Deviating Choice and System Reward

After a brief rest, the atmosphere remained heavy.

"A four-hundred-year-old Mandala Snake..." Grandmaster's brow was furrowed, his face filled with regret and unwillingness. "Both its age and characteristics made it one of the top choices for your first Spirit Ring, Little San. It's a shame its strength is too great, far exceeding your absorption limit. It's too dangerous."

According to his theory, the limit for a first Spirit Ring was 423 years. This Mandala Snake was infinitely close to the limit, and the success rate of absorption was likely less than ten percent, perhaps even lower. It was practically suicide.

Tang San remained silent, watching the direction the Mandala Snake had disappeared, his eyes flickering. He had personally experienced the battle just now and knew how powerful and ferocious that snake was. Yet, for some reason, the internal energy of his Mysterious Heaven Skill was subtly stirring within him, as if yearning for something. He remembered Lin Kun's question about "special circumstances" during class...

"Teacher," Tang San suddenly spoke, his tone carrying an unusual firmness, "I want to try."

"What?" Grandmaster turned his head sharply, looking at him sternly. "Nonsense! Do you know how dangerous that is? Once Spirit Ring absorption begins, it cannot be interrupted. If it fails, you'll explode and die! I can't let you take that risk!"

"But Teacher," Tang San argued, "your theory also mentioned that limits aren't absolute. My Mysterious Heaven Skill has reached the bottleneck of the first level, and my physical fitness far surpasses that of ordinary Spirit Masters. Perhaps... perhaps I can withstand it! Besides, this is a rare opportunity. If we miss this Mandala Snake, who knows when we'll find another suitable Spirit Beast!"

Grandmaster's expression shifted, his heart struggling intensely. As a theorist, didn't he also want to verify his conjecture that limits could be broken? But as a teacher, he was more concerned about Tang San's safety!

Just then, in Lin Kun's mind beside them, the system's prompt sounded like a death knell:

[Ding! Detected critical plot point: Tang San's first Spirit Ring choice.] [Triggered side quest: The Temptation of the Limit.] [Quest requirement: Propel or encourage Tang San to choose to absorb the four-hundred-year Mandala Snake Spirit Ring.] [Quest reward: 200 Plot Breakdown Points, one Random Spirit Skill Comprehension Scroll (Beginner).] [Failure penalty: None.] [Special Reminder: This choice will greatly affect the subsequent plot direction. Please choose wisely, host.]

Lin Kun's heart suddenly sank.

Propel Tang San to choose to absorb a Spirit Beast beyond his level? The system was clearly trying to stir up trouble! If it succeeded, Tang San's strength would greatly increase, his protagonist halo would shine brighter, and his own future pressure would be greater? If it failed, Tang San would explode and die... Would this world directly collapse? Would he also be finished?

But the 200 points and a random Spirit Skill scroll reward were too tempting! They could greatly compensate for his current shortcomings!

More importantly, "greatly affect the subsequent plot direction"! This meant that if he successfully pushed it forward, then from the moment he arrived in this world, the series of butterfly effects he had caused would finally produce its first major turning point!

Should he gamble?

Lin Kun's brain spun rapidly. In the original work, Tang San succeeded. Although there were risks, with his protagonist halo, he likely wouldn't die. Moreover, the stronger Tang San became, the safer he, as a "teammate," would be in the short term? Although he was a threat in the long run... but points and strength were the immediate benefits!

He'd risk it!

He took a deep breath, a carefully calibrated look of hesitation and thought on his face. He looked at the arguing master and disciple and cautiously interjected, "Grandmaster, Tang San... I, I have an idea. I don't know if it's right..."

Their gazes immediately turned to him.

Lin Kun continued, "Just now, my Martial Soul... that book, when the Mandala Snake appeared, it seemed particularly... active. Among the information it fed back to me, besides the danger, there also seemed to be a trace of... um... a feeling of 'compatibility'?" He deliberately spoke vaguely, inviting speculation.

"Compatibility?" Grandmaster's attention was immediately captured.

"Yes, it's a very vague feeling," Lin Kun tried to recall the information his Book Spirit had analyzed about the Mandala Snake. "It's as if... some toxic characteristic of the Mandala Snake, and Tang San's Blue Silver Grass, there's some... possibility for fusion and enhancement? Of course, this might just be my illusion, as my Spirit Power is too low..."

His words were half-true, half-false. The Book Spirit had indeed analyzed the "extreme poison" and "toughness" of the Mandala Snake, which also aligned with the potential development direction of the Blue Silver Grass. However, he had deliberately emphasized "compatibility" and "fusion enhancement," subtly supporting Tang San's choice.

Grandmaster fell into thought. Lin Kun's peculiar perceptive Martial Soul had proven its value multiple times; its "feelings" could not be entirely ignored. Could it be... there really was an ultimate compatibility that he hadn't discovered yet?

Tang San's eyes, however, lit up! Lin Kun's words undoubtedly gave him stronger confidence and theoretical support! (Although he didn't know this theoretical support was made up). "Teacher! You heard him! Even Lin Kun's Martial Soul feels it's compatible! This must be an opportunity given to me by heaven! Please let me try! I will definitely succeed!"

Looking at the unprecedented determination and desire in Tang San's eyes, and recalling the various performances of Lin Kun's magical Martial Soul, the scales in Grandmaster's heart finally tipped.

He sighed deeply, looking at Tang San with a complex expression. "Fine... Perhaps theory truly needs practice to be verified and broken through. But Little San, you must promise me, if you feel you can't bear it, immediately circulate your Mysterious Heaven Skill with all your might to protect your heart meridian, and I will try to help you at all costs... even if the hope is slim." His voice trembled slightly.

"Thank you, Teacher! I definitely won't disappoint you!" Tang San was extremely excited.

[Ding! Side quest [The Temptation of the Limit] completed! Reward of 200 Plot Breakdown Points and one Random Spirit Skill Comprehension Scroll (Beginner) has been issued to the system space.]

A stone in Lin Kun's heart finally landed, and at the same time, a complex emotion surged. He had personally pushed Tang San onto a path of greater power, and also earned valuable resources for himself.

What happened next unfolded as it did in the original work. The three cautiously returned and found the Mandala Snake, injured by Tang San's flying knife and recuperating. After a more perilous battle (Lin Kun once again warned of the snake's counterattacks in advance with his "perception"), Tang San finally delivered the fatal blow to the Mandala Snake with the Zhuge Divine Crossbow.

A yellow hundred-year Spirit Ring slowly condensed from the Mandala Snake's corpse, emitting powerful energy fluctuations.

Under Grandmaster's extremely tense and Lin Kun's complex gaze, Tang San sat cross-legged, drew the Spirit Ring, and began to absorb it.

The process was thrilling. Tang San's body trembled violently, something seemed to be wriggling under his skin, and his expression was painfully contorted. Grandmaster's palms were sweating, and he almost couldn't resist intervening.

Lin Kun also held his breath, clenching his fists secretly. If Tang San really exploded... that would be a huge problem.

Finally, after a long period of torment, the fluctuations on Tang San's body gradually stabilized. The yellow Spirit Ring was firmly placed upon the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul, emitting a lustrous glow.

He succeeded! A four-hundred-year Mandala Snake Spirit Ring!

Tang San opened his eyes, which shone with brilliance. His Spirit Power level had indeed risen to level 13! He raised his hand, and the deep blue Blue Silver Grass spread out. The leaves became thicker, their edges showing a faint purple hue, clearly imbued with the Mandala Snake's toxicity!

"Teacher! I succeeded!" Tang San's voice was filled with excitement and confidence.

Grandmaster was so moved he was in tears. He hugged Tang San tightly. "Good! Good! Good! Little San, you've proven that teacher's theory is feasible! You are a true genius!"

Watching the master and disciple embrace, Lin Kun also showed a "sincere" smile, but thought to himself: The plot deviation officially begins from this moment.

And he should also check his rewards. What would that random Spirit Skill scroll be?