First Soul Skill, Blue Silver Pole Vault!

The moment the Clear Sky Hammer appeared in Tang Hao's hand, the air in the bamboo grove seemed to grow heavier.

Once that hammer fell, the entire grove before him would be reduced to ruins in an instant.

But Tang Hao did not move. The white soul ring had already completely settled around the Blue Silver Grass, and wisps of faint Soul Power were flowing through the martial soul into Tang San's body.

If he forcibly interrupted it now, the backlash from the soul ring might kill Tang San—or at the very least, leave him severely injured.

Tang Hao stared at that glaring white ring, his grip on the hammer handle tightening by the second. If he had arrived even half an hour earlier, he could have stopped Tang San from absorbing that Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo.

What enraged Tang Hao even more was that Tang San was covered in blood, and the wound on his chest was still seeping. Clearly, he had gone through a fierce battle before Tang Hao arrived.

A child with Innate Full Soul Power and Twin Martial Souls had actually been forced into absorbing a ten-year soul ring just to survive.

The killing intent in Tang Hao's eyes grew ever stronger.

He wanted to know why Jiangmo Douluo had appeared in a place like this, and who had driven Tang San into such a state.

However, the instant the Clear Sky Hammer gave off even a trace of its aura, Tang Hao immediately calmed down. He realized that Jiangmo Douluo was nearby.

Once his identity was exposed, Spirit Hall would inevitably send more powerful experts. By then, Tang San would also attract Spirit Hall's attention.

Tang Hao slowly released his hand. The Clear Sky Hammer turned into a streak of black light and vanished back into his body.

He stood in the shadows of the treetops, his gaze never leaving Tang San.

The white soul ring around the Blue Silver Grass trembled gently. The Soul Power left behind by the Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo was far too weak and caused Tang San almost no strain. Once that power entered his body, it was quickly driven into circulation by the Mysterious Heaven Skill.

Crack!

It was as though something had shattered within his body.

Tang San's stagnant Soul Power began to flow again, and a hint of warmth returned to his withered meridians.

Although his wounds did not heal directly, his condition, which had been steadily worsening, finally stabilized somewhat.

At the same time, a strange sensation came from his Blue Silver Grass martial soul—hardness, along with a trace of the resilience unique to bamboo.

Tang San's brow furrowed tighter and tighter.

This Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo had granted the Blue Silver Grass only one ability.

It could briefly harden the Blue Silver Grass, then use the force stored from bending to launch his body outward.

The glow of the white soul ring gradually stabilized.

Tang San opened his eyes and looked down at his palm.

The Blue Silver Grass had merely gained a bamboo-joint pattern along the edges of its leaves. Without close inspection, there was almost no noticeable change.

He remained silent for a long while before finally raising his arm.

"First Soul Skill, Blue Silver Pole Vault."

As the final words left his mouth, Tang San's expression visibly stiffened.

The white soul ring beneath his feet lit up. Several strands of Blue Silver Grass shot outward and intertwined, forming a long, slender grass pole in the blink of an eye.

Tang San gripped the pole, sprinted forward two steps, and drove its other end heavily into the ground.

As the pole bent, a burst of elastic force erupted.

Tang San was instantly lifted off the ground, clearing a boulder half the height of a man before landing several yards away.

Tang San lowered his head, his fingers slowly digging into the earth. This was his first soul skill.

If he had absorbed the soul ring of the Datura Snake, he would never have received something like this.

"Qian Renyuan..."

Tang San clenched his teeth and forcibly suppressed the humiliation in his heart. The soul skill had already formed; no amount of rage could change that.

At least this soul skill was not completely useless. If used properly, he could use the Blue Silver Grass to abruptly change his position.

In the future, paired with Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, it could offer him more options whether he was dodging attacks or seeking the right angle to launch hidden weapons.

Once his Soul Power increased and the Blue Silver Grass could extend farther, perhaps he could even cross terrain that ordinary people could not pass through.

As long as he lived, even a weak soul skill could be developed into something valuable.

At that thought, determination returned to Tang San's eyes.

Above the treetops, Tang Hao watched every bit of his reaction.

The more Tang San endured in silence, the greater the fury in Tang Hao's heart became.

The first soul ring of the Blue Silver Grass had already been ruined. Fortunately, Tang San still had the Clear Sky Hammer. As long as no soul ring had yet been attached to the Clear Sky Hammer, there was still room to set things right.

Tang Hao cast one final glance at the broken solitary bamboo, then silently disappeared among the treetops.

He had no intention of revealing himself and acknowledging Tang San yet. The time was not right.

Outside the Soul Hunting Forest, a carriage stood quietly by the roadside.

Jiangmo Douluo had been standing guard outside the carriage when he suddenly turned toward the depths of the forest. The Coiling Dragon Staff resting on his shoulder was gripped in his hand.

"Your Highness."

Qian Renyuan looked over at him. "What is it?"

Jiangmo Douluo stared at the woods, his expression growing more solemn.

"Just now, a powerful weapon martial soul aura emerged from within. It had at least reached the level of a Titled Douluo."

"The aura resembled someone from the Clear Sky Sect, but it appeared for only an instant before the other party immediately withdrew it."

A flicker of understanding passed through Qian Renyuan's eyes.

Tang San had already been driven into such a miserable state. That rat hiding in the shadows had indeed followed him here.

"Should I go in and find him?"

"No need."

Qian Renyuan lowered the carriage curtain. "He does not even dare show his face, so why bother looking for him? If he wants to hide, let him hide and watch."

Jiangmo Douluo paused, then put away the Coiling Dragon Staff.

"Yes."

Not long after, footsteps sounded from the woods. Tang San had finally reached the exit.

The soul masters guarding both sides of the path crossed their spears again, blocking his way.

"Where is the soul ring?"

Tang San did not answer. He merely summoned the Blue Silver Grass, and a white soul ring slowly rose from beneath his feet.

The expressions of the two guards immediately turned strange as they looked at the white glow.

They both remembered that Tang San had entered the forest without a single soul ring. Yet after struggling for an entire night, all he had brought back was the lowest-grade ten-year white ring.

One of the guards could not help asking, "You searched all night in there just to find a white soul ring like that?"

Tang San's gaze was icy. "I have obtained my first soul ring. I can leave now."

"What is the rush?"

The guard glanced toward the carriage in the distance.

"His Highness the Holy Son is still here. Since you have obtained your first soul skill, you should at least let His Highness have a look."

Tang San followed his gaze and only then realized that Qian Renyuan had never left.

It felt as though a boulder were lodged in Tang San's chest, but circumstances were stronger than he was. He did not wish to resist any further, so he could only circulate his Soul Power once more.

"First Soul Skill, Blue Silver Pole Vault!"

The white soul ring lit up, and several strands of Blue Silver Grass twisted together into a thin pole.

Tang San planted the pole against the ground, used its rebound to leap over the two soul masters, and landed on the road outside the forest.

The two guards froze at first, then finally burst out laughing.

"Blue Silver Pole Vault? Using Blue Silver Grass as a bamboo pole counts as a soul skill?"

A soft laugh came from within the carriage. Qian Renyuan lifted the curtain and looked at the blood-covered Tang San, his gaze settling on the white soul ring beneath Tang San's feet.

"Not bad."

"If you run into someone you cannot beat in the future, at least you can use that pole to run a little faster."

Tang San stared fixedly at Qian Renyuan in the carriage, blood practically dripping from his eyes.

Yet in the end, he said nothing.

Without a word, Tang San withdrew the Blue Silver Grass, turned around, and headed toward Notting City.

As Qian Renyuan watched Tang San's retreating figure gradually fade into the distance, the system's voice rang out in his mind.

[Ding! Detected an irreversible deviation in Child of Destiny Tang San's first soul ring!]

[The host successfully intercepted the Datura Snake soul ring, forcing Tang San to absorb the Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo. His originally destined first soul skill has been completely altered!]

[Main quest completed. Settling rewards...]