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 accumulated snow from their boughs. It fell into the drifts beneath the trees with soft, muffled thuds.

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

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

Jiang Lan trudged through the snow, each step producing a soft crunch. He stayed close by Shui Qinghan's side, vigilantly surveying their surroundings.

No matter their species, the Soul Beasts of the Frozen Forest had evolved pure white fur. Hidden in the snow, they were almost impossible to spot.

They had only just entered the outer region of the Frozen Forest, yet 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 the outer region, mixed region, and core region. It simply isn't as dangerous as the Great Star Dou Forest. However, Soul Beasts everywhere share one thing in common: 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 stable."

"And those fixed territories provide us humans with great convenience."

"Although the map in my hand looks ordinary and no different from any other map..."

"If it were placed on the market, saying it was worth a fortune would not be an exaggeration."

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

"The academy updates the information on this map once every year. Not only does it allow students to hunt suitable Soul Beasts as quickly as possible and reduce the likelihood of encountering powerful Soul Beasts, but it also ensures the safety of 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 established Soul Master Academy, something those fly-by-night academies could never compare to.

"So that's how it is." Jiang Lan suddenly understood. He had been wondering why one needed a map to hunt Soul Beasts.

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

"Remember this: most maps sold outside in Hunter Soul Town are only useful as references. The information on them is basically years out of date. If you blindly trust that information, it is easy to fall into danger," Shui Qinghan cautioned.

"This disciple understands!"

Shui Qinghan nodded slightly and 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 of the outer region, the strongest is one that is over four thousand years old. Among its many offspring is one over four hundred years old, 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 truly be absorbed?" Jiang Lan asked, putting on a curious expression.

"Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul? That was the work of that so-called 'Master,' wasn't it?" Shui Qinghan sneered and earnestly advised him:

"Lan'er, you may read that so-called Master's theories, but you must never believe them, much less try them."

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

"Even among Beast Martial Souls, high-grade Martial Souls can absorb four-hundred-year Soul Rings, while low-grade Martial Souls can absorb only Soul Rings of a little over one hundred years, not even two hundred years. Top-tier Martial Souls can even absorb Soul Rings beyond the limit. For example, with your Lord of Tides Martial Soul, Lan'er, even a five-hundred-year Soul Ring for your First Soul Ring would not be a problem."

"If Martial Soul quality is the same, Battle Soul Masters possess physiques far superior to Auxiliary Soul Masters. And Beast Martial Soul Soul Masters possess stronger physiques than Tool Martial Soul Soul Masters. How could they all be lumped together?"

"That so-called Master's theory is simply misleading students."

Shui Qinghan gave a cold laugh, criticizing Gangzi's theory as utterly worthless.

"Teacher, I understand." Jiang Lan lowered his head, seemingly ashamed for having doubted his teacher.

But in reality...

Holding Back Laughter.JPG

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

Mocking Gangzi was a Douluo tradition. It had to be savored.

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

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

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

By the shore, a group of Snow Spirit Deer with snow-white bodies and antlers lowered their heads to drink.

At that moment, the calm lake surface suddenly exploded. An Azurewave Dragon Sturgeon half a meter long shot out of the water. Its fish tail was slender like a dragon's tail, its entire body covered in azure dragon scales, and dragon-like manes grew along its back. It opened its tooth-filled mouth and bit down on a Snow Spirit Deer that was roughly ten years old, dragging it directly underwater. A mass of bubbles and bright red blood surged up from beneath the lake surface.

The herd of Snow Spirit Deer immediately scattered in terror, but after hesitating for a while, they gathered by the lake again to drink.

Although 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 and looked at Jiang Lan beside her.

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

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

If external assistance 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 torrent poured down from the void like a breached heavenly river. The rushing water galloped like ten thousand horses, while the roar of the waves resembled deafening thunder. Yet restrained by an invisible force, it did not become a disaster that swept away everything around it. Instead, it revolved around Jiang Lan and Shui Qinghan, forming a swift, flowing water tornado.

With another thought from Jiang Lan, the water tornado exploded, transforming into pure water elements. They then condensed into a ring of water formed from pure water elements, circling around the two of them. The pure, dense water elements constantly nourished their bodies, continuously restoring their injuries and depleted Soul Power.

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

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

His Innate Domain had been transformed from the exclusive trait of Starlight King—"Sea."