First Soul Ring

"You should obtain your First Soul Ring first, so you won't have to find an excuse to leave the crowd later."

After saying that, Elder Flame Feather paused, then reminded her, "You should still restrain yourself at school. But if anyone bullies you, just hit them back. Whatever happens, I'll cover for you!"

"It's just that when sparring with classmates, you should leave them with a few more breaths."

"Even if things are urgent, you still have to take things one step at a time. Don't take too many risks..."

Elder Flame Feather was worried one moment and bold the next.

Thinking of her experiences in her previous life, Jiang E Li was momentarily at a loss in the face of the other party's protectiveness.

Compared to her listlessness, Vermilion Bird Nanli was unusually spirited. Taking control of the body, she flashed a wild smile, and her entire presence became even brighter and more flamboyant than before.

"Fine. I'll try to leave them with three breaths—one more than you said."

Elder Flame Feather choked on her words, then smiled helplessly. "You really are..."

After joking around for a while, Nan Li also agreed to the elder's decision. After making some preparations, she began condensing her First Soul Ring under the elder's protection.

The physical bodies of Flame Feather Sparrows were not particularly formidable among Soul Beasts. In terms of physical strength, the Xumi Raven Clan, which also lived on Sun Island and had always been on friendly terms with the Flame Feather Sparrow Clan, held the advantage. Once Xumi Ravens reached ten thousand years of cultivation, their physical bodies were no weaker than those of defense-type Soul Beasts.

The Flame Feather Sparrow Clan's advantage, however, lay in their souls.

Their formidable Spirit Power.

Legend said that Vermilion Birds could guide souls to heaven and grant people immortality. Flame Feather Sparrows with Vermilion Bird bloodlines possessed especially powerful souls.

Although Flame Feather Sparrows were fragile compared to defense-type Soul Beasts, they were still far stronger than humans.

"According to my memories of the Original Work, the limit for a Soul Master's First Soul Ring seems to be four hundred and twenty-three years, while the second Soul Ring's limit is seven hundred and sixty-four years. Nan Li, how many years do you think we can endure?"

After entering meditation, the two souls communicated within their mind.

"Hmm? I don't think so. We need to go all out," Vermilion Bird Nanli replied calmly.

"Then who will condense the Soul Ring?" Jiang E Li asked. Although she knew how the plot unfolded, she was certainly less familiar with everything on the Douluo Continent than Nan Li was.

Nan Li chuckled. "Naturally, I will."

Jiang E Li said nothing more. In the end, the owner of this body was Nan Li, while she was merely a wandering soul from another world.

Soul Power coursed through her limbs and bones, and the Soul Ring around Nan Li gradually solidified. It was first a faint white, then the white rapidly deepened, turning yellow in the blink of an eye.

Ten years, one hundred years, two hundred years.

Jiang E Li felt somewhat sorrowful, but as Nan Li began condensing the Soul Ring, she pulled herself together and carefully monitored the situation. Condensing a Soul Ring was like absorbing one—others could not interfere. But if anything went wrong, she could still provide Nan Li with some soul power.

Yet very quickly, she gradually realized Nan Li's true intention—this was not about asserting ownership over the body at all. She was risking her life while condensing her Soul Ring!

The Soul Ring's age soon exceeded four hundred and twenty-three years, yet Nan Li showed no sign of stopping.

Six hundred years, six hundred and fifty years, seven hundred years.

The Soul Ring's color grew increasingly rich.

Her meridians swelled with pressure.

Crimson Soul Power flickered beneath her flesh. Nan Li's entire body was enveloped in scorching Soul Power, her skin emitting a faint red glow.

Jiang E Li felt even her soul trembling. Madwoman, madwoman!

In that instant, Jiang E Li seemed to understand why she had come to this body. Nan Li had rashly taken Humanoid Form before recovering from her soul injuries—if Nan Li did not have an accident, who would? And today's situation made her completely understand what kind of temperament Nan Li had.

Wild and flamboyant, unchanging as ever.

Far too reckless!

But if Jiang E Li had extended her Spirit Power outward, she would have discovered that the elder standing guard had worry and helplessness in his gaze as he watched the figure inside the room, yet not the slightest trace of blame. There was even a faint hint of guilt in his eyes.

Seven hundred and fifty years, seven hundred and sixty years, seven hundred and seventy years. Fine cracks burst open across her skin, and scalding blood dripped onto the ground with sizzling sounds.

As Jiang E Li watched in terror, the Soul Ring's rate of increase finally slowed.

Eight hundred years, eight hundred and five years, eight hundred and ten years, eight hundred and fifty years, eight hundred and fifty-one years, eight hundred and fifty-two years.

When the Soul Ring reached seven hundred years, Nan Li, still a Soul Beast, felt that she might have reached her limit. But her blood feud remained unavenged, and her clan was on the verge of destruction! How could she stop here?!

Her skin finally gave way under the strain, tearing open in gashes that exposed pink flesh before being swiftly covered by blood.

A sickly sweetness rose in her throat, only to be forcibly swallowed back down.

Once everything settled, the surging Soul Power gradually calmed, and her torn skin was restored amid the overflowing power. If not for the bloodstains on her skin, Nan Li's red clothing showed little sign of injury.

Nan Li coughed lightly and quickly wiped the corner of her mouth. She slowly rose to her feet, but still staggered somewhat.

Hearing the movement, the elder standing guard hurried closer. When he saw Nan Li's appearance, his nose still stung despite having expected it. If, if Young Chief Nan Yin were still here, if Chong Yang were still alive, how could they bear to watch their daughter suffer like this?

The elder held Nan Li by the arm, only to see the person before him throw back her head and smile.

Her face was already pale as gold paper, but beneath the sweat-soaked hair on her forehead, her eyes remained clear and bright.

"Eight hundred and sixty-four years."

It far exceeded the current theoretical limit for Soul Rings, surpassing even the theoretical limit of the second Soul Ring by a full hundred years. It was more than twice the theoretical limit of a First Soul Ring!

***

After leaving the Seventh Dormitory, Nan Li thought that since she had already awakened her Martial Soul, she might as well fly into the air and look down over Nuoding Academy. Once she had familiarized herself with the rough layout of the surrounding buildings and environment, she headed to the academy cafeteria.

She was currently eating on the second floor of the cafeteria. The spot where Nan Li sat happened to overlook the stairs between the first and second floors, as well as half of the first-floor dining hall.

Nan Li's original intention in going to the Seventh Dormitory had been to invite Xiao Wu to stay in her room. Although both of them were Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, and those humans were merely infants in their eyes, they were both girls after taking Humanoid Form. Living in the same dormitory as a group of boys was inconvenient after all.

On the other hand, she had also wanted to establish a good relationship with Xiao Wu in advance. After all, they shared a common enemy—the Spirit Hall.

Getting along with Tang San was probably impossible. Even if she had no conflict with him, given Tang San's so-called "loyal and righteous" behavior, he would likely retaliate against her for insulting Yu Xiaogang.

So she had thought to start with Xiao Wu. After all, Tang San had the Beloved Wife persona.

But during her visit to the Seventh Dormitory today, as she stood outside the door and watched Xiao Wu's behavior and words, Nan Li felt that Xiao Wu was simply too straightforward. She was not really a six-year-old child. Even if she had previously been a Soul Beast, ten thousand years of experience should have taught her... Well, rabbits seemed to sleep huddled together in groups?

Forget it. Why argue with a rabbit? As for inviting Xiao Wu to share her room, she would put that aside for now.

Before being transported into this book, she had been nineteen or twenty years old.