Wind Chasing Lightning

Fang Qingshan said this while placing the chicken leg from his own tray onto Duan Fan's: "This is understandable. The main thing is that right now, you are far too important to Spirit Hall."

"An Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament is nothing compared to your future."

"If you were to participate in this tournament, you would certainly attract immense attention."

"Your second soul ring is a Thousand-Year Soul Ring, and your fourth is even a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring. Throwing either of those out there would be enough to cause an uproar in the soul master world."

"Especially at your age. You are only nine years old and have already reached the Spirit Ancestor level, possessing forty-seven levels of soul power. If this information were released, it would be enough to shake the entire continent."

"As long as you participate in the Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament, even if your name is just submitted on the roster, it would be enough to make you the center of attention."

"A genius as shocking as you is rare in this world, but not everyone hopes for your existence."

Having said this, Fang Qingshan shook his head and sighed softly: "I clearly knew all this, yet I still asked if you were interested in participating in the Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament. It seems my brain has gone fuzzy."

"It must be the influence of your sister, Fang Qian."

Fang Qian rolled her eyes and continued to focus on her meal.

After dinner, Fang Qingshan went home.

Duan Fan saw Fang Qian back to her dormitory, then returned to his own.

As soon as he entered his room, Duan Fan did not rush to draw the latest firearm blueprints, but instead immediately continued to observe Tang San's current situation.

Dinner time was neither long nor short; after Tang San's soul power level broke through, it was impossible for him to have remained in a meditative state the entire time.

Sure enough, as lines of text emerged, Tang San had finished his cultivation and had already found Yu Xiaogang to share the good news that his soul power had reached level twenty.

Yu Xiaogang was delighted by this and proceeded to make a plan for Tang San to obtain his second soul ring.

"I will take you to the Soul Hunting Forest early tomorrow morning to find a suitable soul beast for your second soul ring."

"My strength alone might not be enough, so we will likely need the Notting Academy Dean to step in."

"Go eat your dinner first. Once you're finished, I will take you to find your Dean."

Tang San naturally agreed readily: "Understood, thank you, Grandmaster!"

After nearly three years together, the relationship between Tang San and Yu Xiaogang had become that of both teacher and friend.

Tang San held deep trust in Yu Xiaogang's professional expertise.

It is worth mentioning that Tang San still had not formally taken Yu Xiaogang as his master.

This was mainly due to the deep shadow cast by Ding Xiulun, the deacon of the Notting City Spirit Branch Hall.

During this period, Yu Xiaogang had hinted at Tang San becoming his apprentice, but Tang San remained indifferent and even kept his distance from Yu Xiaogang for a time.

Yu Xiaogang knew that he could not force it at this moment, and in the end, he could only bury the desire to take Tang San as his disciple deep in his heart.

Seeing the dialogue between Tang San and Yu Xiaogang, the corners of Duan Fan's mouth curled into a subtle arc.

With Yu Xiaogang there, there is no need to worry about manipulating Tang San's second soul ring!

Three days later.

Soul Hunting Forest.

The trees in the Soul Hunting Forest were much denser than imagined. Tall arbors blocked the sky completely, with only sporadic beams of light leaking through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled spots of light on the ground.

The forest had a damp, earthy smell mixed with the scent of rotting fallen leaves, and occasionally, the chirping of unknown insects could be heard from the shadows.

Tang San's group of three was moving steadily through the forest.

Yu Xiaogang was at the rear, Tang San walked in the middle, and Gong Shengyuan led the way, his sickle resting on his shoulder, the blade glinting coldly.

Gong Shengyuan was a middle-aged man of about fifty, dressed plainly and with an ordinary appearance.

However, the four soul rings on his body highlighted that his status was anything but ordinary.

White, yellow, purple, purple.

Although it was not the optimal soul ring configuration, he possessed the solid strength of a Spirit Ancestor.

As the Dean of Notting Academy, upon learning that his student Tang San had reached level twenty and needed to obtain his second soul ring, Gong Shengyuan had agreed to help without hesitation.

At this moment, the three of them were walking along a faint, visible path, moving at a moderate pace while staying alert to the surroundings.

Along the way, they encountered a few soul beasts, including two Gale Wolves just over a hundred years old and a Savage Bull less than a hundred years old.

Gong Shengyuan glanced at them from afar, his Spirit Ancestor aura scaring the soul beasts into veering away immediately.

Walking and stopping like this, about a day and a half passed.

The trio arrived at an area covered in dense vines. Gong Shengyuan suddenly stopped and pointed to a spot not far ahead.

There, a dark purple vine was wrapped around a dead tree, its body covered in fine, dense thorns, slowly writhing.

Judging by its age, it was roughly three hundred years old.

Gong Shengyuan took a look and said: "This Ghost Vine looks decent. At three hundred years, it should be enough for Tang San's second soul ring."

Tang San also felt it was suitable and nodded.

But just as Gong Shengyuan prepared to step forward, Yu Xiaogang waved his hand: "The Ghost Vine is indeed quite suitable for Blue Silver Grass, but a three-hundred-year limit is still too low. Let's keep looking; if we truly cannot find a suitable soul beast, it won't be too late to come back for it."

Gong Shengyuan glanced at Yu Xiaogang, did not argue, rested his sickle back on his shoulder, and continued walking forward.

They walked for another stretch, the light in the woods growing dimmer, the surroundings quiet to an unnatural degree.

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the bushes ahead, followed by a low hiss.

The three of them stopped in their tracks simultaneously.

Gong Shengyuan gripped his sickle tightly, looking toward the direction of the sound.

The bushes seemed to be pushed aside by something, and immediately after, a long, ink-green snake crawled out quickly.

Its size was not particularly large, but it was over three meters long, its body covered in fine, dense scales. Its eyes were dark red, and as if sensing the Spirit Ancestor aura on Gong Shengyuan, it was just about to crawl away in another direction.

Yu Xiaogang's eyes lit up instantly, and he lowered his voice: "A Mandala Snake, about three hundred and fifty years old. Little San, this one is suitable for you."

Gong Shengyuan frowned: "The Mandala Snake is a beast-type Soul Beast, and Tang San's Blue Silver Grass is a plant-type. Can a plant-type Spirit absorb a soul ring from a beast-type Soul Beast?"

Yu Xiaogang did not hesitate in the slightest, answering directly: "It can! The toxicity of the Mandala Snake will merge into the Blue Silver Grass, giving it paralyzing and poisonous effects, which will be of great benefit to Tang San."

"Furthermore, the Mandala Snake is known for its toughness. Absorbing its soul ring will also enhance the resilience of the Blue Silver Grass, something a plant-type Soul Beast of the same kind cannot provide."

After speaking, Yu Xiaogang looked at Tang San: "Little San, you decide for yourself. There may be a certain amount of risk."

Tang San was silent for a moment, looking at the Mandala Snake that was flicking its tongue toward them, and finally nodded: "Alright, it will be this one."

Seeing that Tang San had agreed, Gong Shengyuan stopped wasting words, exerted force through his feet, and lunged forward.

The sickle carved an arc through the air, striking precisely at the Mandala Snake's vital spot.

The Mandala Snake was knocked onto the ground, its body twisting violently a few times, its tail snapping two small trees, but it soon went limp, leaving only slight tremors.

Gong Shengyuan stepped back two paces and gestured toward Tang San with his chin: "Go ahead."

Tang San drew a dagger from his waist and approached the Mandala Snake.

The snake was still wriggling slightly, but it no longer had the strength to resist.

Tang San crouched down, drove the dagger into the snake's head just below the vital spot, and the snake's body went rigid for a moment before becoming completely still.

A yellow soul ring rose slowly from beneath the snake's body, hovering in front of Tang San.

Yu Xiaogang said: "Little San, hurry and absorb it. Dean Gong and I will stand guard for you."

Tang San nodded, put away his dagger, sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and guided his spirit power toward the soul ring to begin the absorption.

Spirit Hall Academy.

Duan Fan's dormitory.

Just as he took out paper and a pen, preparing to draw firearm parts, Duan Fan's body suddenly paused, and his eyes brightened.

[Modification successful! Tang San's Second Soul Ring has changed; his growth will slow down!]

[Reward obtained: Wind Chasing Lightning; Modification count *1!]