The Fourth Ring

Lin Shuo looked down at Di Tian, who was kneeling on one knee. "Rise, Di Tian." His voice carried a hint of relaxation that he only ever revealed within this forest.

Di Tian stood up, a rare, faint smile appearing on his stern face. His gaze swept over Lin Shuo, sensing the soul power fluctuations within the youth that were even more refined and profound than they had been five months ago. A flash of gratification crossed his eyes.

"My Lord, have you reached a bottleneck?"

"Mm, I should hit level forty within these next two days." Lin Shuo nodded and began walking toward the Lake of Life, with Di Tian following half a step behind. "Where is the Auspicious Beast?"

Di Tian's footsteps faltered ever so slightly.

"Answering Your Lordship," Di Tian said, choosing his words carefully, his tone tinged with a trace of faint helplessness. "The Auspicious Beast has likely run off to the Mixed Zone again, with Chi Wang following close behind. Ever since you left, the Auspicious Beast has been making a fuss about wanting to take human form to find you in the human world."

"As for going to the human world, we shall discuss that once my strength has grown a bit more," Lin Shuo said after a moment of silence.

"Di Tian, go and call the Auspicious Beast back. I am going to see Nana."

Di Tian bowed his head slightly and traced a line in the void with his hand.

Di Tian's figure vanished into the ripples of space, and Lin Shuo walked alone toward the independent space of the Lake of Life.

Inside the independent space, Gu Yuena stood with her back to him. Her long silver hair cascaded to her waist like a ribbon woven from moonlight, and her plain white dress cast a faint halo in the dim light of the space.

Hearing the movement behind her, Gu Yuena turned around.

On that cold, ethereal face, her violet eyes brightened slightly the moment she saw Lin Shuo. Her gaze swept over him from head to toe, as if confirming something, and then the corners of her lips curved into a faint but genuine arc.

"You've returned?"

"Mm, Nana." Lin Shuo walked forward and sat down opposite her with practiced ease.

Gu Yuena reached out, her cool fingertips gently brushing aside the stray hair on his forehead. She had been performing this gesture for twelve years, ever since Lin Shuo was an infant in swaddling clothes, and it had never changed.

"The bottleneck has loosened."

"Just these past two days." Lin Shuo nodded. "If a God-Bestowed Soul Ring were to appear directly when I break through, people would start asking questions, and I didn't want the trouble, so I came back to break through. Also..."

"What is it? Is there something you wish to tell me?"

This was not a question. After twelve years of living together, not a single subtle change in Lin Shuo's expression could escape her eyes.

"Yes." Lin Shuo did not deny it, his expression turning more serious. "Nana, after I break through to the fourth ring, I would like Di Tian to accompany me to the Far North."

Gu Yuena's brows arched ever so slightly.

"The Far North?" She looked at Lin Shuo. "What are you going there for?"

"There is a Myriad-Year Profound Ice Cave located at the Earth Dragon Sect in Dragon City of the Heaven Dou Empire, but those humans have no way to utilize it. This place is useless to other soul beasts, but for the soul beasts of the Far North, it is a rare treasure trove. Since I know its location, I should naturally make reasonable use of it."

This location was, of course, something Lin Shuo had learned from the original story; the heavenly tribulations of the Snow Empress and the Ice Empress were fast approaching. The Myriad-Year Profound Ice Marrow there would be enough for them to break through to seven hundred thousand and four hundred thousand years of cultivation, respectively.

Gu Yuena listened quietly to the end, her violet eyes showing neither doubt nor surprise. She remained silent for a few breaths before speaking, her tone as calm as ever.

"Since you wish to go, then let Di Tian accompany you. Although the Far North and the Star Dou Great Forest have little interaction, they are, after all, soul beasts."

Lin Shuo listened attentively without interrupting. Once Gu Yuena finished, she lowered her gaze, and a trace of faint emotional fluctuation appeared on her face, which was so exquisite it seemed beyond mortal.

"Your safety is the priority above all else. Keep the Reverse Scale I gave you well; if anything happens, I can teleport there at any time. Regardless of whether they can break through or not, nothing is as important as your safety."

Lin Shuo met her gaze and nodded solemnly.

"Now, tell me about what happened during these past eight months."

Gu Yuena's tone softened; eight months was but a fleeting moment in her long life. Yet, every day Lin Shuo was away felt as if it had been stretched out, endless and vast.

Lin Shuo began to recount his experiences in the human world. Gu Yuena's expression remained cold, revealing no shift in emotion. Only when he mentioned Huo Yu'er and Wang Dong'er did she frown slightly.

Could the cabbage I've raised for twelve years be about to be rooted up by some outside pig?

"Mm," Gu Yuena replied faintly. "As long as you feel happy."

Her tone was as calm as ever, as if she hadn't given it much thought. But Lin Shuo still detected a trace of something subtle. He studied Gu Yuena's expression.

"Nana, are you alright?"

Gu Yuena raised an eyebrow, sidestepping the question.

"You are almost at level forty; go and break through first. Di Tian is already waiting for you outside."

As she spoke, she waved her hand gently. The power of space surged silently, wrapping around Lin Shuo. Before he could speak again, his vision blurred—the next instant, he was standing outside the independent space, the breeze from the Lake of Life blowing against his face.

Lin Shuo stood where he was, blinking as he watched the space entrance close again, and fell silent for a moment.

"...I've been kicked out." Lin Shuo laughed with a touch of helplessness. After twelve years together, he naturally knew what this meant.

Lin Shuo shook his head, pushing these thoughts aside for now. Business came first.

He turned around to find Di Tian already waiting under the ancient tree. Beside him, a golden figure was crouching; its amber vertical pupils brightened instantly upon seeing Lin Shuo—the Three-Eyed Golden Lion had returned from the Mixed Zone and was now pouncing toward him.

"Lin Shuo, you're finally back! No one could play with me after you left. I want to go to the human world with you too," the Three-Eyed Golden Lion said in human speech, sounding rather aggrieved.

Lin Shuo patted its head. "Wait a little longer. In a while, I'll let you take human form and come out with me."

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion lifted its head from Lin Shuo's embrace, its amber vertical pupils shining as it looked at him, its tail wagging happily behind it. It opened its mouth as if wanting to say more, but ultimately nodded obediently and jumped down from Lin Shuo to lie at his feet.

"My Lord," Di Tian bowed slightly. "The Auspicious Beast has returned. Do you have any further instructions?"

"Di Tian, after I break through to level forty, accompany me to the Far North to meet the Snow Empress and the Ice Empress. I have discovered a Myriad-Year Profound Ice Cave."

"Yes, My Lord." Upon hearing this, Di Tian did not ask further. He only needed to follow orders.

Lin Shuo gave the Auspicious Beast a few instructions to be well-behaved, then sat cross-legged on the ground to begin his cultivation. The Three-Eyed Golden Lion lay to the side, keeping quiet watch, its tail tapping gently against the grass—once, and then again.

Early the next morning, a nine-colored beam of light descended from the heavens, piercing through layers of tree canopy and sinking into Lin Shuo's crown. A fourth soul ring, black as ink and ten thousand years old, slowly condensed and formed beneath his feet, and a terrifying draconic pressure swept outward in all directions like a physical force.