First Soul Ring

Wang Xing's idea was quickly put into practice. Some low-year Soul Beasts became sparring targets for Wang Nan. After stopping and starting along the way, and driving back several attacking Soul Beasts, the two finally reached the destination of their journey.

Obtaining a Soul Ring was not simply a matter of blindly trying one's luck. As Wang Xing had said before, he had visited the Star Dou Great Forest several times and had naturally kept an eye on several Soul Beasts suitable for Wang Nan. Their first target was a Four Hundred Year Jade Scale Python living nearby.

"This is the place." Although the number of Soul Beasts around them had noticeably decreased, Wang Nan and Wang Xing did not lower their guard. As the largest gathering place for Soul Beasts, the Star Dou Great Forest had no area devoid of Soul Beasts. A reduction in their numbers could only mean that a stronger Soul Beast lived here and had claimed the area as its territory.

After waiting for a while without any movement nearby, Wang Xing took a small bottle from his Storage Soul Tool and sprinkled out some of its liquid.

"This is made from the urine of other Soul Beasts. I added something to make the scent disperse more easily. Soul Beasts have a strong sense of territory, so it should draw that Jade Scale Python over." Wang Xing sighed. "Let's hope someone else hasn't absorbed it already."

Fortunately, the worst-case scenario did not come to pass. Before long, a python seven or eight meters long slowly emerged.

It looked similar to an ordinary python, with a brown body covered in black leopard-like markings. The most eye-catching feature was the enormous jade-green scale on its head, which nearly covered its entire crown and looked clear and translucent beneath the sunlight.

Wang Xing also released his Martial Soul. Five Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, purple—slowly pulsed around his Coiling Dragon Staff.

"Looks like we're pretty lucky." After observing it for a moment and confirming the Soul Beast's age, Wang Xing no longer hesitated. He kicked off the ground and lunged through the air. His third Soul Ring lit up with a pale purple glow as he swung the Coiling Dragon Staff, producing a piercing shriek through the air.

The Jade Scale Python refused to yield. It coiled itself into a ball, curling up like a spring, its head fixed firmly on Wang Xing. Just as its body compressed to the limit, it suddenly exerted all its strength and reached Wang Xing in the blink of an eye.

Bang—

The difference in strength between a Hundred-Year Soul Beast and a Soul King was simply too great. The Coiling Dragon Staff came down, and the Soul Beast that had been so imposing a moment earlier was motionless in an instant.

Wang Xing kicked the limp python twice to make sure it had fainted before waving Wang Nan over. "Nan'er, come here. Your First Soul Ring is settled."

"What is this?" Wang Nan's eyes lit up as he looked at the strange python. During its growth, a Jade Scale Python's head scales could develop differently depending on its environment. This one's scale covered its entire head, so it was clearly no ordinary specimen.

"Of course, what I picked for you wouldn't be ordinary." Wang Xing pointed at the scale atop the Jade Scale Python's head. "See that green scale on its head? It was probably influenced by some kind of Dragon-type Soul Beast. That isn't a snake scale—it's a Dragon Scale."

"Dragon Scale? Can it turn into a dragon?" Wang Nan asked in surprise, immediately recalling countless scenes from his previous life where snakes transformed into dragons.

"How could that be? It merely mutated after being affected by a dragon's aura. Dragons are among the highest-ranking Soul Beasts; they can't just transform whenever they want."

"I see." Wang Nan did not pursue the matter. As far as he remembered, there was a Black Dragon deep within the Star Dou Great Forest. It was best not to discuss dragon-related matters too much here.

"Alright, get ready to absorb the Soul Ring. With your physical strength, handling a Four Hundred Year Soul Ring won't be a problem. Don't be nervous. Take it slowly. I'll be watching from the side, and if anything happens, I'll step in."

"Alright." Wang Nan nodded. The Coiling Dragon Staff in his hand enlarged, and he thrust it into the Jade Scale Python's head. The jade-green scale shattered at once, and soon, a yellow Soul Ring slowly rose into the air.

Wang Nan sat cross-legged beside the Jade Scale Python, bringing the Coiling Dragon Staff in his hand into contact with the Soul Ring. At that moment, his consciousness uncontrollably left his body and entered the Spiritual Sea.

Why now? Wang Nan's heart tightened. He had encountered this before, during his Martial Soul awakening. It was also then that the Luminous Orb had appeared within his Spiritual Sea. He had not expected it to happen again while he was absorbing a Soul Ring.

After sensing for a moment, he found that, as usual, he could still feel his body remaining in a meditative state. Under normal circumstances, Wang Nan would certainly have investigated what was happening, but he was currently absorbing a Soul Ring—a critical moment that could not be interrupted.

Just as his consciousness was about to leave and return to his body, an uninvited guest appeared in the Spiritual Sea. A brown body, black markings, and jade-green scales—the Jade Scale Python he had killed outside had appeared within his Spiritual Sea.

What's going on this time? Could it be because I'm absorbing the Soul Ring? Wang Nan guessed. After all, this was not the first Soul Beast he had killed, yet no other Soul Beasts had appeared here. The Soul Ring was the only possible explanation.

I've heard that, when absorbing a Soul Ring, one's consciousness battles the Soul Beast's consciousness within it. But I've never heard of a Soul Beast appearing directly in the Spiritual Sea. Still, now isn't the time to think about why. I need to find a way to deal with it first. There's still a Soul Ring waiting for me outside.

Facing a Hundred-Year Soul Beast, Wang Nan naturally did not dare to be careless, but neither was he overly nervous. He had visited the Spiritual Sea countless times and was thoroughly familiar with its rules.

Here, he could detect even the slightest disturbance immediately. Moreover, his body formed from Spiritual Power could appear anywhere in this place in an instant. Even if this body was scattered, so long as the Lake below had not dried up, he could form it again.

With such an advantage, even a Hundred-Year Soul Beast was not impossible to defeat.

The Jade Scale Python naturally did not understand what was happening either, but instinct still drove it to pounce at Wang Nan. Its massive body did not affect its speed at all; it was much faster than the Tree Snake they had encountered before.

Unfortunately, Wang Nan had complete control over the situation throughout the Spiritual Sea. The moment it moved, he noticed it. His figure flickered repeatedly, easily avoiding several consecutive attacks.

After gradually becoming familiar with the Jade Scale Python's attacks, Wang Nan stirred his thoughts. Ripples spread across the Lake beneath his feet as a staff condensed into existence and flew into his hand. He unleashed the staff techniques he had been practicing. After several exchanges, the Jade Scale Python had not even touched the corner of Wang Nan's clothes, while Wang Nan had taken the chance to land several strikes.

The Jade Scale Python was still a Hundred-Year Soul Beast, after all. Wang Nan's attacks did not defeat it outright, but instead provoked its ferocity. The jade-green scale atop its head flashed, and streams of cyan light covered its entire body. Its speed increased several notches beyond before.

What a pity. In the outside world, there's no way I could evade that kind of speed. But in my Spiritual Sea, teleporting is merely a matter of thought.

After several more failed charges, the Jade Scale Python seemed to have exhausted its strength and stopped attacking. Man and python stared at each other for a moment before Wang Nan made the first move, teleporting behind the Jade Scale Python and tentatively swinging his staff several times.