Douluo Continent: The Sword of Wine Sweeps Across the Sky, One Sword Opens the Heavens

First Soul Ring: Specialized, extreme, specializing in "speed, sharpness, and penetration".

Its advantage is that it has distinctive characteristics; once it strikes, it is incredibly sharp and unparalleled.

The downsides are equally obvious: once his speed is restricted, he is entangled in close combat, and his opponent uses heavy defense to withstand attacks, he will lack comprehensive support.

What he lacks now is not stronger armor penetration, nor faster speed.

Instead, it provides a comprehensive and all-encompassing boost.

Strength, soul power recovery, physical strength, mental resilience, sword energy thickness, sword intent stability, and even soul power endurance... all dimensions must be improved together.

No one needs to be exaggerated to an absurd degree.

But each item is expected to see a steady increase.

It's like building a house.

The first spirit ring should be a sharp, pointed tip, while the second spirit ring should be a broad and solid tower body.

Images of soul beasts flashed through his mind one after another.

The first to be ruled out are all kinds of aggressive, ferocious beasts.

A branch of the Titan ape descendant bloodline, the Mighty Ape King, the Earth-Splitting Rhinoceros...

These spirit beasts' spirit rings lean towards brute force and explosive power, which will make his swordsmanship clumsy and lose the core of the light and graceful style of the Drunken Sword.

Next, we exclude the agile specialization type.

The Shadow Blade Leopard has already pushed its speed to the reasonable limit of its current level. Adding another speed-type spirit ring would only result in redundant stacking and waste the second spirit ring slot.

Then there are elemental soul beasts.

Flames, ice, wind, thunder, light, darkness...

Adding elemental attributes may seem to greatly increase power, but in reality, it will pollute his pure sword intent.

Once sword energy is mixed with elements, it is no longer a pure sword, and the path has gone astray.

Xie Yunliu gently shook his head, erasing these images one by one.

He doesn't want stronger moves.

It is not about becoming a stronger version of yourself.

The second spirit ring must meet several ironclad rules:

First, it has no active soul skills, relying mainly on passive amplification.

Second, it does not focus on a single attribute, but rather on comprehensive and all-round improvement.

Third, the increase in intensity is moderate, in line with the five-thousand-year timeframe, without exceeding the required level or disrupting the balance of power.

Fourth, its attributes are compatible with the Ink Shadow Sword and the Drunken Flowing Clouds Wine Pot, without conflict or exclusion.

Fifth, it can stabilize sword intent and nourish sword energy, further solidifying his foundation in swordsmanship.

Thinking this through, Xie Yunliu's eyes gradually brightened.

A vague outline of a soul beast slowly took shape in his mind.

It is not a ferocious beast, nor a predator with unparalleled speed, but a soul beast that lives near spiritual veins year-round, absorbs the essence of heaven and earth, grows its physical body and soul power in sync, and has a gentle temperament but a very profound foundation.

Five Thousand Years - Lingxi Jade Horned Beast.

This kind of spirit beast is extremely rare; it does not attack proactively and is not easy to provoke.

They constantly absorb the essence of the moon and the spiritual energy of the earth's veins, and their soul rings do not carry a murderous aura. Instead, they are filled with warm and solid life energy and the origin of soul power.

Most importantly:

The spirit rings of the Spirit Rhinoceros Jade Horned Beast almost never generate any active spirit skills.

All of its power will be transformed into passive amplification across all aspects and attributes.

Xie Yunliu meticulously analyzed the effects of the spirit ring in his mind.

First, all basic attributes are covered.

Strength, speed, defense, and physical strength will all be improved.

It doesn't excel in any one area, but it excels in every aspect.

Secondly, there is an increase in soul power.

The maximum soul power has been slightly increased, the soul power recovery speed has been accelerated, and the ability to fight for a long time has been strengthened.

Fighting spirit, hunting, and long-distance raids no longer easily become exhausting.

Secondly, on the level of spirit and sword intent.

With a more stable mental state and a more concentrated sword intent, it will not become scattered due to prolonged intense battles. The density of sword energy is higher, making the strikes heavier, more stable, and more penetrating.

Finally, it complements the first spirit ring.

Shadow Blade Leopard is responsible for: sharpness, speed, and penetration.

The Jade Horned Beast is responsible for: stability, comprehensiveness, and robustness.

One attack, one defense; one sharp, one steady.

One excels in one area, while the other provides comprehensive support.

Even with two spirit rings stacked together, he still didn't have any fancy spirit skills.

But his whole being is like a sword that has been reforged and tempered.

Not only is the blade sharper, but the blade is also stronger, the spine is straighter, the center of gravity is more stable, and it is more durable.

Xie Yunliu slowly stood up, and the Ink Shadow Sword seemed to sense this, humming softly.

He raised his hand and stroked the blade, his mind already made up.

The second spirit ring should undoubtedly belong to the Spirit Rhinoceros Jade Horn Beast.

Five thousand years is a bit of a challenge for him now, but with the nourishment of the soul from the Drunken Flowing Clouds Wine Pot and the support of his physique that combines sword and wine, he can absorb it safely.

The increase is comprehensive yet not exaggerated, perfectly matching the positioning of the second spirit ring, enhancing strength without disrupting the rhythm.

Once the goal is set, the thought process becomes instantly clear.

The next step was the search.

The Jade Horned Beast is a quiet creature that often appears at the confluence of spirit streams, springs, and ley lines where the outer and middle layers of the Starry Sky Forest meet. It lives alone, its movements are secretive, and it leaves no obvious traces.

To find it, you can't rely on brute force; you can only rely on keen perception and careful investigation.

He learned all of this from reading books when he was in the sect.

Xie Yunliu took a deep breath.

The aroma of wine and the scent of herbs enter the lungs together, making the mind and spirit feel increasingly serene.

He closed his eyes, simultaneously unleashing the power of sword intent and the power of wine.

An invisible sense of perception slowly spread out from him, covering an area of ​​several miles around.

The rustling of grass, the crawling of insects, the breathing of spirit beasts, the gentle sound of flowing water... everything clearly entered my mind.

There was no impatience, no panic.

He walked step by step along the stream in the forest.

His green robe swept across the grass without getting wet with a drop of dew.

The Ink Shadow Sword swayed slightly with each step, its sword intent as deep and restrained as an abyss.

He was searching for that unique, warm, jade-like, and pure essence.

That was the aura that belonged only to the Spirit Rhinoceros Jade Horned Beast.

Along the way, several hundred-year-old soul beasts were intimidated by the sword intent and fled far away.

Several teams of Soul Masters who were out hunting for Souls passed by each other, only daring to glance at this young sword cultivator with his otherworldly temperament from afar, and not daring to approach and disturb him.

No one knows his name.

No one knows his age.

All anyone could see was that he was very young, a young sword cultivator with an unfathomable aura.

Xie Yunliu didn't care about this at all.

His mind was constantly immersed in perception and contemplation.

As he searched, he continued to refine the subsequent route in his mind.

After the second spirit ring, the third spirit ring still focused on maximizing amplification.

It may lean towards explosive power, sustained power, or sword intent suppression, depending on the soul beast, but the core remains the same.

It has no active skills, only enhances the sword itself.

Soul skills? He created them himself.

Soul rings? They're only used as the foundation for swords.

Ji Juechen uses his sword to challenge his own heart, sweeping away his peers.

Xie Yunliu nourishes his sword with wine and forges it with his soul, aiming to forge a sword path that no one can replicate.

Suddenly, Xie Yunliu stopped in his tracks.

He slightly opened his eyes and looked towards a valley shrouded in mist upstream.

A gentle, pure aura of soul power, devoid of any ferocity yet possessing profound depth, drifted over.

It was exactly the same as the aura of the Spirit Rhinoceros Jade Horned Beast that he had envisioned.

Xie Yunliu raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a very faint smile.

The target has been found.

Instead of rushing forward immediately, he slowly adjusted his breathing, allowing his soul power, sword intent, and intoxication to be completely synchronized, reaching the most stable and harmonious state.

Hunting a five-thousand-year-old soul beast requires utmost carelessness.

But he showed no fear whatsoever.

His first spirit ring made him as fast as a shadow and as sharp as a blade.

His second spirit ring will soon make him as steady as a mountain and as solid as a shield.

With sword and wine at my side, my strength is in my bones, and the intent of the sword resides in my heart.

Xie Yunliu raised his hand and gently gestured.

The Ink Shadow Sword soared into the air and hovered in front of him, a faint purple light emanating from its dark blade.

There was no murderous aura, only the sword intent as firm as a mountain.

He gazed at the misty valley and murmured to himself.

"Second spirit ring..."

"I will use you to perfect this stage of my swordsmanship."

As soon as he finished speaking, the young swordsman lightly touched the ground with his toes, his figure moving like a blue swan skimming the water, steadily heading towards the location of the Spirit Rhinoceros Jade Horn Beast.

The wind rustled through the woods, carrying the scent of wine and the intent of swordsmanship.

In the Star Dou Great Forest, a hunt for "comprehensive amplification" is about to begin.

And his path of swordsmanship will take a new step after this second soul ring enters his body, becoming more stable, more comprehensive, and more unstoppable.

.....