The Age Limit Is Too Low, I Don't Want It

Spirit City was not far from Star Dou Forest.

At Yue Guan's flying speed as a titled Douluo, the three of them reached the outskirts of Star Dou Forest in less than half an hour.

Looking down from the sky, the boundless forest canopy was lush and green, stretching to the horizon like a vast green ocean.

From deep within the forest, low beast roars rang out from time to time, rising and falling with a hint of primal savagery.

Yue Guan led the two of them down onto an open patch of ground. Releasing his soul power, he drove away all the low-level soul beasts within a hundred-meter radius.

"Stay close. Don't get separated," Yue Guan warned. "Star Dou Forest is nothing like the Spirit Hunting Forest outside. The farther in we go, the higher the soul beasts' cultivation will be."

"Though I can protect you, accidents can still happen."

Hu Liena put away her carefree attitude from the journey and nodded seriously.

Meanwhile, Yang Jian silently observed their surroundings.

The three began making their way deeper into the forest.

Yue Guan walked at the front, his soul power perception fully spread. Nothing within several miles, not even the slightest rustle of wind through grass, could escape his senses.

Hu Liena followed in the middle, her gaze repeatedly sweeping over the surrounding shrubs and treetops for traces of soul beasts.

Yang Jian walked at the rear, his steps steady and unhurried.

After searching for roughly two hours, Yue Guan suddenly stopped.

Following his gaze, Hu Liena looked over and, after a moment, called out in a low voice, "Over there!"

She pointed toward a thicket ahead and to the right.

The three quietly approached. Through the gaps in the bushes, they saw an earth dragon roughly two meters long gnawing on a low-growing plant.

Its scales gleamed with a golden luster beneath the sunlight filtering through the leaves. Its limbs were short and thick, yet it looked immensely powerful.

"A Golden Earth Dragon, an earth-element soul beast known for its strength and defense." Hu Liena turned to Yang Jian, a probing note in her voice. "Junior brother, what do you think of this one?"

"Though it can't compare to a Titan Giant Ape, it's around four hundred years old, just within the limit for a first soul ring. It's also well suited for a tool martial soul."

Yang Jian glanced at the Golden Earth Dragon and shook his head expressionlessly.

"Don't want it."

Hu Liena froze. "Why?"

"The age limit is too low." Yang Jian's tone was calm.

Hu Liena's eyes widened, as though she suspected she had misheard him.

"Four hundred years is too low?" Her voice rose several pitches. "That's already the standard upper limit for a first soul ring! Do you know what the number four hundred and twenty-three years means? It's experience bought with the lives of countless soul masters..."

Yang Jian felt somewhat frustrated. This was yet another theory plagiarized by Yu Xiaogang that had led children astray.

That was right. Under normal circumstances, four hundred and twenty-three years was indeed the limit for a first soul ring. But there were exceptional cases.

For example, people born with exceptionally strong bodies, those who had consistently trained before the age of six, or those who had consumed heavenly treasures such as Whale Glue.

If one's first soul ring only absorbed one around four hundred and twenty-three years old, their future achievements would inevitably be limited.

Speaking of Whale Glue...

Should I tell Spirit Hall what this stuff can do?

"Nana."

At that moment, Yue Guan suddenly spoke, interrupting Hu Liena.

A meaningful smile curled at the corner of his lips as he waved a hand at her.

"Be patient."

"A mere four-hundred-year soul ring—if Yang Jian truly absorbed it, it would only harm him."

Hu Liena was completely stunned.

She could not understand why Elder Ju would say such a thing.

The four-hundred-and-twenty-three-year limit for a first soul ring was an ironclad rule of the soul master world, one that had endured for countless years and had never been broken.

Yet from Elder Ju's words, the soul ring Yang Jian intended to absorb would be far beyond that age limit?

She still wanted to ask more, but Yue Guan had already turned and continued forward.

"Let's go. Keep looking. There isn't a suitable soul ring for him here."

On the first day, they found nothing.

Though Star Dou Forest had countless soul beasts, Titan Giant Apes and Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bears were not ordinary soul beasts one could find anywhere.

They searched the boundary between the outer and middle regions for an entire day without even spotting the shadow of either species.

As night fell, Yue Guan stopped beside a stream.

"We'll camp here tonight."

After scanning the surroundings and confirming there was no danger, he sat cross-legged beside the campfire and closed his eyes to rest, his soul power perception continuously covering the area around their campsite.

Hu Liena was exhausted. She dropped onto a rock by the stream and rubbed her aching legs.

She secretly glanced at Yang Jian and found that the six-year-old looked completely normal, not even breathing heavily. She could not help feeling a little surprised.

"How is this brat's stamina better than mine..."

She muttered to herself, too embarrassed to ask aloud.

Yang Jian leaned against a large tree. He appeared to be resting, but in truth, he was silently circulating the Eight-Nine Mysteries.

The night passed without incident.

The following morning, the three of them had a simple meal of dry provisions before continuing deeper into the forest.

After another two hours of searching, Yue Guan suddenly stopped, his gaze fixed on the dense forest ahead.

Hu Liena followed his gaze. Her eyes immediately lit up, only for regret to soon appear on her face.

The three passed through a patch of shrubs and finally saw the soul beast's full form.

It was a massive ape-like soul beast, its limbs as thick as tree trunks. Squatting beside a fallen ancient tree, it was tearing apart the remains of its prey.

It was not exceptionally huge, but every inch of its muscles was packed with explosive power. With each breath, a faint, low rumble came from its chest.

A Titan Giant Ape.

After observing it carefully for a moment, Hu Liena lowered her voice and said to Yang Jian, "What a pity. This Titan Giant Ape has at least a thousand years of cultivation. Its soul ring is indeed very suitable for you, but its age limit is too high. You simply can't absorb it."

Yue Guan said nothing. He merely watched the Titan Giant Ape quietly, as if calculating something.

Only after a while did he speak.

"Around two thousand five hundred years."

"Yang Jian, do you want this Titan Giant Ape?"

Hu Liena thought she had misheard.

Her eyes widened as she looked at Yue Guan in disbelief, her voice changing pitch. "Elder Ju, what are you saying? A two-thousand-five-hundred-year first soul ring would make Yang Jian's body explode and kill him!"

She turned to Yang Jian and hurriedly tried to persuade him. "Junior brother, don't be rash!"

"The limit for a first soul ring is four hundred and twenty-three years. That's common knowledge recognized throughout the soul master world. If you exceed that limit, the energy inside the soul ring will burst your meridians. No one will be able to save you."

"Even if your body is somewhat stronger than an ordinary person's, it's still impossible..."

Yang Jian withdrew his gaze from the Titan Giant Ape and shook his head.

"The age limit is too low. Don't want it."

His tone was calm, as though he were merely commenting on how nice the weather was today.

Hu Liena's mouth opened, then closed, then opened again, like a fish thrown onto shore.

She felt certain she was hearing things.

A two-thousand-five-hundred-year first soul ring was too low?

Did this six-year-old even know what he was saying?