"Teacher, I really feel terrible!"
Tang San could no longer hold back and began to sob uncontrollably.
His first soul ring was clearly a four-hundred-plus-year-old Mandala Snake soul ring, which had precisely reached the theoretical limit for a first soul ring.
According to Yu Xiaogang's theory, the theoretical absorption limit for a second soul ring was 764 years.
Tang San's ideal second soul ring would have been one from a six-hundred-year or even seven-hundred-plus-year Ghost Vine soul beast.
Unfortunately, fate played a cruel trick. Due to Yu Xiaogang's arrangements, Tang San's second soul ring ended up being a mere ten-year soul ring.
Under normal circumstances, a soul master's soul rings grow progressively stronger with each acquisition.
In Tang San's case, the order had been completely reversed.
A trace of displeasure flashed across Yu Xiaogang's face, but he still patted Tang San on the shoulder and said, "Little San, do you still remember my martial soul theory? There are no useless martial souls—only useless soul masters!"
"The quality of a soul ring does not represent the entirety of a soul master's strength! One day, when you become a Titled Douluo and possess soul power above rank ninety, you will still be able to dominate the continent!"
Yu Xiaogang continued to encourage and "re-educate" Tang San.
Then he asked with interest, "Little San, quickly tell me—what is the soul skill of your second soul ring?"
"Teacher, my second soul skill is called [Accelerated Growth]. It can expand the range of the Blue Silver Grass martial soul's vines by approximately 5%!"
Tang San explained.
At present, when Tang San used the "Entanglement" skill of Blue Silver Grass, the effective range was within ten meters.
[Accelerated Growth], as the name suggested, allowed the Blue Silver Grass to grow more rapidly, extending the attack range to 10.05 meters.
An increase of just 0.05 meters.
In practical terms, this increment was quite negligible.
Tang San's expression remained gloomy.
Yu Xiaogang, however, spoke meaningfully: "Hm. The Lone Bamboo soul beast possesses one characteristic of plant-type bamboo—extremely rapid growth. For the Blue Silver Grass martial soul, this soul skill is actually quite decent."
"Little San, once you become a Titled Douluo, the amplification provided by this second soul skill will surely increase significantly! By then, a 20%–30% boost will be entirely possible!"
Yu Xiaogang gave a sly chuckle.
"Understood. I hope so."
Under Yu Xiaogang's persuasion, Tang San once again filled with confidence.
"Teacher is right. I, Tang San, am not limited to the skills granted by my soul rings. I also possess the Tang Sect's hidden weapons, the Mysterious Heaven Technique, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, Purple Demon Eyes, Mysterious Jade Hands, and other supreme arts!"
Tang San thought silently to himself.
Finally, Dean Flender called out: "Since the soul ring has been obtained, let us leave the Star Dou Forest quickly!"
...…
Elsewhere in the Star Dou Forest.
Tang Yi sat cross-legged on a bluestone, holding the map he had obtained from Qian Renxue.
The map clearly marked the location of the [Life Evergreen Vine]—in the eastern part of the forest's core zone, surrounded by two symbols representing soul beasts.
The Titan Giant Ape and the Azure Bull Python.
Both were terrifying ten-thousand-year-level existences.
With his current strength, charging straight into the core zone would be tantamount to suicide.
However, the map also indicated several concealed paths.
Beside them, Qian Renxue had written in tiny characters: "Outer reconnaissance route, avoids the activity zones of the two great soul beasts, relatively low risk."
Tang Yi's gaze settled on a spot labeled "Suspected Growth Area."
This location was not in the core zone, but in a valley on the periphery of the core area.
Qian Renxue speculated that it might be a young [Life Evergreen Vine] seedling or a branch that had extended outward from the core.
"Worth attempting."
Tang Yi folded the map, stood up, and headed in that direction.
The journey took three full days.
During those three days, he cautiously avoided every route where powerful soul beasts might appear.
Whenever he sensed something amiss, he would rather take a long detour than take risks. At night, he rested in concealed locations, never lighting a fire or making any sound.
On the evening of the third day, he finally reached the valley.
The valley was small, enclosed by steep cliffs on all sides, with only a narrow fissure serving as an entrance. Tang Yi squeezed through sideways, and the view suddenly opened up.
The valley floor was covered with various exotic plants—some blooming with brilliant flowers, others bearing strangely shaped fruits. A faint medicinal fragrance filled the air.
Tang Yi scanned the valley floor and finally fixed his gaze on a crack in the cliff wall.
There, a vine-like plant clung to the rock and grew.
Its leaves were heart-shaped, entirely verdant green, with a faint golden halo shimmering along the edges.
Several soybean-sized fruits hung from the vine, also emerald green, exuding a rich aura of life.
Most remarkably, at the base of the vine, a small section of root was exposed above the soil.
That root was pale golden, about an inch long and as thick as a thumb, resembling a small piece of buried jade.
Tang Yi's heartbeat suddenly accelerated.
He approached carefully, crouched down, and examined it closely. The life aura grew increasingly intense; merely being near it caused his Blue Silver Grass martial soul to tremble faintly, as though it had encountered something it deeply craved.
"This is… a root tendril of the Life Evergreen Vine?"
He reached out and gently touched the pale golden root.
The moment his fingertip made contact, a surging tide of pure, gentle, and vast life energy poured into his body!
The energy felt clean, mild, and boundless—as though it were not something foreign, but rather a latent part of himself being awakened.
His Blue Silver Grass martial soul released automatically; its leaves unfurled joyfully, greedily absorbing the energy.
Tang Yi did not resist. He sat cross-legged and guided the energy to circulate within his body.
One full cycle.
Two full cycles.
Three full cycles.
With each circulation, a portion of the energy was refined and merged into his soul power. His soul power increased visibly—level 11, level 12, level 13…
It continued all the way to the peak of level 19 before slowing down.
Yet energy still flowed continuously from that root tendril. Gritting his teeth, Tang Yi persisted in guiding and refining it.
Finally, at a certain moment, something within him seemed to shatter like a barrier.
Level 20!
Tang Yi opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath of turbid air.
The breath lingered in the air for several moments before slowly dissipating.
He looked down at the root tendril. Its pale golden luster had dimmed considerably, yet it still remained.
Tang Yi tried absorbing once more. This time the influx was noticeably slower, but it continued nonetheless.
"It can still be absorbed—just at a reduced rate."
Tang Yi mused: "It appears this is not a one-time consumable. It can be utilized over the long term."
He carefully cleared the soil around the vine, exposing more of the root system below.
The pale golden section was merely a small part; most of the roots remained ordinary milky white. Only this portion had undergone mutation.
"If transplanted to a suitable location, it might be possible to cultivate more golden roots."
After some thought, Tang Yi decided not to continue absorbing for now.
He found a piece of beast hide, carefully wrapped the golden root tendril together with the surrounding soil, and stored it in his [Silk缠指套] (Coiling Silk Finger Cot).
Then he sat down again to examine his condition.
Level 20.
He now required a second soul ring.
For an ordinary soul master, this would be the stage to consider a hundred-year soul beast at most a few hundred years. After all, the theoretical limit for a second soul ring was around seven hundred years.
But Tang Yi's situation was different.
Having undergone three cycles of compression via the "Yan Huang Soul Scripture", his physical constitution far surpassed that of soul masters at the same level.
Combined with the nourishment of his mother's Blue Silver Empress bloodline and the life energy he had just absorbed, his bodily strength was absolutely comparable to high-level soul masters who had cultivated for decades.
"Ten-thousand-year level."
Tang Yi silently calculated: "Given my current condition, absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring should be feasible. The key is finding a suitable soul beast."
He opened his [Silk缠指套] and [Twenty-Four Moon Bridges] to inventory his supplies.
Desert Eagle—ammunition sufficient.
Single-soldier smart-guided rocket launcher—seven energy rounds remaining.
Gene enhancement serums—more than twenty vials.
"Mother, once I obtain my second soul ring, I will return to see you."
Tang Yi closed the soul tool, stood up, and looked toward the valley exit.
Night had already fallen.
He needed an appropriate ten-thousand-year soul beast.
Ideally one of the plant or life attribute.
That would be most compatible with his Blue Silver Empress bloodline.
"There are definitely none in the outer zone. I must go deeper."
Tang Yi clenched his fist, feeling the surging level-20 soul power within him. His gaze gradually turned resolute.
"With my current strength, I can fight!"
Level 20 soul power (after the third compression cycle), combined with his first soul ring from a two-thousand-year Azure Nether Longevity Crane, meant that in terms of pure individual combat power, Tang Yi was capable of clashing head-on with some level-40 Soul Ancestors!
Not to mention his trump cards—the rocket launcher, Desert Eagle, and other technological weapons.
......
On a winding path in the outer region of the Star Dou Forest.
A group of five people walked at a leisurely pace.
Leading them was a burly middle-aged man with a square face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes. His muscles were knotted and powerful; every step he took exuded vigor.
He was none other than Zhao Wuji, vice-dean of Shrek Academy, a level-73 Soul Saint, and possessor of the Vigorous Vajra Bear martial soul.
Following behind him were three others:
An elderly man in gray robes, thin and clear-featured, hands clasped behind his back—level-62 Assault System Soul Emperor Li Yusong, martial soul Dragon Pattern Staff.
A short, plump middle-aged man with a smiling, Maitreya-like face—level-65 Food System Soul Emperor Shao Xin, martial soul Candy Bean.
A tall, thin, taciturn man—level-61 Control System Soul Emperor Lu Qibin, martial soul Star Luo Chess.
At the very rear walked a teenager of about a dozen years.
He had clear features and bright, curious eyes full of youthful excitement. This was Qin Ming, one of the earliest students of Shrek Academy.
"Teacher Zhao, are we really heading deep into the Star Dou Forest this time?"
Qin Ming quickened his pace to catch up with Zhao Wuji, his tone filled with anticipation.
Zhao Wuji laughed heartily and patted Qin Ming on the shoulder. "Of course! You've reached level 40 and need your fourth soul ring. This time your teacher will personally take you in and pick a good one for you!"
"Really?"
Qin Ming's eyes lit up. "Vice-dean Zhao, what year soul beast are you planning to select for me?"
Zhao Wuji thought for a moment, then held up four fingers. "Around four thousand years. The theoretical limit for a fourth soul ring is about five thousand years. Four thousand is just right—both safe and highly effective."
"Four thousand years?!"
Qin Ming drew in a sharp breath, his face full of shock and admiration. "Vice-dean Zhao, you're incredible! I've heard that students from other academies are lucky to get even a thousand-year ring for their fourth. You're directly giving me four thousand…"
Zhao Wuji proudly stroked the sparse beard on his chin. "Naturally! What kind of place is Shrek? We specialize in raising monsters! How can ordinary academies compare?"
Li Yusong, hearing this, also smiled. "Qin Ming, cultivate diligently. Follow Vice-dean Zhao in the future—there will be plenty of benefits for you."
Qin Ming nodded repeatedly, his eyes brimming with hope for the future.
At that moment, a commotion came from ahead.
Zhao Wuji looked up and saw seven or eight people resting in a clearing not far away.
They wore uniform attire—long robes of alternating red and white, embroidered with a pattern of several stars on the chest.
"Canghui Academy?"
Zhao Wuji raised an eyebrow.
Li Yusong leaned in and said quietly, "Canghui Academy—a mid-tier academy in the Balak Kingdom. They're practically our neighbors. I hear their dean is a Soul Emperor, but that's about it."
A playful smile curled at the corner of Zhao Wuji's mouth.
His eyes shifted toward Qin Ming. "Qin Ming, today your teacher will teach you an important lesson."
Qin Ming looked puzzled. "What lesson?"
"On the Douluo Continent, sometimes you have to stir up trouble on your own initiative."
Zhao Wuji patted his shoulder. "Look at those people sitting there—don't they bother your eyes?"
Qin Ming was stunned and did not know how to respond.
Zhao Wuji laughed loudly and gave him a push. "Go on. Go pick a fight and make them move."
"Huh?"
Qin Ming was dumbfounded. He was not naturally malicious and found it difficult to proactively cause trouble.
"Teacher, this… isn't that a bit inappropriate? They haven't provoked us…"
"Do what I say!"
Zhao Wuji glared. "What are you afraid of? Your teacher has your back!"
After a moment's hesitation, Qin Ming steeled himself and walked over.
The members of Canghui Academy, who had been resting, looked up when they saw someone approaching.
Their leader was a stern-faced man in his forties, evidently the leading teacher.
Seeing Qin Ming, he frowned. "Young friend, is there something you need?"
Qin Ming opened his mouth, his face flushing red. After a long pause, he finally managed: "Could you… could you please move to another spot to rest?"
"What?"
The teacher thought he had misheard. "Why should we move?"
Qin Ming glanced back at Zhao Wuji.
Zhao Wuji stood with arms crossed, watching the show with great interest.
Gritting his teeth, Qin Ming forced out: "Because… because we've taken a liking to this place."
The Canghui teacher's expression darkened. "Little brat, what do you mean? This is unclaimed land. On what basis should we move just because you like it?"
As soon as he finished speaking, several young students behind him stood up, their faces unfriendly.
"Exactly—why should we move?"
"Where did this wild kid come from? So rude!"
"Teacher, no need to waste words on him—just drive him away!"
Qin Ming's face turned scarlet; he stood there helplessly.
At that moment, a lazy voice sounded.
"On what basis?"
Zhao Wuji strolled over slowly, followed by Li Yusong, Shao Xin, and Lu Qibin.
He stood in front of the Canghui teacher, looking down at him with a mocking smile. "On the basis that my fist is bigger than yours. Is that reason sufficient?"
The teacher's expression changed drastically. He immediately released his martial soul.
His martial soul was a long sword; five soul rings rose around him—two yellow, two purple, one black.
"Level-52 Soul King?"
Zhao Wuji sneered. "That's it?"
Before the words even finished, he abruptly released his own martial soul.
A massive golden bear phantom appeared behind him; seven soul rings lit up—two yellow, two purple, three black!
Level-73 Soul Saint!
The Canghui teacher's face instantly turned deathly pale.
"Soul… Soul Saint?!"
Zhao Wuji gave him no chance to react. He swung his palm.
"Immovable Ming King Palm!"
A gigantic golden palm print roared forth. The Canghui teacher had no opportunity to dodge; he was struck flying, crashing through two large trees before stopping. Blood sprayed from his mouth, and he fainted on the spot.
"Teacher!"
The Canghui students cried out in alarm. Some turned to flee; others gritted their teeth and charged forward.
Li Yusong chuckled, his Dragon Pattern Staff sweeping out. Three students screamed and fell.
Shao Xin smiled amiably and tossed several candy beans. They exploded mid-air into countless tiny specks of light, enveloping two students. The two screamed and collapsed, convulsing.
Lu Qibin remained silent. His Star Luo Chess martial soul activated; a giant chessboard appeared beneath his feet.
With a casual wave, several students were flung like chess pieces, slamming into trees and falling in a daze.
In less than ten breaths, all seven or eight members of Canghui Academy lay on the ground, moaning in pain.
Zhao Wuji clapped his hands, satisfied with his handiwork.
"With only this level of skill, you still dare to roam around?"
He sneered, walked to the unconscious teacher, and kicked him lightly. "Hey, wake up. Weren't you quite talkative earlier?"
The Canghui teacher gave no response.
Zhao Wuji lost interest and turned to Qin Ming.
At this moment, Qin Ming was completely stunned.
He stood there, mouth agape, eyes filled with shock and admiration.
"T-Teacher… you all are too powerful!"
Qin Ming stammered.
Zhao Wuji laughed heartily and slung an arm around his shoulder. "See that? This is strength! On the Douluo Continent, all the reasoning in the world is fake—only strength is real!"
He pointed at the groaning Canghui teachers and students on the ground. "These people are weaker than us, so they can only endure being beaten. If they go back and find someone for revenge? Heh, by the time they bring help, we'll be long gone! And even if they do come knocking, Shrek Academy isn't afraid!"
Qin Ming nodded vigorously, his eyes full of reverence.
Li Yusong walked over with a smile. "Teacher Zhao is giving you a lesson. Remember: you can be low-key, but when it's time to act, act. Don't hesitate."
"I understand!" Qin Ming declared loudly, already beginning to be "indoctrinated" by Zhao Wuji and the others.
Zhao Wuji nodded in satisfaction and glanced at the sky. "Enough wasting time here. Let's hurry into the forest and find that four-thousand-year soul beast for you!"
The group turned and continued deeper into the Star Dou Forest.
Behind them, the seven or eight members of Canghui Academy lay sprawled on the ground—some unconscious, some groaning—looking utterly miserable.
One young student struggled to lift his head, staring at their departing figures with eyes full of fury and unwillingness.