Douluo: My Custom Achievement System

Vitality and resilience were the core traits of Blue Silver Grass, so he had to start there when choosing a Soul Ring.

Without a doubt, the most suitable choice was Blue Silver Grass of a high age, but such Blue Silver Grass was almost nonexistent.

Even if it did exist, its vitality and resilience were weaker than those of other plant Soul Beasts of the same age.

Under the circumstances, Jiang Yi had already decided not to fuse with a Blue Silver Grass Soul Ring for the time being.

He would first fuse with a life-attribute Soul Ring, then obtain a Soul Ring from the Blue Silver King or the Blue Silver Emperor when he encountered one.

He also had two choices for his First Soul Ring. One was the Tree of Life, the king of plant Soul Beasts.

The other was the Ancient Hemlock.

The reason for choosing the Tree of Life hardly needed explaining. Its exceptionally abundant vitality was a perfect match for Blue Silver Grass.

The only drawback was that a Soul Beast like the Tree of Life had not appeared on the continent for a long time. Whether he could find one was another matter.

A Tree of Life could only be encountered by chance, not sought out, so he regarded it as nothing more than a hope.

In the end, his choice for the First Soul Ring would probably fall on the Ancient Hemlock.

Chapter 37: First Steps into the Star Dou Great Forest, the Ancient Hemlock (Please Keep Reading!)

He had considered all sorts of factors before making the Ancient Hemlock his second choice for the First Soul Ring.

Ancient Hemlocks generally lived on sheer cliffs rarely visited by humans, with large numbers of trees growing around them.

Their root systems extended through nearly all the surrounding trees, and they possessed exceptionally abundant vitality.

Moreover, Ancient Hemlocks had no active means of attack. Their outer bark was incomparably hard, grayish white like ten-thousand-year-old cold iron.

Through their leaves and roots, they could resonate with other trees and slowly absorb Heaven and Earth Origin Energy. Even if their cultivation did not increase, their vitality allowed them to survive for tens of thousands of years.

Their incomparably tough bark, combined with their immense vitality, almost perfectly met Jiang Yi's needs.

"There's no way we'll find either of those Soul Beasts in the Mysterious Water Forest. We'll have to go to the Star Dou Great Forest after all. I should go tell Teacher."

Spirit Mountain City was located on the western border of the Dou Ling Empire. Not only was it close to the Dou Ling Empire, but it was also close to the Star Dou Great Forest and Shrek Academy.

After Jiang Yi explained his Soul Ring choices to Li Lingyu, Li Lingyu immediately set out with him for the Star Dou Great Forest to search for Soul Beasts.

Jiang Yi's breakthrough to level ten had already been delayed for too long, so there was naturally some urgency to get him caught up.

This time, they did not use a carriage to travel to the Star Dou Great Forest.

With Jiang Yi's current strength, he had long since become capable of making the journey to the Star Dou Great Forest on his own.

But when hunting for his First Soul Ring, it was better to have someone helping him.

"Phew, we're finally here." Jiang Yi stopped and gazed at the vast, dense forest ahead, letting out a sigh.

The Star Dou Great Forest was far larger than the Mysterious Water Forest, and the Soul Beasts living within it were countless.

"We're here. That was much faster than I expected." Li Lingyu's voice came from beside him.

Jiang Yi turned to look. Li Lingyu had arrived at the Star Dou Great Forest long before him and was watching him with a smile.

The two of them had traveled separately to the Star Dou Great Forest this time.

As a Soul Emperor, Li Lingyu had naturally reached the Star Dou Great Forest quickly. Although Jiang Yi's Soul Power quality and recovery speed far surpassed those of others at his level, he certainly could not compare with Li Lingyu.

"Teacher, let's go in and look for a Soul Ring."

Jiang Yi looked up at the blazing sun overhead as he spoke.

Li Lingyu frowned and asked, "Don't you need to recover your Soul Power?"

"My recovery speed is pretty fast," Jiang Yi said with a smile.

Seeing Jiang Yi's rosy complexion and energetic appearance, Li Lingyu said no more.

He led the way, and the two of them headed toward the Star Dou Great Forest.

Before they had gone far, a wooden sign appeared before them.

"Fifty li ahead lies the boundary of the Star Dou Great Forest. Soul Beasts roam there. Take care."

As Jiang Yi glanced over the words on the sign, a distant look came over him.

This sign had also appeared when Huo Yuhao first entered the Star Dou Great Forest, marking the beginning of the story.

That was why it had left such a deep impression on Jiang Yi.

He had lost himself for a moment because, ever since he began cultivating, he had been absorbed in improving his Soul Power and physical condition.

He had even forgotten that he was in a world with a story.

Only when he saw this sign did he feel as though a lifetime had passed.

I'm almost twelve now, two years older than Huo Yuhao. He's still suffering in the White Tiger Duke's Mansion.

He deeply sympathized with what had happened to Huo Yuhao, but he had no way to interfere in the White Tiger Duke's Mansion's internal affairs.

There's about a year left before the story begins. I have to keep working hard and grow stronger!

Leaving the sign from his memories behind, Jiang Yi headed toward the Star Dou Great Forest.

The Star Dou Great Forest was divided into five regions: the borderland, the outer region, the mixed region, the core region, and the forbidden zone of life, the Great Ferocious Land.

The eight-hundred-and-ninety-year-old Soul Beast Jiang Yi was looking for this time could be found near the outer region.

Li Lingyu led Jiang Yi through the dense forest.

Li Lingyu's wind-element Martial Soul was highly effective for scouting.

Even when leaves blocked their view, he could still find the right path and avoid other Soul Beasts.

Even with Li Lingyu leading him, Jiang Yi did not give up on establishing connections with the Blue Silver Grass here.

This Blue Silver Grass could not only help with scouting, but also provide him with information.

Jiang Yi had already told Li Lingyu what he needed from a Soul Ring.

Li Lingyu led Jiang Yi in a search for suitable Soul Beasts nearby, but unfortunately, a Tree of Life was not so easy to find.

After three hours, they had not found the slightest trace of a Tree of Life.

"Little Yi, I'm afraid you'll have to change your target." Li Lingyu sounded somewhat helpless.

"Teacher, I was prepared for that long ago," Jiang Yi said with an unconcerned smile.

After all, not everything could go so smoothly. He was not the favored child of fortune of the Douluo Continent.

"Ancient Hemlocks like to live in cold, shady places. We can search to the northwest of the Star Dou Great Forest."

Drawing on his past experience in the Star Dou Great Forest and his knowledge of the Ancient Hemlock's habitat, Li Lingyu promptly changed their course.

As they headed northwest, the temperature began to cool.

The leaves on the surrounding trees also began to grow thicker and smaller.

"The temperature around here is already suitable for Ancient Hemlocks. Let's start searching the area."

"By the way, Little Yi, how old a Soul Ring are you planning to absorb for your first?"

"Your physical condition far surpasses that of an ordinary level-ten Soul Master. You can absorb a First Soul Ring beyond the age limit. How about one around six hundred years old?" Li Lingyu reasoned.

"Teacher, I want one that's eight hundred and ninety years old," Jiang Yi said without hesitation.

"What?" Li Lingyu cried in disbelief.

No wonder he reacted that way. He knew his disciple had a strong physique and could absorb a Soul Ring beyond the age limit.

But he had not dared to go that far beyond it.

"Are you sure you want an eight-hundred-and-ninety-year Soul Ring? Can you withstand it?" Li Lingyu asked seriously.

"Teacher, I know my own physical condition. I can withstand eight hundred and ninety years. It can be older, but it absolutely cannot be younger."

"If you're confident, I won't say any more. I'll look for one of that age." Faced with Jiang Yi's request, Li Lingyu finally nodded.

As Li Lingyu finished speaking, cyan energy surrounded his entire body, and six Soul Rings rose around him: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black.

A fierce wind swept through the forest at once, and powerful wind elements spread in all directions.

Is this the power of a Soul Emperor? It's too powerful. Jiang Yi stood to one side. Even though he was not the target, he still felt tremendous pressure.

This state lasted for a little over thirty seconds before Li Lingyu opened his eyes, wind elements swirling within them.

The wind had brought him information.

"I found one."

Chapter 38: A Thousand-Year First Soul Ring (Please Keep Reading!)

As soon as the words left his mouth, Li Lingyu turned to look to the left.

"Follow me."

His body then turned into wind and shot forward at incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, he had vanished from Jiang Yi's sight.

But he left a cyan trail wherever he went, and Jiang Yi immediately followed it.

After heading northwest for about half an hour, the cyan trail disappeared completely, and Jiang Yi came to a stop.

Directly ahead of him, near a cliff, a towering tree stood in the center, surrounded by trees with thick, flourishing foliage.

The great tree's trunk was grayish white, and its bark was cracked in places, like dragon scales, bearing the marks of passing years.

Its branches and leaves were not particularly lush compared with the surrounding trees, but every needle was a rich, vivid green, with a faint, lustrous sheen flowing within it.

These unmistakable features all proclaimed the great tree's identity.

"Ancient Hemlock." Jiang Yi's heart filled with delight.

He came to Li Lingyu's side. Stroking the Ancient Hemlock, Li Lingyu said, "Little Yi, this Ancient Hemlock is around nine hundred years old."

"It's a perfect match for what you need. Are you sure you want to fuse with it?"

"I'm sure." Jiang Yi nodded without hesitation.

"All right." Li Lingyu said nothing more.

From the palm he had placed on the Ancient Hemlock, violent wind elements surged continuously, boring into its body through the cracks in its bark.

Although the Ancient Hemlock had no ability to attack, its incomparably hard outer bark was not easily broken.

If Jiang Yi were to try to break it, he would probably struggle even if he used every trick he had.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Terrifying explosions rang out inside the Ancient Hemlock, exposing the tender green flesh beneath its bark.

Near the ground, the exposed flesh gave off a green glow.

"Little Yi, attack that green Life Core!" Li Lingyu shouted.

At the command, Jiang Yi did not hesitate. He pushed off hard and reached the Ancient Hemlock's Life Core in an instant.

He drew a silver-white dagger and stabbed fiercely at the Life Core.

"Rumble!"

The moment the Life Core was pierced, the Ancient Hemlock shook violently, setting the surrounding trees and ground shaking as well.

It was just like an earthquake.

Fortunately, it lasted only an instant before everything returned to normal.

The Life Core shattered with a crash. The Ancient Hemlock's verdant needles grew dull and lusterless, while its grayish-white bark remained unchanged.

Green life energy poured wildly into Jiang Yi's body.

Sensing this power, Jiang Yi immediately sat cross-legged on the ground and began refining it.

The immense power of the exceptionally old, approximately nine-hundred-year Soul Ring surged into his body all at once, making even Jiang Yi's incomparably tough, well-trained body shudder.

Fortunately, thanks to his exceptionally strong physique, Jiang Yi eventually settled down.

This kid's physique really is extraordinarily strong. I hope this can make up for Little Yi's congenital deficiency.

The sky gradually darkened, and the Star Dou Great Forest began to grow dangerous at night.