—————Mount Lian Po, Northen border of Star duo forest, 2 months later—————-
Teacher's smack hurts a lot.
As expected of a Blacksmith, he was always physical about his punishments.
I genuinely didn't expect to go for the elite route when I awakened the martial soul.
But, my success in meditation method, self-made spirit skill and engraining myself to Dai Weisi really boosted my confidence.
It took some time, since we had to go back to the travelling group and plan. Ju Lian, who came with us, led the rest of the group to continue the predetermined task while me and teacher came back to the forest filled with supplies.
A week was wasted on the task, but it was necessary. Unfortunately, the weeks after that were not.
CRACKLE CRACKLE
"D-Damn, this place is cold."
I had to agree with the teacher that it was too cold, but that also means this mountain was rich in ice spirit beasts. In the short time we were here we encountered many ice spirit beasts like Ice-panther, Heaven ice plant, Cold ice but the majority were the Ice Tiger prides.
Each pride numbered in dozens. Each.
So, it took some time, but we found the mutated spirit beasts and even some special dual attribute spirit beats.
Mutated Ice liger- grass
Spiritual Rock Lion [spiritual and Rock]
Mutated Ice panther- lightning
-
-
The list went on and on, but the ones suitable for my cultivation route were only 3.
A 723-year-old mutated ice tiger towards spiritual attribute
A 400-year-old Spiritual Rock Lion
The luckiest find was a 3000-year-old Ice worn [Spiritual/Ice]
HISS
Naturally, I trapped the ice-worm in a cage and kept it for my third ring. Though, the ease of the task was the proof of the ice worm clan's weak combat power. No wonder they were on the verge of extinction.
"You know, you might be the only weirdo who captured his spirit beast beforehand."
I shrugged at teacher's word, not knowing if it was a compliment or sarcasm because of the weak power of Ice worm.
HISS
Looking at the hissing Ice-worm, I had my hammers come out.
"KI KI,"
"Good boy, now be silent. We are near the territory of the Ice Tiger tribe."
I saw that ice-worm in the cage tremble in fear. It was no wonder, considering that the Ice-tiger tribe comprising a dozen prides, make up major powerhouse in Mt Lian Po.
They were the apex predators while Ice-worms were the prey to everyone.
"Are you sure about this, Little Zhang?"
Wow, he spoke my name, which means he was serious.
"Your choice of beast is fine. I have nothing to say, considering each soul master cultivation direction is their own. But the age is 723 years, it has been never done before. Your body, despite being stronger than most due the time spent, can't handle such vast change in energy."
I nodded at that. Because it was true. In simpler terms, my tissues/cells could breakdown if a certain limit of soul power crosses through them.
This was the very reason for optimal configuration.
The first ring end is between 400. Hence, below that age, it depended on the soul master to absorb the higher age spirit beast. The only reason Tang san could break that limit was because his mother was a 100,000-year-old beast, and he had the most powerful marital souls. Oh right! His all-powerful Tang sect cultivation techniques might have helped.
Even then, he almost died when breaking the limit when absorbing the 10,000 ring.
Thankfully, it was Tang san who showed a way 100% successful way to absorb a limit breaking spirit ring in the canon.
ROARRRRR
As expected of my choice, I smiled at the mutated Ice tiger's roar. It was filled the arrogance of tiger who was leading his pride. While the pride was weak, it was a pride.
You must know that most mutated beasts were expelled from their group. Meaning very few could stay behind. But, this tiger rose to the position based on the virtue of his strength.
CLANG
"Hello, Ice Tiger. Are you ready for the fight?"
My hammers clanged in anticipation while the Ice Tiger roared. Teacher knowing about the everyday schedule went to the side while holding Ice-worm's cage. As for Ice Tiger's pride, they were silent and cowering, looking at Teacher's three rings.
ROARRR
No need for me or my opponent to get distracted now.
"Time to fight. Come on, buddy."
As expected of the Ice Tiger of 700 years age, it ran like a whirlwind at me.
WHOOSH
In a blink of an eye, he was in front me. My hammers went to greet its head, but to my surprise, the tiger hit me on the right. No, on second look, I saw he jumped right while the frontal jump was a bait.
SLASH
Feeling the claw that rug through the vambraces around my right hand, I could only say, "You are truly worthy of your spiritual attribute mutation. So cunning."
SNARL
The ice-tiger naturally felt my soul power gathering in my left hammer, aiming for his head. In a series of jumps, he dodged and jumped back at me like an arrow.
This time I was ready as I put both of my hammer in a criss-cross to take the tackle.
As expected, I was sent flying.
THUCK
Frankly, it felt like I was hit with a tree. You can trust me on this comparison, considering that a Grass bear did just that a week ago.
SURGE
My soul power soared using the gap created by the tackle. I screamed out in along with the surge of adrenaline and soul power, "SOUL SPI-"
I wanted to complete it, but the Ice Tiger had shown his strength and cunning.
[Alert.
Spiritual Attack from Ice Tiger.]
"ARGH."
Have you wondered if you have insomnia and hangover together with a hint of starvation? That was the feeling I had. To think this was the reduced damage. If my spiritual energy was not strong, I would have felt much more than a head splitting headache.
In a few seconds, I recovered from the attack, but that time was enough for Ice-Tiger to fill the gap between us and roar.
What a roar it was, forcing the ice to spread everywhere it went.
CLICK CLACK
CRACKLE CRACKLE CRACKLE
"F-F-UCK-KI, I-I lost. Stop this before I b-become an Ice cube."
SNORT
The heavy snort from Ice Tiger broke the ice surrounding me, leaving me shivering on the ground.
Ice-Tiger went to Teacher, who nodded and gave its daily reward. A 4000-year-old Ice Tiger hunted by us. Being the same species, this corpse of the higher cultivation will serve as a highly nutritious prey to the ice-tiger pride, who are all below 1000 years old.
Now, he came to me for the winner's reward. Yep, the Ice-tiger gets prey for fighting with me, but for winning against me, it gets a different reward.
AI.
[Processing….
Suggestion for Ice-Tiger:
1] Circulate the soul power in eyes 2% more when releasing spiritual attack.
2] Decrease the soul power towards limbs when launching
-
-]
That's right, I was helping it in growing strong. Every soul master or spirit beast must find the most optimal usage of soul power. It takes a lot of time and experience for them to succeed. So, each time Ice-Tiger wins against me, I help it improve by finding optimal soul power pathways and new ways to use their power.
So, under dual benefits to both the tribe and its personal strength, Ice-tiger had been having daily spars with me.
ROAR
ROAR
ROAR
The series of roars were puzzling to understand, but when combined with his body language of pointing at me and back itself, I had a rough guess at what he was saying.
"Do you want to know my goal in doing this every day?"
Teacher naturally came to me considering he was very curious about this answer too. Though, I believed he had a clue already about my aim, considering my actions in the last couple of months.
I took a breath and asked Ice-Tiger, "You know, I could be smart, right? No, I am very smart, right?"
I felt the teacher roll his eyes at my narcissism, but Ice Tiger nodded at me. After all, I might be weaker in terms of talent and age, but I won 3 spars against Ice-Tiger. Though it was in the initial days and mostly because of the surprise factor. The fact remained that I won and spared him.
"But I am pathetic in terms of talent. Even the idiotic members of your pride have better talent than me."
Looking at the Ice-tiger pride running after each tail or fighting each other for food. I felt the Ice Tiger's worry.
"You are intelligent, Ice-Tiger. Perhaps it is because of your spiritual attribute mutation. Most spirit beasts gain human-like intelligence after 10,000 years, but you have it at just 700 years old. So, I can say you are incredibly talented among spirit beasts."
Ice-Tiger held his chest high in pride.
"So, I have been observing you and learning. I have been teaching you based on my cultivation technique. In this experience, I noticed an alternative path out for me."
Before breaking the impactful news, I listed his current conditions: "In Mount Lian Po, you have too much competition to thrive. Your talent while impressive is not even at the top like Ice-fire tiger, Three eyed lion, etc. Your fate is dying as a prey to one of them or becoming a dead soul ring."
ROARRRRRRRR
His roar got his pride hurt and was ready to fight, despite knowing that Teacher could crush their entire pride.
"Like I said just now, from various observations, I found an alternative path for me. A path that fits you too. A self-sacrificed soul ring that will break the limit for me and allow you to keep your consciousness."
ROARRRRRRR
That made him attack, obviously.
"Arrogant beast."
BANG
Teacher's first soul ring: Thunder's impact showed its power. In a single impact, the Ice-tiger was on the ground.
MEOW
"It looks like you are unwilling. Well, anybody would be unwilling to sacrifice their everything and depend on others. Let me prove to you I am worthy of this chance."
Looking at my current condition in AI profile of myself.
[Zhang Kun- 100%
Age: 10 years, 3 months
Martial soul: Tiger
Spiritual Power: Spirit Origin [Increase is estimated]
Soul Power: 10 [Accumulating an estimate of 1 level]
Equipment: Spirit refined Magic silver hammers, Heavy silver hammers-Thousand refined [Blood sacrificed]
Combat usage: Soul ripple, Soul spike, Soul wave
Occupation: advanced Blacksmith]
I felt hurt at the lack of progress in soul power, but I knew the reason. I spent too much time hunting for the right spirit beast. Not to forget the fact that my condensed soul power.
I focused myself on these cruel facts and looked towards Ice Tiger, "You are improving with my help, but so do I. So, let me prove my worth. In this cruel world, one's worth is proved by their strength. Hence, I will fight with you every day."
ROAR ROAR
AI, integrate the Dai Family's Tiger marital soul knowledge into three aspects-cultivation technique, my semi-finished soul skill and Ice Tiger improvement.
[Task Beginning….]
CLANG
My hammers rang in the open space as my soul power surged and condensed.
"Let's begin."
——————-1 month later- 10 years,4 months age—————-
BOOOM
ROAR
"Fuck, you asshole, you win again."
ROROROAR
[Progress:
marital soul integration into cultivation technique-35%
Self-made Soul skill- 58%
Integration of host cultivation path to Ice- Tiger- 10%]
—————6 months later- 10 years, 10 months age—————
"HAHHA, I won bitch. At long last, I won bitch."
ROAR
[Progress:
marital soul integration into cultivation technique-78%
Self-made soul skill- 92%
Integration of host cultivation path to Ice Tiger 43%]
Fucking hell, it took 7 months for me to catch up with the bitch, but I did it. Now, I need to crush the Ice-tiger for it to bend. I guess not all people are lucky like protagonists.
———————2 months later- 11 years age————
[Progress:
marital soul integration into cultivation technique-100%
Self-made soul skill- 100%
Integration of host cultivation path to Ice Tiger 60%]
One year. One fucking year.
I spent one fucking year with my choice, and this damn bitch was not even moving. Every day, we fight, but he doesn't budge. Even the teacher went away to take care of Dai Weisi's task of running his PR group among civilians. Though, he arranged for people to bring the spirit beast corpses to support me.
Afterall, the deal must be upheld.
Each day, I wanted to turn back and choose an optimal config spirit ring. But I already spent too much with little gain. Especially my cultivation.
[Soul power: 10 [Accumulated an estimate of 2 levels] ]
ROARR
Asshole.
"My blood is boiling in anger, and you are still inviting me to fight. Since you want to die, then let me help you fulfill your wish."
Looking at the Ice Tiger that jumped towards me as a 900-year spirit beast, I could only feel one thing.
"It feels too slow."
WHOOSH
With a slight tilt of my body, I dodged the claw attack. As if reminiscing about the fated fight from that day, he tackled me again.
With open hands, I welcomed the brute.
THUD
I could feel his claws coming from the sides, but I held them in place while he roared in my face.
ROAR
"Sure, your cultivation increased, but so did my combat power."
This was the benefit of soul power condensation, the forbidden fruit to most soul masters.
Feeling my thick soul power wrapping around my head, I slammed it down on Ice-tiger's face.
THUD
ROAR
Disregarding its roar of pain and my headache, I continued with my head slam.
THUD
GROWL
"ARGH! Crazy Assshole."
Feeling the claws gripping onto my hands as the ice spread spread through the roar.
CRACKLE
With a surge of my soul power that broke the ice sealing me away, I sent a soul wave to throw him into the distance.
"Fuck, I wanted to head slam you into unconsciousness like the 67th fight. But it seems you improved."
I had enough.
CLANG CLANG
Ice tiger became serious about my clanging hammers. It seems he noticed my habit of smashing hammers together before charging. So, smart. But it's a pity but I have to kill him.
Once his age crosses 1000 years, I could no longer beat him and, most importantly, I was not capable of absorbing the purple spirit ring.
"Buddy, I am going to kill you and forcefully take the spirit ring. "
ROARRRRRR
We ran at each other to end this farce that grew too longer.
The mutated ice-tiger initially ran on the ground but soon, ice bent to his will. Each paw step rose higher and higher as the ice rose to become willing footholds to him. The ice that formed from his roar of ice soul skill, levitated and aimed straight at me.
THUD THUD
Feeling the blood that rose into my mouth, I knew that cultivation age was not this guy's only improvement. He managed to learn an incredible skill that was characteristic to his race, Ice control.
Quite the simple name for a soul skill that had little combat power but it was soul skill that had most potential. The same way I could control soul power, this guy could control ice or ice attribute energy due to this skill.
Hence, it was my goal.
Initially, the ice tiger didn't awaken it. Hence, this year long training for him. Of course, the reduction in difficulty of absorbing his soul ring by bringing his cultivation towards me was an added bonus.
My hammers came down on his head while his claws tore my chest apart. "AHHH"
My roar of anger and pain came in response to Ice Tiger, perhaps because of the experience of many fights between us, I could already fell him jumping to bite my neck.
WHOOOSH
The bite narrowly missed me as I slide under the jumping Ice tiger.
Using this chance, I went all out.
One hammer stuck on the other, pushing the combined attack on its abdomen.
CLANG
"SELF MADE SOUL SKILL: RIPPLING SPIKE,"
Each wave of soul power that condensed exploded to increase the power Soul Spike. 1, 2, and finally 3. At the third ripple, my body strained beyond words, but the power was incredible.
GROWL
[Spiritual attack]
I scoffed. "After a year, your spiritual attack can't eve stop me buddy. 3 Strike rippling Spike."
I hit soul spike into the stomach of Ice-tiger, tearing it open, spilling blood, intestine and the odd meat of hunted Ice-tigers that this guy had ate.
Teacher held his end of our deal with the pride; this tiger also held his end. Putting his life on the line to fight me every day.
RO-SPLASH
The moment he opened his mouth to roar; blood splashed like a fountain all over. "You are being really stubborn."
Not carrying about the dying Ice Tiger, I sent a barrage of 1 strike -rippling spikes towards the Ice Tiger tribe which stopped on their path and couched down with pure unwillingness.
1 strike= soul power condensed and sent as 1 wave.
2 strike = soul power condensed and sent as 2 waves
The third wave ended the task brilliantly.
I looked at them with cold eyes. I spent a year of my time and give every benefit I could and made every means of understanding. So, it was not my fault.
And so, I noticed the yellow spirit ring rising.
I snorted and got to absorbing the spirit ring. While the Ice-Tiger tribe could attack me, they won't. After all, it would make their leader's death useless. While I was no friend to them, I was also no enemy.
In my time here I found that most spirit beasts didn't possess the capability to leave a trace of will in spirit rings through self-sacrifice. It seemed that option only belonged to the most talented of them or strongest like hundred-thousand-year-old.
No wonder, the means to break the spirit ring year limit was not yet widespread.
But, my manner of bringing the spirit beasts cultivation towards my cultivation path, was a viable alternative that was unique only to me.
After all, only I could dare to re-map a complex meridians of a living being safely. It was all thanks to my AI, which worked 24/7.
I ran my cultivation technique as my martial soul grew hungry for the soul ring and roared out.
THE SHEER POWER
It was incredible as the soul power in the spirit ring spread throughout my body, instantly refilling my capacity with the peak of my normal self.
Now came the struggle.
I could hear my Tiger martial soul groaning as the energy flooded it. Each second made the next more and more painful. As an icing on the cake, I heard a familiar roar.
ROARRRRRRRR
I felt a sound wave of resentment directed at me, then his own weakness, and finally at the world. Unlike the previous spiritual assault from Ice Tiger, this attack was solely fuelled by emotions on in its purest form. So, it was more painful and, in truthful words, more terrifying.
Most importantly, I could understand this feeling far too well- the resentment of losing one's life.
Why
I felt his anger, pain and fear, but I didn't care now. The surging soul power from the spirit ring was overhauling my vessels, causes bleeding everywhere.
STOP THIS BULLSHIT, YOU KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN.
I fucking gave him an alternate method, a way to keep his consciousness. He didn't even bother contemplating it. If he had, I would without doubt tied to do my best to find a self-sacrifice method.
Fucking hell, I even elaborately described my ambition to become God and a chance for it to revive.
My point of view did not do shit in helping the resentment, but it helped me vent and pull myself together and continue the absorption.
I felt a smile come to my face when I remember the 60% integration of soul power path to Ice Tiger. I was not being stupid this entire year. My help made Ice Tiger stronger but also bought his soul power to become similar to my soul power.
No, not similar, more compatible.
AI, designate the reading as soul power compatibility.
[Soul power compatibility: 60%]
No
Fuck, you are dead.
NO
I persisted in feeding the soul power to my martial soul until I found the struggle stopped suddenly and turned into a single sound.
Friend
I felt myself blank at this sound, which made me feel the images of self-sacrifice spirit ring. Fuck, I almost felt like crying. I spent every second in the last year with fear of being left behind as a waste compared to the monsters in the cannon.
In the end, I had lost control today and went for the kill. Now, this bastard was all ready to self-sacrifice.
Where in the hell would I find a method out of blue?
To my shock, the bastard was succeeding.
To my surprise, the yellow ring flew right into me, making me realise that the bastard did self-sacrifice.
"Asshole! To think beating you the death was the solution, I would have taken it long ago."
I roared out and had my marital soul increase the absorption of spirit ring. Since he was bending, I might as well break him and then accept him.
NO FRIEND
NO NO NO
MEOW
A fucking meow, wow.
I stopped.
My forceful nature had uttered a single thing, realizing how this guy managed to retain his will in the spirit ring. I initially thought, it was because of his spiritual attribute mutation. Now, I was sure. I unintentionally created the self-sacrifice method.
"Follow the cultivation I pointed before."
Yes
I felt happy as the soul energy rampaging in my meridians became mild and was absorbed drop by drop by my martial soul under the Ice Tiger's help.
Now, I could feel something else was being absorbed with Soul power -Ice Tiger's consciousness.
Two roars resounded- one from the marital soul, the other from Ice Tiger.
It was 3 years' worth of efforts that helped me achieve this. 3 years' worth of effort in which I had to flatter and help Dai Weisi, putting aside my own thoughts and pride. I DAMN WELL SUCCEDED.
[Soul power : 10….11…..12…]
[Soul power: 15]
Finally, I broke the limit.
"Ha, Haa, Hahahahahhaaaahaa,"
My laughter knew no bounds. I mean, I left all hoped when I found self-sacrifice method was not universal and all that bullshit.
Now, I ended up finding the way to self-sacrifice without intending. What I did in the last year was the method.
The sacrificing spirit beast only needs to send its essence/soul power condensed through the spirit ring into the soul master's pathways, to complete the sacrifice. Normally, talented or strong spirit beasts were capable of doing that on their own. But, someone like the ice tiger managed to do this because of my instruction and it's pathways that had become similar to mine.
Hence, my laughter grew hysterical.
Even with the increased requirement for soul power for me to level up, a fucking 3 level increase was incredible. As expected of the 900-year-old spirit ring.
I could have absorbed the spirit ring forcefully, but the sheer amount of energy contained in it always gave a risk of my body breaking down, no matter the preparations I did. Now, with the support from Ice Tiger, I absorbed it's spirit ring comfortably. Most importantly, the best benefit of the conscious spirit ring I had like Ice Tiger's, Tang san's Titan ape ring, Sky dream Ice worm's ring was the mastery of the spirit skill.
Yes, I got ice tiger's mastery.
"1stSoul ring: Ice control"
CRACKLE
I watched in satisfaction as my ice control rivalled the Ice Tiger's skill, who pursued this skill his life.
Looking at the elaborate frozen grave of dead body of the Ice Tiger, shining beautifully from the reflected light, giving slight aurora effects. I smiled fully at beautiful piece of art.
Even more importantly, I skipped years of work training my first soul ring. Most importantly, the bothersome effort to train the ice attribute. However, my happiness soured when I sensed my current soul power reserves.
Excessive use of soul power, as expected. After all, my tiger martial soul was no ice spirit beast.
Even so, I consoled myself over the fact that I could now control ice, albeit over a large cost. There was another disadvantage-the lack of immediate combat power.
Of course, the little combat power from the first ring was no bother to me. Looking at my hammers I don't need additional attack methods; I needed the potential from such control skills.
AI, gather data from this soul skill and improve the rippling spike, especially aim to reduce the soul power required to cast a rippling spike. Check the possibilities of adding ice attribute to the skill.
[Processing..]
While the AI got to the current task in it's 24/7 duty.
I understood this method was not feasible for all the future spirit rings. Afterall, I couldn't afford to spend years on just acquiring the rings. Most importantly, the spirit beasts at higher levels were no different from humans. Meaning, they would definitely would not accept the self-sacrifice.
After thinking for some time, I realized that one or two more times was the limit. A fire attribute for the second ring. Obviously to get full benefit from Ice-fire Yin Yang well.
And a third spring for spiritual attribute or ice-fire tiger. The former if I was lucky, in case my martial managed to hold two opposing attribute soul rings. The Ice silk worm I captured would do.
The latter, which was more likely to happen, was to eliminate the conflict between ice and fire. Afterall such conflicts could cripple a martial soul.
It was doable especially with the Tang San's method for getting Fire-ice alchemy body. The twin immortal herbs in the ice and fire well.
It was the first opportunity I decided to steal from Tang San.
With a deep breath to psyche myself up for the firm decision, I focused on the trying to feel for any increase in Spiritual power.
Like always, my spiritual energy had shown no signs. Even the rare few times it did was when absorbing the purple Qi.