As the Spirit Hall's instructor, Teacher Ru didn't want Tang San to absorb the soul ring yet. But considering how far above his level the soul ring was, and how much she trusted Tang San, she decided it would probably be fine.
"Xiao San, start absorbing it," Yu Xiaogang urged.
Tang San nodded solemnly and raised his right hand. The Blue Silver Grass appeared, and under the pull of his soul power, the three-hundred-year Soul Ring of the Ghost Vine drifted toward him.
"Sit cross-legged and focus your mind on your martial soul."
Watching the soul ring float toward him, Yu Xiaogang reminded him sternly.
Tang San did as instructed. After a while, the pale-yellow soul ring reached him and slowly shrank until it was just the size of his hand, settling over the Blue Silver Grass.
As Tang San began to absorb the soul ring, Luo Mo quietly used his Wood System ability to draw in the energy of the three-hundred-year Ghost Vine Soul Ring.
He then transferred that energy into the Snake's Home Soul Ring.
As the energy gradually shifted, the Ghost Vine Soul Ring's age dropped from four hundred years to one hundred, while the Snake's Home Soul Ring, which had been four hundred years old, gradually rose to seven hundred.
At the same time, the space inside the Snake's Home expanded.
It grew from its previous four cubic meters to seven.
Its height increased from four meters to seven as well.
Luo Mo could faintly sense that the size of the Snake's Home's interior was related to the age of its Soul Ring.
The Soul Ring's age determined the space inside it, and for every hundred years of age, the space's height increased by one meter.
That was why he'd left the Ghost Vine Soul Ring at a hundred years. Naturally, he didn't want to draw too much attention and invite suspicion.
Was a yellow ring really that strange?
Damn, I was overthinking things.
Compared with other transmigrators, I was lucky I hadn't been directly forced into Tang San's first Soul Ring position.
The only thing I could think of was that after absorbing the Ghost Vine's three-hundred-year Soul Ring, Tang San's favor toward me would be used up, too.
Maybe I could think of another way to make up for it later.
"Ugh..."
Luo Mo suddenly felt his vision blur, as if it had gone from ultra-clear to merely high-definition.
"His soul power is dropping so fast!"
Luo Mo couldn't help feeling worried. He'd been using the Wood System to draw energy from the Ghost Vine Soul Ring, and it was natural that this would consume his soul power.
He quietly tried using his Hidden Spirit Emperor's bone skill, which normally healed him continuously.
But it had no effect.
His vision remained blurry, especially in his left eye.
Remembering that in the Shadow Realm, falling petals had made his vision grow hazy and caused him to lose sight in one eye, Luo Mo felt helpless. He had no choice but to wait for the effect to wear off.
Still, it wasn't as if there was no solution.
Once his physical attributes improved and he unlocked more spiritual power, the eternal eye would let him recover his vision, and his soul power would naturally replenish itself.
Aside from the increase in spiritual power, the vitality of his life force would also grow stronger.
There were glass pods in the Shadow Realm.
The Great Fighting Soul Arena seemed to have something called life gold, too.
Just then, a voice from beyond the heavens entered Luo Mo's mind.
"You are a projection on the spiritual plane. You need to use the power of a mind-controlling spiritual body to sustain yourself, and it isn't permanent."
Luo Mo fell silent.
The way it put things, he might as well have been a ghost.
"Since your soul skill is so inconvenient, you'll need to find a suitable Wood System Soul Beast." Yu Xiaogang suddenly thought of the potted trees they'd encountered on their way into the forest.
If he could draw on their vitality, maybe Luo Mo could recover his soul power.
Fortunately, Luo Mo had spiritual perception, so even with his vision blurred, it wouldn't affect his ability to investigate the surroundings.
It wasn't as if he were using a detection skill.
After what felt like half a day, Tang San finally finished absorbing the soul ring.
"Xiao San, you did it!"
Yu Xiaogang was so excited that his eyes glistened. All the effort he'd poured into this research had paid off. It meant more to him than his own life.
Tang San nodded solemnly, then raised his right hand. His Blue Silver Grass was now half a chi longer, and its leaves had grown thicker.
Then a faint yellow glow rose from beneath him.
"The color is so pale. How can it look like a hundred-year Soul Ring?" Yu Xiaogang frowned as he examined the Soul Ring beneath Tang San.
It looked far too different from the one he'd absorbed.
Yu Xiaogang didn't worry about its color for the moment. Instead, he asked Tang San, "How does it feel?"
Without a word, Tang San gently stroked a leaf of the Blue Silver Grass.
Snap!
With just a flick, the grass blade broke off.
Yu Xiaogang: "Uh..."
"Check whether it's poisonous."
The broken piece of Blue Silver Grass still contained venom.
After a moment, Yu Xiaogang hesitated. "It's poisonous."
He'd been a little too trusting in the old fellow's words.
Yu Xiaogang: "..."
You can't just say that. My theories are never wrong!
"What's your Soul Skill?" He couldn't help pressing for an answer.
Luo Mo was curious, too.
When a martial soul acquired a Soul Ring, it would generally gain one new skill, though the specific effect varied.
Different martial souls could produce different skills from the same Soul Beast. The reverse was true, too: even Soul Rings of different ages could produce similar skills.
"My first Soul Skill is Blue Silver Thrust. It creates a sharp spike."
As he spoke, Tang San used his Soul Skill. Soul power gathered in his palm and formed a blue-black spike about eight chi long, as sharp as a spear.
Luo Mo: "..."
This Soul Skill seemed to have the same sort of effect as a tiger's roar.
Yu Xiaogang looked at him, incredulous. "That's all?"
"The spike seems to carry some kind of poison, though I can't tell what it is." Tang San absorbed the Soul Ring too, but he still looked uncertain about what his Soul Skill did.
"Then let me test it!" Yu Xiaogang reached out and took the spike without hesitation.
The corner of Tang San's mouth twitched. What a brave teacher.
Still, since his teacher had asked to test it, wouldn't refusing be disrespectful?
I, Tang San, value my dignity above all.
Disrespect is disrespect. I've got a hereditary illness.
"Teacher, you'll regret that!"
Huh?
This little fellow had some nerve. His voice was practically booming.
"Ahhh—wonderful!" Yu Xiaogang couldn't stop himself from crying out with joy.
Luo Mo: "??"
What sort of disease was that?
Damn, had he awakened some kind of special attribute?
Yu Xiaogang, coming back to his senses, recalled what Tang San had just done. His expression darkened.
He muttered under his breath, "It wasn't me... it was the effect of the spike!"
Teacher Ru was a little doubtful. "Really?"
"Don't believe me? Try it yourself!" Yu Xiaogang glared at her.
Teacher Ru hurriedly waved her hands. "Then forget it."
Even Tang San was somewhat astonished by his strange Soul Skill.
What kind of ability could make people feel that way?
He wanted to try it himself... Ah, that would feel so good!
So it wasn't merely Blue Silver Thrust. It really did live up to its name!
Tang San silently looked at Yu Xiaogang. "Teacher, this skill's effect is rather powerful."
"Uh... yes, it is." Yu Xiaogang also felt that Tang San's Soul Skill was a bit too much. But it worked right away. Wasn't that exactly what a disciple's Soul Skill should do?
"Ahem. Xiao San, your Soul Skill is definitely impressive."
Yu Xiaogang quickly returned to his usual manner. "Not only can it attack, it can also control its target. And the venom seems to have some anesthetic effect. It's a remarkably comprehensive and practical skill."
After listening to his teacher's explanation, Tang San felt that he could accept the skill after all.
As for everyone else, aside from Xiao Wu, who was staring at him in confusion, Luo Mo quietly traced the lines on the ground beneath his feet. Teacher Ru was staring at him, too.
That skill really was something else.
Before you continue