As Bai Ran's Soul Power Level broke through level twenty, he began worrying about his upcoming second Soul Ring.
He had been lucky with his first Soul Ring, encountering the Three-Eyed Golden Lion and successfully obtaining a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring.
But what about his second Soul Ring?
With Bai Ran's current physical condition, the most he could absorb was a thousand-year Soul Beast's Soul Ring. (The physical improvement brought by a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring was quite substantial.)
As for making another trip to the Star Dou Great Forest to "sweet-talk" the Emperor Auspicious Beast?
He had been lucky not to get eaten by a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast last time, but he might not be so fortunate this time.
Besides, while the Three-Eyed Golden Lion might not think much of his deliberately approaching the Auspicious Beast, Di Tian would certainly grow wary and might even suspect that Shrek Academy had ulterior motives toward the Auspicious Beast.
After all, the relationship between humans and Soul Beasts had long reached a bitter impasse. Not to mention that the Emperor Auspicious Beast concerned the future of the entire Star Dou Great Forest and even the Soul Beast world.
If Bai Ran had not been so young and weak, Di Tian's pressure would probably have crushed him into a cloud of blood before he even got close to the Three-Eyed Golden Lion last time.
"Winter will be here in another month. How about finding a fire-attribute Soul Beast for my second Soul Ring?
"I have to prove that Luckin Coffee's Americanos can taste good too."
A heated Classic Americano tasted rich and mellow. Especially when walking to school or work in the depths of winter, he could even hold it against his chest as a hand warmer.
But there was one huge problem. To melt the ice in an Iced Americano and heat it successfully, he would need to absorb a Soul Beast's Soul Ring with an Ultimate Fire attribute, or at least one close to Ultimate Fire.
Bai Ran's head began to ache.
"Brat Bai, the fruit-type Soul Beasts you wanted."
Just as Bai Ran temporarily gave up on those random thoughts and prepared to head to the Outer Academy cafeteria to begin the day's business,
an old man with a white beard suddenly appeared before him.
It was Elder Xuan, who had headed for the Star Dou Great Forest several days ago.
Judging from his tattered clothes, he had most likely gone after high-year Soul Beasts again, only to get put in his place by some powerful ferocious beast.
Bai Ran: Good thing I was smart enough not to go with him. Otherwise, I'd probably have taken another trip through the gates of hell.
"Elder Xuan, what did you bring me?"
Having never systematically studied the theory of Soul Beasts, Bai Ran could only roughly identify the fruit-type Soul Beasts Xuan Zi brought out. As for their exact names, ages, and general abilities, he knew absolutely nothing.
"An eight-hundred-year Jasper Creamy Peach tree."
As Xuan Zi spoke, he opened a Storage Bag capable of holding living creatures.
Soon, an ancient tree radiating a peaceful aura appeared before Bai Ran.
Its trunk was smooth and warm like jade, while its leaves were emerald green.
Several translucent pinkish-white peaches the size of human heads hung from its branches, seemingly filled with celestial nectar swirling within.
Animal-type Soul Beasts might fight inside the Storage Bag, losing limbs or simply dying outright.
But plant-type Soul Beasts like this were not difficult to capture or store.
If not for a minor mishap along the way, Xuan Zi would have returned two days ago.
"Brat Bai, the Jasper Creamy Peach tree possesses powerful healing abilities and has a gentle temperament. It usually does not attack proactively."
"This peach tree is quite suitable for you. After absorbing its Soul Ring, there is a high chance your Coffee martial soul will gain an ability related to healing."
"Elder Xuan, is this the only fruit-type Soul Beast?"
It sounded rather good.
Peach-flavored fruit coffee capable of healing injuries might make an excellent selling point.
However, Bai Ran planned to keep looking. He had asked Elder Xuan to help him catch several more.
"Of course not. I have always kept my word. If I said I'd catch you lots of them, then I would definitely bring lots back."
"This is a seven-hundred-year Phantom Blueberry Matrix."
Xuan Zi continued pulling out a vast stretch of low shrubs from his Storage Bag. This Soul Beast was not a single individual, but a massive symbiotic matrix network formed by hundreds of Mother-Plant Blueberry Spirits through ley lines and mental connections.
Each Mother-Plant Blueberry Spirit bore translucent deep-blue fruits, with what looked like nebulae flowing within.
"All the individuals in this blueberry matrix share thoughts and react in sync. It may grant your coffee a sharing ability, Brat Bai. For example, several people who drink blueberry coffee at the same time could synchronize their senses, improving their coordination and mutual understanding."
Xuan Zi was, after all, a level ninety-eight Super Douluo who had lived for nearly three hundred years. He possessed this much insight.
"Is there anything else?"
"Yes, child. There is."
Xuan Zi's Storage Bag now seemed like Doraemon's pocket as he continued pulling out good things.
"A six-hundred-year Gold Jade Glazed Pomelo."
Another tall fruit tree emerged, but this time it was a pomelo tree. A gigantic, nearly transparent pale-golden pomelo hung from the top of its canopy, like an enormous glazed lantern!
Golden liquid flowed inside the fruit, continuously radiating warm, steady golden light.
"This Gold Jade Glazed Pomelo can emit light that dispels mist, darkness, illusions, and shadow energy. It also calms the mind and focuses the spirit.
"After you absorb this pomelo tree's Soul Ring, Brat Bai, your Coffee martial soul should gain a similar ability to see through deception."
Of the three plant-type Soul Beasts, the one Elder Xuan most wanted Bai Ran to choose was this Gold Jade Glazed Pomelo.
Though it was only six hundred years old, its ability to see through deception was the most valuable trait among the three plants.
Especially since Xuan Zi was the leader of the Shrek Inspection Team. Despite his formidable strength, he often could not contribute much during operations to hunt Evil Soul Masters.
Aside from the rumor circulating among the people that Xuan Zi was the "Holy Spirit Cult's Supreme Elder,"
the main reason was that Evil Soul Masters were basically a pack of rats hiding in the shadows. They could often easily escape using all sorts of strange methods.
But if drinking a cup of coffee could grant the ability to see through deception, Xuan Zi did not dare imagine how much higher his success rate in hunting Evil Soul Masters would become.
Xuan Zi: Was it that he couldn't defeat Evil Soul Masters? No, it was that he simply couldn't find their traces.
"Elder Xuan, why are the ages getting lower and lower? Aren't there any fruit-type Soul Beasts over a thousand years old?"
Seven or eight hundred years was one thing, but a six-hundred-year Soul Ring? Honestly, that was far too low.
With a ten-thousand-year first ring, even as a Food-type Soul Master, Bai Ran's physical strength should be much greater than that of an ordinary Soul Grandmaster.
Bai Ran believed he was already capable of trying to absorb a thousand-year Soul Beast's Soul Ring.
"A thousand-year plant-type Soul Beast? I really did catch one."
"What kind? Take it out and let me see."
Perhaps because he wanted to tease the child a little, Xuan Zi deliberately slowed his movements.
Before you continue