Seated beside Xiao Wu, Lin Jie looked down at the Titan Giant Ape beneath them, sprinting at astonishing speed. A sigh rose in his heart—he had never imagined that one day he would be riding atop a hundred-thousand-year soul beast. And not only that, this soul beast was actually helping him hunt for his next Spirit Ring.
It all felt unreal, like a dream.
At that moment, Xiao Wu asked:
"Lin Jie, what type of Spirit Ring do you need for your fifth ring? And what about the age range?"
"As for age, I'm hoping for something between thirty thousand and fifty thousand years. As for type… we'll decide once we find it."
Xiao Wu's brows furrowed.
"But… isn't that too risky? Didn't Master say the maximum for the fifth ring is twelve thousand years?"
Lin Jie chuckled softly.
"Xiao Wu, that theory only applies to ordinary people. It doesn't apply to me. Don't forget—my fourth ring was already well beyond twelve thousand years."
Xiao Wu thought for a moment and had to agree. Yu Xiaogang's theory really didn't seem to fit Lin Jie.
After hearing Xiao Wu's explanation, Er Ming quickly understood what to look for and set off at full speed.
Before long, he had already found a soul beast around thirty thousand years. But when the creature saw Er Ming, it trembled violently, so terrified it forgot to resist.
Fortunately, it was a defensive-type beast, not suitable for Lin Jie. Otherwise, its life would have ended right then and there.
Within the Star Dou Great Forest, few soul beasts failed to recognize the Titan Giant Ape. Seeing him carrying Lin Jie and Xiao Wu, this one took the chance to flee as soon as it could.
Er Ming kept running for another hour before locating another beast, this one slightly over thirty thousand years old. But it still didn't quite match what Lin Jie wanted.
So the search continued.
They spent most of the day hunting, yet nothing seemed suitable. They even encountered a few over fifty thousand years, but none dared attack once they saw Er Ming. In the end, they withdrew on their own.
Lin Jie started feeling a little guilty about being so picky. So he promised both Xiao Wu and Er Ming that if they couldn't find the perfect one soon, he'd settle for the next best match. He also sweetened the deal by promising Er Ming a grand barbecue feast once they returned.
At the mention of barbecue, Er Ming's drool almost hit the ground. The memory of Lin Jie's roasted meat was carved deep into his soul. With renewed enthusiasm, he sprinted wildly, dragging them deeper into the forest.
Finally, they found it.
"Er Ming, this one!"
"Roar! Got it. Watch me!"
Er Ming slammed his giant fists down mercilessly.
After a brutal pounding, the chosen beast lay collapsed on the ground, barely clinging to life, its massive body trembling with fear. As an intelligent thirty-thousand-year creature, it couldn't fathom why it had been singled out by the Titan Giant Ape, beaten as though it were nothing more than a sandbag.
But fate was cruel—sometimes disaster struck before tomorrow could come.
Lin Jie had already decided that if they couldn't find something ideal, he would compromise. After all, with his self-created Spirit Skills, he didn't rely solely on his rings. He just needed one strong enough to push him past rank 50.
What he didn't expect was to find a lightning-attribute beast.
The Thunder-Horned Rhino. Its form resembled a bull, with a single horn atop its head, its entire body covered in azure scales. It possessed immense strength and powerful thunder attributes.
Even Er Ming, despite his overwhelming strength, had to exert real effort to subdue it.
Lin Jie walked toward the fallen Thunder-Horned Rhino, speaking quietly to Xiao Wu before moving ahead. It was time to absorb his fifth Spirit Ring.
The rhino, over five meters long, lay gasping for breath. Its lantern-sized eyes fixed on Lin Jie without hatred, only resignation, as if begging for a swift release.
After the merciless beating from Er Ming, both its body and spirit were shattered. Its gaze carried nothing but despair.
Lin Jie drew his dagger, arcs of electricity crackling faintly along the blade.
"Rest easy. It'll be quick. You won't feel pain."
With a swift motion, the blade fell.
The rhino blinked once, then slowly closed its eyes—liberated at last.
The black Spirit Ring rose.
Er Ming felt nothing about the kill, but Xiao Wu's eyes carried a flicker of sorrow before she quickly composed herself again.
Lin Jie sat cross-legged, pulling the ring toward him. The pitch-black glow settled onto his body, filling him with surging energy.
Normally, a soul beast over ten thousand years old left behind resentful remnants of its soul—fragments that attacked the absorber during fusion. Many Spirit Masters had failed because of this, their bodies broken, their minds shattered.
Lin Jie had already prepared himself for that test. His spiritual power was formidable, more than enough to withstand the impact.
But strangely… it never came.
The process went smoothly, without the expected backlash.
Puzzled, Lin Jie recalled the rhino's final expression, one of relief, almost welcoming the end. Perhaps… it had carried no hatred toward him after all.
Most Spirit Masters could only manage a twelve-thousand-year fifth ring. But Lin Jie's rings had always defied that rule.
Now, he had successfully absorbed a forty-seven-thousand-year Spirit Ring.
The energy within surged like a flood, instantly breaking the bottleneck of rank 50, pushing him straight to rank 52.
His fifth Spirit Ability—
the Thunder Spear.
Formed entirely from condensed lightning, it could pierce, explode, and devastate with unstoppable might. Even more, it carried a hidden effect Lin Jie hadn't anticipated.
Opening his eyes, Lin Jie exhaled deeply and stood, glancing at the massive corpse before him. He shook his head.
He had hoped for a Spirit Bone… but luck hadn't favored him.
Still, he wasn't empty-handed. The rhino's horn radiated raw power—an item too valuable to ignore. Lin Jie cut it free and stored it away.
Xiao Wu approached, her voice soft:
"Lin Jie, you've finished?"
"Yeah. The fusion is complete. My Spirit Power has broken through, and this new ability is very strong."
Er Ming's booming laugh rumbled out:
"Roar! Lin Jie, does this mean you'll cook my barbecue feast now?"
Lin Jie chuckled.
"Don't worry, I won't forget. But first, let's head back. I'll need to go into seclusion afterward."
Xiao Wu nodded, and together they leapt back onto Er Ming's massive shoulders.
Hearing they were returning, Er Ming was delighted. He even quickened his pace, snatching a few powerful soul beasts along the way to serve as snacks.
Back at the lakeside cabin, Lin Jie kept his promise. Though he intended to retreat and cultivate, he couldn't break his word to Er Ming.
So he spent half a day preparing the barbecue feast—hunting for spices, grilling enormous portions, even cooking beasts larger than himself.
"Xiao Wu, try this one."
Xiao Wu usually avoided meat—being a rabbit, she preferred carrots and fresh greens. But she couldn't refuse Lin Jie's offering. She accepted the grilled fish, nibbling delicately.
They chatted as they ate, laughter mingling with a faint trace of something more intimate.
Meanwhile, Er Ming sat off to the side, happily devouring his share, face full of bliss.
Afterwards, Lin Jie excused himself and returned to the cabin, entering closed-door cultivation. He needed time to settle his new power.
His fifth Spirit Ability, Thunder Spear, could manifest a spear of lightning, devastating in both attack and penetration. The explosive force was overwhelming—yet it also carried an unexpected effect that intrigued him.
For an entire week, he remained in seclusion, familiarizing himself with his upgraded strength.
Xiao Wu had thought he would leave right after obtaining his ring. But when he chose to stay, her heart secretly rejoiced.
Indeed, Lin Jie had planned to leave. But with the dense Spirit Power here, powerful beasts to spar with, and Er Ming's hundred-thousand-year Gravity Domain, this place was an ideal training ground.
At first, Er Ming was reluctant to spar with him—Lin Jie seemed far too weak. But under Lin Jie's constant persuasion… he eventually agreed.
And to his surprise, Er Ming discovered that Lin Jie's strength was not as simple as it seemed.