"Other support-system Soul Masters could lift something this heavy at level thirty, yet you were already level forty." Tang Hao still looked disdainful.
"But I was only eleven!" Tang Liu said brazenly, as though it were only natural.
Tang Hao: "..." That actually seemed true. At Tang Liu's age, even the most talented support-system Soul Masters had probably only just entered the second ring. At most, they would be about the same as Xiao San.
So... it was actually normal for Tang Liu to be unable to lift it?
Bullshit! This brat was already level forty. No matter how useless a Soul Master was, once he reached level forty, lifting fifty kilograms with physical strength alone should have been effortless!
Tang Hao truly had no idea what was wrong with him. He was clearly almost able to absorb a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, yet he could not even lift a hammer.
Tang Hao's expression was complicated, as was his mood.
"Go out and run every morning."
"Not listening, not listening, turtle chanting scriptures!" Tang Liu covered his ears and ran off.
Tang Hao: "..."
A year later, in the Star Dou Great Forest.
Over the past few years, Tang Hao had brought Tang Liu here several times on and off, but they had never ventured too deeply. Each visit had been hurried, both coming and leaving.
This time, however, Tang Hao had come to help Tang Liu obtain a Soul Ring.
The third Soul Ring for the Ethereal Blue Silver Emperor.
Before coming here, Tang Liu had completed the second refinement of his Soul Power and had also cultivated a fourth Soul Ring for his Haolan Spell.
Once the long-term suppression was broken, Tang Liu's Soul Power had unexpectedly surged straight to level forty-three.
Had he not already compressed and purified his Soul Power twice, his Soul Power level would have been even higher.
According to the plan, after completing the second refinement of his Soul Power and condensing the fourth Soul Ring for Haolan Spell, Tang Liu was ready to obtain his first Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring.
Just as he had calculated, his physical strength could now withstand a fifteen-thousand-year Soul Ring.
Returning to the Star Dou Great Forest, the vibrant breath of life belonging to nature was still as rich as ever, refreshing the mind and spirit.
According to the laws of simulated cultivation, Tang Liu felt that if he cultivated within the Star Dou Great Forest, his cultivation speed might increase by around five percent from its current rate.
For someone like him, whose Soul Power was incomparably solid and whose cultivation had reached the Soul Ancestor realm, such an increase in cultivation speed was also a considerable boost.
"For your third Soul Ring, what kind of soul skill do you want to add?" Tang Hao asked as he held Tang Liu's hand and led him deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest.
This time, they planned to head directly into the Mixed Zone and begin their search there.
"My original plan was to find a soul skill that could Purify negative conditions. But if I go to an intermediate Soul Master Academy afterward, I'll probably have to participate in the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament. So I've decided to make my third and fourth Soul Rings into soul skills that will be more useful to my Soul Master teammates." Tang Liu thought for a moment before answering.
A year had passed, and Tang Liu had grown taller again, surpassing one meter forty. A cause for celebration...
Hearing him, Tang Hao said with interest, "So you're completely certain you'll be selected to compete? How do you know other academies won't happen to have a few people even more gifted than you?"
Tang Liu glanced at him, a hint of pride in his voice. "How many twelve-year-old Soul Ancestors have you seen on the entire continent?"
Tang Hao could not help laughing.
That was right. How many twelve-year-old Soul Ancestors could there be on the entire continent?
Moreover, if Tang Liu had not deliberately suppressed the speed of his Soul Power growth, then judging by his previously terrifying cultivation speed, he would probably already have become a Soul King.
"Then what kind of soul skill do you want to add that would be more useful to your Soul Master teammates?" Tang Hao asked.
"I've already decided." Tang Liu smiled mysteriously. "For my third Soul Ring, I want a Ten Thousand Year Jade Spirit Fox."
"Hm? You finally want to add a boosting skill?" Tang Hao was somewhat surprised after hearing the name of the Soul Beast Tang Liu had mentioned.
The Jade Spirit Fox held a very special status among Soul Beasts. Just as the Emerald Swan possessed only healing abilities, the Jade Spirit Fox possessed only support abilities.
Its support abilities were unlike the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda's enhancement of a single attribute. Instead, they amplified the damage dealt by Soul Beasts.
For example, if a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's Dark Gold Terrorclaw had a power of five, then after a Jade Spirit Fox amplified it once, its power would become ten.
Throughout that process, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear itself would not change in any way. It could be considered a rather niche support ability.
Tang Liu merely smiled mysteriously instead of directly answering Tang Hao's question. "You'll know once we find a Jade Spirit Fox."
Tang Hao glanced at him and did not continue dwelling on the subject.
Over the past few years, he had increasingly realized that Tang Liu was a child with many ideas. Everything he did had a strong sense of purpose.
Therefore, Tang Hao did not intend to interfere with his decisions. As long as Tang Liu did not place himself in danger, Tang Hao would let him do as he wished.
"Since Jade Spirit Foxes lack combat ability, they generally live in groups, and some powerful Soul Beasts usually accompany them. Have you figured out how to lure out a Jade Spirit Fox of a suitable age?" Tang Hao asked.
"Hm? I have to go myself?" Tang Liu looked bewildered.
"Before long, you'll be leaving me to find your brother. What about after that? You won't be able to rely on me for everything anymore. So from now on, you need to learn to rely on yourself." Tang Hao said flatly.
Tang Liu fell silent.
For a long while, neither father nor son spoke again. They simply walked silently deeper into the forest.
In the end, Tang Liu was the first to speak. "Dad?"
"Mm?"
"Promise me you won't stay too far away from us." Tang Liu raised his head and looked at him.
Tang Hao was silent for a moment, then nodded.
As though he had received an enormous promise, Tang Liu's face immediately broke into a brilliant smile.
He released Tang Hao's left hand, ran several steps ahead, then turned around to look at Tang Hao.
"Watch closely, old man. This time, you just need to follow from the side!"
Tang Liu raised his chin at Tang Hao, then smiled and ran toward the southeast of the forest.
As he ran, he released his first Martial Soul, the Ethereal Blue Silver Emperor.
After transparent, blue-crystal-like vines with golden patterns grew from his left palm, one yellow and one purple Soul Ring rose beneath his feet and circled his body as they pulsed.
By the way, why did my book title suddenly lose two words? If I remembered correctly, the title I used was So I Went to Douluo Continent, right? Where did the words "Douluo Continent" go? Did they get changed, just like the "Mana-Consuming" in Mana-Consuming Spell Compendium? [Utterly confused]
Before you continue