The weeks of subtle manipulation had secured the Grandmaster's mentorship, accelerating Lin Feng's understanding of Soul Master theory. Now, the Infinite Fusion System (IFS) demanded the next monumental leap: the second soul ring.
The IFS interface flashed with the new major quest, the goal far surpassing the conventional limits of the Soul Master world:
QUEST 2: FORGE THE DOUBLE BLACK
Objective: Acquire a fused Soul Ring of at least 200,000 years for the second rank.
Reward: Space-Time Fusion Blueprint (Tier 2).
Failure: System Deactivation and Core Soul Damage.
Lin Feng was currently Level 14. Absorbing a conventional 200,000-year soul ring would be suicide even for a Spirit King, let alone a Level 14 Spirit Master. The solution, once again, lay in the spiritual purity and massive energy provided by Immortal-Grade Spirit Herbs, far superior to the conventional soul beast route.
Lin Feng instantly identified his target: the legendary Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well in the Sunset Forest. This location contained not just immense elemental energy but the ultimate, self-balancing spiritual herbs—the Yao Cao Ba Zhai. He knew that simply consuming them, as the original protagonist did, was wasteful. He needed to fuse their combined essences for an unprecedented soul ring.
Lin Feng subtly shifted his studies with the Grandmaster. Under the guise of understanding advanced Spirit Beast habitats and medicinal applications, he extracted critical, detailed information. He focused on:
High-Level Terrain Maps: He requested specific maps of the area surrounding the Sunset Forest, claiming he wanted to identify the routes of rare, non-aggressive spiritual fauna for potential study—an excuse the Grandmaster eagerly bought into.
Elemental Energy Shielding: He probed the Grandmaster's knowledge on creating low-level Soul Tool buffers against intense elemental environments, preparing for the extreme conditions of the Yin Yang Well.
Lin Feng used the Grandmaster to gain the academic knowledge required for infiltration, while keeping his true power and objective hidden.
To execute this infiltration without detection, Lin Feng needed tools that bypassed the need for his own soul power consumption, which was a finite resource. He isolated himself in his private dormitory room, performing a crucial series of material fusions.
He fused his basic 'Forging Skills' (a concept learned from watching the village blacksmith) with a powerful 'Master Blacksmith Essence' he had extracted and stored during his first fusion. This granted him temporary, expert knowledge of material science.
He then used this temporary skill to craft a few, essential items:
Shadow Cloak: He fused a piece of common academy fabric with the 'Concept of Sound Dampening' and 'Passive Visual Camouflage' to create a lightweight cloak that offered basic stealth against human eyes and muted his movements.
Elemental Shield Talisman: He created a small wooden talisman by fusing the wood with the 'Concept of Basic Elemental Resistance,' giving him a temporary, low-level shield against the cold and heat he would face at the Well.
With his stealth tools prepared, his map secured, and his lie ready (claiming he was going on an overnight solo meditation trip), Lin Feng waited for the perfect moment to slip away, preparing for a journey that would forever elevate him beyond the realm of mortal talent.