The academy's winter vacation lasted over a month.
During the New Year festivities, no one slacked off in their cultivation. On New Year's Eve, after attending the royal banquet with the ministers, Nan Tianchen ordered them to return home to spend time with their families, while he immediately entered closed-door cultivation.
Nan Feiling did the same. She and Nan Tianchen had both reached bottlenecks in their cultivation and were eager to break through. The power of the Seven-Radiance Ginseng coursed through her veins, only partially absorbed. The rest required consistent training to fully refine.
She found herself immersed in the royal library, her Ancient Thunder Tome martial soul thriving in the environment as if it were a natural training ground.
"Rank 30 already… So this is what it feels like to train with talent comparable to innate full soul power," Nan Feiling marveled.
It had taken her just half a month to break through the barrier to becoming a Soul Elder. With her newly enhanced talent and effort, along with Nan Feihuang's support, her future achievements would rival the likes of Zhu Zhuqing from the original story.
"Third Sister, it seems you've succeeded," Nan Feihuang said with a smile as he walked into the library. "Father also broke through his bottleneck yesterday and reached Rank 80. Mother has decided to take you, Father, and Er-Lai to the Star Dou Forest to obtain your soul rings. I'll join you as well."
With so many needing to hunt soul beasts, it was only logical to make the trip together.
"Thank you, little brother," Nan Feiling beamed. Her excitement was palpable—becoming a Soul Elder at just under eleven years old and now preparing to obtain her third soul ring was a dream come true.
---
That afternoon, the group gathered at the palace gates.
Lü Lingqi wouldn't be joining them this time. She hadn't reached the necessary level for advancement, as she was still stuck at the peak of Rank 29. Her recent lack of training was understandable, though. With Nan Feihuang finally home, she hadn't wanted to spend all her time cultivating.
The group included familiar faces. Zhang Lao, the royal supplies expert, and Xu Rong, the Soul Saint who had accompanied Nan Feihuang back to the kingdom, were both present to assist with the hunt.
Given that Nan Tianchen's eighth soul ring required a high-level soul beast, their support was essential. While Lan Xue could handle most threats short of a 100,000-year-old soul beast or ancient variants, finding the right beast with suitable attributes and age wasn't easy.
Moreover, once Dian Wei and Nan Feiling obtained their soul rings, the group would venture deeper into the forest. The younger members couldn't risk such a journey unprotected, which was where Xu Rong came in—to ensure their safe return.
"Zhang Lao, Xu Rong, we'll be counting on you this time," Nan Tianchen said.
"Your Majesty, it's an honor to assist you. Your advancement to Soul Douluo reflects the glory of our nation," Zhang Lao replied, his demeanor as loyal and earnest as ever.
"Rest assured, Your Majesty, I will protect the prince and princess with my life," Xu Rong added confidently. His faith in his abilities came from his unique defensive martial soul: Radiant Shield.
This martial soul thrived in the presence of royalty, its power growing stronger when nurtured by the king's authority and the nation's prosperity. Generations of Xu Rong's family had served as guardians of the royal lineage, their unwavering loyalty directly enhancing the shield's strength.
Unfortunately, as a small nation, the Ancient Thunder Kingdom lacked the grandeur to fully maximize the potential of Xu Rong's martial soul. Despite this, he had still reached the Soul Saint level—an impressive feat under the circumstances.
"Good. Then let's depart!" Lan Xue said, leading the group toward the Star Dou Forest.
---
Meanwhile, in the Heaven Dou Empire's palace, Xue Qinghe's room glowed with a golden brilliance. The air around her crackled with divine energy as three pairs of golden wings extended from her back.
Of the six angelic wings, only two were fully materialized, while the remaining four shimmered faintly—a sign of her incomplete mastery over the Seraphim martial soul.
"Congratulations, Young Master, on reaching Rank 60 and stepping into the Soul Emperor realm," a voice said from the shadows.
Two figures emerged from the dim corners of the room—Snake Spear Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo. Their faces were a mix of awe and pride as they observed their master's growth.
At just over twenty years old, Xue Qinghe had achieved Rank 60, a feat that solidified her status as a peerless genius.
If Nan Feihuang were present, he wouldn't be as surprised. In the original timeline, Qian Renxue was already a high-level Soul Sage upon her first appearance. Reaching Rank 60 at this age was entirely within reason, especially given her innate talent and superior martial soul.
"Uncle She, Uncle Ci, I need you both to accompany me to the Star Dou Forest," Xue Qinghe said, her tone calm yet commanding. "It's time to hunt for my sixth soul ring."
The typical limit for a sixth soul ring was around 20,000 years. However, with her innate talent, combined with one of the six Angelic Soul Bones already in her possession, she could push the age limit slightly—though not as recklessly as Nan Feihuang.
Both Titled Douluo nodded. Though their strengths were only at the lower end of the spectrum among their peers, each had unique abilities. Snake Spear Douluo excelled in toxin manipulation, while Porcupinefish Douluo could transform his martial soul into a beast-like entity during combat, granting him an explosive edge.
With their assistance, obtaining a suitable soul ring for Xue Qinghe wouldn't be a challenge.
"Understood, Young Master!"
The two informed the Supreme Pontiff's Hall of their temporary leave before departing with Xue Qinghe.
Thankfully, it was the holiday season, and court sessions had been suspended. Xue Qinghe's absence was easily explained as time spent cultivating in seclusion.
Ironically, this only elevated her reputation. Many admired her dedication to training despite her already heavy responsibilities as Crown Prince, further cementing her image as a paragon of virtue in the Heaven Dou Empire.