Chapter 29: The 2000-Year Ghost-Faced Demon Scorpion
As they stepped into the Star Dou Great Forest, the dense canopy blocked out much of the sunlight, shrouding their surroundings in deep, tranquil darkness.
Bibi Dong led the group from the front. After walking for a while, she turned to Ghost Douluo beside her and said, "Elder Ghost, help Xiao Ling find a suitable dark-type soul beast first."
Then she looked at Ruo Ling. "By the way, Xiao Ling, have you planned what you want for your second soul ring?"
Ruo Ling's martial spirit was far too unique. Even Bibi Dong could offer few suggestions.
After thinking for a moment, Ruo Ling recalled that his first soul skill came from a 300-year-old Mandala Snake. But ever since his martial spirit had undergone its second awakening, he'd felt something different—his soul skills no longer depended on the type of soul beast he absorbed.
It was like the inherited Seraphim martial spirit from Spirit Hall—their soul skills were fixed and could only be enhanced by absorbing beasts with matching attributes.
After pondering briefly, Ruo Ling decided to test his theory. "Uncle Ghost, could you please search for nearby dark-type soul beasts for me? Anything within two thousand years will do."
"Two thousand years?" Xie Yue and Yan exclaimed simultaneously.
"Xiao Ling! You're after your second soul ring—don't you know the upper limit for a second soul ring is 764 years?" Xie Yue reminded him.
Ruo Ling gave him a speechless glance. He knew Xie Yue meant well but still found the warning unnecessary.
Before he could reply, Hu Liena interjected proudly, "Brother, you don't know this—but little brother Xiao Ling's first soul ring for his Desire Soul martial spirit was over 900 years!"
"What?" Xie Yue and Yan spoke in unison again, visibly shocked.
"The age limits for soul rings below ten thousand years depend entirely on one's physical constitution," Ruo Ling explained calmly. "Yu Xiaogang's soul ring limit theory only applies to most ordinary spirit masters."
At this point, Bibi Dong turned her attention toward him. She knew Ruo Ling's first ring came from a 900-year-old Ghost Soul Bird, but she hadn't understood how he exceeded the theoretical limit.
"I read about this in one of the books from the library," Ruo Ling continued evenly. "Any beast above ten thousand years leaves a fragment of its spiritual consciousness behind. To withstand the mental assault, you need to reach the Spirit King realm—when your spiritual power is strong enough to resist it safely.
But for hundred- and thousand-year soul rings, as long as your body is strong enough, you can take them."
Xie Yue and Yan looked at each other, their expressions quickly turning to regret.
Ruo Ling knew exactly what they were thinking. "You two should still follow the standard theory," he said. "Not everyone can surpass those limits. Yu Xiaogang's theory, even if borrowed from others, represents centuries of accumulated research by the Spirit Hall—it's the safest approach."
Xie Yue smiled wryly and nodded. Though Ruo Ling had said it tactfully, he still couldn't help feeling slightly dejected.
Ruo Ling shrugged and turned toward Ghost Douluo. "Then I'll trouble you, Uncle Ghost, to find a suitable beast."
Ghost Douluo nodded and vanished into a shadow.
Half an hour later, his figure reappeared.
"Five kilometers west—there's a Dark Demon Hound, about seventeen hundred years old.
Three kilometers east—an Evil Dark Tree, around fifteen hundred years.
Ten kilometers farther to the east—a Nether Serpent, roughly two thousand years.
Fifteen kilometers south—a Ghost-Faced Demon Scorpion, also two thousand years."
Ruo Ling pondered the options. The Dark Demon Hound and Evil Dark Tree were common species. The Nether Serpent and Ghost-Faced Demon Scorpion were rarer, of higher bloodlines.
"Xiao Ling, the Nether Serpent and Ghost-Faced Scorpion are both two thousand years old. How about you choose the Evil Dark Tree?" Bibi Dong suggested. "Your Crow Shadow Puppet's first soul skill already focuses heavily on control. The Dark Tree specializes in control as well—it could enhance that ability further."
But Ruo Ling shook his head slowly.
The Crow Shadow Puppet's first skill, Dark Weave, was already versatile enough—another control-type skill from a tree beast would only be redundant.
He thought about Tang San from the original story.
Blue Silver Grass was a plant-type martial spirit—once mastered, it could easily form binds, webs, and cages on its own.
Yet Tang San had wasted three soul skills obtaining such abilities, and the tiny bit of poison attribute they gained was a superficial bonus.
The true strength of Blue Silver Grass lay in its vitality—its power to endlessly renew and endure.
"I choose the Ghost-Faced Demon Scorpion," Ruo Ling said calmly.
He had read about this species in the library archives. The Ghost-Faced Demon Scorpion was an extremely rare dark-type creature, not only known for its darkness attribute but also for its terrifying poison.
Its venom wasn't mere toxin—it had strong hallucinogenic properties, almost like a spiritual assault.
Ruo Ling was curious how his martial spirit would evolve once infused with that kind of poisonous illusion power.
Bibi Dong did not object; she trusted his judgment.
She turned to Ghost Douluo. "Elder Ghost, take us there."
Soon, they arrived at their destination. Among a pile of jagged rocks, from a dark fissure, a huge scorpion lay concealed.
Ghost Douluo raised his hand, dark energy swirling. The stones were flung aside by a powerful force, revealing the creature's full form.
Its body was covered in a thick, black carapace. Its massive pincers gleamed coldly, and its sharp tail stinger shimmered with an ominous purple hue.
The most striking feature was its terrifying head—its exoskeleton shaped like a ghostly mask, with hollow eye sockets glowing an eerie red.
That ghastly face was the source of its name.
Sensing the terrifying aura of the approaching humans, the Ghost-Faced Demon Scorpion began to dig furiously, trying to escape.
But Ghost Douluo wouldn't allow it.
"Fifth Soul Skill—Shadow Abyssal Hands!"
Countless dark claws surged from the ground, seizing the scorpion and dragging it out of hiding.
"Second Soul Skill—Soul-Devouring Claw!"
Ghost Douluo's figure melted into his own shadow, and from the air, a black claw condensed, slashing downward like a blade of despair.
The impact tore the Ghost-Faced Scorpion cleanly in half.
Its shriek echoed through the forest—high-pitched and haunting like a banshee's wail. The tail thrashed violently before collapsing, and its body twisted in agony.
After several tens of seconds, the movements slowed and finally ceased. The scorpion was barely clinging to life.
Ruo Ling approached without hesitation, drew a knife from his soul tool, and thrust it directly into the creature's eye socket.
The beast let out one final, dying cry before the red light in its eyes dimmed completely.
A circle of purple energy rose from the corpse—a two-thousand-year soul ring.
Ruo Ling sat cross-legged and summoned his Crow Shadow Puppet martial spirit, guiding the purple ring toward himself.
He sank into meditation as it merged with him, beginning the absorption process.
Bibi Dong and the others surrounded him protectively. The Star Dou Great Forest was far more dangerous than the Soul Hunting Forest; vigilance was essential.
Time passed slowly, but the absorption was surprisingly smooth. The two-thousand-year soul ring posed no significant strain on Ruo Ling. Bit by bit, the energy was drawn fully into him.
Half an hour later, Ruo Ling opened his eyes. A circle of deep violet light rose at his feet.
He stood up, satisfaction flashing across his face. His soul power had not yet broken through level 20, but the energy from the Ghost-Faced Scorpion's ring had accumulated within him.
Once he gained his next ring, it would all convert into his own spirit power.
And the experiment confirmed his theory—his martial spirit abilities were largely unaffected by the soul beasts he absorbed.
(END CHAPTER)
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