Tang San Wants to Steal My Soul Ring? Is He Worthy?

"Deep Blue!"

Douluo Continent, Soul Hunting Forest.

Lu Mingzi sat cross-legged on muddy ground. Before him lay a massive lion-shaped fire-type Soul Beast.

It was roughly 420 years old, a Flame Lion he had just killed with a single slash.

[Current Soul Ring: 401-year Mandala Snake. Effect: Level 4 Snake Venom]

[Absorb Soul Ring: 420-year Flame Lion. Effect: Level 4 Blazing Fire]

[Begin fusion simulation?]

"Yes!" Without a second thought, Lu Mingzi selected the panel's "Simulate" button.

That was right. He had transmigrated from Earth and brought a deep-blue panel with him. He had named it Deep Blue.

Three months ago, Lu Mingzi had been an ordinary person. The original owner of this body had been bedridden with a grave illness and died at twelve.

That was how Lu Mingzi had taken over his body, like a dove occupying a magpie's nest. Even their names were the same.

Not long ago, he had gone to awaken his Martial Soul, but at the ripe old age of twelve, no one had expected anything from him.

Contempt, mockery, every veiled insult had crashed against his heart like waves.

But so what?

The moment he touched the awakening orb, a dazzling blade wreathed in black flame appeared in his palm.

Then his body twisted as though a giant dragon coiled around it. A pair of terrifying black wings tore through his back and sprouted like bamboo shoots after rain.

He had awakened the rare Twin Martial Souls!

The names of his Martial Souls, Demonfire Blade and Demonic Angel, burned themselves into his mind.

"Just thinking about their faces that day makes me laugh."

At the appearance of Twin Martial Souls, everyone had gone pale with shock, their souls nearly scared out of their bodies.

A genius like this was bound for greatness. Anyone who crossed him might one day die without even a place to be buried.

The teacher testing Martial Souls had fainted on the spot. Another teacher had taken over to test his Soul Power.

Innate Full Soul Power!

The new teacher had also been stunned, his face draining of color.

He had reported everything about Lu Mingzi. Once Spirit Hall learned of it, all information from the scene was sealed off at lightning speed.

"What? The Nuoding City Spirit Hall Branch found a genius with Innate Full Soul Power and Twin Martial Souls?!"

"What are you standing around for? Get him before anyone else does!"

The news had set Spirit Hall headquarters ablaze. Old monsters from the Pope's Hall and Worship Hall had all wanted him as a disciple.

But... Qian Renxue had beaten them to it.

"I never expected Qian Renxue to come see me. She came disguised as Xue Qinghe, though, and seemed to be going through the motions. She didn't look like she wanted a disciple."

Lu Mingzi closed his eyes and sat quietly in the forest. A yellow ring of light appeared above the Flame Lion beside him.

The yellow ring drifted toward him but did not settle over his body. His First Soul Ring appeared at that moment.

The two Yellow Soul Rings hovered less than half a meter apart. Lu Mingzi chose to fuse and simulate them with Deep Blue.

The Flame Lion's Soul Ring blazed with radiant light, but Lu Mingzi's First Soul Ring absorbed it, and its glow gradually faded.

[Simulation successful]

A string of numbers and new information slowly appeared on the deep-blue panel.

[First Soul Ring: Derived from a 401-year Mandala Snake and a 420-year Flame Lion, collectively known as the Flame Venom Lion]

[Current Soul Ring: 420-year Flame Venom Lion. Effect: Level 4 Fire Venom]

"The Flame Lion's Level 4 Blazing Fire fused with the Mandala Snake's Level 4 Snake Venom!" Lu Mingzi was overjoyed.

This was his system. It could fuse Soul Rings, merging their attributes into one!

"Now my Soul Skill, Void Spirit Slash, is even stronger."

When simulating Soul Rings, the strongest ring determined the age, while the age determined the attribute's level.

To simulate a Soul Ring, he needed a Soul Beast's blood essence. He had obtained the Mandala Snake Qian Renxue gave him, then killed the Flame Lion.

That should have been enough for one Hundred-Year Soul Ring simulation.

Once Lu Mingzi finished simulating the ring, a hollow feeling washed over him. He walked to the Soul Beast's corpse and sank his teeth into it.

His Demonic Angel Martial Soul flickered into view. He could feel himself absorbing the Soul Beast's power, his body growing tougher.

"This Martial Soul is incredible. Just eating Soul Beast flesh strengthens my body and mind."

Lu Mingzi wolfed it down. In less than three minutes, nothing remained of the enormous Flame Lion but its skeleton.

Rustle, rustle!

Something stirred in the grass. Hisses followed as it rushed toward him!

"Who's there? Come out!"

Lu Mingzi rose, unleashing his Level 15 Soul Power. Demonfire Blade in hand, he charged straight into the grass.

"First Soul Skill: Void Spirit Slash!"

A yellow ring appeared and spun around him, bursting with light. Flames surged along Demonfire Blade as though they would devour everything.

"Get out here!"

Lu Mingzi roared and brought his blade down. Venomous fire consumed everything in its path!

Hiss, hiss!

The creature in the grass cried out in pain and fled toward the forest's edge, its twisting body moving at astonishing speed.

"Another Mandala Snake? Let's see if I can simulate another Soul Ring!"

Soul Hunting Forest was not large. Its Soul Beasts could generally be defeated by Soul Scholars and Soul Masters, making it useful for low-level Soul Masters.

"Little San, this Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo would suit your Blue Silver Grass. If we can't find a better Soul Beast, we'll come back for it."

Yu Xiaogang stepped forward and gently patted the ten-meter-tall Lone Bamboo, then sighed.

"Okay." The short, blue-haired boy beside him was Tang San. He nodded obediently.

"Luo, luo!"

Three meters ahead, Yu Xiaogang's Martial Soul, Luo Sanpao, gave several warning cries. A Soul Beast seemed to be nearby.

"Little San, let me teach you a principle. With many rings and bones, unleash your skills and power in one wave; with few rings and bones, turn tail and run."

Yu Xiaogang spoke solemnly, explaining the theory he took such pride in. Tang San nodded repeatedly beside him, believing every word.

Rustle, rustle!

The grass moved without any wind. Both of them tensed. A Soul Beast had to be hiding there.

"It's coming, Little San!"

Yu Xiaogang gripped Tang San's hand and stared uneasily at the grass.

A long, serpentine shadow shot out. It was a hundred-year Mandala Snake, and it had spotted them.

"A Mandala Snake, around 423 years old. Hm? It looks badly hurt. Little San, let's go!"

Yu Xiaogang rushed in with Tang San close behind. Together, they knocked the gravely injured Mandala Snake unconscious.

"That was close. That beast nearly got us. Little San, take this Mandala Snake as your First Soul Ring."

Yu Xiaogang approached the Mandala Snake's body, confidently explaining his theory to Tang San as he went.

Just then, a handsome yet distinctly masculine boy emerged from the two-meter-high grass.

"Who are you?"

Yu Xiaogang stopped and spoke warily.

"Who are you two? Why are you here?"

Instead of answering, Lu Mingzi turned the question back on them.

Neither side offered a name. Each had his own intentions, and the standoff dragged on.

"I chased that Mandala Snake here. I'm going to absorb its Soul Ring."

Lu Mingzi hesitated before speaking. As a fan of Douluo Continent, he had already recognized them both.

"Young man, we brought this Soul Beast down."

Yu Xiaogang had no intention of giving it up. His words made clear that he meant to take it.

"Little San, prepare for the worst. We may have to fight him. But he's so young, he's probably only a One-Ring Soul Master. We can handle him," Yu Xiaogang whispered.

"All right... but I don't want to give it to you," Lu Mingzi said.

"Once I kill you, though... this Mandala Snake will be mine."