Iron-Eroding Polymorphic Spider

Qian San shuddered, his eyes widening in an instant.

He had thought his Tang Sect techniques from his past life were hidden flawlessly, never imagining that his father had seen through them all along!

"Your Blue Silver Spider martial soul lacks poison, but it possesses strong vitality and high compatibility. After much thought, rather than chasing those dime-a-dozen poison attributes, it is better to push your strengths to the limit," Qian Xunji said with a smile.

"By absorbing the soul ring of this Iron-Eroding Polymorphic Spider, you have a high probability of obtaining Metal Control or the Liquid Metal Summoning soul skill. You will be able to condense and mold any metal shape you desire using your soul power. For someone like you who loves tinkering with novel gadgets, I believe this is the path most suited to you."

Qian San stood frozen in place, looking at the Spider on the ground and then at his smiling father; his eyes suddenly reddened without warning.

Shock, shame, ecstasy, and a paternal love so intense it nearly suffocated him filled his chest in an instant.

So, Father knew everything! Not only did he not treat his peculiarities as those of a monster, but he had even been secretly observing his interests, all to find a soul ring that perfectly matched his little habits!

How could there be such a wonderful father in this world?

"Thump!"

Qian San's knees went weak, and he knelt heavily onto the muddy grass. He lowered his head, his voice choked with emotion:

"Father's kindness is as heavy as a mountain... Little San is unfilial. I did indeed hide many secrets from you before, I..."

"That's enough." Qian Xunji stepped forward, hauled his son up from the ground, and ruffled his hair with a huff.

"Who doesn't have a few little secrets? I am your father. As long as you don't do anything wicked or harmful, you are my good son. Spare me this dramatic scene of life and death."

Qian San broke into a smile through his tears and nodded vigorously. The heavy stone in his heart finally fell to the ground; the feeling of being accepted by family without reservation made him feel entirely at ease.

After calming down, Qian San recalled the day's events and told Qian Xunji everything, from taking Ning Dagang as his master to their near-falling out over the soul ring path.

"Oh? That Farting Pig?" Qian Xunji couldn't help but scoff after listening, a trace of disdain flashing in his eyes. "At least you have a conscience and know how to defend your father, but don't take this matter to heart."

"His so-called Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul are nothing but utter nonsense."

"To crudely categorize thousands of martial souls without considering the circumstances, forcing all plant-types to absorb animal-type poisons? And then drawing the opposite conclusion to make you experiment? That isn't a theory; that's gambling with your life! If your Blue Silver Spider had actually absorbed a poisonous vine, it would have been ruined."

Qian Xunji patted Qian San on the shoulder and earnestly advised: "Since he has taken you in, you should learn whatever you can from the Complete Compendium of Soul Beasts and basic geographical knowledge he has; it will benefit you when you travel the continent later. As for his self-created core theories, just treat them like a fart—listen to the sound and be done with it. Never practice them, understand?"

"I understand, Father!" Qian San nodded solemnly.

"Go on, do it." Qian Xunji stepped back, leaving the space to his son.

Qian San took a deep breath, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. He gripped his right hand, instantly condensing a sharp light sword in his palm. Using Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, he flashed to the side of the Iron-Eroding Polymorphic Spider. Without a moment's hesitation, the light sword pierced precisely through the gap in the Spider's carapace, instantly shattering its central nervous system.

The Spider twitched violently a few times before it finally went completely still.

Specks of yellow light drifted from the Spider's corpse, eventually condensing into a bright yellow soul ring in mid-air, faintly shimmering with a metallic texture.

Qian San sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and used the guidance of the Mysterious Heaven Skill to slowly draw the yellow soul ring into his body.

Violent metallic energy surged into his meridians, bringing a tearing pain. If he were an ordinary six-year-old child, he would likely be in grave danger, but Qian San had the Mysterious Heaven Skill to continuously repair his meridians, coupled with the solid foundation Qian Xunji had built for him over the years with various medicinal diets and soul beast meat. His physical strength far exceeded that of his peers.

Half an hour later, Qian San's tightly closed eyes snapped open, a sharp silver glint flashing deep within them.

He stood up slowly, and with a thought, his dark blue Blue Silver Spider martial soul manifested again. This time, a bright yellow soul ring rose slowly from beneath his feet.

"First soul skill... Metal Control!" A curve of ecstasy tugged at the corners of Qian San's mouth.

He raised his right hand, palm upward, and the yellow soul ring shone brilliantly. Immediately after, a pool of blue-silver liquid metal surged from his palm without warning. This pool of metal seemed to have a life of its own, writhing and deforming wildly according to Qian San's will.

In the blink of an eye, the liquid metal condensed in his palm into a Bone-Piercing Nail—exquisitely shaped and with edges sharp enough to cut through anything!

"Good! This is too good!" Qian San trembled with excitement.

The hardness of this liquid metal was comparable to refined iron, and it could instantly transform into any Tang Sect hidden weapon shape he knew!

Ning Dagang's plant poison?

To hell with that poison! This soul skill given by Father was the truly invincible, perfect match!

Qian San played with the ball of blue-silver liquid metal in his palm, unable to put it down, molding it into a flying knife one moment and a slender Bone-Piercing Nail the next, his eyes filled with the ecstasy of having his wishes fulfilled.

Seeing his son's naive excitement, Qian Xunji laughed dismissively. He reached into his robes and pulled out a pitch-black ring engraved with ancient patterns, tossing it over like a pebble.

Qian San caught it clumsily and looked up in confusion: "Father, what is this?"

"A storage Soul Tool. It has about thirty square meters of space inside; it's enough to hold your clothes, hidden weapons, and sundries." Qian Xunji clapped his hands and then handed over a feather emitting a faint golden light.

"Keep this feather close to you. If you encounter a life-or-death crisis you cannot resolve, or if something urgent happens, inject your soul power into it, and I will be able to sense it."

Qian San solemnly tucked the feather against his chest and put the storage ring on his finger. He felt a warm, gentle energy establish a faint connection with his spiritual power. With a thought, he stowed the Bone-Piercing Nail into it.

"Thank you, Father! I will work hard to cultivate," Qian San said earnestly.

Qian Xunji nodded and was about to turn away when Qian San suddenly remembered something and asked: "By the way, Father, do you know what kind of martial soul the Sky Azure Bull Python is?"