Reliance

"Xiaoyang, do you want to go study at an academy?"

Seeing Dugu Yang staring fixedly in the direction of Nuoding Academy, Dugu Bo assumed he wanted to attend.

"No, Second Grandfather. The Mountain Valley suits me better."

Dugu Yang shook his head.

The natural energy around the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye was several times denser than elsewhere. Dugu Yang had no desire to leave such a natural cultivation treasure ground.

"Besides, I can teach myself everything they teach at a Primary Academy."

"That's true. With your self-discipline, you could go straight to an Advanced Academy."

Dugu Bo fully agreed.

"An Advanced Academy..."

Dugu Yang murmured to himself. In truth, an Advanced Academy did not hold much appeal for him either, but he could not remain in the Mountain Valley forever.

Closed Door Car Making would not work. He also needed to go out and broaden his horizons.

But that was still too far off for him.

After preparing seven days' worth of food, Dugu Yang and Dugu Bo left Nuoding City and headed for the Soul Hunting Forest.

Although the Soul Hunting Forest was four hundred li from Nuoding City, with Dugu Bo, a Titled Douluo, accompanying him, they reached its outskirts in just half a day.

The Soul Hunting Forest was a designated area where the Heaven Dou Empire raised soul beasts, mainly for low-level Soul Masters to hunt them. It was divided into three regions: the outskirts, the Mixed Zone, and the Core Zone.

Soul beasts over a hundred years old could appear in the Mixed Zone, while Thousand Year Soul Beasts could be found in the Core Zone.

The Core Zone was the destination of Dugu Yang and Dugu Bo's trip.

However, they were in no rush and instead strolled through the Soul Hunting Forest.

Though their main purpose was to obtain Dugu Yang's First Soul Ring, this was also an excellent learning experience.

Dugu Yang had always remained in the Mountain Valley. Although he had read many books on soul beasts, knowledge gained from books always felt shallow. Seeing living soul beasts before his eyes undoubtedly gave him a deeper understanding.

Dugu Bo, who traveled with him, also introduced him to many poisonous grasses, all of which were helpful to Dugu Yang.

It was not until noon the next day that they arrived at the Withered Wood Marsh, where the Tree Poison Toads lived. It was a swamp more than ten li in diameter, filled with dead tree roots and rotting leaves. A pungent stench hung in the air, and an ordinary person would become dizzy after staying here for only a short while.

"The air is poisonous."

Dugu Yang spoke.

"That's right, but this Poison Gas is hardly worth mentioning to us."

Dugu Bo smiled faintly and even took a deep breath, as though this were not a poisonous swamp but a natural oxygen bar.

But he was right. As Jade Phosphor Serpent Soul Masters, their innate Poison Resistance was not something this small amount of Poison Gas could overcome.

Not to mention Dugu Bo, a Titled Douluo—even Dugu Yang felt nothing unusual.

"Second Grandfather, is that a Tree Poison Toad?"

At that moment, Dugu Yang, who had been observing the surroundings, suddenly narrowed his eyes. His gaze focused on a palm-sized toad a hundred meters away, its entire body seemingly coated in blue paint and emitting a faint glow.

"It has Scale Patterns, Webbed Feet, and good eyesight. Not bad. It is indeed a Tree Poison Toad."

Dugu Bo praised him.

"But it is only around two hundred years old. Its age is too low."

The maximum age for a First Soul Ring was 423 years. Dugu Bo needed to find Dugu Yang a Spirit Ring of around four hundred years at minimum.

After looking around, Dugu Bo said to Dugu Yang:

"Xiaoyang, wait here. I'll be right back."

Dugu Yang nodded. He knew Dugu Bo was going to personally find a suitable Spirit Ring for him.

Dugu Bo's figure flashed as he raced across the swamp. The muddy marsh was as level ground to him, and within a few breaths, he vanished from Dugu Yang's sight.

Alone in the Soul Hunting Forest, Dugu Yang showed no trace of fear.

Though he was only level 10 and did not even possess a soul skill, the toxicity of the Jade Phosphor Snake Poison alone could take down quite a few Hundred Year Soul Beasts.

Dugu Bo did not keep Dugu Yang waiting long. In just half an hour, he returned calmly with a head-sized Iron Cage in hand, containing two Tree Poison Toads.

"Bad luck. I couldn't find a Tree Poison Toad around four hundred years old. I only found one that was three hundred years old and one that was six hundred years old. Xiaoyang, the choice is yours."

Dugu Bo strode back to Dugu Yang and showed him the two Tree Poison Toads in the Iron Cage.

The two Tree Poison Toads were roughly the same size. One was red, while the other was covered in a riot of colors.

The colors on a Tree Poison Toad's body did not depend on its cultivation, but on the toxins it had consumed. Thus, every Tree Poison Toad had a distinct coloration.

Dugu Yang did not hesitate before speaking.

"Second Grandfather, I choose the six-hundred-year one."

At Dugu Yang's choice, approval flashed through Dugu Bo's eyes, but he still cautioned him:

"Xiaoyang, the maximum absorption age for a First Soul Ring is 423 years. Forcibly absorbing a Spirit Ring beyond that limit may result in failure at best, or your body exploding and death at worst."

"I'm confident."

Dugu Yang smiled confidently. He was not overestimating himself; he had something to rely on.

First, during his half year in the Mountain Valley, all the food he ate had been high-grade medicinal meals provided by Dugu Bo. They were rich in nutrition, and together with medicinal baths prepared by Dugu Bo using various spiritual herbs, they had made Dugu Yang's body stronger than those of Soul Masters at the same level.

Second, his Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul itself gave him greater resistance when absorbing Spirit Rings from poison-attribute soul beasts.

As for the final point, it was the Golden Finger that Dugu Yang still had not figured out. Although he still did not know its exact function, Dugu Yang was certain that it would help him absorb the Spirit Ring.

Dugu Bo was not one to fuss over things, and he also believed Dugu Yang could successfully absorb the six-hundred-year Tree Poison Toad Spirit Ring. Otherwise, he would not have captured this toad and brought it back.

Besides, he was here. Even if something went wrong, he could remedy it in time.

"Good. The rest is up to you."

Dugu Bo reached into the Iron Cage, completely disregarding the potent venom contained within the six-hundred-year Tree Poison Toad, and brutally grabbed it.

With a slight squeeze of his large hand, the once lively Tree Poison Toad was twisted into a knot and left barely alive.

Dugu Yang's mouth twitched. He had not expected Dugu Bo to be so direct. He immediately took out a dagger and plunged it into the Tree Poison Toad's head.

Very soon, a pale yellow Spirit Ring slowly rose from the Tree Poison Toad's corpse. Without hesitation, Dugu Yang circulated the power within him and gathered it in his palm. Accompanied by an Emerald Light, emerald-green scales appeared on his cheeks and extended all the way to his chest and ribs. This was the rare poison Martial Soul, the Jade Phosphorous Serpent.

Come, my First Soul Ring. I hope you can bring me a surprise!

As he silently prayed, the Tree Poison Toad's Spirit Ring slowly flew toward Dugu Yang under the pull of his emerald-green Soul Power.