"Teacher, the standard Spirit Ring configuration is generally yellow, yellow, purple, purple. For the third ring, one would normally choose one around 1,500 years old. Isn't it a bit too risky for us to directly absorb Spirit Rings over 2,000 years old?"
In the Outer Circle of the Star Dou Great Forest, faint sunlight filtered through the dense canopy. Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong stared blankly at a Bloodthirsty Hell Wolf and a Steel-Boned Iron-Armored Tiger on the grass before them, their fur bristling and their eyes glaring. The girls' mouths twitched.
The Bloodthirsty Hell Wolf was around 2,700 years old.
The Steel-Boned Iron-Armored Tiger was around 2,500 years old.
Both were over seven hundred years beyond the standard limit for a third Spirit Ring. Absorbing a Spirit Ring that exceeded the age limit could be fatal.
"The standard configuration is just what's suitable for most people. Not everyone should follow that standard. There are always those with exceptional talent," Su Ran said calmly. He himself was an example. Before the disciple system arrived, he had actively strengthened his body, and for his second Spirit Ring, he had chosen to absorb a thousand-year ring. Now, thanks to the feedback from teaching, the age of his second ring was approaching two thousand years.
"You have both cultivated ultimate techniques—the Golden Bell Shield and the Ten Halls of Yama. You also regularly use special medicinal baths and beast blood to temper your bodies. Although you haven't been training for long and are only at an introductory level, you are worlds apart from where you were a month or two ago."
"Your first and second Spirit Rings are already lagging behind; they don't meet my standards. Your third Spirit Rings must be compatible with your ultimate techniques and your physical constitutions, and their age must be higher."
"Otherwise," Su Ran said, delivering the final line, "in the future, you won't even be able to defeat Wang Sheng at the same rank."
That last sentence thoroughly ignited the competitive spirit in both Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong. * Wang Sheng? He's just a nominal disciple, the student who guards the academy gate! As the teacher's direct disciples, wouldn't it be too embarrassing if we couldn't even beat a nominal disciple?*
"These two, the Bloodthirsty Hell Wolf and the Steel-Boned Iron-Armored Tiger, are highly compatible with the Ten Halls of Yama and the Golden Bell Shield that you are cultivating. I chose them specifically for you."
"Go on. Kill them," Su Ran said, pointing at the two 2,000-year-old spirit beasts.
"Huh? Teacher, we have to kill them ourselves?" the girls exclaimed. They were already shocked enough that Su Ran wanted them to absorb rings beyond the age limit. Now he wanted them to fight the beasts themselves? They felt like crying but had no tears.
Not only were these two spirit beasts high in age, but they were also rare and powerful specimens, paragons among wolf-type and tiger-type spirit beasts. Take the Steel-Boned Iron-Armored Tiger, for instance. Its fur was said to be harder than iron, and its bones were as sturdy as steel rebar, possessing astonishing defensive power.
A few months ago, Ning Rongrong wouldn't have dared to even dream of choosing it for her third Spirit Ring. Generally, since the spirit abilities of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda were fixed, the choice of spirit beast didn't matter much. As long as the age was appropriate, any beast would do. But since studying under Su Ran, she had come to understand one thing: her teacher was truly training her to be a tank.
Then again, being a bit tanky is good. After all, it makes you durable.
A hundred grinds won't peel the skin; a thousand pokes won't make it loosen.
That's pretty good.
"What, you have no confidence?" Su Ran's voice drifted down. "One of you has the number one support Martial Soul under heaven, cultivating both defense and support. The other is the future Lord of Hell, in command of the Ten Halls of Yama. Do you not dare to compete against two thousand-year spirit beasts?" He leaped onto a large tree, half-reclining on a branch as he spoke leisurely.
"We'll do it!" Zhu Zhuqing said, gritting her teeth. They should obtain their own Spirit Rings with their own hands. Their teacher had taught them the techniques and even brought the spirit beasts right to them. That was already more than enough.
"Very good," Su Ran said, a note of appreciation in his voice for Zhu Zhuqing.
Hell Civet, Possession!
In an instant, Zhu Zhuqing completed her Martial Soul possession. Her curvaceous, S-shaped body was particularly alluring in the forest. Two yellow Spirit Rings rose from under her feet, and her eyes grew sharp.
Ning Rongrong glanced at Su Ran with adoration. It's time to show Teacher the fruits of my labor this past month!
"Seven Treasure Golden Bell Shield!"
"Seven Treasures Appear as Glazed Tile! First, Strength!"
"Second, Speed!"
"Passive effect: Smash!"
Both buffs were stacked onto Zhu Zhuqing. The two girls had developed a surprisingly good rapport, especially after Zhu Zhuqing had thoughtfully created the opportunity for her to ride with their teacher. Ning Rongrong quite admired her.
After casting the two enhancement buffs, she added a surprise move taught by Teacher Su Ran: Who says the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda has no offensive power? Can't you just throw the pagoda and smash people with it?
With the protection of the two layers of the Golden Bell, it wouldn't break anyway.
The method of smashing people with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was, indeed—not very damaging, but extremely humiliating.
The Steel-Boned Iron-Armored Tiger and the Bloodthirsty Hell Wolf were instantly drawn to Ning Rongrong. This one just threw her Martial Soul away. It didn't do any damage, and she looks all pink and tender. She must be the weak one. Let's eat her first!
"ROAR!"
After receiving the buffs from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, Zhu Zhuqing felt her strength and speed increase by about 30%. She had already been practicing the lightness skill [Crossing the Yellow Springs], and with the added enhancement, her movements became even more nimble and swift.
[First Spirit Ability: Hellish Thrust.]
Relying on her movement technique, Zhu Zhuqing quickly circled to the rear flank of the Bloodthirsty Hell Wolf. The hellish claws that grew from her hands plunged directly into the wolf's side.
The Bloodthirsty Hell Wolf let out a piercing howl, its scarlet eyes turning to fixate on Zhu Zhuqing.
"Be careful, the claws of the Bloodthirsty Hell Wolf are poisonous," Su Ran reminded her, shaking his head. Too weak. Zhu Zhuqing's first spirit ability is just a simple directional thrust. It might be able to slit the throat of an ordinary person, but against a larger spirit beast, its damage is insufficient to be fatal, or even to cause serious injury.
Seeing the Bloodthirsty Hell Wolf swiftly counter with its own claws, Su Ran couldn't help but give the warning.
Having undergone Su Ran's special training, Zhu Zhuqing reacted quickly. She immediately turned and lightly tapped her foot on the wolf's incoming claws. A strange thing happened. The claws, powerful enough to slice a tree in half, felt like solid ground beneath her feet. Her figure floated away gracefully.
This was the movement technique, [Crossing the Yellow Springs]! If one could cross the Yellow Springs, what was the tip of a blade?
After some maneuvering, she leaped into the air. In mid-flight, Zhu Zhuqing unleashed her second spirit ability, [Hundred Hellish Claws]! She rained down a flurry of rapid claw strikes on the back of the Bloodthirsty Hell Wolf's head. In a brief moment, she had attacked its weak spot over a hundred times, leaving it a bloody mess!
Meanwhile, the Steel-Boned Iron-Armored Tiger continued its assault on Ning Rongrong. Its power was immense, and its defense was astonishing. But every time it attacked, the human girl managed to intercept it in some clever way. And when their bodies collided, there was a crisp, metallic clang, as if the blow had landed on a heavy, ancient bell.
Weng—
Weng—
The Steel-Boned Iron-Armored Tiger felt like it was being rattled silly. Tiger-ly confusion: Wait, is this female human also made of iron?
"Wing Chun, One-Inch Punch!"
"Hah!"
"Hoo-hah!"
Protected by her two layers of the Golden Bell, Ning Rongrong fought with newfound confidence, continuously trading blows with the Steel-Boned Iron-Armored Tiger, a contest of whose defense was stronger. She repeatedly used her One-Inch Punch to strike at the tiger's eyes, its most vulnerable spot.
Teacher had said that when the One-Inch Punch was mastered, its explosive power was no weaker than some single-target offensive spirit abilities! A One-Inch Punch can split the heavens!
Weng—
Weng—
Ning Rongrong's Golden Bell began to crack.
Finally, the Steel-Boned Iron-Armored Tiger's eye was ruptured.
Ten Halls of Yama, Suppress Hell!
Hidden Weapon—Ghost Shuttle!
At last, the Bloodthirsty Hell Wolf was suppressed by the Ten Halls of Yama pillar. Zhu Zhuqing had focused her attacks on a single point to break through its defenses, grievously wounding it.
She then threw the hidden weapon. It flew past Ning Rongrong's side, pierced through the Steel-Boned Iron-Armored Tiger's left eye, and severely injured it.
Both the Steel-Boned Iron-Armored Tiger and the Bloodthirsty Hell Wolf were breaking down. The way they looked at Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing was as if they had seen ghosts, their eyes filled with terror.
What kind of monsters are they?
What is that Martial Soul? The hellish, netherworld aura it emits is even denser than my own!
I clearly hit her, so why did it do no damage?
She's actually harder than I am?!
(End of Chapter)