"After killing a soul beast, its blood needs to be stored in jade containers to preserve its vitality."
"Directly absorbing the energy in the blood can easily cause adverse reactions. It's best to take some medicine as an aid."
"In fact, soul beast blood lacks a certain spiritual essence. Using Soul Master blood to refine medicine would be much better."
Youth Yu Cheng spoke seriously.
Hearing this, Yu Cheng froze for a moment.
"No, bro, why do I feel like you're not exactly a good person either?"
Refining medicine with Soul Master blood?
How was that any different from an Evil Soul Master?
And judging from Youth Yu Cheng's tone, he did not think there was anything wrong with it at all.
Clearly, he had done this often before!
I'm a dignified master of theory. Am I destined to become an Evil Soul Master in the future?
Yu Cheng grumbled inwardly.
"I merely know a little about the bodies of Soul Masters."
Youth Yu Cheng smiled.
"I dissected many Soul Master corpses before several Tang Sect elders stopped me. They said it offended the natural order."
Youth Yu Cheng shook his head, looking regretful.
"Good lord..."
Yu Cheng somewhat admired Youth Yu Cheng's courage.
Some customs on Douluo Continent were similar to those on Blue Star.
When people died, they believed in burying them properly.
Yu Cheng had to be sneaky even when collecting a little blood.
Yet Youth Yu Cheng openly dissected corpses? If outsiders found out, they would definitely consider him a Fallen One.
"By the way, do you know about Immortal Herbs? Can you cure Dugu Bo's poison?"
Yu Cheng asked.
In his view, Youth Yu Cheng was proficient in pharmacology and should be able to resolve the Vicious Poison from Dugu Bo's martial soul.
That would give them a chance to make plans for the Immortal Herbs.
"Isn't that a stupid question? Do you even understand what it means to be an elder of the Medicine Hall?"
Youth Yu Cheng rolled his eyes.
"However..."
His tone shifted. "It would be too wasteful to directly purge the toxins from their bodies. The toxins produced inside a Soul Master's body have far greater research value than soul beast toxins."
Hearing that, Yu Cheng helplessly pressed a hand to his forehead.
"You want to use Dugu Bo for research too?"
"Bro, please put away your divine powers already!"
Inside the office.
"You broke through level twenty!"
Qin Ming raised his head and looked at Yu Cheng, who stood before the desk, surprise in his voice.
He remembered that Yu Cheng's Soul Power had only been level sixteen when he joined the team.
How long had it been?
In just one year, he had risen four levels in a row!
Qin Ming's fingers unconsciously tapped against the desktop.
"Yu Cheng, what level was your Innate Soul Power?" Qin Ming asked.
"Level two." Yu Cheng answered calmly.
Qin Ming's brows furrowed even more deeply.
With level-two Innate Soul Power, during the stage between level ten and twenty, one could advance at most one and a half levels a year.
After thinking for a while.
His eyes brightened slightly, and an enlightened expression appeared on his face.
"I understand now."
"Your First Soul Ring was six hundred years old. After absorbing it, not only did your physical constitution improve, but your talent improved significantly as well."
The more he spoke, the more reasonable it seemed to him. He nodded to himself.
Yu Cheng's mouth twitched slightly as he watched Qin Ming fill in the blanks himself.
Talking with smart people really saved trouble.
His Soul Power had risen too quickly, making it easy to arouse suspicion.
Yu Cheng had prepared a whole pile of explanations for this, yet he had not needed to use a single one.
Qin Ming said, "Ling Ling broke through level thirty yesterday and needs to obtain her Third Soul Ring. Since you need a Soul Ring as well, you can go together."
"This team soul hunt will serve as wilderness combat training."
Three days later, at the outskirts of Sunset Forest.
The northern climate was much colder than that of Star Dou Forest. The trees here were not especially dense, and the plants growing on the ground were mostly shrubs.
The team moved cautiously through the forest.
Yu Tianheng, Yufeng, and Osler walked at the very front, clearing the way.
The Shi Brothers stood on either side of the group.
Dugu Yan walked at the rear. As a Control System Soul Master, she needed to keep track of the entire team's situation.
Yu Cheng and Ye Lingling were protected in the very center.
The two of them appeared relatively relaxed and had not even summoned their martial souls.
"Wait a moment."
Yu Cheng suddenly stopped and dashed toward a large tree on the right.
Under everyone's puzzled gazes, he quickly dug up several small plants before returning to the group.
The plants had purple leaves shaped like seven slender petals and were nearly impossible to notice beneath the shade of the tree.
"What are those?"
Ye Lingling leaned closer, curiously looking at the purple grass in Yu Cheng's hand.
"Seven Leaf Purple Orchid, a relatively rare medicinal herb."
A trace of surprise flashed through Ye Lingling's beautiful eyes.
"You know how to refine medicine too?"
The Ye Family was a renowned family of healers and pharmacists. Having been influenced by it since childhood, Ye Lingling had some knowledge of medicinal herbs.
Yet she had never heard of Seven Leaf Purple Orchid.
"I've studied it a little."
Yu Cheng smiled without offering further explanation.
Dugu Yan glanced at Yu Cheng but did not press the matter. She merely waved her hand.
"Keep moving. Stay alert."
After walking for about an hour, the group arrived at a valley.
The terrain within the valley was relatively flat, with a small pond in the center.
Several pale-green lotuses bloomed quietly in the pond. Their petals carried a jade-like sheen, while faint gold glimmered at their centers.
Jade Orchid, two thousand years old—the exact target for Ye Lingling's Third Soul Ring.
"The intel was correct."
Dugu Yan spoke softly, her sharp gaze sweeping across the surroundings of the pond.
"Be careful. Symbiotic venomous snake-type soul beasts live around Jade Orchids, and they are good at hiding. We need to deal with the guardian soul beasts first before Ling Ling can absorb the Soul Ring."
Plant-type Soul Masters had an advantage when hunting soul beasts. Some Soul Master hunters specifically collected information on the locations of plant soul beasts and sold it.
But for beast martial soul masters, obtaining a desirable Soul Ring usually depended on luck.
The team quickly formed a battle formation.
Several Battle Soul Masters stood in a triangular formation, facing the pond.
Dugu Yan stood slightly behind them.
Qin Ming concealed himself in a large tree nearby, suppressing all his presence.
According to the training plan, he would not intervene unless they faced mortal danger.
This time, command had been handed entirely to Dugu Yan.
"Search carefully around the pond, especially underwater and in the grass along the shore."
Dugu Yan gave the order.
Yu Tianheng nodded slightly and focused on sensing the fluctuations of Soul Power in the water.
Splash.
A stone was thrown into the pond, sending water spraying across the surface.
"What are you doing?!"
Yu Tianheng abruptly turned his head and glared at Yu Cheng, who had thrown the stone.
He had been concentrating completely on sensing, and that had entirely interrupted him!
Yet in the next moment, the surface where the water had splashed suddenly exploded!
A White Giant Snake as thick as a thigh burst out of the water.
Its crimson vertical pupils, set in a triangular head, locked onto Yu Tianheng. Its bloody maw opened wide, exposing two sharp fangs!
"Damn it!"
Yu Tianheng's expression changed drastically as his Third and First Soul Rings lit up instinctively.
Third Soul Skill, Wrath of Thunder!
First Soul Skill, Thunder Dragon Claw!
At the same time, tiny points of light flew from Yu Cheng's hand and precisely entered Yu Tianheng's body.
Blue Silver Grass First Soul Skill, Frenzied Seed!
Sizzle—
The Thunder Dragon Claw condensed by Yu Tianheng streaked through the air at extreme speed. The air warped violently in its path, erupting with a crackling sound that made one's heart tremble.
Boom—!!
The dragon claw collided head-on with the snake's head!
The shockwave exploded, and water splashed everywhere!
After taking the blow, the White Giant Snake's ferocity was completely stirred. It shook its head and suddenly lunged at Yu Tianheng.
"Attack together!"
Dugu Yan gave the order.
Almost at the same instant, the lights of various Soul Skills lit up!
Facing the attacks of several Soul Elders, the White Giant Snake lost its life in less than three minutes.
"It's dealt with."
Yu Tianheng let out a breath of relief.
He turned to Yu Cheng. "How did you know where the white snake was?"
The spot where Yu Cheng had thrown the stone was too precise. It had landed directly above where the giant snake had been lurking.
"Just guessed."
Yu Cheng's expression remained unchanged.
"The pond is only so big. Throwing a stone to test it out is perfectly reasonable, right?"
In truth, Youth Yu Cheng had naturally discovered the white snake's location.
At that moment, Shi Mo dragged the lotus ashore, only to see the jade-like sheen on its petals rapidly dim.
"Ling Ling, the Jade Orchid will wither once it leaves the water! Hurry up!"
Shi Mo shouted.
Ye Lingling took a long blade from her Soul Tool and brought it down in one swift motion.
Crack!
The lotus's roots were severed, and a purple Soul Ring rose up.
Ye Lingling sat cross-legged and began drawing in the Soul Ring.
At that moment, Yu Cheng pulled a short blade from his waist and walked toward the White Giant Snake's corpse.
"Yu Cheng, what are you doing?" Dugu Yan asked in confusion.
"Every part of a soul beast is valuable."
Yu Cheng crouched down and began dissecting it.
"Snake Venom, gallbladder, tendons, skin... especially from a three-thousand-year venomous snake like this. Its venom is good stuff. It would be too wasteful not to collect it for research."
He carefully cut open the venom gland beneath the snake's head, took out a jade bottle, and began collecting the dripping venom.
Dugu Yan watched his practiced movements, surprise flashing through her eyes.
"You've studied poison too?"
Before you continue