The next morning, the forest was alive with the sounds of early risers.
For Liu Yan, the meditation session had been profound. Having cultivated soul power for over a decade without attaching a soul ring, her body was like a dry sponge, absorbing energy with terrifying efficiency. With the addition of the 1,000-year Fire Armored Salamander ring, her cultivation had soared overnight. She was now sitting firmly at Level 20, a bottleneck that ordinary soul masters might take years to break through.
"We need to go deeper," Liu Cheng said, looking down at the detailed map of the Flaming Beasts Forest spread out in their temporary camp.
Zhang Qiu, who had effectively become their permanent guardian and trainer during these expeditions, frowned deeply. "Deeper? Cheng, the outer rim is already dangerous enough for you two. Going into the transitional zone between the outer and inner forest... the soul beasts there are all above 1,000 years. Many are in the 3,000 to 5,000 year range."
"That is exactly where we need to go," Liu Cheng replied calmly. He pointed to a specific area marked on the map. "Mother's Wuhun has evolved into the Armored Salamander. It possesses the bloodline of the Fire Dragon. To maximize that potential, her second soul ring cannot be ordinary."
He looked at his mother, his eyes serious and mature. "Mother, you are at Level 20. To break through to the next rank and stabilize your foundation, you need a soul ring that provides a massive surge of energy. A 1,400 or 1,500-year beast won't do anything for you."
Liu Yan nodded, her expression resolute. "Cheng is right. If I don't get a suitable soul ring soon, my cultivation might stagnate."
Zhang Qiu sighed, rubbing her temples as if trying to ward off a headache. "I know you two are monsters, but this is insane. A second soul ring usually caps at 700 years for geniuses. You want to hunt something nearly 3,000 years old? That is the realm of a purple soul ring! It's usually reserved for the third ring!"
"Which is why it will be perfect for her second," Liu Cheng said, a confident smile playing on his lips. "Trust in Mother's strength. Plus, I have a specific target in mind."
Three Days Later,
The air was stiflingly hot, thick with the scent of sulfur and burning vegetation. They had ventured miles past the safety of the outer rim. Here, the trees were colossal, ancient sentinels, and the silence was heavy, broken only by the distant, thunderous roars of powerful beasts.
They were currently crouched behind a ridge of volcanic rock, looking down into a bubbling marsh.
In the center of the marsh, a massive creature was basking in the geothermal heat. It looked like a crocodile, but its scales were obsidian-black with glowing magma veins running through them like fissures. Steam hissed from its nostrils every time it exhaled.
"The Blazing Marsh Crocodile," Zhang Qiu whispered, her voice tight with tension. "Cheng, are you sure? Looking at its size and the pressure it's giving off... that thing is at least 3,000 years old. If it gets angry, even with my help, we might not all make it out."
"It's perfect," Liu Cheng whispered back. "Its defensive power is top-tier, and its fire affinity is pure. Mother, your 'Aurora of Flames' counters its heat. If you can withstand its temperature, you can withstand its soul ring."
Liu Yan stared at the beast. She felt the fear trembling in her gut—a natural instinct for survival—but she suppressed it forcefully. She remembered the humiliation at the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect. She remembered Yu Luomian's sneer. She would not let her children be looked down upon ever again.
"I will do it," Liu Yan said, her voice like steel. "Sister Qiu, can you bind it for ten seconds?"
Zhang Qiu took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly. "Ten seconds... against a 3,000-year beast? I'll have to use my fourth soul skill. Sister Yan, I will try."
"Get ready," Liu Cheng commanded, his small frame radiating an aura of authority that belied his age. "Erlong, stay behind me and provide support with Fire Dragon Claws if it gets close, harass its eyes."
"Understood!" Liu Erlong gripped her small fists, her eyes locked on the massive reptile.
With a wave of her hand, Zhang Qiu revealed herself on the ridge. "Thunder Prison!"
Bolts of purple lightning shot down from the sky, forming a crackling cage of electricity around the Blazing Marsh Crocodile. The beast roared in fury, its tail smashing against the lightning barrier. The cage held, but cracks began to appear almost immediately.
"Now, Yan!" Zhang Qiu screamed, sweat pouring down her face as she struggled to maintain the spell.
Liu Yan leaped from the ridge. As she landed, her first soul ring flashed.
"Aurora of Flames!"
A blazing orange-red armor exploded around her, rendering her immune to the scorching heat of the marsh. The crocodile turned its massive head, snapping its jaws filled with razor-sharp teeth.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!" Liu Cheng shouted from the ridge. A concentrated beam of fire struck the crocodile directly in the eye, causing it to recoil and shriek in pain.
In that split second of distraction, Liu Yan closed the distance. Her hand, coated in the manifestation of her Wuhun's power, struck down like a guillotine.
*Boom!*
She slammed into the crocodile's skull, channeling all her soul power into the attack. The beast thrashed violently, tossing Liu Yan aside like a ragdoll, but the damage was done. Its skull was fractured, and its movements became sluggish.
"Finish it!" Liu Cheng yelled.
Zhang Qiu exhausted the last of her energy, firing a "Fire Eagle Strike" that pierced the crocodile's tough hide. With a final, mournful hiss, the 3,000-year Blazing Marsh Crocodile collapsed, its body turning into a pool of energy.
The marsh fell silent.
Zhang Qiu sat down heavily, panting. "We... we actually killed it."
Liu Yan stood over the dissipating corpse, her chest heaving. She looked at the soul ring rising from it—it wasn't yellow. It was a deep, majestic purple.
"Sister Yan..." Zhang Qiu's voice trembled. "A 3,000-year soul ring... as a second ring? This is unprecedented. If you fail, the energy backlash will shatter your meridians. You could die."
Liu Yan looked back at her children.
Liu Yan smiled. She sat down cross-legged and closed her eyes. "I have a reason to live. I will not lose."
*Absorb.*
The moment the ring touched her, it felt like a volcano had erupted inside her body.
Liu Yan gritted her teeth so hard she thought they might crack. The energy was violent, tyrannical, and heavy. It rampaged through her meridians, tearing at them, trying to find a place to settle.
*Breakthrough!* her mind screamed.
Her Level 20 bottleneck shattered instantly. The energy flooded in, filling the void, pushing her higher and higher. The walls of her cultivation expanded rapidly under the pressure. The Armored Salamander Wuhun inside her devoured the purple energy greedily, its scales turning from orange-red to a deep, ominous crimson.
Outside, a vortex of fire formed around Liu Yan. The heat was so intense that Zhang Qiu had to erect a barrier to protect the children.
"Mother!" Liu Erlong cried out, wanting to run forward, but Liu Cheng held her back.
"Don't," Liu Cheng said, his eyes narrowed. "Look. The energy is stabilizing."
Inside her body, Liu Yan was fighting a war of will. She visualized her children, her restaurant, her dream. *I am Liu Yan. I will not lose to a beast!*
With a roar that echoed in her soul, she dominated the purple energy. The violent fire settled, merging seamlessly with her spirit and bones.
Slowly, the aura around Liu Yan calmed. When she opened her eyes, they were glowing with a piercing, blood-red light. Around her leg, beneath the first yellow ring, a magnificent purple soul ring pulsed with power.
Liu Yan stood up. She felt heavier, yet stronger.
"Soul Skill..." she murmured. Her second ring lit up.
She slammed her foot on the ground.
"Fire Shield: Rupture!"
A massive shield of magma appeared before her, then exploded outward, sending shards of superheated rock flying in all directions. The destructive power was on a completely different level from her first skill.
"Level..." Liu Yan sensed her cultivation base. She hadn't just broken through to Level 20. She had stabilized directly at Level 23!
Zhang Qiu stood there, mouth agape, staring at the purple ring glowing around Liu Yan's leg. "Level 23... with a second soul ring of 3,000 years... Sister Yan, you're a miracle."
Liu Yan walked over to her children and pulled them into a hug. The heat from her body was no longer scorching, but warm and comforting.
"I did it," she whispered, kissing their foreheads.
"Congratulations, Mother," Liu Cheng said with a smile.
Liu Yan laughed, the sound echoing through the marsh.