Chapter 7: Aries Gold Cloth
For a moment, Elder Yu Lin's expression completely froze — he couldn't quite believe what he'd just heard.
He had clearly told this boy that the Star-Devouring Sheep had almost no combat ability, yet Lin Beiya still chose it as his first soul ring.
Words of dissuasion rose to Yu Lin's lips, but he stopped himself. Before their departure, Grand Priest Qian Daoliu had specifically instructed him — the boy must be allowed to choose his own soul ring. No interference.
After a long sigh, Yu Lin decided to at least remind him one more time. After all, Lin Beiya was a rare prodigy born with innate full soul power; it would be a tragedy if his first step went wrong under Yu Lin's watch.
"Think this through carefully, boy," Yu Lin said seriously. "Although that creature's age is suitable, I can almost guarantee it won't grant you any offensive ability. The best you can hope for is a passive skill — perhaps something like absorbing starlight to restore your soul power faster."
Lin Beiya simply smiled and bowed respectfully.
"Thank you for your concern, Elder Yu Lin. But I trust my martial soul's guidance. This one is definitely right."
Yu Lin ruffled his hair in frustration.
So much for calling him mature — the boy's as stubborn as a mule!
But since he wasn't his child, and he had orders from above, he simply shrugged.
"Fine, have it your way."
With a sharp, resonant cry that pierced the clouds, a massive black hawk materialized behind Yu Lin, its wingspan casting a sweeping shadow over the lake.
Two yellow, two purple, and four black rings rose in sequence from beneath the hawk's body — the unmistakable mark of a Soul Douluo.
This level of strength was already at the pinnacle beneath a Titled Douluo, a testament to how much Qian Daoliu valued Lin Beiya's potential.
The hawk's screech shattered the stillness of the lakeside. The herbivorous soul beasts panicked instantly, scattering in all directions. Naturally, the Star-Devouring Sheep was among them.
But how could a mere four-hundred-year soul beast hope to outrun a Soul Douluo-level flying soul master?
In the blink of an eye, Yu Lin swooped down from the air, and with a single strike of his talons, the sheep was knocked unconscious. Moments later, he returned, carrying it effortlessly in one hand.
With a dull thud, the massive, four-meter-long sheep was slammed onto the ground, stirring up a thick cloud of dust.
"Cough… cough…"
Lin Beiya waved his hands in front of his face, grimacing. He was quite certain Elder Yu Lin had done that on purpose — a little payback for ignoring his advice.
Landing gracefully, Yu Lin withdrew his martial soul and, with a flick of his wrist, plunged a golden dagger into the ground before Lin Beiya.
"Use this. Aim for the eye socket — it's the quickest and least painful way."
"Thank you, Elder Yu Lin."
Taking the dagger, Lin Beiya walked toward the fallen Star-Devouring Sheep. Having hunted wild animals with his chubby friend in the forest back at the orphanage, the sight of blood didn't bother him much.
Without hesitation, he drove the dagger straight into the creature's eye. Its huge body trembled for a moment before going still, life fading away. A faint yellow soul ring slowly rose from the corpse.
"Now, guide the ring toward your martial soul using your soul power," Yu Lin instructed calmly.
Lin Beiya nodded. Sitting cross-legged, he summoned the Athena Statue once more and began to channel his soul power as instructed.
As the pale-yellow soul ring descended and wrapped itself around the divine statue, a powerful wave of energy surged through his entire body.
The pain was sharp and searing, but Lin Beiya clenched his jaw, refusing to utter a sound.
Yu Lin watched silently, extending his spiritual sense to guard their surroundings. As a Soul Douluo, he wasn't worried about Lin Beiya's endurance — someone born with full innate soul power could easily handle a 400-year ring.
Sure enough, as time passed, the twisted expression on Lin Beiya's face gradually relaxed. The storm of energy within him was stabilizing — the fusion was nearly complete.
After an hour, the yellow soul ring on the Athena Statue finally solidified. Lin Beiya slowly opened his eyes, excitement gleaming within them.
Yu Lin, seeing the boy's eager expression, couldn't help but shake his head with a small smile.
"Well then, let's hear it," he said wryly.
"Is it that energy recovery skill I warned you about?"
"Uh…"
Lin Beiya blinked, momentarily forgetting that the elder was still standing there. He quickly composed himself, but the excitement in his gaze was impossible to hide.
"Elder Yu Lin," he said, voice trembling slightly, "the ability I gained… isn't that at all."
"Oh? Don't tell me… even that kind of ability didn't manifest?"
Elder Yu Lin's heart sank.
A silent sigh escaped him as he inwardly concluded that this child's talent might be half-wasted after all.
But the next moment, Lin Beiya's actions completely shattered that thought.
A brilliant golden light burst forth from the Athena Statue before him. The newly formed soul ring shone in resonance, radiating with dazzling power.
"First Soul Skill — Aries Gold Cloth!"
A golden pillar of light shot straight into the heavens, piercing through clouds and sky alike.
Before Yu Lin's widening eyes, a golden ram slowly materialized from within the radiance — sculpted like a divine artifact, glowing with sacred brilliance.
"W–what… what is this?"
It looked like a ram, yet something was unmistakably off. Yu Lin could sense no life from it whatsoever — no soul, no heartbeat, only an overwhelming aura of holiness and power.
Lin Beiya's lips curved into a satisfied smile as he gazed at the incomplete form of the Aries Gold Cloth floating before him.
Then, under Yu Lin's disbelieving gaze, he shouted:
"Cloth—Attach!"
At once, the golden ram shattered into countless radiant fragments. The pieces streaked through the air like comets, converging around Lin Beiya and fusing with his body.
Golden plates locked into place over his arms, legs, chest, and finally, a gleaming helm formed over his head.
When Yu Lin blinked again, the youth standing before him was no longer the same.
He was now clad in resplendent golden armor, majestic and divine — like a God of War descended straight from the heavens.
"Wait, wait, hold on—" Yu Lin's jaw nearly hit the ground.
"You're telling me that Star-Devouring Sheep gave this kind of soul skill?!"
All the knowledge he had accumulated over decades felt utterly overturned.
Regardless of Lin Beiya's actual combat strength, just the appearance alone was worth more than any first soul skill he had ever seen!
Seeing the astonishment plastered on Yu Lin's face, Lin Beiya couldn't help but feel a hint of pride swelling within him. He reached up and brushed his fingers across the twin golden horns on his helmet, speaking lightly:
"Elder Yu Lin, this soul skill's power doesn't stop there."
"Oh?" Yu Lin arched a brow.
"You can test it yourself," Lin Beiya said confidently.
"Attack me — using the strength of a Grand Soulmaster."
Yu Lin almost stumbled. He looked at the boy in golden armor, utterly speechless.
'This brat just absorbed his first soul ring and he's already asking me — a Soul Douluo — to attack him with Grand Soulmaster-level power?'
Has he gone mad, or is he drunk on that shiny armor?
Still, since the words had been said, Yu Lin decided it wouldn't hurt to knock the arrogance out of him a little.
"Fine then," he replied with a smirk.
"Don't blame me if you get hurt."
The black hawk appeared once again behind Yu Lin, spreading its massive wings. In an instant, several razor-sharp wind blades shot forward, slicing through the air toward Lin Beiya.
Of course, Yu Lin was careful — the attack only carried the strength of a peak Soul Master.
As the wind blades howled toward him, Lin Beiya's lips curved upward. His arms, clad in gold, spread wide as a translucent barrier shimmered into existence before him.
"Crystal Wall!"
The wind blades struck the wall in a flurry of impacts. Ripples spread across its surface like waves on a pond — and then, silence.
The wall held.
Three seconds later, Lin Beiya thrust his palms forward. The once-calm barrier pulsed with blinding light — then fired several golden energy blades straight back at Yu Lin!
The elder's eyes bulged wide as saucers.
With a quick motion, he caught one of the oncoming light blades and crushed it in his hand.
But even then, his expression only grew more astonished.
Because he could feel it clearly — the reflected attack carried almost twice the power of his original strike.
In other words, Lin Beiya's first soul skill not only possessed tremendous defense but could also reflect and amplify enemy attacks back at them.
A defensive and counter-type skill of this level… from a Star-Devouring Sheep?
Yu Lin could only stare blankly at the golden warrior before him, realizing that everything he thought he knew about soul rings had just been rewritten.
—
End of Chapter