The Second Stage of Waiting by the Stump

"How are you feeling now, Lang Lei?"

The moment Lang Lei opened his eyes, he saw two exquisite faces.

"Thank you for your concern, sisters. I'm fine. Everything's good." Lang Lei patted his chest, looking full of energy.

This sudden way of learning a skill still felt somewhat unfamiliar to Lang Lei, but it was also rather wondrous. Perhaps this was a rule unique to this continent?

His Martial Soul Level remained at twenty, without any change. Lang Lei guessed that his Soul Power Level would only increase after he absorbed the Second Spirit Ring.

He was already somewhat impatient. After all, the strength of one of his trump cards was directly tied to his Soul Power Level. Even a single-level increase would make the power manifested through that trump card as different as a vast ocean from a puddle.

"Lang Lei, hurry, hurry, hurry! Show us." Ice Empress urged impatiently.

She was very curious about what the First Spirit Skill of an unknown God-tier Martial Soul would look like.

Lang Lei nodded. He had nothing to hide before Snow Empress and Ice Empress. After all, they could be considered his family, even if they were not related by blood.

Just as Lang Lei was about to release his spirit skill into the air, he suddenly sensed a soul beast approaching. It was sneaking around, clearly up to no good, just like a carnivore stalking its prey.

The corner of Lang Lei's mouth curled upward.

"You'll do."

Snow Empress and Ice Empress said nothing. Although they themselves had been classified as soul beasts, the other party was already preparing to attack. They were no saints.

The reason they had not acted earlier...

There was no other reason. They simply had not considered that soul beast worth their attention...

"First Spirit Skill, Breath of Destruction!" With Lang Lei's low roar, purple energy rapidly gathered before him like surging waves. In the blink of an eye, it condensed into a massive purple hand.

The hand shot like lightning toward a tiger-like soul beast not far away. The soul beast clearly sensed the approaching danger and let out an angry roar, trying to resist the giant claw's grasp. However, the claw's power was far too great, and its resistance crumbled in an instant.

In merely a moment, the thick claws seized the soul beast tightly and dragged it before Lang Lei.

At first, the soul beast struggled desperately. Its limbs flailed through the air, and low growls constantly escaped its mouth as it tried to break free from the giant hand's restraint. But as time passed, its struggles grew weaker and weaker until it stopped moving altogether.

By the time the soul beast was brought before Lang Lei, its body had become extraordinarily weak. Although faint signs of life remained, it was already barely clinging to life.

Snow Empress stood to one side and recognized the soul beast's species after only a glance.

"Lang Lei, your luck is pretty good..." Snow Empress said. "This is a Wind-Thunder Lion Tiger, a hybrid of a Wind Tiger and a Thunder Pattern Lion. Its attributes are quite suitable for you."

After speaking, Snow Empress continued sensing the soul beast's condition. Suddenly, a trace of surprise flashed through her eyes.

"This Wind-Thunder Lion Tiger seems to have had its life force drained... Lang Lei, is that the effect of your spirit skill?" Snow Empress asked.

Lang Lei nodded and admitted frankly, "That's right. My First Spirit Skill can indeed strip away the opponent's life force. But it wasn't absorbed by me. It was more like it had been taken away by heaven and earth."

As a Sea Ranger, he naturally would not be so rigid-minded.

Power itself had no inherent good or evil. What mattered was how the person wielding it chose to use it.

Do not bully the weak. Do not slaughter the innocent.

These were not standards, but bottom lines that Sea Rangers would never allow anyone to cross!

Of course, in other words, any action beyond that bottom line was permitted.

If someone violated it, whether it was fighting violence with violence or slaughtering them all, both were actions permitted by the rules of the Sea Rangers.

"Is that so... Lang Lei, can you control this spirit skill's effect?" Snow Empress's voice carried a trace of concern.

Lang Lei nodded without hesitation and answered confidently, "Of course I can."

He knew well that uncontrollable power was like a wild horse without reins—difficult to tame. How could it be called his own power? At the very least, he would never allow such a situation to happen to him.

Snow Empress seemed satisfied with his answer and continued to remind him, "Try not to reveal this ability in front of others in the future." Her tone was stern and serious, clearly aware of this spirit skill's unusual nature and potential danger.

Lang Lei naturally understood what Snow Empress meant and promptly replied, "I understand, Sister Xue."

Snow Empress relaxed slightly, then shifted the topic to the spirit skill's other effects and asked curiously, "Does this spirit skill have any other effects?"

Lang Lei thought for a moment before answering, "Its main offensive method is stripping away the life force of living beings that come into contact with the Breath of Destruction. Fortunately, it can be both tangible and intangible, so it can also be used as a control ability."

After hearing this, Snow Empress could not help but sigh. "You brat, I'm actually a little jealous." A hint of envy colored her tone. Although her ice could also provide a certain degree of control, it was clearly nowhere near as convenient as Lang Lei's spirit skill.

Ice Empress beside her also chimed in, "Yeah. We all saw how fast that giant hand flew just now. Opponents at the same level, or even one or two major realms above, probably wouldn't be able to dodge it easily."

At that moment, Snow Empress, who had carefully examined the Wind-Thunder Lion Tiger on the ground, stood up.

"Lang Lei, how about using this one for your Second Spirit Ring?" Snow Empress suggested. "Of course, if you think it isn't suitable, we can keep looking. Time has always been plentiful for us."

After examining it carefully, Lang Lei agreed. He also felt that it suited him quite well.

"It's fine. This one is good enough. No need to waste more time. We might not find one better than this."

Lang Lei had previously heard a theory proposed by a philosopher from another world: when crossing a wheat field in search of the largest ear of wheat, if one became endlessly greedy, one would ultimately be consumed by regret.

With a thought from Lang Lei, the giant hand formed from the Breath of Destruction exerted force and sent the Wind-Thunder Lion Tiger on its final journey.

An even deeper purple spirit ring floated out. Judging by its appearance and aura alone, it was far stronger than the twelve-hundred-year spirit ring Lang Lei had absorbed before.

After Lang Lei began absorbing it, Snow Empress and Ice Empress started chatting as well.

"Lang Lei's luck... seems a little absurdly good?" Ice Empress said hesitantly.

Although they had spent most of their previous time cultivating in the Extreme North, after gaining Lang Lei, their understanding of human society was no longer lacking.

Look at how others hunted spirit rings. Who did not spend ten days or half a month in the forest? Some could not find a suitable soul beast even after months. Then look at Lang Lei. Not only had he found a suitable soul beast shortly after entering, but while testing his spirit skill, a soul beast had actually come knocking on its own—and it had happened to be suitable for him.

After this entire sequence, the time Lang Lei needed to spend in the Star Dou Great Forest was greatly shortened, allowing him to enter the next stage of development sooner.