Spirit Forest, Choosing a Soul Ring

"All right."

Qin Yu nodded and stepped up to the next wooden post. Again, he threw a punch.

Crack! The post shattered.

"Keep going."

Su Yuntao grew more excited by the moment.

Qin Yu moved to the next post and punched. It shattered too.

This time, Qin Yu went to the next post on his own.

Crack, crack...

Posts kept shattering, but Su Yuntao felt no pain at the loss. He was exhilarated, eager to see where Qin Yu's limit lay.

At the seventh post, Qin Yu's punch left only a few cracks. The wood held.

Only then did Qin Yu stop and turn toward Su Yuntao.

Su Yuntao came over and touched the cracks, shaken to his core. "Strength comparable to a nine-hundred-year Soul Beast!"

A level-ten Soul Scholar, after Martial Soul Possession, had strength comparable to a nine-hundred-year Soul Beast.

Had he not seen it himself, he would never have believed it.

And that was after Qin Yu had already thrown six punches. This one surely carried less force than the earlier blows.

"Come on, Qin Yu. Let's finish the tests."

Su Yuntao gestured toward the other equipment.

"Mm."

Qin Yu nodded, excitement glinting in his eyes.

Several hours later.

"Phew..."

Qin Yu withdrew his Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon martial soul and sat on the ground, his face flushed as he breathed hard.

After that string of tests, how could he not be tired?

But it had all been worth it.

"Eight hundred years!"

Su Yuntao stared at Qin Yu in astonishment. "Qin Yu, based on years of records from the academy, the first Soul Ring you can absorb is at least eight hundred years old."

"And as long as it isn't much older than nine hundred years, your body should be able to withstand it."

His first Soul Ring could be between eight and nine hundred years old.

His second would certainly be a thousand-year Soul Ring!

The academy had never seen a talent like him.

Qin Yu stood, dusted himself off, and smiled at Su Yuntao. "Director Su, thank you for taking the time to test me."

"Getting to witness the rise of a genius was worth the time."

Su Yuntao smiled and shook his head, then said gently, "Qin Yu, go back to your dorm and rest. Get your strength up. Tomorrow, we'll head to Spirit Forest."

"All right."

Qin Yu nodded with a smile and left.

As Qin Yu disappeared from view, Su Yuntao hurried out of Spirit Academy to report what had happened.

Golden Crocodile Douluo was overjoyed when he heard, but he resisted the urge to take Qin Yu as his disciple at once. He would observe him a while longer.

In Papal Hall, Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow, surprise flickering through her eyes. "A first Soul Ring approaching a thousand years. That's unexpected."

Many powerful figures in both Worship Hall and Papal Hall soon learned of it.

For a time, Spirit Hall's interest in Qin Yu rose to a new level.

Qin Yu knew nothing of this. He was in his dorm, tidying up, washing, and resting before the next day's hunt for his first Soul Ring.

Early the next morning.

An opulent carriage rolled out of Spirit City, drawn by two century-old Hornscale Horses.

Qin Yu and Su Yuntao sat inside.

"Spirit Hall has three forests of Soul Beasts."

"We're going to Spirit Forest this time. It has the most Soul Beasts, the widest variety, and the strongest beasts."

"We'll search the outer region first. If we find nothing suitable, we'll work our way deeper."

Su Yuntao explained with a smile.

"Mm."

Qin Yu nodded. He was happy to follow Su Yuntao's lead.

"Qin Yu, the Second Worship sent someone to speak to me yesterday. He insisted that I find you the best possible first Soul Ring."

"Based on your martial soul, he chose two kinds of exceptionally powerful Soul Beasts for you: the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear and the Titan Giant Ape."

"They're fearsome beasts. Even at just a hundred years old, they can slaughter ordinary thousand-year Soul Beasts."

"Qin Yu, the Second Worship thinks highly of you."

There was meaning in Su Yuntao's words.

Judging by Golden Crocodile Douluo's attitude, he surely wanted to take Qin Yu as his disciple.

"I won't disappoint the Second Worship," Qin Yu said with a smile.

He had guessed Golden Crocodile Douluo's intentions too.

He had even guessed why Golden Crocodile Douluo had not taken him as a disciple immediately: he likely wanted a better look at Qin Yu's character.

If so, Qin Yu would make sure to show himself at his best.

Golden Crocodile Douluo ranked among the top three figures in Spirit Hall. With him as a teacher, Qin Yu could go almost anywhere on the continent without fear.

Besides, Qin Yu had a good impression of him. He was someone worth learning from.

"Spirit Forest is just ahead."

Su Yuntao pulled back the carriage curtain and pointed forward.

Qin Yu looked out. A tall wall came into view, with armored soldiers guarding a stone gate.

The two got out of the carriage and approached.

Su Yuntao showed the guards his token. Once they granted permission, the stone gate slowly opened.

He then led Qin Yu into Spirit Forest.

Barely a hundred meters in, they saw several century-old Soul Beasts scatter, afraid to approach them.

Su Yuntao's aura had clearly frightened them.

"That's a century-old Lone Bamboo. It's hard, but also remarkably flexible..."

"That's a century-old Mandala Snake. It's undergone a slight mutation and has three fangs. Its venom is twice as potent as an ordinary Mandala Snake's..."

"That's a century-old Wind Baboon. You can judge their age from the color of their fur and pupils..."

As they walked, Su Yuntao taught Qin Yu about the Soul Beasts they encountered.

He even caught a few so Qin Yu could examine them up close.

By the time they had gone some distance, Qin Yu had learned to recognize more than a dozen kinds of Soul Beasts. He did not know them in detail, but he had a general understanding.

Qin Yu also understood why Su Yuntao was going to such lengths for him.

After about half an hour, they had encountered several thousand-year Soul Beasts and even a century-old Titan Giant Ape.

Unfortunately, the ape was not yet three hundred years old, far too young for Qin Yu's needs. Su Yuntao sent it flying with a punch.

"There aren't many Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bears or Titan Giant Apes in Spirit Forest. Fewer than ten altogether. Most are a few hundred years old, and only two have reached a thousand years."

"If we found one, we can find another."

Su Yuntao spoke to reassure Qin Yu, worried he might feel discouraged.

"Mm."

Finding an ape too young for his needs had not shaken Qin Yu. His expression remained calm.

Su Yuntao nodded to himself, pleased.

They searched for several more hours.

Suddenly, Su Yuntao raised a hand to stop Qin Yu, his gaze fixed ahead. "Something's happening up there. Two Soul Beasts must be fighting."

"Judging by the noise and their auras, they could well be a Titan Giant Ape and a Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear."

Roar!

No sooner had Su Yuntao spoken than a roar rang out from the woods ahead.

A second, different roar followed.

Without hesitation, Su Yuntao grabbed Qin Yu and raced toward the trees in the distance.

Even carrying someone across the uneven forest floor, Su Yuntao moved fast. His cultivation was close to that of a Soul Douluo.