"The ten thousand year ginseng king really did fall a little short."
"But I got lucky. What I ate happened to be just a teensy billion times better than a ten thousand year ginseng king."
Lin Hao smiled faintly and waved a hand as he spoke.
"But my improvement mainly came from my own hard work!"
Mm... that's right. My own hard work mattered too!
If I hadn't kept eating the Food System's Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemums I made and ten-thousand-year whale glue, tempering my body like mad...
I might not have managed to absorb that Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring beyond my limits.
And that Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring must have raised my soul power by at least three or four levels!
As he spoke, Lin Hao summoned his martial soul, the singular velvet sky chrysanthemum, with a thought. Three soul rings-one yellow, one purple, and one black-rose beneath his feet and circled his body.
"Holy shit! A Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring?!"
At the sight, Yan's eyes went wide. He sprang straight out of his chair and pointed at the black soul ring circling Lin Hao, his voice cracking with shock.
"You... you absorbed a ten-thousand-year ring as your third soul ring?!"
Beside him, Hu Liena and Xie Yue were also too stunned to speak.
They knew Lin Hao was extraordinary and had absorbed a Thousand-Year Soul Ring as his second soul ring.
But to their minds, Lin Hao's ability to absorb a thousand-year ring as his second was the combined result of consuming the Food System's Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemums and ten-thousand-year whale glue over a long period.
After Lin Hao discovered whale rubber's true effects...
A Spirit Hall prodigy had recently succeeded in absorbing a Thousand-Year Soul Ring as their second soul ring as well.
After all, soul masters could generally absorb a seven-hundred-year ring as their second.
A thousand-year soul ring and a seven-hundred-year soul ring...
Were only three hundred years apart!
Hu Liena and Xie Yue could accept that.
But a soul master's third soul ring was usually only a little over a thousand years old.
Yet Lin Hao had absorbed a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring as his third.
Even if it was only just over ten thousand years old, the difference was still eight or nine thousand years!
Did he have to be such a freak?!
Seeing the shock on Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan's faces, Lin Hao grinned. Without explaining anything, he activated his First Soul Skill.
The first Yellow Soul Ring circling him lit up. A surge of golden soul power flowed into his palm, swiftly condensing into three Spirit-Gathering Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemums, crystalline throughout and glowing with a soft, lustrous light.
Their petals were translucent as amber, with what looked like streams of golden light slowly swirling within.
Lin Hao offered the three Spirit-Gathering Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemums to Hu Liena and the others with a smile.
"The time I spent in seclusion doesn't count."
"Now that I'm back, these are your Spirit-Gathering Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemums for today, just as we agreed!"
But Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan still wore stunned expressions, unable to recover for quite some time.
"Lin Hao, how... how did you absorb a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring as your third?"
As Hu Liena reached out to take the three Spirit-Gathering Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemums, Yan couldn't help asking.
"Well, it's pretty simple!"
Lin Hao thought for a moment, then replied with a faint smile.
"You just have to do what I do and make Food System Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemums to eat whenever you have soul power, every single day."
"Then eat ten-thousand-year whale glue every day too, and start absorbing soul rings beyond your limits from your second ring onward!"
"On top of that, keep up Thunderclap Body Refinement every day, and naturally, you'll be able to do it too!"
As he spoke, Lin Hao circulated his soul power, transforming it into lightning that burst from his right hand.
Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan fell silent at his words.
Simple?
Simple, my ass!
You won't even sell those Food System Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemums of yours!
You spend every day eating them all yourself. How could anyone do what you do?!
They chatted for a while longer.
After agreeing to go shopping together the next day and spar afterward...
Lin Hao saw the three of them off.
In the days that followed...
Apart from compressing his soul power, cultivating, and practicing his self-created soul skills...
Lin Hao often sparred with Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan.
Previously, the three had held an advantage in level. Even without using soul skills, they could either suppress Lin Hao or fight him on equal terms.
But now Lin Hao's cultivation had caught up, his physical strength had skyrocketed again, and his self-created soul skills, such as Thunder Flash, Thunder Fist, and Palm Thunder, continued to improve.
Even when Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan went all out and used every soul skill they had, they were no longer a match for Lin Hao.
Every sparring match ended with Lin Hao easily defeating the three.
This dealt a heavy blow to Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan, who had always prided themselves on being geniuses.
In the blink of an eye, several more months passed.
On this particular day, Nuoding Academy's new term was just about to begin.
Lin Hao worked out the timing and quietly turned his plans over in his mind, then went to find Chrysanthemum Douluo.
"Teacher, the holidays are coming up. I'd like to go back to Golden Chrysanthemum Village to visit everyone."
"Could you and Uncle Ghost come back with me?"
Lin Hao asked.
Chrysanthemum Douluo agreed with barely any hesitation, nodding immediately with a soft, effeminate smile.
"Of course! I'll go tell Old Ghost right away, and then we'll ask His Holiness the Pope for leave together."
That evening, Chrysanthemum Douluo returned with a smile and told Lin Hao that he had successfully obtained a few days' leave from His Holiness the Pope.
He and Ghost Douluo would be able to accompany him back to Golden Chrysanthemum Village.
Lin Hao was delighted.
"Teacher, sorry for troubling you and Uncle Ghost again!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo waved a hand and said...
"It's no trouble! Golden Chrysanthemum Village gave me such a fine disciple. I've been wanting to see it myself!"
Three days later...
Lin Hao left Spirit City with Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, heading for Nuoding City on the border of Fanos Province.
Since their leave was limited...
The three did not take a carriage. Instead, they sped along in flying leaps, traveling at full speed.
Once a soul master's cultivation reached a certain realm, their traveling speed far surpassed that of a carriage.
They could also cut straight through forests, greatly shortening the journey.
After leaving Spirit City...
The three sped onward, crossing mountain ranges and rivers.
They only stopped to rest when passing through cities.
After two days of travel, they were finally nearing Nuoding City.
It was still early morning, with the sky only just beginning to brighten.
Lin Hao stopped and scratched his head, giving Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo a sheepish chuckle as he pretended to feel embarrassed.
"Teacher, Uncle Ghost, could you hide yourselves for a while and stay out of sight?"
"I'd like to visit Grandpa Ma Xiunuo at the Spirit Hall Branch in Nuoding City first."
"Then you and Uncle Ghost can suddenly show up, Teacher. That'll make a much bigger impression!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo couldn't help laughing.
"You little rascal. You certainly know how to have fun!"
Still, although Lin Hao was tall and well-built, he was only eight years old. A little childishness was perfectly normal, so he readily agreed.
Lin Hao secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Of course, making a "bigger impression" was not his only reason for asking Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo to hide.
More importantly, if he encountered Yu Xiaogang and Tang San...
Tang Hao might refuse to show himself if he detected his teacher and Uncle Ghost.
How would I fish him out then?!
He had chosen this precise time so he could arrange a seemingly chance encounter with Yu Xiaogang and Tang San.
Today was the first day of Nuoding Academy's new term.
According to the plot, Yu Xiaogang should be taking Tang San to Nuoding City's vegetable market to buy white radishes.
All he needed to do was approach Yu Xiaogang, greet him, and identify himself.
Once Yu Xiaogang told Tang San about him, it would surely stir Tang Hao's killing intent.
A singular velvet sky chrysanthemum soul master with innate full soul power, who had already joined Spirit Hall.
How could Tang Hao possibly allow a genius like that to grow?
He would definitely show himself then!
After his teacher, Chrysanthemum Douluo, and Uncle Ghost concealed themselves, Lin Hao entered Nuoding City alone.
Although it was still early, there were already plenty of people on the morning streets.
The breakfast shops and vegetable vendors had long since set up their stalls.
Before entering Nuoding City, Lin Hao had told Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo that he planned to bring some things back for Grandpa Old Leo and the other uncles and aunties in Golden Chrysanthemum Village.
So, after entering Nuoding City...
Lin Hao headed straight for its largest vegetable market.
He passed through two streets and alleys, drawing ever closer to the bustle of voices.
Nuoding City's vegetable market covered a sizable area, with all manner of stalls packed closely together.
Vegetable sellers, meat sellers, and general-goods vendors called out one after another.
Lin Hao strolled through the crowd at an unhurried pace. His gaze seemed to wander casually over the stalls on either side, but in truth, he was searching all along.
Finally, outside a shop bearing a sign that read "Old Zhang's Vegetable Shop," he spotted a familiar figure.
The man wore a black scholar's robe and had a short crew cut. He was thin, with a stiff expression and stubble covering his chin and cheeks. His entire bearing exuded gloom and dejection.
At that moment, he was bending over a pile of white radishes, picking through them and tossing them one by one into a small handcart.
Beside him stood a boy of about six, wearing cloth clothes covered in patches. He was rather thin, with an ordinary face, but his eyes were exceptionally bright and alert, revealing a composure far beyond his years.
They were none other than Yu Xiaogang and Tang San!
Watching his teacher, Yu Xiaogang, continue picking through the white radishes, Tang San's eyes were full of puzzlement, but he said nothing.
He simply stood quietly beside him, planning to ask later.
Before you continue