Obtaining the Ancient Tree Spirit Ring

After a night of rest and treatment aided by Ling Feng's Soul Power, the three of them had recovered considerably, but the atmosphere remained heavy. The attackers sent by Xiao Chenyu hung over their hearts like dark clouds. No one knew whether they would return or bring even more troublesome enemies.

"We have to move faster," Ling Feng said gravely. "Yueyue, focus your senses and find a suitable spirit beast for yourself as soon as possible. Lin Kun, do the same and keep watch on our surroundings. We'll leave immediately once we obtain the Spirit Rings!"

Liu Yue nodded firmly and closed her eyes. Her Moonlight Orchid Spirit glowed even more brightly as her senses spread outward like rippling water. Lin Kun also pushed his Insight Skill and Book Spirit to their limits, his Mental Threads forming a dense web as they vigilantly scanned dozens of meters around them.

Perhaps the crisis had stimulated their potential, or perhaps luck had finally sided with them. Less than half a day later, Liu Yue suddenly opened her eyes in delight and pointed in a direction. "Cousin! Over there! I can sense a gentle yet resilient mental fluctuation. It seems to be a vine-type spirit beast, around five hundred and fifty years old!"

Ling Feng perked up. "Good! Lead the way!"

Guided by Liu Yue, the three cautiously arrived at a dark, damp stretch of woodland. A strange emerald-green vine with heart-shaped leaves was wrapped around an ancient tree. Several small white flowers bloomed among the vines, radiating a tranquil aura.

Heart Tough Vine, plant-type spirit beast. Age: approximately 560 years. Traits: resilient mentality, with weak soothing and recovery effects. Low aggression.

"Perfect! It's extremely suitable for your Moonlight Orchid!" Ling Feng said happily after confirming it.

The process went exceptionally smoothly. The Heart Tough Vine was barely aggressive, and Ling Feng subdued it with ease. Liu Yue successfully absorbed its Spirit Ring, raising her Soul Power to level 22 and gaining a decent support-type soul skill—Light of Heart Toughness, which could slightly increase allies' mental resistance and recovery speed.

Liu Yue's successful acquisition of a Spirit Ring greatly relieved the pressure on the team. Now, only Lin Kun remained.

However, finding a suitable Spirit Ring for Lin Kun proved difficult. His "Unknown Book" Spirit was far too unusual. Even he did not know what type of spirit beast suited it, and Ling Feng and Liu Yue had even less idea where to begin.

They could only search aimlessly. Whenever they encountered a spirit beast that seemed somewhat special, Lin Kun would use his Spirit to sense it. But after trying several ten-year and several-dozen-year spirit beasts, the Book Spirit showed no response at all. It even conveyed a disgusted feeling of, "Trash. Don't bother me."

Time passed little by little. As evening approached once more, Ling Feng's brows furrowed tighter and tighter. Staying in the Spirit Hunting Forest for too long was far too dangerous.

"Lin Kun, if we really can't find one that fits perfectly, why not choose a hundred-year spirit beast with a gentler attribute first? At least raise your Soul Power to the Soul Master level," Ling Feng suggested.

Lin Kun was unwilling to accept that. He knew how important the first Spirit Ring was and did not want to settle carelessly. Besides, he had a feeling that his Spirit was no ordinary thing. It would surely need a special Spirit Ring to awaken its true abilities.

He closed his eyes and once again immersed his mind into his sea of consciousness, communicating with the ancient book. Book boss, give me a hint! What exactly do you want? If we can't find it, we'll have to head back!

The Book Spirit trembled slightly, the light crystal on its cover flickering uncertainly as if it too were becoming anxious. It conveyed a vague thought: Need... knowledge... records... ancient... or... pure spirit...

Ancient? Pure spirit? Lin Kun fell into thought. He remembered the astonishing mental storm and pure energy when Little White had hatched. Could it be...

He abruptly opened his eyes and said to Ling Feng, "Brother Ling Feng, I want to try going somewhere!" "Where?" "Windcry Mountain Valley!" Lin Kun's gaze was resolute. "My Spirit reacted strongly there before. Maybe there is a spirit beast suitable for me there!"

Ling Feng's expression changed. "Windcry Mountain Valley? The spirit beasts there may not be very old, but I heard a massive beast tide occurred there recently. It's highly unstable! Too dangerous!"

"I know it's dangerous," Lin Kun insisted. "But it's the only place I can think of where I might find a compatible Spirit Ring. Please, Brother Ling Feng, just take me to the outskirts of the valley. I'll go in by myself! You can wait outside to support me!"

Ling Feng looked into Lin Kun's determined eyes, then thought of the miraculous methods Lin Kun had displayed last night and that strange little beast. After a moment of silence, he finally gritted his teeth. "Fine! I'll trust you this once! But if anything goes wrong, we retreat immediately!"

The three changed direction and hurried toward Windcry Mountain Valley. The closer they got, the more restless Little White became in Lin Kun's arms. It let out faint chirps, seeming both excited and wary. The Book Spirit also trembled more and more violently, its light crystal flickering at an accelerating pace.

When they arrived at the valley entrance, the sight before them startled all three.

Compared to before, Windcry Mountain Valley looked even more desolate and silent. Many trees had fallen, and traces of the beast tide's devastation remained on the ground. A faint residual wave of agitated energy lingered in the air.

"Something really is wrong here." Ling Feng looked grave. "Lin Kun, are you sure you want to go in?"

Feeling his Spirit's intense longing, Lin Kun nodded heavily. "I'm sure!"

"I'll go in with you!" Liu Yue suddenly said. "My second soul skill might be able to help."

Ling Feng thought for a moment before agreeing. "Fine. You'll be able to look after each other. I'll guard the entrance and prevent outsiders or powerful spirit beasts from entering. Go quickly and come back quickly! Use fireworks as a signal!"

Lin Kun and Liu Yue exchanged a glance, took a deep breath, and stepped into the silent valley.

The valley was in ruins, but the Book Spirit's guidance was extraordinarily clear. It pulled Lin Kun toward a specific direction. That was... the direction of the secluded valley where Little White had hatched last time!

Could it be something in that big shot's nest that was attracting the Spirit? Lin Kun's heart pounded uneasily, but there was no turning back once the bow had been drawn.

The two proceeded carefully, avoiding several unstable currents of energy. At last, they arrived once more before that narrow crack in the rocks.

The Book Spirit's trembling reached its peak! The light crystal even emitted a faint glow!

This was it! Inside! There was ancient... accumulated knowledge...

Lin Kun gritted his teeth and said to Liu Yue, "Sister Liu Yue, wait outside. I'll go in and take a look."

"Be careful!" Liu Yue nodded nervously, Moonlight Orchid in hand, ready to release her soul skill at any moment.

Search by book title not working? Try searching for the author instead—perhaps it was simply renamed!

Lin Kun squeezed into that familiar rock crevice again, his heart filled with tension. He did not know whether that terrifying big shot was still there.

On the other side of the crevice, the little valley remained silent. Deep within the valley, that enormous figure... was gone! Only a huge trace of a nest remained, as though something had crushed it flat.

Lin Kun let out a breath of relief, only for his heart to tighten again. The big shot had left? Then what was attracting his Spirit?

Following his Spirit's guidance, he looked beside the nest. There, an extraordinarily strange plant was growing!

It looked like a miniature dead tree, only a little taller than a person. Its entire body was dark gold, with a texture resembling metal or glazed crystal. Its branches twisted together, but it did not have a single leaf. Yet countless extremely intricate silver symbols and patterns naturally grew along those "branches," subtly shifting without end and giving off faint, ancient mental fluctuations.

Discovered: Knowledge Ancient Tree (sapling stage/incomplete form). Age: impossible to estimate. Traits: contains fragments of ancient knowledge and condenses a pure mental origin. Non-aggressive. Status: near death (having lost its energy nourishment after a powerful existence departed).

The Book Spirit conveyed an unprecedented surge of excitement and longing! This was it!

Lin Kun's heart raced wildly! This strange plant was what had drawn his Spirit here! The knowledge and pure spirit it contained were exactly the nourishment the Book Spirit needed most!

But... was it a spirit beast? Could it produce a Spirit Ring? And it was near death...

Just as Lin Kun approached the Knowledge Ancient Tree and reached out to touch it, a sudden change occurred!

The Knowledge Ancient Tree seemed to sense something. The silver symbols on its trunk abruptly lit up! A vast, chaotic torrent composed of countless fragments of knowledge and mental energy surged toward Lin Kun like a breached riverbank!

"Ah—!" Lin Kun felt as though his head were about to explode! Countless chaotic images, sounds, symbols, and thoughts forcibly flooded into his mind! The pain was unbearable!

The Book Spirit erupted with unprecedented light, frantically absorbing the torrent. But the influx was too fast and too fierce; it seemed unable to bear all of it! Lin Kun's consciousness struggled on the verge of collapse!

Outside, Liu Yue heard Lin Kun's scream and turned pale in alarm, about to rush inside!

At that moment, Little White suddenly leaped out of Lin Kun's arms. It looked at Lin Kun struggling in agony and the glowing ancient tree, a flash of determination appearing in its blue eyes. It jumped onto Lin Kun's shoulder, opened its tiny mouth, and instead of letting out a shriek, generated a strange pulling force!

A small portion of the violent torrent of knowledge flowing into Lin Kun was actually drawn into Little White's body! Little White's body instantly shone with dazzling silver light. Its expression became pained as well, but it held on!

Little White's burden-sharing bought precious time for Lin Kun and the Book Spirit! The Book Spirit's light crystal flickered faster than ever, analyzing and recording the torrent of knowledge. It was still painful, but at least no longer unbearable.

After an unknown amount of time, the torrent of knowledge gradually weakened and calmed.

The dark-gold Knowledge Ancient Tree seemed to have exhausted the last of its strength. The silver symbols on its trunk rapidly dimmed and vanished. The entire plant withered and weathered at a visible speed, eventually turning into a handful of ordinary dust that scattered into the air.

And where it had once stood, a strange Spirit Ring slowly condensed into form.

It was not the usual yellow, purple, or black. It was an exceptionally rare pale platinum Spirit Ring, within which countless tiny silver points of light flowed endlessly! Its aura was ancient and pure, carrying an immense weight of knowledge!

Lin Kun collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath. His face was pale and his head throbbed fiercely, but his eyes brimmed with incredulous ecstasy! The light crystal on his Book Spirit had become brighter than ever. It also seemed to have grown larger, and extremely fine silver patterns resembling the ancient tree's symbols had even appeared on its surface!

Ding! Special energy successfully absorbed. Book Spirit strengthened, partial hidden information unlocked... Analysis ability greatly enhanced! Mental Power permanently increased!

Ding! Absorbable Spirit Ring detected: unknown attribute (formed from the remaining origin of the Knowledge Ancient Tree). Age assessment: approximately 400 years (but its essence far surpasses ordinary Spirit Rings). Absorb?

Four hundred years! And a Spirit Ring with such a special essence! Lin Kun did not hesitate in the slightest!

"Absorb!"

He guided the platinum Spirit Ring toward the Book Spirit emerging in his palm.

This time, there was no pain at all. Instead, he felt an incomparably comfortable sense of perfect harmony! The Spirit Ring's energy gently merged into his Spirit and body, transforming his meridians and raising his Soul Power!

His Soul Power level began to soar! Level 6... Level 7... Level 8... Level 9... Level 10! It only gradually stopped at level 11!

At the same time, a realization rose in his heart. His first soul skill was neither offensive nor defensive. It was—

First Spirit Skill: Information Overload!

Effect: Consumes a large amount of Mental Power to compress and integrate vast, complex information recorded and analyzed over a period of time—including spirit beast weaknesses, flaws in soul skills, environmental details, and more—and instantly force it into a single target through eye contact, causing mental confusion and a brief halt in thought. The effect depends on the target's Mental Power.

An extremely unique control-support soul skill, one that could practically be called insidious!

Lin Kun opened his eyes, feeling the surging Soul Power within him and the clearer, stronger Mental Power in his mind. He could not help wanting to throw back his head and howl at the sky!

At last, he had become a true Soul Master! And he had gained a powerful soul skill far beyond his expectations!

"Lin Kun! Are you all right?" Hearing no movement from within, Liu Yue rushed in anxiously. When she saw Lin Kun standing there unharmed, with a platinum Spirit Ring she had never seen before rotating beneath his feet, she was instantly dumbfounded.

"I'm fine, Sister Liu Yue." Lin Kun beamed. "I succeeded! Let's go!"

He grabbed the still-stunned Liu Yue and quickly left the valley. They had to reunite with Ling Feng and leave this troublesome place as soon as possible!

His journey as a Soul Master had finally taken its most crucial first step! And because of this unique Spirit and Spirit Ring, his future was now filled with even more unknowns and possibilities!

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