Thousand-Pattern Verdant Essence Ancient Cattail

More than a day passed.

Tang Chuan and Tang San did not return to Nuoding City first. Instead, they headed straight to the Star Dou Great Forest.

At the entrance, Tang San looked at the scene, unchanged from a few days ago, and a trace of determination flashed through his eyes.

Just days ago, he had still been a novice soul master in need of his first soul ring. Now, he had returned to obtain his second.

"Father, roughly how many years should Little San's second soul ring be?"

"You can feel it out yourself. With the Whale Rubber and Mysterious Heaven Skill from before, along with the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone you absorbed not long ago, I believe you can try absorbing a thousand-year soul ring."

Tang Chuan clasped his hands behind his back and turned to look at Tang San, confidence shining in his blue eyes.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Father!"

Tang San cupped his hands in salute. It would have been a lie to say he was not excited. This was a thousand-year soul ring! The textbooks all said that no soul master on the continent had ever possessed a thousand-year soul ring as their second ring.

Now, with the support of his Mysterious Heaven Skill, the Whale Rubber his father had provided, and a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, Tang San's confidence had naturally reached unprecedented heights.

"Let's go. It's still early. Most plant-type soul beasts hide themselves at night, so they're easier to find during the day."

Tang Chuan strode in first on his long legs, and Tang San quickly followed behind him.

"Little San, do you know why I said you could absorb a thousand-year soul ring?"

"Your son does not know. Isn't it because of the conditions you mentioned earlier?"

"Those are only part of it. My ultimate goal is to give you enough physical strength to withstand the soul rings of your second martial soul, the Clear Sky Hammer!"

Tang Chuan stopped, turned to meet Tang San's eyes, and placed a large hand on the latter's head.

"You must understand that as the owner of Twin Martial Souls, you are destined to have nine more soul rings than an ordinary Title Douluo in the future."

"The Blue Silver Emperor martial soul may use a conventional configuration, but what about the Clear Sky Hammer? Could its first ring be ten thousand years—or even a hundred thousand years?"

"Hiss!"

Tang San sucked in a sharp breath. A hundred-thousand-year first ring! He would not have dared to dream of such a thing!

So Father had gone to such painstaking lengths to train my physical strength for this! Father, you truly are the best person in the world!

Tang San nodded heavily, and the two continued onward. With Tang Chuan's Forest of Myriad Phenomena, everything in the surroundings was within his sight, and every Blue Silver Grass in range served as his eyes.

Suddenly, through the perception of the surrounding Blue Silver Grass, Tang Chuan sensed a plant brimming with life energy.

"Hm? Little San, it seems Father has found the soul ring you need."

With that, Tang Chuan took Tang San by the hand and headed in one direction.

Pushing aside the undergrowth, they saw a patch of muddy ground not far away. The air was filled with rich, gentle life energy. There were no roars of soul beasts, only the soft murmur of a stream and the faint rustling of grass and trees, while earth energy continuously surged upward from beneath the mud.

The massive stones nearby were covered in moss, with tender new shoots sprouting everywhere, alongside lush vegetation brimming with vitality and emitting a pale green glow.

At the center grew a giant cattail plant. Fine blue-gold spiral patterns covered the area above its roots, its entire body translucent jade-green. Its broad leaves hung down with a faint pearly glow, and dewdrops full of vitality had gathered along the backs of the leaves.

"What dense life energy."

Ah Yin was still cradled in Tang San's hands. Upon arriving here, even Ah Yin began to sway, as though she too greatly enjoyed the aura of this place.

At first glance, Tang San stared directly at that cattail plant. The life force within it was so dense that it was practically a miracle.

"A three-thousand-year Thousand-Pattern Verdant Essence Ancient Cattail. Little San, are you confident?"

Tang San unconsciously swallowed, his throat bobbing. Three thousand years—if anyone else had suggested it, he would have refused without hesitation. But these words came from his father, so of course he could do it!

"What is there to fear? Father, Little San is willing to try!"

He carefully set Ah Yin aside, then spread his legs and was about to step forward.

"Wait. Let Father handle this. With your current strength, you likely can't even hurt it yet."

With that, Tang Chuan stepped forward. The Eight Spider Lances burst from his back, their pale golden tips radiating a chilling aura.

"This is... an External Soul Bone!?"

As the Eight Spider Lances firmly pierced the ground, Tang Chuan's Blue Silver Emperor began growing along the earth, spreading before the Thousand-Pattern Verdant Essence Ancient Cattail. Thick stalks bound it tightly and completely.

Bang!

Tang Chuan yanked the ancient cattail out by the roots, while the Eight Spider Lances behind him continuously clawed at the ground, showing just how deeply rooted it had been.

Finally, Tang Chuan's gaze sharpened, and the ancient cattail was pulled free, flying toward the two of them.

"Little San! Aim for the roots at its center—that is its weakest point!"

"Got it!"

Tang San hurriedly pulled out a small knife he had personally sharpened from Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges. He even unconsciously activated his Purple Demon Eye.

Swish!

With a swift slash, Tang San cut directly into its center. As the roots fell away, the ancient cattail's vitality instantly dissipated, and a purple soul ring emerged from its body.

Tang San did not immediately absorb the soul ring. Instead, he looked at the eight spider lances behind Tang Chuan, his eyes filled with curiosity. This was the first time he had seen an External Soul Bone.

"This is the External Soul Bone I explained to you before. Father's is called the Eight Spider Lances."

"So that's how it is."

Tang San nodded and stopped looking around. It was normal for his father to have secrets, and as his son, he would not pry too much. After all, this was his father—how could he possibly mean him harm?

"Little San, do not lose focus during this absorption. Absorbing a thousand-year soul ring is no trifling matter! I will always stand guard for you."

"I understand, Father!"

Tang San's expression softened with emotion. His father would always have his back. He had to grow stronger and prove the saying true: "A tiger father has no dog son!"

Sitting cross-legged, Tang San focused his mind. At a thought, the purple thousand-year soul ring slowly drifted toward him.

There was no pain, no tearing sensation. Tang San only felt as though he had been placed in an ocean of life, where everything brimmed with vitality.

Watching his condition from outside, Tang Chuan nodded. The Blue Silver King's life energy was already extraordinarily high. Though this ancient cattail had reached a thousand years, its vitality was only impressive compared to other plant-type soul beasts. Before the king of Blue Silver Grass, it was still nowhere near enough.

While Tang San absorbed the soul ring, Tang Chuan spread Forest of Myriad Phenomena and then examined his system panel.

Soon afterward, he noticed that his level and domain section had changed.

[Tang Chuan]

[Level: Seventy-four (three levels available for manual upgrade)]

[Domains: Blue Silver Domain/Forest of Myriad Phenomena, Divine Slaughter's Domain (available for manual unlock)]

Divine Slaughter's Domain?

A trace of surprise appeared in Tang Chuan's eyes. Had this system bugged out? Tang San had possessed Divine Slaughter's Domain long before the divine trials, and it was only unlocking now?

If the system had not already run off, Tang Chuan would have demanded an explanation. What the hell had it been doing all this time?