Phantom Ghost Tiger, New Skill Mastered

The campfire crackled once more, driving away the chill and darkness of the forest. Qin Mo stood quietly in the clearing, two deep purple Soul Rings slowly pulsing beneath his feet, radiating energy that made one's heart tremble. The Soul Power of a level twenty-two Soul Grandmaster surged through his body; compared to yesterday, he was far stronger by more than just a little.

Bing'er and Yan'er stood nearby, watching him with burning eyes full of anticipation and curiosity. They had just witnessed the birth of his Second Soul Ring, and now they could not wait to see what mysteries the Second Soul Skill bestowed by the five-hundred-year Ghost Tiger held.

Qin Mo closed his eyes and focused, sinking his consciousness into his Dantian and connecting deeply with the Nine-Story Demon Pagoda that held its radiance within. On the wall of the second floor, the newly formed Ghost Tiger pattern seemed to come alive. A stream of information containing ultimate speed, bizarre clones, and ruthless killing intent flowed smoothly into the depths of his soul like a gentle current.

He slowly opened his eyes, and a flicker of Ghost Tiger-like darkness and agility passed through them.

"My Second Soul Skill," he said steadily, "is called Ghost Tiger Phantom."

As his words fell, the second purple Soul Ring beneath his feet suddenly lit up. Dark light flowed across it, somewhat different from the sinister purple glow of his First Soul Skill, carrying an added sense of ethereal agility.

"Its first form is like this."

With a thought from Qin Mo, he did not summon a physical Ghost Tiger. Instead, he cast the Soul Skill upon himself!

The space around him twisted slightly, like ripples spreading across water. In the next instant, beneath Bing'er and Yan'er's suddenly widened eyes, a figure almost completely identical to Qin Mo emerged silently beside his true body, materializing from illusion into reality!

Whether in height, build, features, clothing, or even that calm temperament between his brows, this figure was no different from Qin Mo himself! It stood there quietly, giving off the same Soul Power fluctuations of a level twenty-two Soul Grandmaster. Its eyes were lively, and even its lips bore the same faint, inquisitive smile Qin Mo wore at that moment.

The real and false were impossible to distinguish!

"Th-this is a clone?!" Yan'er cried out involuntarily. She rubbed her eyes and swept her gaze back and forth between the two "Qin Mos," yet she could not find the slightest difference between them! Even their auras were almost identical!

Bing'er's pupils shrank as well. She immediately focused her Spiritual Power and carefully sensed the figure. Only after a moment did she let out a slight breath of relief, though the shock in her eyes had not diminished in the least. "Its aura is slightly more illusory than the original, and its Soul Power fluctuations are a little weaker, but... unless one's Spiritual Power vastly surpasses the Young Sect Master's, or one investigates carefully at close range as we are doing, it would be absolutely impossible to tell them apart!"

The realism of this clone far exceeded her imagination!

"It is more than just realistic," Qin Mo—his true body—explained.

At the same time, the Ghost Tiger Phantom clone spoke in perfect sync. Its voice, tone, and even the rhythm of its moving lips were completely identical. "It is not a mere illusion. It carries a portion of my power—roughly thirty percent of my speed and around twenty percent of my attack power."

Before the words had faded, the phantom clone suddenly moved!

It was as fast as a ghost, leaving behind a faint afterimage as it instantly appeared before an ancient tree several meters away, one so thick it would take two people to encircle it. Without using any Soul Skill, it simply threw a straight punch, carrying a sharp gust of wind as it slammed fiercely into the trunk!

Bang! With a dull thud, splinters flew from the hard bark, leaving behind a clear fist mark! Though its power was far inferior to Qin Mo's full-force strike, it was still not to be underestimated and was enough to threaten an ordinary soul master!

And the moment the clone moved, Qin Mo's true body moved as well! His First Soul Ring flashed, and a dark venomous spike instantly extended from his fingertip. From an entirely different angle, it silently stabbed toward the other side of the tree trunk like a snake striking from its burrow!

Pfft! Bang!

The faint sound of the venomous spike piercing through the wood and the dull impact of the punch rang out almost at the same time!

The two "Qin Mos" attacked from the left and right, their strikes coming from two directions. They were swift, their angles vicious, and their coordination so seamless that it was as though one person had split into two roles! It was impossible to defend against them both at once!

If he faced an enemy in battle, that enemy would suddenly be confronted by two nearly identical opponents: one moving at extreme speed to harass and restrain them, the other concealing a killing blow while waiting for an opportunity. The threat would increase geometrically!

After the demonstration ended, the phantom clone turned into a faint stream of light and dispersed into the air.

Bing'er and Yan'er were captivated. This Soul Skill was far too useful! Whether for sneak attacks, direct assaults, restraint, or deception, it could play an enormous role.

"This is only the first form," Qin Mo continued, a thoughtful light flickering in his eyes. "This Soul Skill also possesses a second form. Rather than acting upon myself, it can be applied to an allied target."

His gaze turned toward Bing'er and Yan'er. "I can attach the power of Ghost Tiger Phantom to either of you, creating a phantom clone with a portion of your speed and attack power to fight alongside you. Although the phantom's strength will adjust according to the recipient's own strength and will not be as powerful as when I use it on myself, at crucial moments, it will be enough to disrupt the enemy and create an opening."

It combined self-cloning, speed and attack enhancement, and allied support in a single skill!

This was yet another exceptionally versatile and powerful Soul Skill! It perfectly complemented his First Soul Skill, Demon Spider Summon—physical summoned beasts, self-applied poison, and poison applied to allies!

One focused on physical attacks, poison application, and hard control through spiderwebs; the other focused on speed, clones, phantoms, and soft battlefield control.

With these two Soul Skills combined, Qin Mo's tactical options would become incredibly diverse! He could advance to attack, retreat to harass, support his allies, or bind and control his foes. With only two Soul Rings, he had already become an exceptionally versatile and troublesome opponent!

Qin Yuan stood to the side, stroking his beard with a smile and nodding repeatedly. The satisfaction and pride in his eyes were nearly overflowing. Every display of his grandson's martial soul's potential for growth filled him with immense surprise. This was no longer merely extraordinary talent—it was a revolutionary system of power.

"Wonderful! Truly wonderful!" Qin Yuan laughed. "The real and illusory complement one another, making truth impossible to distinguish from falsehood. Mo'er, your Second Soul Skill brings the way of deception to its fullest extent! It complements the strength and poison of your First Soul Skill perfectly. Even if you encounter a level thirty-five or thirty-six Soul Elder now, with these two Soul Skills, you would be more than capable of contending with them—or even defeating them!"

Receiving his grandfather's approval, Qin Mo was quite delighted as well. He carefully considered the various uses of his new Soul Skill, and countless combat combinations and tactical possibilities had already appeared in his mind.

His gaze swept over the few remaining traces of the Ghost Tiger on the ground before shifting toward the depths of the forest, shrouded in darkness and emanating even more powerful auras.

"Grandfather," Qin Mo said, his tone carrying an eager desire for challenge, "I feel that the target for my Third Soul Ring seems to have a wilder, more sinister aura, with a sense of... deadly constriction. Could it be a snake-type soul beast?"

After gaining two Soul Rings, his Spiritual Power seemed to have become even sharper, and his perception of certain powerful beings in the distance had become slightly clearer.

Qin Yuan nodded slightly, approval appearing in his eyes. "Your perception is correct. Deep within the Star Dou Mixed Zone, there are indeed several exceptionally formidable snake-type soul beasts. Their venom, strength, and even their special abilities far surpass those of the Man Faced Demon Spider and the Ghost Tiger. Among them, the most troublesome is the Mandala Snake Emperor, a variant of the Mandala Snake. Those with cultivation exceeding five thousand years can even threaten a Soul Ancestor."

"Five thousand years..." Rather than fear, Qin Mo's eyes blazed with even stronger fighting spirit. His Second Soul Ring was already five hundred years old. Naturally, his Third Soul Ring had to challenge an even higher limit! Only then could he maximize the potential of the Nine-Story Demon Pagoda!

"Rest for one hour. Recover your Soul Power and consolidate your realm," Qin Yuan decided. "After that, we shall go meet this so-called Snake Emperor!"

The campfire crackled, illuminating the youth's resolute face. A new journey was about to begin.