Over the past two days, Jiang Ci'an had kept busy, constantly studying his Martial Soul and the Douluo World he could enter at will. He had managed to figure out a few things.
First was his innate Martial Soul ability, "Perspective."
Based on his experiments, "Perspective" could see through most things unaffected by Soul Power.
Clothes, walls, wooden boards, layers of soil... As long as nothing imbued with Soul Power interfered, his gaze could pass through with ease.
That wasn't all. The ability could go even further.
It could ignore flesh and blood, letting him see the layout and paths of meridians, bones, and acupoints. He could even catch the trails of energy flowing through the body.
At present, however, that last part only worked on himself. When he used "Perspective" on other people, what he could see remained fairly superficial.
Next was the thing he cared about most: the Virtual World set in the Douluo World Timeline.
After trying it out many times over the past two days, he had roughly determined several of the world's properties.
First, he entered that world in the form of consciousness.
He could walk around, observe, interact, talk to the people there, and even fight them. But every time he left, the world reset.
For example, if he met Tang San during one visit to the Virtual World, then the next time he entered, Tang San wouldn't recognize him at all. Everything started over from the beginning.
The world ran along its predetermined course, and no matter what he did there—even if he went too far—he left behind no trace.
Second, his abilities, such as "Perspective," were strengthened to an absurd degree in that world.
There, all the limitations on "Perspective" in reality vanished. He could see the path of the Mysterious Heaven Skill as it circulated inside Tang San's body.
He could see that gentle, unending stream of Soul Power rise from the dantian and slowly flow along its specific meridian routes. Every acupoint opening and closing, the width of every meridian, and the direction of every wisp of inner energy were crystal clear.
He could see everything, down to the tiniest detail.
That was something he couldn't do in reality.
Finally, if he died in that world, it wouldn't affect him in reality. He would simply exit.
As for how he knew...
Yesterday, he had just entered the Virtual World and was about to take a peek when Tang Hao appeared in front of him.
He tried to log out and run, but Tang Hao attacked him outright... One could only say the man was decisive.
When he woke up afterward, he was sitting on a bed at Ping'an Pharmacy, completely unharmed.
In short, there was no doubt that this Virtual World set in the Douluo World held enormous potential.
Although he wasn't yet sure whether the Virtual World's enhancement of his abilities was limited to "Perspective,"
he still planned to make his first Soul Skill more specialized, so it would help him better observe and explore the Virtual World.
That seemed the safest approach.
A moment later, the carriage came to an abrupt stop.
Jiang Ci'an snapped out of his thoughts and turned his gaze outside. He saw a sign by the road.
They had reached the Star Dou Great Forest.
Star Dou Great Forest.
Deep in the dense woods, ancient trees towered toward the sky.
Their thick trunks would have taken several people joining hands to encircle, while their dense crowns blocked out most of the daylight. Only a few scattered shafts of sunlight slipped through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows across the forest floor.
The air was rich with the scent of damp earth and fresh greenery. Now and then, the calls of unknown birds and beasts rang out in the distance, only to quickly fade into the depths of the forest.
Elder Xiao led the way, out in front.
His steps were steady and swift. His graying hair shimmered faintly in the scattered sunlight, his Soul Power ready but unreleased, while his sharp eyes swept over every movement around them.
Behind him, two Soul Kings, a man and a woman, guarded the group from the left and right rear. They kept just the right distance between them—not so close that they would get in each other's way, yet near enough to support each other at a moment's notice.
Jiang Ci'an and Xiao Xiao were protected in the very center.
Still, the two were young, and neither had obtained their first Soul Ring yet. Running through the forest was a real struggle.
They could just barely keep up for now, but their breathing had already grown a little ragged.
"Since you've decided to choose a Soul Skill that increases weight for your first Soul Ring, Xiao Xiao, I recommend hunting a Thick-Armored Iron Rhino."
As they walked, Elder Xiao explained. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to Jiang Ci'an and Xiao Xiao.
"Thick-Armored Iron Rhinos are strong and highly defensive. They're herd animals, and although they move slowly, when they encounter an enemy, they gather together and use Soul Power to increase their weight and strengthen their skin.
"In this state, they can't move. But when there are enough of them, one Thick-Armored Iron Rhino after another forms a fortress that ordinary Soul Beasts simply can't break through.
"That's the best match for what you're looking for, Xiao Xiao."
As they hurried along, Jiang Ci'an and Xiao Xiao listened and nodded without thinking.
That was the advantage of having an established legacy.
Generations of accumulated experience meant they had already thoroughly researched which Soul Rings suited their Martial Soul.
They knew which Soul Beasts were suitable for their Martial Soul and what kind of Soul Skill the corresponding Soul Ring would likely grant.
They didn't have to figure everything out from scratch. They could simply draw on the experience of those who had come before.
Not only that, but with a clear target in mind, they also knew roughly where the Soul Beasts lived. They didn't have to wander around the Star Dou Great Forest like headless flies, and could save a great deal of time.
They traveled at a swift pace for a while.
The sky gradually darkened, and Jiang Ci'an and Xiao Xiao began to run out of strength.
They had never lacked nourishment as they grew up, and their foundations were solid, but six-year-old children were still six-year-old children. Their legs were only so long, and they had only so much stamina.
Xiao Shan looked back and saw that both children had slowed noticeably. He gave a meaningful glance to the two Soul Kings beside him.
The Soul Kings understood. Each stepped forward, scooped up one child, and tucked them under an arm.
The group's pace immediately picked up.
After racing along like this, they reached their destination before sunset.
Xiao Shan raised a hand to signal them to stop. Everyone took cover behind a thicket and peered through the leaves.
A small lake lay ahead.
Its clear waters reflected the last streaks of orange-red sunset. Lush aquatic plants swayed gently in the breeze.
An open stretch of grass bordered the lake, where a herd of gray giant rhinos had gathered. Their thick hides gleamed with a metallic sheen in the setting sun.
Thick-Armored Iron Rhinos.
Xiao Shan relaxed a little and lowered his voice.
"Thick-Armored Iron Rhinos migrate. They move several times a year in search of food.
"But they follow a relatively fixed route, going back and forth between a handful of places. We're lucky this time—we found them at the first spot."
He paused and scanned the herd, quickly picking out a Thick-Armored Iron Rhino of a suitable age.
"Wait here. I'll be right back."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Xiao Shan had already darted out from behind the thicket.
Before you continue