Before Dugu Yan could say anything, Xuan Ming closed his eyes and followed the method Ye Lan had taught him, using his spiritual power to lock onto the Soul Ring and draw it onto his Martial Soul to absorb it.
"Quiet!" Xue Qinghe barked, releasing a faint wave of spiritual pressure that forcibly calmed the princes who were about to cry out their grievances.
An unusual look crossed Ge Long's face. "Eldest Prince, you've hidden your abilities well."
Xue Qinghe merely smiled without saying anything.
Ge Long asked no further questions and turned to check on the third prince.
"Eldest Prince, Xuan Ming..." Dugu Yan looked worriedly at Xuan Ming, who had already drawn the Soul Ring onto himself.
For a first Soul Ring, around four hundred years was already the absolute limit!
An eight-hundred-year ring was something few people dared absorb even as their second Soul Ring!
"Don't worry. His body is different from an ordinary person's, and so is his willpower. He should be fine." Xue Qinghe was also deeply worried.
Although Snake Lance Douluo had said Xuan Ming's limit was eight hundred years, absorbing a Soul Ring at one's limit was extremely dangerous!
It was an immense test of both body and mind!
This was Xuan Ming's first time absorbing a Soul Ring. He had no experience at all, and there was no telling whether he could withstand that impact.
Chapter 31: Good intentions
"Eldest Prince, are we still not going to interrupt him?"
A long time had passed since Xuan Ming began absorbing the Soul Ring. The Rushing Thunder Tiger's Soul Ring still hovered above his Blood Spear Martial Soul, its power constantly battering his body.
Watching Xuan Ming's increasingly strained expression and the body that had been trembling nonstop from the very beginning, Ge Long finally could not hold back.
For an ordinary Soul Master, obtaining a first Soul Ring of around four hundred years was already exceedingly rare. This eight-hundred-year Soul Ring was too much of a stretch even as a second Soul Ring.
"Wait a little longer," Xue Qinghe said.
"Eldest Prince, you know what happens when someone fails to absorb a Soul Ring," Ge Long said.
Sometimes, even the slightest excess in the power unleashed by an overly old Soul Ring could make a Soul Master's body explode, killing them!
If they interrupted him now, at worst, the boy's Soul Power would drop and he would be weak for a while. But if they waited any longer, they might lose even the chance to interrupt him!
"Wait a little longer," Xue Qinghe said.
"If my imperial brother doesn't care whether he lives or dies, why should General Ge Long say any more?" the disheveled third prince said from where he sat nearby.
General Ge Long sighed and said no more.
In any case, if something happened, it would be the eldest prince who had to explain it to Dugu Bo. It had nothing to do with him.
"This is the first time I've seen someone absorb a Soul Ring standing up," a young prince muttered.
People always sat cross-legged to absorb Soul Rings, concentrating all their thoughts on their Martial Souls so they could better remain conscious when the Soul Ring's power battered their bodies.
Yet not only was this fellow standing while absorbing his Soul Ring, but his spear was still embedded in the Rushing Thunder Tiger. Was that right?
"Could it be..." Prompted by that remark, Xue Qinghe turned his gaze toward the Rushing Thunder Tiger impaled by the Blood Spear.
When a Soul Master absorbed a Soul Ring, its power tempered their body, making it stronger and tougher. This was especially true for Beast Martial Soul Masters, whose physical capabilities soared with every Soul Ring they absorbed.
But that was mainly because their Martial Souls transformed under the nourishment of the Soul Ring's power, which in turn changed their bodies. Thus, Tool Martial Soul Masters' bodies were far inferior to those of Beast Martial Soul Masters.
The once-powerful Rushing Thunder Tiger's body had now shriveled, as though its flesh and blood had been stolen away.
Xuan Ming's Blood Spear Martial Soul could "eat people." Even he himself could be eaten. Thus, as it grew stronger under the nourishment of the Soul Ring's power during absorption, its appetite should have grown as well.
Yet compared to before, Xuan Ming's originally frail body had strengthened considerably, just as it would when a normal Martial Soul absorbed a Soul Ring. He had not weakened from his Martial Soul devouring his blood Qi, and was even considerably stronger than an ordinary Tool Martial Soul Master after absorbing a Soul Ring.
Could Xuan Ming have used the Rushing Thunder Tiger in his place as food for the Blood Spear?
"Xuan Ming?"
While Xue Qinghe was thinking, Xuan Ming finally opened his eyes. The Soul Ring that had encircled the Blood Spear had disappeared as well.
"He succeeded?" Ge Long looked over in disbelief.
"Phew!" Xuan Ming let out a soft breath, taking a moment to feel his body brimming with strength.
Fortunately, he had kept the Blood Spear devouring the Rushing Thunder Tiger. Otherwise, as the Soul Ring's power flooded his Martial Soul and strengthened the Blood Spear, he himself would have been eaten by its growing appetite!
This meal would keep the Blood Spear digesting for a while.
"Monster..."
The princes were all too stunned to speak.
Even absorbing first Soul Rings younger than four hundred years had hurt them so much they wanted to die!
Yet this fellow had actually absorbed an eight-hundred-year ring?
"Rank thirteen?" An unusual look crossed Ge Long's face.
Normally, after a Soul Master finished absorbing their Martial Soul, their Soul Power would reach rank eleven. Under certain special circumstances, absorbing a Soul Ring at their limit might give them a little extra Soul Power, but at most, it would be half a rank.
This was a direct increase of two ranks...
"You really can eat." Xuan Ming looked at the Blood Spear in his hand.
When the Soul Ring's power battered his body, the Blood Spear had snatched away a considerable portion of it. There was no telling how much this thing would be able to eat in the future.
"What's your first Soul Skill?" Dugu Yan asked curiously.
An eight-hundred-year first Soul Skill-wouldn't that be stronger than most people's second Soul Skills?
"Why not use it and let us see?" The third prince stood up.
"This is our first time hearing of an eight-hundred-year first Soul Ring, too. It must be very powerful, right?"
"Third Prince, it's getting late. We should head back," Ge Long said.
"You still need a healing Soul Master to treat your injuries."
The third prince frowned. "I'm not that fragile."
"Third Brother, General Ge Long only means well," Xue Qinghe said.
"Means well?" The third prince turned to Xue Qinghe.
"Imperial Brother, didn't we agree not to tell on each other?"
"Third Prince, the eldest prince was thinking of everyone's safety," Dugu Yan said.
"Besides, if it weren't for..."
"If General Ge Long hadn't intervened, my imperial brother probably wouldn't be much better off than me right now, would he?" the third prince said in a low voice.
Ge Long had clearly been following them for some time. In other words, this man had watched him get attacked by the Rushing Thunder Tiger, then intervened just in time when it was about to attack Xue Qinghe!
Noticing the coldness in the third prince's eyes, Ge Long quickly realized he had been misunderstood and hurried to explain. "Third Prince, just now..."
"You had only just arrived, right?" the third prince said.
"General Ge Long, your timing was truly perfect. Any later, and my imperial brother would have been injured."
"Third Brother, you've misunderstood," Xue Qinghe said.
"I certainly did misunderstand." The third prince snorted coldly.
What a schemer!
He seemed to be on good terms with me, but he had secretly thrown his lot in with my dear eldest brother!
I wonder what my imperial father would think if he knew the eldest prince had already extended his reach to the commander of his imperial guards!
"..."
"Are you all right?"
Ignoring the strange atmosphere, Ye Lingling walked over to Xuan Ming and asked quietly.
"You looked like you were in terrible pain while absorbing the Soul Ring. Does it still hurt?"
Xuan Ming shook his head. "Not anymore."
Although he had felt as if he were about to explode during the absorption, fortunately, the Blood Spear had forcibly taken some of the power away, making it somewhat easier for him to absorb.
"Taller than me, too..." Ye Lingling unconsciously compared her height with Xuan Ming's.
Before absorbing his Soul Ring, Xuan Ming had actually been a little shorter than her. After absorbing their Soul Rings, both of them had grown taller, but Xuan Ming had clearly grown much more than she had.
"All right, Third Brother, stop making a fuss. Let's first..."
Before Xue Qinghe could finish, Ge Long instantly completed his Martial Soul Possession. A purple Soul Ring flashed as he charged into the depths of the forest.
Boom!!!
The tremendous impact burst outward, whipping up a terrifying blast of air. The aftershock alone knocked quite a few people to the ground.
"A Spectral Nether Tiger?"
As the dust slowly cleared, everyone saw the enormous figure that had collided with Ge Long.
Its entire body was pitch-black, exuding cold, netherworldly Qi. Fangs nearly half a meter long protruded from its mouth, as though it could tear them apart in a single bite!
Chapter 32: Why was another wave coming?
"Why would a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast appear here?"
Dugu Yan's face went pale as she stared at the Spectral Nether Tiger confronting Ge Long.
With that imposing presence, it held its own even against Ge Long. This was a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast that should only appear deep within Sunset Forest!
"Run!" Ge Long said heavily.
"This Spectral Nether Tiger is over fifty thousand years old. I'm no match for it!"
Damn it! A Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast of this level should be exceedingly rare in Sunset Forest. Why was it on the outskirts?
"Even General Ge Long is no match for it?"
The princes stood frozen in place. They wanted to flee, but a cold, eerie Qi surrounded their bodies, leaving them utterly stiff and unable to move even a step!
"Damn it!" Ge Long's expression darkened.
The oppressive presence emanating from the Spectral Nether Tiger could render even a Soul Ancestor almost powerless to resist. These boys were only Soul Grandmasters-they were not even qualified to run!
"Vile beast! You dare!"
Ge Long roared fiercely, his black fifth Soul Ring flashing. Accompanied by a terrifying oppressive presence, a phantom Yazi let out a roar. The terrifying sonic blast sent the Spectral Nether Tiger flying, toppling trees and scattering earth and stones as it blasted a long, deep trench across the ground!
Before Ge Long could act again, several terrifying presences came from deep within the forest.
"What the hell..." Ge Long's expression turned extremely grim.
At least five Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts! And the presences of quite a few Thousand-Year Soul Beasts followed close behind!
What had happened?
"Run!" Ge Long shouted over his shoulder.
"A large pack of Soul Beasts is charging this way!"
As he spoke, Ge Long activated the distress flare he carried. A streak of red fire shot into the sky and burst above the forest.
"Something's happened!"
Seeing the signal above the forest, the Soul Emperors on standby at the camp hurriedly led their men inside to provide aid.
"Help!"
After sending the signal, Ge Long had already moved to intercept the pack of Soul Beasts, buying everyone time to retreat. Coming to their senses, the princes scrambled away, stumbling and crawling, and the scene descended into utter chaos.
"Everyone, stay calm! Don't split up!" the third prince shouted, but no one listened to him.
The Spectral Nether Tiger's presence had been so terrifying that it had scared them witless. Now, all they could think about was escaping back as quickly as possible, with no thought to spare for the people beside them.
However, in their panic, deep in the forest at night, many of them went the wrong way.
In desperation, the third prince immediately activated Martial Soul Possession and flew into the sky.
"Don't run around blindly! Follow me!"