"Damn it! Lin Gu, why did you kick me again?!"
Having just finished charging up, Lin Gu sneakily landed another kick on Big Gangzi.
Big Gangzi could practically have cried without tears. These past few days, Lin Gu had kept kicking him out of nowhere!
Yu Xiaogang rubbed his backside, thinking, This kid really holds a grudge. I called his Martial Soul trash, and he's held it against me for days. He's about to kick my ass to pieces.
Lin Gu covered his mouth and chuckled. He found kicking Yu Xiaogang more satisfying after all.
Over the past few days, he had been doing the usual quests, all daily tasks like cleaning, sparring with Xiao Wu, and so on.
He had also saved up 500 system gold coins.
But the second equipment slot hadn't unlocked yet. He figured it would probably only unlock after he hunted down his first Soul Ring.
So doing quests and saving gold was the right move, along with giving Gangzi another "Heartsteel" hit.
Lin Gu's current HP had already reached:
[HP: 56,000!]
His HP had already broken past fifty thousand. When he sparred with Tang San and Xiao Wu, their attacks could only reduce his HP by a hundred points. Calculating it at a comparative ten percent, neither of them even had ten thousand HP, and Xiao Wu only had five thousand.
With that, Lin Gu's current HP was enough for him to tank hits for a long time. Unfortunately, he had tested it, and his attack power was too low.
For his second equipment slot, he had to choose an item with attack power.
Otherwise, he would just be a meat shield. If there were something that reflected damage later on, that would be even better.
That was what Lin Gu thought, but he didn't know what equipment would be available later.
Looking at the speechless Yu Xiaogang before him, Lin Gu felt a little embarrassed too. He had also broken through to level ten, and thought it was time to hunt a Soul Ring, so he said:
"Grandmaster, agree to one request, and I'll stop kicking you!"
Yu Xiaogang was utterly speechless at this child's antics too. If he refused, his backside probably wouldn't survive, so he nodded and said:
"Go ahead, anything except taking you as my disciple!"
He was still afraid Lin Gu wanted to become his disciple. Grandmaster only chose those with good talent, so he could build his public image on never having any trash under his tutelage.
Unfortunately, did talented people need teaching? They could rise no matter who taught them!
So Lin Gu rolled his eyes. Who wants to become your disciple? Then he said plainly:
"Grandmaster, don't worry. Untalented as I am, I have no intention of becoming your disciple. Rest assured!"
Only after hearing this did Yu Xiaogang relax. Patting his chest, he said, "Then what do you want?"
Lin Gu thought it over. To hunt his First Soul Ring, he needed a few people with high attack power. Although his HP was substantial, his attack power was too low.
He had chosen Grandmaster not because he thought Grandmaster had high attack power, but because there was also a Tang San behind him.
According to the plot, he should be taking Tang San to hunt a Soul Ring in the next few days, right? Then he can take me along.
And so he said:
"I'm already level ten, so, Grandmaster, help me hunt my first Soul Ring!"
Hearing that this was all it was, Yu Xiaogang patted his chest and said confidently:
"Such a small matter. Don't worry. I was just going to take my disciple, Tang San, to hunt a Soul Ring today, so I'll bring you along."
As he spoke, Tang San happened to arrive. Seeing Grandmaster and Lin Gu, he greeted them!
"Teacher, Xiao Gu, you're here too?"
Lin Gu nodded, and Yu Xiaogang continued:
"Lin Gu is level ten too. Since you're both from the same village, let's take him along to hunt a Soul Ring."
Tang San looked at Lin Gu, smiled knowingly, and nodded, thinking:
Teacher, you're doing this so Lin Gu won't kick you anymore, aren't you? Forget it, whatever. Having someone along isn't bad!
Lin Gu seemed to see through Tang San's thoughts and nodded in agreement.
And so Yu Xiaogang took the two of them into the Soul Hunting Forest to find suitable Soul Beasts and hunt their first Soul Rings!
Along the way, Yu Xiaogang walked ahead, explaining precautions for hunting Soul Rings as well as some theories.
Tang San listened very attentively.
"Generally speaking, the maximum age you can absorb for your First Soul Ring is 423 years, but absorbing one carries great risks. For ordinary Soul Masters, a First Soul Ring of a few decades to around a hundred years is better!"
Speaking with complete seriousness, Yu Xiaogang came up to a stalk of Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo, patted it, and said solemnly to Tang San:
"Xiao San, this is Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo. Its defining trait is toughness, which suits your Blue Silver Grass very well. If we don't find anything suitable, you can choose this for your First Soul Ring."
Lin Gu was somewhat speechless. Like hell I'd believe you!
Tang San's expression went blank, as though he wanted to say the same thing.
"But it's only a backup. Let's go farther in and look at the others. If there's nothing else, we'll choose this Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo. As for you, Lin Gu, you can choose Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo directly. Your clothing Martial Soul is too unusual!"
As Yu Xiaogang spoke, he suddenly remembered that Lin Gu's clothes had turned into a breastplate a few days ago, so he asked:
"Right, Lin Gu, how did your Martial Soul change?"
The corner of Lin Gu's mouth twitched. You want me to choose Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo outright?
He pursed his lips and answered, "I don't know either. Maybe my Martial Soul underwent a slight change after my Soul Power increased!"
Yu Xiaogang nodded. Still, however it changed, it was only a heavy piece of armored clothing, so he didn't ask any more questions.
Tang San, meanwhile, paused. He felt that ever since Lin Gu's Martial Soul had changed from clothes into a breastplate, his defense had improved a great deal. Over the past few days, when Xiao Wu and he sparred with Lin Gu, Lin Gu basically stood as immovable as a mountain. Hitting him was just like not hitting him at all.
Tang San thought for a moment and said:
"Now that you mention it, your defense really has improved quite a bit since your Martial Soul changed. Xiao Gu, you could take the defensive route. This Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo has the trait of toughness, so it really does suit you!"
Hearing that, the corner of Lin Gu's mouth involuntarily twitched. Tang San? Are you trying to screw me over too?
So he said, "No thanks, Xiao San. If you like it, absorb it yourself!"
After that, Tang San said nothing else and continued forward with Yu Xiaogang.
After walking for a while without finding any suitable Soul Beasts, Yu Xiaogang stopped and said:
"It seems there isn't anything suitable. Why don't we go back and absorb the Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo?"
Lin Gu and Tang San exchanged a look, utterly speechless!
Just then, it seemed Tang Hao, hiding in the shadows, truly couldn't bear watching any longer and tossed down a 423-year-old Mandala Snake.
With a sudden roar, a giant purple snake sprang up from the ground, bearing straight down on Lin Gu and the others.
Yu Xiaogang stood in front of the two, stopping them, and said, "It's a Mandano Snake over four hundred years old, and it's extremely venomous. Stand back. I'll deal with it!"
"Farting like thunder, Earth-Shattering Luo Sanpao!"
Sanpao charged forward and let out three great farts, but the Mandano Snake merely lashed its tail and defeated Yu Xiaogang.
A dignified level-twenty-nine Soul Grandmaster was about to be solo-killed by a Mandano Snake.
Tang San couldn't stand watching anymore. He used the Tang Sect's secret arts, took out a small knife, and went up to fight.
Meanwhile, Lin Gu's [Heartsteel] had finished charging, and a thought popped into his mind:
"Heartsteel" a Soul Beast? How much HP would that add?
And so he rushed up alongside Tang San and threw a charged punch, only to see his HP soar:
10,000 HP received!
His HP shot straight up from fifty-six thousand to sixty-six thousand.
Lin Gu was overjoyed. "These Soul Beasts really are the best targets for 'Heartsteel'!"
As he finished speaking, the Mandala Snake opened its great maw and continued attacking the two of them!