Tricking Tang San into Absorbing a Hundred-Thousand-Year Brittle Bamboo Soul Ring

"What should I write?" Old Jack asked. "Grandpa will write it for you."

"I want him to get me a Ten-Year Brittle Bamboo!" Jiede said.

"What?"

Old Jack froze. "What do you need that thing for? Ten-Year Brittle Bamboo is already old. It won't soften no matter how long you stew it, and it won't absorb any flavor when cooked with meat."

"Once Brittle Bamboo reaches ten years, it becomes a soul beast. I want to study soul beasts," Jiede said solemnly.

"Why are you messing with that thing? Brittle Bamboo that has only grown for a few years can be used for stewing meat, but once it passes ten years and becomes a soul beast, its value changes immediately."

Old Jack flatly refused. "Little Jiede, don't waste money."

"No, Grandpa, I want it!" Jiede shook Old Jack's arm and began throwing a tantrum.

"No!" Old Jack's attitude was firm.

What the old man had not expected was that Jiede pestered him about it for two whole days. Every time they met, Jiede started nagging him.

"Grandpa, I want Ten-Year Brittle Bamboo!"

Old Jack snapped, "You little brat, keep bothering me and see if I don't beat you."

Jiede merely shrugged indifferently. "Grandpa, don't think I don't know. You didn't dare tell my parents about me falling into the river.

"You wouldn't want me to tell them about it when I go back to Soto City, would you?"

Old Jack was dumbfounded. What a rebellious thing to say.

"Didn't you fall in by yourself? Are you saying it was my fault?"

"What else? It was because bad Grandpa didn't watch over me properly."

Old Jack took a deep breath. The moment he thought of Jiede's mother flying into a rage if she learned that Jiede had fallen into the water, he could only force out a sentence through gritted teeth.

"Fine, fine, fine. I'll write it, all right? But you have to promise me that you won't tell your parents about falling into the water."

"Grandpa is the best," Jiede said sweetly.

"Hmph! Let me make this clear: I'll help you write it, but if your father doesn't agree, there's nothing I can do."

"Don't worry. My father will definitely agree."

A week later.

Jiede's father replied and had someone bring back a Ten-Year Brittle Bamboo.

[Son, Dad believes in you. Next year, you will definitely awaken Innate Soul Power.

This Ten-Year Brittle Bamboo wasn't too expensive, so take it and study it. I also sent three books related to martial souls. Make sure you read them carefully...]

Jiede waved the envelope before Old Jack and bragged, "Grandpa, see? What did I tell you? Not only would my father not refuse, he'd even support me."

Old Jack stroked his beard. "Transporting this Ten-Year Brittle Bamboo out of the soul beast forest must have cost your father at least two months' wages. Don't break it."

Jiede chuckled, hoisted the emerald-green bamboo over his shoulder, and ran to the small woods behind his home to dig a hole and plant it.

After fussing around for more than an hour, he finally buried the roots of the over-three-meter-long Brittle Bamboo in the soil...

One afternoon a few days later.

After Old Jack cleared away the lunch dishes, he used his chopsticks to pick out a large chunk of meat from the pot, placed it in a bowl, and handed it to Jiede.

"Little Jiede, take this meat to Tang San. That child is too skinny. He needs something nourishing."

"I'm not going."

Jiede curled his lip. "Hmph, Grandpa, you praise Tang San as a good child every day. Once I figure out a way to become a soul master from this Brittle Bamboo, I'll definitely be stronger than him in the future!"

"Ah, forget it. This old bag of bones will go instead."

Old Jack sighed and looked at Jiede mournfully, carrying the air of someone playing the elder card.

Jiede remained unmoved, because he already had a brilliant plan. Mentioning Tang San now was meant to leave a suggestion in Old Jack's mind.

Old Jack had never been a tight-lipped old man. Jiede's jealous remarks would definitely leave a psychological hint in him.

After exchanging cultivation techniques with Tang San last time, it was not suitable for Jiede to bring up his family's Ten-Year Brittle Bamboo in person, or it would inevitably arouse Tang San's suspicions.

Whether Old Jack would reveal the matter depended on his luck next.

Old Jack carried the bowl away himself.

At Tang San's home.

Tang San had just finished serving Tang Hao lunch and was clearing away the dishes when he heard Old Jack calling from outside. He hurriedly opened the door to welcome him.

"Grandpa Jack, you're here."

"Here, Little San. Take this bowl of meat and eat it." Old Jack handed over the bowl.

Smelling the fragrant stewed meat, Tang San could not help swallowing.

Over the years, he had lived an extremely hard life and rarely tasted meat. Sometimes, he could catch wild game in the mountains, such as rabbits, but that depended on luck as well.

After all, there were many skilled hunters in the village, so he usually had no chance to make a move. Besides, he could not let anyone see his hidden weapons.

Tang San accepted the bowl awkwardly. "Grandpa, come in and sit for a while."

Old Jack shook his head and instructed, "Little San, eat this bowl of meat yourself. Don't give any to that lazy good-for-nothing Tang Hao."

Hearing Old Jack criticize his father to his face, Tang San's expression darkened slightly. But for the sake of the meat, he did not argue.

Tang San had been studying the Soul Beast Compendium memorized in his mind these past few days. He actually wanted to get some information about soul masters from Jiede.

But Jiede had refused to meet him, leaving him with no way to do so. So he casually asked Old Jack instead.

"By the way, what has Little Jiede been doing these past two days? I haven't seen him lately."

"Him? Don't mention it. He's been shouting every day about becoming a soul master. These past two days, he had his father spend a high price to buy a ten-year soul beast, Brittle Bamboo.

"He's messing around with it in the woods behind my house right now.

"Sigh, if that child could be half as worry-free as you..."

After chatting a little longer, Old Jack slowly left with his cane.

Tang San stood frozen in place, holding the bowl of meat.

"Ten-year... soul beast... Green Bamboo..."

From the Basic Soul Beast Compendium, he had learned that as long as one successfully absorbed a soul beast's Soul Ring, one could become a soul master.

He simply did not know that the contents Jiede had shown him had all been carefully selected.

"The bottleneck of the Mysterious Heaven Technique finally has a solution."

Tang San suppressed the excitement in his heart and returned indoors with the bowl of meat.

"Dad, come eat some meat."

Jiede saw Old Jack return through the window. He did not ask anything, only wondering whether Grandpa had told Tang San about the Brittle Bamboo.

If Tang San did not come to steal the Ten-Year Brittle Bamboo after some time, then it meant Old Jack had not told him about it.

Of course, Jiede had backup plans. There were plenty of children in the village. One day, he could go out and brag about it, and Tang San would learn of it sooner or later.

In any case, Jiede could afford to wait. He had plenty of time.

Over the next few days, the Brittle Bamboo took root in the small woods and remained safe and sound.

Jiede did not idle away this period either. He studied the three books his father had sent over and over several times.

One of the books recorded the most widespread soul power cultivation method on Douluo Continent.

Jiede discovered that this method of circulating energy was not much better. Douluo Continent's understanding of soul power cultivation methods was shallow. Only the great sects likely possessed better cultivation techniques.

Jiede integrated this technique into the Body Tempering Technique, greatly increasing the speed of his soul power circulation. He cultivated diligently throughout the day, striving to catch up with Tang San's progress.

One night seven days later.

Jiede got out of bed to relieve himself when he suddenly heard faint footsteps in the distance, coming from the small woods his family had planted.

Jiede immediately became alert, but he did not dare look toward the woods.

If the person in the woods was Tang San, then peeking from the shadows would definitely alert him.

Jiede quietly crouched in the darkness, pricked up his ears, and listened carefully.

In the small woods, a short, thin figure stood before the Ten-Year Brittle Bamboo.

That person was Tang San.

He activated his Purple Demon Eyes and saw the Brittle Bamboo clearly in the darkness.

"So this is a soul beast?"

"Green Bamboo!"

"It really is different from ordinary plants."

"The Basic Soul Beast Compendium says that soul masters need to absorb Soul Rings to break through bottlenecks and continue cultivating."

"The Mysterious Heaven Technique being stuck must be because of this."

Tang San released his spiritual power and sensed that no one was watching nearby. He pulled out a kitchen knife, placed it against the roots of the Brittle Bamboo, and began sawing fiercely.

He did not dare chop it down directly, afraid that the noise would draw the attention of nearby villagers.

After half an hour of work, he finally sawed through the Brittle Bamboo completely.

The instant the Brittle Bamboo fell, it lost its life, and a faint white Soul Ring rose from its remains.

Tang San's eyes burned with excitement. He hurriedly sat cross-legged on the ground and began absorbing the Soul Ring.