"Zhu Zhuqing will probably need to wait another two months." Yang Yunhai shook his head. "It's been less than a month since Zhu Zhuqing broke through rank 29. Although she's been diligent in her cultivation and everyone has seen it, the time span is still too short. If she absorbs something now, it would be too suspicious."
"No problem. Let Yan Zi wait another month, then I'll take her to hunt a soul ring together." Dugu Bo smiled.
"Medicinal herbs always work best right after they're taken. Training more in the meantime also helps with absorption and builds a better foundation. The higher the soul ring age you absorb later, the more it enhances the body, and the soul skill you gain will naturally be stronger. Besides, being stuck at a bottleneck doesn't stop you from continuing to cultivate. When you finally break through, all that accumulated soul power will surface at once."
"All things considered, waiting an extra month is hardly a loss."
'Yan Zi spending another month in this valley also means you two will have more time together.' He added this only in his heart.
Out loud, he continued, "Besides, I should also be able to take the Land Dragon Golden Melon soon, and I'll need time to fully digest it. Waiting another month will let me absorb the medicinal power completely and raise my strength further, which will also help me prepare for the changes when my martial soul evolves."
"Heh, both my granddaughter and I have evolving martial souls. It's only natural some people will start thinking about it."
"After I finish, I'll let Yan Zi use her push to rank 40 as an excuse not to join the team's post-holiday training camp."
Yang Yunhai thought for a moment, then nodded slightly. "That's fine too."
"Then after lunch, I'll head out." Dugu Bo nodded back.
Yang Yunhai glanced out the window and slowly stood up. "Grandpa Dugu, I'll start cooking."
"Good, I'll sit outside for a bit." Dugu Bo rose and followed him out.
In the living room, he caught a glimpse of another room where Yan Zi was sitting with Zhu Zhuqing, tidying things up and chatting.
"..." After a moment's thought, he strode toward a chair.
Not long after, everyone gathered at the dining table.
Halfway through the meal, Dugu Bo suddenly asked, "Xiao Hai, how do you think Yan Zi should choose her fourth soul ring?"
Since her martial soul had evolved, her soul ring choices naturally had to change as well. He wanted to hear Yang Yunhai's opinion.
He knew about Yang Yunhai's soul skill combinations—each one chained to the next seamlessly. It made him think this boy had unique insight.
This was a child who liked to study deeply. Otherwise, he never would have come up with the theory of surpassing the age limit for absorbing soul rings.
Yang Yunhai set down his chopsticks and thought for a while before speaking. "In my view, Sister Yan's first three soul skills already provide enough offensive ability, but her control is lacking. Without control, her poison can't fully take effect. So, I suggest her fourth soul skill should be a strong control type."
"And ideally, it should be one that grows stronger over time. For example, the Medusa Serpent Queen's Petrifying Gaze or the Spirit Shock from the Tri-Eyed Violet Snake. These kinds of skills scale with the user's spiritual power—the stronger your spirit, the more powerful the skill. In other words, the higher your cultivation, the more effective they become."
'Control first, then poison. Whether the enemy wants to or not, they'll have to take it in. One look and they're finished. That's pretty damn strong.'
"As long as you can get such a ring, the later choices can all be built around it, focusing on poison as the main path and spirit as the secondary. Offense and defense in one, with enemies unable to get close—that covers the martial soul's weakness in melee."
"Of course, this is only a direction. To be honest, I don't know enough about all the soul beasts on the continent."
'Didn't expect Xiao Hai to be so knowledgeable in this too.' Dugu Yan was startled.
"No, Xiao Hai, your advice is extremely useful!" Dugu Bo's eyes lit up. He reached to his waist, pulled out a thick book, and handed it over. "Xiao Hai, this Soul Beast Compendium is for you. If nothing else, I've traveled the continent for many years and know quite a few species. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gained my eighth soul skill, Time Freeze."
'Time Freeze really is insane.' Yang Yunhai nodded and accepted the book politely. "Thank you, Grandpa Dugu."
"Think nothing of it." Dugu Bo smiled. "Xiao Hai, you're very gifted in theory. This book also comes with some selfish intent on my part. In the future, I hope you'll guide Yan Zi more in her cultivation."
"No problem." Yang Yunhai nodded simply.
"In that case, Yan Zi's fourth ring should be Medusa. I've seen one in Sunset Forest," Dugu Bo said.
The Medusa Serpent Queen was a poison and spiritual dual-attribute soul beast. Normally, a soul master would only gain a poison skill by absorbing its ring; only its head soul bone would grant the Petrifying Gaze skill known as Medusa's Stare. He had that head bone himself.
But surpassing the age limit wasn't a normal case. He felt it was worth trying regardless—it would never be a loss. Medusa was called the Queen of Snakes for a reason: her position among snake-type beasts was second to none. No matter what, it was worth hunting.
"You know the location? Then that's perfect. Such rare beasts aren't easy to find." Yang Yunhai smiled.
Dugu Bo nodded slightly. "Eat, eat. After lunch, I still have to go out."
The group ate without further words.
When the meal was done, Dugu Bo left with a toothpick in his mouth.
Watching her grandfather go, Dugu Yan turned back with sincere gratitude. "Xiao Hai, thank you."
"It's only right." Yang Yunhai smiled. "Grandpa Dugu has helped me a lot too."
He glanced at Zhu Zhuqing, then turned back. "Enough of that. Sister Yan, we've just eaten—good time to walk it off. While we've got a break, I'll give you some thoughts on your training plan."
Dugu Yan immediately sat straighter.
"First is physical training. For now, follow the same routine as Zhu Zhuqing. I'll add adjustments depending on how it goes." Yang Yunhai continued, "Then for martial soul practice, I think you should focus more on your first soul skill. That skill lets you summon a Jade Phosphor Snake to coil around enemies, with venomous fangs that inject poison. I believe it has a lot of potential."
"For instance, channel more soul power to enlarge the snake, making it strong enough to fight head-on."
"If you can master that and then combine it with your second and third skills, the effect will be even greater. Let the snake close in and unleash those skills for you. That way, you don't have to personally step forward, which keeps you much safer. You could even make the snake self-destruct, releasing its venom in an area-of-effect strike."
'It can even be used like that?' Dugu Yan was shocked, her eyes suddenly bright.
"Or, compress the soul power instead, making the snake smaller but still keeping its venom at full strength. That way, you could use the battlefield, terrain, or even allies' and enemies' skills as cover, slipping the snake in unnoticed. Once it's inside an enemy's clothing, you strike at the right moment."
"Like biting into a weak spot of the body… or sinking its fangs right into an open wound."
"..." Dugu Yan's scalp tingled, her long legs tightening, but her eyes shone with excitement.
It was like a new world's door had opened before her.
She looked at Yang Yunhai differently now. 'Xiao Hai really is amazing!'
'So powerful…' Yiner's voice from the soul bone was full of admiration.
Zhu Zhuqing only watched Yang Yunhai quietly, her gaze tender and soft.
Soon after, rest time ended. The three of them stepped out of the cabin and began their respective training.
Time passed quickly, and by nightfall, over in Shrek Academy's dormitory—
A shadow flickered by. Xiao Wu, who had been sleeping peacefully, suddenly slumped unconscious.
A hand pried her mouth open, and a small plant was shoved in whole, root and all.
The next morning at breakfast, Xiao Wu approached Oscar.
"Oscar, my throat feels dry and sore. Quick, make me a recovery sausage."
(End of Chapter)
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