The First Soul Ring, Adaptive Soul Skill

"Holy Maiden, today is the celebration banquet. You could come get the soul ring tomorrow," Ma Xiunuo said from the front seat, a look of regret on his face.

The Notting City Martial Soul Hall had spent a fortune to hire a professional Food Martial Soul Chef Team from the New Divine Land for this celebration feast. This meal wasn't cheap.

Bibi Dong sat with her eyes closed, leaning back as if dozing. Su Yan walked to the outside of the carriage and sat on the edge of the seat. "Grandpa Ma Xiunuo, I'm the one who couldn't wait."

"You're one of the main stars today. I was going to suggest you pick some treasures from Lord Xiao's treasury," Ma Xiunuo mused. "That treasury of his has quite a few interesting little trinkets."

"What's there to pick? It's not as good as what I carry with me," Bibi Dong said with a pout, then suddenly asked in a dark tone, "Xiao Yan, your teacher has a question for you."

"Teacher, what is it?" Su Yan frowned slightly. Things were not simple.

"The pendant I gave you—why is it around Zhu Qing's neck?"

"Damn, I forgot to take it back!"

Things were indeed not simple. A chill ran down Su Yan's spine as he sensed a murderous aura swirling around him.

"Teacher, here's how it is," Su Yan said. "It went like this and like that, this way and that way, like this and like that."

"Since that's the case, your teacher won't hold it against you." Bibi Dong took another Blue Crystal from her belt, identical in shape and size to the original red one, except the pattern inside had changed from a dragon to an eagle. After a moment's thought, she put it away again.

Hmph. Next time.

Because they had set out early, they arrived outside the Soul Hunting Forest before noon.

This time, Ma Xiunuo insisted on waiting at the entrance, and Bibi Dong didn't stop him.

The place was just as bustling as ever, but the number of guards had multiplied, and entry inspections were much stricter.

Su Yan jumped down from the carriage and saw a row of wooden bulletin boards at the entrance, plastered with seven Wanted Posters.

"Teacher, did those seven people escape?" Su Yan asked.

"They escaped." Bibi Dong walked straight ahead. "Lord Xiao sent people to kill them, but they failed. They were long gone."

Su Yan clenched his fists and said angrily, "People like that must be eliminated without delay!"

"What happens next is none of your business, little one. The Enforcers will handle it." Bibi Dong tapped Su Yan on the head.

Su Yan covered his head and shook it. "Teacher, hitting a kid's head every day will make him stupid!"

Bibi Dong curled her lips and tapped him again. "This is called opening your mind."

Su Yan pouted and turned his head away to show his displeasure.

After all, Bibi Dong was the Holy Maiden of the Martial Soul Hall. A single token skipped the tedious checks, and the two entered the Soul Hunting Forest smoothly.

Bibi Dong reached out and tossed Su Yan onto her back like a chick, instructing, "Hold tight."

With that, eight spider legs shot out from both sides of Su Yan's body, and they swiftly darted through the trees.

Spiders can gather information and sense their surroundings through vibrations in the air.

This ability was magnified geometrically in Bibi Dong, to the point where she could even perceive the slightest temperature differences.

Their target was a soul beast of suitable age with no attribute. Most soul beasts lacked a clear attribute, and these were called attribute-less soul beasts.

Bibi Dong wandered through the Soul Hunting Forest with Su Yan as if it were her own backyard.

"Giant Palm Monkey, no attribute, not fast enough."

"Crimson Refining Snake, weak fire attribute, too old."

"Gale Rabbit, weak wind attribute, too young."

Along the way, Bibi Dong rattled them off like counting treasures, but none of the soul beasts were suitable.

The speed was so fast it felt like riding a high-speed train without a windshield. Su Yan couldn't even keep his eyes open.

A few hours later, the sun hung directly overhead. Bibi Dong, tireless, took Su Yan on another round.

Su Yan huddled behind Bibi Dong's back. "Teacher, how about we just find one that's a bit faster?"

"Let your teacher search a little more." Bibi Dong bit her vermilion lip with her silver teeth, unconsciously speeding up again.

"Xiao Yan, found the target!" Bibi Dong suddenly stopped, landing on a treetop, and pointed at a soul beast below. "Rattling Holy Spirit Lion, no attribute, around four hundred years old, fast, strong, with a tail that has control effects. Strong overall—perfect for a first soul ring."

"Who would've thought we'd find a grassland soul beast in the forest? Truly a gift from fate."

"That really is fate." Su Yan smiled, gripping Bibi Dong's armor skirt tightly.

Bibi Dong leaped high, her spider legs spreading out as if gliding as she descended slowly.

"Third Soul Skill, Death Spider Web!"

A white spider web shot toward the Rattling Holy Spirit Lion.

The lion, resting on the ground, hadn't even reacted before it was pinned down by the Death Spider Web, unable to move.

The whole process took but a moment. Su Yan's first soul ring was as good as claimed.

Bibi Dong landed lightly on the ground. Su Yan jumped down and saw that the poison from the Death Spider Web had already left the Rattling Holy Spirit Lion on the verge of death.

Soul rings are a very finicky thing—if you don't kill the soul beast yourself, you can't absorb it.

Bibi Dong handed Su Yan a dagger. "The last step—you have to do it yourself. Self-reliance brings abundance."

"Understood, Master." Su Yan walked up to the Rattling Holy Spirit Lion and drove his dagger straight into its heart, ending its life with minimal suffering.

A pale yellow soul ring slowly rose into the air.

"Use your soul power to lure the soul ring and draw it into your body," Bibi Dong instructed. All the surrounding paths had already been sealed with spider webs, ensuring the peace of this clearing.

"Lure it... alright." Su Yan sat cross-legged, releasing his Blazing Spirit Cat martial soul. He controlled a thread of soul power, attempting to soothe the departed Rattling Holy Spirit Lion's spirit.

But a wounded heart—who could it ever forgive?

Who could understand the feeling of having your nap interrupted halfway through!

The Rattling Holy Spirit Lion's unyielding will transformed into a gleam of holy light, surging into Su Yan's body.

"It looks like everything's normal." Bibi Dong wore large sunglasses, reclining in a rocking chair with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice beside her.

She took a deep breath and stretched lazily. Unfortunately, her armor skirt concealed all her curves, leaving only a snow-white, jade-like ankle exposed to the air, quickly covered again by the hem.

Time passed slowly. Bibi Dong finished the last sip of her orange juice and stood up.

Su Yan exhaled a mouthful of turbid air. The good habits cultivated from childhood training had given him a physique far surpassing ordinary people. The violent power within the soul ring caused him no trouble; he had absorbed it all completely.

The Rattling Holy Spirit Lion had joined the glorious evolution, becoming his first soul ring.

The Blazing Spirit Cat now bore an additional circle of yellow light.

"Success!" Su Yan could clearly feel his Soul Power Level break through its shackles at this moment, reaching level 11.

He had truly become a Soul Master.

"Xiao Yan, give it a try. What's the soul skill?" Bibi Dong tossed out a wooden stake and planted it in the ground.

Su Yan focused his energy, channeling soul power into the soul ring. A yellow light flared, and a surge of power gathered at the tips of his claws.

"First Soul Skill, Blazing Flash!"

Su Yan charged at the wooden stake. A streak of fire flashed past, and the stake was cleaved in two, the cut surface perfectly smooth.

Hmph, soul skills really were far more powerful than just clawing directly.

"Not bad power." Bibi Dong had already put on her glasses and was recording the data. "Try it with your other martial soul."

Su Yan switched to the Fire Wolf, raising both hands level. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth—this move looked a bit familiar.

"First Soul Skill, Wolf Fang Wind Wind Fist!"

Every punch sent flames tearing through the air. In an instant, dozens of blows shattered the newly replaced wooden stake into pieces.

"Try another one."

Su Yan extended his right hand. The burning Blue Silver Grass blazed even more fiercely as he channeled soul power into the soul ring.

"First Soul Skill, Blazing Entanglement!"

The Blue Silver Grass stretched several meters, coiling tightly around the wooden stake. A sizzling sound of flame scorching accompanied the grip.

"Excellent. Completely unrelated, no pattern at all." Bibi Dong took off her glasses and closed her eyes.

She had it so hard.