Chapter 31: The First Soul Ring
Fortunately, he had been diligently tempering his body all along. With the dual refinement of his physique by the miniature Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well's soul power, his physical strength had long surpassed that of an ordinary person.
Even so, as the overwhelming surge of soul power poured into him, his body swelled painfully—his skin stretched taut, and faint traces of blood seeped from the surface. Yet, despite the agony, his life was not in danger.
"I underestimated this mutated Illusionary Poison Vine… It's nearly six hundred years old!"
Tang San, with his Mysterious Heaven Skill and strong meridians, had only absorbed a four-hundred-year soul ring for his first one.
Qi Tian's Ice and Fire Alchemy Body hadn't been fully cultivated yet, so his endurance wasn't that much greater.
Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to endure the burning pain, wrestling the rampaging soul power under control. After a full hour of torment, the violent fluctuations finally calmed.
The soul ring was completely absorbed into his Martial Soul—the Blue Silver Grass—marking its first soul ring.
His soul power also broke through, reaching Rank 12.
"Hah… finally succeeded!"
Two hours of unrelenting pain later, his spirit and body had recovered to their peak, though his mind still felt somewhat fatigued.
Standing up, Qi Tian brushed off the dried blood from his skin. With a casual wave, his Martial Soul appeared before him.
This Blue Silver Grass had grown more than twice as thick as before. Its deep blue hue had turned a dark crimson, carrying a faint, hypnotic aura.
The grass now possessed hallucinogenic venom—much like Tang San's Blue Silver Grass, which contained the Datura Snake's poison.
However, the soul skill granted by this ring wasn't a poison-based attack or a piercing strike. Instead, it was a skill called [Disguise].
Qi Tian frowned slightly. What he truly needed right now was an offensive ability. This soul ring, though powerful in its own way, didn't fulfill that need.
"If only it had been [Blue Silver Thrust] instead..."
Still, he decided to give it a try.
With a thought, the first soul ring around him glowed faintly.
In the next instant, Qi Tian's appearance shifted—and he transformed into none other than the young Bibi Dong herself.
He knew every inch of her form intimately, so assuming her appearance came as naturally as breathing.
"The skill only consumes a good amount of soul power during activation. Maintaining it doesn't cost much afterward," he mused, testing his new form.
"This seems like a weaker version of Qian Renxue's Seraphim Wisdom Bone ability. Not bad at all."
Qian Renxue's Wisdom Bone Disguise skill was so potent that even a Rank 96 expert like Chen Xin (Sword Douluo) couldn't see through it.
Qi Tian's version, on the other hand, wasn't nearly as strong. Anyone with greater spiritual power than him could detect the disguise's flaws.
After playing around for a while, Qi Tian reverted to his original appearance.
"The Soul Beast Forest is still too dangerous. Better to return to a human city for now—and collect my Martial Soul Register while I'm at it."
---
Meanwhile, back at Holy Soul Village, atop the mountain behind Tang Hao's shabby blacksmith shop—
"Can I… stop calling you brother?"
Xiao Wu and Tang San sat quietly, watching the setting sun. The crimson glow of dusk painted both their faces with a soft, rosy hue.
Tang San blinked in surprise. "Why?"
A faint blush rose to Xiao Wu's cheeks, though the sunlight masked it. She didn't want to be his "little sister"—what she wanted was far more intimate than that.
Still, she offered a playful excuse:
"If I keep calling you brother, what will my little followers at Nuoding Academy think of me?"
At the mention of Nuoding Academy, she suddenly thought of that annoying Qi Tian—the one who had seen through her true identity.
Tang San chuckled. "Alright, then. You can keep calling me Xiao San. I'll treat you as a sister in my heart regardless. A title doesn't change that."
He rolled up his sleeve, removed the sleeve dart from his wrist, and handed it to her, explaining its meaning and function.
But Xiao Wu wasn't listening. Her gaze lingered on the sleeve dart—her heart fluttering for an entirely different reason.
'What should I do…? Tang San treats me so well, yet I'm about to betray him and help an outsider steal his secret.'
Xiao Wu's heart twisted with guilt.
But then another fear crept in—Qi Tian already knew her true identity. If he decided to spread that information, she would never be able to return to the Star Dou Forest again.
For her own safety, she needed to go back there—back to the protection of Da Ming and Er Ming.
However, the distance from here to even the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest was two to three thousand li. At her speed, it would take five or six days at least. There was no way she could escape safely.
'Brother San, I'm sorry… for the sake of revenge, I can only do this.'
'We're siblings, right? As your little sister, it's only natural for you to take care of me.'
Having made up her mind, Xiao Wu decided she would help Qi Tian obtain Tang San's cultivation secret.
She convinced herself that once Qi Tian got what he wanted, he would have no reason to expose her identity.
After all, no human Soul Master could resist the temptation of a hundred-thousand-year soul ring and soul bone. And since Qi Tian wasn't yet strong enough to absorb hers, he would certainly keep her secret—at least until he reached that level.
'Hmph! His Martial Soul is just Blue Silver Grass. With my innate full soul power and the bloodline of a transformed soul beast, by the time he reaches that realm, I'll already have nothing to fear from even a Titled Douluo!'
She planned to kill Qi Tian once he served his purpose—then Tang San's secret would remain safe.
"Xiao Wu, what are you thinking about?" Tang San's gentle voice pulled her back to reality.
She blinked, then smiled sweetly.
"Brother, how about this—when we're around others, I'll call you by your name. But when it's just us, I'll call you Brother San. Okay?"
Tang San laughed cheerfully.
"Alright! That sounds good."
"Brother San," Xiao Wu said with a playful pout, "you gave me this silent sleeve dart, but what will you use to protect yourself?"
Tang San smiled confidently.
"I don't need it. Watch that mosquito over there."
Circulating his Mysterious Heaven Skill through his meridians, he activated Mysterious Jade Hands and used a hidden weapon technique from Hundred Refinements of Dark Weapons.
A cold glint flashed through the air—
Swish!
A steel needle pierced the mosquito's wings and pinned it to a nearby tree trunk.
Xiao Wu inhaled sharply.
'So that's the technique Qi Tian wanted… this is his target!'
But then doubt crept in.
'Wait, Tang San's never used this move in the academy before. How did Qi Tian even know about it?'
She quickly clapped her hands and praised him with an adoring smile.
"Brother San, you're amazing! Can you teach me that trick?"
Tang San's heart warmed at her admiration. Having Xiao Wu by his side softened the loneliness left by his father's absence.
"Xiao Wu, this technique requires a special inner power circulation method. You can't learn it," Tang San explained patiently.
Xiao Wu stepped closer, tugging gently at his sleeve with pleading eyes.
"Brother San, just teach me a little! Please? I just want to try it once."
Unable to resist her charm, Tang San sighed.
"Alright… but I'll only demonstrate it once. You mustn't tell anyone, understand?"
"Okay!" she agreed eagerly, her eyes lighting up.
With no other choice, Tang San began explaining the cultivation method of the Mysterious Heaven Skill in detail. As he spoke, he guided a stream of inner energy into her body so she could feel the difference for herself.
"This is Mysterious Heaven Skill," he said. "The inner strength it produces is different from your soul power. Unless you abolish your current soul power and start over, you can't cultivate this method."
"Without Mysterious Heaven Skill, you can't develop the inner energy needed for Mysterious Jade Hands or hidden weapon arts. That's why I said you can't learn it."
Xiao Wu felt the energy move inside her and smiled.
"Then forget it. I'm not giving up my soul power just to start all over again. How would I stay the big sister of the academy then?"
Yet deep down, her heart was secretly relieved.
"So, this cultivation method requires one to abolish their soul power first… That means Qi Tian can't practice it either!"
If that was the case, then even if she revealed the technique to him, Tang San wouldn't be in any danger.
With that thought, the guilt weighing on her heart finally eased.
"Brother San, it's getting dark. Let's go home," Xiao Wu said with a bright smile.
Tang San nodded, the warmth of her smile melting the fatigue of the day.
—
End of Chapter