The Secret Realm's Second Level, a Thousand-Year Soul Ring

The ripples from the Cross-Level Challenge Tournament lingered for a long time.

News that Lin Chen, a rank-twenty-one Soul Grandmaster, had crushed Zhou Hao, a rank-thirty-three Soul Elder, spread as though it had sprouted wings. It reached every corner of Qinglan Academy and swept rapidly through the cities surrounding Qinglan Mountain, drawing the attention of countless Soul Master factions.

No one had imagined that Qinglan Academy, nestled among the mountains, would produce such a heaven-defying young genius. A Soul Grandmaster defeating a Soul Elder across ranks was unheard of throughout the ages. Lin Chen's name had quietly risen to prominence across the surrounding region, making him the legendary new student on countless lips.

As the cheers in the training arena gradually subsided, Lin Chen accepted the Core Disciple token, a thousand-year Life Spirit Grass, and a vast supply of cultivation resources awarded by the academy, under the gaze of every teacher and student.

The Core Disciple token was emerald green throughout, engraved with patterns of life, and smooth and cool in his hand. It represented the highest status a Qinglan Academy student could attain, granting access to the academy's finest cultivation resources and Secret Realm privileges, and even authority over some instructors and guards. This honor was a goal countless students could never reach in an entire lifetime, yet Lin Chen had effortlessly pocketed it as a new student.

Su Qingyuan and Yue Huaxi nestled against Lin Chen on either side. As they gazed at the radiant young man beside them, joy and admiration nearly overflowed from their eyes.

Su Qingyuan's eyes curved into crescents, her usually cool face brimming with tenderness. She gently caught his sleeve and said softly, "I knew you could do it."

She had believed in Lin Chen from beginning to end. Though she had been filled with worry earlier, the moment he stood at the center of the arena and casually crushed his opponent, every concern had turned into pride.

Yue Huaxi silently placed a bottle of mind-calming pills in Lin Chen's hand. Her voice was cool, yet tinged with concern. "You've just finished the match and used a fair amount of Soul Power. Stabilize your cultivation first."

She was not good with words, hiding all her concern in small gestures. Yet the warmth in her gaze as she looked at Lin Chen was harder to conceal than usual. The three stood shoulder to shoulder, a talented young man and two beautiful women, drawing envious looks from the surrounding students. The name "Azure Mist Three Talents" became ever more deeply ingrained in everyone's minds.

Lin Chen accepted the pills, then turned his hands to clasp those of both beauties. The warmth of his palms conveyed reassurance as a gentle smile lifted his lips. "Don't worry. A match like that wasn't enough to drain my Soul Power. What matters most now is entering the Secret Realm's second level and finding Qingyuan the most suitable first soul ring."

Su Qingyuan had now broken through to become a rank-ten Soul Scholar. The first hurdle on the path of a Soul Master was absorbing a soul ring suited to one's martial soul, and the ring's age and quality directly determined the upper limits of future cultivation.

For any other newly advanced Soul Scholar, absorbing a hundred-year soul ring would already have been the limit. But with Lin Chen beside her and the supreme nourishment of his Life Soul Power, Su Qingyuan's foundation had been tempered until it was exceptionally solid. Coupled with the opportunities on the Secret Realm's second level, Lin Chen had long since resolved to find her a Thousand-Year Soul Ring, placing her far ahead of her peers from the very beginning.

Instructor Qinghe watched the three getting along so harmoniously, eyes filled with gratification, then stepped forward. "Lin Chen, the entrance to the Secret Realm's second level is deep within the Life Spirit Valley. I've already arranged your access, so you can bring your companions inside whenever you wish. But I must remind you that the spiritual energy on the second level is three times as concentrated as on the first, and its Soul Beasts are far stronger. Most are over a hundred years old, and there are even quite a few thousand-year Soul Beasts. You must be very careful."

"Thank you for the warning, Instructor. We'll proceed carefully." Lin Chen nodded slightly, understanding the situation.

The Life Secret Realm was a supreme treasure passed down through Qinglan Academy for a thousand years. Its first level contained only low-level Soul Beasts under a hundred years old and ordinary spirit herbs. The second level was where the true opportunities lay. It held not only thousand-year spirit herbs and supreme cultivation treasures, but also thousand-year Soul Beasts suited to all kinds of martial souls. Naturally, the dangers multiplied as well.

After a brief rest, Lin Chen led Su Qingyuan and Yue Huaxi deeper into the Life Spirit Valley.

Passing through layer upon layer of emerald vines, the three kept moving as the Life Spiritual Energy grew increasingly dense. Before long, they reached a gate of light glowing pale green. Patterns of life flowed across its surface, radiating an ancient, mysterious aura. This was the entrance to the Secret Realm's second level.

Lin Chen took out his Core Disciple token and gently pressed it against the gate. The token's emerald light instantly merged with it, and the tightly closed gate slowly opened. Life Spiritual Energy several times denser than that outside washed over them, refreshing their hearts and minds.

"Come on. Let's go in."

Holding Su Qingyuan's hand, Lin Chen stepped into the Secret Realm's second level with Yue Huaxi following close behind.

The instant they entered the Secret Realm, the view before them opened up.

Unlike the gentle grasslands of the first level, the second level of the Secret Realm was filled with ancient, towering trees that pierced the clouds, their trunks thick and their branches lush. Rare Life Spirit Grass covered the ground, and spiritual flowers bloomed in a riot of colors. The fresh scents of herbs and earth filled the air, while murmuring streams wound through the forest. The spiritual energy was so dense it seemed almost tangible, and specks of green light could even be seen beneath the sunlight.

"The spiritual energy here is unbelievably dense!" Su Qingyuan exclaimed. As Life Spiritual Energy poured into her from all around, she felt every meridian in her body relaxing, her cultivation quietly rising.

Yue Huaxi also raised her brows slightly. Her Moonlight Spirit Grass martial soul manifested on its own and swayed gently, ravenously devouring the surrounding spiritual energy as its quality slowly improved.

Lin Chen released a trace of Life Soul Power and merged it with the Life Spiritual Energy in the Secret Realm, instantly sensing every movement within a hundred meters. He said gravely, "Most Soul Beasts on the second level of the Secret Realm are plant-type or beast-type life Soul Beasts. Qingyuan's martial soul is the Pure Lotus, so a thousand-year Pure Lotus Soul Beast is the best match. These Soul Beasts are gentle by nature and usually live in spiritual pools deep within the Secret Realm. Let's head farther in."

His Life Domain quietly spread out. Within ten meters, every rustle of grass and stir of wind was under his control, allowing him to avoid danger in advance and precisely locate a Soul Beast suited to Su Qingyuan.

The three followed the stream deeper into the forest. Hundred-year Soul Beasts appeared from time to time, but Lin Chen never needed to act. Yue Huaxi unleashed her rank-twelve Soul Master's Soul Power and used her Moonlight Spirit Grass Soul Skill. Its gentle yet tenacious moonlight power easily drove the beasts back, giving her combat experience while clearing their path.

Along the way, Lin Chen also gathered plenty of rare thousand-year spirit herbs. Outside, each would have been a valuable cultivation resource, yet they were everywhere on the second level of the Secret Realm, showing just how precious this Secret Realm was.

As the three reached a dense stretch of forest, Lin Chen suddenly stopped and frowned slightly. Within his Life Domain, he sensed a considerable fluctuation of Soul Power carrying a trace of brutality, utterly at odds with the gentle Life Spiritual Energy around them.

"Careful. There's a Soul Beast ahead, and it's strong. It should have a thousand years of cultivation," Lin Chen warned gravely, shielding Su Qingyuan behind him. Yue Huaxi immediately reined in her aura and drove her martial soul at full strength, ready for battle.

A moment later, heavy footsteps sounded through the forest, and an enormous Soul Beast slowly emerged.

It was a thousand-year Ironclad Rhinoceros, its entire body covered in thick, pitch-black armor and its horn wickedly sharp. An aura of alternating yellow and purple soul rings surrounded it. With over three thousand years of cultivation, its strength and defense were formidable. It glared viciously at the three, its eyes brimming with ferocity.

Though the Ironclad Rhinoceros was a beast-type Soul Beast, it had also absorbed the Secret Realm's Life Spiritual Energy, making it stronger than beasts of the same age outside. An ordinary Soul Grandmaster encountering it would likely have had no choice but to flee.

"Lin Chen, this Soul Beast is too vicious and isn't suitable for Qingyuan to absorb. Should we go around it?" Yue Huaxi asked softly, worried that it might hurt Su Qingyuan, who had yet to become a Soul Master.

Lin Chen shook his head, his gaze calm. "No need. This is a good chance to test my current strength and show Qingyuan how Soul Masters fight."

As his words fell, pale green light blossomed around Lin Chen. His Life Domain instantly spread out, enveloping the thousand-year Ironclad Rhinoceros!

[Life Domain activated. Enemy Soul Power and defense suppressed by 25%!]

The Ironclad Rhinoceros's ferocious aura instantly faltered. Its massive body trembled, its Soul Power grew sluggish, and even its thick armor seemed to dim. More than half its imposing momentum vanished.

Before the Ironclad Rhinoceros could charge, two deep green Soul Rings surged up from beneath Lin Chen's feet. The three-thousand-eight-hundred-year and five-thousand-year rings shone brilliantly as an overwhelming aura erupted!

"First Soul Skill, Life Binding!"

Countless strands of Life Blue Silver Grass burst wildly from the ground, thicker and tougher than when he had fought Zhou Hao. Like giant green dragons, they instantly coiled around the Ironclad Rhinoceros's limbs and locked it firmly in place. No matter how it struggled, it could not move an inch.

"Second Soul Skill, Life Suppression!"

The five-thousand-year Soul Ring blazed with light. Vast Life Force transformed into invisible crushing pressure and slammed into the Ironclad Rhinoceros. With a thunderous bang, the massive beast was forced flat against the ground, its Soul Power completely sealed. It could only let out helpless bellows.

From start to finish, it took only two breaths for Lin Chen to completely subdue a powerful thousand-year Soul Beast!

Su Qingyuan and Yue Huaxi stared, dumbstruck. Even though they had already seen Lin Chen crush a Soul Elder, watching him subdue a thousand-year Soul Beast so effortlessly still filled them with shock.

Lin Chen did not kill it. The Ironclad Rhinoceros was a terrible match for Su Qingyuan's Pure Lotus martial soul. Forcing her to absorb its ring would not only fail to grant her a powerful Soul Skill, but would also damage her foundation. He merely channeled his Life Soul Power and swept his hand lightly, dispelling the beast's aggression before driving it away.

"You're amazing, Lin Chen!" Stars sparkled in Su Qingyuan's eyes as she gazed at him with admiration.

Lin Chen smiled and gently ruffled her hair. "Don't worry. I'll find the Pure Lotus Soul Beast that suits you best. I won't let you settle for anything less."

His tender gesture brought a faint blush to Su Qingyuan's cheeks and sent her heart racing. Watching beside them, Yue Huaxi's cool eyes flickered with barely perceptible envy, but she silently stepped forward to guard their side.

The three continued deeper. After roughly another hour, a crystal-clear spiritual pool suddenly appeared ahead. Spiritual energy surged within it, and pristine white Pure Lotuses grew in the water, their blossoms releasing a refreshing fragrance. At the center of the pool, a golden Pure Lotus over three meters across was slowly blooming, surrounded by the pale purple aura of a Soul Ring. It was unmistakably a thousand-year Pure Lotus Soul Beast!

The Pure Lotus Soul Beast was golden throughout and contained supreme Life Spiritual Energy. It shared the same roots and origin as Su Qingyuan's Pure Lotus martial soul, making it a perfect match—the ideal Soul Ring Lin Chen had been searching so hard to find!

"We found it! That's the one!" Joy flashed in Lin Chen's eyes as he turned to Su Qingyuan. "Qingyuan, this thousand-year Pure Lotus Soul Beast is the best match for you. Once I subdue it, you can absorb its Soul Ring."

Looking at the Pure Lotus Soul Beast in the middle of the pool, Su Qingyuan felt both nervous and eager. She nodded firmly. "I believe in you!"

Just as Lin Chen was about to subdue the Pure Lotus Soul Beast, several icy Soul Power auras quietly emerged from the Dense Forest behind the pool. Laden with greed and killing intent, they locked onto both the thousand-year Pure Lotus Soul Beast and Lin Chen's group!

Lin Chen's gaze abruptly chilled, and his aura instantly sharpened. He turned toward the Dense Forest and said coldly, "Since you're here, there's no need to hide. What skill is there in skulking around?"

As his words fell, three figures slowly emerged from the Dense Forest. All three wore black clothing engraved with strange purple patterns. Their Soul Power was cold and brutal, utterly unlike the aura of Qinglan Academy.

Their leader was a sinister-looking middle-aged man whose cultivation had reached the Soul Ancestor level. His greedy gaze swept over the thousand-year Pure Lotus Soul Beast before settling on Lin Chen. He gave an eerie laugh. "Who would have thought the second level of Qinglan Academy's Secret Realm held such an exceptional thousand-year Soul Beast—and a little brat with heaven-defying Soul Rings? Today's haul is quite rich indeed."

"Who are you? Why are you in the Azure Mist Secret Realm?" Yue Huaxi stepped forward and demanded coldly, driving her martial soul at full strength as she watched the intruders warily.

The middle-aged man scoffed, contempt flashing in his eyes. Slowly, he spoke a name that made Lin Chen's heart sink. "Who are we? Hmph. Remember this: the people who kill you come from Spirit Hall!"

Spirit Hall!

Those words exploded like thunder in Lin Chen's mind.

They had finally come!

He had long known that Spirit Hall's influence spread across the continent. Boundlessly greedy, it was determined to claim every rare Soul Beast and gifted Soul Master it could. The opportunities within the Azure Mist Secret Realm had finally drawn its people here!

This only made him more certain that his future clashes with Spirit Hall and Tang San were drawing ever closer.

Lin Chen firmly shielded Su Qingyuan behind him as two deep green Soul Rings slowly rose around him. His eyes were cold as blades as he stared at the Spirit Hall intruders, and his fighting spirit erupted. "You people from Spirit Hall dare trespass in the Azure Mist Secret Realm? None of you will leave today!"