Innate Domain

The biting cold wind howled, whipping up clouds of snow mist through the forest.

The pine branches swayed gently in the wind, shaking the piled snow from their boughs. It fell into the drifts beneath the trees with soft, muffled thumps.

The unchanging lead-gray sky had begun to snow again at some point.

Goose-feather snowflakes drifted down from the sky, wrapping the briefly revealed green in another layer of silver.

Jiang Lan trudged through the snow, each step producing a soft crunch. He stayed close at Shui Qinghan's side, his gaze vigilantly sweeping over their surroundings.

No matter their species, the Soul Beasts within the Frozen Forest had evolved snow-white fur. Hidden amidst the snow, they were nearly impossible to spot.

They had only just entered the outer region of the Frozen Forest when they had already suffered several attacks from Soul Beasts.

As Shui Qinghan led Jiang Lan deeper into the Frozen Forest, she explained, "Like the Great Star Dou Forest, the Frozen Forest is divided into an outer region, a mixed region, and a core region. It just isn't as dangerous as the Great Star Dou Forest. However, Soul Beasts everywhere share one common trait: they possess an exceptionally strong sense of territory."

"To Soul Beasts, their territory is their habitat. Once they lose it, it is equivalent to losing their right to survive and reproduce."

"Therefore, the territories of powerful Soul Beasts are usually very difficult to change."

"And the fixed territories of Soul Beasts provide us humans with considerable convenience."

"Though the map in my hand looks ordinary and seems no different from any common map..."

"If this map were placed on the market, calling it worth a fortune would not be an exaggeration."

"This map marks the habitats of many ice- and water-attributed Soul Beasts in the Frozen Forest, as well as various dangerous zones."

"The academy updates the information on this map once every year. This not only allows students to hunt suitable Soul Beasts as quickly as possible and reduces the chance of encountering powerful Soul Beasts, but also ensures the safety of both the students and the teachers leading them." Shui Qinghan raised the map in her hand and spoke proudly.

This was one of the foundations of an old-established Soul Master Academy, something no second-rate academy could compare with.

"So that's how it is." Jiang Lan suddenly understood. He had been wondering why hunting Soul Beasts required looking at a map.

So he had been completely misled by the anime. A second-rate academy like Shrek Academy probably did not possess such resources at all; hunting Soul Beasts there could only rely entirely on luck.

"Remember this: most maps sold in Hunter Soul Town outside are only useful as references. The information on them is generally years out of date. Blindly trusting that information can easily land you in danger," Shui Qinghan cautioned.

"This disciple understands!"

Shui Qinghan nodded slightly, then continued, "Azurewave Dragon Sturgeons are water-type Soul Beasts that live in family groups and feed on small and medium-sized Soul Beasts."

"In the Azurewave Dragon Sturgeon group in the outer region, the strongest is a sturgeon over four thousand years old. Among its many offspring is one that is over four hundred years old and nearly five hundred years old. It would be very suitable as your First Soul Ring."

"Teacher, I once read a theory called Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul. It said that the limit for a Soul Master's First Soul Ring is 423 years. Can a Soul Ring that is nearly five hundred years old really be absorbed?" Jiang Lan asked, putting on a curious expression.

"Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul? That is the work of that 'Grandmaster,' isn't it?" Shui Qinghan scoffed, then earnestly advised him:

"Lan'er, it is fine to read that 'Grandmaster's' theories, but do not believe them, much less try them."

"The theoretical limit for a First Soul Ring is indeed a little over four hundred years, but a Soul Master's tolerance is closely related to their physical strength and the strength of their Martial Soul."

"Even among Beast Martial Souls, a high-grade Martial Soul can absorb a four-hundred-year Soul Ring, while a low-grade Martial Soul can absorb at most a Soul Ring of a little over one hundred years, less than two hundred years. Top-tier Martial Souls can even absorb Soul Rings beyond the limit. Take your Lord of Tides Martial Soul, Lan'er—absorbing a five-hundred-year Soul Ring as your First Soul Ring would not be a problem."

"If the quality of the Martial Souls is the same, Battle Soul Masters possess physical constitutions far superior to Auxiliary Soul Masters. And Beast Martial Soul Soul Masters are physically stronger than Tool Martial Soul Soul Masters. How can they all be lumped together?"

"That 'Grandmaster's' theory is simply leading people astray."

Shui Qinghan sneered coldly, criticizing Gangzi's theory until it was utterly worthless.

"Teacher, I understand." Jiang Lan lowered his head, seeming ashamed that he had doubted his teacher.

But in reality...

Holding back laughter.JPG

If he did not lower his head, he really would not be able to hold it in and would burst out laughing.

Messing with Gangzi was a Douluo specialty. It had to be experienced.

"It's good that you understand~" Shui Qinghan reached out and rubbed Jiang Lan's head, her pretty face full of satisfaction.

Before long, Shui Qinghan led Jiang Lan to a lake several hundred meters wide.

The lake water gave off a faint chill. Although its temperature had clearly fallen below freezing, the surface had not frozen over.

On the shore, a herd of Snow Spirit Deer, entirely white and with antlers growing from their heads, lowered their heads to drink.

At that moment, the calm surface of the lake suddenly exploded. An Azurewave Dragon Sturgeon half a meter long shot from the water. Its long fish tail resembled a dragon's tail, its body was covered in azure dragon scales, and a dragon-like mane grew along its back. It opened its tooth-filled jaws and bit down on a Snow Spirit Deer that was around ten years old, dragging it straight into the water. Large amounts of bubbles and bright red blood surged up from beneath the lake's surface.

The Snow Spirit Deer herd was immediately frightened into scattering, but after hesitating for a moment, they gathered by the water again to drink.

Though eating snow could replenish moisture, melting it consumed body heat and energy. Only when they truly had no water to drink would the Soul Beasts of the Frozen Forest eat snow to quench their thirst.

"This Azurewave Dragon Sturgeon that is nearly five hundred years old is very suitable as your First Soul Ring." Shui Qinghan lowered her head to look at Jiang Lan beside her.

"Teacher, if my physical defense and energy defense could be increased by 300%, how many years could my First Soul Ring be?" Jiang Lan hesitated for a moment before looking up at Shui Qinghan and asking.

"Lan'er, absorbing a Soul Ring cannot rely on external aid," Shui Qinghan replied.

If external aid could be used to absorb Soul Rings, then the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would be the strongest sect on the continent.

"Teacher, what if the enhancement is an effect granted by my domain?" With a thought, Jiang Lan released his Lord of Tides Martial Soul and directly activated his Innate Domain.

Rumble!

A torrential flood poured from the void like a celestial river bursting through its banks. The rushing waters surged like a stampede of ten thousand horses, their roaring waves like deafening thunder. Restrained by an invisible force, they did not become a disaster that swept away everything around them. Instead, they revolved around Jiang Lan and Shui Qinghan, forming a violent, flowing waterspout.

With another thought from Jiang Lan, the waterspout burst apart with a thunderous crash, transforming into pure water elements. They then condensed into a ring of water formed from pure water elements, circling the two of them. The pure, dense water elements nourished their bodies at every moment, constantly restoring their injuries and depleted Soul Power.

"Th-this is an Innate Domain?!" Shui Qinghan's expression changed dramatically.

"This is my Innate Domain—Sea of Tides," Jiang Lan said.

His Innate Domain had been transformed from Starlight King's exclusive trait—"Sea."