14 Douluo Continent : First Spirit Ring
Tang San had spent a month at the Notting Elementary Soul Master Academy, mastering everything that had been left behind by his predecessor, and even improving upon it.
Despite reaching the level 10 of soul power, nearly from 4 Months, Tang San still lacked a soul ring. After careful consideration, he made the decision to embark on a journey to hunt for his first spirit ring.
Taking a half-month leave from the academy, Tang San packed his clothes, prepared enough dry food, and set off directly for the Hunting Soul Forest.
It took him a week to reach the outskirts of the forest. There, he found no natural scenery, only bustling shops and soul masters coming and going.
Tang San observed the ten-meter-high fence surrounding the Soul Hunting Forest, topped with menacing spears.
Entering a nearby shop, Tang San purchased the necessary tools and began devising a plan to infiltrate the hunting grounds.
Teams of soldiers guarded the outskirts of the forest, requiring a token from the Wuhun Temple for entry. Alternatively, one could attempt to sneak over the fence without the token, though the consequences of getting caught were usually dire.
Under the cover of a quiet night, the soldiers on the outskirts of the forest were in the process of changing shifts.
"Only thirty seconds," Tang San thought as he seized the moment. He swiftly leaped from a tree, scaled over the fence, his feet leaving ghostly shadows in his wake. Landing silently, he disappeared into the depths of the forest.
"Finally, I made it in," Tang San sighed with relief. "However, it's clear that the Heaven Dou Empire's spirit masters now require consent from the Spirit Hall to enter the Hunting Soul Forest. The Spirit Hall's ambitions have long taken root and become a reality."
In Tang San's view, the reason the Spirit Hall hasn't launched an attack on the two empires isn't due to a lack of strength, but rather internal factors within the Spirit Hall itself.
After all, the relationships between the current Hall Master of the Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong, and Qian Daoliu and Qian Renxue are quite complicated.
Tang San shook his head, pushing aside these tangled thoughts. They were still too distant from his current concerns. Right now, he hadn't even obtained his first spirit ring.
As he continued walking, Tang San noticed several solitary bamboo trees. According to the information he had gathered from the academy library, they were about fifty years old and were immobile plant spirit beasts.
Tang San wasn't interested in their spirit rings. Over the past few days, he had already determined the specific type of spirit beast he needed for his first spirit ring and the number of years it should possess.
For his first spirit ring, Tang San needed a century-old vine or tree spirit ring, preferably of the plant and healing type, with a lifespan of at least eight hundred years. Tang San recognized that the biggest characteristic of his Blue Silver Grass martial spirit was its vitality or life essence. Therefore, for the development of his martial soul, he chose the availability of the first three rings as auxiliary abilities for development of Strength or Adding other suitable attribute.
Having read the novel, Tang San remembered that even at the Soul Douluo and Soul Emperor levels, the characters didn't utilize these auxiliary abilities. After careful analysis, he concluded that once you reach a certain level, some of these low range soul ring become unnecessary. As a result, Tang San decided to focus on acquiring auxiliary abilities that would always be useful to him.
The number of years a person's body can withstand a soul ring depends a lot on their physical fitness and soul power.
In Tang San's case, his physical fitness was significantly enhanced during 3 month, blacksmithing and his spirit power was consoledet around raised to level 17.
With these conditions, Tang San believed he could handle any spirit ring below a thousand years. Moreover, the Blue Silver Grass martial spirit had little aversion to the spirit rings of various spirit beasts.
As for the maximum number of years for the first spirit ring, it was a result of his current research and analysis.
Tang San lit a bonfire and sprinkled realgar around the perimeter. He sat by the fire and began eating roasted wolf meat.
The wolf meat he was consuming came from a type of soul beast known as the ghost wolf.
The ghost wolves Tang San encountered were around 1.6 meters in length, and he had encountered a total of five of them. They were spirit beasts under fifty years old.
Using the Ghost Shadow Fascination Footwork and Jade cold Hand techniques, Tang San swiftly defeated the ghost wolves without even needing to use his sleeve arrows.
After devouring an entire roasted wolf, Tang San took the fur from the other four ghost wolves, rolled them up, and carried them on his back.
Although these furs were taken from ten-year-old ghost wolves, they still held some value. Tang San had inquired outside the Hunting Soul Forest and learned that an intact fur from a ten-year spirit beast could be sold for fifty copper soul coins, equivalent to five silver soul coins. With five furs in his possession, he had a total of twenty-five silver soul coins. This amount would be enough to sustain an ordinary Notting College student for a semester.
In the dark night, Tang San closed his eyes to rest but remained vigilant. Even though this was only the "zoo" of the Heaven Dou Empire, any negligence could lead to a deadly outcome.
Most people formed groups and cooperated to hunt spirit beasts, ensuring safety through division of labor. However, Tang San was alone and had to be cautious, unable to sleep soundly.
"Hiss—"
A weak crackling sound reached Tang San's ears, instantly alerting him. His eyes snapped open, and he swiftly leaped to the top of a tree. A purple light flickered in his eyes as he activated his Purple Demon Pupils and spirit eyes Martial soul, Due to which He can see with 50 meter almost like watching 2 meter distance.
About forty or fifty meters away, an eight-meter-long boa constrictor slithered forward, while a three-meter-long one-horned deer stood beneath a tree. The one-horned deer had a white jade horn on its head but bore numerous scars on its body. It seemed to have been pursued by other fierce beasts and had managed to escape from the herd, only to become the target of the python once again.
Tang San approached, getting closer to the scene, and was able to clearly see the appearance of the boa constrictor from about thirty meters away.
Based on the information he had read in the book, Tang San was certain that this was a venomous python. It was a highly toxic boa constrictor whose bite could hinder a soul master's soul power movement, cause muscle atrophy, loss of consciousness, and eventually lead to hallucinations and death.
Drawing from his previous life's medical knowledge, Tang San recognized that the vinelikely possessed a psychotoxin that could disrupt the human nervous system.
Furthermore, as a Bloodthirsty vine, it possessed excellent Devouring Attribute. In the heaven and Myraid world this is one of the Top 3000 Ways.
Suddenly, the Bloodthirsty vine leaped out, biting the neck of the one-horned deer. With its over eight-meter-long body, it constricted and tightened around the deer's body.
The sound of bones cracking echoed through the air. It was the inevitable demise of the one-horned deer, and only its intermittent panting indicated its final struggle.
Tang San watched the entire scene unfold before his eyes but didn't make a move. The timing was not yet right.
The poisonous vine grew one meter for every hundred years, and this one was over eight meters long, indicating an age of more than eight hundred years. Since Tang San didn't become the master's disciple, he wasn't aware of the python's cultivation level.
However, this didn't hinder Tang San from choosing it as his first spirit ring.
The Bloodthirsty vine, possessing both plant and devouring abilities, surpassed even the mandala snake in every aspect. As anticipated, after finishing its meal in just under 10 seconds, it presented an opportunity for Tang San.
Unlike the python, the Bloodthirsty vine's prey consisted of smaller creatures, ranging from around 10 to 100 years old. Additionally, the vine was unable to move from its original location. This limitation was part of the natural biological chain, ensuring that if the Bloodthirsty vine had to consume prey every day, there would be no space for other soul beasts to thrive in the soul hunting forest.
The poisonous Bloodthirsty vine put the unicorn into its mouth little by little, the entire neck has already swelled, and the outline of half a unicorn can be vaguely seen.
"It's time."
Tang San decided to make a move, directly dropped the Nether Wolf fur on his back, and jumped towards the Bloodthirsty vine, the distance of twenty meters was reached in a blink of an eye.
The Bloodthirsty vine also sensed a red silhouette suddenly approaching him, but it was only halfway through eating when the unicorn got stuck in its throat.
Twisting the vine, sweeping it, bringing up a cloud of dust leaves, trying to captivate Tang San's sight.
Unfortunately, Tang San won't give him this chance! After all Spritual eye Martial soul is not a joke.
With a leap, Tang San released a sleeve arrow from his wrist, aiming directly for the eyes of the poisonous Bloodthirsty vine.
The sleeve arrow struck the Bloodthirsty vine core, causing a spurt of sticky blood.
Trapped with food in its throat, the blinded Bloodthirsty vine became even more agitated, twisting its body incessantly. The presence of the one-horned deer in its neck severely hindered its ability to fight.
If the Bloodthirsty vine could speak, it would surely say, "Boy, wait until I spit out this food, then we can fight!"
Tang San kept swimming, evading the thrashing tail of the Bloodthirsty vine, and continuously using the sleeve arrow to attack its remaining eye.
Unfortunately, the cunning Bloodthirsty had realized the power of the sleeve arrows and managed to dodge them. The arrows only created sparks when they struck the Bloodthirsty vine's body.
These body were incredibly hard!
Undeterred, Tang San persisted in harassing the Bloodthirsty vine, dealing it constant damage.
Finally, the decisive blow!
Seizing an opportunity, Tang San drew a dagger from his waist, flew to the back of the Bloodthirsty vine's core which is the center of the bloodthirsty vine, and hit it it into the creature's remaining core.
The dagger penetrated the Bloodthirsty vine's core, and Tang San gave it a few more stabs before jumping onto a nearby tree, using the Bloodthirsty vine's resistance to propel himself away.
Thirty minutes later, the Bloodthirsty vine finally stopped wriggling, appearing to be lifeless.
As the Bloodthirsty vine met its demise, a ring of yellow light emerged above it, with a faint hint of purple discernible.
Although the purple shade was quite subtle, if you didn't look closely, you might not notice it at all.
Tang San's gaze froze; it seemed this vine must be at least nine hundred years old for even a trace of purple to show on its spirit ring.
"If this Bloodthirsty vine hadn't eaten, I wouldn't have dispatched it so easily," Tang San muttered inwardly, "However, can my current body handle a spirit ring that's been around for nearly a thousand years?" Even though his own body's energy, generated through time travel, was stronger stronger than Tang San's at the same point in the original story, and his soul power had reached the innate full 10th level with high concentration as 17, could he truly bear this soul ring? Eventually, Tang San gritted his teeth and decided to try, after all, this spirit ring hadn't reached the millennium level.
He released his Blue Silver Grass martial spirit and activated Xuantian Kung Fu, pulling the spirit ring towards him and placing it on his martial spirit.
In an instant, a surge of intense energy coursed through his entire body, filling his meridians, as if it could burst his body open.
Suddenly, Tang San felt something within his body directly suppress all the power of the spirit ring, and the power within the ring became remarkably gentle, gradually refined by Xuantian Kung Fu.
Tang San's awareness seemed to witness a golden bead, which seemed transdent time and space, and rendering the power of the spirit ring incredibly gentle, like a docile kitten.
"This is the Lucky golden bead..."
Outside, Tang San was in the midst of absorbing the spirit ring, and a dark silhouette appeared beside him, standing guard.
This figure was tall, clad in a black robe, and faint signs of a weathered face could be discerned.
"All I can do now is protect you, Xiaosan." It was Tang Hao, Tang San's father.
As a father, it was only natural for him to shield and safeguard his son during this process.
He also noticed that the lifespan of this spirit ring far exceeded that of an ordinary first spirit ring.
Observing Tang San's ability to kill a soul beast that had lasted nearly a thousand years, albeit with an element of luck, Tang Hao felt a sense of relief deep within his heart.
However, before Tang San began absorbing the spirit ring, Tang Hao had been contemplating whether he should intervene. He hoped that Tang San would make his own decision.
Of course, Tang Hao didn't want Tang San to take unnecessary risks, but it was too late now. Tang San had already initiated the absorption process, and once it commenced, it couldn't be halted. Otherwise, Tang San wouldn't stand a chance.
Observing Tang San's facial expression shifting from initial pain to present tranquility, Tang Hao felt a wave of relief wash over him.
Tang Hao knew that his child possessed a remarkable level of maturity, as if harboring a secret known only to him. But then again, who didn't have their own secrets?
It was enough for him to be his own child.
"Finding a suitable spirit ring is such a hassle. Where are all the snake-like spirit beasts in this hunting forest?" complained one of the seven or eight spirit masters who were walking in their direction.
Tang Hao's gaze grew cold, and he immediately withdrew into hiding, keeping a close watch on them.
He didn't want to cause trouble, but if these individuals disrupted Tang San's spirit ring absorption, he would kill them without hesitation. If they ignored them, he would pretend not to have seen them.
The group of eight people approached not far from Tang San, including two boys who appeared to be around eleven or twelve years old.
"Grandpa Norman, is there any suitable soul beast for me?" exclaimed a young man. "I reached the tenth level of soul power three days ago, and I just need a soul ring to become a soul master," he added with a hint of helplessness.
Norman replied, "We're in the depths of the Hunting Soul Forest. We're bound to find a suitable spirit ring for the both of you."
"Grandpa, look! There's a kid up ahead!" shouted the other boy, bringing their attention to Tang San.
Norman and the others noticed and halted their progress.
"He's absorbing spirit rings!" Norman exclaimed in shock. "And he's only six or seven years old."
Norman could naturally estimate Tang San's age, but it was precisely because he could tell that he was taken aback.
He dared to venture alone into the Hunting Soul Forest to hunt soul beasts, and he succeeded. Moreover, a child who was merely six or seven years old managed to hunt and kill a soul beast that was a hundred years old!
And it possessed a yellow and multicolored hundred-year-old soul ring! What a prodigy!
After the initial shock wore off, Norman regained his composure and noticed Tang San's attire.
"Almost like a person commoner," Norman evaluated Tang San with such words. "This kid must be a commoner, but he's born with such immense soul power, that's the only way to explain it." "Innately full of soul power!" exclaimed the two teenagers, their expressions filled with envy and a hint of jealousy. "How could this poor boy be naturally blessed with such soul power!"
Norman looked at the Bloodthirsty vine corpse beside Tang San, and his eyes froze. "It's actually a Bloodthirsty vine that's been alive for over five hundred years!"
What kind of monstrous kid was this?!
Norman didn't possess extensive knowledge about soul beasts, but he could discern that this one-horned python had been cultivated for over five hundred years. How could a child's first soul ring last for over four hundred years!
As a high-ranking soul master, Norman's first soul ring was only a white soul ring with an age of around fifty years. He still remembered the agony he endured during its absorption... The amount of pain this child must be enduring at the moment was unimaginable.
"Let's approach him," Norman urged, leading everyone closer to Tang San. He had already made up his mind.
He would invite this young prodigy to join his family.
Norman and the others belonged to a small family. When they encountered a genius like Tang San, it was only natural for them to try their best to recruit him into their family, thereby bolstering the family's strength through marriage.
Once this kid finished absorbing the spirit ring, they could gain Tang San's favor by offering protection, and thus entice this commoner prodigy to become a member of their family.
When Norman and the others approached within a 30-meter radius of Tang San, there was a sudden "click."
A burst of white powder suddenly hit their faces, splattering onto the faces of Norman and the others.
"Ahem."
Everyone involuntarily coughed and quickly released their spirits, attempting to disperse the unexpected white dust.
"It's definitely this kid," one of the teenagers gritted his teeth and said viciously. However, in an instant, his eyes darkened and he collapsed, unconscious.
Everyone, except for Norman, struggled to hold on, but eventually succumbed and fell to the ground.
"This kid..." Norman fought to keep his eyes open, but the flow of his soul power seemed obstructed, causing chaos as it surged into his mind.
After stumbling a few steps, Norman finally reached Tang San and collapsed.
A black figure descended from the tree, paying attention to Norman and the others, and muttered, "Little San, you're quite clever..."
