Azure Essence Sword Art

Library.

After learning why Li Han had come, Mo Hen looked surprised.

"You've broken through to level ten?"

"Yes, Teacher. The dean said he would arrange for someone to take me to Soul Hunting Forest tomorrow, so I won't be able to come to the library for the next two days.

Please arrange for someone else to fill in for me first. I'll resume work as soon as I return."

Mo Hen studied Li Han deeply before smiling.

"Good. I never expected you to raise your Soul Power by four levels in a single year. That's truly impressive.

Go back and prepare properly.

Your first hunt for a soul beast is a major event for you."

"Mm."

Li Han turned and left. As Mo Hen watched his retreating back, a glint flashed through his eyes.

"A Work-Study Student breaking through four levels in a year... Could he have encountered some enormous stroke of fortune?

This is worth investigating properly."

As Mo Hen thought this, a trace of greed appeared in his eyes.

Elsewhere, Li Han returned to the empty Dorm Seven and took out his Storage Bag.

"A Storage Bag—an essential item for cultivators.

Though it only has ten cubic meters of storage space for now, that's enough.

And it has the special ability to expand as my cultivation rises, so I won't need to worry about running out of storage space in the future."

Li Han immediately packed all the equipment he had accumulated over the past year into it.

He did not have much, so there was still plenty of room in the Storage Bag.

"With this Storage Bag, gathering medicinal herbs in Soul Hunting Forest will be much more convenient."

Li Han began to look forward to it.

He had not had the conditions to refine medicine for an entire year, and it had nearly driven him mad.

This time, he had to bring back more medicinal ingredients and refine a pile of pills so he could experience the joys of relying on drugs.

Early the next morning.

Li Han carried a small bundle on his back and ran into Mo Hen at the academy gates.

"Teacher Mo Hen, why are you here?"

Li Han asked in surprise.

"I'll be leading you this time. Let's go."

Mo Hen said with a smile.

Li Han understood, though he found it somewhat strange.

Mo Hen was a teacher in charge of logistics and rarely participated in matters like this.

However, Mo Hen was a level twenty-five assault-type Soul Grandmaster. His strength was sufficient to help Li Han obtain his first Soul Ring.

After all, first Soul Rings mostly came from ten-year or hundred-year soul beasts, which an ordinary assault-type Soul Grandmaster could handle with ease.

Soul Grandmasters like Yu Xiaogang, who had nearly been killed by a hundred-year soul beast, were rare.

Therefore, Li Han did not suspect anything and gladly accepted.

After all, he and Mo Hen were fairly familiar with each other.

Li Han promptly boarded a carriage bound for Soul Hunting Forest with Mo Hen.

Soul Hunting Forest was about a day's journey from Nuoding City. It was an area specially used by the Heaven Dou Empire to raise soul beasts.

Most of the soul beasts inside were ten-year or hundred-year beasts, with almost no thousand-year beasts. The danger level was therefore very low, and its Soul Rings were only suitable for Soul Masters below level thirty.

A specific token was required to enter. Otherwise, the Heaven Dou Empire troops stationed there would not allow anyone through.

A day later, the two arrived at the entrance to Soul Hunting Forest.

Mo Hen produced his authorization, and the Martial Soul Hall Enforcement Group immediately let them through. The two entered Soul Hunting Forest without trouble.

"So this is Soul Hunting Forest?"

Li Han looked around curiously and had already spotted quite a few low-level soul beasts recorded in books.

It was his first time seeing soul beasts, so he naturally found them novel.

"Ding! Congratulations, host, for checking in at Blood Forbidden Land. Reward: Azure Essence Sword Art."

Li Han's eyes immediately lit up.

The Azure Essence Sword Art had arrived so soon?

If the situation had allowed it, he truly wanted to stop and study the Azure Essence Sword Art properly.

At that moment, Mo Hen suddenly spoke.

"Li Han, you have good talent. If possible, it would be best for you to hunt a hundred-year soul beast.

That way, your future potential will be greater."

"Thank you for the reminder, Teacher. That was what I was thinking as well.

Among the hundred-year bamboo-type soul beasts in Soul Hunting Forest are Lone Bamboo, Giant Wood Bamboo, Arrow Bamboo, and others.

I only need to choose whichever of those three has the highest age."

At his words, a glint flashed through Mo Hen's eyes.

"This brat is quite ambitious. It seems he really has something to rely on if he dares set his sights on a hundred-year Soul Ring."

Mo Hen thought to himself, becoming even more certain that Li Han possessed some unusual treasure.

One had to know that among students from Nuoding Academy, nearly all first Soul Rings were ten-year Soul Rings. It was already good if there was one hundred-year Soul Ring every five years.

Even Mo Hen's first Soul Ring had been a ten-year Soul Ring.

Thus, ordinary students simply did not have the nerve to seek a hundred-year Soul Ring.

Li Han did, and that alone was unusual.

"Heh, it seems you did your homework in advance.

Since you have already made your choice, we'll follow your lead.

Take this dagger.

You'll need to deal the fatal blow when hunting the soul beast, and this dagger will do nicely."

As Mo Hen spoke, he took a black dagger from his robes and handed it to Li Han.

"Thank you, Teacher."

Li Han was delighted and quickly accepted it.

He truly needed a weapon.

"Let's go. I remember there being a bamboo grove ahead. Perhaps it has the soul beast you need."

"Yes, Teacher."

The two walked one behind the other toward the depths of Soul Hunting Forest.

Along the way, several ten-year soul beasts blocked their path, but Mo Hen easily dealt with them all.

Li Han also saw Mo Hen's Martial Soul—Ghost Hand.

It was a large, ink-black hand wreathed in sinister energy, and it looked extremely strange.

An hour later, Li Han and Mo Hen entered a bamboo grove.

"This is a Lone Bamboo grove. Most of the Lone Bamboo here are around ten years old.

But under normal circumstances, a few hundred-year Lone Bamboo will grow among them.

Look. Those up ahead should be them."

Mo Hen pointed toward several Lone Bamboo in the distance that were visibly taller than ordinary ones.

Normal Lone Bamboo were only three or four meters tall, but these were over ten meters high and much thicker as well.

"Hundred-year Lone Bamboo..."

Li Han's eyes brightened as the knowledge of soul beasts in his mind flashed past.

Lone Bamboo was known for its toughness, strong defensive properties, and most importantly, its dense wood attribute.

Before coming here, he had specifically reviewed the relevant materials, so he easily determined the approximate ages of the hundred-year Lone Bamboo before him.

Once Lone Bamboo reached a hundred years, it could grow to ten meters tall with a diameter of ten centimeters.

After that, it gained one meter in height and one centimeter in diameter for every additional hundred years.

The tallest among these Lone Bamboo was seventeen meters, making it eight hundred years old.

A slightly shorter one stood at twelve meters, placing it at around three hundred years.

The rest were only around one or two hundred years old and were not worth mentioning.

According to Yu Xiaogang's theory, the limit for a first Soul Ring was roughly 423 years. The eight-hundred-year Lone Bamboo clearly exceeded that limit.

The three-hundred-year one was the most suitable.

Yet Li Han decided to absorb the eight-hundred-year Lone Bamboo instead.

Yu Xiaogang's theory was only applicable to ordinary people at most, but Li Han was not an ordinary person.

The age limit of a Soul Ring was directly related to a Soul Master's physical condition.

The stronger one's physique, the higher the age of the Soul Ring one could absorb.

A few days ago, he had cultivated his Elephant Armor Skill to the third level. His physical condition far surpassed that of ordinary Soul Masters, so he could try this eight-hundred-year Soul Ring.

"Teacher Mo Hen, I want to absorb that largest Lone Bamboo."

Li Han pointed at the eight-hundred-year Lone Bamboo as he spoke.

Mo Hen looked at the Lone Bamboo upon hearing this.

"This Lone Bamboo appears to be quite old. I'm afraid it has already exceeded the limit of a first Soul Ring.

If you forcefully absorb it, you could easily explode and die.

To be safe, shouldn't you absorb the smaller one instead?"

Mo Hen did not know much about Lone Bamboo and could not determine its exact age, but he could tell at a glance that the bamboo was old.

"Teacher, I've read the materials. This Lone Bamboo is only a little over three hundred years old, which makes it very suitable for me."

Li Han knew this was the time to bluff, lest he create unnecessary complications.

"Li Han often reviews information on soul beasts in the library. He should not be unfamiliar with Lone Bamboo.

This Lone Bamboo is clearly more than three hundred years old. Why is he lying to me?

Could it be that he is truly confident he can absorb such a high-aged Soul Ring?

Forget it. No need to overthink it.

If he fails to absorb it, that is simply his own misfortune.

But if he succeeds, it will be enough to prove that he has encountered some extraordinary opportunity.

Then, when the time comes..."

A thoughtful glint flashed through Mo Hen's eyes, and he quickly nodded in agreement.

"Fine, we'll do as you say. I'll restrain it, and you go up and kill it."

"Thank you, Teacher."