Seeing the curiosity in their eyes, Chen Ci explained the effect of his first Soul Skill:
"My first Soul Skill is called Once. It's a control-type Soul Skill.
"It can stir the purest emotion within a target's heart, shocking their mind while returning every aspect of their actions to its state two seconds earlier."
After hearing this description, a trace of shock flashed through Chen Xin's eyes, but Ning Rongrong frowned and said:
"Only two seconds? That sounds so weak."
Chen Ci merely smiled faintly without explaining.
Ning Rongrong had yet to experience a real battle, so she did not understand what this Soul Skill's effect meant.
Worried that Chen Ci might also think this Soul Skill was weak, Chen Xin offered some observations about Once:
"Rongrong, Chen Ci's Soul Skill is actually very powerful.
"First, it isn't merely an emotion-based control-type Soul Skill. The effect of rewinding two seconds touches upon time.
"Second, in battles between Soul Masters, the most important thing is the timing of their Soul Skills.
"Especially with certain charge-up Soul Skills. They have extremely powerful effects, but their timing requirements are also extremely demanding.
"Suppose a Soul Master has seized an excellent opportunity, catching their opponent at a moment when they cannot dodge, and is about to unleash a powerful Soul Skill.
"If Chen Ci uses Once at that moment, he can force that Soul Master to spend another two seconds charging up, giving their opponent time to react immediately and dodge.
"There are many, many other situations like that. You'll have to discover them yourselves."
Only then did Ning Rongrong belatedly realize just how powerful Chen Ci's Soul Skill was.
Chen Ci merely nodded, because as soon as he learned Once's effect, he had understood how to use it.
But knowing was one thing; actually using it was another matter entirely.
Once was powerful, but only if used well. Without proper use, it was almost useless.
Chen Xin saw that what Chen Ci lacked most at the moment was experience, so he made arrangements:
"Chen Ci, when we hunt for Rongrong's Soul Ring next, I won't intervene anymore.
"Instead, you will help Rongrong hunt down a five-hundred-year-old Soul Beast."
Chen Ci nodded in agreement.
No instruction was more suitable than actual combat, and as the supreme elder of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Chen Xin could not possibly protect him forever.
With Chen Xin protecting him now, he did not need to worry about his life being in danger and could freely accumulate experience in actual combat.
Ning Rongrong said nothing. She was only a support-type Soul Master and currently had no combat ability whatsoever. Whoever helped her hunt for her Soul Ring made no difference.
Then Chen Xin summoned the Seven Kill Sword again and began flying on it.
This time, they no longer flew around searching aimlessly. They had a specific destination.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had been established for many years and had long since marked out the habitats of Soul Beasts compatible with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda throughout the Star Dou Great Forest.
Before long, the Seven Kill Sword stopped in midair and descended to the ground.
Ahead lay the habitat of a type of Soul Beast that could provide the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's First Soul Ring: Strength Amplification.
With Chen Xin's strength, he could slaughter every last one of these Soul Beasts. But for the sustainable development of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, he merely stopped outside their habitat and said to Chen Ci:
"Chen Ci, prepare for battle.
"I'll capture a five-hundred-year-old Rock-Patterned Giant Bear. You'll severely wound it, and Rongrong will deliver the final blow."
Chen Ci nodded, summoned the Passionate Sword, and assumed the opening stance of the Seven Kill Sword Technique, ready to unleash First Sword: Breaking Kill at any moment.
Seeing that Chen Ci was ready, Chen Xin nodded and vanished before Ning Rongrong and Chen Ci.
In the blink of an eye, a Rock-Patterned Giant Bear appeared before Chen Ci.
Thrown onto the ground by Chen Xin, the Rock-Patterned Giant Bear was still rather dumbfounded.
One second, it had been happily eating honey in a tree hollow. The next, it had been thrown into an open space.
(The Rock-Patterned Giant Bear was an earth-attribute, strength-type Soul Beast. Rock-like patterns covered its torso and forelimbs, and it could call upon the earth attribute to amplify its strength.)
(Its strength was exceptionally powerful among Hundred-Year Soul Beasts, but the price was extremely slow speed.)
(This was indeed a very good opponent for actual combat practice.)
Chen Ci glanced at Chen Xin and Ning Rongrong, who had concealed themselves nearby, took a deep breath, and charged at the Rock-Patterned Giant Bear with the Passionate Sword in hand.
The Rock-Patterned Giant Bear was still dumbfounded, making this an excellent opportunity to attack.
As Chen Ci slashed out, the Passionate Sword sank smoothly into the Rock-Patterned Giant Bear's body as though slicing through tofu.
Gripping the Passionate Sword, Chen Ci began running. Only when the blade struck bone and the impact jolted his right hand did he pull it free.
The Rock-Patterned Giant Bear roared in pain.
Chen Xin muffled the roar, preventing it from disturbing the other Rock-Patterned Giant Bears in the habitat.
The Rock-Patterned Giant Bear stood up, towering over three meters tall, and scanned its surroundings with murky yellow eyes, searching for whatever had attacked it.
Yet despite looking all around, it found nothing nearby.
Chen Ci seized this opportunity and attacked again.
But against the Rock-Patterned Giant Bear, which stood over three meters tall, Chen Ci could not reach any of its other vital points.
He was only a little over six years old and roughly 1.3 meters tall, only about a third of the Rock-Patterned Giant Bear's height.
So, to make his attack more effective, Chen Ci leaped up and slashed at the Rock-Patterned Giant Bear's knee.
A sharp pain shot through its knee. The Rock-Patterned Giant Bear looked down and only then discovered that the thing attacking it was merely a little squirt.
It seized the opportunity while Chen Ci had yet to land, swinging its enormous paw down at him.
It was certain that this strike would reduce Chen Ci to a puddle of minced flesh.
Yet the next instant, its state reverted to when Chen Ci had stabbed its knee.
It also missed its mother a little.
But soon, that emotion was replaced by bone-piercing pain.
It remembered that a little squirt had just injured its knee, and it wanted to kill him.
The Rock-Patterned Giant Bear's tiny brain could not comprehend what had happened. It could only attack Chen Ci again.
For some reason, however, the little squirt was no longer by its knee but had landed back on the ground.
This was precisely because Chen Ci had activated his first Soul Skill: Once.
The Rock-Patterned Giant Bear had been forcibly rewound to two seconds earlier.
Meanwhile, Chen Ci had used that time to escape the path of the Rock-Patterned Giant Bear's attack.
Taking advantage of the Rock-Patterned Giant Bear's daze, he continued attacking.
As this repeated over and over, the Rock-Patterned Giant Bear could only die in helpless frustration.
It could not understand why, every time it was about to hit the little squirt, it returned to its previous state.
As a result, it could never hurt the little squirt and could only be worn down to death, one cut after another.