Returning to his room, Zhao Liuyun carefully organized the gains from this trip.
He first looked toward the soul tool, sliding it onto his right middle finger. He infused it with soul power and sensed its contents with his mind.
The most valuable items in the ring were the gold soul coins. They were currency in its purest form. There weren't many, roughly three thousand or so. There was also a significant supply of dried rations, water, antidotes, and insect-repelling powder—essentials for soul hunting. Clearly, these had been prepared for emergencies.
But now, they were useless to their original owner...
Zhao Liuyun removed the sundries except for the gold soul coins, then added his own savings from the past year and a half to the ring. After deducting expenses for medicinal baths, soul beast meat, and various medicinal herbs, he had nearly two thousand gold soul coins remaining.
After storing them properly, he took out the various poisons and antidotes he had concocted from his waist pouch, sorting them into neat categories within the soul tool.
With the soul tool organized, Zhao Liuyun touched his forehead. The soul tool provided a long-overdue and precious portable storage space. However, the object on his forehead was the greatest opportunity of this trip.
Soul rings could be found anywhere, but an external soul bone in the form of a third eye, born from a dragon lineage and suited for a mental-type soul master, was unique in the world! The Evil Eye Tyrant Ruler might produce something similar, but its age was too high and it resided far away in the Sun Moon Continent. By the time Zhao Liuyun could face it, he would likely have already ascended to godhood and no longer need it.
Expending a modest amount of soul power, the vertical pupil opened once more. Zhao Liuyun looked in the mirror and saw a silver-flowing eye indeed growing on his forehead. Even without active activation, it faintly radiated a sliver of Dragon Race pressure.
The dragon eye had distinct features and a vivid silver color. The soul skill it provided, "All Phenomena to Ruin," was related to space and spirit, likely belonging to the elemental lineage of the Silver Dragon King. Recalling its origin from the Ghost-Eyed Demon Dragon Spider, Zhao Liuyun named it the "Demon Dragon Silver Eye."
Since it was an eye, it naturally possessed the power of sight. Zhao Liuyun tried closing his original eyes and viewing the world solely through the Demon Dragon Silver Eye. It provided vision just like a normal eye, and aside from being clearer, it seemed no different.
No, there was a major difference! The images were not transmitted through optic nerves but were directly reflected within his spirit.
[Acuity ] granted him meticulous detail, allowing Zhao Liuyun to analyze things with his powerful brain. If he could later use this ability to transmit spiritual images for general spiritual detection... would it be a budget version of Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Detection?
Sharing vision wasn't necessary for him, but spiritual interference could be replaced by [Hypnosis] or other soul skills. As for Soul Shock, he now had "All Phenomena to Ruin" from the Demon Dragon Silver Eye, which could release a spiritual blast. Calculating it this way, rounding up, it was almost as if he had received the sacrifice of the Skydream Ice Worm.
"Heh~"
Zhao Liuyun chuckled. He knew his spiritual power still lacked a certain penetrative quality; he would have to wait for his realm to rise or obtain a specific soul ring before he could truly rival that level.
He didn't actually covet the Skydream Ice Worm. Before becoming a million-year soul beast, it was ultimately lacking in heat. Moreover, without a sealing method, and with power that couldn't face a half-god king like the Silver Dragon King, how could he possibly snatch Skydream? Di Tian's Dragon God Claw was not to be trifled with either.
As his thoughts drifted, Zhao Liuyun refocused his attention on the external soul bone. The Ghost-Eyed Demon Dragon Spider had used the Demon Dragon Silver Eye to break the sleepiness brought by Dream Making, and it also possessed the ability to dispel foreign spiritual power—what ordinary people called a "dispel illusion" effect.
It was a perfect counter for mental-type soul masters of the same system as Zhao Liuyun! Xiao Wu's Charm and Hu Liena's Charm both fell into this category.
Shi Nian? Even less of a threat. A [Dream Master] only truly shows their brilliance within a dream, moving like a fish in water.
The only pity was that mental-type soul masters were truly rare in this era. The illusion-breaking power of this soul bone would mostly be used for soul hunting.
Dragon Might was an innate bloodline talent. Although the Demon Dragon Silver Eye was passive, its pressure could be released or retracted at will. If the pressure were concentrated in one spot, it could erupt with impressive deterrent force. However, it wasn't convenient to release it recklessly in this soul hunting town. He would have to find a secluded place later to refine his control.
Zhao Liuyun suppressed the urge to practice his Dragon Might immediately and turned his gaze to the status panel. This allowed for a more direct view of the growth of his body and soul.
[Soul Ring: 650-year Ghost-Eyed Demon Dragon Spider (0/10)]
(650 years, but its combat power was at least above that of an ordinary thousand-year soul beast.)
[Soul Bone: 650-year External Soul Bone—Demon Dragon Silver Eye (0/10)]
[Soul Power: Level 21 (3940/7400)]
(Soul power had reached level twenty-one and a half. A six-hundred-year soul beast; a level increase within expectations.)
[Physique: 21]
(The Ghost-Eyed Demon Dragon Spider's soul ring raised his physique by another 5 points. Recalling the difficulty during absorption, it might have been a slight over-limit absorption...)
Zhao Liuyun suddenly realized something. His previous understanding was slightly off. The 16 points in [Physique] before absorbing the soul ring likely had a practical meaning. It meant his physical fitness was equal to the average level of a Rank 16 Soul Master.
Take [Soul] as an example. After absorbing the Dream Demon's first soul ring, it rose from 17 to 34. This didn't mean his soul strength had doubled; it more likely meant his soul strength was equivalent to the average level of a Rank 34 Soul Master. Spiritual power is a derivative element of the soul and exists at the same level, so it was naturally at Rank 34. Only with spiritual power equivalent to a Rank 34 Soul Elder could he have so naturally knocked down Tian Wenlong, a Soul Elder who was not adept in mental defenses.
...
The physical growth was pleasing, and the transformation of the soul had not lagged behind. The Ghost-Eyed Demon Dragon Spider was known for its powerful physique, but that ultimately could not change its essence as a mental-type soul beast. The soul ring brought 4 points of soul growth, and the external soul bone, the Demon Dragon Silver Eye, provided 2 points.
[Soul: 44]
It jumped from 38 to 44. Although the growth rate wasn't as explosive as [Physique], the levels at which the two existed were worlds apart. With spiritual power equivalent to Rank 44, if his Dream Making hit, it should be enough to make an ordinary Soul Ancestor with low mental resistance fall straight to their knees. This wasn't even counting the buff from [Potent Eruption]. If that were added, then a Soul King...
It was hard to say for a Soul King for now. Absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring required enduring spiritual shock; anyone who could successfully absorb one must have a certain level of spiritual strength.
[Class Skills: True Illusion (Soul Master Lv1, Second Soul Skill), All Phenomena to Ruin (Soul Master Lv1, External Soul Bone—Demon Dragon Silver Eye)]
These two skills appeared on the panel according to the names he had chosen. True Illusion had a unique mechanism and was an excellent support skill. Camouflage, shapeshifting, even hiding oneself, or using illusions to interfere with an enemy's vision and induce misjudgments...
For now, he couldn't control it with perfect ease, nor could he change the color of his soul rings like Huo Yuhao's Simulation. However, since the Ghost-Eyed Demon Dragon Spider could figure out many uses for it, Zhao Liuyun believed he could as well. Only when he could shift in real-time according to the ever-changing battlefield, making it impossible for opponents to distinguish the virtual from the real, would this soul skill truly reach mastery.
With such significant gains, it was time to verify how much his meditation experience had increased. Zhao Liuyun sat cross-legged and closed his eyes, attempting to enter meditation, but a strange sense of irritability rose in his heart. Even though [Mind Like Still Water] calmed it, his mind felt as if it were dwelling on something.
He couldn't help but think of the reason he had fabricated for Tang San.
"Am I... also a bit weary?"
This weariness did not come from the body or the soul, but from the heart. He claimed that betrayal wasn't worth remembering, but he was not, after all, someone who had eradicated his humanity or severed all emotions. How could there be no sentiment at all?
Zhao Liuyun gave up on meditation and lay flat on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. In the dim room, a barely audible sigh was accompanied by a single crystal tear falling gently.
His first soul ring lit up, followed by a flash of purple light. Zhao Liuyun fell into a deep sleep.
Just sleep. He hadn't had a good rest in a long time. When he woke up, everything would be over.
The next morning, Zhao Liuyun rose early, his spirit restored to normal. He didn't plan on cultivating today. In the morning, he helped his Martial Uncle prepare medicine one last time.
At noon, he had a meal with Zhu Qiaoqiao and Wu Qianming. The two no longer wished to be mercenaries and were both returning to their hometowns to become teachers at a junior soul master academy. During the meal, the three talked and laughed freely. Though they knew it would be difficult to meet again after this parting, they still raised their glasses and drank, entrusting their parting sorrow to the wine.
Zhao Liuyun didn't drink alcohol; since he was still young, he used fruit juice instead.
When the feast ended, the time finally came to part ways. Melancholy and sadness were mixed with sincere blessings. Zhu Qiaoqiao and Wu Qianming each gave him one hundred gold soul coins, wishing him a journey where he would ride the wind and waves with radiant glory.
Zhao Liuyun declined repeatedly but finally accepted them solemnly. One hundred gold soul coins wasn't much, but it carried their heartfelt sincerity. In the future, the two would certainly feel fortunate for today's parting gift.
He did not wait until the third day. After returning to the medicine shop to bid farewell to his Martial Uncle, and taking advantage of the fine afternoon weather, Zhao Liuyun shouldered his pack filled with food and water and boarded a carriage bound for the Star Dou soul hunting town.
The bustling soul hunting town would not be stirred by his departure. The world never stops for a single person. One fewer mercenary group would merely add a few sighs to the idle chatter of the taverns.
Meanwhile, Zhao Liuyun began a new journey.
Target: the Star Dou soul hunting town adjacent to the Balak Kingdom!
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