Absorbing Soul Rings, Finding a Way to Live

"Hahaha, he never used whale rubber? So it was Falling Devil who went to buy whale rubber with me over forty years ago!"

The Fifth Worship, Guangling Douluo, slapped his thigh and laughed.

Thousand Jun's face turned dark.

He looked at his brother, Falling Devil, trying to find some comfort from him.

Falling Devil turned his head to look out the window again, whistling, his right leg unconsciously twitching.

"Alright, alright, Thousand Jun was just too excited and made a mistake."

"We need to start acquiring whale rubber these days. It's best to send people to settle in coastal cities and thoroughly experiment with the full effects of whale rubber."

Golden Crocodile Douluo ended the conversation that made Thousand Jun Douluo embarrassed.

Sensing the commotion in the Worship Hall, Qian Daoliu shook his head helplessly.

"Little Huai, this whale rubber is an aphrodisiac after all. You need to calm your mind when you take it later."

Qian Daoliu used Angel Holy Fire to soften a piece of whale rubber for Lin Huai.

A strange aroma drifted out, very strong, but it only condensed around the whale rubber.

After the temperature dropped, Lin Huai swallowed the piece of whale rubber whole.

A warm current continuously surged from his meridians and flowed to his limbs and bones.

As his body temperature rose, Lin Huai felt like he was in a high-temperature sauna.

"Calm your mind and circulate your soul power."

Qian Daoliu used his soul power to place Lin Huai into a wooden barrel filled with green medicinal liquid.

A few minutes later, Lin Huai opened his eyes.

Feeling his strengthened physique, he said, "Teacher, I didn't feel any side effects from the whale rubber. Give me the other piece too!"

Qian Daoliu melted the whale rubber while teasing:

"Putting aside the fact that you're soaking in special medicine now, even if there were side effects, you haven't fully developed yet. This would at most interfere with your state of mind."

Lin Huai's old face blushed.

He had forgotten for a moment that he was still a 7-year-old child.

He took the second piece of whale rubber and swallowed it, refining it instantly.

After digesting it, Lin Huai circulated his soul power and casually swung his fists a few times.

"Teacher, the whale rubber didn't change my soul power circulation speed. It might have had an effect, but it wasn't strong."

"But it greatly improved my physique. I feel like I can now kill a cow with one punch."

Qian Daoliu released his soul power and carefully sensed Lin Huai's specific changes.

"Hmm, it seems that whale rubber only has a significant talent-enhancing effect on soul masters with low Innate Soul Power."

"The first dose had the greatest impact on your physique. The second dose's improvement was less than half of the first,"

Qian Daoliu withdrew his soul power and stated the results he perceived.

"There's no need to take a third piece. A hundred or two hundred years of cultivation doesn't have much impact on a thousand-year soul ring. With your current physique, soul rings below twelve hundred years are completely fine."

Qian Daoliu walked to the door: "Little Huai, what are your thoughts on your first soul ring?"

Lin Huai replied while changing his clothes.

"I hope to hunt a Jade Steel Mantis or a Flash Shadow Golden Feather Eagle. However, these two soul beasts mainly appear in the Sunset Forest. Actually, any soul beast with fast explosive speed, decent attack, and defense would do."

"Then we'll go to the Sunset Forest."

After speaking, Qian Daoliu took Lin Huai and disappeared into the training room like a golden light.

A day passed.

Qian Daoliu and Lin Huai appeared above the Sunset Forest, their powerful spiritual consciousness instantly spreading out.

A moment later.

Qian Daoliu spoke: "Found it. It completely meets your requirements."

Qian Daoliu held Lin Huai with his soul power and flew towards a cliff.

Lin Huai suddenly saw a giant eagle, over two meters tall and entirely golden, preening its wings on the rock face.

"A twelve-hundred-year Flash Shadow Golden Feather Eagle!"

Lin Huai exclaimed in surprise.

Qian Daoliu's eyes were filled with satisfaction.

"It seems you've learned a lot in the library this past year. You can even recognize mutated soul beasts and their corresponding ages at a glance."

Qian Daoliu released a massive hand made of soul power, seizing the Flash Shadow Golden Feather Eagle.

Lin Huai watched Qian Daoliu's silky-smooth operation.

He thought of Tang San, who had to hunt for his very first soul ring himself after becoming Yu Xiaogang's disciple.

He sighed inwardly, thinking how wonderful it was to have a powerful teacher, making the hunting of soul rings so effortless.

"Little Huai, do it."

Qian Daoliu descended with Lin Huai and the Flash Shadow Golden Feather Eagle.

"Understood, Teacher."

Lin Huai circulated his soul power, his right hand manifesting a golden gauntlet and that hiltless longblade.

Puchi—

The longblade cleanly severed the eagle's head.

Before long, a purple soul ring emerged from the headless corpse of the Flash Shadow Golden Feather Eagle.

Lin Huai looked at the soul ring before him and took a deep breath, hoping it would bring him a glimmer of survival!

He sat cross-legged on the ground and channeled his soul power to draw the soul ring toward him.

A surge of violent soul power instantly flooded into Lin Huai's meridians.

However, upon encountering a physique bolstered by two ten-thousand-year Whale Rubbers, the violent soul power quickly subsided.

Half an hour later, the purple soul ring gradually merged into Lin Huai's body.

Just as he was about to open his eyes, Lin Huai's consciousness drifted into a trance.

When he opened his eyes, he saw a figure with long, scarlet hair and a slender yet powerful build.

"Malenia!"

Lin Huai could be certain that the Malenia before him now possessed self-awareness; she was the true Malenia.

Malenia's sexy, slightly raspy voice rang out.

"Tarnished, I am deeply sorry for bringing the Scarlet Rot upon you."

"I will transmit to you, through our consciousness, the swordsmanship my teacher used to help me suppress the Scarlet Rot. Although it cannot solve the root cause, it will allow you to remain unaffected by the power of rot while cultivating and utilizing your domain."

Feeling Lin Huai's consciousness about to wake, Malenia spoke rapidly.

"There is no more time. Practice diligently; this will also extend your lifespan. I hope you can live until we meet again. I shall pray for you here."

"Wait, I..."

Before Lin Huai could ask his questions, his vision went black again, and his consciousness regained control of his body.

Opening his eyes, Lin Huai sighed.

He still had questions he wanted to ask.

"Little Huai, did that strange power go berserk?"

Seeing Lin Huai sigh, Qian Daoliu hurriedly released his soul power to sense the condition of his body.

Lin Huai realized Qian Daoliu's concern.

"It's not that, Teacher."

"After absorbing the soul ring, a set of swordsmanship suddenly appeared in my mind. This swordsmanship seems capable of suppressing the power of rot within me, preventing it from being triggered during my daily cultivation. Unfortunately, it cannot completely resolve the rot; it can only extend my life by a few years."

Qian Daoliu's face lit up with joy.

"Since you obtained a method of suppression after absorbing your first soul ring, perhaps you can acquire other methods when you absorb future soul rings."

"I was originally worried that after absorbing this soul ring, your remaining lifespan wouldn't be enough to support you until you obtained your second. Now, this should be enough to let you break through to Soul Elder."

Qian Daoliu looked at the erosion marks on Lin Huai's right arm, which had already spread to his upper arm.

He couldn't help but feel fortunate that they had obtained a method to suppress the Scarlet Rot, especially one involving the path of the sword, in which he himself had some insights.

Lin Huai composed his mindset and explained the effects of his soul skill to Qian Daoliu.

"My soul power has reached level 14, and it won't be long before I reach level 15."

"My first soul skill is called 'Flash Shadow'."

"Its effect is to increase my own speed and that of my martial soul by one hundred percent, and my attack power by fifty percent, lasting for ten minutes."

Qian Daoliu commented:

"As expected of a mutated spirit beast and an over-year absorption spirit ring, your current level indicates the Whale Rubber also played a part.

The spirit ability's effect is very strong; a typical spirit master's fourth spirit ring wouldn't achieve this.

As for the spirit power consumption, you don't need to worry about that. As you cultivate, the duration will gradually increase."

Lin Huai's expression was delighted as he added:

"Teacher, this spirit ability isn't just that."

"It has an additional effect. If you expend extra spirit power, you can also gain a boost in speed.

At most, you can consume spirit power at triple the rate to gain a two hundred percent speed increase!"

Qian Daoliu was quite surprised upon hearing such an effect.

"Such a terrifying effect, even a speed-attack type Spirit Sage would envy it. This completely goes against the rules of spirit ring effects."

After pondering for a moment.

"This should be your spirit, having a positive catalytic effect during absorption."

Qian Daoliu suddenly sensed someone looking their way.

"Who, come out for this old man!"