This time, Tang San didn't follow the Master's arrangement to continue choosing soul beasts related to poison. He searched for a long time in the Star Dou Forest and finally chose a six-thousand-five-hundred-year Moon Leaf Deer as his fourth soul ring.
This Moon Leaf Deer exceeded the Master's optimal soul ring age limit theory by fifteen hundred years. This was Tang San's attempt to test the Master's theory.
Actually, when absorbing his third soul ring, Tang San had already exceeded the optimal soul ring age limit by several hundred years.
Tang San had persisted at that time.
Later, the Master explained this, telling Tang San it was thanks to his willpower and the enhancement from his external spirit bone.
Tang San didn't doubt it at the time and even promised the Master he would never again risk absorbing soul rings beyond the optimal age limit.
However, Meng Bei's subsequent soul ring configuration caused Tang San's image of the Master to rapidly collapse.
Those theories turned out to be plagiarized...
Now, Tang San had his own ideas about soul ring combinations. To avoid the Master's interference, he even went alone to the Star Dou Forest to hunt for souls.
After consuming the immortal herb, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass was significantly enhanced, gaining half the effect of Ultimate Ice.
Theoretically, Tang San should have gone to the Extreme North to hunt for souls, which would be best.
But first, the Extreme North was too far away, and it would be very inconvenient for him to go there alone without a team.
On the other hand, Blue Silver Grass was ultimately a plant, and soul beasts related to plants in the Extreme North were pitifully scarce. In contrast, in the Star Dou Forest, plants were everywhere.
Moreover, the Star Dou Forest wasn't lacking in soul beasts with ice attributes or yin-cold attributes.
Like the Moon Leaf Deer.
This was a deer-type soul beast, two to three meters in size, with a huge leaf growing on its head. This leaf had almost no effect during the day, but at night, the leaf would absorb the power of moonlight and transform into a yin-cold leaf blade carrying moonlight power, unstoppable in its sharpness.
Tang San encountered the Moon Leaf Deer at night, but he didn't attack. Instead, he carefully tracked it.
When day came, the Moon Leaf Deer entered its den to hibernate. Tang San boldly struck, killing the Moon Leaf Deer in its nest.
Then Tang San skillfully sealed the Moon Leaf Deer's den, set up hidden weapon traps, and finally began to sit cross-legged to absorb the soul ring.
The six-thousand-five-hundred-year Moon Leaf Deer was not easy to absorb, but Tang San's body had been enhanced by the immortal herb, plus the Tang Sect techniques he practiced and his external spirit bone—with multiple enhancements, Tang San finally successfully absorbed this beyond-age-limit soul ring.
After a long while, Tang San opened his eyes, a gleam flashing through them.
"Indeed, Xiao Bei doesn't deceive me!"
Tang San clenched his fist.
He was clear in his heart.
This soul ring could be absorbed so smoothly largely thanks to the immortal herb Xiao Bei had given him.
To think he had been so suspicious of Xiao Bei, yet Xiao Bei let bygones be bygones and even gave him such a precious immortal herb!
Thinking of this, Tang San felt infinite gratitude in his heart.
He had nothing good to repay Meng Bei with, so why not just give his most precious Xiao Wu...
No, what am I thinking!
Tang San vigorously shook his head.
He must have been under too much pressure while absorbing the soul ring, which made him think of such an absurd thing.
Next, Tang San made his way back to Heaven Dou City.
By this time, Meng Bei's wedding had already ended, and most of the guests had dispersed and returned home.
However, several people from the Clear Sky Sect were still here.
They wanted to go with Tang Hao to bring Tang San back to the sect to fulfill the bet.
The first thing Tang San did when he returned to Lanba Academy that day was go find Xiao Wu.
After he killed that Moon Leaf Deer, Tang San took down the leaf on its head and made it into a comb.
This comb also inherited the Moon Leaf Deer's characteristics. Normally it was soft and could even be kneaded into a small ball to carry around, but as long as soul power was injected, it would become a comb. It was quite a nice little item.
Tang San planned to give this comb to Xiao Wu.
But when he found Xiao Wu's dormitory, Xiao Wu was nowhere to be seen.
...
"Xiao Wu you're so amazing"
Ning Rongrong praised sincerely.
Soul power flowed through her body as she was using her hundred-thousand-year spirit bone skill, Wildfire Can't Burn It All, Spring Wind Blows and It Grows Again.
Meanwhile, beside her, Xiao Wu didn't need to rely on spirit bone skills at all. She could confront Meng Bei relying solely on her own physical qualities.
This made Ning Rongrong extremely envious.
Xiao Wu panted slightly, her face flushed crimson, her eyes moist with spring waves.
Meng Bei's strength was too terrifying. She alone couldn't hold on.
"Rongrong, together~"
Xiao Wu said, reaching out her hand to pull Ning Rongrong.
However, Ning Rongrong quickly dodged.
"I can't do it anymore. Xiao Wu, you hold on a bit longer!"
With that, Ning Rongrong's soft, limp body rolled over and evaded.
Xiao Wu's hand trying to pull Ning Rongrong didn't succeed, but instead she was caught by Meng Bei.
The little rabbit's delicate jade hands—Meng Bei interlocked fingers with her, gripping firmly.
Meng Bei then lifted with both hands, and Xiao Wu immediately rose up.
Xiao Wu's two long legs naturally wrapped around Meng Bei's waist.
Behind Xiao Wu, two pairs of ink-jade wings suddenly spread open, flapping to provide Xiao Wu with supporting power.
This way, even if Meng Bei didn't reach out to support Xiao Wu's waist, Xiao Wu could use the power of her wings to let her body move freely up, down, left and right.
...
Tang San hung the comb on Xiao Wu's door and left a note.
"Gift from Third Brother."
Then Tang San left.
Tang San returned to his own dormitory, took off the outer clothes he'd worn for many days outdoors, stretched his somewhat weary body, then collapsed on the bed.
Finally he could rest properly.
Tang San thought.
Suddenly, a tall, familiar figure appeared at Tang San's door.
Tang San's mind and spirit shook.
He hurriedly went forward.
"Xiao San."
Tang Hao spoke softly.
Tang San's eyes immediately filled with hot tears, and with a thud he knelt on the ground.
"Father!"
Tang San shouted excitedly.
Tang San in his previous life had been an orphan, and precisely because of this, Tang San especially valued family affection in this life.
Although Tang Hao couldn't be said to have treated Tang San particularly well, at least he had accompanied Tang San through his childhood. Tang San's feelings for Tang Hao couldn't be said to be shallow. After Tang Hao left without saying goodbye several years ago, Tang San had been extremely missing him.
Tang Hao stepped forward, gently stroking Tang San's hair, and helped Tang San up.
"Xiao San, I came this time because there's something I want to ask of you."
Hearing this, Tang San quickly said:
"Father, you are my father. Whatever orders you have, just say them. Your son will definitely comply!"
Seeing this, Tang Hao nodded with satisfaction.
Then he slowly said:
"Xiao San, actually my true identity is..."
Tang Hao recounted his identity and experiences over these years to Tang San in detail.
Of course, it included plenty of embellishments and distortions of facts.
Tang Hao portrayed himself as pure and innocent.
He portrayed the Clear Sky Sect as refusing to save lives.
The Spirit Hall was portrayed as a mortal enemy with whom there could be no reconciliation.
Word by word, Tang San listened while clenching his fists tightly.
"Just like that, your mother died at the hands of Spirit Hall, and I was severely injured. I had no choice but to take you, just born, and flee far away to Holy Soul Village to live in seclusion!"
As Tang Hao spoke, a drop of aged, turbid tear couldn't help but fall from the corner of his eye. His legs bent, and he actually knelt directly in front of Tang San.
"Xiao San, is your father useless? I, I couldn't protect your mother, causing you to lose your mother at such a young age."
Tang San's eyes were already completely red at this moment, filled with killing intent.
"Spirit Hall, I, Tang San, swear that I am irreconcilable with you!"
(End of Chapter)