This, of course, was not a decision left for Tang San.
Yu Xiaogang had always prided himself on his unrivaled theoretical knowledge, often acting in a headstrong and autocratic manner. The very reason he was cultivating Tang San was to prove his theories correct.
How could such a critical matter as Soul Ring selection be entrusted to a child he still considered immature?
Tang San's words just now were exactly what he wanted to hear.
Yu Xiaogang felt his mood lift, and under the effect of [Hypnosis], he finally made up his mind, turning to Zhao Liuyun and asking, "Which direction?"
They would search along the way; if they didn't encounter a more suitable Soul Beast, they would have no choice but to take this one.
"That way," Zhao Liuyun pointed toward the depths of the forest.
I'll show you the way to ensure you don't run into any major dangers.
With the Academy Head—a Soul Elder with the Flame Spear Martial Soul—escorting them, any Soul Beasts that blocked their path were easily dealt with.
After two days of searching, and without much incident, Tang San successfully hunted a Corrosive Poison Centipede that was over 570 years old for his second Soul Ring.
Its carapace was a dull, muddy dark green, as if steeped in the juice of sludge and rotten branches.
And Tang San's Bluesilver Grass, after absorbing the Soul Ring, had its original deep blue color tainted with a layer of turbid, dark green, making it look eerie and sinister.
Ugly to this extent, he looked like an evil Soul Master!
Of course, he should now be called a "Fallen Soul Master."
The toughness and strength of his Martial Soul were naturally enhanced.
As for his control ability?
Zhao Liuyun, as a "friend," couldn't help but ask curiously, "Tang San, how's your second Soul Skill?"
A hint of excitement flashed in Tang San's eyes. Taking a tree as his target, his second Soul Ring lit up beneath his feet, and he announced loudly:
"Second Soul Skill, Hundred Feet Entanglement."
"Derived from the Corrosive Poison Centipede's legs, it can branch out countless fine blades of grass from the Bluesilver Grass main vine, performing a multi-layered Entanglement."
When he activated the Soul Skill, dense, slender small grass blades immediately extended from both sides of the Bluesilver Grass.
The grass blades interwove layer upon layer, permeated with stubborn, corrosive poison. It seemed as though anyone entangled would be bound fast, unable to break free.
However, the second Soul Skill had a limited length and couldn't function independently; it had to be linked with the first Soul Skill, "Mom's Entanglement."
Only by combining the two could the intensity of the control be increased.
Hundred Feet Entanglement, sounded decent...
However, Zhao Liuyun preferred to call it—
Mom's Second Entanglement!
Compared to the sneak attack of Parasite, this skill was purely trash.
With too many tiny grass blades, precise control, like an arm directing a finger, was impossible.
It couldn't weave into a dense, tightly meshed net, and the strength of a string of tiny grass blades was inherently inferior to the main Bluesilver Grass vine.
Furthermore, the Corrosive Poison Centipede was an animal, its strength focused on its carapace. How could it compare to the affinity for fiber-based toughness found in the same species of plant as Bluesilver Grass or the Ghost Vine?
The Bluesilver Grass was already weak, and now the poison was cut, the toughness greatly compromised, and the control capability nerfed. Compared to its original trajectory, it was a drastic decline.
It's fine for bullying the weak. With the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record accompanying him, he can maneuver against anyone and even maintain a winning streak.
But against a powerful enemy, it's a joke.
Just wait until you meet one, you'll have a hard time.
"Thank you, Liuyun." Tang San hadn't experienced a truly evenly matched battle against a genius, so he naturally didn't realize these hidden dangers.
He only knew that Zhao Liuyun had helped him find a Soul Beast that met the three requirements of "toughness, poison, and control" and was suitable as a second Soul Ring.
The second Soul Skill perfectly met his requirements and could even enhance the control effect of his first Soul Skill.
"It was all 'Grandmaster's' idea, I didn't do anything," Zhao Liuyun's heart twitched. He dared not accept this favor.
If you want to thank someone, thank your teacher.
Using [Hypnosis], he shifted most of Tang San's gratitude onto Grandmaster (Yu Xiaogang).
This way, even if you lose repeatedly in the future and feel your Soul Skills are too weak, it won't be pinned on me, Zhao Liuyun.
You'll only think of Yu Xiaogang!
You two master and disciple can go fight like dogs.
With the hunt complete, the master and disciple, along with the Academy Head, naturally wouldn't linger here.
The group quickly exited the Soul Hunting Forest.
As they parted, Tang San bid Zhao Liuyun a heartfelt farewell: "I wish you a splendid future and daily improvement in your cultivation. Until we meet again, Liuyun."
Zhao Liuyun patted his arm:
"You too, Tang San, take care."
...
Tang San left, and life returned to its original rhythm.
Zhao Liuyun continued his mercenary life, racking up [Mercenary] experience. Occasionally, he would spend some silver to find a couple of rare poisonous herbs in the Soul Hunting Forest, carefully formulating some defensive poisons.
[Physician] experience also continued its slow, sporadic climb.
A year of time slipped away like fine sand through his fingers.
Zhao Liuyun gradually began to stand out in the mercenary group. Relying on his judgment of the battle situation and his research on hunting Soul Beasts, he became a strategic advisor for the group.
Tracking Soul Beast signs, determining hunting routes, and numerous successful hunts to capture the target Soul Beasts...
He finally successfully transitioned to [Hunter Lv1].
[Hunter] granted him a trait named [Acuity] and a skill named [Potent Burst].
First, the trait.
[Acuity (The Hunter's gaze is sharp and perception is keen, allowing them to detect traces from subtle details)]
This was a formidable trait.
It made the hunter's gaze as sharp as an eagle's and their perception as dense as a spider's web, allowing them to read clues from the crease of a blade of grass or the indentation in the soil.
For an ordinary person, it would only mean more detailed observation.
But Zhao Liuyun was not an ordinary person.
Having practiced the Purple Demon Eye for over a year, his eyesight had been tempered and was already strong.
With the addition of [Acuity], his eyesight was at least equivalent to four or five years of Purple Demon Eye practice.
This was already close to Tang San's level—
It was impossible for him to climb the mountain and practice Purple Demon Eye when he was one or two years old and still couldn't move easily.
Assuming he started at age three, he had practiced the Purple Demon Eye for a maximum of six full years.
And Zhao Liuyun's perception didn't just come from his body; it also came from his Spirit Power.
[Soul: 38]
In one year, by persistently practicing the Purple Demon Eye every day, his [Soul] steadily increased by 3 points, allowing for the generation of more Spirit Power.
[Acuity], in turn, granted his Spirit Power a slight ability for detailed exploration.
It was no longer vague, like a blind man touching an elephant, making it difficult to glimpse the full picture.
As for the skill [Potent Burst]
This was a method of energy convergence.
[(Enhances the burst intensity of the next attack)]
Applied to the body, it was a physical attack; applied to the soul, it was a spiritual attack.
Spiritual attacks were easy to understand.
Although he couldn't release a Spirit Shock out of thin air, he could use this to enhance his Soul Skill "Dream Weaving," unleashing a more potent force.
If used on the body, it could unleash greater strength in a punch or kick.
[Constitution: 16 points]
Over the year, through medicinal baths, dietary supplements, diligent training, the cycle of using Soul Power tremors to relieve fatigue, and natural growth, Zhao Liuyun's Constitution increased by 4 points.
Perhaps he was now no weaker than Tang San after he had absorbed his second Soul Ring.
However, applying [Potent Burst] to the physical body was not the preferred choice for a Spirit-type Soul Master.
Both [Soul] and [Constitution] had improved, but the fastest growth belonged to Soul Power.
[Soul Power: 19 (0/4800)]
By adhering to nightly meditation and slowly and systematically expending 3119 Universal Experience, Zhao Liuyun's Soul Power rose from level 15 to level 19.
It was time for him to try his pure experience upgrade test.
[Universal Experience: 12710]
Experience accumulated from [Soul Master] meditation, from [Student] absorbing medical knowledge, from [Physician] treating patients, from [Mercenary] executing missions, from [Hunter] tracking prey...
It was hard-won, gathered little by little, but it was spent like spilled water.
A rapid increase in Constitution required energy replenishment from the outside world, a notion Zhao Liuyun had already contemplated.
But what if Soul Power was different?
He looked at the experience points with a pang of regret for a moment, but ultimately steeled his resolve.
First, he would add in batches of 10, 30, 60, 100, and 500, until he reached 1000—
The surroundings were silent, with no sign of celestial or terrestrial phenomena.
Very good.
Zhao Liuyun was reassured. Without further hesitation, he invested all the remaining experience.
In an instant, Universal Experience plummeted by 3800 from 11710.
[Universal Experience: 7910]
[Soul Power: Level 20 (0/5000)]
The drop in experience was exchanged for a surge in Soul Power.
Just like the Constitution that had dramatically increased due to [Robust Physique], the data on the panel was still illusory.