Second Soul Ring

Qin Ming let out a heavy breath and dispelled his Martial Soul Possession, returning to his original appearance as a youth. He lifted his eyes and quickly swept his gaze around.

The battle with the Thousand Year Flame Armored Bear had caused far too much commotion. The surrounding trees had practically been burned clean, and the smell of blood was too strong. A Soul Beast Forest was unlike a Soul Hunting Forest, where the beasts had been tamed and raised by humans.

The Soul Beasts here would not simply stay in one habitat. The law here was survival of the fittest. Such violent Soul Power fluctuations would likely draw other Millennium Soul Beasts before long.

That would be unfavorable for absorbing his Second Soul Ring. After all, no one was here to stand guard for him this time.

Qin Ming made his decision and immediately left to find a safe place to absorb the Soul Ring.

Qin Ming's gaze sharpened. He slightly raised the remaining Soul Power in his body, reached out to grab the Thousand Year Flame Armored Bear's thick forelimb, and exerted force. He actually dragged the several-ton Flame Armor bear up by brute strength.

Qin Ming proceeded cautiously. His Soul Power was running low, after all. Before long, he found a hollow surrounded by mountains on three sides and enclosed by rocks.

After confirming that there were no traces of Soul Beasts nearby, Qin Ming tossed the bear corpse aside. He adjusted his breathing for a moment, then began absorbing the Soul Ring.

Qin Ming's vessels, bones, and body had already been strengthened once by Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber. His current limit for absorbing Soul Rings was likely close to two thousand years.

Absorbing the Soul Ring of a Flame Armored Bear that had only just reached a thousand years was naturally no problem.

Qin Ming used his Martial Soul to draw in the Soul Ring. In an instant, the purple Soul Ring flared brightly, transforming into a streak of light that descended from above. It landed steadily atop Qin Ming's head and slowly sank down.

Violent Fire Attribute Soul Power surged into the vessels throughout Qin Ming's limbs and body like rushing magma. Qin Ming frowned, but showed no excessive reaction.

An hour later, Qin Ming felt a shattering sensation within his body. The bottleneck restraining the breakthrough of his Soul Power Level had broken apart, signifying that he had officially finished absorbing this Soul Ring.

"Level twenty-two." Qin Ming opened his eyes, unable to conceal the excitement in them.

Ordinary Spirit Masters reached level twenty-one after absorbing a Soul Ring and breaking through to Soul Grandmaster. Qin Ming's Second Soul Ring, however, was a Thousand Year Soul Ring, naturally pushing his Soul Power Level to twenty-two.

He had only been in Suotuo City for two full years. An eight-year-old level twenty-two Soul Grandmaster—no one would likely believe it if they heard it.

Qin Ming then rose to his feet and activated Martial Soul Possession. One yellow and one purple Soul Ring pulsed beneath his feet.

Second Soul Skill, Flame Armor!

With a thought from Qin Ming, the purple light of his Second Soul Ring surged. A crimson-gold suit of Flame Armor, forged from blazing fire just like the Flame Armored Bear's, instantly covered his entire body.

The armor plates were sharply defined, while crimson-gold flame patterns flowed across them with a radiant gleam. Qin Ming flicked the armor with a finger, producing a clear metallic clang.

Qin Ming smiled in satisfaction. Just as he had expected, he had gained the Flame Armored Bear's signature Soul Skill—Flame Armor.

It increased defense and strength by 100%, reduced incoming damage by 50%, granted resistance to abnormal conditions, and lasted for half an hour.

Each use would consume roughly one-tenth of his Soul Power.

It was essentially an upgraded version of Roger's Second Soul Skill, "Earth Dragon Radiance." Its values were higher, and it lasted longer as well.

Qin Ming's greatest weakness had originally been his defense. This Second Soul Skill had undoubtedly made up for it.

For offense, he had Gray Wolf Fire; for speed, Thousand Spin Steps; for defense, Flame Armor. Qin Ming felt that he was developing toward becoming a fully maxed-out, hexagonal human-shaped boss.

"Hm?" Qin Ming suddenly sensed a faint Soul Power fluctuation. After searching for a while, he discovered that its source was actually the bear corpse.

"Could it be?" Qin Ming hurried over and bent down to inspect it.

The Soul Power fluctuation came from the bear corpse's only remaining arm. Despite several hours having passed, the blood in the corpse was still boiling hot.

Qin Ming extended his Wolf Claws and carefully dissected the arm. Before long, he extracted an arm bone that emitted a crimson glow.

Thousand Year Flame Armored Bear Left Arm Bone!

It was a Spirit Bone from a top-tier Soul Beast. Its value was far beyond that Millennium Purple Lightning Leopard Leg Bone from the auction a year and a half ago.

Even so, Qin Ming had no intention of absorbing this Spirit Bone. The reason was simple: its age was too low.

"If only this were a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone." Qin Ming shook his head and sighed.

After all, for a Spirit Master, absorbing a Spirit Bone from the same Soul Beast as one's Soul Ring was the most suitable choice.

Qin Ming placed the Spirit Bone into his Storage Soul Tool, then left Tianhao Forest directly and set off for Suotuo City.

A day later, Qin Ming returned to the Main Hall. As soon as he arrived, he headed straight for Charlton's study to report on the trip.

Upon reaching Charlton's study, Qin Ming stopped. He had now broken through to become a second-ring Soul Grandmaster. According to the plan he had made when he first arrived in Suotuo City, he could already set out for Spirit City.

At that thought, Qin Ming took a deep breath and raised his hand to knock on the door.

"Come in." Charlton's gentle voice came from within.

When he pushed open the door, he found that there were already guests inside. Nuo Si and Sha Sha were both there.

"Little Brother Qin Ming, you're finally back!"

The moment Qin Ming entered, Sha Sha opened her arms and pulled him into an embrace. However, Qin Ming had now grown to one meter forty since first arriving in Suotuo City, so Sha Sha no longer had to squat down to hug him as she had at the beginning.

"I'm back. But why are Brother Nuo Si and Sister Sha Sha here?"

"Did you forget? It's the time of year when we awaken Martial Souls for the commoners. We came back to report the Martial Soul awakening situation to Bishop Charlton."

"What a coincidence. We had barely arrived when you came back," Nuo Si explained from the side.

"Oh, right, Little Brother Qin Ming. I have good news for you—Nuo Si and I are getting married next month!" After enthusiastically ruffling Qin Ming's hair, Sha Sha released him from her embrace.

Sha Sha happily announced the news to him.

"Huh?" Qin Ming was a little stunned, but then remembered that the two of them were nearly thirty already. Most Spirit Masters on Douluo Continent chose to marry and have children around this age, since their golden period of cultivation had already passed.

"Brother Nuo Si, Sister Sha Sha, congratulations to you both." Qin Ming sincerely offered them his congratulations.

"Qin Ming, you've broken through to Soul Grandmaster?" Charlton was the first to notice that Qin Ming's aura had grown stronger.

"That's right." Qin Ming nodded. Without wasting words, he activated Martial Soul Possession, and one yellow and one purple Soul Ring appeared beneath his feet.

The light emanating from the two rings nearly dyed the entire small study purple.

The three of them stared wide-eyed at Qin Ming's Millennium Second Ring. Although Qin Ming had told them before leaving that his second ring would be a Thousand Year Soul Ring, giving them some mental preparation,

when they truly saw a Soul Grandmaster with a Millennium Second Ring, they were still too shocked to speak.

"Qin Ming, you've already broken through to Soul Grandmaster. So, you mean?" Charlton asked.

"After I attend Sister Sha Sha and Brother Nuo Si's wedding next month, I'll set off for Spirit City," Qin Ming replied after taking a deep breath.

"Good." Charlton nodded, as though he had long expected Qin Ming to give that answer.