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"Hey, that snake is dead. Are you okay?"
The girl finally snapped out of her daze and nodded quickly, still looking a little scared. "I... I'm fine, thank you."
Tang Chuan waved his hand, not saying anything more. He casually slung his spear over his back and looked deeper into the forest, his eyes sharp. "It's getting dark. We need to leave this area as soon as possible. That last attack made too much noise, plus there's the smell of blood. It would be a problem if it attracted other Spirit Beasts."
With that, he started walking toward the edge of the forest. A few seconds later, the girl, who had been stunned, quickly followed him, clutching her chest to calm her rapid breathing.
They walked side-by-side on the damp forest path. The sunlight filtered through the branches, dappling the soft layer of fallen leaves beneath their feet. The air still carried the scent of Spirit Beast blood.
Tang Chuan asked without looking back, "I've seen you in town. You must be from Tian Shui Academy, right? I remember you had teachers with you. Why are you alone now? Also, aren't all of your spirits at Tian Shui Academy water or ice-attribute? Why did you come to the Star Dou Great Forest? Shouldn't you be going to Ji Bei Zhi Di to get a spirit ring?"
The girl paused, then spoke softly with a hint of apology. "Um... I am a student at Tian Shui Academy. This time, my sister, Shui Bing'er, is leading our team, and there are three teachers with us. The plan was to split into teams and enter the outer regions to find suitable Spirit Beast targets. As for why we didn't go to Ji Bei Zhi Di, that's because there are lakes in the Star Dou Great Forest, so there are naturally water-attribute Spirit Beasts. Plus, Ji Bei Zhi Di is too far from our academy, so it's not a convenient trip. The teachers only take us there when we need to get a ten-thousand-year spirit ring!"
She paused, her eyes lowered as she bit her lip. "This time, I was mainly looking for a water-attribute Spirit Beast for my second spirit ring. After the team entered the forest, we split into three groups. I was with one of the teachers, searching along the northern swamp. But I didn't expect that the teacher would suddenly get a signal saying that one of the groups was attacked and he needed to rush over as quickly as possible. So, he took me to the edge of the forest and told me to wait outside first."
Tang Chuan frowned slightly. "And you didn't listen?"
The girl lowered her head, looking a little embarrassed. "I just wanted to look a little further in, so I secretly ran back into the forest. I saw a small stream over there, where there might be water-attribute Spirit Beasts active. But then a nearly thousand-year-old Nether Scale Spotted Snake suddenly sprang out of the swamp, and I was no match for it at all."
Tang Chuan gave a slight snort. "You're not very old, but you're quite brave, daring to wander alone in the outer reaches of the Star Dou Great Forest."
"Aren't you alone too?" the girl pouted in response. "From your appearance, you look even younger than me, right?"
After absorbing his first spirit ring, Tang Chuan had grown a few more inches, and his body had become more robust. Although he didn't look old, he had an air of confidence about him. He glanced at the girl. She still had a sharp tongue. If he hadn't absorbed his first spirit ring and just happened to be nearby, she probably would have been swallowed by that Nether Scale Spotted Snake.
After a moment of thought, Tang Chuan continued to ask, "By the way, what's your name?"
"My name is Shui Yue'er." The girl looked up, her eyes wide with a hint of affection as she gazed at him.
A flash of surprise crossed Tang Chuan's eyes. "So, she's Shui Bing'er's younger sister," he thought to himself.
As they walked, a soft cry suddenly came from Shui Yue'er. "Ah!" She stopped and looked down, realizing her right arm was stained with blood.
Hearing the noise, Tang Chuan immediately turned around, frowned, and quickly went to her side. "What happened? Did that snake bite you just now?" His voice was serious.
Shui Yue'er was startled, then quickly looked down at her arm. She shook her head, her expression unnatural. "No. I must have gotten scratched by a tree branch when I was running away. I didn't notice it until now."
"A tree branch?"
Tang Chuan's eyes grew cold. He was silent for a moment before extending his right hand and slowly placing it near her wound.
Shui Yue'er was confused. "What are you doing?"
"Don't move."
As he spoke, a faint blue-gold light emanated from his palm, soft and gentle, like a pulsing life force. The healing Soul Skill from the Blue Silver Emperor's right leg bone quietly activated.
The next second, the blue-gold light from Tang Chuan's palm surged out like tiny streams, slowly flowing over Shui Yue'er's arm. The wound, which had been bleeding heavily, healed at a visible rate under the light. The bleeding stopped, and the broken skin slowly closed, leaving no scar whatsoever.
In less than ten seconds, Shui Yue'er's arm was completely restored, without even a trace of redness.
"It's done," Tang Chuan said, pulling his hand away.
Shui Yue'er stared blankly at her smooth, unblemished arm, her expression filled with disbelief. "You... what kind of Soul Skill is this? It can actually heal injuries? Are you a support-type Spirit Master?"
"My spirit is Blue Silver Grass," Tang Chuan replied calmly, his expression serene. "It has a certain healing ability." He continued to walk forward.
Shui Yue'er stood frozen in place, her eyes filled with emotion. Blue Silver Grass? Can this "trash" spirit actually be cultivated? But she had clearly felt an incredibly rich life force just now, something no ordinary Blue Silver Grass Spirit Master could possess.
"Blue Silver Grass... How is this possible..."
But Tang Chuan didn't notice her astonishment. He was silently calculating in his mind. "Now that I've absorbed the hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor's right leg bone, it's not only given me the ability to fly but also a healing Soul Skill. All I need to do next is to continue strengthening my vitality, and I can forge a path for myself that's completely different from Tang San's."
"Furthermore, my future spirit ring choices no longer need to be limited to the recovery-type plant Spirit Beasts that healing Spirit Masters traditionally choose. Since I have the healing Soul Skill from the hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor's right leg bone, I only need to keep absorbing the spirit rings of plant-type Spirit Beasts with strong vitality, nourishing the Blue Silver Grass with the power of life and making it an immortal existence. After all, as long as the life force is strong enough, the healing ability will naturally improve."
Half an hour later, Tang Chuan led Shui Yue'er out of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Dusk was approaching, and the evening light spread across the sky, turning large parts of the treetops red. The roofs of the inns in the distant town were faintly visible, and a few birds glided through the sky, bringing a sense of peace to the world.
Tang Chuan stopped and looked into the distance. "The town is just ahead. You wait for your teachers here; don't run off again."
Shui Yue'er looked at Tang Chuan's stern face and nodded gently. "I understand... Thank you."
Tang Chuan was momentarily surprised, then waved his hand and started walking toward the town. Just then, Shui Yue'er couldn't help but ask softly, "You still haven't told me... your name."
"Tang Chuan."
Tang Chuan's figure paused, his silhouette stretched long by the setting sun. He didn't turn back, simply raising one hand and waving it twice.
"I think we'll meet again!"