The Choice of the First Soul Ring

After dinner, warm yellow lamplight softly spilled across the room. Liu Feng sat around the wooden table in the living room with his father, Liu Qing, and his grandpa, Liu Bai. Several steaming cups of tea sat on the table, their fragrance curling upward and lingering in the air.

At that moment, their conversation centered on a key node in Liu Feng's cultivation path—obtaining his first soul ring.

Liu Bai slowly stroked his beard and was the first to break the silence. His voice was steady and gentle. "Xiao Feng, you've already broken through to Level Ten. Obtaining your First Soul Ring is now the top priority."

"Your father and I both chose Earth Spirit Ginseng soul beasts for our first soul rings. The soul skills they granted—'Hidden Treasure' and 'Endless Ginseng'—were remarkably effective at restoring stamina and soul power, as well as nourishing the body."

Liu Qing Slightly Nodded and added, "Although Earth Spirit Ginseng soul beasts lack attack power, their soul skills are extremely practical. During prolonged battles or cultivation, they can continuously provide recovery effects. They'll be greatly beneficial to your future cultivation and combat."

Liu Feng quietly listened to his father's and grandpa's advice, falling into brief contemplation.

A moment later, he raised his head, his gaze firm and bright. "Grandpa, Dad, I understand the advantages of Earth Spirit Ginseng soul beasts, but I have a different idea."

Hearing this, Liu Bai and Liu Qing exchanged glances, A Flash in the Eyes betraying their surprise.

Liu Qing asked, "Xiao Feng, what are you thinking? Go ahead and tell us."

Liu Feng gently set down his teacup, lowered his head to think for a moment, then slowly said, "Grandpa, Dad, in my view, while the choice of soul skills is certainly important for a Martial Soul like Blue Silver Grass, it isn't absolute."

"After all, even if they absorb the same soul beast and gain the same soul skill, the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul still falls short of other High-level Martial Souls in attack, defense, and even support."

At this, Liu Bai and Liu Qing furrowed their brows slightly, unable to offer a rebuttal for a while.

They knew deep down that every word Liu Feng had said was true.

Even when absorbing the same Earth Spirit Ginseng, the 'Endless Ginseng' soul skill gained by other Plant Martial Souls was stronger than the effect produced by the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul.

"So what do you plan to do?" Liu Qing looked at his son, his eyes full of gratification. Without realizing it, his son had grown up and developed opinions of his own.

"I plan to try evolving my Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul in the order of roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds. So, I want to choose a soul beast with well-developed roots as my First Soul Ring." Liu Feng laid out his thoughts in an orderly manner.

Liu Qing and Liu Bai exchanged glances again. The surprise in their eyes flickered away before they quickly regained their composure.

Liu Qing spoke earnestly. "Xiao Feng, it's a good thing that you have ideas of your own. But you must understand that choosing a soul beast is a serious matter. You absolutely cannot make the decision rashly."

Liu Feng nodded solemnly. "I understand, Dad. I've thought it through carefully. I plan to choose an Earth Net Spirit Root soul beast as my First Soul Ring."

When Liu Bai and Liu Qing heard the name "Earth Net Spirit Root," both wore puzzled expressions.

Liu Qing asked, "Earth Net Spirit Root? I've heard of this soul beast, but it practically has no attack power, and its soul skills aren't as useful as those of Earth Spirit Ginseng. Why would you choose it as your First Soul Ring?"

Liu Feng patiently explained, "The Root System of an Earth Net Spirit Root soul beast spreads underground like an intricate spiderweb. It's quite extraordinary."

"Although its attack ability is nearly nonexistent, the healing ability of its main roots and stems is still fairly good."

"More importantly, its enormous root network can absorb vast amounts of Nutrients and energy. This fits extremely well with the 'root' attribute of my Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul."

Liu Feng paused briefly before continuing, "I plan to use my First Soul Ring to strengthen the root abilities of Blue Silver Grass and lay a solid foundation for its future Martial Soul Evolution."

"If my Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul can develop a powerful Root System like the Earth Net Spirit Root, and gain its ability to absorb underground nutrients and energy, then perhaps my cultivation speed will be a little faster in the future."

After hearing Liu Feng's explanation, Liu Bai's eyes showed approval. "Xiao Feng, your idea sounds quite good."

"None of us have personally experienced Martial Soul Evolution, so we can't give you much advice. But roots are indeed the foundation of plants, and they make for a good point of entry."

Liu Qing nodded in agreement as well. "Since you already have this plan, we will naturally support you with all our strength."

"However, you must think it over carefully. Once you make your decision, there will be no turning back. You can only walk this path to the end."

Seeing that both his grandpa and father supported his choice, the weight in Liu Feng's heart finally lifted.

He silently considered it in the Bottom of the Heart. With Level Two Innate Soul Power and a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul, he should not hope for formidable combat power while he was still weak.

Even if there were Plant Soul Beasts with well-developed roots and powerful combat abilities, with his current status as an Ordinary Soul Master, he could only look on from afar.

As for the legendary Immortal Herbs, the danger involved in obtaining them was far beyond what a Level Ten Soul Master like him could endure.

His life was stable for now. There was no need to insist on a powerful Attack Soul Skill.

His early soul ring choices should focus as much as possible on paving the way for cultivation to higher levels in the future.

Otherwise, if he blindly pursued being well-rounded in every aspect, he would sooner or later become stuck at some bottleneck and stagnate—perhaps at Level Twenty-Nine, or perhaps Level Thirty-Nine. By then, it would be too late for regrets.

Having transmigrated here, he absolutely did not want to become merely an Ordinary Soul Master. He longed to behold the pinnacle of soul masters for himself.

Liu Feng then asked, "Grandpa, Dad, what do you think the soul skill of an Earth Net Spirit Root will be? Although its attack power isn't strong, its Root System is so developed. Could it possibly produce some unique soul skills?"

Liu Bai pondered for a moment before slowly replying, "The soul skill of an Earth Net Spirit Root will most likely be related to the characteristics of its Root System."

"For example, it might grant you the ability to control underground roots, or perhaps allow you to absorb energy through those roots, thereby enhancing your own Recovery Ability."

"However, the specific soul skill can only be known after you absorb the soul ring."

Liu Qing added, "Although the soul skills of an Earth Net Spirit Root may not be as directly effective as the Earth Spirit Ginseng's 'endless life,' if they can truly strengthen the root abilities of Blue Silver Grass, its future potential may be immeasurable."

"After all, Martial Soul Evolution is bound to be a long process. The more solid the foundation, the greater the achievements one can attain in the future."

Liu Feng nodded, becoming even more certain of his choice.

He continued, "There's one more thing I want to confirm. How difficult is it to capture an Earth Net Spirit Root? What preparations do we need to make in advance?"

Liu Qing answered, "Capturing an Earth Net Spirit Root is indeed somewhat difficult."

"Although its underground portion is enormous, its aboveground portion looks much like an ordinary shrub, making it difficult to distinguish."

"Additionally, Earth Net Spirit Roots prefer to grow in areas with fertile soil and abundant water sources, especially places where underground energy is plentiful."

"Those places are also habitats favored by many soul beasts. We'll need to prepare for any soul beasts we might encounter."

Liu Bai added, "Capturing an Earth Net Spirit Root will also require tools, such as specially made Beast Capturing Nets and digging equipment."

"Tomorrow, we'll go to Prosperous Dragon Town to purchase those tools and investigate possible locations where Earth Net Spirit Roots may be found."

After listening to his grandpa's and father's advice, Liu Feng had already formed a clear plan in his mind.

He said, "Alright. Then tomorrow morning, we'll head to Prosperous Dragon Town to buy the tools and search for clues. Once Dad has contacted a Soul Hunting Squad, we'll set out immediately."