"...And so, Here I am. After a lot of hard work and support from the prince, an average me with a pitiful innate soul power of 5, had reached rank 10. All in the span of simple 5 years. In a few days, I will get my first soul ring. So, kids never give up.
Now, say it like the same way Prince Dai Weisi always said- NEVER GIVE UP."
""NEVER GIVE UP""
I shouted at the top of lungs, "I can't hear you."
"""NEVER GIVE UPP."""
[Luo Gianni, level 3, Iron sword]
[Luo Gi, level 4, Iron knife]
[Tianji Xixiu, level 2, Shovel]
[Popian, level 4, Tiger]
[Zirian, level 6, Flame sword]
[Ningi, level 3, Iron sword]
Fuck, there were far too many sword marital souls in their village. It was obvious that one romantic Sword soul master passed by here in the last few decades. I really wish I didn't know about the Star Luo empires study on martial souls' occurrence.
Frankly, it felt horrifying to know that most of the kids here were half-siblings or cousins. The exact relation depended on the time since the soul master enjoyed his stay here. I only hoped that everything was consensual.
I applauded the newly awakened kids for their special moment. However, inwardly, I pitied them. Because none of them had exceptional talent.
Even the few exceptions had an innate level 5 ability. These few were chosen to join the army officer who was with me. Of course, this officer belonged to Dai Weisi's faction.
He was the proof that my suggestion was successful because Dai Weisi had some influence over the army now.
While, it was not me who was doing the awakening, making me useless in the ceremony, the fact I was widely known to be Dai Weisi's man makes for good PR among the people. Obviously, it had a bonus of cultivating a good image for myself.
Fame and reputation were weapons in the hands of the right people. Well, right people like me.
"TCH! In a couple of years, you became manipulative like them. Fearing this, I didn't want you to involve yourself with them, little Zhang. But alas, it became a reality far too fast."
SIGH
I felt exhausted with the teacher constantly grumbling to me about the nobles. Well, there was a good reason for that. Teacher, in his own efforts for the blacksmith association, accompanied the prince's PR team to various noble residences on the troops way to show his spirit refined weapons.
"Teacher. We have to do this to better the blacksmiths standing. Besides, even Luo Gao, the head of the association, is going around the sects and spirit hall, making a noise about his soul refinement as the future of blacksmithing."
Teacher snorted and gave a curt reply, "Yeah, He could only do so because you increased the fame of blacksmiths."
His radiant smile and pride was visible to the naked eye and, frankly, it was quite easy to understand.
Blacksmiths had struggled to secure funding because blacksmithing requires resources such as metals and flame starters.
Previous attempts to generate popularity and attract funding had failed, with the sudden attention quickly fading away. Like always.
The offense of the Clear Sky Hammer Clan was the most disappointing. The head of the Blacksmiths tried to explain the benefits of soul refinement and possibility of advancements to the former leader of the Clear Sky Clan. However, the most powerful clan kept this information from spreading. Their intention was to ensure that only the Clear Sky Clan, who have hammer martial souls, could benefit from it.
So, the civil war between the princes was a unique chance in which a major power actually released the information about the good things that could increase the strength of soul masters as a whole.
Teacher shouted at the workers, enjoying the authority he wielded over them, "Hurry. We should head to Yangxin' Town by the end of the day."
SIGH
"Come on, teacher. It isn't like we are in a hurry. Let's go at our own pace."
SNORT
Teacher just shook his head, "You already stagnated in the Level 10 for too long. While you are a genius compared to the majority of soul master, it is nothing compared to the authentic geniuses."
"I know, teacher. I know."
In fact, I know this fact the best. Tang San, for example, became a title douluo only at 25. The others at Shrek followed up on his achievement one by one, eventually becoming gods. Tang San was even more amazing. He becomes a fucking God King, who looks down on other gods.
"So, have you thought about your first spirit ring?"
I nodded at that, "Yes."
For a Beast Marital soul like my tiger martial soul, the path to advancement was simple. It can't be manipulated like a plant martial soul. In a way, blue silver grass has the best adaptability even among plant martial souls, allowing it to get any spirit beast spirit ring.
My tiger martial soul was not that adaptable and, even more importantly, I must make use of every soul ring properly to stimulate my martial soul to progress towards a martial soul evolution.
So, it had to be a feline spirit beast. Ideally a tiger.
I revealed my choices. "In Star Duo Forest outskirts, there are multiple spirit beast's ideals for my marital soul. Of them, I narrowed it down to three attributes- Fire, Ice and Spiritual."
Teacher frowned over the choices for a second and said, "It would be better to choose a strength attribute like your tiger. It would help you in advancing your forging."
I understood his meaning. After all, I was only lacking in strength to advance in forging, but striving for a second attribute was a must. You know the top-class martial beast like Evil eyed White tiger has all 3 physical attributes-strength, speed and defence, an elemental attribute like light/holy.
Unless the single attribute was an extreme attribute, the single attribute soul masters were always at a disadvantage.
While it would be better to aim for the same attributes as Dark Demon God tiger, they were either too rare like in the case of space, time or darkness attributes.
Or far too condemning in society like evil attribute.
Even the wind/thunder attributes didn't have a suitable tiger spirit beast group in Star Luo empire. My lack of background couldn't allow me to pursue the location of Storm wind tiger group.
Besides, the three attributes I said, would help me a lot in the initial stages of cultivation.
Even more importantly, I couldn't afford to lose the opportunities to use my canon knowledge.
Fire, Ice and Spiritual.
All three of these attributes had various chances to advance in soul land. From the fire-ice well and its herbs, Sky dream ice worm, ten headed yang serpent in slaughter city, Manifold Mysterious Ice Essence etc.
They were usable for long term and had easy access now. When I had enough strength, then I would aim for the Darkness, Evil, Space or time attributes.
The most important reason of them, pursuing these attributes would leave me a backup to pursue ultimate attribute if my aim to pursue Dark Demon God Tiger failed.
——————-Star Duo Forest outskirts, near Yangxi Town———-
BANG
ROARRRR
"SOUL SPIKE,"
WHOOOSH
Looking at the 400-year-old ice-tiger whose limbs were broken by me, I shook my head.
GRRRRERRRR
Ignoring its growling, I rubbed the Spirit silver poultice on its injuries and spreading few Xanax Mushrooms around it. These mushrooms had the worst smell, so worse that Spirit beats and soul masters avoid it with all their might.
With a sigh, I continued my search for the spirit ring.
We left the rest of the travelling escort in Yangxi Town, giving them a paid vacation of sorts, not allowing them to come with us. After all, hunting spirit beasts was dangerous and, most importantly, it was a private matter. Information was an unparcelled edge in this world.
My Soul spike, for example, couldn't be launched over 10 meters since my control of soul power was not up to the mark. With this kind of information, a true ranged soul skill could easily defeat me. My thoughts were broken because of the teacher's shout.
"Enough."
Teacher couldn't hand it anymore and shouted his frustration, "What the fuck do you even want? This was the 12th spirit beast that didn't pass your requirements. You fought every single one of them, wanting to do it alone. Ok, fine. I don't mind that. But, instead of absorbing even a single one of them, you heal them and more towards the next one. It has been a fucking month, kid."
In fact, it was not 12 but 56. That's right! I rejected over 56 choices. Teacher didn't know that I was aiming for a 700-year spirit beast directly. Hence, he thought I only rejected 12.
I had confidence in pursuing the 700 year spirit beast. My mind could handle it. Due to suppressing my soul power, baptism from many herbs and my forging, I was sure my body can handle it, too.
In fact, I checked my body data with every single soul master at Star Luo Academy. There was no problem in absorbing the 700-year-old spirit ring.
I was in doubt because once I did that, the soul power in my body would truly be compressed beyond the point of no return.
Meaning, my future spirit rings all need to be higher than normal, otherwise my compressed soul power would drag my cultivation speed to a screeching halt. After all, I would need the additional levels gained from absorbing the spirit rings above the limit. Even then the speed would be probably slow.
That was even after accounting for the fact if my martial soul evolved in the future. Afterall, I wanted to pursue forging a soul core on my breakthrough to rank spirit sage.
Cultivation would not be as simple as now where I had many herbs to increase my cultivation speed. At that point even the herbs at Fire-ice well be meagre. After rank 50, even they couldn't show much drastic effect. There was a limit, after which the body shows less and less benefit of using herbs.
SMACK
Teacher's sudden smack on my head made me look at him as he asked, "So, what's eating away at that big brain of yours?"
I might as well as get a second opinion, teacher in a way, had a knack for making the right decisions. After all, who in their right mind would pick blacksmithing in middle age. But, he did, and he shown quite the talent in it. Right now, his forging was only restricted by his soul power.
"You see, Teacher, I have two choices for my first spirit ring. The first is the safe path with little risk but also little benefits. The second path was risky but huge benefits."
Teacher hummed a bit and said, "By risky do you mean life threatening?"
I shook my head and said, "No, more like the fact that my future cultivation will become slower and slower until it may as well halt."
Teacher snorted and said, "You are like a garden grown plant, far too fragile kid."
I felt insulted at his comment on me, but I didn't interrupt him. "Do you know that most people don't even qualify to have choices in their life?"
Lost in thought, he gazed up at the clouds, a familiar gesture when reminiscing about the past. "Back then, I was confronted with a decision that would change my life forever."
"Given the circumstances, I had to decide between embracing forging and potentially slowing down my progress in cultivation or staying focused on my cultivation, aware of the importance of every moment given my average talent."
His dilemma was like mine. Now, I really want to know about his thought process. "So, why did you choose to forge? I mean with innate level 5, if you continuously cultivated, you could have broken through level 40 and become a Soul Ancestor by now."
Teacher nodded and said, "Yes, I regretted many times about that. After all, who doesn't want to have more strength in this cruel world? This continued until I didn't regret my decision anymore. Do you want to know how?"
I nodded, eager to know the answer.
"Because my decision became correct when I reached my current status as a blacksmith association head. While the association is a second-rate force on the continent, it stands leagues above most soul masters. With its resources, I am sure that in a decade I will surpass my peers who have higher innate soul power. Even more so, I was ahead of my peers in terms of status."
Teacher took a seat on a rock and said, "So you want my suggestion, kid?"
"Yes."
"It depends on you. In the end, it will always end up depending on you."
SIGH
It's true. Going through with a normal spirit configuration could allow more chance at normal cultivation speed after martial soul evolution, but it would at best to make me a genius with top martial soul. But which soul master in major forces didn't have one? Every single one of them had a top martial soul.
Breaking the limit was a risky path with no back step but it was a surefire path. Sure, the cultivation speed might become less even after martial soul evolution because of the compressed soul power. But the combat prowess would not be any less than Tang san who had Twin Martial souls.
I got up and started on it, fearing that my mind would second guess everything at this rate.
"Teacher, I had made my decision."
"FUCKING FINALLY!"
-
-
-
-
After finishing looking at the list of the spirit beasts I narrowed down, he got really struck at the age of these spirit beasts.
Teacher looked at me as if searching for any damage to my brain. No, he really was looking for any head trauma. After all, I was constantly fighting Spirit beasts the last month, one after another. It was insane to do so without a soul ring.
"This is not risky."
"I know."
"You don't get it, kid. This is plain suicide."
"I know, teacher. Don't worry."
Teacher lost it and screamed, "Don't worry? Are you insane? That is a spirit beast at 700 years old."
"I have a plan."
"Oh! I am surprised you have a plan. WHO KNEW?"
You had to be an idiot to not recognize the sarcasm in teacher's words. Having learnt the 100 books on metallurgy in a year made him trust me and my ideas. Especially since I succeeded with the bet on Dai Weisi.
But, I could feel the envy and unwillingness in his words. After all, we had similar initial circumstances, but my conditions were much better than his. In fact, envy was normal, but the truly respectful point was that the teacher never tried to hinder me because of that.
Hence, he asked about my choice on the list, "So, which spirit beast is it?"
I thought about the various opportunities present across the continent, especially the sky dream ice worm [Ice-spiritual] which was the easiest high cultivation spirit beast to hunt for a spirit ring. All because of its weak combat power.
So, better to lay the foundation for it now. While it might be weak, I was far too weak to even survive absorbing it.
"An ice-spiritual attribute."
SMACK
Looking at the teacher's facepalming regarding my choice, I sighed and explained the rest. After all, while ice-spiritual attributed spirits exist out there in the wide world. It was impossible to search for them. Encountering them was a matter of luck or fate. So, I answered with my compromise for the spirt beast I need for my first soul ring, "A mutated ice tiger, preferably towards spiritual attribute. Considering the large prides of them in Mount Lian Po in the northern part of the forest."
Thinking that finding a suitable age might be tough, I compromised further and said, "It doesn't have to be a tiger. Other spirit beast would do, like a panther, leopard or lion. In fact, it can be any spirit beast, but I prefer feline. Still, I am uncompromising on the attributes."
No, I was uncompromising on the feline aspect as well. It might not be the best idea to break it down to him.
In fact, I thought about going for a fire attribute considering the large amount of Flame Lion prides in the Star duo forest, but I decided to not compromise now. Since I was taking a total elitist route, might as well do it wholeheartedly.
Teacher massaged his throbbing head because of the insane task ahead, "Do you know how rare the mutations in spirit beasts are? Not to mention your need for the mutation to be spiritual?"
I answered while looking at the AI.
[ Probability of mutation in spirit beasts -1 in 1240.
Based on the additional probabilities for the mutation to be benign [50%], availability of the spirit beasts in Mount Lian Po, giving an ice-spiritual attribute…..]
"Overall, the chance of encountering a spirit beast with ice-spiritual attribute in Mount Lian Po is 1 in 1000."
Teacher looked troubled by the number, but I believed the actual number was even less. Because Mount Lian Po, which was always covered in snow and ice, hence called as the gate of north. It had many spiritual beasts and also borders the ocean with rumours of multiple caves leading to it from under the mountain. So, there was high chance I could encounter them. After all, this was the beginning of extreme north and the place where Tian meng, the heavenly worm cultivated to 900,000 years. I was sure he was here somewhere under the myriad glaziers, feeding on the Manifold Mysterious Ice Essence. Even now.
Of course, there was a possibility he was already captured and imprisoned in Star Luo Forest but that would lead to a huge commotion. Afterall, a battle royale between hundred thousand years spirit beast would shake the continent. Especially the emergence of Di Tian.
So, I had good gut feeling that I could find Ice-Spiritual attribute spirit beasts here.
Even the AI bought down the possibility down to 1 in 100. An acceptable rate.
It was at this point that I remembered an important thing.
"Teacher, I forgot to bring the warm clothes for going towards mount Lian Po."
SMACK