First Spirit Ring

He suspected that Director Louise had given Ning Chuan some medicine with massive side effects. Otherwise, there was no way the other party's cultivation speed could be so fast. He had already surpassed Xiao Wu and his disciple Tang San, both of whom possessed Innate Full Spirit Power.

"I don't know, but I trust Director Louise. Besides, that child's hard work is plain for all to see."

Dean Jeno had no such suspicions. He merely assumed that Ning Chuan had cultivated diligently, supplemented by Louise's special guidance.

Rather than believing him, Yu Xiaogang became even more suspicious. He too had Innate Soul Power Half Level and knew exactly how difficult it was to cultivate with that damned talent, how hard it was to increase soul power. Calling it turtle-slow would not have been an exaggeration.

There was definitely something fishy going on, and the most likely possibility was that Louise had made Ning Chuan take medicine.

It must be the medicine. Sooner or later, he'll get stuck at level twenty-nine and be unable to advance. He may not even become a Soul Grandmaster. He won't get far, and he could never compare to Xiao San.

Thinking of the beating Louise had given him and Ning Chuan's talent, which was the same as his own, the unbalanced Yu Xiaogang comforted himself this way.

That afternoon, Louise took Ning Chuan to purchase some supplies for surviving in the wilderness.

Early the next morning, the two rented a carriage and set off.

After traveling for a day and a night, they finally arrived at Soul Hunting Forest on the morning of the third day.

Plant-type spirit beasts were not difficult to find.

Once they reached the Ten Thousand Year Spirit Beast level, plant-type spirit beasts were unable to move.

Under normal circumstances, they hid deep within the forest, indistinguishable from ordinary vegetation. Without the ability to sense soul power fluctuations, they were difficult to identify.

Led by Louise, Ning Chuan searched through the denser parts of Soul Hunting Forest. In the end, they stopped beneath a large tree.

"This Soul Power Sacred Tree is over six hundred years old. Little River, are you sure you want to absorb it?"

The two stopped thirty zhang away from the tree. Looking at the Soul Power Sacred Tree ahead, Louise could not help showing a worried expression.

In the forest stood a thick banyan tree that looked no different from any other large tree. If not for the powerful soul power fluctuations coming from it, even Louise would have been unable to identify it.

Under normal circumstances, a Soul Power Sacred Tree that exceeded ten meters in height was a hundred-year spirit beast. For every additional meter above ten, it gained another hundred years. This Soul Power Sacred Tree was over fifteen meters tall.

In other words, this Soul Power Sacred Tree was at least six hundred years old.

Ning Chuan said, "Teacher, do you remember what I told you before? The number of years a spirit ring can be absorbed for is related to a soul master's physical strength. Over the past year, I've never stopped training my body. Moreover, the Soul Power Sacred Tree is one of the gentlest spirit beasts. It is also wood-attributed, just like my Green Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword, making it extremely compatible. There won't be any spirit ring rejection. I'm confident..."

On the way here, Ning Chuan had often explained soul master theory from his previous life to Louise, all to convince her to let him absorb a spirit ring beyond the normal limit.

Otherwise, no one would help him hunt spirit beasts of a higher age, nor would he have some sucker to transfer the side effects to.

That was why he had chosen this six-hundred-year-old one.

Otherwise, he would have absorbed a spirit ring over ten thousand years old long ago.

Still, a hundred-year spirit ring and two Thousand Year Spirit Rings would be enough for him to use and show off with in the early stages.

At worst, he could find a way to detonate the spirit rings later and transfer the side effects to the Tang Family Father and Son.

After all, destroying a spirit ring was quite simple. Almost every soul master could do it. The difficult part was that once it was destroyed, it usually could not be restored, let alone absorbed again.

Unless one possessed a secret technique like Clear Sky Sect's Ring Detonation, or those shameless false gods in the God Realm intervened.

But Ning Chuan possessed the God-Level Side Effect System. To him, spirit rings could be replaced whenever he wished. He only needed to choose the target carefully.

After all, each side effect could only be assigned to one person.

"Even so, but..." Louise wanted to say more after hearing this, but when she saw Ning Chuan's resolute gaze, she ultimately chose not to stop him.

Ning Chuan's physique truly was very strong.

Over the past few days, his understanding of soul master theory had completely won her over as well.

Most importantly, in just one school year—nine months—he had raised his soul power from level five to level ten, all while practicing swordsmanship and studying cultural subjects. That was already a miracle.

She had no reason to refuse.

Pink light surged around Louise's right hand as she summoned a slender dark-red sword and charged toward the Soul Power Sacred Tree.

Before reaching a hundred years of age, a Soul Power Sacred Tree possessed no offensive power at all. It could only disguise itself as an ordinary tree to evade soul masters hunting it.

Once it surpassed a hundred years, it could extend its branches to bind and restrain enemies, gaining a rudimentary level of attack power.

At a thousand years, its offensive power increased further.

At ten thousand years, it could wriggle its roots and move short distances. Its branches also gained regenerative abilities.

At fifty thousand years, it was no different from fifty-thousand-year animal-type spirit beasts and possessed extremely powerful area attacks. Even among fifty-thousand-year spirit beasts, it was an exceptionally terrifying existence.

However, Soul Power Sacred Trees over fifty thousand years old were almost nonexistent. At least, Ning Chuan had never seen any mentioned in the books Louise had given him or in Notting Academy's library.

The Soul Power Sacred Tree before them was over six hundred years old. The instant Louise approached, branches as thick as an adult's arm coiled toward her like venomous snakes, trying to bind her.

Unfortunately, against Louise, a high-level agility-attack Soul Elder with a Sword Spirit, they were utterly useless.

In only a moment, the Soul Power Sacred Tree had been cut down until only a bare trunk remained.

"Are you really sure there won't be a problem?"

After doing all this, Louise did not put away her spirit. Instead, she stood to the side and looked worriedly at Ning Chuan, her charming face filled with unease and anxiety.

"Teacher, I trust my judgment. Please guard me while I absorb it."

Walking up to the Soul Power Sacred Tree, Ning Chuan summoned the Green Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword. He gripped the hilt with both hands and poured all his soul power into it. The little sword, which had originally been only palm-sized, immediately grew to three chi in length. Then he swung it fiercely.

Bang!

The tree, nearly thick enough for one person to wrap their arms around, was cut cleanly in half at the waist. Faint yellow motes gathered above the stump, forming a yellow ring.

Ning Chuan sat down cross-legged beside the yellow ring.

Closing his eyes, he guided it with his soul power, and the spirit ring gradually entered his body.

Since the Soul Power Sacred Tree was a relatively gentle spirit beast, Ning Chuan's Green Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword itself possessed a wood attribute, and he had trained desperately for a year, on top of having farmed all sorts of side effects from Tang Hao, absorbing this Soul Power Sacred Tree spirit ring of over six hundred years went fairly smoothly. There was no discomfort.

At most, throughout the absorption process, he constantly felt his soul power nearing saturation.

But that was all.

Whenever his Meridians could no longer endure it, the side effects produced by the swelling pain were transferred away—to Old Mouse.