Second Soul Ring

Afternoon, Lonely Grass Village.

"Grandpa Tai, I'm back." Carrying bedding and gifts, Yang Yunhai called out as soon as he entered the Orphanage.

"Little Hai Gege is back!" The children playing in the courtyard rushed over at once, their eyes shining.

In just a few breaths, Yang Yunhai's hands were empty. Of course, the large bag of snacks he had bought on the way back was gone too.

"Xiao Hai, why did you come back early?" The Village Chief, who had emerged from the house, could not help asking.

"My Soul Power has reached Rank 20, so I applied to graduate early from the academy." Yang Yunhai grinned.

"Rank 20?!" The Village Chief was stunned.

"Little Hai Gege is amazing!" The children looked at him with worshipful expressions.

Keep a low profile, keep a low profile... Yang Yunhai's expression remained unchanged.

A moment later, the Village Chief's Office.

"Xiao Hai, what are your plans from here on?" Having recovered from his shock, the Village Chief asked first.

"After I obtain my Spirit Ring and return, I plan to stay at the Orphanage for a while and spend the New Year with you," Yang Yunhai replied. "After that, I want to travel the outside world alone, broaden my horizons, and then try my luck in Heaven Dou City, the Imperial Capital."

"When the time comes, I'll go watch the All-Continent Soul Master Competition. As for everything else, I'll decide after the Soul Master Competition ends."

Hearing this, the Village Chief nodded slightly. "Xiao Hai, you've always had your own ideas. Since you already have your own plans, Grandpa won't say much more. Just remember, this will always be your home. Grandpa will always welcome you back."

"Mm." Yang Yunhai nodded solemnly.

Thus, after tidying up his room and resting for the night, Yang Yunhai set off for the Spirit Hall branch in Notting City the next day.

"Blue Silver Grass can cultivate this quickly too?!" Ma Xiunuo was undoubtedly shocked once again.

"What is wrong with this world?!" Chang Gongdi was beginning to question his life as well.

After chatting for a while, Yang Yunhai successfully obtained the permit. He then hired a carriage in the city and set off for the Beginner Soul Hunting Forest.

Because he had left at noon, he did not arrive until the following evening.

This suited Yang Yunhai perfectly. After getting off the carriage, he passed through the guards and entered the forest under cover of night.

Afterward, he met Chang Gong Ao again.

"Xiao Hai, your cultivation speed really is astonishing." Upon hearing that Yang Yunhai had come to obtain a Spirit Ring, Chang Gong Ao could not help sighing.

He then leaned forward and asked, "Xiao Hai, have you decided? What Soul Beast are you planning to hunt for your second Spirit Ring?"

"That Bloodthirsty Thorns with over 950 years of cultivation." Yang Yunhai answered without hesitation.

"Bloodthirsty Thorns is extremely tough, and that is a trait my Martial Soul needs to continuously strengthen. If my Martial Soul can also inherit the sharp barbs growing from its surface, it will gain a certain degree of offensive power, and its control will become more stable as well."

Bloodthirsty Thorns was nonvenomous and extraordinarily tough. Its entire body was covered in razor-sharp barbs. Upon touching prey, the thorns would rapidly curl inward, piercing the prey's skin and devouring the energy within its body. The more it drained, the tighter it constricted, until it sliced and strangled its prey to death.

It was known as the powerhouse among vine-type Soul Beasts. Once caught by it, there was basically no pulling free.

However, because it was nonvenomous, entirely crimson, and had relatively large barbs that made it easy to identify, it was not especially threatening to human Spirit Masters who often traveled in groups.

But to Soul Beasts, especially low-level Soul Beasts with limited intelligence, it was a creature that devoured life.

Below ten thousand years of cultivation, any beast that encountered it would die. Above ten thousand years, they would detour around it.

Its toughness is off the charts, and it has thorns and a devouring ability. So what if it's nonvenomous? My Martial Soul can't inherit poison anyway. Yang Yunhai thought to himself.

Perhaps because his Martial Soul possessed the Thunder Attribute, which countered poison, it seemed unable to inherit toxic properties when absorbing Spirit Rings.

When he had absorbed the slightly venomous Azure Vine last time, he had not inherited even a trace of poison.

Bind them tightly, hook them in place, and let me drain them. The more I drain, the tighter it gets. Perfect. That was why he had chosen to hunt Bloodthirsty Thorns.

Of course, there was an even more important consideration.

Although he had already planned to seek out the Blue Silver Emperor's true body, the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone, and the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, what if? What if even after consuming the Blue Silver Emperor's true body and absorbing the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone, he still could not break through the Rank 30 bottleneck?

What if he failed to get close to Dugu Yan later and could not enter the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?

To be safe, he felt that he should leave himself a way out. Giving his Martial Soul a devouring attribute was precisely such a path.

If all else failed, he could only rely on devouring Soul Beasts' cultivation to break through the bottleneck.

"Bloodthirsty Thorns truly is a terrifying plant-type Soul Beast." Chang Gong Ao nodded slightly, then changed the subject and said solemnly, "However, if your Martial Soul inherits Bloodthirsty Thorns' ability to devour energy... Xiao Hai, I do not want you to use it to assist your cultivation, much less use it against human Spirit Masters. Cultivation must be built step by step. Remember not to chase quick success."

"Also, if you truly obtain it, make sure to report it to Spirit Hall immediately after returning."

"Otherwise, if you use it outside and are discovered, you could very well be classified as a Fallen Soul Master. That would be troublesome. There was once a Spirit Master who failed to report in time and was taken away by Spirit Hall's Enforcement Team. He never appeared again afterward."

Could he have been sent to Slaughter City? Yang Yunhai immediately guessed.

"Currently, Fallen Soul Masters are defined in the Spirit Master world as those who slaughter humans, or cultivate by using devouring abilities to consume Spirit Rings, life force, flesh and blood, Martial Souls, and so on. This also includes using devouring abilities to inflict irreversible harm on Spirit Masters' bodies." Chang Gong Ao began explaining.

"The more controversial cases are Soul Power and Spiritual Power, because both kinds of energy can recover on their own after a portion is drained."

"Since there are Soul Skills that can increase Spiritual Power and Soul Power, such as the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect of the Upper Three Sects, whose Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul can do precisely that, some in the Spirit Master world have raised a question. Since it can be increased, why can't it be decreased?"

"Then why should Soul Skills that reduce an opponent's Soul Power or Spiritual Power not be tolerated?"

"Therefore, Soul Skills that can only devour a Spirit Master's Soul Power and Spiritual Power are not currently classified as exclusive Fallen Soul Master Soul Skills."

If that were the standard, Spirit Hall's Pope, Bibi Dong, would be a Fallen Soul Master too... Yang Yunhai thought.

Soul Devouring Spider Emperor. Did anyone really need to guess?

"Still, too much is as bad as too little. If you drain someone's Soul Power and Spiritual Power dry, wouldn't that person die? Besides, who can guarantee that this kind of ability will not evolve? Therefore, Spirit Masters with similar Soul Skills must report to Spirit Hall and accept supervision," Chang Gong Ao continued.

No wonder Tang San was fine using the Eight Spider Lances, an External Soul Bone. One look at its appearance told you it came from a Man Faced Demon Spider, and all major powers knew Man Faced Demon Spiders possessed devouring abilities. Tang San even used that ability to drain poison from Hu Liena during the Soul Master Competition Finals. Wait, that's not right! Tang San never reported it to Spirit Hall either! Damn, having connections really is nice... Yang Yunhai could not help sighing inwardly.

Tang San later even evolved Devouring Golden Threads, right? The Shrek Seven Devils all knew it could devour life!

Oh, Tang San also had a God Trial!

Sure enough, strength is the only standard that matters.

It seems that if I inherit a devouring ability, I'll have to carefully comprehend and practice it until I can control it to devour only Soul Power, he added inwardly.

The vines will bind tighter and tighter as they drain. The road ahead is long. With that thought, he nodded slightly. "Uncle Ao, I understand."

Only then did a smile appear on Chang Gong Ao's face. "Get to bed early tonight. We'll set out first thing tomorrow morning."

"Mm." Yang Yunhai nodded immediately.

The next day, in the afternoon, the two arrived behind a patch of shrubs in the core region of the Soul Hunting Forest.

Looking out, they saw a crimson thorn bush covered in spikes silently coiled around a towering tree. Its twisting body climbed up the branches before hanging to the ground, forming something like a curtain of beads that covered several meters below.

From afar, numerous Soul Beast carcasses could still be seen hanging from the dense barbs. Even the soil on the ground was blood-red, making one's scalp tingle.

Chang Gong Ao did not hesitate. He drew his bow and nocked an arrow, and the purple Spirit Ring beneath his feet lit up.

The next instant, the arrow left the bowstring, transforming into a cone-shaped streak of light as thick as a thigh and shooting straight at the base of the giant tree. Boom! An explosive sound rang out as wood chips flew everywhere.

Then, a gushing red stream erupted from the point of impact like a small fountain.

At the same time, the crimson thorns twisted and writhed with a rustling sound.

Yet it lasted for less than thirty seconds before the violent writhing turned into faint tremors.

"That's enough," Chang Gong Ao's voice came.

"Mm." Yang Yunhai nodded, picked up his spear, strode to where the red fluid was pouring out, and thrust it in viciously before twisting it.

Before long, a yellow Spirit Ring floated out.

Only then did Yang Yunhai stop. He walked around to the other side of the tree, spread a blanket over an open patch of ground unstained by blood, and sat down.

He summoned his Martial Soul and began drawing in the Spirit Ring.

"Hiss..." Intense pain quickly surged through him. His body began trembling uncontrollably, veins bulging on his forehead as he clenched his teeth.

"Xiao Hai!" Chang Gong Ao clenched his fists, but there was nothing he could do except silently pray for Yang Yunhai.

Time passed bit by bit.

Only several hours later did Yang Yunhai finally open his tightly shut eyes.

"Whew!" Chang Gong Ao secretly sighed in relief. His clenched fists loosened as he strode forward, pride evident on his face.

"Xiao Hai, congratulations!" There was hidden admiration in his voice.

"I still have to thank Uncle Ao for helping me hunt it and standing guard," Yang Yunhai said with a smile as he rose to his feet.

"It was nothing." Chang Gong Ao laughed heartily, then asked, "How did it go?"

"My Soul Power increased about the same as last time, by a little over one rank. It will still take some time to break through Rank 22." As he spoke, Yang Yunhai summoned his Martial Soul and poured Soul Power into it.

In the blink of an eye, an azure-blue vine covered in hooked barbs appeared before them.

"As for the Soul Skill, it's called Drain. It can drain the Soul Power of anyone it touches, including Soul Power dispersed in the air."

Good. It can only drain Soul Power. He just needs to report it, Chang Gong Ao thought, his expression relaxing slightly before he broke into a grin.

"A fine Soul Skill! First use the vines to control the target, then continuously drain their Soul Power. It weakens the opponent while improving your own endurance. It's extremely practical."

After all, its cultivation was under a thousand years, so the devouring ability it passed on is not too terrifying. Yang Yunhai also sighed inwardly.

Still, it was enough for now.

As for later, there would be plenty of opportunities for evolution.

With that thought, he smiled and nodded. "Not bad. Once we return to Notting City, I'll go to Spirit Hall for testing and registration."

"Mm." Chang Gong Ao nodded as well. "In that case, let's head back."

"Alright." Yang Yunhai nodded and stepped forward.

Near midnight, the two returned to their encampment. After eating a little, they each went to sleep.

The next day, before dawn had fully broken, Yang Yunhai bid farewell to Chang Gong Ao and began his journey home.

"His First Soul Skill is close to five hundred years, and his second Soul Skill exceeds nine hundred and fifty years. What about his upcoming Third Soul Ring?" Watching Yang Yunhai's gradually receding figure, Chang Gong Ao's heart surged with emotion. He murmured, "Xiao Hai, Uncle Ao believes that you will succeed."

"In the near future, your name will surely resound throughout the entire continent."

With that, he turned and returned to camp.