Is Gangzi Really Human?

At this, Qian Xunji frowned slightly.

But when he noticed Bibi Dong's expression, he said nothing more and merely nodded.

In truth, there was not much left that he could teach Bibi Dong about cultivation. At most, he could offer assistance when she hunted Soul Rings. The road ahead would largely have to be explored by Bibi Dong herself. This was also why most advanced academies allowed their students to graduate once they reached the Soul Ancestor rank.

Since Bibi Dong did not intend to consume the Whale Rubber for the time being, he naturally would not force her.

The instant the Whale Rubber entered his mouth, Ling Jing felt a warm current slide from his throat into his abdomen. Immediately afterward, another warm flow surged through his limbs and bones. It was not violent, but gentle and enduring, while a scorching sensation spread to every corner of his body.

Ling Jing could clearly feel his physical condition changing, his constitution gradually strengthening. The improvement was not great, and the pace was rather slow, but it was a genuine increase nonetheless.

Who knew how much time had passed before Ling Jing finally opened his eyes slowly.

That scorching heat still lingered in Ling Jing's heart, but... given his current physical state, even if he wanted to do anything, he lacked the strength. So Ling Jing took several deep breaths and quickly suppressed the heat.

At the sight, satisfaction immediately appeared in Qian Daoliu's eyes.

"Little Jing, rest early tonight. Tomorrow morning, I'll take you to hunt your first Soul Ring."

Early the next morning, before Pope's Hall.

Seeing Qian Daoliu, Azure Luan Douluo, and Qian Xunji inside the carriage, Ling Jing could not help clicking his tongue.

Under normal circumstances, the worshippers of the Worship Hall would not leave easily. They would only act when matters threatening Spirit Hall's safety arose. Yet today, two great worshippers had been dispatched merely to help him hunt his first Soul Ring, one of them even being one of the current three Peerless Douluo. It was enough to show how highly Spirit Hall regarded him.

After all, when Bibi Dong had gone to hunt her first Soul Ring, no worshippers from the Worship Hall had accompanied her. Qian Xunji had taken only two elders from the Elder Hall.

"Ice-Pattern Mirror Beasts live in the Icebound Forest. They are relatively rare soul beasts, and their greatest trait is their ability to create clones. Their clones can not only confuse enemies, but also fight alongside them and even aid in escape. They are rather troublesome soul beasts. There is a high chance that such a soul beast will grant you a clone-type soul skill, and that sort of skill will be very helpful in your future battles."

"Besides the Ice-Pattern Mirror Beast, there are several other candidate soul beasts, such as the Mirror Beast, which shares the same origin as your martial soul, or the Shattered-Light Mirror Lizard. The former is even rarer, while the latter is unique to the Star Dou Great Forest."

"If we fail to find either an Ice-Pattern Mirror Beast or a Mirror Beast in the Icebound Forest, only then will we consider the Shattered-Light Mirror Lizard in the Star Dou Great Forest."

Qian Daoliu's arrangement was perfectly reasonable, without the slightest flaw, and entirely for Ling Jing's sake.

As the disciple of the current Pope and the possessor of such a top-tier martial soul, he naturally could not choose his Soul Rings carelessly. Setting a target in advance while also preparing alternatives was what befitted the Pope's disciple.

Unlike Gangzi, who had nothing but the title of Grandmaster.

Though Tang San absorbing a ten-year Lonely Bamboo and gaining pole vaulting was merely a joke, Ling Jing truly could not understand the logic of attaching a poison-attribute Soul Ring to Blue Silver Grass.

A martial soul with extraordinarily vigorous life force, yet it went and attached poison-attribute Soul Rings. Was this really something a human would do?

Fortunately, Yu Xiaogang was not strong enough and was basically unable to take part in Tang San's later Soul Ring hunts. Otherwise, Tang San might have been ruined by Gangzi!

Throughout the journey to the Icebound Forest, Ling Jing received Qian Xunji's instruction on martial soul theory, including the use and development of martial souls, as well as the selection of Soul Rings and even Soul Bones.

These theories were lessons drawn from Spirit Hall's years of practical experience. Moreover, Ling Jing discovered that many of Yu Xiaogang's theories, such as the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul, were actually quite similar to what Qian Xunji taught.

In other words, Yu Xiaogang had not researched any theories of his own at all. He had essentially just compiled the experiences of his predecessors, then published them as his own theories.

As for where he had obtained those theories from...

Ling Jing subconsciously glanced at Bibi Dong beside him.

But now that he was here, if Yu Xiaogang still wanted access to Spirit Hall's theories... no chance!

Compared to other soul beast gathering grounds, the Icebound Forest not only had fewer kinds of soul beasts, but the overall quality of its soul beasts was not particularly high either. After all, the truly powerful soul beasts were mostly gathered farther north in the Far North.

But for soul masters, a suitable Soul Ring was far more important than a Soul Ring produced by a stronger soul beast.

Besides, the Ice-Pattern Mirror Beast was also a soul beast of excellent quality.

After arriving at the Icebound Forest, Qian Daoliu and Azure Luan Douluo immediately released their powerful spiritual power and began searching carefully.

The primary reason Azure Luan Douluo had come along was that, during his travels across the continent, he had encountered Ice-Pattern Mirror Beasts in the Icebound Forest and had dealt with these unusual soul beasts before.

Very soon, under the detection of their powerful spiritual power, they discovered the first Ice-Pattern Mirror Beast.

"Hm?"

Azure Luan Douluo let out a soft sound of surprise, but soon shook his head regretfully.

"What is it?"

"We found an Ice-Pattern Mirror Beast, but..."

Azure Luan Douluo sighed. "This Ice-Pattern Mirror Beast has only just broken through to a hundred years of cultivation. It is far too far below the age we had hoped for."

At this, regret appeared on Qian Daoliu's face as well, while Qian Xunji took the opportunity to instruct Ling Jing.

"Little Jing, remember this. Although a compatible Soul Ring is important, the Soul Ring's age is equally important. Like this hundred-year Ice-Pattern Mirror Beast, it may suit you just as well, but its age is simply too low."

"A hundred-year Ice-Pattern Mirror Beast and one over five hundred years old are not comparable at all. The age of a Soul Ring directly affects the effectiveness of its soul skill. Do you understand?"

Listening to Qian Xunji's instruction, Ling Jing nodded seriously.

"Your disciple roughly understands. Suppose both Ice-Pattern Mirror Beasts could grant me a clone-type soul skill, but their effects would differ drastically. The clone skill granted by the hundred-year Ice-Pattern Mirror Beast might only be able to display twenty percent of the original body's strength, while one from a five-hundred-year Ice-Pattern Mirror Beast could possibly display fifty percent."

"That's right. Exactly so."

Seeing that Ling Jing could explain the difference in such detail, Qian Xunji nodded in satisfaction.