Two-Thousand-Year Soul Ring

"Uncle, what if I can?"

Ye Xiaobao blinked his large eyes, putting on an innocent expression like a curious child.

Yu Xiaogang was left speechless.

He could hardly argue with a child; that would make him seem utterly lacking in grace.

"If you can absorb a two-thousand-year Soul Ring, then I, Yu Xiaogang, will never again mention the Ten Core Competencies of Soul Masters for the rest of my life!"

Then he added proudly:

"However, I still advise you not to overestimate yourself. A two-thousand-year Soul Ring will make you explode."

Yu Xiaogang had always been most confident in the theories he had proposed.

They were also the only thing he had to show for himself.

If even his theories were wrong, he truly would have no face left in the Soul Master world.

Tang San, standing nearby, was also uncertain.

He trusted his teacher. A Soul Master's first Soul Ring could only be a hundred-year Soul Ring at most—this was basic common knowledge on the Douluo Continent.

Yet that kid sounded so certain.

Ye Xiaobao smiled innocently.

"Teacher, I'll have to trouble you. Please catch a two-thousand-year ape-type Soul Beast for your disciple."

"As your disciple, I believe I won't disgrace you."

Bibi Dong nodded.

She understood her disciple's physique better than anyone.

With a God-tier Martial Soul and the physique of a Soul Ancestor, Ye Xiaobao should have no problem absorbing a two-thousand-year Soul Ring.

Besides, she was right here.

She closed her eyes, and her spiritual power began to spread outward.

Before long, she suddenly opened her eyes and flew in a certain direction.

After watching his teacher leave, Ye Xiaobao maintained his harmless appearance as he sized up the two people before him.

It had to be said that although Tang San was only six years old, there was not a trace of childishness on his face. He even looked rather honest.

Yu Xiaogang, meanwhile, wore a disdainful expression, hands clasped behind his back and chin raised high, fully displaying the bearing of a "Grandmaster."

In less than the time it took to drink half a cup of tea,

Bibi Dong returned with a dying ape-type Soul Beast and landed before them.

The ape stood about three meters tall, its entire body covered in black armor-like hide, with a tuft of white fur atop its head.

Its eyes were filled with terror.

In broad daylight, it had suddenly been beaten half to death by a terrifyingly powerful human.

Its shameless, carefree life with the female ape had just ended like that. Who could understand its pain?

Yu Xiaogang stepped forward and examined it.

"This is an Ironclad Ape, known for its strength and defense. Its temperament is violent, and it has already grown white fur on its head. This is an Ironclad Ape that is more than two thousand three hundred years old!"

"Your Holiness the Pope, you must consider this carefully. Even Great Soul Masters face risks when absorbing Ironclad Ape Soul Rings."

Bibi Dong's expression did not change at all, nor did she respond, as though she had not heard him.

Seeing that his teacher had been slighted again, Tang San hurriedly tried to smooth things over.

"Your Holiness the Pope, Teacher is only thinking of your disciple. Why not reconsider?"

Ignoring the master and disciple pair, Ye Xiaobao walked straight up to the Ironclad Ape. The Golden Cudgel had already appeared in his right hand.

The Ironclad Ape let out a low wail, a trace of humanlike pleading in its eyes.

Ye Xiaobao showed no mercy.

This was a world where the strong preyed on the weak. He was no hypocrite.

With one full-force strike, the Ironclad Ape bid farewell to this world.

A dark purple Soul Ring floated out, radiating faint fluctuations of Soul Power.

Ye Xiaobao sat cross-legged on the ground, and the Soul Ring automatically floated toward him.

In an instant, the Soul Ring vanished.

Seeing this, Yu Xiaogang realized that it had already gone beyond the scope of his theoretical knowledge.

The Martial Soul was clearly in that child's hand, so how could the Soul Ring disappear?

Within his sea of consciousness, a purple Soul Ring manifested beside the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

A sliver also opened in the Great Sage's tightly shut eyes.

Then, suddenly, the Soul Ring exploded into fragments.

It was as though he disdained such inferior power and refused to let it empower him.

Ye Xiaobao had not expected this to happen either.

Brother Monkey, don't mess with me. If you don't absorb the Soul Ring, how am I supposed to grow stronger?

After the Soul Ring was forced out of his sea of consciousness, it reappeared around him.

Could it be that the Golden Cudgel could be used as a Martial Soul, while the Great Sage Equal to Heaven Martial Soul did not need Soul Rings at all?

When the Soul Ring reappeared around Ye Xiaobao, the master and disciple became even more confused.

It vanished before it had even been fully absorbed, then appeared again. This completely defied the common sense of the Soul Master world. Did Soul Rings play hide-and-seek now?

Bibi Dong seemed to have understood something, but her face remained expressionless.

Never mind. I'll use the Golden Cudgel to absorb it.

Ye Xiaobao began using the Golden Cudgel to absorb the Soul Ring's power. The process was even simpler than he had imagined.

In only a short while, the absorption was complete.

When he stood up, a purple Soul Ring was already shining beneath his feet.

"How is this possible? How could someone absorb a thousand-year Soul Ring as their first Soul Ring? Impossible!"

"Impossible!"

Yu Xiaogang was already bordering on madness. Having always firmly believed in his Soul Master theories, he could no longer bear such a blow.

Ye Xiaobao ignored the frantic Yu Xiaogang and walked over to Bibi Dong.

"Teacher, I succeeded!"

Bibi Dong nodded, her eyes full of gratification.

She glanced at Yu Xiaogang, who had already fallen into self-doubt. A trace of pity flashed through her eyes, but it vanished in an instant.

"Not bad. A thousand-year Soul Ring as your first Soul Ring—you truly are worthy of being my, Bibi Dong's, disciple."

"Go test your Soul Skill and see how effective it is."

Ye Xiaobao was a little bewildered. He could only feel that his Soul Power and strength had increased. As for a Soul Skill, there was none!

How was he supposed to use this thing? Had the Soul Skill been shattered when the Soul Ring broke earlier...?

But with Yu Xiaogang and Tang San watching, he really did not want to lose face.

"Teacher, my first Soul Skill is a buff-type Soul Skill. It increases all attributes by thirty percent and lasts for one hour."

Ye Xiaobao felt speechless. This was not exactly a lie. After absorbing the Soul Ring, all his attributes really had increased by thirty percent.

"Not bad. It's a very practical Soul Skill. Even when your Soul Power level rises in the future, it won't become useless."

Bibi Dong was very satisfied. As expected of a thousand-year Soul Ring—the skill effect it brought was exceptionally good.

Seeing the liver-colored look on Yu Xiaogang's face, Ye Xiaobao secretly rejoiced.

That so-called Grandmaster would never have guessed, even if he cracked his head open, that someone could break the Soul Master world's theories by absorbing a thousand-year Soul Ring as their first Soul Ring.

Tang San, meanwhile, felt a sense of defeat rise within him. The joy of having just absorbed his first Soul Ring had completely vanished.

He also had to look after his somewhat crazed teacher.

Yu Xiaogang had only just managed to stand with Tang San's support when he heard:

"Uncle, look, I really absorbed it successfully. A thousand-year one."

Ye Xiaobao looked at Yu Xiaogang with a smile, pointing at the Soul Ring beneath his feet.

Yu Xiaogang's heart sank halfway. He had actually done it.

"Hmph, don't worry. I keep my word. From now on, I will never again mention the Ten Core Competencies of Soul Masters."

Then he asked Bibi Dong:

"However... Your Holiness the Pope, I truly want to know how your disciple was able to absorb a thousand-year Soul Ring?"

Then he asked doubtfully:

"Could it be that Spirit Hall has developed a new method for fusing Soul Rings?"