Hundred Year Soul Ring

"I have to find a way to control my Soul Ring. I must improve my Soul Power Control skill."

The Soul Ring Year Limit had risen so quickly that, after the initial delight came the need for calm. His Soul Ring had only just appeared, and he still could not effectively control its color and strength. Any experienced Soul Master could see his Soul Ring Year Limit at a glance.

And with his Soul Ring Year Limit changing so quickly, the only way to keep others from discovering his secret was to hide it—or rather, disguise it.

Having been steeped in a culture that valued moderation, he naturally had the instinct to conceal his abilities.

This was where the importance of the Self-Created Soul Skill, Soul Power Control, became apparent. As long as his Soul Power Control level was high enough, he could freely change the color and strength of his Soul Ring. Although he could not yet make its color more advanced, lowering it was no problem.

From that day onward, Hu Jiu began working hard to control his Soul Ring, striving to make its activation and retraction follow his will.

At the same time, he summarized the changes before and after obtaining his Soul Ring.

Through his Perception Ability, he discovered that the Soul Ring had improved him tremendously. First was the Soul Power within his body. Compared to before he obtained the Soul Ring, it had increased by at least several dozen times.

Next was his physical strength. This growth was not as significant, only around fivefold. The main reason was that being a Support Soul Master put him at too great a disadvantage. If he were a Battle Soul Master, the improvement would be much more powerful. This was also one of the reasons Support Soul Masters could never match Battle Soul Masters.

However, Hu Jiu was different from others. His level-five Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer made his body grow stronger every day. Although he was still temporarily inferior to Tang San and Xiao Wu, his body was stronger than that of a Soul Warrior-level Battle Soul Master.

In other words, as long as his cultivation level rose quickly enough, even a Battle Soul Master could not surpass him in physical strength.

Besides that, he also discovered that his Carrot First Soul Skill was practically an AFK accelerator. Ever since he obtained his Soul Ring, the AFK Panel had improved him slightly more than before, and this effect lasted permanently. It was unlike when he used it on others, where it had a time limit.

After learning this, Hu Jiu was extremely glad that he had chosen the skill that increased cultivation effects. Just by thinking about Soul Ring Year Limits, he knew that although he could currently increase his Soul Ring Year Limit through AFK cultivation, the current speed was already quite fast.

After all, he could increase it by one year every day. It was practically a godlike speed.

But what about the Soul Ring Year Limits later on? Ten years, one hundred years, one thousand years, Ten Thousand Year, Hundred Thousand Year, Million Year—six whole levels! The ten-, hundred-, and thousand-year limits were still manageable. At one year per day, even a thousand-year limit would take only around three years. It was not too difficult.

But what about Ten Thousand Year? Reaching Ten Thousand Year through AFK cultivation would take over ten thousand days. That was more than twenty years! By then, Tang San would already have become a God.

Not to mention the later Hundred Thousand Year and Million Year levels. Just thinking about it made him tired.

After returning to the academy, everything remained as usual. Tang San continued cultivating diligently, while Hu Jiu and Xiao Wu continued openly playing together as a couple, only occasionally squeezing out a little time to cultivate.

Even so, neither Hu Jiu nor Xiao Wu cultivated Soul Power any more slowly than Tang San. This often made Tang San envious, but it also made him frustrated with Hu Jiu for failing to live up to his potential. He felt that it was all because of a woman—because of Xiao Wu—that his good brother had fallen into depravity.

This also caused Tang San to have an unfavorable impression of Xiao Wu all along.

A week later.

Hu Jiu summoned his Martial Soul with a delighted expression. At the same time, a pale-yellow Soul Ring appeared out of thin air beneath his feet and slowly revolved there.

"A Hundred Year Soul Ring. It worked!"

After carefully sensing it, he discovered that the effect of his Soul Ring Skill had changed. It had previously increased cultivation effects by one percent, but now it had become ten percent.

A ten-percent increase in cultivation effects could not be called a Divine Skill, but it was already considered excellent.

One had to understand that this was not an enhancement to status effects such as speed or strength, like those of other Soul Masters. This increased cultivation effects! How could a status enhancement compare to directly improving one's cultivation?

Now that his Soul Ring had improved, he naturally had to share the good news with his good brothers and friends.

After calling Tang San and Xiao Wu together, Hu Jiu summoned the upgraded Carrot and handed one to each of them. He said nothing, merely watching them with a faint smile.

Xiao Wu did not care what he was up to. The moment she saw the Carrot, she began munching on it. Whatever it was could wait until she finished eating.

Tang San, however, had his Eyes Lit Up, as if he had guessed something. He immediately took the Carrot, finished it in a few bites, then silently closed his eyes and began sensing.

A moment later, a trace of delight flashed through Tang San's eyes. He looked up and asked excitedly, "Xiao Jiu, did your Soul Ring...?"

"Haha, I knew I couldn't hide it from you." Hu Jiu laughed, then explained, "It was also a matter of luck. That Sky Devouring Beast we hunted last time had probably already grown to its limit. I broke through after cultivating for only a few days. What are the odds of that?"

Hu Jiu was putting on another act. Of course, he had no ill intentions. He merely wanted to hide things a little. After all, increasing the limit by one year each day was truly astonishing. To avoid shocking him, he could only explain it this way.

As for what excuse he would use when his Soul Ring improved again in the future, he would worry about that then. For now, he just had to get through this hurdle.

"How much did the skill effect improve?" Tang San had only sensed that the cultivation effect had increased. He had not been able to estimate the exact amount.

"Ten percent," Hu Jiu said proudly.

"Really? Then won't your cultivation speed become even faster in the future?" Tang San was happy for Hu Jiu as well.

Hu Jiu patted Tang San on the shoulder. "Little San, you're mistaken. It isn't just me—it should be all of us. With me here, I'll take care of your cultivation from now on."

A ten-percent increase in cultivation effects was already good enough to show off.

"Xiao Jiu, you..." Tang San was deeply moved, and he could not bring himself to refuse. He clearly knew that this would consume Hu Jiu's Soul Power, but the effect of Hu Jiu's skill was simply too good. A ten-percent increase in cultivation speed—after accumulating over time, how much Soul Power would that add?

"If we're brothers, don't say anything about thanking me. And don't forget, I'm a Support Soul Master. I have no combat ability, so I'll have to rely on you to protect me in the future." Hu Jiu waved his hand and joked.

Tang San, however, wore a solemn expression and promised him, "Xiao Jiu, don't worry. I'll definitely protect you from now on. Anyone who wants to hurt you will have to step over my corpse first."

"Me too." Xiao Wu raised her hand without wanting to be outdone. "With Sister Xiao Wu here, no one will hurt you."

"Haha, then I'll be counting on you to protect me." Glancing at the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer on his AFK Panel, which had reached one-third of level five, Hu Jiu smiled.