At dawn, a meteor streaked across the sky.
On the rooftop of a wooden hut in Soul Hunting Village, a young boy sat cross-legged, calmly absorbing the essence of heaven and earth.
This boy was none other than Chen Feng.
After being sent back in time by the Shura God, his body had reverted to that of a six-year-old. He had just awakened his Seven Kill Sword martial spirit anew.
The Shura God's first trial for him was simple—tempering the body.
For soul masters, cultivation was like building a tower from flat ground—the foundation was everything. Especially for those of the Power Attack type, whether using Tool Spirits or Beast Spirits, the body played a crucial role.
Take the Clear Sky Hammer, for example. Once fused with soul rings, it could easily weigh thousands of jin. In battle, its sheer force would multiply further. If one lacked the physical strength to match, they would risk crippling themselves before even injuring their opponent.
That's just the external factor.
Internally, the importance of body tempering was even more evident.
A strong physique determined how high a soul master could go when absorbing a soul ring. And the age of the soul ring directly affected the power of soul skills.
In his previous life, Chen Feng had reached Level 99 and become a Peerless Douluo, so he naturally understood how vital physical training was. And he took it seriously—six years had passed, and he never slacked off for a single day.
Yes. Chen Feng was now twelve years old.
Over those six years, in addition to honing his body, Chen Feng also practiced a self-created soul skill from his Seven Kill Sword lineage—Seven Kill Sword Technique.
Keep in mind: though his cultivation had restarted, his memories from his past life remained—his greatest asset.
"Hoo—"
As the first ray of sunlight broke over the horizon, Chen Feng exhaled deeply. A sharp glint of blue light flickered in his eyes—an unmistakable sign of spiritual power condensing and strengthening.
Spiritual power was just as critical to body training as physical strength.
The azure light didn't fade after emerging—it simply dimmed and hovered at his brow, swirling like a divine glow, drifting gracefully through the air before slowly merging into his forehead.
"Ding—"
Chen Feng opened his eyes.
His mind felt incredibly clear. The fatigue that had built up vanished, and he even heard a faint cracking sound from within his body, like porcelain breaking.
"I've broken through!"
Joy surged in his heart. At the very moment his physical training reached the level of minor mastery, his soul power broke through as well, advancing to the peak of Rank 29.
All he needed now was a soul ring, and he would step into the realm of a Soul Elder.
This cultivation speed was astonishing!
Back then, Tang San had reached the Soul Elder realm at around twelve years and seven months of age. Chen Feng had now surpassed him by a full seven months.
A faint smile formed at the corner of his lips. He had already outpaced the former Sea God, even if only slightly.
This was the power of a Peak Douluo reborn. His past life's experience allowed him to control his cultivation pace with near-perfection. In theory, he was already flawless—and he had proven it in practice.
Wasn't Tang San's teacher, Yu Xiaogang, famously called the "Grandmaster"?
But compared to Chen Feng, he was nothing.
A true Peak Douluo didn't rely on theory alone, but on action and battle-tested experience.
"Solid progress. Mastering an almost perfect cultivation rhythm… Chen Feng, you've passed the first trial."
The Shura God's solemn voice echoed in his mind once more.
"Trial complete. Shura Affinity +10%, Total Affinity: 10%.
Additionally, all soul ring ages increased by 500 years."
As the voice faded, Chen Feng felt a sudden surge of soul power.
He immediately activated his martial spirit. A flash of blue light, and the Seven Kill Sword appeared in his hand.
Beneath his feet, two yellow soul rings emerged and revolved—but the second one began to change in color, gradually darkening until it stopped at purple.
The Shura God's voice sounded again:
"Second Trial:
Find your teammates, form your team, and win the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament.
Time limit: Until the end of the tournament."
Chen Feng was still savoring the joy of his strength increase.
His second soul ring had exceeded the age limit, becoming a thousand-year ring. Under normal circumstances, this was nearly impossible. Forcibly absorbing such a ring without a special opportunity could result in devastating side effects.
But divine trials could bend the rules.
That alone qualified as a heaven-defying opportunity.
As he processed the Shura God's second task, Chen Feng snapped out of his excitement.
This was not an easy trial.
Back then, the Shrek Seven Devils didn't win the tournament by luck.
As the academy's slogan said: "Monsters. Not ordinary people."
Were there young soul masters who could rival them?
Yes.
But they were scattered—one here, two there, across different academies. It was nearly impossible to gather them into one team.
And even if a team was assembled, could it match the seamless synergy of the Shrek Seven?
Chen Feng frowned.
But soon, his expression relaxed.
A vague plan had already begun to take shape in his mind...
Back inside the wooden hut, Chen Feng washed away the sweat from his training and prepared his breakfast.
He made a pot of rice porridge and boiled a few eggs. He sliced up two jin of soy-braised meat prepared the night before and smashed two cucumbers. That was his morning meal.
For soul masters in training, daily energy consumption was immense.
Nutrition had to be balanced, especially for someone in the middle of puberty like Chen Feng. Skimping on food was not an option.
After eating and cleaning up, Chen Feng changed into a black outfit and set off to begin his day.
By now, it was already eight in the morning. The village had come alive, and Soul Hunting Village's marketplace was growing more lively.
"Come take a look! Today's top commission: Assist a client in obtaining a 500+ year soul ring. Reward: 100 gold soul coins! Only 10% cut!"
"Great volume today! Five clients hunting for their first soul rings—requirements: 50+ years minimum. Reward: 50 gold soul coins. First come, first served!"
As its name suggested, Soul Hunting Village existed because of its proximity to the Star Dou Great Forest. Over time, a unique trade emerged—hunting soul beasts for soul rings.
Hence the name of the village.
At the village center, the commission board displayed more than a dozen soul beast hunting notices. Most were basic, involving first or second-soul rings. Very few sought millennium-level third rings.
Why?
Most of the soul masters who came here were wandering rogue cultivators with no background. Those belonging to sects or academies had powerful allies who helped them get soul rings—they didn't need to take this route.
Rogue soul masters had poor talent and slow progress. When they hit a bottleneck, they didn't dare aim for high-level soul rings. Even obtaining a barely acceptable one and breaking through to the next level was already a dream come true.
After all, each advancement in rank brought tremendous power gains.
Even if you did nothing afterward, joining the Spirit Hall would earn you a generous monthly income just by being listed on their rolls.
Dressed in black, Chen Feng walked in with a cool and distant air, clearly there only for business, uninterested in anything else.
A few soul masters who were debating over commissions quickly stepped aside upon seeing him.
One burly man grinned and said,
"Brother Chen, you're here. Want to team up with us?"
Chen Feng didn't even pause as he scanned the board and replied without looking:
"These are all basic first-ring hunts. You barely even see any hundred-year second rings. What's the point of teaming up?"
He shook his head.
The payouts were pathetic. And if he teamed up, there'd be barely any scraps to split.
Besides, with tasks this simple, he could handle them alone.
The burly man chuckled, clearly expecting this reaction. He leaned closer, voice low and sly:
"These jobs don't need a team, sure... but I've got a big one. Interested?"
"Big? How big?" Chen Feng looked at him.
The man's expression turned serious. He held up three fingers and said:
"A Soul Elder is about to obtain his fourth soul ring. Required age: 3,000 to 5,000 years.
Reward: 3,000 gold soul coins. What do you say?"
Chen Feng's eyes lit up.
Just when he needed an opportunity for his third ring, one practically dropped into his lap!
"You're not joking?" he asked.
The man grinned widely, revealing yellowed teeth—his smile half-honest, half-sly.
"Would I lie? This deal's real."
"I'm in!" Chen Feng agreed without hesitation. "But—I have one condition."
"Name it!"
Chen Feng replied:
"I don't want gold coins. My only condition is this—
After your client obtains his fourth soul ring, you guys help me obtain my third, with a soul beast around 2,000 years."
The burly man nodded absently—then froze mid-nod, eyes bulging like eggs.
"Wait—which ring did you say?!"
"My third ring. I need a beast around 2,000 years old," Chen Feng said again.
"Hissss—"
Several soul masters nearby inhaled sharply.
They exchanged glances, disbelief in their eyes.
They all knew Chen Feng—this was a small village after all. He was only what, eleven? Twelve, tops?
At that age, he was already nearing the Soul Elder rank?
Even the direct disciples of powerful sects couldn't match that speed!
"Damn! Looks like a phoenix did fly out of this chicken coop..." the burly man muttered, sizing up Chen Feng as if seeing him for the first time.
Chen Feng sighed and said:
"Uncle Bi, just tell me—is it a deal or not?"
Uncle Bi scratched his chin, eyes shifting back and forth. After a few seconds of hesitation, he said:
"We're helping that Soul Elder hunt a 3,000-year beast, so we might not have the strength left to help with yours. Those beasts are dangerous—some of us might not make it."
"But... since we all know each other, who else would help if not us?"
"How about this—you add a little something extra…"