Since they had chosen to study advanced Soul Tools at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, and the Sun Moon Empire would eventually become deeply entangled with the Holy Spirit Cult, it was necessary to keep some of their abilities hidden.
"Chuan's concerns are well-founded. Now that the Sky-Covering Cloud Jade can conceal your whereabouts and you have an initial objective, there's still one crucial question: who will protect your safety?" Qian Daoliu asked.
Indeed, who would protect Qin Chuan and Qian Renxue?
Things were different ten thousand years later than they had been ten thousand years earlier. Back then, with Spirit Hall around, the various factions wouldn't dare provoke them recklessly.
Ten thousand years later, Spirit Hall had been destroyed for ten thousand years. With four empires coexisting, countless factions entangled in conflict, and the Holy Spirit Cult posing a hidden threat, the safety of Qin Chuan and Qian Renxue had become the top priority.
"I'll go."
Bibi Dong spoke up.
"If you leave, the affairs of Spirit Hall..."
"With me here, what are you worried about?" Qian Daoliu said with a kind smile.
Even if Bibi Dong suddenly disappeared and they claimed she was in seclusion, Qian Daoliu—the only level-ninety-nine Soul Master on the continent—would be enough to keep everything in check.
"All right, then."
Qin Chuan nodded. Violet light flickered in his right hand, and a dark purple scythe appeared.
"I don't suppose you're unfamiliar with this Rakshasa Demon Scythe. With it, you'll be powerful enough to travel the entire continent unhindered."
Bibi Dong didn't take it. Instead, she asked, "I already have a Rakshasa Demon Scythe, but I haven't passed the corresponding trials yet. If you give me yours, what about your safety?"
"Don't I still have the Angel Holy Sword?"
With her current strength, Qian Renxue still couldn't unleash the Angel Holy Sword's true power.
The Angel Holy Sword and the Rakshasa Demon Scythe were important parts of Qin Chuan's Third Martial Soul, the Undead Angel. But as long as he was willing, he could also lend out part of their power. His own safety came first.
"All right, then. Just let me know if you need it," Bibi Dong said, accepting the Rakshasa Demon Scythe. A sense of closeness welled up within her. The scythe trembled slightly. After being separated from its master for ten thousand years, it had finally reunited with her, and the feeling was beyond words.
Night had fallen over the Soul Hunting Forest, and it was bound to be an unusual one.
In front of a simple tent,
Yu Xiaogang and an ordinary six-year-old boy were chewing on dry rations. They had been in the Soul Hunting Forest for a day, and during that time, they had been ambushed by three ten-year Netherwolves. They had now made their way deep into the forest.
"Xiao San, have you decided what kind of Soul Beast you want for your First Soul Ring?" Yu Xiaogang asked.
"I'll leave it entirely up to you, Teacher," Tang San replied respectfully.
That was exactly what I was waiting to hear, Yu Xiaogang thought.
"Xiao San, you really are a clever and sensible child."
Yu Xiaogang praised Tang San first, stirring a warm feeling in the heart of a boy who had grown up without parental affection.
Yu Xiaogang took out a belt set with twenty-four small jade pieces and gave it to Tang San. "I obtained this during one of my training trips. It's a Storage Soul Tool. Twenty-three of the jade pieces can each store one cubic meter of space."
Tang San was overjoyed. He had been wondering how he would carry all his Hidden Weapons around in the future. Now that he had this belt, he had a place to store them.
Just as Tang San was about to thank Yu Xiaogang, the latter continued, "Do you see this jade piece in the center, the one with the cloud pattern?"
Only then did Tang San notice the piece of jade at the center of the belt.
It was pitch-black, with a cloud pattern carved into it. It was the Sky-Covering Cloud Jade.
Yu Xiaogang smiled faintly. "This jade can calm a Soul Master's mind while meditating and practicing, protecting them from outside distractions. It helps focus the mind and bring peace."
"Teacher, this jade is too precious."
"You're my disciple. If I don't make sure you get the best, who will?"
Tang San was even more touched. He quickly fastened the belt set with the Sky-Covering Cloud Jade around his waist.
"It suits you. Give it a name."
"I've already thought of one. I'll call it... Twenty-Four Bridges in Moonlit Night."
"That's a lovely name, though a bit long. I'll keep watch tonight. Get some rest, and tomorrow we'll set out again to find a suitable Soul Beast for you."
After thanking Yu Xiaogang, Tang San crawled into the tent to rest.
Yu Xiaogang sat cross-legged outside the tent. In the darkness, a strange, triumphant smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
The Sky-Covering Cloud Jade could shield its wearer from the Divine Realm's observation. Since Yu Xiaogang was Tang San's teacher, and the notion that "a teacher for a day is a father for a lifetime" was deeply ingrained in Tang San, the jade pendant set into the belt would stay with him for the rest of his life.
In doing so, it would completely sever Tang San's path to Ascend to Godhood.
The Sky-Covering Cloud Jade had another ability: illusion.
Inside the tent, Tang San hadn't lain down to rest. Instead, he sat cross-legged with his hands on his knees and silently circulated the Mysterious Heaven Skill.
Tang San's mind became utterly clear, and he entered a profoundly mysterious state. The Mysterious Heaven Skill, which had made no progress for so long, showed faint signs of a breakthrough.
Tang San opened his eyes and lovingly touched the smooth jade. "Teacher treats me so well," he murmured.
At that moment, the Sky-Covering Cloud Jade completed its binding to Tang San.
The next morning, the first rays of dawn refracted off the dew on the leaves, scattering a riot of colors.
In the forest, Yu Xiaogang walked with his hands behind his back, leading Tang San to a verdant bamboo stalk. He stroked its smooth surface and smiled. "This is a Century-Old Lone Bamboo. It's tough. Its attack power is weak, but its defenses are decent, so it should suit your Blue Silver Grass."
"Teacher, does that mean this Century-Old Lone Bamboo will be my First Soul Ring?" Tang San asked, looking up at the "ten-meter-tall" bamboo in front of him.
The bamboo before them was only one meter tall, and it would take a century to grow to ten meters.
Under the Sky-Covering Cloud Jade's "illusion," whatever Yu Xiaogang said was what Tang San saw.
In Tang San's eyes, the bamboo towered into the sky, lush and green, its uneven surface etched with the marks of time.
In reality, Yu Xiaogang was crouching to stroke a one-meter-tall bamboo stalk, while Tang San was stroking Yu Xiaogang's stubbled old face.
Yu Xiaogang said calmly, "That's right. This is the Soul Ring I found for you. Your Blue Silver Grass may be called the most useless Martial Soul, but that also means it has no limitations. In other words, Blue Silver Grass isn't picky—it can be paired with any kind of Soul Ring."
"This Century-Old Lone Bamboo can make your Blue Silver Grass incredibly tough. That means we can choose an offensive Soul Ring next time."
"In that way, one day, even weak Blue Silver Grass will grow into a towering tree."
As he spoke, Yu Xiaogang suddenly rose to his feet and threw both hands high into the air.
To Tang San, his teacher looked so tall and imposing.
Tang San accepted the dagger Yu Xiaogang handed him.
Gripping it in reverse, he swung it down vertically, slicing the Century-Old Lone Bamboo (Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo) in half with almost no effort.
A yellow (white) Soul Ring gradually appeared before Tang San.
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