It was also Jun Yi's first time out in the wilderness, and he was full of interest and curiosity. He looked around. The trees in this forest really were much taller than those in Earth's forests; even the shortest reached around two or three meters.
Moreover, every large tree was over ten meters in diameter, with luxuriant branches and leaves. Many trees shrouded some of the clearings, leaving even sunlight unable to penetrate.
"Grandpa Sword, should I choose a strength-type Soul Beast for my first Soul Ring too?" Ning Rongrong asked.
"That's right. After all, Soul Masters don't have many Soul Skills early on, and most fight in close-quarters combat. So using the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's first Soul Ring to amplify strength couldn't be more suitable," Sword Douluo explained.
"Yay! I want to choose a bear for my first Soul Ring!" Ning Rongrong said excitedly.
"Whatever Soul Ring Rongrong wants, Grandpa Sword will get it for you."
The three continued onward. After walking for about the time it took an incense stick to burn, Sword Douluo suddenly stopped and said, "Wait."
Before his words had faded, he flicked his wrist. The Seven Kill Sword traced a blue arc, silently slashing toward a large tree nearby. With a sharp crack, the tree snapped and fell onto a figure.
"What's wrong, Grandpa Sword?"
Ning Rongrong gazed curiously at the severed tree.
Jun Yi was equally curious, so he turned his palm downward. A whirlwind gathered, and the blue ROOM space instantly enveloped everything within five meters.
"ROOM."
Jun Yi raised his right hand and extended a finger, swapping a pebble not far from him with the figure beneath the tree. A deep-purple spider giving off an evil presence came into view. Its body, fully half a foot long, was purple, with markings resembling a human face. Its eight legs spread wide, and the two blood-red eyes atop its head gleamed with ferocity as it stared fixedly at the three of them. Clearly, it was what the tree Sword Douluo had just cut down had struck.
"A Man Faced Demon Spider? How could a Soul Beast like this be in the Soul Hunting Forest?"
Jun Yi was very curious. Weren't the Soul Beasts here supposed to be raised in captivity by the empire? How could such an evil Soul Beast be here?
Ning Rongrong agreed. "Exactly. This kind of Soul Beast survives by devouring Soul Beasts and humans. It's the most evil kind of Soul Beast. Grandpa Sword, let's slaughter it."
Sword Douluo, standing beside them, had his attention entirely on Jun Yi. Seeing him use his position-swapping ability again, an unusual glimmer flickered in his eyes.
This boy's Martial Soul abilities truly were special. He could manipulate space and even execute a perfect position swap in an instant. Sword Douluo grew increasingly interested in Jun Yi's Martial Soul.
"What a pity. It has less than a hundred years of cultivation. If it were a little older, it could serve as a Soul Ring."
Sword Douluo came back to himself and looked regretfully at the Man Faced Demon Spider. Then a streak of sword light flashed past, and the Man Faced Demon Spider immediately fell dead. Its ugly body broke into fragments that scattered through the air. Another streak of sword light followed, completely annihilating those fragments in midair. Even its Soul Ring was destroyed by the sword light.
"Huh? There seems to be something else?"
With his sharp eyes, Jun Yi spotted a mass of purple energy beyond the sword light.
Jun Yi raised his eyebrows slightly and lifted his finger again, swapping a pebble at his feet with the mass of purple energy in midair. A transparent purple bone shaped like a torso, only the size of a fist, appeared at his feet.
"A Soul Bone? Even a Soul Beast less than a hundred years old can drop loot?"
Jun Yi recognized what it was at a glance and hurriedly picked it up to examine it.
Ning Rongrong also came over, snatched it from him, and studied it carefully. Jun Yi felt somewhat helpless, but simply let her have her way.
"Grandpa Sword, it's so pretty! It looks like crystal, and it gives off a faint, lustrous purple glow. It's beautiful," Ning Rongrong said, holding up the Soul Bone.
"Huh? It actually dropped a Soul Bone, and the rarest kind, a Torso Bone?" Sword Douluo said in surprise as he looked at the Soul Bone in Ning Rongrong's hand.
"Unfortunately, its age is far too low. At less than a hundred years, it won't provide much of an improvement at all. Otherwise, it would qualify as a rare treasure."
Hearing this, Ning Rongrong's eyes instantly lit up. She ran over to Sword Douluo, took his arm, and pleaded sweetly, "Then, Grandpa Sword, could you give this Soul Bone to me?"
"Of course. Since Rongrong likes it, you can have this Soul Bone. But you must remember not to absorb it. Its age is far too low. It isn't worthy of our Rongrong."
"Mhm, I know," Ning Rongrong replied obediently. She wasn't stupid. How could she possibly absorb a Soul Bone less than a hundred years old? As far as she knew, there were no fewer than ten hundred-year Soul Bones at home alone. How could it ever be this trash Soul Bone's turn?
"Thank you, Grandpa Sword!" Ning Rongrong said happily.
As Jun Yi looked at the Soul Bone, another thought arose in his mind. He asked the system, "System, what exactly is the essence of a Soul Bone? Why did it feel like nothing more than a mass of ordinary energy when I touched it just now?"
"The host is correct. The essence of a Soul Bone is energy produced by a Soul Beast's resentment before death. The greater the resentment, the greater the likelihood of producing a Soul Bone. Of course, Soul Bones produced by certain extreme vengeful spirits will also be stronger, but this resentment will disappear with the Soul Beast's death. This energy shares the same origin as a Soul Ring's energy, which is why a Soul Bone can also grant a Soul Master a Soul Skill," the system said slowly.
"I see. Then, System, do you think artificial Soul Bones are possible?"
"With the Douluo Continent's current level of technology alone, that is far beyond reach. Even if the host mastered the production method, the lack of materials would make refining them impossible," the system replied.
Jun Yi sighed and said nothing more. If artificial Soul Bones really could be made, then the Soul Beast forests surely wouldn't end up as they would tens of thousands of years later, when Soul Beasts lacked even space to survive.
Jun Yi's thoughts returned to reality. By now, the Man Faced Demon Spider had vanished completely, leaving only a few bloodstains to prove that someone had once lingered here.
"Let's go. Keep moving."
The three continued onward and soon found a Strength Bear around four hundred years old, just right for Ning Rongrong to absorb.
Sword Douluo merely released his presence, using nothing but his Titled Douluo-level pressure to frighten it into unconsciousness. Jun Yi then used his fruit ability to transfer the Strength Bear to Ning Rongrong's side.
"Rongrong, kill it, and its Soul Ring will appear. Then you can absorb it," Sword Douluo reminded her.
Ning Rongrong nodded without fussing. She took an azure-blue soul-tool dagger from her ring and slashed at the Strength Bear's head.
An ice-blue blade gleam burst from the dagger and instantly pierced the Strength Bear's skull, sending blood spraying.
Ning Rongrong squeezed her eyes shut, not daring to look at the mangled, bloody corpse...
(End of chapter)