Lin Qingmo's breathing quickened noticeably, and his eyes glittered with barely restrained joy.
He lowered his voice, excitement at discovering a rare treasure coloring his words.
"Ci Yan, our luck is... unbelievably good! This is a Dawn Spirit, a rare Soul Beast that almost exists only in written records!"
He carefully studied the Soul Beast, its entire body shimmering with a dawn-like glow, and quickly explained to Lin Ciyan:
"It isn't skilled at close-quarters combat, but its command of the light element is practically an art! It can attack and defend, and even guide the light of dawn to nourish all living things."
"Making it your First Soul Ring would be a perfect match for your attributes. It might even further purify your source of light!"
At that, Lin Ciyan felt his heart burn with excitement.
He could clearly sense the excitement and resonance coming from the Holy Radiance Qilin Martial Soul within him.
Lin Ciyan remembered what Mu En had once told him:
"Ci Yan, your Holy Radiance Qilin is Ultimate Light, divine and auspicious."
"An ordinary light-attribute Soul Beast's Soul Ring would merely be the icing on the cake for you. It might not even fully awaken your Martial Soul's potential."
Mu En had pointed out several clear paths for Lin Ciyan, all involving the top light-attribute Soul Beasts known on the continent.
First was the Golden Hawksbill Turtle, a Soul Beast with an exceptionally pure light attribute and unrivaled defense.
Mu En believed it could very well provide Lin Ciyan with a powerful Soul Skill that offered practically absolute defense.
It was something every Soul Master dreamed of.
Second was the Light White Tiger. The White Tiger was a master of slaughter, and the Light White Tiger was the embodiment of concentrating the light element into the ultimate offensive power.
If Lin Ciyan could obtain its Soul Ring, his attack capabilities would surely make a qualitative leap.
Lin Ciyan silently took note. According to the original records, both of these Soul Beasts were exceedingly rare and powerful.
The Golden Hawksbill Turtle in particular was a top-tier existence with a Golden-grade Body Martial Soul.
As for higher-level possibilities, Mu En had mentioned Soul Beasts from the Holy Light Dragon lineage.
The true Holy Light Dragons had long since vanished, but their descendants, who carried only a trace of their bloodline, such as the Holy Giant Dragon or Radiant Dragon Bird, might still be found in certain ancient ruins or on remote islands overseas.
Back in the present.
Lin Qingmo continued to instruct him. "Look at the Dawn Spirit's body."
"The glow is pure in color, and the edges have already begun to show a faint crystalline sheen. That's a sign it's approaching eight hundred years of cultivation! It's right at the edge of your limit."
"Its energy is of such high quality that it'll more than make up for that negligible gap in age."
Just then, the Dawn Spirit, which had been drinking by the stream, seemed to sense danger. A flash of wariness passed through its crystalline eyes.
Its four hooves shifted slightly, and its elegant neck shot up. Light flowed around its body as it prepared to merge with the dawn and flee.
"Trying to run? Not so fast!"
Lin Qingmo barked. The phantom of a Light Dragon flickered behind him and vanished.
He didn't use a single Soul Skill. The immense Soul Power of a level-ninety-five Super Douluo merely condensed into a solid dragon claw of light.
Like picking up a chick, it firmly pinned the Dawn Spirit—which had just tried to take flight—to the ground, leaving it unable to move.
At the same time, a gentle stream of Soul Power lifted Lin Ciyan, and in an instant, the two of them were standing before the Soul Beast.
"Ci Yan, now." Lin Qingmo handed him a short sword, its blade gleaming with a cold light.
"Aim for its eye and pierce its core."
Lin Ciyan took a deep breath and accepted the sword. He looked into the Soul Beast's pure eyes, now filled with fear, and steeled his gaze.
This was the law of Douluo Continent, and the first step he had to take on his path to becoming strong.
He gripped the hilt and thrust forward with a steady wrist.
"Pfft!"
The short sword plunged precisely into the bright eye, then twisted.
Pinned down by overwhelming force, the Dawn Spirit only twitched a few times before its life was extinguished.
[ Ding! You have independently killed a Soul Beast for the first time, remained composed, and upheld the laws of survival in the Soul Master world. Slacking Value +130! ]
A dense yellow glow rose from the Soul Beast's corpse. Streaks of light streamed out and rapidly gathered above it.
After a few breaths, they formed a deep, brilliant yellow Soul Ring that radiated pure, powerful light-attribute energy.
"I'm starting."
Without further hesitation, Lin Ciyan sat cross-legged before the Soul Ring, steadied his breathing, and entered a meditative state.
Drawn by his Soul Power, the deep yellow Soul Ring seemed to have found its destination and slowly descended.
It slipped over Lin Ciyan's head and settled around his body, rising and falling steadily, as if breathing.
Seeing that his grandson had begun absorbing the Soul Ring, Lin Qingmo finally relaxed and smiled with relief.
He didn't bother with the Soul Beast's corpse. Instead, he focused entirely on protecting Lin Ciyan, spreading his Soul Power perception and staying alert to the slightest disturbance nearby.
To him, his grandson's safety mattered far more than that precious corpse.
At that moment, Lin Ciyan was facing his first true test since becoming a Soul Master.
The deep yellow Soul Ring was like a violent source of energy. An enormous torrent of pure light-attribute energy burst in like a river breaching its banks, forcing its way through his meridians.
"Boom—!"
An immense pressure from the Soul Power struck at once, as though it would burst his small frame apart.
His meridians throbbed with a tearing ache, and all his bones gave off a faint hum as the energy washed over them.
Yet even as the violent energy rampaged, the foundation Lin Ciyan had built through two months of hellish training and nourishing meals made its terrifying effects known.
His meridians were far broader and tougher than those of his peers. Though the energy's impact brought searing pain, they held firm, showing no sign of rupture.
His muscles and bones greedily absorbed the energy spilling away, growing even more compact under the strain.
More crucially, the Holy Radiance Qilin Martial Soul in his dantian began to circulate on its own.
A majestic divine might radiated from Lin Ciyan's entire body.
The light-attribute energy from the Dawn Spirit that had surged into him—
After sensing this aura, one from the same source but of a higher order, it gradually grew docile.
As though subjects before their king, it was guided and refined more efficiently, merging into his own Soul Power.
[ Ding! You have successfully guided and endured the Soul Ring's energy impact. Your physical constitution and Soul Power quality have both improved, and the Great Dream Freedom Scripture's circulation efficiency has increased slightly. Slacking Value +90! ]
The absorption was painful, but it went off without a hitch.
Seeing his grandson in the final stages of absorbing the Soul Ring, Lin Qingmo put his time to use.
He flicked his wrist, took out an assortment of dissection tools, and began expertly processing the precious Soul Beast's corpse.
"The horn is the essence of its light element; it has to come off intact. A few ounces of heart blood will be the most nourishing. And this hide, tsk, it has a gentle sheen all on its own. Turn it into an undershirt, and it'll keep you warm in winter and cool in summer..."
He worked with nimble hands as he spoke under his breath, as if handling a precious work of art.
"It's a shame it didn't produce a Soul Bone." Lin Qingmo shook his head slightly. "Still, the body of a rare Soul Beast is valuable enough."
Time passed, second by second. The deep yellow Soul Ring gradually dimmed, then finally merged completely into Lin Ciyan's body and disappeared.
He slowly opened his eyes. A brilliant golden gleam flashed through them, and his aura surged like a drawn sword, suddenly growing far stronger!
A lustrous sheen flowed across his skin, as if his entire body had undergone a thorough tempering.
He had broken through the bottleneck and officially become a One-Ring Soul Master!
"How do you feel?" Lin Qingmo immediately stepped forward and asked with concern, his eyes full of anticipation.
Lin Ciyan clenched his fist, feeling the Soul Power coursing through him—far richer and purer than before—and the strength filling his body. A beaming smile spread across his face, and his heart brimmed with joy.
"Great, Grandpa. My Soul Power should be at level thirteen, and..." He focused his mind.
A deep yellow Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet and circled his body, radiating powerful energy.
"My First Soul Skill is ready, too!"
(Please add to your collection! Please recommend!)