The Fifth Soul Ring and the Choice of the Third Soul Ring

Qing Hongyuan whipped his head around to look at his son, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Shen Wanqing covered her mouth, her eyes instantly turning red.

Liu Yunlan stood up from her chair, walked quickly to her grandson, and reached out to check his pulse.

A moment later, the old lady looked up, her voice trembling, "It's true... he's reached level thirty."

Qing Hongyuan took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart.

Three months ago, after absorbing his second soul ring, Qing Mufeng's soul power had been at level twenty-six.

Three months, four levels.

Almost 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 at his father calmly, his tone indifferent, "It is the credit of the Azure Dragon Method. Cultivating all four meridians simultaneously makes the cultivation speed several times faster than the Green Snake Meditation Method."

Qing Zhengyue stood up, walked over to his grandson, and looked him up and down.

The old man's gaze lingered on his grandson for a long time before he reached out and patted him on the shoulder.

The force was neither too light nor too heavy.

"Good." Qing Zhengyue said only one word.

But that word contained so much.

There was gratification, pride, expectation, and a trace of indescribable emotion.

Liu Yunlan took her grandson's hand and pressed him down into a chair. The old lady's eyes were red, but she kept talking, "You've lost weight, you've lost weight. Haven't you been eating properly? Grandma will stew some soup for you tonight; you must drink two extra bowls."

Qing Mufeng smiled and agreed, not refusing his grandmother's kindness.

Shen Wanqing sat opposite her son, watching him the entire time, tears swirling in her eyes but never falling.

"Mother, I am doing very well," Qing Mufeng said to her earnestly.

Shen Wanqing nodded, blinking hard to force the tears back.

"Your father also broke through today," she said, changing the subject, her voice still carrying a hint of a sob. "Level fifty, a Soul King."

Qing Mufeng looked at his father, a flash of pleasant surprise in his eyes.

"Congratulations, Father."

Qing Hongyuan waved his hand, though he couldn't help but smile, "Your grandfather is the truly impressive one; he rose three levels in three months, from sixty-six to sixty-nine. Your grandmother is at fifty-nine, and your mother is at forty-six. Today, our Qing Clan has four reasons to celebrate."

Qing Mufeng looked around the hall, watching the smiles blooming on the faces of his grandparents and parents, and a warm current surged through his heart.

He knew that all of this stemmed from the Azure Dragon Method.

Three months ago, he had passed the Azure Dragon Method to his grandfather.

His grandfather had then used the method of mental transmission to secretly teach it to his grandmother, father, and mother.

It could not be spoken or written down; it could only be passed on orally through mental energy.

This was the new house rule of the Qing Clan, which only direct blood descendants could learn.

For the past three months, all five members of the family had been practicing the Azure Dragon Method.

Although they could not cultivate it completely.

After all, their martial souls were not the Azure Dragon, and they lacked the blessing of the Origin of Wood.

But the Azure Dragon Method was derived from the Green Snake Meditation Method, sharing the same roots and origins as their martial souls.

Even if they only absorbed a portion of its essence, it was enough to completely transform the Green Snake Meditation Method.

Qing Zhengyue was the best example.

The bottleneck at level sixty-six had held him back for nearly ten years.

He had thought his path of cultivation had reached its end, and that if he could reach level seventy in this lifetime, it would be a blessing from the heavens.

But the Azure Dragon Method had given him a second chance.

It wasn't just a simple increase in soul power, but a fundamental reshaping of his cultivation system.

His meridians were wider, his soul power circulated faster, and even his long-accumulated foundation was triggered in one fell swoop.

Sixty-six to sixty-nine, in three months.

It wasn't just a breakthrough; it was the result of long-term accumulation finally bursting forth.

Liu Yunlan was the same.

The old lady's cultivation had been stagnant at level fifty-five for many years, but now she had surged to level fifty-nine, just one step away from becoming a Soul Emperor.

Qing Hongyuan's breakthrough was even more pronounced.

He had been stuck at level forty-seven for three years, but once he obtained the Azure Dragon Method, the bottleneck crumbled like paper; in three months, he broke through three consecutive levels, stepping directly onto the threshold of a level fifty Soul King.

Shen Wanqing had gone from level forty-three to forty-six; while it seemed like only a three-level increase, for a mother who still had to manage the family business, it was already an incredibly fast pace.

"Feng'er."

Qing Zhengyue's voice interrupted his thoughts.

The old man stood before him, his gaze stern.

"You have reached level thirty; it is time to prepare your third Soul Ring."

Qing Mufeng nodded. "That is what I was thinking as well."

"For your third Soul Ring, just like your father, it is best to choose a dragon-type soul beast."

Qing Zhengyue said, "A pure-blooded dragon is best, but if one cannot be found, a sub-dragon species will suffice."

"What about the age?" Qing Mufeng asked.

Qing Zhengyue pondered for a moment before speaking slowly: "Five thousand years."

Qing Hongyuan frowned. "Father, isn't five thousand years too high? Feng'er is only six years old; a five-thousand-year third ring..."

"His physique is stronger than you imagine."

Qing Zhengyue interrupted his son. "He is cultivating all four meridians of the Azure Dragon Method. Over these past three months, his body has been constantly tempered. Five thousand years—he can withstand it."

He looked at his grandson. "What do you think yourself?"

Qing Mufeng did not answer immediately, instead closing his eyes to sense the state of his body.

His meridians were wide and his soul power was abundant. The Azure Dragon Martial Soul floated silently in his dantian, with two Soul Rings rotating slowly around it.

Three months of high-intensity cultivation had not only increased his soul power but had also brought about a qualitative leap in his physique and mental strength.

He opened his eyes and looked at his grandfather.

"Five thousand years, that is acceptable."

Qing Zhengyue nodded, a flash of satisfaction appearing 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 or a sub-dragon species. Once we return, I will look through the records to determine the species and location of the target soul beast."

Qing Hongyuan nodded. "I will follow your arrangements, Father."

The atmosphere in the main hall was relaxed and warm.

Liu Yunlan busied herself having the servants bring out snacks and tea. The family of five sat together, enjoying a rare moment of casual conversation.

Qing Mufeng sat beside his grandmother, eating the osmanthus cake made by the old lady's own hands, listening to his grandfather tell stories of his time fighting in the border army during his youth.

He had heard those stories many times before, yet every time he listened, he could find something new in them.

As Qing Zhengyue spoke, he suddenly stopped and looked at his grandson.

"Feng'er."

"Yes?"

"You went from level twenty-six to thirty in three months. This speed is top-tier across the entire continent."

The old man's voice was very calm. "But you must remember, cultivation is not a race where faster is always better."

Qing Mufeng put down the osmanthus cake in his hand and looked at his grandfather earnestly.

"A solid foundation is more important than speed."

Qing Zhengyue said, "You have laid a very good foundation: innate level twenty, two high-age Soul Rings, and the four-meridian cultivation of the Azure Dragon Method. These are your advantages, but they are also your risks."

"Risks?"

"Improving too quickly makes it easy for your foundation to become unstable." Qing Zhengyue looked at him. "You must always pay attention to your state and not blindly pursue speed. Steady progress is the path to longevity."

Qing Mufeng nodded thoughtfully.

"After your third Soul Ring, your cultivation speed may slow down," Qing Zhengyue continued. "Do not be anxious; slow is smooth, and smooth is fast."

"I will remember that, Grandfather."

Qing Zhengyue looked into his grandson's earnest eyes and nodded.

--

In the afternoon, Qing Mufeng left the main hall and returned to his room.

He sat on the edge of his bed, reflecting on the words his grandfather had just spoken.

Steady progress.

Slow is fast.

He had heard these two phrases countless times in his previous life.

But only after truly beginning his cultivation did he understand their weight.

He closed his eyes and began to circulate the Azure Dragon Method.

Soul power flowed through his meridians, steady and forceful.

Level thirty, Soul Elder.

This was only the beginning.