Su Mo Absorbs His First Spirit Ring and Blood Essence

The Blood Moon Howling Wolf raised its head, lowered its body, bared its gleaming white fangs, and let out a deep growl from its throat.

It did not pounce immediately.

Perhaps sensing the danger, it chose to retreat step by step, its blood-red pupils filled with vigilance.

However, it had only taken a few steps back.

Golden Crocodile Douluo released merely a trace of pressure, and the Blood Moon Howling Wolf seemed to be pinned beneath an invisible mountain. Its limbs gave way, and its entire body slammed heavily onto the ground.

It struggled desperately, yet could not move an inch. It could only lie there and let out helpless whimpers, its pupils full of terror.

"Blood Moon Howling Wolf," Golden Crocodile Douluo said. "An assault-type Soul Beast with a berserk ability. Its combat strength soars beneath the moonlit night, and it is quite compatible with your Martial Soul, Xiao Mo."

He paused, a hint of regret entering his voice. "Unfortunately, it has already cultivated for seven hundred years.

"Although you have consumed Whale Rubber and your physique is much stronger than that of others your age, a seven-hundred-year Spirit Ring still exceeds the limit by far. Absorbing it rashly would be far too dangerous."

Su Mo looked at the Blood Moon Howling Wolf lying on the ground and fell silent for a moment.

Then he raised his head and looked at Qian Xunji and Golden Crocodile Douluo. "Grandpa Golden Crocodile, Teacher, I want this one."

"No." Qian Xunji refused almost immediately. "Seven hundred years is too dangerous."

He looked at Su Mo with a stern expression. "You possess a weapon Martial Soul. Your physical constitution is inferior to that of beast Martial Soul Spirit Masters.

"Dong'er absorbing a Spirit Ring of just over five hundred years was already her limit. You have a weapon Martial Soul, yet you want to absorb one that is seven hundred years old. The risk is too great."

"Your teacher is right." Golden Crocodile Douluo also spoke up. "Xiao Mo, Grandpa Golden Crocodile will find you another one with a suitable cultivation period. This forest has plenty of Soul Beasts. We do not lack this one."

"Teacher, Grandpa Golden Crocodile." Su Mo's expression was resolute. "Trust me. I can do it. My Martial Soul... it desires this Soul Beast."

Su Mo was not lying.

The Asura Demon Sword within him was faintly stirring.

He could not explain what it was, but he could sense that he could absorb this Soul Beast.

Qian Xunji frowned deeply and looked toward Golden Crocodile Douluo.

Golden Crocodile Douluo pondered for a moment, then looked again into Su Mo's earnest eyes.

Su Mo's Martial Soul was a god-tier Martial Soul. Perhaps it truly possessed some special quality?

In the end, he gave a slight nod. "Let him try."

"Fine." Qian Xunji was silent for a moment before finally nodding in agreement. "But if he shows any sign of discomfort, I will interrupt him immediately."

"Yes, Teacher," Su Mo replied.

Bibi Dong stood to the side, looking first at her teacher, then at Grandpa Golden Crocodile. Finally, her gaze settled on Su Mo.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately said nothing. Only a trace of worry appeared in her bright eyes.

A moment later, the Blood Moon Howling Wolf lay on the ground, barely clinging to life.

Unlike Bibi Dong, Su Mo did not take out a dagger. Instead, he raised his right hand.

Dark-red light gathered in his palm, and the Asura Demon Sword slowly emerged from it.

The sword was three feet long and three inches wide, entirely dark red, its blade covered in intricate demonic patterns.

The instant the sword appeared, unprecedented terror suddenly surged into the blood-red pupils of the Blood Moon Howling Wolf lying on the ground.

It was not fear of death, but an instinctive terror that made its soul tremble.

The Blood Moon Howling Wolf let out a shrill growl and tried to flee, but in its current near-death state, it could not move in the slightest.

Su Mo tightened his grip on the sword and walked toward the Blood Moon Howling Wolf step by step.

Unlike Bibi Dong, there was not the slightest fear on his face. Even when facing a Soul Beast several times larger than himself, his eyes held only calmness.

Su Mo reached it, raised his hand, and thrust fiercely.

The dark-red blade pierced through the Blood Moon Howling Wolf's throat.

The Blood Moon Howling Wolf twitched twice. The light gradually faded from its blood-red pupils, which dimmed before slowly dispersing.

However, something bizarre happened.

Normally, when a sharp sword pierced through one's throat, blood should have gushed out.

Yet at this moment, not a single drop of blood flowed from the Blood Moon Howling Wolf's wound.

Instead, an extremely faint blood-colored mist slowly seeped from the wound.

The mist was so thin that it was almost invisible, yet it undeniably existed.

The instant the mist touched the blade, it vanished without a trace, as though the Asura Demon Sword had absorbed it.

Su Mo only felt the Asura Demon Sword in his hand tremble faintly.

The tremor was very slight, but he could clearly sense it: satisfaction, delight.

The demonic patterns on the sword flickered faintly. Dark-red light flowed across it for an instant before returning to calm.

Su Mo also felt the Soul Power within his body increase by a trace.

Though it was only a trace, he sensed it clearly.

Su Mo understood. This might be the ability of the Asura Demon Sword Martial Soul.

The Asura God had originally been a god of slaughter, so his Asura Demon Sword Martial Soul could absorb that blood mist to enhance his strength.

Su Mo guessed that perhaps, as long as he continued killing, his strength would grow ever greater. Once his killing intent accumulated to a certain degree, he might even awaken a domain. He just did not know whether it would be Divine Slaughter's Domain.

He silently kept this discovery in mind, his expression remaining unchanged.

Fortunately, in this era, awakening an evil Martial Soul did not automatically mean one would be labeled an Evil Soul Master.

Otherwise, Bibi Dong, who possessed the two evil Martial Souls of the Death Spider Emperor and Soul-Eating Spider Emperor, could never have been accepted by Qian Xunji as a disciple, much less become the future pope.

Martial Souls were innate. Whether one was righteous or evil, good or wicked, depended entirely on the path chosen by the Spirit Master.

Being able to cultivate through slaughter and actively relying on slaughter to cultivate were two different things.

Not far away, Qian Xunji and Golden Crocodile Douluo witnessed the entire scene.

They exchanged a glance, and both saw a meaningful look in the other's eyes.

That sword was actively absorbing blood essence.

Both men understood what that meant.

Su Mo's Martial Soul could cultivate through slaughter. If he strayed down the wrong path or had his mind influenced by killing intent, he might very well become a Fallen Soul Master.

Qian Xunji stepped forward and looked at Su Mo with a stern expression. "Xiao Mo, after you killed that Soul Beast just now, did the power within your body increase?"

Su Mo raised his head, met Qian Xunji's gaze, and nodded. "Yes, Teacher."

Seeing that Su Mo's gaze remained clear and that he did not seem to have been affected, Qian Xunji continued, "You must remember this: Martial Souls are innate, but one's path is one's own to walk.

"You must never actively rely on slaughter to cultivate in the future.

"One of Spirit Hall's duties is to strike down those Fallen Soul Masters who slaughter innocents for the sake of cultivation. Do you understand what I mean?"

Su Mo nodded earnestly. "Rest assured, Teacher. This disciple will never slaughter innocents."

Qian Xunji looked into his eyes. They were clear and resolute.

After a moment, he gave a slight nod, and his expression softened somewhat. "All right. Prepare to absorb the Spirit Ring."