Li Xun nodded as he looked at the tall Solitary Bamboo before him.
The fact that it had managed to propagate the bamboo forest to its current scale proved that its latent talent was quite good. Moreover, it was the Master Bamboo, so its innate growth potential should also be strong.
"Brother, what if Teacher Qin Ming doesn't come with us?" Ning Rongrong glanced back.
Li Xun took out a saw from his Soul Guiding Device: "It's fine. I was worried he might not be reliable, so I prepared in advance."
He had already made preparations when he agreed to come with Qin Ming.
If the other party didn't allow him to absorb the thousand-year Solitary Bamboo, he could always do it himself.
Ning Rongrong and Dugu Yan looked at Li Xun with complex expressions as he took out the saw.
"Little brother Li Xun, it seems your determination is quite strong!" Dugu Yan laughed, her body shaking with mirth.
Li Xun chuckled but didn't respond. Instead, he picked up the saw and began cutting into the bamboo.
Although the Solitary Bamboo wasn't aggressive, its inherent toughness made it difficult to chop with axes or knives.
Sometimes, the recoil could even injure the person wielding the tool.
Even with the saw, Li Xun found it exhausting.
He had been sawing for five minutes and had only just managed to break through the outer layer of the thousand-year Solitary Bamboo.
Li Xun stood up, wiping the sweat from his forehead, and couldn't help but look up at the sky, though the bamboo forest canopy blocked his view.
Perhaps sensing his gaze.
A thin strand of Sword Qi descended from the sky, heading straight for the thousand-year Solitary Bamboo.
Squeak—
As the Sword Qi passed, the thousand-year Solitary Bamboo let out a piercing sound and toppled to one side.
Thud—
The twenty-meter-tall Solitary Bamboo hit the ground with a loud crash.
Dugu Yan's expression turned serious: "Is it a senior from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School?"
She had been standing to the side, watching Li Xun's struggle with amusement, when suddenly a strand of Sword Qi appeared in the sky.
The moment it appeared, it sent chills down her spine.
"It's Sword Grandpa," Ning Rongrong said happily from the side.
Dugu Yan was surprised: "Sword Douluo?"
"Yes, I already informed him before I left," Li Xun nodded.
He then looked at the last remaining connection point of the Solitary Bamboo.
Soul Masters needed to kill their own Soul Beasts to obtain Spirit Rings, so even if someone helped, the final blow had to be dealt by the person absorbing the Spirit Ring.
This was also true for Sword Douluo's intervention.
"Li Xun, what are you doing? Have you forgotten the academy's teachings?"
Just as Li Xun was about to finish off the Solitary Bamboo, a reprimand came from afar.
Li Xun looked up and saw Yu Xiaogang and his group, with Qin Ming being the one who spoke.
"Killing a Soul Beast, what else?" Li Xun continued his work, replying indifferently.
Squeak—
The saw grated against the Solitary Bamboo, producing a harsh noise.
"Li Xun, do you know how old this Solitary Bamboo is?" Yu Xiaogang raised his hand to stop Qin Ming from speaking further.
He slowly walked up to Li Xun.
Li Xun didn't look up: "I know."
Squeak—
Yu Xiaogang's expression turned grave: "Do you know the absorption limits of Spirit Rings as outlined in the Ten Core Competencies of Soul Spirits?"
"I know," Li Xun replied without looking up, continuing to saw the bamboo.
Squeak—
"Since you know, why did you choose a thousand-year Solitary Bamboo as your second Spirit Ring?"
Seeing that Li Xun had no intention of stopping, Yu Xiaogang frowned, his hands clenching involuntarily.
Li Xun's response and the gazes of those around him made him feel as if he were sitting on pins and needles.
"I think I can absorb it, so I chose it," Li Xun flipped the saw to the other side.
Squeak—
"Hmph! The absorption limit for a Soul Master's second Spirit Ring is seven hundred years, and this Solitary Bamboo is a twelve-hundred-year Soul Beast. Forcing its absorption is undoubtedly seeking death."
Yu Xiaogang let out a cold snort, flicked his sleeve, and turned to walk back the way he came.
The reason he had come was merely to observe Li Xun's Martial Soul.
But the other party, fully aware of the absorption limit for Spirit Rings, still insisted on obtaining it. This was undoubtedly a lack of faith in his research on the Ten Core Competencies of Soul Spirits.
When this kid's body explodes from the strain.
Let these people see the consequences of defying his theories.
Thud—
As the last bit of connecting skin was sawed through.
The Solitary Bamboo made a dull sound as it came into contact with the ground.
A purple Spirit Ring condensed above the bamboo.
Hearing the sound, Yu Xiaogang paused, then walked over to Tang San.
"Teacher, do you think he can absorb this Spirit Ring?" Tang San asked doubtfully.
Yu Xiaogang frowned, his expression serious, and his voice stiff as he asked, "Xiao San, what is the seventh of the Ten Core Competencies of Soul Spirits?"
"The absorption limit for the first Spirit Ring is four hundred and twenty-three years, and for the second Spirit Ring, it's seven hundred and sixty-four years." Seeing his teacher's anger, Tang San quickly stood at attention, bowed his head, and recited the theory.
"Xiao San, it seems you haven't forgotten my teachings."
Yu Xiaogang nodded, his tone softening slightly: "With your talent, your second Spirit Ring is still within seven hundred years. Do you think he can surpass you?"
Hearing this, Tang San clenched his fists, his eyes coldly watching Li Xun, who was absorbing the Spirit Ring.
His Twin Spirits were a rare gift, with only three recorded in the entire continent.
Naturally, he was stronger than the average person.
Moreover, through the first two Spirit Rings of the Blue Silver Grass, his teacher had proven the validity of his theories.
This person's attempt to break a theory that had already been verified.
Was nothing short of courting death.
Li Xun had no idea what these two master and disciple were thinking. At this moment, he was guiding the Spirit Ring.
When the Spirit Ring settled onto the Thousand-Hand Buddha, a surge of power instantly flooded every part of his body.
There was no expected risk or pain, as if they had never existed.
Everything went smoothly.
"So simple? Could it be because the Solitary Bamboo has a gentle nature?"
Before long, Li Xun slowly opened his eyes.
Looking at his Martial Soul, which was gradually regaining its vibrant color: "What a loss. It seems this twelve-hundred-year Solitary Bamboo isn't my limit. My limit should be around thirteen hundred years."
Before absorbing the Solitary Bamboo, he hadn't known his own limit. To be safe, he had set the range at twelve hundred years.
"I didn't expect the improvement from Wood Release and Whale Glue to be so significant."
The efficacy of Whale Glue diminishes drastically with each use, but the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School had no shortage of money.
For nearly a year now.
He and Ning Rongrong had almost treated Whale Glue as a daily medicinal supplement.
By the end, even he wasn't sure if it still had any effect.
Li Xun slowly stood up from the ground, stretching his body. He felt filled with strength.
"The attributes attached to the second Spirit Ring are much better than I expected." Li Xun sensed the second Spirit Ring.
He found that while it didn't grant an active skill, it did provide three passive effects.
An eighty percent increase in plant toughness, a forty percent increase in plant growth speed, and a twenty percent increase in plant reproduction.
In simple terms, it meant higher defense, faster casting, and double casting.
"Rapid firepower coverage will always reign supreme!" Li Xun grinned.
Just as Li Xun was smirking like a dragon king.
Everyone present was utterly shocked, as this completely overturned their understanding.
"This..."
Qin Ming was at a loss for words as he looked at the yellow and purple Spirit Rings beneath Li Xun's feet.
Then, he thought of something and quickly turned his head to look at Yu Xiaogang.
To his surprise, Grandmaster Yu Xiao
gang's body was trembling slightly.
"This is impossible..."
Yu Xiaogang's eyes were bloodshot, his breathing heavy like an ox, and he appeared utterly disheartened.
Because the theory he had prided himself on had been shattered right before his eyes today.
(End of Chapter)