Yet this soul power was vast beyond anything he had encountered before. He felt like a small boat drifting helplessly within a boundless sea.

Old Man Eric's soul power enveloped him completely.

And the true test had only just begun.

Almost immediately, Ray felt his body swell.

An unfamiliar pressure surged through him, expanding from within like air being pumped into a balloon. At first, it was merely uncomfortable, but as the seconds passed, the sensation escalated into sharp, stabbing pain.

His meridians groaned. His internal organs felt as though they were being forcibly pried apart.

Just as the pain threatened to overwhelm him, his bloodline responded.

His blood roared, widening his meridians and reinforcing his flesh. The sharp agony dulled into a heavy, numbing throb, barely tolerable but no longer unbearable.

"Ah!"

Ray cried out as the pressure spiked again. His already distended body expanded further, his consciousness slipping into a hazy blur.

Time lost meaning.

Then, like a receding tide, the swelling abruptly vanished.

The pressure drained away as if it had never existed. Cool clarity washed over him, and a shiver ran through his body as he snapped awake.

Branchmaster Eric stood beside the bed, eyes wide with disbelief.

"West Ocean's Little Kaelric," he muttered, amazement plain on his face, "just where did you find such a monster? His soul power is weak, yet his body… It's absurdly strong."

Alfred's usual bluntness softened into respectful restraint. "Branchmaster Eric, based on your assessment, what level of spirit souls and soul rings can he endure at present?"

Branchmaster Eric pondered for a moment before replying, "Spirit souls depend on spiritual power. Soul rings depend on the body. With his physique… supporting a thousand-year soul ring would pose no issue. In fact—" He paused, then continued, "—he could handle up to four thousand years."

Alfred's eyes flickered with shock.

A normal Soul Master could only absorb a first soul ring of around four hundred years. Ray's endurance exceeded that by more than tenfold. Anyone who witnessed this result would be stunned.

"So you're saying," Alfred pressed, "if his spirit soul evolves to the thousand-year level and his spiritual power is sufficient, then upon reaching two rings, each soul ring could be two thousand years? And when he advances further, his body might even support dual three-thousand-year-old rings?"

Branchmaster Eric nodded. "That assumption is reasonable. Provided, of course, that his spiritual power can support it. A three-thousand-year-old spirit soul requires roughly two hundred points of spiritual power. What level is he at now?"

Alfred recalled Ray's recent progress. "He has begun cultivating the Purple Demon Eyes and shows exceptional compatibility. His perception is outstanding. With that technique and his innate talent, his spiritual power should grow rapidly until he reaches the Spirit Sea realm. His baseline was already high. I estimate he has surpassed one hundred points already."

Branchmaster Eric's eyes gleamed. "Then a two-thousand-year-old spirit soul and two-thousand-year-old soul rings are well within reach."

Alfred continued calmly, "His soul power is only rank sixteen, so it will take at least half a year, possibly a full year, to reach rank twenty. That gives him ample time to further strengthen his spiritual power."

A strange smile crept onto Branchmaster Eric's face as he rubbed his bald head. "So that's it. You've been planning this path for him from the very beginning. Impressive. Truly impressive. This child… he's a rare seed."

Ray sat quietly, utterly lost.

The conversation flew far above his understanding.

"Ray," Alfred said, snapping him back to reality, "thank Branchmaster Eric."

Ray hurriedly climbed down and bowed deeply. "Thank you."

Branchmaster Eric waved it off. "No need. It seems the Immortal Guild has gained another promising disciple."

"We'll take our leave now," Alfred said.

Branchmaster Eric nodded knowingly. "You may give him the Immortal Guild badge. His approval stands. Teach him well."

"Yes."

Alfred saluted and departed with Ray.

As they walked, Ray finally voiced his confusion. "Teacher… earlier, were you saying I can still upgrade my spirit soul in the spirit ascension platform?"

Alfred nodded. "Branchmaster Eric's martial soul is gentle and pure. It's ideal for measuring endurance. Our next objective is to elevate your spirit soul to the two-thousand-year level. At minimum, your soul rings must be a thousand-year-old class."

He glanced at Ray. "Your body is already strong enough. From now on, focus entirely on cultivating the Purple Demon Eyes. Reach the Spirit Sea realm as soon as possible. Once you do, your spiritual power will no longer be a concern until you reach six rings."

"Yes!" Ray's heart thundered.

A thousand-year-old spirit soul. Thousand-year-old soul rings.

The thought alone made his blood burn with excitement.

Alfred added coolly, "Next, we're going to the Spirit Tower to measure your spiritual power."

The Arcana City Spirit Tower stood near the city's center, surprisingly close to the Immortal Guild branch. Though smaller than West Ocean City's, it radiated ancient elegance.

"Once inside," Alfred warned, "speak as little as possible. Observe. Listen. Appearances can be deceiving. Arcana City's Spirit Tower harbors many powerful figures."

Ray nodded and stepped inside.

Noise assaulted him instantly.

People surged in every direction, an unending tide of Soul Masters coming and going. Compared to West Ocean City's sparse flow, this was overwhelming.

After paying a steep five thousand federation coins, they conducted the spiritual power test in a private room.

When the result appeared, even Alfred was stunned. 124

Ray's spiritual power had nearly doubled.

Breaking past the 108-point threshold placed him firmly in the intermediate stage of the Spirit Connection Realm. This would have been understandable for a spiritual-type Soul Master, but Ray possessed a powerful body as well—something that normally suppressed spiritual growth.

Yet his spiritual power had surged instead.

Alfred now had no doubts.

Two-thousand-year spirit soul. Two-thousand-year soul rings.

The possibility had become a certainty.

Night had fallen by the time they returned to the inn.

After dinner, Alfred called Ray over.

"By now, you should understand my plan," he said evenly. "Your martial soul is weak. Silverfalls Vine is known as a trash martial soul."

Ray blinked. That's… praise?

Alfred continued, unfazed. "But your bloodline has caused it to mutate. Your spirit soul is changing alongside it, and it will continue to evolve. This is your advantage."

Ray frowned. "Teacher, I understand that my spirit soul can improve… but what do you mean by 'naturally'?"

Alfred looked at him, eyes deep and unwavering.

"Because your body and bloodline will force it to evolve."

And with those words, Ray felt that the path before him had just become far clearer—and far more terrifying.

Alfred continued calmly, "Of course, there are also unnatural methods."

Ray's attention sharpened.

"Some great clans and sects rely on heavenly treasures or special techniques to forcibly stimulate their disciples' bodies," Alfred said. "By strengthening the body ahead of time, they allow their disciples to bear stronger soul rings and spirit souls than normal. However, such methods are rarely used. They come with risks and long-term consequences."

He paused briefly before adding, "They are only considered when a disciple far exceeds others in one particular aspect."

"Take Lily as an example," Alfred continued. "Her spiritual power is extremely high. If her body were strengthened to match it, she would be able to evolve her spirit soul just as you will. Unfortunately, with two soul rings already, it is far too late for her to strengthen her physique to the necessary degree."

Ray frowned slightly.

"This imbalance," Alfred explained, "is the crucial factor in determining whether someone can possess a pair of thousand-year-old soul rings and a thousand-year spirit soul. While Lily's body did grow stronger with her second soul ring, that growth only amplified her strengths while widening her existing weaknesses."

A trace of regret surfaced in his eyes. "It's a pity. If her situation were more favorable, I would have helped her regardless of whether she joined the Immortal Guild or not."

Ray remained silent.

"Your case is different," Alfred said, turning his gaze toward him. "Your greatest advantage lies in the natural balance between your soul power, physique, and spiritual power. Because these aspects developed inversely, you can evolve your spirit soul further than others without resorting to unnatural methods."

"That means no side effects," he continued. "And more importantly, it allows you to build an exceptionally solid foundation. This opportunity is something you absolutely must not waste."

Alfred's voice grew more resolute. "To ensure your spirit soul evolves as quickly and safely as possible, I will accompany you into the spirit ascension platform."

Ray's eyes widened.

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