A Hundred Years Is Also a Hundred Years

"Give it a name," Yu Xiaogang suggested.

"Then let's call it Twenty-Four Bridge Moonlit Night."

Tang San was taken aback. Before Xiao Wu could say anything, he probed the jade stone with his Soul Power. After a moment, he stared at it in shock.

"Teacher... how much space did you say this jade stone had?"

"One cubic meter."

Tang San thought for a moment, then took the jade pendant from Xiao Wu's waist and used his Soul Power to probe it. He compared the two spaces, then stared at the pendant in disbelief.

"How did it shrink to only one cubic centimeter?"

"It had already shrunk by the time I got it." Tang San scratched his head awkwardly.

Luo Mo, standing nearby, offered, "Perhaps it's been around for so long that most of its interior space has collapsed."

Yu Xiaogang considered this, then nodded, accepting the explanation.

Tang San's expression turned thoughtful. "If it really is like that, then you should use it first. You can keep it afterward."

Tang San: "..."

How was anyone supposed to use a cubic centimeter of space?

Luo Mo watched Yu Xiaogang with a faint smile. When no one was looking, he quietly placed a ring engraved with the character "舞" on Xiao Wu's finger. Then he slipped another ring, engraved with "默," onto the finger of the little rabbit girl who had already been watching him.

"I want this one."

"Suit yourself."

Luo Mo didn't mind. Either way, the space inside the two rings was about the same.

The next day at noon,

Luo Mo and the others arrived at the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest.

Outside the forest stood a huge city, with shops of every kind lining the streets. Small alleyways crisscrossed between them, and people chatted noisily, creating a lively atmosphere.

"Team six, one spot left! Hurry!"

"Looking for teammates! We need one more!"

"..."

The group didn't linger. They headed straight into the city.

They crossed the city, and soon the forest came into view.

An enormous forest, much like a primeval jungle, stretched before them.

A thick ring of trees, each over ten meters tall, surrounded the forest's edge. Beyond it, a hundred or so warriors were on patrol.

At the Star Dou Forest's entrance, Xiao Wu presented a token, and they were allowed to pass without delay.

Once they crossed the trees and entered the forest, the noisy city behind them seemed to vanish. The air was fresh, and the change lifted their spirits.

After entering the forest, Yu Xiaogang and Xiao Wu took up positions around the group, keeping watch in every direction to make sure no danger could approach unnoticed.

Luo Mo began to probe the area with his mental power.

He could detect anything dangerous within a radius of three hundred meters.

There was nothing.

His mental detection extended farther, but Heaven had limited the age of Soul Rings and Soul Bones. His Soul Rings were only two thousand four hundred years old, so his mental power could sense danger within a radius of only three hundred meters.

They continued forward, with Yu Xiaogang leading the way.

They would avoid gentle Soul Beasts, and deal with any hostile ones.

When night fell, they would find a safe place to camp.

Over the next day, they didn't encounter a single Soul Beast suitable for Tang San.

Luo Mo kept using his mental power to probe the area, but he didn't find any trace of the Man-Faced Demon Spider, either.

It really was like finding a needle in a haystack.

Late that night, while Yu Xiaogang was sleeping soundly, he suddenly heard a faint "help." He woke at once and shook Xiao Wu, who was sleeping beside him.

A stench of blood drifted through the air. Holding their breath, they exchanged glances.

Yu Xiaogang, Xiao Wu, and Tang San were already awake.

That faint "help" had come from Tang San.

Luo Mo quietly used his mental power. A hundred meters ahead, beyond a fallen tree, lay a giant spider about four meters long. Three purple-black markings on its back resembled eyes, and its eight legs looked like sharp spears.

It was almost certainly the Man-Faced Demon Spider Tang San had encountered in the original story.

"It's over there!"

Luo Mo pointed toward the Man-Faced Demon Spider.

Yu Xiaogang gave a soft cry. A purple Soul Ring shone beneath him, and his Wood System martial soul spread its branches toward the fallen tree, activating its third Soul Skill.

"Flame Barrage!"

Whoosh!

Unlike in the dormitory, Yu Xiaogang no longer held back his Soul Skill. He unleashed it with all his might, sending a blazing torrent of flames toward the fallen tree. In an instant, a thunderous explosion rang out.

"Creee!"

A piercing scream, like metal scraping against metal, cut through the air and made everyone wince.

In the blaze, Yu Xiaogang saw the Soul Beast clearly. He couldn't help drawing in a sharp breath. "It's actually a Man-Faced Demon Spider! How did one of these end up outside the Star Dou Forest?"

Yu Xiaogang watched the spider struggle in its death throes and drew his blade.

"Don't burn the spider!"

Yu Xiaogang was about to strike when Xiao Wu stopped him.

"The Man-Faced Demon Spider is four meters long and nearly four hundred years old. It's a good fit for Xiao San's Soul Ring."

"Oh." Yu Xiaogang hesitated.

Even Tang San looked stunned. "Teacher, my martial soul is the Blue Silver Grass. If the Man-Faced Demon Spider is poisonous, will absorbing it cause problems?"

"It won't."

Yu Xiaogang's eyes shone with confidence.

"One of the ten core theories I developed on martial souls is that martial souls can be compatible with different types of Soul Rings. A plant martial soul doesn't have to absorb the Soul Ring of a plant Soul Beast. Likewise, a beast martial soul isn't necessarily unable to absorb the Soul Ring of a plant Soul Beast. Given the right conditions, either can absorb the other's Soul Ring..."

But Yu Xiaogang didn't agree.

"Even if your theory is correct, why does Tang San have to absorb the Man-Faced Demon Spider's Soul Ring?"

"It doesn't fit the evolution theory of martial souls. The Man-Faced Demon Spider is neither a Wood System Soul Beast nor a life-type one. It has nothing to do with the Immortal Herb martial soul."

Yu Xiaogang: "..."

There went that ridiculous theory about the ten core principles of martial souls again.

He pursed his lips. "Hmph. What do you know? Even if that theory is correct, you're only judging it by the martial soul. You're not considering the power of the Soul Ring."

"Letting Xiao San absorb an Immortal Herb would be better. That way, he could grow stronger while also gaining a Soul Ring with considerable power."

"But... that..." Yu Xiaogang fell silent.

His teacher's words did make sense.

"Since that's the case, I'll stay out of it. You and your student can decide for yourselves."

Yu Xiaogang folded his arms. Tang San wasn't his student, after all. He'd said enough; how Tang San chose to proceed was up to him.

Yu Xiaogang opened his mouth, seemingly about to argue.

Then he looked at Tang San. "Xiao San, the Man-Faced Demon Spider has strong venom. The Immortal Herb you found could strengthen you, and it might also help you gain a Soul Ring with considerable power."

Those words were quite persuasive. He felt he'd explained things well.

"All the other nine core theories about martial souls have been disproven. Xiao San, do you still trust me?"

Tang San fell into thought.

Then he took a deep breath and nodded firmly.

Yu Xiaogang's eyes gleamed, and a warm smile spread across his face.

"Good lad!"

Next, Yu Xiaogang and the others watched as the dying Man-Faced Demon Spider slowly stopped struggling. Its thrashing grew weaker and weaker, until it finally went still. Xiao Wu and the others surrounded Tang San.

Tang San stepped forward, careful and cautious. In one swift motion, he pierced the Man-Faced Demon Spider's abdomen, putting an end to its life.

A faint yellow light began to gather above the spider's body.

Yu Xiaogang's mouth curled into a slight smile.

He had no idea what kind of Soul Ring Tang San would produce by absorbing the Man-Faced Demon Spider's three-hundred-year energy with a Peachwood Hammer.