Another year later, in a room within the library of the Spirit Hall.
Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a soft, warm glow on the young boy's face, illuminating his features with a gentle brightness.
Bathed in the sunlight, the boy's profile appeared dignified and solemn.
His eyes were calm yet profound as he gazed at the book before him, a slight furrow forming between his brows. He absentmindedly stroked his chin, deep in thought.
A young girl sat quietly beside him, propping her cheek with her hand, watching intently as the boy pondered.
For some reason, Qian Renxue let out a light chuckle.
"I've got it!"
Lin Feng suddenly exclaimed, his face lighting up with realization.
"What did you figure out? Tell me, tell me!" Qian Renxue's eyes sparkled as she leaned in closer.
"I was thinking, maybe we can approach this from the perspective of soul rings. Soul rings are the foundation for storing soul power and soul skills, so why do they manifest outside the martial soul? The martial soul is a part of the body, so logically, soul rings should also be able to exist within the body.
Similarly, as vessels for storing and circulating soul power, the meridians and soul rings should share some similarities.
Perhaps the legendary techniques of 'Ring Explosion' and 'Ring Fusion' are related to this!"
Lin Feng's eyes grew brighter as he spoke, convinced he had stumbled upon a viable path.
By now, he had already absorbed his first hundred-year soul ring and reached level 11.
However, his research into soul power pathways had hit a wall. Reconstructing meridians within the body to form corresponding pathways was proving to be a perplexing challenge.
Although he had chosen to rebuild a new foundation within his body, opting for the Soul Meridian Cultivation Method, which allowed him to break through the limitation of being stuck at Soul Master level due to his initial innate soul power of level 1, this was not the end goal Lin Feng sought.
With his current "Innate Soul Evolution Art," he still couldn't achieve the cultivation speed of someone with innate full spirit power.
Moreover, the technique wasn't universally applicable. Extracting a feasible method from his personal case would still require a long process.
The Innate Treasure Pearl played a crucial role in his exploration of techniques, and currently, there was no known substitute for it on the continent.
"Soul rings are the condensation of soul power, and meridians are the channels through which soul power flows. If we can integrate soul rings into the body, we should be able to find the most suitable path for ourselves.
After all, soul rings are essentially attachments to the martial soul, and the martial soul is a part of the body. If we can relocate the soul rings..."
As Lin Feng muttered to himself, Qian Renxue began to feel a sense of unease.
"Xiao Feng! What are you thinking? Soul rings can't just manifest inside the body! Do you have any idea how terrifying the energy within a soul ring is? Our bodies can't withstand it!
You need to snap out of it! Don't think about such dangerous things!"
Qian Renxue shook Lin Feng's head vigorously, leaving him slightly dizzy.
"Stop, stop, stop! Xiao Xue, I'm feeling a bit nauseous. You're too strong!"
"Oh, sorry about that."
Qian Renxue awkwardly withdrew her hands. In her panic, she had inadvertently used her soul power. As a Soul Elder, her strength could indeed harm Lin Feng.
Lin Feng rubbed his temples, giving Qian Renxue a teasing look:
"What, are you worried I'll die?"
"Hmph, of course not! I just don't want to see my friend turn into a fool who goes looking for trouble."
Qian Renxue's eyes darted around, avoiding his gaze.
Lin Feng smiled faintly. Her personality was still the same; he wondered if it would ever change.
"Don't worry, I won't do anything reckless. Just like how rivers flow with great momentum, eventually merging into the sea, soul power is like water. The soul power within a soul ring may be vast, but as long as we find the right method, it's not impossible to integrate it into the body.
If it's a flood, then I'll build dams and create tributaries, expanding the channels of the meridians.
With determination, I can succeed. Don't forget, my martial soul seems tailor-made for this."
Qian Renxue stared at Lin Feng, recalling his first soul skill—Breath of Life.
A healing-type soul skill, its effects were exceptionally powerful, especially in repairing the body. Its efficacy in mending meridians was almost unparalleled, rivaling even the Nine-Heart Begonia.
As long as the damage wasn't fatal, it could be repaired; it was only a matter of time.
This meant Lin Feng could experiment freely with his meridians. As long as the damage wasn't severe, he could recover after some rest.
Coupled with his martial soul's innate ability to purify soul power and nurture meridians, it seemed as if his martial soul was designed for the creation of this new technique.
Qian Renxue pursed her lips. After a year of spending time together, she knew that once Lin Feng set his mind on something, it was hard to dissuade him. Especially since this was something he had been pursuing all along.
"Alright, but I want to discuss something with you. When you're experimenting with your cultivation in the future, make sure it's during the day, and call me along, okay?"
Qian Renxue's tone carried a hint of pleading.
Lin Feng understood her underlying concern—she wanted to ensure he had support in case something went wrong during his cultivation, preventing any serious harm to his body.
Lin Feng's gaze softened.
"Alright, no problem. I promise."
"Good, I believe you'll succeed."
Qian Renxue let out a sigh of relief, steering the conversation away from the topic.
At that moment, a deep, steady voice echoed through the room:
"Young man, mind if an old man like me joins you?"
Qian Renxue's eyes widened as she quickly distanced herself from Lin Feng, looking flustered toward the door.
"Grandpa? What are you doing here..."
Qian Daoliu sighed with a hint of exasperation:
"I came to see the genius boy you've been talking about every day. What, am I not welcome?"
"Ah, Grandpa~" Qian Renxue rushed over, shaking Qian Daoliu's arm.
"Of course, Xiao Xue welcomes you! It's just that you didn't tell me in advance, so I was surprised, that's all."
Qian Daoliu's expression softened, and he chuckled:
"Alright, alright, my bad. I should've let you know beforehand."
Qian Renxue winked at Lin Feng.
"Lin Feng pays his respects to the Grand Worship."
Seeing Lin Feng bowing before him, Qian Daoliu was slightly taken aback. He glanced at Qian Renxue, who shook her head.
Qian Daoliu nodded: "Rise. You're quite clever, figuring out Xiao Xue's identity."
"You flatter me, Grand Worship. Xiao Xue has never revealed her martial soul in the past year, but as a high-ranking member of the Spirit Hall, her soul power carries a sacred and noble quality.
Moreover, she could easily obtain access to the library's tokens. Combined with her usual demeanor, it wasn't hard to deduce."
Qian Renxue pouted:
"Stupid Lin Feng, so you knew all along! You've been playing along with me for so long. Was it fun?"
Lin Feng apologized.
"My bad, but you were hiding your identity too, weren't you? Since it wasn't the right time to reveal it, I didn't dare to expose you."
"You—ugh, whatever. I'm mad at you, so you'd better make it up to me." Qian Renxue crossed her arms and turned her head away.
Qian Daoliu watched the scene with amusement. For a moment, he couldn't help but feel like he was the third wheel.