Rise in Douluo Continent with the help of bean buns

More than two months had passed since the Soul Hunting Plan was set in December. In the middle of spring of the year Lin Chen turned eleven, he and his group of five quietly left Tiandou City.

The affairs of Qinghetang had already been arranged: Old Chen was in charge of the main workshop to coordinate the three major businesses, Old Li was in charge of the planting base and workshop production, and the four worshippers took turns on duty in pairs. With thousands of acres of fertile land, sixteen town canals, and thirty soul-guided workshops cooperating, the whole system was running smoothly and steadily.

Lin Chen only holds the ultimate authority over the core formula and seedling cultivation, and even if he leaves the city for half a year, it will not shake the foundation.

The goal of this trip is clear—to acquire the third spirit ring.

Having spent two whole months at the peak of level 29, his foundation was already firmly established and unbreakable, making the level 30 threshold seem like nothing.

As for the third soul ring, Lin Chen and Doubao deduced up to the seventh version before finally settling on the five-thousand-year-old Ten-Thousand-Tough Heavenly Star Vine.

Pure vines share the same origin, eliminating the risk of source contamination. Correspondingly, their soul skills are integrated in both offense and defense, not only making up for shortcomings in large-scale defense but also adding confidence for delving deeper into the core of the Star Dou.

The four accompanying Soul Kings each had their own duties: Shi Feng, a level 58 defensive character; Su Wanqing, a level 56 support character; Ying Qi, a level 55 agility-attack character; and Zhou Yan, a level 59 power-attack character.

The configuration of a five-ring Soul King is fully covered in attack, defense, healing, and exploration. It is more than enough to deal with five-thousand-year-old Soul Beasts, and even if it encounters an ordinary ten-thousand-year-old Soul Beast, it can retreat with ease.

After traveling south for more than ten days, they entered the territory of the Starry Sky Forest.

The deeper you go, the denser the forest becomes, with towering ancient trees blocking out the sun and thick roots twisting and turning beneath the decaying leaves. The vital energy in the air becomes increasingly concentrated, mixed with the faint ferocious aura of high-level soul beasts.

Ying Qi led the way, his figure hidden among the shadows of the trees, searching for traces of spirit beasts ahead; Shi Feng protected Lin Chen from the side, his rock-type spirit power half-activated, ready to provide defense at any time; Zhou Yan brought up the rear, vigilant for any unusual movements from behind; Su Wanqing walked in the middle of the group, her healing and buffing spirit skills ready to be used at any time.

Lin Chen walked in the middle, seemingly resting with his eyes closed, but in reality, Doubao's full-area scan had already been launched. The distribution of soul beasts, terrain trends, and energy fluctuations within a radius of a thousand meters were clearly reflected in his mind.

[Full-area scan update: 2,700 meters ahead is the territory of a 7,300-year-old armored rhinoceros; 2,000 meters to the left are traces of activity of a 10,000-year-old Netherwolf; the southern right is a safe corridor with no high-level soul beasts residing there.]

"Go two miles south, bypassing the territory ahead," Lin Chen said calmly, his tone ordinary, as if it were just the senses of plants and trees.

Shadow Seven was stunned for a moment—he had only detected high-level fluctuations ahead, but had not been able to pinpoint the exact age and boundaries. His master was actually more accurate than him.

  

Although he was startled, he didn't ask any questions and immediately adjusted his direction to lead the way.

They traveled by night and hid during the day, avoiding several groups of thousand-year-old soul beasts and bypassing several sizable soul-hunting teams.

Lin Chen always kept a low profile, never took action, and attributed all warnings to his "intuition," never revealing any of his trump cards.

The habit of concealing one's talents and keeping a low profile has long been ingrained in every detail of one's actions.

On the seventh day after entering the forest, at noon, the group finally arrived at Tianxing Cliff.

On the steep, gray-brown cliff face, countless thick vines intertwine and coil, like a giant net covering half of the cliff.

The vines are dotted with tiny, silvery-white specks of light, which resemble scattered stars in the sunlight, hence the name "Heavenly Star Vine".

The central main vine was as thick as a bucket, its surface gleaming with a metallic sheen, and the somber, oppressive aura unique to five-thousand-year-old soul beasts slowly emanated from it.

[Scan confirmed: Target: Wanren Tianxing Ancient Vine, age 5120 years, deviation 2.4%]

Soul Skill Prediction: Heavenly Star Sharp Spike, Vine Net Strangulation, Root System Assault, Rock Vine Protection.

Characteristics: The vines are as tough as steel, with extremely strong defense. Their weakness is the core crystal of the main vine.

Hunting Plan Version 7 Execution: The four people work together to weaken the enemy's defenses and bring them to the brink of death, then the host finishes off the remaining enemies.

Estimated battle losses: Low

The result was exactly the same as the prediction made two months ago.

Lin Chen nodded slightly and said softly, "Proceed according to plan. Be careful of the vines and spikes. Its defenses are extremely tough, so don't try to fight it head-on."

"Understood," the four replied in unison.

The next second, Shi Feng took the lead and stepped forward. His five spirit rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, and black—lit up in turn. The fifth ring flashed with black light, and thick rock armor covered his entire body. A huge stone shield rose from the ground beneath his feet.

"Fifth Soul Skill: Mountain Shield!"

Almost simultaneously, the ancient vines on the cliff face sensed the intruder, and countless thick vines, like giant pythons that had come to life, lashed down fiercely with a howling wind.

bang bang bang-

The vines struck the stone shield, producing a crisp sound like metal clashing against stone. Shards of stone flew everywhere, and the stone shield, which was several feet thick, was cracked.

"Such powerful force." Shi Feng groaned, unleashing his full soul power to stabilize the shield formation.

"Wind Vine buff." Su Wanqing spoke softly, her five soul rings swirling, the fourth ring lighting up, and four pale green halos falling on the four of them, simultaneously increasing their speed, strength, and defense.

The buffs from a level 56 support Soul King are truly significant.

Shadow Seven's figure flickered and disappeared from the spot. Using the shadow of the vines, he quickly approached the cliff wall to find the core weak point.

Zhou Yan let out a low roar, his soul power surging, and a several-foot-long, earth-yellow fist shadow slammed towards the dense vines: "Fifth Soul Skill - Earth-Shattering Mountain-Crushing!"

With a loud bang, several vines were snapped in two, and dark green sap splattered everywhere.

New shoots sprout from the broken end in an instant, showing an astonishing regeneration rate.

The battle quickly became a stalemate.

The ancient vine of the Heavenly Star takes root in the cliff face, taking full advantage of its location. Five thousand years of cultivation have made its defense and resilience extremely strong.

Countless vines combine offense and defense, unleashing a barrage of lashes, strangulation attacks, and long-range spikes, creating an impenetrable defense.

Every time Zhou Yan's powerful attacks shattered a batch, a new one would quickly take its place; Ying Qi tried several times to get close to the main vine, but was forced back by the dense vine net; Shi Feng's defensive shield was gradually defeated, and the cracks on his rock armor were increasing; Su Wanqing's healing aura never stopped, but it could only barely stabilize everyone's condition.

"This thing's skin is too thick! I can't even get a grip on it!" Zhou Yan shouted, panting heavily as he punched away the vines that were being pulled back.

Time passed little by little, from dawn to noon, and from noon to dusk.

After a long and arduous battle, the aura of the Heavenly Star Ancient Vine was only slightly weakened, but its fighting power was still abundant.

The four Soul Kings had exhausted their soul power, and Shi Feng and Ying Qi, who were responsible for close-range control, were even more exhausted.

Just then, the ancient vine suddenly burst forth.

Countless vines tightened simultaneously, weaving a massive, impenetrable net that descended upon them; the silvery-white specks on the vines lit up, transforming into a dense barrage of sharp celestial spikes that rained down like a storm.

"Not good!" Shi Feng's pupils shrank, and he used all his soul power to make the stone shield several times thicker.

click-

The stone shield shattered the moment the giant net pressed down.

Shi Feng groaned as several vines struck his chest, causing him to stagger back several steps, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"Old Shi!" Su Wanqing exclaimed in surprise as her fifth spirit ring lit up, and a dense beam of healing light fell on him.

But the sharp spikes were already upon them, and it looked like they were about to injure everyone.

At this critical moment, from an angle unnoticed by anyone, Lin Chen's fingertips twitched slightly.

The second spirit ring quietly lit up under his sleeve, its faint glow blending into the twilight.

Countless tiny grass seeds drifted out with the wind, silently sticking to the ancient vines and instantly disappearing inside.

He didn't go all out; he simply had the parasitic vines entangle a few key nutrient transport nodes, interfering with the energy flow very lightly and slowly for a moment.

That momentary delay slowed the ancient vine's attack by half a beat, and the sharp spikes' power was also weakened by three points.

"Now!" Zhou Yan seized the fleeting opportunity, his eyes narrowed, and his soul power exploded without reservation.

Fifth Soul Skill: Mountain Collapse!

Shadow Seven also appeared at the same time, his figure ghostly approaching the main vine. His short blade flashed with cold light, and he stabbed it fiercely into the crack that had been blasted open earlier, tearing open the hard outer shell of the main vine.

One attacker uses a strong offensive technique, while the other uses a quick offensive technique, combining their strength to bombard the core area of ​​the main vine.

With a crisp crack, the tough outer layer of the main vine shattered completely, revealing the pale blue primordial crystal core, its spiritual light dimmed, indicating it was on the verge of death.

The ancient vine of the Heavenly Star convulsed violently a few times, and all its tendrils went limp, clinging to its last breath with only a faint strength, powerless to resist any longer.

The four men simultaneously withdrew and stepped back. Zhou Yan turned to the side, gesturing for Lin Chen to step forward, and said only two words: "Master."

There's no need for further explanation or reiteration of the rules.

These are all veterans who have been navigating the world of Soul Masters for decades, and they all know the proper boundaries when hunting Soul Beasts. It's only natural that they are responsible for attrition warfare, breaking through defenses, and wearing down the Soul Beasts to the brink of death, leaving the final blow for the true target.

Everyone's gaze was calm and natural; no one felt anything was amiss.

Lin Chen walked forward slowly, his expression calm.

He raised his hand, his first spirit ring glowed faintly, and a condensed dark green Blue Silver Grass vine extended from his palm, its tip extremely sharp.

There were no fancy soul skills, just an ordinary piercing strike.

The vines pierced precisely into the exposed primordial crystal core.

The crystal core shattered instantly, and the pale blue light was completely extinguished.

All the vines of the ancient Tianxing vine have completely drooped, their vitality extinguished.

A deep purple soul ring slowly emerged from the main vine, its color rich and almost black, carrying the ancient and heavy aura unique to five-thousand-year-old soul beasts, and steadily hovered in mid-air.

The whole process was clean and efficient, and to the four of them it was perfectly normal.

No one bothered to investigate why the ancient vine, which had been fighting hard for most of the day, suddenly slowed down at the most crucial moment of its burst of power.

In their view, this is the standard process for hunting souls: the guards do the work of crippling the enemy, and the master cleans up the mess, which is perfectly logical.

Lin Chen retracted the vines, his expression unchanged, as if he had only done a trivial matter.

"I need to find a safe place to absorb a spirit ring."

"Okay, sure!"

Shadow Seven quickly found a secluded and dry cave at the foot of the cliff, which was easy to defend and difficult to attack.

The four men set up a perimeter defense formation and took turns on guard duty.

Lin Chen sat cross-legged inside the cave, gazing at the deep purple soul ring floating in front of him.

The energy of a five-thousand-year-old soul ring is several times more violent than that of a thousand-year-old ghost vine.

Most ordinary three-ring Soul Masters have a third Soul Ring that is only one or two thousand years old. There is not a single one in the entire world who dares to absorb a five-thousand-year-old Soul Ring.

But Lin Chen had enough confidence.

With an extremely solid foundation, a pure and identical martial soul, and Doubao's precise guidance, the absorption success rate has already been estimated to be over 98%.

"Let's begin."

[Absorption-guided startup.]

Target: 5120-year-old Ten Thousand Resilient Heavenly Star Ancient Vine Soul Ring.

Estimated absorption time: six hours.

Expected level increase: 2 levels (Level 30 → Level 32).

An energy diversion plan has been devised to avoid damage to meridians throughout the process and maximize the benefits of the martial spirit's essence.

Lin Chen took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

Under the pull of his soul power, the deep purple soul ring slowly fell and enveloped him.

boom--

The violent vine energy surged into his meridians instantly, like a raging flood, carrying a destructive force.

If it were an ordinary level 30 Soul Master, this would likely cause their meridians to burst, rendering them useless.

Lin Chen's meridians had already been repeatedly widened and strengthened, making them incredibly resilient; his soul power was more than twice as refined as others of the same level, enough to withstand violent energy.

More importantly, the bean bun guides the energy precisely, directing the flow of every single strand of energy.

The violent energy was broken down into trickles, circulating along the optimal path of cultivation. Part of it was used to nourish and broaden the meridians, while another part was used to condense the soul power in the dantian. The most core source power was then slowly integrated into the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul.

Within his dantian, the Blue Silver Grass martial soul trembled violently, and its silver-blue patterns lit up wildly.

The deep purple energy washed over the grass blades again and again, making them thicker and stronger, and their patterns more intricate and profound.

A profound, expansive, and all-encompassing quality gradually merged into the origin of the martial spirit.

Beside the first spirit ring, the second purple spirit ring trembled slightly, echoing the newly arrived third spirit ring from afar.

Three soul rings, yellow, purple, and dark purple, were arranged in order, slowly rotating, their light flickering in a controlled manner.

The process was not smooth sailing.

There were three energy surges along the way, but Lin Chen managed to suppress them all with his powerful mental strength and Doubao's precise control.

Despite the throbbing pain in his meridians, he remained motionless and kept his mind clear.

Six hours later, as the sky began to lighten, the last wisp of energy completely merged into the dantian.

Lin Chen slowly opened his eyes.

Beneath his feet, three soul rings lit up simultaneously, their yellow, purple, and dark purple halos flowing around him, exuding a calm and profound aura.

Realm Update: Level 32, Three-Ring Soul Master.

Martial Soul Origin: Third-order evolution initiated, officially transitioning to Blue Silver King, with an origin purity of 99.1%.

The third Soul Skill, Distributed Blue Silver Forest, is now fully unlocked.

Soul power refinement level: 271%.

Mental strength increases in tandem, raising the micro-management limit to 1200 units.

The Three-Ring Soul Master has been achieved.

Lin Chen stood up, his aura was restrained, but it was several times heavier than before.

With a slight thought, his third spirit ring quietly lit up.

Inside the cave, countless blue silver grasses grew wildly in the soil, covering the entire ground in just a few breaths. The vines intertwined layer by layer, forming a dense net.

It combines defense, control, reconnaissance, and self-healing into one versatile tool.

He can conjure a Blue Silver Fortress at any time if he so desires, with its branches spreading out to distribute damage and form a multi-layered defense network covering the entire area.

With this ability, even if he were alone on the edge of the core of the star system, he would have enough power to protect himself.

"Master, have you finished absorbing?"

Sensing the change in atmosphere inside the cave, Shi Feng quickly went inside.

When he saw the deep purple third spirit ring at Lin Chen's feet, his pupils shrank and his face was full of shock.

The five-thousand-year-old soul ring was actually successfully absorbed by the master?

Moreover, his aura was incredibly stable, showing no signs of weakness or backlash.

An eleven-year-old Soul Master with three Soul Rings, and the third Soul Ring in five thousand years...

Shi Feng opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a word for a long time. He had served in the military for decades and had seen many geniuses, but he had never heard of such a monstrous talent.

"Hmm." Lin Chen nodded slightly. "How is Elder Shi's injury?"

"It's nothing serious. With the treatment from Master Su and the medicinal herbs, he'll be fully recovered after half a month of rest," Shi Feng replied hastily, bowing without looking closely at Lin Chen.

At this moment, he was completely convinced of the young master's abilities.

His talent, temperament, and methods are all top-notch.

Following an employer like this is definitely the right choice.

"Rest for a day, then head back tomorrow."

Lin Chen stepped out of the cave, the morning breeze ruffling his clothes.

The ancient vines on the cliff have lost their vitality, but the martial spirit within him has undergone a complete transformation.

With the Third Ring Road completed, the Blue Silver Forest is within our grasp.

The confidence to delve into the core of the stars has finally been established.

He looked up toward the depths of the forest, a fleeting glint in his eyes.

Tianmeng Ice Silkworm, Electrolux, Huo Yuhao...

This multi-year-long plan is finally about to reach its most crucial step.

The spring breeze swept through the woods, swirling up the delicate petals.

The young man stood on the edge of the cliff, three soul rings hidden within his body, his gentle eyes revealing a resolute determination as he prepared to make his move.