Absorbing the Thousand-Year Great Sun Golden Crow Vine, First Soul Skill Appears!

"Hiss—!"

The Mandala Snake let out a terrified hiss.

It felt the power within its body being devoured by these vines.

The Grandmaster standing nearby was dumbfounded.

He clutched his bleeding arm.

"This is Blue Silver Grass? It can have this kind of power without a Spirit Ring? How is that possible? And that healing speed..."

The theory he had always been so proud of seemed to be challenged at this moment.

Using pure life force to forcibly restrain a Mandala Snake?

This was completely beyond his understanding!

Lin Chuan controlled the vines, squeezing the Mandala Snake until its eyes rolled back and its bones crackled.

But he did not deal the killing blow.

"Xiao San."

Lin Chuan turned and looked at Tang San, who was still staring blankly.

"It can't move anymore. It's yours."

Tang San suddenly snapped out of it.

Big Brother... was too strong!

So this was the path of life Big Brother had mentioned?

No poison, no toughness!

Relying solely on endless growth and regeneration, he had forcibly trapped a four-hundred-year Mandala Snake to death!

And Big Brother could clearly have killed it easily and taken its Spirit Ring.

Yet he had left it for me!

"Thank you, Big Brother!"

Tang San no longer hesitated. His Purple Demon Eye locked onto the Mandala Snake's weak point.

The short sword in his hand became a streak of cold light and accurately pierced the snake's eye.

The Mandala Snake convulsed violently a few times before finally falling still.

A yellow Spirit Ring slowly rose.

The Grandmaster was so shocked that he could not speak. The way he looked at Lin Chuan had changed.

"Lin Chuan, your Martial Soul..."

Lin Chuan casually made something up.

"Oh, maybe it's Mutated Blue Silver Grass."

"Maybe my ancestors were farmers. They were especially good at growing grass."

"Grandmaster, you should treat the poison first. Otherwise, you might really need an amputation later."

Only then did the Grandmaster come to his senses and hurriedly took an antidote from his robes.

Tang San sat cross-legged and began drawing in the Spirit Ring.

Although the Mysterious Heaven Skill protected his body, this was still a Mandala Snake close to four hundred years old. The energy contained within its Spirit Ring was extremely tyrannical.

Tang San only felt a scorching energy rush into his body, madly battering his meridians.

He clenched his teeth as cold sweat streamed down his face, his body trembling uncontrollably.

Because of long-term malnutrition and Tang Hao's neglect.

Though he had trained, absorbing a Spirit Ring of this age was still somewhat beyond him.

Lin Chuan watched for a while.

Once he was sure Tang San would not die, he turned and walked toward the nearby bushes.

"System, claim the reward."

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for assisting Tang San in obtaining the Mandala Snake Spirit Ring.]

[Reward issued: Random encounter with a dying high-grade plant-type soul beast.]

Following the system's guidance, Lin Chuan pushed aside a dense patch of thorns.

At the roots of a massive ancient tree, he saw a strange plant coiled there.

It was a golden vine.

It was covered in leaves patterned like the sun.

It radiated a warm aura.

But its roots seemed to have been bitten through by something.

Its life force was rapidly draining away.

Holy shit, the Great Sun Golden Crow Vine? This is a top-tier plant with both fire and life attributes!

Lin Chuan was startled and nearly cried out loud.

It was said that the Great Sun Golden Crow Vine possessed a trace of the Ancient Golden Crow's bloodline. It was supremely firm, supremely yang, and possessed Endless Life!

Though it was only a little over a thousand years old, that was already excessive for a first Spirit Ring.

"Grandmaster! Come look! There's a big one here that's about to die!"

Lin Chuan shouted.

The Grandmaster, who had just finished bandaging his wound, came over for a look. He immediately sucked in a cold breath, his eyes nearly popping out.

"What kind of plant is this?"

"Judging by these patterns and its size, it has at least a thousand years of cultivation!"

"How did its roots get severed here?"

Lin Chuan played dumb.

"Maybe that snake from earlier bit through them?"

"Grandmaster, it's about to die. Can it become my Spirit Ring?"

The Grandmaster shouted sternly.

"Nonsense!"

"This is a thousand-year soul beast!"

"Didn't you listen to the theory I taught you? The limit for a first Spirit Ring is 423 years."

"If you absorb this, you will definitely explode and die! Absolutely not!"

Yet while the Grandmaster was speaking, Lin Chuan had already plopped down cross-legged.

"Grandmaster, theory is dead, but people are alive."

"Fortune favors the bold. I think my body is pretty tough."

With that, Lin Chuan ignored the Grandmaster's attempts to stop him and directly activated his Soul Power.

The Golden Crow Vine was already on the verge of death. Its Spirit Ring instantly floated out and settled around Lin Chuan.

The Grandmaster stamped his feet in panic, but it was already too late to stop him.

"Madman! You've gone mad!"

He closed his eyes in despair, as though he could already see Lin Chuan's gruesome death by explosion.

What a pity. Such a good prospect was going to die from ignorance.

This was the consequence of refusing to study theory!

"Lin Chuan, if you had only listened to my advice, how could things have come to this!"

However.

Ten minutes passed.

Twenty minutes passed.

Not only had Lin Chuan not exploded, his complexion had instead turned rosy.

Even his breathing had become deep and powerful.

Within his body, that violent Golden Crow power became incomparably docile.

A moment later.

A powerful wave of air erupted from Lin Chuan's body.

His physical condition underwent a qualitative leap at that instant!

His muscles became firmer, and his bones tougher.

Even with a casual clench of his fist, he could feel explosive power.

His physical strength had at least doubled!

At the same time, his Soul Power Level soared like a rocket!

His Soul Power directly broke through from Level 10 to Level 11!

This was the level of his Innate Soul Power.

And as the Spirit Ring was successfully absorbed.

The immense energy brought by this exceptional thousand-year Spirit Ring directly raised him another four levels!

Lin Chuan's Soul Power directly broke through to Level 15!

[Successfully absorbed the thousand-year Great Sun Golden Crow Vine Spirit Ring.]

[Obtained first Soul Skill: Golden Crow Possession!]

[Effect: Can summon Golden Crow Fire to attach to the Blue Silver King or oneself, granting ultimate burning and regenerative abilities.]

Lin Chuan opened his eyes.

Two golden flames flashed through his pupils.

Seeing the Grandmaster beside him staring wide-eyed as if he had seen a ghost.

Lin Chuan grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.

"Grandmaster, looks like I got lucky. I didn't explode."

Grandmaster: "..."

His worldview had collapsed.

A thousand-year first Spirit Ring?

Was that scientific?

Was that reasonable?

Could this brat really be the chosen one?

Did his theory truly have limitations?

No! Impossible!

This had to be dumb luck!

It had to be because that thousand-year plant-type soul beast had happened to suffer severe life-force loss, allowing him to pick up an easy bargain!

At this moment.

Tang San also finished absorbing his Spirit Ring and woke up.

He had successfully obtained the Mandala Snake Spirit Ring.

He slowly opened his eyes.

Feeling the abundant power within his body and that yellow hundred-year Spirit Ring.

Joy surged through his heart.

"Success! I've finally become a Soul Master!"

"And it's a four-hundred-year Mandala Snake Spirit Ring."

Tang San was extremely excited.

He was even somewhat impatient to show it off in front of Brother Lin Chuan.

In his view, all his hard training had finally paid off.

He could finally catch up to his unfathomable Big Brother.

Tang San even felt that, in terms of Spirit Ring age.

He could be ahead by just a little!

"Big Brother! Look! I..."

Tang San turned his head.

Just as he was about to speak, his entire body suddenly froze.

When Lin Chuan emerged from the grass, Tang San was stunned.

Around Lin Chuan's body, a Spirit Ring carrying a noble purple sheen was slowly rising.

"Purple? A thousand-year Spirit Ring?"

Tang San rubbed his eyes, thinking he had seen wrong.

Hadn't Teacher said that, in the optimal Spirit Ring configuration, the first Spirit Ring could only be a little over four hundred years old?

I went through every hardship and suffered unbearable pain.

I even nearly passed out before barely absorbing this four-hundred-year Spirit Ring.

Big Brother had seemingly just taken a stroll and somehow acquired a thousand-year one?

And he even looked completely relaxed? He had directly broken through the theoretical limit?

Tang San's tiny bit of pride and desire to show off was instantly shattered.

He looked at Lin Chuan, with only one thought remaining in his heart.

Big Brother truly was Big Brother!

Whether in theory or in practice, Big Brother was always ahead of everyone else!

Lin Chuan patted Tang San on the shoulder.

"Xiao San, your brother just got lucky."

"I happened to see a plant about to wither. I thought it was a pity, so I absorbed it while I was at it."

"Who knew my luck would be so good? It actually turned out to be a thousand-year one."

"Grandmaster, it seems books can't always be trusted completely."

Grandmaster's face turned livid, but he had no way to refute it. He could only cough awkwardly twice.

"Cough, cough... This is a special case. It cannot be replicated."

Although Tang San had suffered a heavy blow, he quickly pulled himself together.

He spoke with a sincere expression.

"Congratulations, Brother Lin Chuan! As expected, good fortune favors the virtuous!"

Lin Chuan walked over and patted Tang San on the shoulder.

"Congratulations to you too."

"Come on, Xiao San, let's exchange a few moves."

"It'll be a good chance for me to get familiar with my new skill."

The moment Tang San heard that he could spar with Lin Chuan, he perked up.

Although his Spirit Ring's age was lower than his brother's, he was still very confident in his control over the Mandala Snake Spirit Ring!

He nodded excitedly.

"Alright! Brother, let me show you the control my teacher taught me!"

"First Spirit Skill—Bind!"

Tang San shouted softly, and his yellow Spirit Ring lit up.

More than a dozen Blue Silver Grass vines, carrying the Mandala Snake's venom and toughness, instantly lashed toward Lin Chuan.

Lin Chuan smiled faintly as his first Spirit Ring lit up.

"First Spirit Skill—Golden Crow Possession!"

Boom!

An incomparably thick Blue Silver Grass vine, burning with faint golden flames, shot forth.

Its entire body blazed with pale golden fire, radiating a heart-pounding heat.

It completely ignored Tang San's Bind.

Like swatting flies, it smashed all of Tang San's Blue Silver Grass into pieces!

It was a complete crushing victory.

Whether in hardness or strength,

or in that scorching aura of life,

they were not on the same level at all.

Tang San stared at the grass fragments scattered across the ground, questioning his entire life.

This was Brother's Blue Silver Grass.

My Bind and venom were like paper in front of Brother—completely unable to withstand a single blow!

Lin Chuan withdrew his Martial Soul, walked over to Tang San, and gently patted his head.

"Don't lose heart, Xiao San."

"Your Mandala Snake Spirit Ring is very strong. It has venom and excellent control."

"Mine is purely a mutation. It can't be replicated."

"Everyone has their own path. Study well under Grandmaster and train your control to the utmost limit. You'll definitely achieve greatness in the future."

"Besides, only if your brother is a little stronger can he protect you, right?"

Listening to Lin Chuan's consolation, the disappointment in Tang San's heart instantly vanished.

In its place was overwhelming gratitude.

He thought to himself,

Brother is too gentle. He even went out of his way to comfort me for the sake of my pride.

He even attributed his own strength to luck and mutation so I wouldn't feel pressured.

If a thousand-year Spirit Ring had been placed before me, I might not have dared to break through the limit and absorb it!

Brother's courage to break convention and face death head-on is beyond me!

I need to work even harder!

I can't let Brother leave me too far behind!

I must cultivate the control system to its utmost limit and become Brother's most steadfast support in the future!

Yu Xiaogang watched this scene of brotherly harmony, though his expression remained somewhat unpleasant.