Douluo: Jianmu Martial Soul, Am I an Abomination of Abundance?

Though the little boy was very handsome, his talent was better than hers. She still felt a little unconvinced.

But everyone present was a Spirit Master, their senses far sharper than ordinary people's. At such close range, they could hear even the flutter of a mosquito's wings, let alone a little girl's muttering.

"Xiao Wu, don't be rude. Apologize now." Hearing his daughter's words, Huo Kuang immediately reprimanded her, then turned to Mu Changsheng and apologized. "Elder Mu, I'm truly sorry. My daughter is a little mischievous. Please don't take offense."

It was only a child's competitive spirit. How could Mu Changsheng possibly get angry over something like that?

He casually waved his hand and said with a faint smile, "No matter, no matter."

By then, Mu Ci had roughly figured out who the three of them were. The burly middle-aged man, Huo Kuang, was of the same generation as his father. Dressed in a gold-and-red uniform, he was clearly from Blazing Fire Academy. Since Huo Kuang had called the girl Xiao Wu, she had to be Huo Wu of Blazing Fire Academy. The other one was naturally her brother, Huo Wushuang.

Mu Ci looked at Huo Wu's unconvinced little face and found it amusing. She's pretty much exactly as the novel described. So proud at such a young age.

But Mu Ci, who had thoroughly read the Douluo series, naturally understood Huo Wu's temperament. He could not indulge her; the best choice was to thoroughly conquer her with strength.

Just look at Feng Xiaotian. He had spent so many years licking her boots and had even slowed down his cultivation for Huo Wu, yet she still had not given him a second glance. Only after he finally came to his senses did they end up together.

As for being a warm and gentle man, that was an even worse strategy. As the saying went, warm men ranked even below bootlickers. A girl like Huo Wu, who held herself above everyone else, would only be interested in the strong.

After thinking for a moment, Mu Ci smiled and said, "Little sister, I can't accept that. We're of the same generation, and we'll definitely both participate in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament in the future. Why don't we settle it on the arena then?"

"Little sister? I'm older than you. You're the little brother! But if you want to compete, then compete. I won't lose!" When Huo Wu heard this obviously younger boy call her little sister, anger flashed through her beautiful eyes. Without another word, she accepted this future challenge.

When Huo Wushuang heard his sister accept a challenge from someone of their generation, his responsibility as an older brother and youthful pride made him speak as well. "If you want to challenge my sister, you'll have to defeat me first."

Mu Changsheng and Huo Kuang looked at the agreement between the three little ones, exchanged glances, and burst into laughter.

For childish squabbles like this, all elders could do was laugh.

Afterward, the two exchanged a few more words, and Huo Kuang prepared to leave with the two children.

Before leaving, Huo Wu still looked unhappy, clearly unconvinced by being called little sister. She said to Mu Ci, "I won't lose, little brother!"

After saying that, Huo Wu stared at Mu Ci's face for a while, as though she wanted to etch it into her memory.

Then, like a spirit of fire, her figure flickered as ripples of crimson spread around her. She chased after her father and brother.

Mu Ci looked at the crimson shadow revealed behind Huo Wu after her Martial Soul Possession and fell into thought.

Although the concept of a Body Martial Soul only appeared in Douluo Two, he was now in the real Douluo Continent. He certainly could not follow the novels completely. Body Martial Souls definitely existed in this world as well.

Did Huo Wu's shadow count as a Body Martial Soul? If it did, did Ghost Douluo's Gui Mei count too? If they both counted, could they undergo a second awakening?

Mu Ci did not know, so he could only keep those questions in mind.

After this chance encounter, the two ate some food and returned to their prepared rooms to rest, ready for tomorrow's soul hunt.

Six-Hundred-Year Azure Vine

Star Dou Forest, mixed zone.

Mu Ci followed beside Mu Changsheng, his eyes sweeping over their surroundings as he remained alert for any Soul Beasts that might appear. Even with a Spirit Douluo beside him, he could not help but feel a trace of fear toward this vast world of Soul Beasts.

He was in the mixed zone now, not too far from the core zone. No one knew better than he did just how many terrifying existences were hidden there.

Even the weakest among them would leave them with no chance of survival if it happened to wander out and encounter them.

Within the boundless ancient forest, towering trees several meters thick rose into the sky. Their enormous canopies blotted out the sun, leaving the space beneath them so dark that it seemed like evening had already arrived.

The dim, dense forest was practically a predator's paradise. Compared to it, the Soul Hunting Forest Mu Ci had passed through before was like the difference between a ten-year Wind Baboon and a hundred-thousand-year Titan Giant Ape.

As the two continued onward, Mu Ci saw more and more groups of Soul Beasts: thousand-year Earth Explosive Bears catching fish in the river, packs of God-Slaying Wind Baboons, and Shadow Wolf packs whose emerald eyes could be seen in the dark forest while their bodies remained hidden.

Everything he saw and heard gave Mu Ci a more tangible understanding of this world.

Previously, his knowledge of this world had been nothing more than words from novels in his past life.

Even after transmigrating here, aside from the family members he spent day and night with, everything else had always felt vaguely unreal to Mu Ci.

But now, the uniqueness of Star Dou Forest forcefully flooded Mu Ci's five senses.

His nose caught the ancient scent accumulated over thousands and tens of thousands of years, while his eyes saw flora and fauna capable of overturning everything he had known in his past life.

The grandeur and diversity of the world gave Mu Ci a preliminary understanding of life and Abundance.

Within Mu Ci's body, the Abundant World Tree gave off a faint, barely perceptible glow.

After following Mu Changsheng for roughly half a day, they arrived at a grove draped in green vines.

Countless emerald strands hung down, their swaying branches like green giant pythons hunting the prey that entered this place. Beneath them, Soul Beast bones were piled like mountains, giving off an unbearable stench.

Mu Changsheng stopped with Mu Ci. A green ancient tree appeared behind him as the aura of an eighty-eighth-level Spirit Douluo erupted, and the majesty of the Everlasting Tree subdued the entire Azure Vine Forest.

Compared with beast-type Soul Beasts, plant-type Soul Beasts had a far stricter distinction in bloodlines.

In terms of Soul Beast cultivation, Mu Changsheng was at least an eighty-thousand-year plant king.

Seeing that the entire vine forest had ceased moving under his soul pressure, Mu Changsheng spoke to Mu Ci.

"This Azure Vine Forest was discovered in your great-grandfather's generation. There was originally an Azure Vine King over fifty thousand years old here. Your great-grandfather hunted it for his eighth Soul Ring, while these Azure Vines of several hundred and thousand years were left behind."

"Azure Vines possess great vitality and toughness. They are extremely suitable for our family's Everlasting Tree."

Mu Changsheng searched through the already-subdued Azure Vine Forest for a Soul Beast of suitable age.

Soon, Mu Changsheng found one Azure Vine that had just reached four hundred years. With a point of his finger, a green beam of Soul Power blasted apart its roots, exposing its fragile core.

"Little Ci, use the weapon you prepared to sever its roots and absorb its Soul Ring."

"This one's age is just right. An Azure Vine's age can be judged by its diameter. Below a thousand years, its diameter increases by one centimeter every hundred years. This one is exactly four centimeters."

Listening to his grandfather's explanation, Mu Ci shook his head and pointed at another vine nearby. "Grandfather, I think that one, which is over six hundred years old, suits me better."

"Nonsense. Absorbing a Soul Ring is no trivial matter. A first Soul Ring of around four hundred years has been recognized by all Spirit Masters for thousands of years as the optimal age. Don't aim too high. It isn't as though no Spirit Masters have tried to absorb Soul Rings beyond their limits before, but most of them exploded and died."

Hearing his grandson brazenly claim that he wanted to absorb a Soul Ring beyond his limit, Mu Changsheng immediately frowned and sternly reprimanded him.

Mu Ci was not surprised by his grandfather's opposition, but for the sake of his future, he still intended to persuade him with reason.

"Grandfather, I've read the books in your study, and I know the precautions for absorbing Soul Rings."

"I remember that they stated that absorbing Soul Rings below ten thousand years is largely similar. The main issue is enduring the impact of the Soul Power within the Soul Ring."

"And the books clearly state that the stronger a Spirit Master's physical condition is at each stage, the higher the age of Soul Ring they can absorb."

"This can also be proven by the fact that powerful Beast Martial Soul Spirit Masters can always absorb Soul Rings of higher ages than Tool Martial Soul Spirit Masters with frailer bodies."

Seeing his grandfather's expression soften slightly, as though he had thought of something, Mu Ci was secretly delighted and continued, "Grandfather, ever since reading that book, I have been diligently training my body. Everyone has seen that."

"If you don't believe me, you can test me. I definitely won't be inferior to a level-twenty Spirit Master."

With that, Mu Ci extended his arm toward his grandfather, waiting for him to examine his body.

It was not that Mu Ci had confidence in his training methods. Three years of hard training could at most make him a little stronger than children his age. Absorbing a Soul Ring slightly above five hundred years would already be his limit.

His real confidence came from the Whale Rubber he had eaten before setting out. He had spent years of pocket money to ask a merchant guild to purchase that high-quality Whale Rubber. It had to be at least three or four thousand years in quality, more than enough to raise his absorption limit by a hundred years.

Mu Changsheng still frowned as he reached out and pulled his grandson over. Green Soul Power began to surge up and down through Mu Ci's body.

The more he examined him, the more astonished Mu Changsheng became. He discovered that his grandson had been right: his physical condition was no worse than that of a prospective Soul Grandmaster who had yet to absorb a second Soul Ring.

Countless thoughts raced through Mu Changsheng's mind. Could a few years of physical training really bring one's physique up to that of a Soul Grandmaster? Or was his grandson's training method especially effective?

"Mm, your body truly is as you said, no worse than a Soul Grandmaster's. I can let you try."

"But let me make this clear first. If anything goes wrong, I will immediately interrupt you. I'd rather see you injured than let anything happen to you."

In the end, Mu Changsheng agreed to his grandson's request. He had calculated it as well. Absorbing that six-hundred-year Soul Ring carried some risk, but it was worth trying.

If he succeeded, a six-hundred-year first Soul Ring would absolutely surpass that of every known Spirit Master. His future path would be visibly bright.

If their family could find Mu Ci a Soul Bone before he obtained his second ring, then perhaps a thousand-year second ring might not be impossible either.

Having made up his mind, Mu Changsheng turned and waved at the six-hundred-year Azure Vine. A tremendous burst of Soul Power caused its roots to explode just like those of its kin.

Mu Ci solemnly nodded to his grandfather, then, with a serious expression, gripped his knife and fiercely slashed at the exposed root core.

With its life under threat, even though it had already been subdued, its body began to convulse as it struggled for a sliver of survival.

But with Mu Changsheng there, how could hunting a hundred-year Soul Beast possibly result in an accident? Under the crushing soul pressure, let alone a hundred-year Azure Vine, even a thousand-year one could not move.

Before long, the Azure Vine stopped convulsing, and its aura dissipated.

Powerful Soul Power escaped from the corpse, swirling and gathering in the air to form a dark yellow Soul Ring.

Mu Ci looked at the Soul Ring circling in midair and took a deep breath before sitting cross-legged in front of it.

He raised both hands and summoned his Jianmu Martial Soul. A faint azure-gold glow drifted in his palms, forming a palm-sized little tree.

Mu Ci fixed his eyes on the Soul Ring in the distance and began using his meditation technique to draw it in, creating a connection between it and his Martial Soul.

Drawn by the Martial Soul, the Soul Ring moved above Mu Ci's head and slowly pulsed up and down.

At the same time, Mu Ci felt an enormous amount of Soul Power flood into his meridians like scorching magma. The bones throughout his body crackled under the pressure of the Soul Power.

However, although the six-hundred-year Soul Power was immense, it remained within his tolerance. Before long, the scorching Soul Power began to cool, circulating through his body in accordance with his Martial Soul's instincts, while his body began growing under the nourishment of the Soul Power.

Mu Changsheng stared fixedly at his grandson's body, not daring to relax in the slightest.

When he saw Mu Ci's skin turn crimson immediately after the absorption began, green light exploded from his body in fright. He had nearly interrupted the process on the spot.

But he quickly calmed down. It only looked frightening. Upon careful observation, Mu Ci's expression was still far from the point of being unable to endure it, so he slowly withdrew his Soul Power.

He walked to the side and sat down, his immense spiritual power covering an area of a thousand meters as he remained alert for any danger.

Although Mu Changsheng had absolute confidence in his own strength, and his eighty-eighth-level Soul Power was enough to let him move freely through this region, he still had to remain on the highest alert just in case.

First Soul Skill

Two hours later.

Mu Ci, who had sat cross-legged on the ground for a long time, slowly opened his eyes.

Feeling the surging strength within his body, Mu Ci's face lit up with delight as he eagerly summoned his Martial Soul.

The dark yellow first Soul Ring began spinning and pulsing beneath him. The three-meter-tall Abundant World Tree manifested behind Mu Ci. With the Soul Ring's support, the Jianmu Martial Soul no longer had to remain confined to his palm.

The Abundant World Tree's appearance had not changed much after absorbing the Azure Vine. It merely looked more ancient and resilient. However, the azure-gold runic radiance flowing along its branches and vines had begun spreading downward, making it extremely similar to the Azure Vine Forest behind him.

Just as Mu Ci carefully experienced the first Soul Skill brought by the Azure Vine, his Martial Soul suddenly trembled. The Path Power also received feedback, as though something had been born.

But before he could investigate further, Mu Changsheng's voice reached him and interrupted his thoughts.

"Now that you've absorbed the Soul Ring, let's leave first. Star Dou Forest isn't a place to linger for long. Who knows when some super Soul Beast might show up."