Testing

···

Smack

Riko fell into the living room, and when she got up, her vision was blurred with a reddish hue.

Her forehead was cut open, and blood flowed out and into her eye socket.

But Riko didn't scream. Instead, she struggled to her feet, took out her Soul Guidance Electric Rod from her backpack, and pointed it at Odin, who was slowly walking towards her.

Staring at the adventure backpack on Riko's back, Odin's narrowed eyes were almost slits as he said, "A little gadget made by Abel? Ever since that guy fell in love with mechanics, he's focused on researching and inventing Soul Tool."

As they were talking, Odin had already walked up to Riko.

"Ah!"

Riko's Soul Guidance Electric Rod crackled Sisi electricity as she swung it forcefully toward Odin.

But the gap between her and Odin was so great that Odin grabbed her wrist and lifted her up. The immense force caused Riko release her grip in pain.

Snap.

The Soul Guidance Electric Rod fell to the ground, and the electric arc vanished instantly.

"You simply lack the ability to assess the disparity in strength between the enemy and ourselves."

As Odin spoke, he slammed Riko to the ground.

Thump!

A dull thud echoed throughout the living room.

"Teacher, isn't this a bit...?"

The Blue-haired Maid couldn't bear it and covered her eyes with her hands.

But Odin didn't turn around. Instead, he looked at Riko's unfocused pupils and said calmly, "Not completely unconscious yet? Then let's do it again."

Just as he was about to swing, Zhou Qing appeared beside Odin at a speed invisible to the naked eye, raised his left arm, grabbed the wrist of the one holding Riko's arm, and said, "There's no need to continue."

"Alright."

Odin released his grip, Riko fell to the ground, where she was caught by Zhou Qing, who said, "You are all very good, but while she is strong, she is also very fragile."

"Strong" refers to Riko's indomitable character.

Her vulnerability stems from her inability to accurately assess the strength of both herself and her enemy, and her tendency to lose her temper and attack indiscriminately whenever certain triggers are applied.

Zhou Qing put Riko down and set her bones, while Tang San also came over at this time, instinctively releasing his Blue Silver Grass and using his third Soul Skill to heal her.

"Interesting. Can you use your Soul Skill?"

Odin glanced at the glowing Blue Silver Grass, then looked at the others. "Are you all ready?"

However, it doesn't have any Soul Ring.

Zhou Qing immediately understood the key point: after the Soul Ring completes its Secondary Refinement, it becomes one with the Martial Soul and is naturally not restricted by the rules. It's just that the Soul Ring cannot manifest in the environment of this Abyss Ruins.

"I see. It seems you are far ahead of others in the research of Martial Soul."

Odin doesn't have Martial Soul, but the methods of research and cultivation are the same. In addition, she has seen many foreign Soul Master over the years, so she can roughly deduce some things.

"Don't worry." Seeing that Wang Sheng was a little wary, Odin said casually, "I'm not a gossip, and I won't tell everyone about your situation. Also, in your team, you seem to be the most inexperienced. Your emotions are always on your mind, and it's easy for people to see through your facade... similar to Riko."

Wang Sheng was speechless.

Is he implying that he is immature?

Hateful!

"I must go down!" After waking up, Riko ignored the miraculous healing Tang San had given her and stared straight at Odin with a firm tone.

"Can."

Odin agreed.

"You don't object?" Riko taken aback, not expecting Odin to suddenly change his mind. Could it be that she had gained his approval?

"Children born in the Abyss Ruins yearn to return to the Abyss more than others. Your curiosity may not necessarily be about finding your mother."

Odin said, "So even if I try to stop you, once you've reached the Second Layer, you'll find a way to get down. And as I've said before, the qualification to go to the lower levels isn't strength, but intelligence."

Riko overjoyed, thinking that her wisdom had won Odin's approval.

But--

"Although you're not very bright and don't even know how to run away, the good thing is they need a living guide to exploring the Abyss Ruins," Odin said, pointing at Zhou Qing and the others. "So, they will protect you."

Riko froze.

"Grandma, isn't what you're saying a bit too hurtful?" Xiao Wu asked Odin, hands on her hips.

"Would it hurt her? It's just telling her a fact. After all, there are many ways to make up for physical deficiencies, but to explore the Abyss Ruins, one's mental resilience must be strong. It requires enduring blow after blow, and in this regard, words are more powerful than actions."

Odin wasn't angry at being called an "old lady." On the contrary, she was old enough to be the grandmother of these people. "That's why the human mouth is not only used for eating and breathing, but also for speaking. The first two ensure the normal functioning of our bodies, while the latter allows us to communicate and empathize with each other. Empathy includes not only liking but also disliking."

"You are very wise." Zhou Qing was filled with respect, realizing that Odin probably understood the relationship between the body and the mind.

Although her cultivation methods are still crude due to her environment, she has unique insights into cultivation, and her progress in mind and will is several times more profound than that of the Soul Master World!

However, he must have made a mistake during his cultivation, which led to his "dead-looking" appearance.

"No, you who understand what I am saying are wiser than I am," Odin said, then turned and asked Zhou Qing and the others to follow.

Arriving directly in front of the black pillar, Odin said, "This pillar has existed for a very long time. No one knows exactly how long, no one understands what it is made of, and no one has been able to peel off a single piece of material from it. However, it is so sturdy that it has been regarded as a natural pillar."

As Zhou Qing and her group stepped onto the elevator platform in front of the pillar, Odin was about to start it when Riko suddenly asked her, "Grandma Odin, are you really my mother's teacher?"

"Grandmother?"

Odin smiled. "I accept that title. Of course, I was your mother's teacher. When your mother told me she was going to marry one of her adventurers who had accompanied her on her downward exploration, I was stunned for a while... That male Explorer was quite plain-looking, not good-looking at all..."

Xiao Wu didn't really want to interrupt Riko and Odin's conversation, but she couldn't help but whisper to Zhou Qing, Tang San, and the others, "How did this old lady figure out that the man was just ordinary? The residents of Abyss Town all have similar facial features."

Tang San didn't know how to answer.

But Zhou Qing could understand it. Just like how Chinese people in their previous lives looked at foreigners, they seemed unable to distinguish one from another at a glance, but in reality, they had their own set of standards for judging beauty and ugliness.

Similarly, the Abyss People, who are considered "cute" by outsiders, must also have their own standards for judging beauty and ugliness.