Thousand Leaf Banyan

Lin Rong's words echoed beside Feng Xiaotian's ears for a long time.

At the age of six, he had awakened the Mutated Martial Soul, the Gale Twin Wolf, and possessed the Innate Full Soul Power, a talent rarely seen even once in a century.

Back then, Feng Xiaotian had trained diligently and brimmed with youthful spirit, until he met the girl who stole his heart—Huo Wu—at an academy exchange event held by Blazing Fire Academy.

Huo Wu was strong-willed. From then on, Feng Xiaotian began to neglect his training, deliberately keeping his Soul Power Level gradually in line with hers.

To conceal the matter of his Soul Power Level, Feng Xiaotian even found himself a perfect excuse: researching Self-Created Soul Skills.

The campfire reflected in Feng Xiaotian's eyes. The dancing flames transformed into Huo Wu's figure, her radiant smile from the first time they had met.

Then the image shifted, changing into the scene from tonight, when he and Huo Wu had been pursued by the Cave Demon Spider.

The two scenes continued switching back and forth in Feng Xiaotian's eyes.

Until, at some point, the images stopped shifting and settled on the scene of his first meeting with Huo Wu.

"That's right!" Feng Xiaotian's gaze gradually became firm.

"If you like someone, you need the strength to protect her."

"From this day forth, I, Feng Xiaotian, will train diligently. I will never let what happened tonight happen again!"

For a moment, Feng Xiaotian felt a clarity he had never experienced before. He turned toward Lin Rong in the tent and called out his thanks.

"Lord Duke, no words can repay such great kindness."

"I will remember your guidance today. Should you ever need me in the future, I, Feng, will brave fire and water without hesitation!"

Inside the tent, Lin Rong's lips curled slightly after hearing those words.

"He can be taught. My words were not wasted after all."

Time flew by.

Two more days passed after that night.

Within a valley deep in the outer region of Sunset Forest.

"After more than four days, we finally found one of a suitable age!"

Before Lin Rong stood a five-hundred-and-twenty-five-year-old Thousand Leaf Banyan. Though there was only one Thousand Leaf Banyan, its lush roots had produced countless offspring, making it look from afar like a dense Banyan Forest.

"Grandpa Yu, do it!"

At Lin Rong's command, the offspring propagated by the Thousand Leaf Banyan were swiftly cleared away by the Old Butler. The main body of the Thousand Leaf Banyan was uprooted as well, its many roots severed one by one. Only a single root was left embedded in the soil, preserving the Thousand Leaf Banyan's last trace of life.

"Young Master, please."

Lin Rong stepped forward and released his Martial Soul, the Nine Bend Vine Dragon. Controlling one Vine Dragon Tree Root, he gave it a light strike, cutting off the Thousand Leaf Banyan's final trace of life.

Before long, a deep yellow Soul Ring condensed above the Thousand Leaf Banyan.

Soul Rings were the most important symbol of a Soul Master, without question. Even Soul Bones fell far short of Soul Rings.

This was not merely because Soul Bones were scarce, but because Soul Rings—not Soul Bones—were essential for a Soul Master's advancement.

"It's been six years since I crossed into this world. Am I finally about to receive the first Soul Ring of my life?"

Lin Rong drew a deep breath and sat cross-legged on the spot. He circulated the Marrow Cleansing Scripture to bring himself into peak condition, then controlled his Martial Soul to draw in the Soul Ring.

"It's begun."

At the side, the Old Butler watched as the Soul Ring settled around the Nine Bend Vine Dragon. He immediately focused all his attention on the surroundings, standing guard for the young master.

The Thousand Leaf Banyan symbolized tenacious vitality. The immense soul power and life force contained within the five-hundred-and-twenty-five-year-old Thousand Leaf Banyan Soul Ring erupted within Lin Rong's body.

Just as Lin Rong was about to circulate the Marrow Cleansing Scripture to absorb those forces, a dragon's roar rang out from within him.

In an instant, the life force carried by the Soul Ring became extraordinarily docile, like subjects meeting their emperor. It actually took the initiative to envelop the soul power from the Soul Ring that shared its origin.

"As expected of the Nine Bend Vine Dragon. Its control over life force is actually this powerful."

"With this, the process of absorbing the Soul Ring will be much smoother!"

Lin Rong thought to himself, then circulated the Marrow Cleansing Scripture to refine the soul power and life force, completely transforming those powers into a part of himself.

Time slowly passed.

Outside.

Because of the Soul Ring absorption, Lin Rong had grown noticeably taller, and his long black hair had taken on a faint azure tint.

But then another dragon's roar sounded. The pale azure faded away, and his hair returned to its pure jet-black color.

The Nine Bend Vine Dragon in his palms had not changed much, yet upon closer inspection, it seemed somehow different from before. It carried an indescribable, mysterious aura.

An hour later, the absorption of the Soul Ring was nearing its end.

At a certain moment, the Soul Ring completely stabilized and pulsed rhythmically beneath Lin Rong's feet. At that very moment, the Thousand Leaf Banyan suddenly ignited with sky-blue flames.

The blue flames instantly burned the Thousand Leaf Banyan to ashes.

Thump! Thump! A series of heartbeats sounded from within the flames. A crystalline wooden bead, like a piece of azure jade, absorbed the blue flames before turning into a streak of light and drilling into Lin Rong's body.

It all happened too suddenly. By the time the Old Butler reacted, it was already too late to stop the wooden bead from entering the young master's body.

Fortunately, Lin Rong's breathing remained steady, and Old Butler finally breathed a sigh of relief before beginning to wonder what that wooden bead was.

"Could it be... an External Soul Bone?"

A while later, when Lin Rong opened his eyes, he saw Old Butler's aged face right in front of him, filled with concern.

"Grandpa Yu, what's wrong? Is there something on my face?"

"Young Master, have you noticed anything unusual about your body?" As Old Butler spoke, he told Lin Rong what had just happened.

"It is all this old servant's fault for being useless and failing to notice in time, allowing that nameless wooden bead to enter Young Master's body."

"Grandpa Yu, are you referring to the Heart of the Banyan Wood?" Lin Rong reached out to help Old Butler up from the ground and explained, "You guessed correctly. That wooden bead is an External Soul Bone produced by the Thousand Leaf Banyan. I call it the Heart of the Banyan Wood."

"Congratulations, Young Master." Upon hearing that the wooden bead truly was an External Soul Bone, Old Butler's heartfelt joy washed away his guilt. Then, with a serious expression, he said, "Young Master, you must not tell outsiders about the External Soul Bone."

"Although an External Soul Bone cannot be taken by others after it has fully fused, someone may still grow jealous and attempt to assassinate you in secret."

"Mm, I understand." Lin Rong nodded.

The Heart of the Banyan Wood corresponded to the heart. Unlike Tang San's Eight Spider Lances, it did not need to be displayed outside the body.

Therefore, as long as Lin Rong said nothing, no one would know that he possessed an External Soul Bone.

After absorbing the five-hundred-and-twenty-five-year Thousand Leaf Banyan Soul Ring, along with the soul power gained when the Heart of the Banyan Wood refined the Thousand Leaf Banyan's remaining body, Lin Rong's Soul Power Level had reached level fifteen.

Of that, the Soul Ring had provided slightly over three levels of soul power, raising his Soul Power Level to level thirteen.

The remaining two levels of soul power had been provided by the Heart of the Banyan Wood.

The higher a Soul Master's level, the more soul power was needed for each subsequent level.

Thus, although the soul power obtained by the Heart of the Banyan Wood from refining the Thousand Leaf Banyan was somewhat greater than that provided by the Soul Ring, it had only raised Lin Rong's Soul Power Level by two levels.

However, the increase in Soul Power Level was secondary. What mattered most were the soul skills bestowed by the Soul Ring and Soul Bone.

During this soul hunt, Lin Rong was extremely satisfied with the soul skills attached to both the Soul Ring and the External Soul Bone produced by the Thousand Leaf Banyan.

The original work had mentioned that absorbing a Soul Bone could increase one's soul power because of the residual soul power left behind after the Soul Bone dropped from a soul beast.

Therefore, the Soul Bone itself would not increase its absorber's Soul Power Level.