Seven Hundred and Twenty Years

After his spar with Xu Heng ended, Lu Yuan did not set foot in the North Hunting Forest for three full days.

Shao Ping told him to recover properly, and he did not force himself onward. Each morning, he completed his basic training as usual. In the afternoons, he shut himself away to rest, setting aside the Piercing Spear and sitting cross-legged as he focused on circulating his Soul Power.

He had been stuck at Level 19 for quite some time.

Yet over these days of cultivation, Lu Yuan could clearly feel the Soul Power within him growing increasingly full. Only one final step remained before the level 20 barrier.

That afternoon, after returning to his quarters, he cast aside all distracting thoughts and sat in meditation. Time quietly passed. By the time he opened his eyes, night had fallen outside, and darkness had completely blanketed the land.

Lu Yuan raised a hand and summoned his Soul Power. Its circulation was far faster than usual, while his reserves had become even more abundant.

The matter was settled. He lowered his gaze to his palm.

Level 20.

The breakthrough had come remarkably quietly, far beyond his expectations.

The next morning, Lu Yuan had barely arrived at the East Training Area when Yan Tuo directly pushed the Soul-Testing Crystal before him and said curtly, "Test."

Lu Yuan raised his hand and placed it over the crystal's surface. Clear white light suddenly flared, noticeably brighter than it had been at Level 19, on an entirely different level.

Yan Tuo watched intently for two breaths before stating with certainty, "Twenty."

Zhou Qi, who was tying on his weights nearby, looked up at the sound. Just as he was about to speak, Yan Tuo swiftly took back the crystal, cutting him off.

"Halve today's weighted training. Preserve your condition and do not overexert yourself."

Lu Yuan paused. "No full-intensity training?"

"Normal training, half intensity."

"Why?"

Yan Tuo glanced at him and asked in return, "Do you know what Spirit Masters lack most after reaching level 20?"

After a brief moment of thought, Lu Yuan answered frankly, "A Second Spirit Ring."

"Good."

Yan Tuo picked up his pen and added the breakthrough information to the record book. He then summoned a guard and ordered him to report Lu Yuan's level 20 breakthrough to the Worship Hall.

After morning training ended, a messenger from the Worship Hall arrived as expected. Lu Yuan followed him there, where Qian Daoliu was reviewing the training records Shao Ping had submitted in a side hall.

Besides the record book filled with daily training and combat details, three beast-hide diagrams lay spread across the table. Each one depicted a different Spirit Beast in meticulous detail.

Qian Daoliu did not have him examine the diagrams first. Instead, he asked, "Your fight with Xu Heng ended in a draw?"

"Yes." Lu Yuan nodded.

"How did the battle go?"

"He could hit me, and I could strike him. Neither side won."

"So there was no victor." Qian Daoliu summarized it in a single sentence, then turned to the final page of the record book and said slowly, "He is Level 22 with two Spirit Rings. You were Level 19 with one Spirit Ring. To fight him to a standstill proves that your Piercing Spear cultivation and combat experience have both produced results. Your efforts were not wasted."

As his words fell, his gaze landed on the long spear in Lu Yuan's hand, and his tone deepened slightly. "But your weakness remains obvious."

Lu Yuan knew exactly what he meant and said directly, "Close-quarters entanglement."

"Be more precise."

"Once my spear shaft is suppressed, it is difficult for me to reopen the distance between attack and defense, or turn the battle around."

This had long been his persistent weakness. Ever since entering the North Hunting Forest's combat grounds, he had repeatedly been constrained by it. Xu Heng's Martial Soul, the Long-armed Ape, excelled at closing in and pinning down spears. Even though Lu Yuan had already figured out methods of dispersing and resummoning his Martial Soul, using the butt of his spear to borrow force, shifting his footing, and fighting for position, he still could not completely break free when facing a two-ring Spirit Master who surpassed him in both strength and speed.

Qian Daoliu lightly tapped the table and pointed out the key issue. "Therefore, the priority for your Second Spirit Ring is not power, but shoring up your weakness."

He pushed the first beast-hide diagram before Lu Yuan. It showed a black Spirit Beast with a slender body and front claws as sharp as blades.

"Shadow-Clawed Cat, six hundred and eighty years old. It specializes in speed and explosive bursts. Its Soul Skill would most likely align with speed and ambush attributes."

Lu Yuan gave it a glance and immediately shook his head. "Its attributes overlap with my First Soul Skill, Piercing Edge. The improvement would be limited."

"Your judgment is decent."

Qian Daoliu then pushed over the second diagram. "Iron-Spined Savage Bull, seven hundred years old. It combines strength and defense. If you gained a strength-enhancing Soul Skill, it could greatly reinforce your frontal charging ability."

Lu Yuan still did not agree. Raw frontal strength was certainly useful, but the core problem behind Xu Heng's repeated close-range suppression had never been insufficient attack power. It was his inability to break free from close-range restraint and rebuild his spear momentum.

Seeing through his considerations, Qian Daoliu pushed the final beast-hide diagram to the front. The Spirit Beast on it had slightly lowered shoulders, a medium-sized body, and thick, sturdy limbs. Layers of dark brown armor plates covered its back, giving it a heavy, solid texture.

"Quake-Armor Beast."

Lu Yuan's eyes fixed on it at once. "How old?"

"The one currently identified is seven hundred and twenty years old."

Lu Yuan studied the outline of the Spirit Beast on the diagram in silence.

Qian Daoliu explained slowly, "Ever since your Soul Power reached the peak of Level 19, the Worship Hall has been selecting suitable Second Spirit Rings for you. These three are the best remaining candidates after several rounds of screening."

"The Quake-Armor Beast was chosen as a candidate long ago?"

"The species was decided long ago. This specific target was only precisely identified yesterday." Qian Daoliu tapped the diagram with a fingertip. "It previously fought one of its kind over territory and suffered severe injuries. Its right hind leg was badly torn, its flank armor was damaged, and its flesh wounds have yet to heal."

Lu Yuan looked up. "It can still fight despite such injuries?"

"Of course it can. If it had no ability to resist, it would not have been listed as your target." Qian Daoliu said calmly, "It currently retains sixty percent of its combat strength. Its core frontal charge and shock-rebound abilities remain intact. Only its hind-leg injury has slowed its turning speed, and its endurance is far below what it was at full strength."

Lu Yuan immediately understood. "So this one suits me best?"

"It is precisely the ideal opportunity." Qian Daoliu stated the advantages and disadvantages plainly. "You are now level 20 with only one Spirit Ring. If you faced a Spirit Beast over seven hundred years old at full strength, then no matter how compatible its attributes were with the Piercing Spear, I would never allow you to fight it alone."

His words were blunt and cruel, yet utterly fair. Lu Yuan knew that while he could handle Spirit Beasts with two or three hundred years of cultivation alone, the seven-hundred-year level was already an entirely different tier. Even wounded, the Quake-Armor Beast would never be an easy opponent to kill.

"The Worship Hall has already sent people to watch the surrounding area," Qian Daoliu continued. "After arriving tomorrow, they will inspect its injuries again. If they worsen or heal too quickly, the target will be changed immediately. What I want is a Spirit Ring you can confidently obtain on your own, not for you to gamble your life for age."

As he spoke, he pointed again at the armor plates along its back. "This beast's most troublesome abilities are its defense and shock rebound. When attacked, its armor can disperse force and send the impact back, reflecting part of the blow. Even with forty percent of its combat strength lost, this core ability will not disappear."

Lu Yuan stared at those hard, layered armor plates and quietly confirmed, "A shock-rebound effect?"

"More or less."

"If I use it as my Spirit Ring, what kind of Soul Skill could I obtain?"

Qian Daoliu answered decisively, "No one can know in advance. The formation of a Soul Skill depends both on a Spirit Beast's origin and how it fits your Martial Soul's characteristics. We can only select a compatible direction. We cannot predetermine the Soul Skill's effect."

Lu Yuan agreed completely. His First Soul Skill, Piercing Edge, was the unique result of the Wind-Rending Leopard's innate ability merging with his Piercing Spear Martial Soul. It was not a complete replication of the Spirit Beast's talent.

The Quake-Armor Beast would be the same. Yet the direction of growth it could bring was already clear enough—shock.

If that force-dispersing, shock-rebounding ability could be added to the Piercing Spear...

Lu Yuan's fingers suddenly tightened around his spear. Once again, the image of Xu Heng pressing close, pinning down his spear, and leaving him unable to break free surfaced in his mind.

Qian Daoliu watched his resolute expression. "Have you decided?"

Lu Yuan raised a hand and gently pushed the other two beast-hide diagrams aside. His gaze remained firmly locked on the Quake-Armor Beast diagram. "This one."

"Your reason."

"I do not need faster ambushes, nor do I need stronger single-strike piercing power." Lu Yuan's voice was steady, every word firm. "What I need is for my opponent to no longer be able to hold down my spear shaft when they close in, suppress me, and lock down my spear momentum—to completely break this close-range deadlock."

The side hall fell into brief silence.

A moment later, Qian Daoliu collected the two alternative diagrams and gave a slight nod. "Your thinking is clear. We will proceed with this choice."

"When do we leave to hunt it?" Lu Yuan asked.

"Tomorrow morning."

Lu Yuan was slightly surprised. "So soon?"

"The selection process began when your Soul Power neared level 20. The target was identified yesterday, and dedicated personnel have been watching it throughout. Opportunity does not wait." Qian Daoliu glanced at him calmly. "Were we supposed to wait for it to walk up to Spirit City's gates on its own?"

Lu Yuan had no response.

Qian Daoliu closed the record book, rose to his feet, and walked outside as he reminded him, "You need not go to the North Hunting Forest today, nor do you need to spar with Xu Heng again."

"I had no plans to fight again in the first place."

"That would be best."

At the doorway, Qian Daoliu paused and turned to look at Lu Yuan, his tone becoming more solemn. "Your first Spirit Ring, the Wind-Rending Leopard, had already been severely wounded by someone before you. You merely finished what was left."

Lu Yuan looked up to meet his gaze.

"This time, no one will clear the path for you, and no one will fight for you."

Qian Daoliu handed the Quake-Armor Beast diagram to the attendant waiting outside. His voice remained calm, yet the rule in it allowed no dispute. "Those accompanying you are responsible only for protecting your life. If you are unable to defeat it, they will rescue you in time. But if you can kill this beast alone, then this seven-hundred-and-twenty-year Quake-Armor Spirit Ring will be your opportunity."

Lu Yuan gripped the Piercing Spear in his hand. Its shaft was slightly cool, while his palm burned hot.

"I understand."

Qian Daoliu said nothing further and pushed open the door to leave.

Lu Yuan followed him out of the side hall. As he crossed the threshold, he lowered his eyes to the long spear in his hand.

Last time, even before breaking through, he had been able to hold Xu Heng to a draw.

What victory or defeat would await him after reaching level 20 was still unknown.