The Humanoid Immortal Herb, Yu Xiaogang

"Did I really do this?" Yu Xiaogang stared in shock at the canyon ahead, where sparks littered the landscape like a wasteland. His eyes were wide.

Yu Xiaogang possessed only half a level of Innate Soul Power and had a cultivation level of merely twenty-nine, yet he had unleashed an effect comparable to at least a ten-thousand-year soul skill of a Soul King.

Naturally, such an attack came with many limitations, but what did that matter? He had done it, and Yu Xiaogang did not care about anything else.

"Worthy of the Grandmaster. I only gave you a reminder, yet you managed something like this. Just as the rumors said, the Grandmaster's theories are practically invincible."

Wang Qi flattered Yu Xiaogang a little, then turned to the two Soul Elder guards. "My two guards, the Ghostfire Moths have been knocked unconscious by the blast. I'll have to trouble you two with finishing them off."

After saying that, Wang Qi completed his Martial Soul Possession. A flame mark between his brows ignited instantly, and scarlet light mixed with searing red radiance enveloped him. His height and build abruptly expanded until he was even taller than Xiao Chenyu.

He slid all the way to the bottom of the valley atop burning shrubs that had been destroyed by the explosion. After killing several Ghostfire Moths that had been stunned by the blast, he finally arrived before the Mutated Blazing Vine.

Soul Beast: Mutated Blazing Vine, 415 years. Absorption success rate: 100% (near the limit). Compatibility: 87%. Moderately improves cultivation talent.

After repeatedly inspecting it and confirming that this Mutated Blazing Vine was the one he had been looking for, Wang Qi hesitated no longer. With a raise of his blade and a downward slash, he struck at the Mutated Blazing Vine's roots with all his strength.

The sound of metal striking metal rang out. Wang Qi's nearly full-force strike had only cut halfway through the Mutated Blazing Vine's root. He was not annoyed; instead, he found it perfectly normal. After all, the Mutated Blazing Vine only had four such roots in total.

As a transmigrator, Wang Qi understood the dangers of popping champagne at halftime and knew that hesitation only led to defeat. That was why he acted so cleanly and decisively.

Seeing that Wang Qi had already begun hunting the soul beast, the others gradually recovered their composure and entered the valley to kill the Ghostfire Moths that remained unconscious.

Although some older Ghostfire Moths awoke from their stupor, they were swiftly killed under the joint assault of the two Soul Elders.

Time passed bit by bit. As Wang Qi severed the last root of the Mutated Blazing Vine, clusters of yellow mist rose from its corpse, eventually gathering around the main vine to form a yellow soul ring.

"A moderate increase in cultivation speed... I'm curious—after absorbing this soul ring, what level of Innate Soul Power will my cultivation speed compare to?"

Ignoring the ground that was somewhat hot against his butt, Wang Qi immediately sat cross-legged and guided the soul ring produced by the Mutated Blazing Vine into his body.

An overwhelmingly domineering energy flooded into his meridians. Wang Qi felt as though his meridians were balloons being inflated, rapidly expanding.

Pain? Torment? Wang Qi had been able to enter meditation in a noisy place like the Blacksmith Shop. His control over his body had long surpassed that of Soul Masters at the same level.

His meridians widened at a visible rate, and his soul power circulated at high speed. Completely immersed in sensing his own body, Wang Qi forgot the passage of time.

At that moment, Wang Qi also understood the relationship between Innate Soul Power levels and cultivation speed, as well as the relationship between Soul Ring Age and one's meridians.

An Innate Soul Power level was roughly equivalent to the degree to which one's meridians had expanded. The wider the meridians, the faster soul power circulated. As for combat power and soul power quality?

Differences in Innate Soul Power levels widened the gap in cultivation speed, making it nearly impossible for both sides to fight at the same level. Even with an age gap, if their combat experience and physical condition were similar, the one who won in the end would certainly be the Soul Master with Innate Full Soul Power.

When Soul Masters cultivated soul power, they could strengthen and reinforce their meridians. Once the strength of their meridians reached a limit, it was time for them to absorb a soul ring. This was also why Support System Soul Masters could absorb hundred-year, thousand-year, and ten-thousand-year soul rings just like Battle Soul Masters.

Innate Full Soul Power was a kind of aptitude, an aptitude one was born with. Although soul power had not yet awakened, Innate Soul Power that had already reached its limit would continuously nourish the meridians. That was why those with Innate Full Soul Power could absorb soul rings near their limit after their Martial Souls awakened.

In the Douluo World, it was extremely difficult to absorb soul rings beyond one's limit. At least for now, aside from Immortal Herbs and Whale Rubber, Wang Qi truly did not know how one could surpass that limit.

Then there was the benefit that cultivating soul power after reaching a bottleneck had on one's aptitude—that was, Innate Soul Power. Soul power would not be compressed through cultivation; it would merely increase in quantity.

Cultivating after reaching a bottleneck could at most raise it from 1 to 1.9, but it would not break through to 2. That was the benefit of bottleneck cultivation: it could produce quantitative change, but not qualitative change.

As Wang Qi studied the relationship between soul power and Innate Soul Power, his absorption of the soul ring also reached its final stage. The soul ring completely merged into his Blazing Humanoid Martial Soul, and his Soul Power Level rapidly rose after breaking through the bottleneck.

Level ten, level eleven, level twelve, mid-level twelve, late-level twelve... Only when his Soul Power Level neared level thirteen did it finally stop rising.

At the same time, information about his first soul skill appeared in Wang Qi's mind. When he opened his eyes, he saw Xiao Chenyu's worried face.

"Wang Qi, you're finally awake. Do you know how long you spent absorbing your first soul ring? An entire night. It's already dawn."

"Wang Qi, how is your soul skill? Since you chose to absorb a plant-type soul beast, I'm sure you had your own considerations."

"It's getting late. We still need to go out and report the situation here to the Soul Hunting Forest guards."

The four spoke over one another. Xiao Chenyu was concerned about Wang Qi's condition, Yu Xiaogang was focused on Wang Qi's soul skill and changes to his Martial Soul, while the two Soul Elder guards cared about the mission reward.

"I'm fine. The absorption was successful, and I gained many benefits."

Wang Qi looked toward a large tree not far away, burned down until only its trunk remained, as thick as an adult's waist. The yellow soul ring beneath him shone brightly, and a pair of entirely black bracers formed around the arms of his Blazing Humanoid Martial Soul, patterned with crimson lines like molten lava. Wang Qi waved toward the tree.

The bracers instantly transformed into bandages radiating scorching heat and wrapped around the tree. The tree immediately burst into flames. With a forceful tug from Wang Qi, it snapped on the spot.

"Grandmaster, my soul skill's effect is pretty good, isn't it?" Wang Qi looked at Yu Xiaogang, an imperceptible glint flashing through the corner of his eye as he asked with a smile.

"Not bad. Your soul skill is exceptional. Both its Soul Ring Age and soul skill type make it a top-tier soul skill. Whether you choose the power-attack path or agility-attack path in the future, this soul skill will not become obsolete. On the contrary, it can make up for shortcomings caused by your limitations." Yu Xiaogang gave a conventional assessment, thinking Wang Qi was showing off to him.

Little did he know that after Wang Qi finished absorbing the soul ring, a soul-beast-like panel had suddenly appeared over Yu Xiaogang's body for an instant. Though it disappeared quickly, Wang Qi still remembered its contents.

Soul Master: Yu Xiaogang.

Bloodline: Golden Sacred Dragon (thin)

Extraction Success Rate: 30% (Martial Soul 2 is 60% damaged; bloodline cannot be extracted.)

Matching Martial Soul 1: 99% compatibility. Breaks the shackles of talent; 100% completes Martial Soul mutation.

To Wang Qi now, Yu Xiaogang was not a person at all, but a priceless treasure.

If Wang Qi extracted and absorbed Yu Xiaogang's bloodline, its value would be no less than absorbing an Immortal Herb.

At the same time, Wang Qi noticed the changes to his own Attribute Panel.

Innate Soul Power: Level 5.9.

Soul Power: Level 12.

Soul Ring: Blazing Binding. Effect 1: Bind oneself, strengthening the defensive and destructive power of both arms. Effect 2: Bind others, restraining and burning them.

Soul Bone: None