"What kind of soul beast is this?"
Ling Yuan asked in surprise. Even now, as a Titled Douluo, she had never seen a soul beast with such an appearance.
The creature before them was suffused with pure water-element fluctuations.
Its appearance resembled a massive dragon formed from countless delicate droplets of water, rather than a traditional, physical being.
Its body swam slowly through the air, each scale—shaped from water—glimmering with a gentle and profound blue light, brimming with mysterious power.
The most astonishing feature was its eyes: not typical beastly orbs, but two bottomless blue vortices.
With each breath it took, water vapor began to condense in the surrounding air, forming a fine mist that added a dreamlike and surreal quality to the scene.
Even Lin Feng was slightly surprised.
This place was merely dozens of miles from Spirit Hall City.
It was a secluded part of the Star Dou Great Forest.
To think such an extraordinary soul beast still dwelled here.
"This is a creature formed entirely from pure water-elemental energy. If we were to name it, it could be called the Purewater Azure Dragon."
Sensing the soul power emanating from the beast, Ling Yuan spoke slowly:
"Its cultivation is around twenty thousand years. It's just right for you, Xiao Feng."
As the trio watched, the Purewater Azure Dragon suddenly paused mid-swim, and its azure body swiftly shifted form.
It reshaped itself like a slime, molding into a new form.
Within moments, to the astonishment of the three, the Purewater Azure Dragon transformed into a blue egret, gracefully gliding across the lake's surface.
Pure and singular, yet full of change.
A spark of excitement flickered in Lin Feng's eyes. There couldn't be a more perfect fit than this creature.
"Sister Ling Yuan, let's wrap this up."
"Alright."
As Lin Feng brought his blade down, ending the soul beast's life—
—a black soul ring rose into the air, hovering silently.
In the human body, the liver corresponds to wood, the heart to fire, the spleen to earth, the lungs to metal, and the kidneys to water.
Wood generates fire, fire generates earth, earth generates metal, metal generates water, and water generates wood.
As the final gate on Lin Feng's path to establishing his Soul Veins, the water-elemental soul ring was not only the last link in the Five Elements cycle—
—it would also become the final cornerstone in regulating the Five Elemental Soul Veins, bearing Lin Feng's infinite hopes and possibilities for the future.
Just as he had said long ago:
Lin Feng's first Soul Vein was wood—brimming with boundless vitality, the source of all things.
The second was fire—extreme in its energy, the driving force of power.
The third was earth—balanced and neutral, the power of transformation.
The fourth was metal—yin in form yet containing yang essence, able to harden and renew.
And the fifth, not yet formed, was water.
Among the Five Elements, water represented the origin of all postnatal energy—the source of life in the cosmos and the evolution of all matter.
Yang water was seen as the beginning of everything, while yin water was the origin of all living essence.
The Dao is split into yin and yang—and so is water.
Lin Feng had long foreseen this when he began forging his Soul Veins starting with wood.
First came energy, then came power, followed by transformation and innovation, ending with water to regulate and adapt.
Water gives birth to wood, and wood is green—the cycle flows endlessly.
Moreover, as the most special element of the five, water was the clearest reflection of the Dao, of universal law.
The soul ring of the Purewater Azure Dragon slowly descended, drawn by Lin Feng into the Innate Treasure Pearl.
The black soul ring floated briefly atop the pearl, then stabilized.
To Lin Feng's surprise, the soul beast's consciousness contained within the ring was nearly nonexistent.
The absorption process was unexpectedly smooth.
As the energies shifted and converged, Lin Feng's aura suddenly changed.
It was the sign of a breakthrough.
The soul ring stabilized, and his soul power rose to Rank 52.
As he perceived the ability granted by the soul ring, a sense of clarity arose in his heart.
His fifth soul skill lacked any flamboyant effects.
"Water Attribute Mastery"—if it had to be given a name, it would be this.
And that, in itself, was terrifying—Lin Feng could already freely alter and transform this soul skill at will.
With a flick of his hand, a stream of water danced in his palm.
The water moved as if it were alive, shifting its form with Lin Feng's thoughts.
It could become a sharp blade, slicing through the air with a faint hiss;
Or a solid shield, defending Lin Feng from harm;
Or a gentle stream, curling around his fingertips like a fine drizzle, calming and serene.
With a snap of his fingers, soul power shot into the sky.
Like nightfall, rain began to fall, pattering lightly on their bodies.
"So this is the power granted by the Water of the Five Elements…" Lin Feng murmured, a never-before-seen brilliance gleaming in his eyes.
He knew clearly—this wasn't just a leap in strength, but a deeper grasp of the laws of the Five Elements.
Water was gentle and easy to control, yet its upper limit was high—its boundless transformations hinted at infinite potential.
"Xiao Feng, how are you feeling?"
Seeing Lin Feng momentarily lost in thought, Qian Renxue couldn't help but ask.
"Incredible. Better than ever. I don't want to waste any time—I'm going to begin constructing the Fifth Soul Vein immediately."
A hint of surprise flashed in Ling Yuan's eyes.
"So soon? You just absorbed the soul ring."
Lin Feng shook his head.
"With you here, I barely exerted myself hunting the soul beast. My body and mind are still in peak condition—it won't affect anything."
"Very well. Then begin—we'll stand guard."
"Mm."
Qian Renxue and Ling Yuan took up guard positions around Lin Feng.
Even though this was a remote corner of the Star Dou Great Forest, there was no guarantee soul beasts wouldn't intrude.
The pitch-black ten-thousand-year soul ring, still fresh from the kill, was drawn down by Lin Feng.
"Begin!"
With a soft call, the soul ring transformed into a misty ring.
Drawn by the Innate Treasure Pearl, it drifted toward Lin Feng's kidney region.
There—
—a foundation had long been prepared.
Crafted by Gu Yuena, the Silver Dragon King, and supported by the self-regulation of Lin Feng's own Soul Veins.
With no unexpected mishaps, Lin Feng's fifth Soul Vein was finally forged.
At the very moment it was completed—
—a surge of unprecedented power burst from Lin Feng's body: the perfect fusion of the Five Elemental attributes.
He closed his eyes and focused, feeling the pure, powerful water-element energy merging into the depths of his soul, intertwining with the wood, fire, earth, and metal elements—forming a flawless cycle.
The source power obtained from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well automatically shaped the final gateway.
Constructing the optimal conduit linking all Five Elemental Soul Veins.
The circular ring left behind by Gu Yuena was shattered by the resonance of Lin Feng's five Soul Veins, only to be reshaped by Lin Feng himself.
Inside his dantian.
Unlike Gu Yuena's blue ring—
—this newly forged ring shimmered with the brilliance of the Five Elements, imbued with their laws, and radiated resplendently within Lin Feng's core.
The five Soul Veins echoed each other from afar and had already begun to operate on their own.
As the Five Elemental Soul Veins fully merged, Lin Feng felt as though he had entered an entirely new world.
His perception became incredibly sharp, allowing him to clearly sense even the most subtle fluctuations of energy in his surroundings.
The power of the elements coursed through his body like rivers flowing into the sea—gentle yet vast—granting him an unprecedented sense of power and control.
"So this is the power of the Five Elements as one?" Lin Feng marveled to himself.
He slowly opened his eyes, a gleam of wisdom and depth flickering within them, as if he could perceive the very essence of all things.
With a gentle wave of his hands, a crystal-clear drop of water formed at his fingertips. It slowly rotated in mid-air before suddenly bursting, transforming into countless fine droplets of mist that filled the entire space.
The mist seemed to possess a will of its own, weaving freely through the air to form dazzling patterns, which then gradually gathered back into a stream of water and returned to Lin Feng's hand.
"Water—supremely gentle yet infinitely strong, ever-changing in form." Lin Feng spoke softly, his understanding of water having reached an entirely new level.
He raised one hand, and a flaming arrow formed instantly. Yet just as the arrow was about to be released—
A thought stirred in Lin Feng's heart. The arrow began to shift shape, as flames intertwined with water elements, transforming into a strange arrow of fused fire and water.
On its surface, fire and water wrapped around one another—retaining the searing heat of flame and the agile grace of water—demonstrating the unique charm of the Five Elements united.
"Water and fire in harmony—mutually generating and restraining, yet also complementing one another." Lin Feng murmured, a glint of joy flashing through his eyes.
The Five Elements were not simply additive in power; they represented the infinite possibilities born from their interactions and mutual stimulation.
There were countless transformations within that still awaited Lin Feng's discovery.
"It seems the convergence of the Five Elemental Soul Veins has elevated my understanding and application of elemental forces to a whole new level."
Lin Feng contemplated inwardly as he tried to incorporate more elements into his attacks.
With a flurry of hand movements, wood, fire, earth, metal, and water elements surged forth one after another, quickly weaving together into a dazzling torrent of multicolored energy that soared skyward.
"Fivefold Elemental Cycle!"
With a low shout, Lin Feng unleashed the torrent. It exploded in the sky, transforming into a rain of elemental energy. Every droplet contained the power of the Five Elements, painting the surroundings into a dreamlike scene.
"Xiao Feng!"
Qian Renxue and Lingyuan cried out in delight.
They were about to rush forward—but Lin Feng shook his head, signaling them to stay back for now.
The two paused in confusion, while Lin Feng's brow arched slightly.
It's here!
That white speck of light that had appeared many times before—
It had finally manifested once more within his dantian!
"This time, will I finally uncover your purpose and true form?"
The white light within his dantian grew brighter under the spontaneous operation of his Five Elemental Soul Veins.
Lin Feng looked at the Innate Treasure Pearl in his hand.
Due to the condensation of the fifth Soul Vein, a blue radiance now lingered around it.
White, crimson, yellow, gold, blue.
Five hues of mist-like brilliance drifted over the surface of the Innate Treasure Pearl.
It looked dreamlike—extraordinary.
With narrowed eyes, Lin Feng sent the pearl into his dantian.
At last, it felt as though it had found its destined resting place.
The white speck of light rapidly expanded beside the pearl, becoming almost tangible.
It resembled a thin, spherical shell.
Silently resting in Lin Feng's dantian.
As it emitted a faint glowing ripple, Lin Feng's five Soul Veins began to accelerate.
He could feel it clearly.
Originally, based on previous calculations, his soul power cultivation boost from the Soul Veins should have been at 140%.
But now, Lin Feng could distinctly sense that the enhancement had reached a full 200%!
Utterly astonishing!
Of course, Lin Feng also realized that this was the limit of how much the Soul Veins could accelerate cultivation.
From this point on, the Soul Veins would no longer boost cultivation speed but instead provide insight into elemental laws.
The Innate Treasure Pearl.
This mysterious pearl played an incredibly important role in Lin Feng's life.
Once embedded into the white shell formed by the light, Lin Feng's body trembled.
A look of disbelief filled his eyes.
The five Soul Veins within his five organs were now linked as never before.
There was no dissonance—only perfect unity. Black impurities began to ooze from his skin once more.
Foul-smelling and thick.
It was worth noting: after consuming the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid and possessing both ice and fire origins, Lin Feng's body had already become pure and immaculate.
Yet now, it could still expel impurities again.
His entire network of meridians glowed like translucent jade, further cleansed by incomparably pure soul power.
Lin Feng could clearly feel that, in this moment, his body and soul had reached an unprecedented state of harmony and unity.
It was as if every inch of his skin, every strand of his consciousness, had become attuned to the profound mysteries of the universe.
As the impurities were purged, Lin Feng's aura grew steadier, and a subtle dignity radiated from within.
It was the aura born of a deeper understanding and command of the Five Elements.
"This… is this a true transformation?" Lin Feng silently exclaimed in wonder. He realized that this was not merely an elevation in cultivation, but a greater comprehension of the laws that governed the world.
The shell formed from the white light, along with the Innate Treasure Pearl, now seemed to serve as a bridge connecting him to the heavens and earth, allowing him to wield the Five Elements more freely—and even glimpse deeper truths.
His qi meridians flowed unimpeded, his divine energy surged, and his spiritual power continued to rise. His mastery over spatial elements and his sensitivity to his surroundings increased by the second.
With a single thought, Lin Feng began to activate the Innate Treasure Pearl.
At his will, his mind and Soul Veins intertwined and resonated.
His mind was calm, his energy abundant, his dantian overflowing.
As his spiritual sense probed into his dantian, it was as if a hidden gate had opened before him.
Suddenly, everything became clear.
His aura surged uncontrollably.
"Soul Emperor!"
Lingyuan gasped in shock, covering her mouth. The fluctuation of soul power—it had clearly already reached the level of Soul Emperor, and it was still rising!
Excitement shone in Qian Renxue's eyes. The stronger Lin Feng became, the happier she was.
Boom!
A thunderous roar exploded within Lin Feng's body!
The Five Elemental Soul Veins—wood, fire, earth, metal, water—linked in sequence.
Forming a complete circular ring.
Releasing a faint pressure within his body.
Crack!
Like an eggshell breaking open, the white shell suddenly shattered, revealing the Innate Divine Pearl within.
Five-colored radiance flowed.
No longer drifting around the pearl's surface, the five hues now swirled inside it, interweaving and drifting gracefully.
"Five Elements in cycle… the acquired completes the innate."
Lin Feng murmured softly.
He looked up at the sky, now covered with thunderclouds.
Thunder rumbled, lightning danced—resonating with the surge of power inside him, as if the storm itself had been born because of him.
Feeling a strange pull,
He drew the Innate Treasure Pearl out from his dantian and held it once again in his palm.
Lin Feng's aura began to decline, and the gathering thunderclouds seemed to pause in confusion before gradually dissipating.
This...
Lin Feng narrowed his eyes and stared at the pearl in his hand.
It felt like... something truly extraordinary was about to happen.