Tang San's Choice [Ten-Year Lone Bamboo]

The pale white soul ring beneath Ao Yin's feet suddenly lit up, flashing wildly!

"First Soul Skill, Red Tide!"

Whoosh!

A dragon pattern on the entire pitch-black Coiling Dragon Staff was completely activated. A fire dragon awakened, its innate Southern Bright Lihuo blazing fiercely, turning the entire staff red like heated iron.

Crack! Bang!

The Red Tide surged, and the thick layer of ice encasing Ao Yin shattered in an instant, vaporizing into wisps of white mist.

The next second!

Everything within a radius of ten meters was enclosed by Southern Bright Lihuo. The area it encircled was... the Red Tide Domain!

Ao Yin smiled faintly. This first soul skill was called Red Tide.

"Within the Red Tide, Southern Bright Lihuo reigns. I am like a god. Anyone who harbors even the slightest irreverence toward a god will have their mind scorched by Southern Bright Lihuo in an instant. Naturally, their bodily functions will also be affected to a degree, becoming stiff. Even if they react in time, their speed will be drastically reduced for a while! Their attack power will be weakened!"

The previously ferocious Six-Winged Frost Centipede now had muddled eyes.

An incomparably scorching aura of flame burned its body. The frost mist around it rapidly melted away, and its frost power was being suppressed!

Screech! Screech!

It came to its senses and stared in terror at the youth walking toward it step by step.

At that moment, Southern Bright Lihuo swirled around Ao Yin's body. Like a blazing sun that could incinerate all things, he radiated divine majesty that could not be looked upon directly!

The Six-Winged Frost Centipede's enormous body trembled uncontrollably.

"Now you know fear? Too late."

"Myriad-Jun... Red Tide!"

With Myriad-Jun Strength empowering the Coiling Dragon Staff, he activated his first soul skill. The Red Tide formed from Southern Bright Lihuo came crashing down!

Boom!

Rumble...

Even if the Six-Winged Frost Centipede wanted to flee, it was intercepted and trapped by Southern Bright Lihuo, leaving it no choice but to face the attack head-on!

Swish—

In the Six-Winged Frost Centipede's eyes, one tiny sun after another, carrying an aura of destruction, seemed to be smashing toward it. It suddenly tried to flap its icy wings and unleash an extreme burst of speed!

However, its body froze for a moment!!

Thud—Boom!

The Coiling Dragon Staff crashed down fiercely. The Six-Winged Frost Centipede's ice-scaled body endured the blow, producing a dull sound. It felt its body grow heavy, then with a thud, it slammed violently into the ground!

It was directly smashed into a deep pit!

Creak! Creak!

The Six-Winged Frost Centipede had suffered grievous injuries. Combined with the previous bite from the Datura Snake and the severe snake venom in its body, its frost power now collapsed, and it no longer had the strength to suppress the venom. It was at death's door, its hundred legs flailing continuously with creaking sounds, yet it could not rise.

Ao Yin narrowed his eyes and said with a faint smile, "The Six-Winged Frost Centipede is a mutant soul beast. It possesses a thin Ice Dragon bloodline and the power of extreme cold. I'll use you as the second soul ring for my Coiling Dragon Staff!"

As he spoke, Ao Yin swung the Coiling Dragon Staff, sending out a streak of Southern Bright Lihuo. The dying Six-Winged Frost Centipede was instantly engulfed in blazing flames!

Sizzle, rip!

Even the Six-Winged Frost Centipede's formidable ice-scaled body immediately gave off the smell of charred flesh beneath the burning Southern Bright Lihuo.

The Six-Winged Frost Centipede struggled for a long time before finally finding release.

A yellow soul ring slowly rose.

Ao Yin's eyes lit up. "Six-hundred-year lifespan!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Ao Yin immediately used his soul power to draw it in and absorb it into his body.

The instant the soul ring entered his body, an aura of extreme cold enveloped him. Fortunately, Southern Bright Lihuo protected his body and easily neutralized it.

Unlike soul beasts such as the Fire Glass Vine Serpent, which had only a one-minute lifespan, the Six-Winged Frost Centipede had a lifespan of six hundred years after all. Absorbing its soul ring would take some time.

Meanwhile, at the outskirts of the Soul Hunting Forest.

Yu Xiaogang finally let out a sigh of relief. Tang San had also regained consciousness.

"Teacher, I... disappointed you!" Tang San looked at Yu Xiaogang with guilt written all over his face.

Yu Xiaogang took a deep breath and sighed. "Little San, this isn't your fault. Soul beasts over a hundred years old are difficult to hunt in the first place!"

Hearing this, Tang San clenched his fists and retorted, "No! Teacher, I really did kill the Datura Snake with my own hands, but that soul ring flew toward Ao Yin!"

"Impossible!"

Yu Xiaogang immediately reacted, yet he could not find any reason why the soul ring would drift toward Ao Yin.

If that was the case, then there was only one truth: Tang San was lying. The Datura Snake had not been killed by him at all!

Tang San could not defend himself no matter how hard he tried, and he did not want to argue pointlessly with his teacher!

"Teacher, then my first soul ring..."

Cough, cough—

Tang San wanted to ask about the soul ring, only to discover that Yu Xiaogang was coughing up blood!

"It's nothing. I was merely injured by that Six-Winged Frost Centipede!"

Yu Xiaogang waved his hand, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. He took a deep breath and said, "As for your soul ring... we'll have to settle for the next best thing!"

"Teacher, you mean?"

"That's right, the Ten-Year Lone Bamboo we encountered earlier!"

Yu Xiaogang said bluntly, "The Soul Hunting Forest is full of danger. That hundred-year Datura Snake was already something one could only hope to encounter, and now that I've been injured, we can only make do. I mentioned that Ten-Year Lone Bamboo to you before. It suits the characteristics of your Blue Silver Grass very well. It's a good fallback choice!"

Yu Xiaogang patted Tang San's shoulder and led him straight to the Ten-Year Lone Bamboo.

"This is the one. Listen to your teacher. With my theories, I will definitely be able to raise you into a god!"

"Become a god?"

Tang San froze slightly. He had not expected his teacher to have such confidence in his own theories.

"That's right! The path to godhood is destined to be different from others. Don't cling to the lifespan of a martial soul. Choosing a soul ring that suits your martial soul's characteristics is the best choice!"

Tang San took a deep breath. Geniuses never adhered rigidly to convention. Neither he nor his teacher were people who followed the rules!

"I'll listen to you, Teacher!" Tang San was quickly persuaded by Yu Xiaogang.

He immediately walked up to the Ten-Year Lone Bamboo he had seen earlier. With his Mysterious Jade Hand, he raised his hand and brought it down in one swift stroke, cutting it down.

A white soul ring rose!

"Little San, quickly! Absorb your first soul ring. Your teacher will stand guard for you!"

Tang San nodded. No longer hesitating, he sat cross-legged and began absorbing the Ten-Year Lone Bamboo's soul ring!

After a long while, Tang San opened his eyes and immediately sensed that he had become different.

"How was it?"

"Teacher, I succeeded!"

As he spoke, Tang San slowly extended his right hand. Blue Silver Grass gradually appeared in his palm, while a white soul ring slowly rose beneath his feet.

After absorbing the soul ring, the Mysterious Heaven Skill also seemed to have loosened slightly!

"Not bad! Let's head back!"

Yu Xiaogang raised his brows slightly, but he could not see any major change in the Blue Silver Grass. Still, this was not a safe place to remain for long.

Now that he had helped Tang San obtain a suitable first soul ring, it was time to leave the Soul Hunting Forest and return!

"What about Ao Yin?"

Tang San could not help turning back for another look. So much time had passed, yet there was still no sign of Ao Yin. He did not know whether Ao Yin was dead or alive.

Yu Xiaogang sneered. "With a Six-Winged Frost Centipede of six hundred years targeting him, even if Ao Yin has Innate Full Soul Power, monstrous strength, and martial skills, he could not possibly escape. He has probably already become food for a soul beast!"

"Dead?"

Tang San frowned slightly. For Ao Yin to die just like that at the hands of a soul beast was truly letting him off too easily!