Watching Bei Bei's back, a mixture of unwillingness and stubbornness, disappear at the far end of the training ground.
Lin Ciyan lounged leisurely in a deck chair, gently rocking the fishing rod in his hand.
He had little desire to tease him and instead offered a rather objective assessment:
"Actually, that kid's speed isn't slow at all. A steady one-level increase over three months would make him one of the top geniuses across the entire Douluo Continent."
He knew Bei Bei's foundations well.
Born with Innate Full Soul Power and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, Mu En's direct descendant, he lacked neither resources nor inheritance.
If not for that lofty God King scheming against him from the very beginning in the original story,
making Tang Ya the shackle of his fate, then having him run himself ragged for the already-declining Tang Sect and scatter his cultivation efforts,
then with his talent, how could he have reached only the Soul Ancestor level at the Soul Fighting Tournament for advanced Soul Master academies across the continent?
In terms of innate potential and background, he should have been on equal footing with those top geniuses of the Sun Moon Empire,
with the likes of Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen.
"Alas, no matter how good your talent is, you can't stand up to the Tang God King forcing Bei Bei to lose brain cells and slap him with a debuff."
Lin Ciyan silently grumbled to himself, then pulled his wandering thoughts back to the matter at hand.
He had managed to maintain a cultivation speed that was just a little faster than average,
largely thanks to the Holy Radiance Qilin's Ultimate Attribute affinity for light elements,
as well as the boosts from various buffs and the top-tier resources provided by Sea God Pavilion.
But how much this resource advantage would help him face the thirty-level bottleneck, universally acknowledged by Soul Masters with Ultimate Attributes,
was still unknown.
"The cultivation slowdown after level thirty is practically a Damoclean sword hanging over my head..."
He murmured under his breath, feeling a trace of urgency.
At the thought that, at some point in the future, his cultivation speed might plummet, allowing Bei Bei to gradually catch up and even surpass him,
and then he'd have to listen to the kid swaggering in front of him with lines like, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river,"
he found the image too horrifying to dwell on.
He had to plan ahead and find the key to breaking through this predicament!
Since he could no longer make progress through meditation methods or cultivation techniques themselves,
his thinking needed to shift toward external resources and Soul Skill combinations.
"As for resources..." His gaze grew profound.
He thought of the treasure from the original story that could only be described as an "immortality cheat"—the Gold of Life!
That guy Huo Gua had relied on the vast life force provided by the Gold of Life
to recover even after all the meridians in his body had been shattered, and had even turned disaster into fortune.
If he could get his hands on the Soul-Devouring Engraving Knife containing the Gold of Life,
and safely absorb its source of life...
Then he'd truly have the confidence of "a health bar thick as a city wall, and recovery fast as lightning"!
For a Soul Master with an Ultimate Attribute who needed a long period of accumulation, that would be a lifeline in the snow.
"As long as you're not instantly blasted into oblivion, I bet it could drag you back from death's door..." The temptation
was simply irresistible to Lin Ciyan, who was dedicated to "steady development" and "living to a ripe old age."
With it, he'd have an extra layer of protection in the future, whether facing powerful enemies or trying out risky cultivation methods.
However, the practical problem came right on its heels.
"The biggest headache is... I don't have old man Electrolux!"
Lin Ciyan felt a pang of frustration.
"Even if my Ultimate Sacred Attribute might be able to purify the curse and evil thoughts attached to the knife,
I still don't know how to safely and effectively guide that boundless life force into my body."
He couldn't help wondering how he could find Electrolux's remnant soul.
That would spare him countless hours of trial and error and let him enjoy the convenience of a ready-made cheat item.
"Never mind all that!"
"A 'resurrection armor' and 'immortality potion' of this caliber have to be top priorities!"
He carefully recalled the clues about the Soul-Devouring Engraving Knife from the original story. "It seems to have first appeared in the Sun Moon Empire, where no one wanted it because of its fearsome reputation and curse."
"Later, it made its way to the Starlight Auction House in the Star Luo Empire."
"Because it was dangerous and seemed useless, it went unsold at auction again and again..."
"I hope it's still sitting quietly in some auction house's warehouse, gathering dust."
After listing this plan to "obtain the Gold of Life" as his "highest-priority task,"
Lin Ciyan collected his thoughts and began dealing with the most pressing task before him—obtaining his Second Soul Ring.
His choice of Soul Skill would likewise affect his ability to overcome future cultivation bottlenecks.
He set down his fishing rod, stretched, and headed toward Shrek Academy's Library Pavilion.
Over the next few days, he planned to become an "academic bookworm" once again,
searching the vast sea of Soul Beast tomes for the most suitable target for his Second Soul Ring.
Sitting at a wooden table piled high with books, Lin Ciyan pored over An Analysis of Light-Attribute Soul Beast Traits and Soul Skill Projections while assessing his own needs.
"My first Soul Skill, Dawn Break Fist, excels at single-target bursts and instant control. It's a perfect fit for my lazy philosophy of 'defeat the enemy in one strike
and avoid getting dragged into a drawn-out fight.' My offensive options are good enough for now."
He lightly tapped the tabletop with one finger.
"My Second Soul Skill should ideally make up for my current shortcomings and improve my endurance in battle and my ability to survive."
His gaze paused on the records of several top light-attribute Soul Beasts as he analyzed them:
The Golden Hawksbill Turtle had been singled out by Teacher Mu En. It was renowned for its unparalleled defensive power.
If he could obtain its Soul Ring, it would likely give him a powerful defensive Soul Skill, perhaps even a shield.
That would undoubtedly greatly improve his margin for error and suit his steady philosophy of "you can only deal damage if you're alive."
According to legend, the Soul Ring of a Holy Angel Beast might grant Soul Skills with purification or dispelling effects,
or even the ability to provide a little healing.
That would be of great benefit in dealing with all kinds of strange conditions and in teamwork.
The books recorded that Radiant Star Spirits wielded light elements with great finesse.
They might grant flexible light-manipulation skills, such as creating light clones to confuse enemies or forming bands of light to restrict an opponent's movements.
"Defense, support, control..."
Lin Ciyan weighed the options.
"A powerful defensive Soul Skill would let me be more 'relaxed' and composed on the battlefield."
"And a healing or purification skill would improve my overall staying power and ability to handle complicated situations."
He leaned toward choosing a Soul Skill that offered powerful defense or a significant boost to his chances of survival.
After all, for someone determined to take "relaxation" to the very end,
nothing could make it easier to lie back and let things happen than a sturdy "turtle shell."
If it could also provide some team buffs, making Bei Bei, Zhang Lexuan, and the others safer and more resilient when fighting by his side,
that would be even more perfect—and it would fit the team philosophy of his Winning-by-Lying-Down Aura to a tee.
"Decided. For my Second Soul Ring, I'll prioritize finding a light-attribute Soul Beast that can provide top-tier defense or a significant boost to survival!"
Lin Ciyan closed the book in his hand, anticipation flashing in his eyes.
"As for its age, naturally, the higher the better—as long as it's within the limits my body can withstand."
He could almost see the "beautiful" scene of himself standing beneath an impregnable shield of light in the future,
calmly enjoying the enemy's torrential assault and even finding time to take a sip of tea.
"As for the Soul-Devouring Engraving Knife..."
He gazed out the window, his eyes seemingly crossing the distance to the faraway Star Luo Empire.
"Once I've obtained my Second Soul Ring and grown a little stronger, I'll have to find a way to 'snatch up the bargain.'"
"I hope this 'resurrection armor' won't keep me waiting too long."
With his short-term and long-term goals mapped out, Lin Ciyan felt considerably more at ease.
He stood up, deciding to go fish by Sea God Lake for a while and relax his taut nerves.
"Balancing work and rest is the kingly way to sustainable development."