Qing Hongyuan abruptly turned to look at his son, his eyes full of disbelief.
Shen Wanqing covered her mouth, and her eyes reddened at once.
Liu Yunlan rose directly from her chair, hurried over to her grandson, and reached out to take his pulse.
A moment later, the old woman looked up, her voice trembling slightly. "Really... Level thirty."
Qing Hongyuan took a deep breath and suppressed the shock in his heart.
Three months ago, after Mu Feng absorbed his second Soul Ring, his Soul Power had been at Level twenty-six.
Three months, four levels.
Nearly one level per month.
As his father, it had taken him nearly ten years to go from Level forty to Level fifty.
Six years old, a Level thirty Soul Elder!
Just thinking about it was terrifying!
"Feng'er, you..." Qing Hongyuan opened his mouth, not knowing what to say.
Qing Mufeng looked calmly at his father, his tone indifferent. "It is thanks to the Azure Dragon Method. Cultivating all four meridians at once is several times faster than the Green Snake Method."
Qing Zhengyue stood and walked over to his grandson, sizing him up from head to toe.
The old man's gaze lingered on his grandson for a long while before he reached out and patted him on the shoulder.
The force was neither too heavy nor too light.
"Good." Qing Zhengyue said only one word.
Yet that one word contained far too much.
There was gratification, pride, expectation, and a trace of indescribable emotion.
Liu Yunlan took her grandson's hand and pressed him into a chair. The old woman's eyes were red, but her mouth did not stop moving. "You've gotten thinner, thinner. Have you not been eating properly? Grandma will stew soup for you tonight. Drink two more bowls."
Qing Mufeng smiled and agreed, not refusing his grandmother's kindness.
Shen Wanqing sat across from her son, watching him the entire time. Tears welled in her eyes but never fell.
"Mother, I'm fine." Qing Mufeng looked at his mother and spoke seriously.
Shen Wanqing nodded and blinked hard, forcing the tears back.
"Your father broke through today too." She changed the subject, though her voice still carried a hint of a sob. "Level fifty, a Soul King."
Qing Mufeng looked at his father, surprise flashing in his eyes.
"Congratulations, Father."
Qing Hongyuan waved his hand, though he could not stop a smile from appearing on his face. "Your grandfather is the impressive one. He went from Level sixty-six to Level sixty-nine, rising three levels in three months. Your grandmother is at Level fifty-nine, and your mother is at Level forty-six. The Qing Clan has four reasons to celebrate today."
Qing Mufeng looked around the hall at the smiles blooming on his grandfather's, grandmother's, father's, and mother's faces, and warmth surged through his heart.
He knew that all of this had come from the Azure Dragon Method.
Three months ago, he had passed the Azure Dragon Method on to his grandfather.
His grandfather had then secretly passed it on to his grandmother, father, and mother through spiritual transmission.
It could not be spoken aloud or written down. It could only be passed from person to person through spiritual power.
This was the Qing Clan's new family rule. Only direct descendants could learn it.
For the past three months, all five members of the family had been cultivating the Azure Dragon Method.
Although they could not cultivate it completely.
After all, their Martial Souls were not Azure Dragons, and they lacked the support of the Origin of Wood.
Yet the Azure Dragon Method had evolved from the Green Snake Meditation Method and shared the same roots as their Martial Souls.
Even drawing only a portion of its essence was enough to transform the Green Snake Method completely.
Qing Zhengyue was the best example.
He had been stuck at the Level sixty-six bottleneck for nearly ten years.
He had thought that his path of cultivation had reached its end, that he would have to thank the heavens if he could reach Level seventy in this lifetime.
But the Azure Dragon Method had given him a second chance.
It was not a simple increase in Soul Power, but a restructuring of his cultivation system from the very foundation.
His meridians had become wider, his Soul Power circulated faster, and even the reserves he had accumulated over many years had been stimulated in one stroke.
From Level sixty-six to Level sixty-nine in three months.
It was not a breakthrough, but the culmination of long accumulation.
Liu Yunlan was the same.
The old woman's cultivation had stagnated at Level fifty-five for many years. Now, she had surged to Level fifty-nine in one leap, only a step away from becoming a Soul Emperor.
Qing Hongyuan's breakthrough was even more obvious.
He had been stuck at Level forty-seven for three years. Once he obtained the Azure Dragon Method, the bottleneck crumbled like paper. He broke through three levels in three months and stepped directly onto the threshold of Level fifty Soul King.
Shen Wanqing had gone from Level forty-three to Level forty-six. Though it looked like only three levels, it was already an extremely fast pace for a mother who also had to manage the family business.
"Feng'er."
Qing Zhengyue's voice interrupted his thoughts.
The old man stood before him, his expression solemn.
"You are Level thirty now. It is time to prepare for your third Soul Ring."
Qing Mufeng nodded. "That was what I was thinking too."
"Like your father's, your third Soul Ring should preferably come from a dragon-type soul beast."
Qing Zhengyue said, "A pure-blooded dragon-type soul beast would be best. If we cannot find one, a draconic subspecies will do."
"What age?" Qing Mufeng asked.
Qing Zhengyue pondered for a moment before slowly speaking. "Five thousand years."
Qing Hongyuan frowned. "Father, isn't five thousand years too high? Feng'er is only six. A five-thousand-year third ring..."
"His physique is stronger than you imagine."
Qing Zhengyue cut off his son. "The Azure Dragon Method cultivates all four meridians at once. Over these three months, his body has been constantly tempered. He can withstand five thousand years."
He looked at his grandson. "What do you think?"
Qing Mufeng did not answer immediately. Instead, he closed his eyes and sensed the state of his body.
His meridians were broad, his Soul Power abundant, and the Azure Dragon Martial Soul floated quietly in his dantian while two Soul Rings slowly revolved around it.
Three months of intense cultivation had not only raised his Soul Power but also brought qualitative leaps in both his physique and spiritual power.
He opened his eyes and looked at his grandfather.
"Five thousand years will work."
Qing Zhengyue nodded, satisfaction flashing in his eyes.
"As for your father's Fifth Soul Ring."
The old man looked at Qing Hongyuan. "A twenty-thousand-year pure-blooded dragon-type soul beast, or a draconic subspecies. After we return, I will consult the records and determine the target soul beast's species and location."
Qing Hongyuan nodded. "I will follow Father's arrangements in all things."
The atmosphere in the main hall was relaxed and warm.
Liu Yunlan had the servants bring out pastries and tea. The family of five sat together, chatting about everyday matters for once.
Qing Mufeng sat beside his grandmother, eating the osmanthus cakes she had made herself while listening to his grandfather tell stories of fighting in the border army during his youth.
He had heard those stories many times already, but each time, he noticed something new.
As Qing Zhengyue spoke, he suddenly stopped and looked at his grandson.
"Feng'er."
"Hm?"
"You went from Level twenty-six to Level thirty in three months. At this pace, you would rank among the best across the entire continent."
The old man's voice was calm. "But you must remember that cultivation is not always better the faster it goes."
Qing Mufeng set down the osmanthus cake in his hand and looked seriously at his grandfather.
"Your foundation is more important than speed."
Qing Zhengyue said, "Your foundation is excellent. Innate Level twenty, two high-age Soul Rings, and cultivation of all four meridians through the Azure Dragon Method. These are your advantages, but they are also risks."
"Risks?"
"Improving too quickly can easily leave your foundation unstable." Qing Zhengyue looked at him. "You must constantly pay attention to your condition and not blindly pursue speed. Steady progress is the only path that lasts."
Qing Mufeng nodded thoughtfully.
"After your third Soul Ring, your cultivation speed may slow down." Qing Zhengyue continued, "Do not rush. Slow is fast."
"I'll remember that, Grandfather."
Qing Zhengyue looked at his grandson's earnest eyes and nodded.
That afternoon, Qing Mufeng left the main hall and returned to his room.
He sat by the bed, recalling what his grandfather had just said.
Steady progress.
Slow is fast.
He had heard those two phrases countless times in his previous life.
But only after truly cultivating did he understand their weight.
He closed his eyes and began circulating the Azure Dragon Method.
Soul Power flowed through his meridians, steady and powerful.
Level thirty, Soul Elder.
This was only the beginning.
Before you continue