm of shock. This had already gone beyond what they understood as "genius."

Obtaining a fifth Soul Ring was imperative. Sword Douluo Chen Xin's expression was grave; this time, he intended to challenge an even greater limit.

Taking into account the strain Lin Yi's first four Soul Rings had placed on him, as well as his current physical strength and mental power, Chen Xin set his sights on a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring—not one that had only just crossed the ten-thousand-year mark, but one that was eleven thousand years old!

The two entered the core region of the Far North once more. The climate there was even colder, and the Soul Beasts that roamed it were increasingly powerful and terrifying.

The search was fraught with danger. They even encountered terrifying beings with cultivation levels of tens of thousands of years, and only narrowly avoided them thanks to Chen Xin's formidable strength.

At last, atop a towering iceberg, they found their target: a giant ape over ten meters tall, covered in thick, sapphire-blue ice armor. Its muscles bulged, and it radiated a primeval aura. A Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, the Titan Ice Ape! Its cultivation was precisely over eleven thousand years!

This Titan Ice Ape possessed terrifying strength and defenses. With every gesture, it shattered ice cliffs, and its roars shook the heavens. Even Sword Douluo didn't dare let down his guard for a moment.

The Seven Kill Sword's true form appeared, and it seemed as if only that enormous sword, capable of cleaving through all things, remained between heaven and earth.

A tremendous battle between a Titled Douluo and a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast erupted atop the iceberg.

Sword energy swept in every direction, ice shards flew, and the thunderous din echoed across the wilderness. In the end, Chen Xin relied on his peerless cultivation and offensive power to find a weak point in the Titan Ice Ape's defenses. He struck with his sword, Lin Yi delivered the finishing blow, and together they brought down the overlord-level Soul Beast.

A black Soul Ring, deep as the night sky yet radiating a heart-pounding surge of energy, slowly rose. Faint red patterns appeared upon it, proclaiming a quality beyond that of ordinary Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings.

"An eleven-thousand-year Titan Ice Ape. The energy and Soul Shock contained in its Soul Ring far surpass those of any Soul Ring you've absorbed before." Chen Xin looked at Lin Yi, his tone graver than ever. "Guard your mind and guide your Soul Power. I'll protect you, but you'll have to rely mainly on yourself!"

Lin Yi nodded firmly, sat cross-legged, and extended his mental and Soul Power toward the black Soul Ring.

Boom—!

Energy erupted into his body like a volcano, ten times more violent than when he absorbed his fourth Soul Ring! Worse still, a furious, savage, freezing soul force crashed against his sea of consciousness like a heavy hammer. It was the Titan Ice Ape's lingering, undying will to fight!

A thick layer of ice instantly formed over Lin Yi's body. His meridians seared with tearing pain, and his consciousness nearly crumbled beneath the onslaught of that violent will.

He clenched his teeth and frantically circulated his Soul Power. The cool aura of the Snow Lotus Martial Soul and the extreme chill of the Ice Dragon Martial Soul both rose on their own to protect him—one mending, the other suppressing.

His mental power was intensely focused, resisting the soul's assault like an unyielding boulder.

This was the ultimate test of will and strength. Time seemed to stretch unbearably long.

Under Chen Xin's anxious gaze, Lin Yi's body shuddered violently several times, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Yet he ultimately steadied himself, taming and absorbing the violent energy bit by bit.

No one knew how long it took. When the last trace of savagery had been cleansed, the deep black Soul Ring settled perfectly around the Snow Lotus Martial Soul, pulsing slowly alongside the other four.

Lin Yi opened his eyes, a brilliant light flashing in them. The powerful aura of a level-fifty Soul King poured out without restraint, denser and more solid than that of an ordinary newly advanced Soul King.

Fifth Soul Skill—Pure Lotus Bloom!

Its effect was to instantly unleash the source power of the Snow Lotus Martial Soul, forming a vast purification domain centered on the user.

Within the domain, all allies received a powerful group heal, recovering around seventy percent of their injuries and dispelling most negative effects. It could also instantly restore seventy percent of their expended Soul Power!

This was a strategic Soul Skill capable of changing the course of battle! Group healing combined with group Soul Power restoration made it a divine skill in prolonged battles or desperate situations!

When Chen Xin sensed the effect of this Soul Skill, even he couldn't help but be moved. Perhaps this child's future achievements would truly surpass those of everyone he had ever seen.

"Good." Chen Xin suppressed the surging emotions in his heart and said calmly, "A level-fifty Soul King with a Soul Skill like this—among the younger generation on the continent, there's no one who can surpass you. Let's return. You'll need time to fully digest this improvement."