Life Soul Ring!

Egg Moves are moves that parent Pokémon pass down to their offspring. The offspring can use them from birth.

Since Ralts had become a Martial Soul, there were no parent Pokémon. That all but ruled out the possibility of an Egg Move.

What, then, was the unknown power Ralts had sensed?

"Life Soul Ring, Second Awakening, Martial Soul Evolution, Innate Domain." Listing the hidden powers she knew one by one, Bai Cai hugged Ralts tightly.

"First, rule out Innate Domain."

Innate Domain was related to the quality of a Martial Soul, but there had also been many exceptions throughout the history of Douluo Continent. For example, Tang San's aunt had suffered an inferior Martial Soul mutation and couldn't break through Soul Power Level 9, yet she had awakened an Innate Domain, the Noble Ring.

But an Innate Domain was an area-based Soul Skill innate to a Martial Soul. It needed no attached Soul Ring and didn't affect its use. So the unknown power definitely wasn't an Innate Domain.

"Next, rule out Second Awakening and Martial Soul Evolution."

A Level 10 Soul Scholar couldn't even bear the Soul Power shortfall caused by a Second Awakening. Likewise, Martial Soul Evolution required either external stimulation, such as an Immortal Herb or a suitable Soul Ring, or becoming a high-ranking Soul Master, whose Soul Power Level would drive the Martial Soul to evolve.

Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo, had broken through Level 90, and his Jade Phosphor Snake had evolved into a Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor. Most high-quality Martial Souls had a chance of evolving to some degree after gaining a Martial Soul Avatar or breaking through Level 90.

In fact, Soul Beasts underwent similar changes. Blue Silver Grass and the Blue Silver Emperor, Ice Jade Scorpion and Ice Jade Empress Scorpion, Evil Spirit Orca and Evil Orca King, Deep Sea Demon Whale and Deep Sea Demonic Whale King.

Bai Cai had been studying diligently at Farnos Junior Soul Master Academy. She hadn't taken any supplements to aid her cultivation, and she never ate anything indiscriminately.

Besides, in the Pokémon games, Ralts evolved into Kirlia at Level 20. After becoming a Martial Soul, its evolution level wouldn't be lower than 20.

Bai Cai suspected that Ralts's evolution in Soul Power Level would correspond to the thresholds Soul Masters faced. A three-ring Soul Elder could absorb a Thousand-Year Soul Ring, bringing a qualitative leap in strength. A five-ring Soul King could absorb a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, also bringing a qualitative leap. Those stages corresponded perfectly to Kirlia and Gardevoir.

"After ruling out the others, could the unknown power be a Life Soul Ring?" Bai Cai murmured.

Soul Beasts who transformed into humans could condense Soul Rings before Level 60. In the case of descendants born to transformed Soul Beasts and Soul Masters, such as Tang San, the Blue Silver King guided the power of the Blue Silver Emperor bloodline within him to condense a Life Soul Ring. His Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul underwent a Second Awakening and became the Blue Silver Emperor.

The Life Soul Ring of the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul, the bloodline power of the Blue Silver Emperor. Ralts's unknown power, Gardevoir's original power.

The signs were so similar. What's more, as Ralts guided the unknown power, the bottleneck in her Soul Power seemed to loosen.

"Ralts, could this unknown power be dangerous?" Bai Cai asked cautiously, keeping her wits about her.

The Soul Power Ralts gained by practicing the meditation method, added to the Soul Power Bai Cai gained by practicing it herself, would put her Soul Power Level above 20 in three years. That would be more than enough to qualify for Shrek Academy's special admissions program.

The Life Soul Ring had been condensed when Tang San broke through Level 50 and became a Soul King. His fourth Soul Ring had reached the Ten Thousand Year level, and he had taken three Immortal Herbs and tempered his body in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Bai Cai vaguely remembered that the Blue Silver King and a great many Blue Silver Grass plants had spent more than seven days helping Tang San condense his Life Soul Ring.

Would her Soul Power be enough to sustain the process of Ralts condensing a Life Soul Ring?

Without outside help, would it consume Ralts's original power and damage her foundation?

Condensing a Life Soul Ring would probably take Ralts half a month. How could Bai Cai hide her absence from the teachers and dean at Farnos Junior Soul Master Academy?

There were so many questions that needed answers: how a Life Soul Ring's color differed from that of a normal Soul Ring, how its Soul Skill related to its age, and more.

"Ralts, Ralts!" the blue-haired little one said earnestly.

When Ralts tried to guide the unknown power, she hadn't sensed any danger and could stop at any time. She could feel that the unknown power wouldn't hurt her.

"There won't be any danger." Bai Cai weighed the risks and rewards. "Without power, how can we take control of our own fate?"

"Million-Year Soul Ring, Holy Necromancer Electrolux, Martial Soul Fusion Skill, the favor of the Emperor Auspicious Beast. Even someone as powerful as Huo Gua still endured the pain of being parted from his loved ones."

"Besides my parents, my friends, and Ralts, I have nothing. I can't afford to lose the few things I do have."

"A Life Soul Ring may be even more precious than a God-Bestowed Soul Ring. What if Ralts can only condense her Life Soul Ring while she's still a Soul Scholar? If we give up now, I'll definitely regret it later."

With her resolve set, Bai Cai decided to condense the Life Soul Ring as soon as possible. To do that, she needed to apply to leave the academy, prepare enough food and water, avoid all Soul Masters, and find a safe place.

Ordinary Soul Masters who condensed Soul Rings were either transformed Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts or had a strong Soul Beast bloodline. The former meant a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring and a Soul Bone; the latter, leads to a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring and a Soul Bone.

How had Ah Yin died? How had Xiao Wu died?

Most Soul Masters would rather kill by mistake than let a chance slip by. Even if their Soul Rings were full and their potential exhausted, they would still keep Soul Beasts captive for their descendants.

"Compared with Soul Beast forests and the wilderness, Cainong Village is much safer." Bai Cai took a deep breath to steady herself, then immediately planned out her trip. "The semester's almost over. I can apply for a break on the grounds that I miss my family, then attach it to summer vacation. That'll give me plenty of time to condense the Life Soul Ring."

"The academy won't force exceptionally talented students with high Innate Soul Power to finish their Soul Master theory courses. As long as I show them a Soul Power Level above 7, they'll assume I've been working hard and approve my leave."

"I'll say I'm going home to visit my family and bring back some food and local specialties. That'll cover the food I use during my secret cultivation. Streams surround Cainong Village, so I can get water easily."

"Perfect plan!"

Bai Cai let Ralts go and found two sets of paper and brushes. Ralts used Confusion to control the stationery and wrote the application for Bai Cai to visit her family. Ralts often earned money by writing other students' assignments for them, and imitating Bai Cai's handwriting was easy.

Bai Cai focused intently on listing the key points of her plan and writing them down.

"The living allowance from the academy and the money Ralts earns writing assignments will be enough to buy food."

"Wolves and black bears often appear in the woods near Cainong Village, and venomous snakes and insects are everywhere. We should buy weapons, snake repellent, and insect repellent."

"I can't predict what color the Life Soul Ring will be. After condensing it, we should leave the academy as soon as possible."

"Ice Silkworms are good at disguising themselves and can create illusions. Ralts's Confusion and Telepathy are just the things to counter them. Too bad Ice Silkworms live in Cold Pine Forest and the Ice Plain in the Far North. They're much too far away."

"The Second Soul Ring has to grant a Soul Skill with a disguise effect."

"Star Dou Great Forest borders the Star Luo Empire and has a rich variety of Soul Beasts, including quite a few Spirit-Type Soul Beasts skilled at disguises. If we're lucky, we could not only find a suitable Second Soul Ring but also snag some of Huo Yuhao's secret-recipe grilled fish..."