After a brief rest, the atmosphere remained heavy.
"A four-hundred-year Mandala Snake..." Grandmaster frowned deeply, his face full of regret and reluctance. "Whether in terms of age or traits, it is one of the best possible choices for your first Spirit Ring, Xiao San. Unfortunately, it is far too powerful, well beyond the limit of what you can absorb. It is too dangerous."
According to his theory, the limit for a first Spirit Ring was 423 years. This Mandala Snake was infinitely close to that limit. The chance of successfully absorbing it was likely less than ten percent, perhaps even lower. It was practically suicide.
Tang San remained silent as he looked in the direction the Mandala Snake had vanished, his gaze flickering. He had experienced the battle firsthand and knew just how powerful and ferocious that snake was. Yet for some reason, the internal energy of his Mysterious Heaven Skill was faintly stirring within him, as if it craved something. He recalled Lin Kun's question in class about "special circumstances"...
"Teacher," Tang San suddenly said, his tone carrying an unusual determination, "I want to try."
"What?" Grandmaster spun around and stared at him sternly. "Nonsense! Do you know how dangerous that is? Once Spirit Ring absorption begins, it cannot be interrupted. If you fail, your body will explode and you will die! I cannot let you take this risk!"
"But, Teacher," Tang San argued, "your theory also states that limits are not absolute. My Mysterious Heaven Skill has already reached the bottleneck of its first stage, and my physical condition far surpasses that of ordinary Spirit Masters. Perhaps... perhaps I can endure it! Besides, this opportunity is rare. If I miss this Mandala Snake, who knows how long I will have to wait before finding another Spirit Beast that suits me so well!"
Grandmaster's expression shifted as he struggled fiercely inside. As a theoretical researcher, how could he not want to verify his hypothesis that limits could be broken? But as a teacher, he was even more worried about Tang San's safety!
At that moment, a system notification rang through Lin Kun's mind like a death knell:
Ding! A key plot point has been detected: Tang San's first Spirit Ring selection. Side quest triggered: The Temptation of the Limit. Quest requirement: Encourage or induce Tang San to choose the four-hundred-year Mandala Snake Spirit Ring. Quest reward: 200 Plot Breakdown Points and one Random Spirit Skill Comprehension Scroll (Beginner). Failure penalty: None. Special reminder: This choice will greatly affect the direction of the subsequent plot. Host, please choose carefully.
Lin Kun's heart sank.
Encourage Tang San to absorb a Spirit Ring beyond his level? The system really wanted to sow chaos! If he succeeded, Tang San's strength would rise dramatically, and the protagonist's halo would become even brighter. Wouldn't that put even more pressure on him in the future? If he failed, Tang San would explode and die... Would this world collapse outright? Would he be finished along with it?
But the reward of 200 points and a random Spirit Skill scroll was simply too tempting! It could greatly compensate for his current shortcomings!
More importantly, it would "greatly affect the direction of the subsequent plot"! That meant that if he successfully pushed this forward, the series of butterfly effects caused by his arrival in this world would finally produce its first major turning point!
Should he gamble?
Lin Kun's mind raced. In the original story, Tang San had succeeded. There was risk, but with the protagonist's halo, he probably would not die. Besides, the stronger Tang San became, the safer Lin Kun would be as his "teammate" in the short term, right? Though he would be a threat in the long run... points and strength were the immediate benefits!
He would go for it!
He took a deep breath, putting on just the right look of hesitation and contemplation. Looking at the teacher and student who were arguing, he cautiously interjected, "Grandmaster, Tang San... I-I have an idea, though I don't know if it's right..."
Both of them immediately turned to look at him.
Lin Kun continued, "My martial spirit just now... that book... seemed especially... active when the Mandala Snake appeared. The information it gave me seemed to contain, besides danger, a trace of... um... 'compatibility'?" He deliberately made it vague, inviting speculation.
"Compatibility?" Grandmaster's attention was immediately caught.
"Yes, just a very vague feeling." Lin Kun tried hard to recall the information the Book Spirit had analyzed about the Mandala Snake. "It seemed like... some poisonous trait of the Mandala Snake and Tang San's Blue Silver Grass might have some kind of... potential to merge and strengthen each other? Of course, that might just be my imagination. After all, my Soul Power is too low..."
What he said was half true and half false. The Book Spirit had indeed analyzed the Mandala Snake's traits of "deadly poison" and "toughness," which also matched possible development paths for Blue Silver Grass. But he deliberately emphasized "compatibility" and "merging to strengthen," subtly supporting Tang San's choice.
Grandmaster fell into deep thought. Lin Kun's unusual perception-type martial spirit had already proven its value several times. Its "feeling" could not be completely ignored. Could there truly be some ultimate compatibility that he had yet to discover?
Tang San's eyes, however, lit up! Lin Kun's words undoubtedly gave him greater confidence and theoretical support! Though he had no idea that this theoretical support had been fabricated. "Teacher! Did you hear that? Even Lin Kun's martial spirit feels that they are compatible! This must be an opportunity Heaven has given me! Please let me try! I will succeed!"
Seeing the unprecedented determination and longing in Tang San's eyes, and recalling the various miraculous displays of Lin Kun's martial spirit, the balance in Grandmaster's heart finally tipped.
He let out a long sigh and looked at Tang San with a complicated expression. "Very well... perhaps theory truly needs practice in order to be verified and broken through. But, Xiao San, you must promise me this: the moment you feel that you cannot endure it, immediately circulate the Mysterious Heaven Skill with all your strength to protect your heart meridians. I will spare no effort in trying to help you... though the hope is slim." His voice trembled slightly.
"Thank you, Teacher! I definitely won't let you down!" Tang San said excitedly.
Ding! Side quest, The Temptation of the Limit, completed! Reward: 200 Plot Breakdown Points and one Random Spirit Skill Comprehension Scroll (Beginner) have been distributed to the system space.
A weight lifted from Lin Kun's heart, though complicated emotions also surged within him. He had personally pushed Tang San onto an even stronger path and earned precious resources for himself in the process.
What happened next unfolded just as it had in the original story. The three of them carefully returned and found the Mandala Snake, which had been injured by Tang San's flying knives and was recuperating. After an even more perilous battle—during which Lin Kun once again used his "perception" to warn them in advance several times of the snake's counterattacks—Tang San finally dealt the Mandala Snake a fatal blow with the Zhuge Godly Crossbow.
A yellow hundred-year Spirit Ring slowly condensed from the Mandala Snake's corpse, radiating powerful energy fluctuations.
Under Grandmaster's intensely anxious gaze and Lin Kun's complicated watch, Tang San sat down cross-legged, drew in the Spirit Ring, and began the absorption.
The process was terrifying. Tang San's body shook violently, as though something were writhing beneath his skin, and his expression twisted in agony. Grandmaster's palms were drenched in sweat, and he could barely stop himself from intervening to interrupt it.
Lin Kun held his breath as well, secretly clenching his fists. If Tang San really exploded... that would be quite the disaster.
Finally, after a long and agonizing wait, the fluctuations around Tang San gradually stabilized. The yellow Spirit Ring settled firmly around the Blue Silver Grass martial spirit, emitting a lustrous glow.
He had succeeded! A four-hundred-year Mandala Snake Spirit Ring!
Tang San opened his eyes, brilliant light flashing within them. His Soul Power level had risen all the way to level 13! He raised a hand, and deep-blue Blue Silver Grass spread forth. Its blades had become broader and thicker, their edges tinged with faint purple. It had clearly gained the Mandala Snake's poison!
"Teacher! I succeeded!" Tang San's voice was filled with excitement and confidence.
Grandmaster was so excited that tears filled his eyes. He pulled Tang San into a fierce embrace. "Good! Good! Good! Xiao San, you have proven that Teacher's theory is viable! You are a true genius!"
Watching the embracing teacher and student, Lin Kun also showed a "heartfelt" smile. Yet inwardly, he thought, The plot deviation has officially begun from this moment onward.
And now, it was time for him to examine his own reward. What would that random Spirit Skill scroll be?
Before you continue