Chapter 9

The Hidden Path

For the next few days, Wang Xiaofeng continued with his training as if nothing had changed.

He practiced meditation, cultivated his soul power, and secretly experimented with his martial soul's absorption ability every night.

But no matter how hard he tried, the process remained slow.

"At this rate, it'll take me years to form a soul ring..."

He needed guidance.

And that meant he had to make a decision.

One evening, as the village settled into silence, Wang Xiaofeng stood outside his house, staring at the wooden token.

"I have to know the truth."

With a deep breath, he made his way toward the outskirts of the village, heading in the direction the old man had disappeared.

---

A Meeting in the Forest

The forest was quiet, with only the occasional rustling of leaves. The moon cast faint shadows on the ground as Wang Xiaofeng walked cautiously, gripping the token tightly.

He had no idea if this was the right way—

But then—

"You came faster than I expected."

A voice echoed from the darkness.

Wang Xiaofeng tensed, his martial soul instinctively stirring within him.

From behind a tree, the old man emerged, his eyes filled with amusement.

"You didn't hesitate much, did you?"

Wang Xiaofeng took a steady breath. "I don't have time to hesitate."

The old man chuckled. "Good. You'll need that mindset if you truly wish to challenge the world."

Wang Xiaofeng narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"

The old man tapped his cane on the ground. "I was once a soul master… before I abandoned that path."

"...Abandoned?"

The old man's gaze deepened. "Because I realized the system was flawed. And I wasn't the only one."

Wang Xiaofeng's heart pounded.

Could there be others like me?

The old man smirked. "Judging by your reaction, I assume you've already realized your martial soul isn't normal."

"...You know?"

"Of course. You have an absorption-type martial soul. The ability to take in soul power from the environment… and possibly even refine it into something more."

Wang Xiaofeng's fingers tightened around the token. "Then tell me—can I use this ability to create soul rings?"

The old man's smile widened.

"That… is exactly what we're going to find out."

---

The First Experiment

The old man led Wang Xiaofeng deeper into the forest until they reached a secluded clearing.

"Now, show me your martial soul," he instructed.

Wang Xiaofeng nodded.

"Martial Soul Possession!"

The blue gourd manifested in his hand, glowing faintly.

The old man stroked his beard. "Interesting. Now… try absorbing the energy around you."

Wang Xiaofeng focused, guiding his soul power as he had practiced before.

The faint pull started again—

But this time, under the old man's guidance, something changed.

Weng!

The absorption intensified. The surrounding soul power swirled toward him, forming a faint vortex.

Wang Xiaofeng's body trembled.

It was working!

He could feel the energy condensing inside him, growing denser—

But then—

Boom!

A sharp pain exploded in his chest, forcing him to break the connection.

He staggered back, gasping.

The old man sighed. "As expected. The method is incomplete."

Wang Xiaofeng clenched his fists. "What went wrong?"

The old man tapped his cane. "You absorbed energy, but you lacked the technique to stabilize it. If you try forcing it into a soul ring without refining it properly… your body will collapse."

Wang Xiaofeng's breath was heavy, but his eyes burned with determination.

"Then teach me."

The old man grinned.

"Very well. Let's begin."

---

A New Cultivation Method

For the next few hours, the old man guided Wang Xiaofeng through a different form of meditation.

"Forget Wuhun Hall's method. What you need is a technique that allows you to compress and refine soul power into something stable."

He demonstrated, drawing in the surrounding energy and circulating it through his body in a controlled flow.

Wang Xiaofeng followed his instructions.

At first, the process was slow.

But then—

Something clicked.

His martial soul reacted.

Instead of mindlessly absorbing energy, the blue gourd began to filter it, turning it into a purer form of soul power.

The old man nodded in approval. "That's it. Now, keep refining. The key to creating your own soul rings lies in perfecting this process."

Sweat dripped down Wang Xiaofeng's face as he focused.

This was it.

The path to breaking free from the traditional cultivation system had begun.

---

A Dangerous Road Ahead

As dawn approached, Wang Xiaofeng finally opened his eyes.

His body was exhausted, but his soul power felt more stable than ever.

The old man smirked. "Not bad for your first attempt."

Wang Xiaofeng wiped his forehead. "How long… until I can form a soul ring?"

The old man's smile faded slightly.

"That depends on your talent. Weeks, months, maybe years."

Wang Xiaofeng frowned. "That long?"

The old man tapped his cane. "If you want to rush it, you can always kill a soul beast like everyone else."

Wang Xiaofeng shook his head. "No. If I do that, I'm no different from them."

The old man studied him for a moment before chuckling.

"You really are interesting, boy."

Wang Xiaofeng looked toward the horizon, determination in his eyes.

No matter how long it took, he would prove that self-created soul rings were possible.

And when that day came—

The entire world would change.