A Seven-Thousand-Year Third Ring

A little over a day later, the grandfather and grandson arrived at Sunset Forest again.

Leaving the carriage outside, Chen An shouldered his pack and followed Chen Xin into the forest. Last time, his head had been full of thoughts about his second Soul Ring. This time, he finally remembered to watch his step first and did not mistake a root sticking out of the mud for a snake.

But before long, he stopped again.

Several claw marks scored a tree trunk ahead, with a tuft of beast fur scattered beside it. Chen An looked them over and was just about to move closer when Chen Xin reached out and guided him in another direction.

"This way. Whatever left those marks is long gone."

"You don't even need to follow it and take a look?"

"It isn't what we're looking for."

Chen Xin casually explained that Soul Beast's habits, then pointed out where the claw marks had landed. Chen An listened attentively, but farther along, when he saw another patch of broken brush, he still could not identify what had caused it.

Good grief. Reading about these things in books was one thing. Out here in the forest, practically everything looked alike.

He was good at identifying vegetables. Identifying Soul Beasts was still far beyond him.

Chen Xin did not rush him. Whenever there was something worth explaining, he offered a few words. Whenever they came across somewhere they should not approach, he simply led him around it. They could not choose a third Soul Ring based on age alone. The Soul Beast's own traits also had to suit the Dragon-Transforming Pot.

The grandfather and grandson walked through the forest for half a day and saw quite a few Soul Beasts, but Chen Xin did not keep a single one.

During a break, Chen An took out their dry rations, ate one piece himself, and handed another over. Chen Xin accepted it, then saw him still peering into the woods and said, "Finish eating first."

"I'm afraid something suitable might pass us by."

"If it does, I'll still see it."

Only then did Chen An draw back his gaze and obediently chew his flatbread.

Back in the Kitchen, someone was always reminding him not to focus solely on cooking and to remember to eat. Now that he had finally gotten out, someone still had to keep an eye on him. Had he known, he would have finished the flatbread first. Looking afterward would have made no difference.

After resting a while, the two continued on.

The farther in they went, the thicker the dead leaves underfoot became. Chen An was just about to skirt a hollow when Chen Xin suddenly pulled him behind him.

"Don't move."

As the words fell, the clump of brush ahead shook violently, and a thick, long snake shot out. A rank stench rushed at Chen An. Before he could make out its head, he heard a dull thud.

The snake struck a barrier of Soul Power and crashed back to the ground, its thrashing tail sending nearby dead branches flying.

Chen Xin did not lower his raised hand.

"A Mandala Snake."

The snake's head was still struggling, its two venomous fangs exposed. Venom dripped onto the dead leaves, immediately spreading into a dark patch. Chen An instinctively shuffled another half step behind Chen Xin and did not stubbornly insist that he was unafraid.

With a venomous snake that big, being scared was only normal, right?

Chen Xin examined its scales and aura. Only after a moment did he turn his gaze to Chen An.

"About seven thousand years."

Chen An had been staring at the fangs. At those words, he hurriedly looked at him.

His first two rings had both been Hundred-Year Soul Rings. Suddenly encountering a seven-thousand-year beast now, he would have been lying if he said he was not excited. But excitement was one thing. Actually putting this creature's Soul Ring on himself was not something that could be accomplished simply by saying he wanted it.

"Grandpa Sword, can we keep this one?"

"Let me check you first."

Holding the snake firmly in place, Chen Xin led him a little farther back, then pressed a hand to his shoulder and told him to circulate his Soul Power as usual.

Before they set out, Chen Xin had already examined his body carefully. Now that they had found a specific Soul Beast, he checked even more thoroughly. Soul Power traveled through his meridians once, then again. Chen An did not hurry him, only waited quietly.

In all the days since his awakening, he had been collecting the system's positive-review rewards every day.

His Soul Power had been growing, and his physique had not stopped improving either. At first, after finishing a meal's worth of cooking, he had needed to recover for a while at night before he could cultivate. Later, even after cooking three meals a day and closing down the stove, he could still go meditate full of energy. Those inconspicuous gains had now all settled solidly into his body.

As Chen Xin taught him to cultivate, he could see these changes almost every day. If Chen An still had the body he had possessed just after awakening, never mind this snake-Chen Xin would never have brought him this far into the forest.

A while longer passed before that hand finally left his shoulder.

"You can try absorbing it, but it will be much more painful than the first two times."

Chen Xin did not make it sound easy. His gaze rested on Chen An as he continued, "I can subdue this snake for you. But you have to endure the power inside the Soul Ring yourself. Think it through before you act."

Chen An looked at the Mandala Snake a short distance away without immediately agreeing.

Of course he wanted a purple third ring. But before acting, Chen An still had to ask whether this snake suited the Dragon-Transforming Pot.

The Mandala Snake possessed potent venom and tenacious vitality. The Dragon-Transforming Pot was a Food-type Martial Soul. Obtaining such a Soul Ring might cause the effects of its dishes to develop in another direction. But exactly what Soul Skill he would receive would remain unknown until he absorbed it.

"Of your first two dishes, one helps restore Soul Power, and the other replenishes stamina. With this ring, you can try a new trait."

Chen An nodded.

Spending every day in the Kitchen, he had seen people too exhausted to speak after eating, and others whose injuries made even holding a bowl difficult. The more dishes he could make, the more choices he would have when different situations arose.

Besides, he had not spent all these days working hard at cooking and cultivation just to have it all amount to nothing.

"Grandpa Sword, let's take this one."

Chen Xin looked at him and only agreed after confirming that his words were not a momentary impulse.

What followed naturally posed little trouble for a Titled Douluo.

The Mandala Snake was still trying to coil its body when a strand of sword energy descended. Its head was pinned firmly down, and Chen Xin restrained the parts of its body most likely to hurt someone, leaving it no chance to lunge at him again.

He pointed out where Chen An should strike and helped him avoid the fangs and venom.

The scales there had already been split by sword energy, exposing a vulnerable spot he could strike. Chen Xin pressed the snake's body a little lower so Chen An would not have to strain to reach it. If he really made him use an ordinary dagger to stab through a seven-thousand-year Soul Beast's scales, the blade might break before it pierced them.

Seeing Chen An about to step over the dead leaves on the ground, the old man also reminded him to go around the place where the venom had fallen.

Chen An took out the ordinary dagger he had brought along and walked closer.

From several steps away, it had not seemed so striking. Up close, those hard scales became all the clearer. Without Grandpa Sword here, never mind obtaining its ring-he probably would not even have time to run from a Soul Beast like this.

There was nothing shameful about knowing how little he could do right now. He could grow stronger little by little.

Chen An tightened his grip on the dagger and, under Chen Xin's watch, thrust it into the spot he had indicated.

The snake struggled for a final stretch before finally going still.

Before long, a ring of purple light slowly rose from its body. Compared with the Yellow Soul Rings from the previous two times, this ring was deeper in color, and its light was more solid.

Chen An put away the dagger, his gaze falling on the Soul Ring, and finally could not help smiling.

He had found his third Soul Ring.

Chen Xin did not let him sit down on the spot. First, he dealt with the nearby venom and the snake's body, then led him to a clean clearing beside them and carefully surveyed the surroundings.

Chen An set his pack aside and drank a few mouthfuls of water first. He had not noticed it while walking, but only after stopping did he discover that his back was already soaked with sweat. He did not rush to draw the Soul Ring over either. He sat down first and waited for his breathing to settle.

Chen Xin waited nearby, even cleaning the venom from the dagger before allowing him to put it back in his belt. Then he placed Chen An's waterskin beside him and stayed where he could see his entire body.

Only when Chen An saw that everything around him had been arranged did he feel at ease. By then, all he could see was that slowly floating purple Soul Ring.

Sitting cross-legged, Chen An adjusted his breathing for a while, then summoned the Dragon-Transforming Pot. Jade-colored dragon patterns emerged, and two Yellow Soul Rings circled beside it. Drawn by his pull, the purple ring slowly approached him.

The instant it touched his Martial Soul, a powerful surge of Soul Power flooded into his body.

The smile immediately vanished from Chen An's face.

This was far fiercer than last time.

He gathered his focus and circulated his Soul Power along his usual cultivation route, receiving the incoming power bit by bit. Beside him, Chen Xin had also sat down in front of him, his gaze never leaving him.

The forest gradually grew quiet.

Purple light shone over Chen An, and the absorption of his third Soul Ring truly began.