Ten-Year Lone Bamboo

A week later.

Early in the morning, before the sky had fully brightened, Lin Chen was jolted awake by a faint noise.

He opened his eyes and saw two blurry figures in the distant training ground through the window, heading toward the academy gates.

It was Yu Xiaogang and Tang San.

Lin Chen narrowed his eyes, a faint smile curling at his lips.

So they were finally going?

He knew Yu Xiaogang planned to take Tang San to Spirit Hunting Forest to obtain his first spirit ring.

He climbed quietly out of bed without disturbing Xiao Wu in the next bed. The little girl was sleeping soundly, curled up beneath the blanket with only a patch of jet-black hair exposed. Her breathing was even and deep.

Lin Chen put on his coat and slipped out the door.

The morning air was chilly, and dew clung to the grass. He trailed Yu Xiaogang and Tang San from afar, maintaining a distance that would keep him from being noticed. With his current strength, following a Grand Spirit Master and a child who had yet to obtain a spirit ring was effortless.

Spirit Hunting Forest lay southeast of Nuoding City, roughly two hours away on foot.

Yu Xiaogang did not walk quickly. He stopped and started along the way, occasionally explaining knowledge about spirit beasts to Tang San.

Lin Chen followed from a distance and could not hear what they were saying, but judging by Tang San's frequent nods, Yu Xiaogang was probably instilling his so-called "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Spirits" again.

Lin Chen sneered inwardly.

No matter how impressive his theories sound, he's still a useless armchair strategist. Let's see how this Master chooses a spirit ring for his disciple later.

Upon reaching the outskirts of Spirit Hunting Forest, Yu Xiaogang stopped.

He took out a map from his robe, unfolded it, and studied it. Then he pointed toward a direction deep within the forest and said something to Tang San. Tang San nodded, and the two entered the woods along a narrow path.

Lin Chen followed about fifty meters behind them, using the Wood Law of the Five Elements Laws to blend his aura into the surroundings. His footsteps were light and silent, like a cat darting through the shadows of the trees.

Up ahead, Yu Xiaogang and Tang San stopped beside a stream.

Yu Xiaogang crouched down and carefully examined the mud along the streambank. Then he pointed at a trail on the ground and said something to Tang San. Tang San leaned over to look and nodded.

Lin Chen hid behind a large tree and observed with narrowed eyes.

The trail looked like it had been left by some kind of snake. Judging by its size and depth, it should have been a snake-type spirit beast around a hundred years old.

A Mandala Snake.

Lin Chen recognized it. In the original story, Tang San's first spirit ring had come from this very spirit beast. The Mandala Snake was fast and highly venomous, and the skill granted by its spirit ring was Binding. It was exceptionally suited to a control-type martial spirit such as Blue Silver Grass.

But Lin Chen had no intention of letting Tang San obtain it.

He looked around, and his gaze fell upon a clump of plants not far downstream.

It was a patch of Lone Bamboo.

Lone Bamboo was an extremely low-tier spirit beast.

A Lone Bamboo spirit ring had only one skill: Hardening.

It could briefly make a martial spirit harder.

For Blue Silver Grass, it was not exactly useless, but it was barely of any use at all. Blue Silver Grass excelled in flexibility and control. Hardening would not enhance its core strengths; it would instead rob it of flexibility and turn it into something neither here nor there.

Lin Chen looked at the Lone Bamboo, and an idea formed in his mind.

He raised his right hand, and a gray mark appeared in his palm. His first spirit ring lit up: Five Elements Laws—Wood Law.

An invisible force spread from his palm, silently covering an area dozens of meters wide. He could clearly sense every plant in the area—their roots, stems, leaves, and veins were all under his control.

Using the Wood Law, he gently stimulated the patch of Lone Bamboo.

The Lone Bamboo's roots trembled slightly, as though something had awakened it. Its branches and leaves slowly spread open, releasing a faint aura.

Once Lin Chen had finished, he withdrew his hand and concealed himself within the tree shadows.

All that remained was to watch the show.

Yu Xiaogang was indeed drawn over.

He walked several steps downstream along the stream, his eyes landing on the patch of Lone Bamboo as his brows furrowed slightly.

"What is it, Teacher?" Tang San followed and asked.

"There's a spirit beast's aura here." Yu Xiaogang crouched down and carefully studied the Lone Bamboo. "It's very faint, but it is definitely the aura of a spirit beast. It should be a plant-type spirit beast."

Tang San crouched down as well and looked at it. "What kind of plant is this?"

"Lone Bamboo." After examining it for a while, Yu Xiaogang gave his answer. "A very low-tier plant-type spirit beast, usually only around ten years old. Its spirit ring skill is Hardening, which can briefly make a martial spirit harder."

"Hardening?" Tang San considered it. "Would this skill be useful for Blue Silver Grass?"

Yu Xiaogang pondered for a moment. "Theoretically, it would not be very useful. Blue Silver Grass's advantages lie in its flexibility and control. Hardening would cause it to lose that flexibility and would instead limit its potential."

He stood up and brushed the mud from his hands. "Let's go. Our target is the Mandala Snake. Lone Bamboo is not worth wasting time on."

Tang San nodded and followed Yu Xiaogang upstream.

Hidden in the shadows, Lin Chen watched this scene and let out a cold smile.

Not worth wasting time on?

That may not be so.

He raised his right hand again, and the gray mark lit up.

He aimed at a stone beneath Tang San's feet and flicked his finger lightly.

A metal particle struck the stone with a crisp clink.

"Who's there?" Tang San abruptly turned around.

Yu Xiaogang stopped as well, scanning the surroundings warily. "What is it?"

"I heard something." Tang San frowned, his gaze sweeping through the surrounding woods. "It seemed to come from over there."

He took several steps in the direction of the sound, but his foot suddenly slipped.

Tang San lost his balance and fell to the side. Instinctively, he reached out to grab something nearby, only to seize a branch of Lone Bamboo.

As he tugged it, the entire plant swayed.

Then something happened that made Yu Xiaogang's expression change dramatically.

The Lone Bamboo's roots suddenly tore free from the earth, and several long, slender bamboo branches lashed at Tang San like whips!

"Watch out!" Yu Xiaogang shouted, but he was too late to act.

Tang San reacted quickly enough. He rolled across the ground and dodged the first wave of attacks.

But the Lone Bamboo seemed enraged. Its bamboo branches whipped about wildly, chasing after Tang San and striking at him. Tang San rolled several times across the ground, becoming covered in mud and fallen leaves. He looked utterly miserable.

"Teacher! It's chasing me!" Tang San shouted.

Yu Xiaogang spun anxiously in place, but he did not dare rush in rashly.

"Tang San! Use Blue Silver Grass to bind it!" Yu Xiaogang shouted.

Upon hearing this, Tang San immediately released his Blue Silver Grass. Pale blue blades of grass spread from his palm, attempting to entangle the Lone Bamboo's branches. But the bamboo branches were hard and sharp; the Blue Silver Grass was severed the moment it touched them.

"It won't work! My Blue Silver Grass can't bind it!" Tang San panicked.

"Then—"

Before Yu Xiaogang could finish, the Lone Bamboo's branches had already wrapped around Tang San's ankle and yanked hard. Tang San was dragged to the ground and pulled toward the Lone Bamboo's roots.

A crack opened at the base of the Lone Bamboo, revealing dense clusters of tiny roots inside.

That was where it absorbed nutrients. If Tang San were dragged inside, those roots would pierce his skin and drain his blood and spirit power.

"Tang San!" Yu Xiaogang finally acted.

His martial spirit, Luo San Pao, appeared at his side. With a roar, a beam of yellow light blasted toward the Lone Bamboo. The Lone Bamboo was struck, its branches trembling as they released Tang San's ankle.

But in that instant, Tang San's body had already begun absorbing the Lone Bamboo's spirit ring on its own.

White light rose from the Lone Bamboo's corpse, slowly drifting toward Tang San and merging into his body.

Tang San froze.

Yu Xiaogang froze as well.

"No..." Yu Xiaogang's face turned deathly pale in an instant. "No! This isn't the spirit ring we wanted! Tang San, stop!"

Tang San wanted to stop too, but once the absorption of a spirit ring began, it could not be interrupted. He could only watch helplessly as the white light completely merged into his body, forming a white spirit ring around his Blue Silver Grass.

A ten-year Lone Bamboo spirit ring.

White.

The lowest-grade spirit ring.

Tang San stood there blankly, looking down at the Blue Silver Grass emerging from his palm. A white ring of light encircled its blades, appearing painfully glaring beneath the sunlight.

"Teacher..." His voice trembled slightly. "I... I absorbed this spirit ring..."

Yu Xiaogang's expression was even worse than Tang San's. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but no words came out.

Ten-year Lone Bamboo.

He had planned everything so carefully. He had intended to take Tang San to hunt a Mandala Snake and give him a perfect start. But now, everything had been ruined.

A ten-year Lone Bamboo spirit ring would not merely provide Blue Silver Grass with no benefit—it would hinder Tang San's future development.

"I'm sorry, Tang San..." Yu Xiaogang's voice was hoarse. "It was my fault... I failed to protect you..."

Tang San lowered his head without speaking.

His fists clenched tightly, his fingernails digging into his palms until a trace of blood seeped out.

In the distance, beneath the shadow of a great tree, Lin Chen silently watched the scene unfold.

A satisfied smile appeared at the corner of his lips. Then he turned and vanished into the depths of the forest.

A ten-year Lone Bamboo spirit ring.

Tang San, this was what you should have had.

Enjoy it.