Startled Awake While Near Death; This Shouldn't Be Happening, Right?

However, the problem soon appeared.

No matter how Tang San circulated the Mysterious Heaven Skill or how hard he tried to release his Soul Power to draw in the hundred-year Soul Ring, the bright yellow ring seemed welded in midair, completely unmoving.

After several attempts that left his face red from holding his breath, Tang San still failed to absorb the Soul Ring.

Third Brother had not expected this situation.

By now, he was sweating profusely, staring at his jade-colored hands as he began to question his life.

Why couldn't he absorb it?

Was his posture wrong?

Or had the internal power of the Mysterious Heaven Skill conflicted with this thing called a Soul Ring?

With those doubts in mind, Tang San could only turn to the weakened Yu Xiaogang beside him for advice.

"Teacher, why can't I absorb this Soul Ring?"

Gangzi, who had been sprawled on the ground and groaning in pain, suddenly jolted upright like a dying man sitting bolt upright in bed. Clutching the stump of his severed arm, he staggered over.

The moment he approached, his expression changed drastically.

To his horror, he discovered that although his Soul Power was stuck at the peak of Rank 29 without the slightest sign of improvement,

the Datura Snake's Soul Ring before him had actually formed a strange, mutually reinforcing connection with him?

It was as though the Soul Ring were warmly calling out to him!

In an instant, something called World-Shocking Wisdom began elbowing his brain like mad.

This was bad!

The underlying rule of Douluo Continent was: "Whoever dealt the final blow gets the Soul Ring."

Could it be... that the world's rules had determined that this Datura Snake had been killed by Yu Xiaogang?!

Recalling that unbearable scene from earlier...

Gangzi's face instantly turned a dark, sickly green.

And the current situation seemed to have no other reasonable explanation.

If this ridiculous truth got out, would Master Yu still be able to hold his head up in the Soul Master world? Would he have any face left at all?

"Cough, cough!" Master Yu's Flat-top whirred frantically. He cleared his throat and forcibly assumed the air of an unfathomable master. "Xiao San, stop trying."

"After my observation just now, this Soul Ring's age is too high. The violent energy it contains far exceeds the limit your body can currently withstand.

Martial Souls have spirits. It is rejecting you, an instinctive act of self-preservation by your body."

"It seems we can only look for another Soul Ring that is more 'suitable' for you."

Tang San nodded as though he understood.

Although he felt that something was off, the moment he saw his teacher's arm, which had been severed to save him, the last trace of doubt in his heart vanished, leaving only gratitude and trust.

His teacher had risked his life for him. How could he possibly deceive him?

Thus, master and disciple supported each other as they limped toward the outskirts of the Soul Hunting Forest.

As for that superb Datura Snake Soul Ring, it could only remain there alone, slowly dissipating with the passage of time.

Along the way, Yu Xiaogang nearly ground his molars to dust.

This soul hunt had been an absolute loss! Not only had he gained nothing, he had even lost an arm.

Gangzi secretly swore to himself that when Xiao San reached Rank 20, no matter what, he would not show off again. He absolutely had to call in some of the connections he had made back then.

After all, the strength of a Rank 29 Soul Grandmaster at his peak was indeed a little too close to the limit.

He could never again rashly bring his disciple to hunt Soul Beasts alone.

Before long, near the edge of the forest, master and disciple happened upon the Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo they had encountered when entering the forest.

To be honest, Gangzi did not want to spend even one more second in the forest.

If not for the sake of his reputation as a master of theory, he truly wanted Tang San to directly absorb the Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo's Soul Ring.

But Master Yu's gaze soon locked onto another target.

A hundred-year Tyrant Flower entered his field of vision.

The vile stench it emitted kept even snakes, insects, rats, and ants from coming anywhere near it.

A poison attribute?

Though Master Yu felt it was a pity that it was a plant-type Soul Beast, it was still perfectly suitable!

Master Yu quickly stepped forward, pointed at the ugly hundred-year Tyrant Flower, and said as though it were only natural,

"Xiao San, choose it as your first Soul Ring."

"This Tyrant Flower is already a hundred years old."

"After you absorb it, your Blue Silver Grass will definitely gain greater toughness! At the same time, it will also acquire a poison attribute! This is true perfect compatibility!"

Blinded by his trust in Yu Xiaogang, Tang San did not say much.

Since his teacher insisted that his current body could not withstand the Datura Snake's Soul Ring, then settling for this hundred-year Tyrant Flower was a prudent choice.

Besides, according to his teacher, the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul was merely a foundation used to conceal the hammer Martial Soul in his left hand. It did not matter if the age of his first Soul Ring was a little lower.

"Xiao San, the weakness of a Tyrant Flower Soul Beast lies in its roots.

"You only need to sever its root stem, and you can easily obtain its Soul Ring."

Yu Xiaogang's urge to lecture others flared up again.

Out of habit, he raised his chin at a forty-five-degree angle, his nostrils pointed toward the sky. Subconsciously, he wanted to place his left hand behind his back and press his right fist against his chest, striking his signature Invincible Theory Master pose.

However, halfway through the motion, he suddenly felt the left side of his body was strangely light, while a draft blew through his empty sleeve.

Only then did Gangzi suddenly realize.

Oh, his left hand had just been physically removed by his beloved disciple.

That was rather awkward.

But for Yu Xiaogang, as long as he was not embarrassed, it was everyone else who would be embarrassed.

Without changing expression, he forcibly bent his half-raised right arm behind his back, stubbornly maintaining that unfathomable silhouette.

Tang San naturally did not notice his teacher's comical movements.

He gripped the short dagger in his hand. His figure flashed as he swung several slashes straight at the Tyrant Flower's roots.

With several soft squelches, the Tyrant Flower snapped apart.

Soon, specks of light gathered, and a pale yellow hundred-year Soul Ring slowly rose above the Tyrant Flower's remains.

Tang San stared at the Soul Ring and froze.

Wait, was this right?

He had originally thought that even if he could not absorb the 423-year limit Soul Ring his teacher had mentioned, he could at least absorb one over three hundred years old.

Yet the color of the Soul Ring before him was clearly much lighter than that of the Datura Snake's Soul Ring from before.

His instinctive thirst for knowledge made Tang San turn his head and ask with a trace of confusion, "Teacher, this color..."

Gangzi's heart skipped a beat as he inwardly cursed.

He had been careless! This foolish boy had actually learned to apply what he had been taught!

At that moment, the master felt immense regret. He should never have poured out all those theories about identifying the age of Soul Rings during their journey.

Was it that he did not want to get his precious disciple a four-hundred-year limit Soul Ring?

He simply did not have the ability, all right?