Vine of Life!

"Let's go." He turned and strode toward the city gates. "I've already picked out a place for Soul Hunting. It's not far from Nuoding City. There's a small Soul Beast Forest where quite a few Plant-type Soul Beasts live, ranging from a hundred to eight hundred years old. It's suitable for newly awakened Soul Masters like you."

Tang San hurried after him, while Huang Fei ambled along at the back.

Beyond Nuoding City's north gate lay a dirt road leading into the mountains.

Fields stretched out on both sides of the road. The wheat had been harvested not long ago, leaving only golden stubble in the soil.

A low range of hills rolled across the distance, covered in deep-green vegetation. That was the direction of the Soul Hunting Forest.

"Grandmaster, what kind of Soul Beast are we hunting?"

Tang San walked beside Yu Xiaogang. He glanced back at Huang Fei, then turned around and asked.

"A plant-type Soul Beast with a life-force attribute."

Yu Xiaogang's tone was mild, but his words were clear:

"Since you're determined to follow the Life Flow path, we'll go with your preference. I've already done my research and settled on two targets in this forest—one is a Vine of Life around four hundred years old, and the other is a Healing Grass around three hundred years old. Both are Soul Beasts with pure life-force attributes, suitable for Blue Silver Grass's First Soul Ring."

After a pause, he added, "If we can find a Vine of Life between four hundred and fifty and five hundred and fifty years old, that would be ideal for you."

Tang San's eyes brightened slightly.

Listening from behind, Huang Fei silently nodded.

Looks like Gangzi really had turned over a new leaf this time.

Whatever his reasons were.

Whether he was trying to win Tang San over or test his own theories.

At least when it came to Soul Rings, he had stopped insisting on the poison-control path from the original story and respected Tang San's choice instead.

That was enough.

As for whether he was still thinking, Once Tang San cooperates with my research, I'll slowly bend him back onto my path—that was a problem for later. For now, they needed to secure the Soul Ring.

"Grandmaster, what about Huang Fei?" Tang San asked again. "He has the same Martial Soul as me. Shouldn't he choose the same kind of First Soul Ring?"

Yu Xiaogang's brow furrowed.

He didn't want to answer that question.

Not because it was difficult, but because he didn't want to admit that Huang Fei following the same path as Tang San was the right choice.

In his mind, Tang San following the Life Flow path was Tang San's business. As for Huang Fei?

They could just find him some more-or-less suitable Soul Ring and be done with it.

"We'll see how things go," Yu Xiaogang said evasively. "It would be best if we can find two. If not, we can get one for you first and come back for Huang Fei next time."

"Oh," Tang San replied, saying nothing more.

Following behind, Huang Fei took in every change in Yu Xiaogang's expression.

He didn't rush to state his position or make any demands.

No need to be too eager.

The main goal this time was to make sure Tang San's Soul Ring was right. As for his own Soul Ring—if they could take care of it along the way, great. If not, there was no need to hurry.

After all, his Soul Power was stuck at level twenty. He wasn't in a rush to break through.

It took them about an hour to walk from the city gate to the Soul Hunting Forest.

Yu Xiaogang led them along a narrow path, avoiding the merchant caravans and other hunting parties they might have encountered on the main road.

Nothing unexpected happened along the way. It went so smoothly it was almost boring.

Once they entered the forest, the light dimmed.

Towering trees blocked most of the sunlight. Thick fallen leaves covered the ground, soft beneath their feet and utterly silent.

The air was heavy with the damp scent of grass and trees. Now and then, birds called from the canopy overhead, only for the wind to swiftly carry their cries away.

Yu Xiaogang led the way, using a wooden stick to push aside low shrubs. His movements were practiced and cautious.

His cultivation might not have been high, but in this low-tier Soul Beast Forest, where only Hundred-Year Soul Beasts lived, a level-twenty-nine Soul Grandmaster was more than capable.

Tang San walked in the middle, glancing around from time to time. His Purple Demon Eye was already quietly in motion.

At his current near-microscopic level, his eyesight far surpassed that of ordinary people. He could make out the patterns on leaves dozens of paces away.

Huang Fei trailed at the back with his hands tucked into his sleeves, following at an unhurried pace.

His Purple Demon Eye was at a far higher level than Tang San's—the threshold of the Mustard Seed Realm was enough to see through a Soul Beast's true form.

But he didn't deliberately activate it. He merely kept it running at its most basic level, which was enough to catch any unusual movements around them.

After about half an hour, Yu Xiaogang suddenly stopped.

He raised his left hand, signaling the others to be quiet.

Tang San and Huang Fei stopped at the same time and watched him in silence.

Yu Xiaogang's gaze settled on a patch of shrubs a short distance ahead. A pale-green glow shimmered there, especially conspicuous in the shadowy forest.

"There it is." He lowered his voice, a trace of a smile on his lips. "We're in luck. It's a Vine of Life, around four hundred and thirty years old."

Tang San's eyes lit up, and he was about to step forward when a hand pressed down on his shoulder.

He turned around. It was Huang Fei.

Huang Fei looked past his shoulder at the green glow. A flash of purple-gold light passed through his eyes.

It really was a Vine of Life.

A pure Plant-type Soul Beast. Its true form was a verdant vine, roughly as thick as an adult's arm, coiled around the roots of a large tree. A layer of faint green luminescence clung to the vine—the manifestation of its life force.

Its age was about right, too, a little over four hundred and thirty years.

It was perfect for Tang San.

"Go ahead." Huang Fei released his hand and nodded. "Be careful."

Tang San drew a deep breath and walked toward the green glow.

Huang Fei remained where he was, watching Tang San disappear into the shrubs.

A question suddenly occurred to him: if Tang San really succeeded in absorbing this Vine of Life, how would his system give him a Soul Ring?

Would it give him an upgraded First Soul Ring outright?

Or would he have to find a target Soul Beast of his own?

He would know soon enough.

The Vine of Life lay quietly coiled around the roots of the old tree. A faint glow shimmered across its verdant vines, as though they had been steeped in moonlight.

Tang San stood ten paces away, his Purple Demon Eye activated to its fullest. He could clearly see the patterns on the vine's surface and the life force emanating from its core.

"A life-type Soul Beast around four hundred and thirty years old," Yu Xiaogang said in a low voice, sounding somewhat pleased. "For your First Soul Ring, one this old is already beyond the usual standard. The ideal absorption limit for an ordinary Soul Master's First Soul Ring is four hundred and twenty-three years. You're stronger than most, so four hundred and thirty years should be just right."

Tang San nodded but didn't act at once.

He turned to glance at Huang Fei.

Huang Fei leaned against a tree trunk a few steps away, his hands tucked into his sleeves. He gave Tang San a slight nod.

The message was clear: No problem. Go ahead.

Tang San drew a deep breath, pulled a short dagger from his waist, and slowly approached the Vine of Life.

The vine seemed to sense the danger. Its glow suddenly brightened, and several slender tendrils extended from its main body, swaying slowly in the air as if warning off the intruder.