"Hiss hiss—!"
The Datura Snake let out a terrified hiss.
It felt the power within its body being devoured by these vines.
On the side, Grandmaster watched, dumbfounded.
He clutched his bleeding arm:
"This is Blue Silver Grass? To have this much power without even a soul ring? How is this possible? And this self-healing speed..."
The theory he was so proud of seemed to be challenged at this very moment.
Purely relying on vitality to hard-control a Datura Snake?
This was completely beyond his scope of cognition!
Lin Chuan controlled the vines, strangling the Datura Snake until its eyes rolled back and its bones made cracking sounds.
But he didn't deal the killing blow.
"Little San."
Lin Chuan turned his head, looking at the still-dazed Tang San:
"It can't move anymore. I'll leave it to you."
Tang San snapped awake.
Big Brother... is too strong!
Is this the vitality path Big Brother talked about?
No poison, no hardness!
Just by relying on endless growth and regeneration, he had trapped a four-hundred-year Datura Snake to death!
Moreover, Big Brother clearly could have easily killed it to obtain the soul ring.
Yet, he left it for me!
"Thank you, Big Brother!"
Tang San no longer hesitated; his Purple Demon Eye locked onto the Datura Snake's weakness.
The short sword in his hand turned into a streak of cold light, accurately piercing the snake's eye.
The Datura Snake convulsed violently a few times and finally stopped moving.
A yellow soul ring slowly rose.
Grandmaster was now too shocked to speak; the way he looked at Lin Chuan had changed.
"Lin Chuan, your martial soul..."
Lin Chuan fabricated a story casually:
"Oh, it's probably a mutated Blue Silver Grass."
"My ancestors were likely farmers, very good at growing grass."
"Grandmaster, you should probably detoxify first, or you'll really have to undergo an amputation later."
Grandmaster finally reacted and hurriedly pulled a detoxification pill from his pocket.
Tang San sat cross-legged and began to attract the soul ring.
Although he had the Mysterious Heaven Skill protecting his body, this was after all a nearly four-hundred-year Datura Snake; the energy contained within the soul ring was extremely overbearing.
Tang San only felt a surge of scorching energy rush into his body, frantically battering his meridians.
He clenched his teeth, cold sweat pouring down, his body trembling uncontrollably.
Due to long-term malnutrition and Tang Hao's hands-off parenting.
Although he had trained, absorbing a soul ring of this age limit was still a bit forced.
Lin Chuan watched for a while.
After making sure Tang San wouldn't die, he turned and walked toward a nearby thicket.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for assisting Tang San in obtaining the Datura Snake soul ring.]
[Reward issued: Random encounter with a dying, top-tier plant-based soul beast.]
"System, claim reward."
Following the system's guidance, Lin Chuan pushed aside a dense patch of thorns.
He saw a peculiar plant growing coiled around the roots of a massive ancient tree.
It was a golden vine.
It was covered in leaves that looked like solar patterns.
It emitted a warm aura.
But right now, its roots seemed to have been bitten through by something.
Its life aura was rapidly fading.
"Holy crap, the Great Sun Golden Crow Vine? This is a top-tier fire-attribute plus life-attribute plant!"
Lin Chuan was startled and almost cried out.
The Great Sun Golden Crow Vine is said to possess a sliver of the ancient Golden Crow's bloodline—extremely masculine and yang, with endless life!
Although it was only just over a thousand years old, for a first soul ring, it was already off the charts.
"Grandmaster! Come quick! There's a big fellow here about to die!"
Lin Chuan shouted.
Grandmaster, who had just finished bandaging his wound, walked over to take a look and immediately sucked in a breath of cold air, his eyes nearly popping out:
"What plant is this?"
"Looking at these patterns and the length, it has at least a thousand years of cultivation!"
"How did it end up with severed roots here?"
Lin Chuan played dumb:
"Maybe it was bitten through by that snake just now?"
"Grandmaster, it's dying. Can it be my soul ring?"
Grandmaster shouted sternly:
"Nonsense!"
"This is a thousand-year soul beast!"
"Didn't you listen to the theory I gave you? The limit for the first soul ring is 423 years."
"If you absorb this, you will definitely explode and die! Absolutely not!"
However, while Grandmaster was speaking, Lin Chuan had already plopped down and sat cross-legged.
"Grandmaster, theories are dead, but people are alive."
"Fortune favors the bold; I feel my body is quite sturdy."
After saying that, Lin Chuan ignored Grandmaster's interference and directly channeled his soul power.
That Golden Crow Vine was already dying; the soul ring floated out instantly and settled over Lin Chuan.
Grandmaster hopped with anxiety, but it was too late to stop him.
"Crazy! You're crazy!"
He closed his eyes in despair, as if he could already see the tragic scene of Lin Chuan exploding.
What a pity, such a good seed, dying due to ignorance.
This is the consequence of not studying theory!
"Lin Chuan, if only you had listened to my advice, it wouldn't have come to this!"
However.
Ten minutes passed.
Twenty minutes passed.
Not only did Lin Chuan not explode, but his complexion was ruddy.
Even his breathing became long and powerful.
Within his body, that violent Golden Crow power became incredibly docile.
A moment later.
A powerful surge of air erupted from Lin Chuan's body.
His physical fitness underwent a qualitative leap at this moment!
His muscles became tighter, his bones more resilient.
Even with a casual clench of his fist, he could feel explosive power.
His physical attributes had at least doubled!
At the same time, his soul power level soared like a rocket!
His soul power directly broke through from Level 10 to Level 11!
That was his innate soul power level.
And with the successful absorption of the soul ring.
The massive energy brought by this top-tier thousand-year soul ring actually allowed him to rise 4 levels in a row!
Lin Chuan's soul power directly broke through to Level 15!
[Successful absorption of the Thousand-Year Great Sun Golden Crow Vine Soul Ring.]
[Obtained First Soul Skill: Golden Crow Possession!]
[Effect: Can summon Golden Crow Fire to attach to the Blue Silver King or the self, possessing extreme burning and regeneration capabilities.]
Lin Chuan opened his eyes.
Within his pupils, two flashes of golden flame passed by.
Looking at the Grandmaster, who stood aside dumbfounded as if he had seen a ghost.
Lin Chuan grinned, revealing a row of white teeth:
"Grandmaster, looks like my luck is pretty good. I didn't explode."
Grandmaster: "..."
His worldview had collapsed.
A thousand-year first soul ring?
Is this scientific?
Is this logical?
Could this kid really be the chosen one?
Could it be that my theory really has limitations?
No! Impossible!
This must be dog-shit luck!
It must be that this thousand-year plant-based soul beast just happened to have severe loss of vitality, allowing him to take advantage!
At this time.
Tang San also finished his absorption and woke up.
He successfully obtained the Datura Snake soul ring.
He slowly opened his eyes.
Feeling the abundant power in his body and that yellow hundred-year soul ring.
He felt a surge of wild joy in his heart.
"I succeeded! I've finally become a Spirit Master!"
"And it's a four-hundred-year Datura Snake soul ring."
Tang San was extremely excited.
He was even somewhat impatient to show off in front of Big Brother Lin Chuan.
In his view, this period of bitter cultivation had finally paid off.
He could finally catch up to the unfathomable Big Brother.
Tang San felt that in terms of soul ring age.
He might even be leading by just a little bit!
"Big Brother! Look! I—"
Tang San turned his head.
Just as he was about to speak, his whole person suddenly froze.
When Lin Chuan walked out from the bushes, Tang San was stunned.
He saw on Lin Chuan's body, a soul ring emitting a noble purple glow was slowly rising.
"Purple? A thousand-year soul ring?"
Tang San rubbed his eyes, thinking he had seen wrongly.
Teacher said the best configuration for the first soul ring is only 400-plus years!
I went through immense hardship and agonizing pain.
I even almost fainted before I barely absorbed this 400-plus-year soul ring.
Big Brother just went for a stroll and brought back a thousand-year one?
And he looks quite relaxed? Breaking the theoretical limit directly?
The tiny bit of pride and desire to show off in Tang San's heart was instantly crushed to pieces.
He looked at Lin Chuan, with only one thought left in his mind:
Big Brother is truly Big Brother!
Whether it's theory or practice, Big Brother is always ahead of everyone!
Lin Chuan patted Tang San's shoulder:
"Little San, your brother just has good luck."
"Just now I saw a plant that was about to wither; I thought it was a pity, so I absorbed it on a whim."
"I didn't expect such good luck, it actually turned out to be a thousand-year one."
"Grandmaster, it seems sometimes you can't entirely trust books."
Grandmaster's face was ashen, but he couldn't refute it, only coughing awkwardly twice:
"Ahem... this is a special case, it cannot be replicated."
Although Tang San was deeply discouraged, he adjusted quickly.
He said with a face full of sincerity:
"Congratulations, Big Brother Lin Chuan! Big Brother truly has the heavens on his side!"
Lin Chuan walked over and patted Tang San's shoulder:
"Congratulations to us both."
"Come, Little San, let's try a move."
"It's a good chance for me to get familiar with my new skill."
Hearing that he could spar with Lin Chuan, Tang San instantly gained energy.
Even though his ring age wasn't as high as Big Brother's, he was very confident in his control over the Datura Snake soul ring!
He nodded excitedly:
"Okay! Big Brother, let me show you the control Teacher taught me!"
"First Soul Skill: Bind!"
Tang San gave a low shout, and his yellow soul ring lit up.
A dozen strands of Blue Silver Grass, carrying the poison and toughness of the Datura Snake, instantly coiled toward Lin Chuan.
Lin Chuan smiled slightly, and his first soul ring lit up.
"First Soul Skill: Golden Crow Possession!"
Boom!
A massive Blue Silver King vine, burning with a faint golden flame, suddenly burst forth.
The entire vine was burning with pale golden fire, emitting a heart-palpitating high temperature.
It completely ignored Tang San's Bind.
Like swatting a fly, it smashed all of Tang San's Blue Silver Grass to pieces!
It was pure crushing.
Whether in terms of hardness or power.
Or that scorching life aura.
They were completely on different levels.
Tang San looked at the shattered grass all over the ground, somewhat questioning his life.
This is Big Brother's Blue Silver Grass.
My binding and poison, in front of Big Brother, are like paper—completely fragile!
Lin Chuan retracted his martial soul, walked to Tang San, and gently patted his head:
"Don't lose heart, Little San."
"Your Datura Snake soul ring is very strong, with poison and plenty of control."
"Mine is purely a mutation, it cannot be replicated."
"Everyone has their own path. Follow the Grandmaster and learn well; master control to the extreme, and you will surely achieve great things in the future."
"Besides, only if Big Brother is a bit stronger can I protect you, right?"
Listening to Lin Chuan's comfort, the loss in Tang San's heart instantly dissipated.
In its place was a heart full of emotion.
He thought to himself:
Big Brother is too gentle; to protect my self-esteem, he even specially comforted me.
He even attributed his own strength to luck and mutation just so I wouldn't feel pressured.
If a thousand-year soul ring were placed before me, I might not have absorbed it because I wouldn't dare break the limit!
The courage Big Brother has to break conventions and face death—I am not his equal!
I must work harder!
I can't let Big Brother pull too far ahead!
I must cultivate the control system to the extreme and be Big Brother's sturdiest support in the future!
Yu Xiaogang watched this scene of brotherly love, although his expression was still somewhat unpleasant.