Touch of Soul Binding vs. Entanglement

The entire process of absorbing the Soul Ring did not last long, but the surging Soul Power within him still made Cheng Xiao feel a hint of difficulty. Fortunately, it had not reached a level he could not handle. He endured it, and the Soul Ring was fully absorbed.

Cheng Xiao quickly made a preliminary assessment of his body. His limit should not exceed six hundred years. Any higher, and something might go wrong.

"If only this Soul Binding Vine had been five hundred and eighty years old. That would have been just enough to touch my limit."

Cheng Xiao felt only slight regret, then quickly adjusted his mindset. I can't calculate things like that. Nothing can be perfect. This was already Over-Limit Absorption. If it were any higher, the risk would be greater too. If something really went wrong, it would be too late for regrets.

A higher age limit... Cheng Xiao was not crazy enough to gamble with his life.

What he needed was to reach the highest possible age limit within a safe range, so he could gain a clear understanding of himself.

Besides, what meaning was there in adding a few dozen or even a hundred years to the first two Soul Rings? For Soul Rings below ten thousand years, a difference of several hundred years would not greatly affect the power of a soul skill.

There was no need to risk his life for such a tiny advantage.

It was not as though he had no other ways to improve his strength.

Cheng Xiao slowly opened his eyes. After sensing his soul skill, a subtle curve appeared at the corner of his lips.

"How is it? How is it?" Xiao Wu hurried over, her eyes full of curiosity.

For some reason, Tang San felt a trace of disappointment in his heart.

"What a coincidence. It's a control skill similar to Xiao San's." Cheng Xiao smiled. "I call it Touch of Soul Binding. Any shadow within my line of sight can be controlled by me. When I activate the soul skill, the shadows turn into tentacles and bind the enemy."

"Then whose soul skill is stronger, yours or Xiao San's?" Xiao Wu asked curiously.

"We'll only know after trying it." Cheng Xiao shook his head. "Xiao San, want to give it a try?"

"Hehe, no need. I'm already level twenty-two. You're not my opponent." Tang San smiled. Though he looked humble, there was a faint pride in his words.

With the Grandmaster's guidance, along with his Soul Power being higher than Cheng Xiao's, Tang San did not believe he would lose to him.

"We're only testing the effects of our first soul skills. No second soul skills. Let's see whose control skill is faster and more easily controls the opponent."

"Yeah, yeah, let's try it! I want to see Xiao Cheng's soul skill too." Xiao Wu looked at Tang San with eager eyes.

Tang San seemed unable to withstand that gaze. After hesitating briefly, he nodded in agreement.

Xiao Wu clapped happily, then bounced between them like a little rabbit. "Then I'll be the referee! I'll count to three, and you two attack at the same time!"

Tang San and Cheng Xiao retreated at the same time. Their expressions gradually turned serious as they released their Martial Souls.

Blue Silver Grass began growing wildly around Tang San, while Cheng Xiao's eyes turned the inky black of a bottomless abyss.

"One, two, three, begin!"

First Soul Skill: Entanglement!

First Soul Skill: Touch of Soul Binding!

They activated their first soul skills at the same time, yet they also tacitly retreated rapidly. Tang San even used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, his body turning into a series of afterimages as he fled from his original position.

They both knew the other was using a control skill. How could either of them stand still without taking any precautions? Neither was an idiot.

The vines formed from Blue Silver Grass appeared almost instantly within a meter of Cheng Xiao, shooting toward him. Cheng Xiao darted back, but the Blue Silver Grass pursued relentlessly, twisting toward him at incredible speed and leaving him in a rather sorry state.

Seeing this, Tang San's lips curled upward slightly. It seemed his teacher had chosen the right path for him. Blue Silver Grass truly was suited for the Control System. At that moment, he was incomparably grateful that he had taken Yu Xiaogang as his master.

Yet the next instant, Tang San's smile froze on his face. He abruptly looked down and saw that his shadow had turned into tentacles, climbing up his legs and directly binding him. Unable to use Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, he stumbled to the ground.

"When did this happen!?"

The shadow did not stop. It continued climbing upward, binding Tang San's arms and leaving only his forearms barely able to move.

"Xiao San, you lost." Cheng Xiao hid behind a tree. The Blue Silver Grass was blocked by the tree and, having lost Tang San's control, instinctively coiled around the trunk.

In his panic, Tang San did not even think. His wrist bent slightly on instinct as he prepared to use hidden weapons.

"Xiao San, it's only a spar. There's no need to use those metal lumps of yours, right?" Cheng Xiao said with a smile, though he secretly circulated his Soul Power in his hand just in case this kid did something foolish.

Cheng Xiao had no intention of killing him. He knew Tang San had a Titled Douluo father watching from somewhere. Killing Tang San would be nothing but courting death, and he was not that stupid.

Tang San froze. Right, it was only a spar. Was he really going to kill Cheng Xiao with hidden weapons just because he had lost once?

Even if he wanted to kill him, it could not be now. Xiao Wu was watching from the side. If he really killed Cheng Xiao, Xiao Wu would definitely never forgive him.

His struggling gradually weakened, and his tense wrist relaxed. Tang San's eyes dimmed as he gave a bitter smile. "I lost."

Cheng Xiao withdrew Touch of Soul Binding and released Tang San.

Tang San got up and brushed the dust from his clothes, but his brows remained tightly furrowed.

"Why is Xiao Cheng's soul skill so much faster than Xiao San's?" Xiao Wu still leaned toward Tang San in her heart. Seeing how troubled he was, she spoke up to ask.

"That is only natural. Tang San's soul skill and mine are fundamentally different."

Cheng Xiao explained, "Xiao San's soul skill and mine activate at roughly the same speed, but there is a key issue. Xiao San's Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass. If it activates a soul skill, it must have roots. So it needs to take root underground first. If I prepare in advance, I can use that time to retreat, while the Blue Silver Grass can only keep growing from behind and chase after me."

"But my Martial Soul is different. A shadow follows its object! No matter where Tang San runs, his shadow follows. The shadow's starting point moves with him. It only needs to climb onto your feet. Once it wraps around your legs, the shadow is fully anchored to the ground and completely seals off your movement."

Simply put, a plant's Entanglement had to have roots, and a plant's roots could not move. But a shadow's "roots" were on a person. Running was completely useless. A shadow following its owner was not merely a figure of speech.

"Doesn't that mean no one can dodge this skill!?" Xiao Wu's eyes widened.

Cheng Xiao smiled but did not answer. Of course it could be dodged, but how could he directly reveal his weakness to others?

"Let's go. The journey is over. It's time to head back."

Cheng Xiao lightly tapped Xiao Wu on the forehead, then took the lead toward the exit of the Soul Hunting Forest.

"Hmph!" Xiao Wu covered her forehead and wrinkled her cute little nose at Cheng Xiao's back before chasing after him.

"Xiao Cheng, wait for me! Your soul skill is pretty interesting. How about we spar and see..."

"No!"

"Why!?"

The two of them laughed and played, completely forgetting that someone behind them had yet to catch up.

Tang San watched their backs. At this moment, the jealousy he had felt earlier was gone. He frowned, his mind filled with Cheng Xiao's words from moments ago.

For the first time in his life, Tang San began to doubt whether it was correct for his Blue Silver Grass to follow the Control System path. Cheng Xiao's few words had dealt a blow to Tang San's confidence, making him feel that in terms of control, Blue Silver Grass simply could not compare to the advantages of shadows.