Chapter 20: The Choice of the Second Soul Ring
A semester's time quietly slipped by, and in a blink, it was time for the holidays.
Inside Noding Academy's campus, the plants were still verdant, and the youths were packing their luggage in twos and threes, preparing to go home.
In the dormitory, Xiao Wu leaned lazily on her bed, a lollipop in her mouth, her gaze fixed out the window, her expression a little downcast.
Tang San walked over, sat on the edge of her bed, and softly said, "Xiao Wu, it's been a semester. Are you still not planning to go home and see?"
Xiao Wu's expression darkened slightly at his words, then she pouted and said unhappily, "No, I'll stay at the Academy."
Tang San was stunned for a moment, then continued, "Don't you miss home?"
Xiao Wu shook her head, a hint of unconcealable loneliness flashing in her eyes: "I don't have a home, so there's nowhere for me to go back to."
Hearing this, Tang San opened his mouth, about to say something to comfort her, but Xiao Wu's eyes suddenly lit up, and she said with a giggle, "Little San, isn't your home not far from the Academy? How about I go back with you to play?"
Tang San was caught off guard by Xiao Wu's sudden change, then smiled and nodded, "Okay, we'll go back together."
After saying that, he suddenly remembered something and immediately turned to walk towards Tang Chuan, who was Cultivating on the other side.
Tang Chuan was currently sitting cross-legged, his spirit power slowly flowing around him, an aura of quiet composure between his brows.
"Brother," Tang San called softly.
Tang Chuan slowly opened his eyes, a blue-gold light flashing in them before disappearing: "What is it?"
Tang San smiled and said, "The holidays are here. I plan to go back to Saint Spirit Village with Xiao Wu. Do you want to come back with me? We haven't seen Father in a long time."
Hearing this, Tang Chuan paused slightly, then gently shook his head and said, "No, my spirit power just Broke Through to Rank 10 recently. The Academy's teacher said he would take me to the Soul Hunting Forest to hunt for my first spirit ring. I'm afraid I'll miss the opportunity."
His tone was flat, no emotional fluctuations visible on his face, but he thought to himself, Go back to Saint Spirit Village? Tang Hao left the village long ago. Besides, even if he were there, why should I go see him?
When Tang San heard that his brother's spirit power had actually reached Rank 10, he was immediately stunned, an expression of disbelief appearing in his eyes.
"Brother, what did you say? Your spirit power… reached Rank 10?"
Tang Chuan nodded gently.
Tang San frowned slightly, his face full of surprise and doubt: "But the teacher said your Innate spirit power was only Rank 1. Even after Cultivating for three to five years, you might not be able to reach Rank 10. How could you Cultivate to this level in one semester?"
Tang Chuan smiled faintly, his tone neither warm nor cold: "Perhaps I'm just lucky. The environment in the back mountain is suitable for Blue Silver Grass Cultivation, and I just meditated diligently as the Academy's teachers said."
"Sometimes, being too focused on talent makes one overlook the importance of effort."
Hearing this, Tang San fell silent, his expression slightly complex.
Although he didn't want to doubt his brother, Tang Chuan's changes were indeed too astonishing, especially during this period. Whether it was his temperament, physique, or even his eyes, there was a kind of composure and sharpness that made him difficult to fathom.
"Brother…" Tang San still wanted to ask something, but in the end, he closed his mouth, only whispering, "Then you must pay attention to safety. The Soul Hunting Forest is full of dangers. Even with an Academy teacher, you can't be careless."
"I know," Tang Chuan nodded, looking into the distance, and said faintly, "You too, be careful on the way back to Saint Spirit Village."
Tang San took a deep breath and nodded heavily.
Half a day later, Noding Academy's main gate had become deserted, most of the students having embarked on their journey home.
Within the vast campus, only some teachers and remaining staff were left.
Tang Chuan did not linger either; he packed his bags early and quietly left the Academy without telling anyone his destination.
He still walked towards the familiar market, just as he did when he first left, stopping in front of an old carriage shop, skillfully renting an ordinary carriage, and hiring an elderly coachman. Everything was as normal, without the slightest hint of drawing attention.
Sitting in the carriage, watching the trees and fields rapidly receding outside the window, Tang Chuan's heart was already turbulent.
My spirit power has already reached Rank 20. As long as I absorb a spirit ring, I can instantly complete the promotion, Tang Chuan said, gazing into the distance with deep eyes.
He wasn't worried that the spirit power he had accumulated through meditation and Cultivation during this time would be wasted. Meditation was inherently a way to accumulate spirit power. He only needed to obtain his second spirit ring now, and the spirit power accumulated from his previous meditation and Cultivation would be fully released to boost his spirit power Rank.
The only issue was the choice of the second spirit ring.
During this time, Tang Chuan had twice taken advantage of short Academy holidays to secretly go to the periphery of the Star Dou Great Forest to search for Spirit Beasts, but he had not found a suitable target.
Because his target for the second spirit ring was a thousand-year Emerald Swan.
"This time, I can't return empty-handed," Tang Chuan thought to himself.
This was an extremely rare Spirit Beast, one in ten thousand even in the vast Star Dou Great Forest. The Emerald Swan was not a plant-type Spirit Beast, but it possessed what Tang Chuan needed most—vitality.
Not only that, this Spirit Beast was also the most powerful life-attribute healing-type Spirit Beast in nature, with the purest life force of nature condensed within its body.
If he could hunt it and absorb its spirit ring, it would not only further strengthen the Blue Silver Grass's vitality but also greatly enhance its healing ability, resilience, regeneration, and other aspects.
"Although the Emerald Swan is not a plant, the Blue Silver Grass has never rejected any animal or plant spirit rings," Tang Chuan narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "As long as it's life-attribute, it can be used by me."
However, the Emerald Swan's rarity far exceeded that of the Illusionary Hidden Flower, and it was extremely sensitive. Once it detected killing intent, it would instantly flee into the depths of the forest, making it even harder to approach it again.
Thinking of this, Tang Chuan's lips slowly curled into a cold smile.
"But fortunately, my first Spirit Ability can do more than just Simulation of appearance. It can also perform spatial distortion, aura shielding, and Spirit disguise through Spiritual fluctuations, giving me a nearly perfect stealth ability. If I were to mimic a similar Spirit Beast, then approach the Emerald Swan's habitat, and then launch a surprise fatal blow…"
"In that case, the chances of success might be much higher than imagined."
At the same time, Noding Elementary Spirit Master Academy.
Grandmaster was reading in his room. Tang San had gone home, and he always felt an emptiness in his heart. Even this morning, when Tang San left, he was still debating whether to visit his home.
Just then.
"Thump, thump, thump."
A low knocking sound suddenly rang out, not heavy, but carrying a certain oppressive rhythm. Grandmaster's brow twitched slightly, then he put down his book and muttered to himself, "Little San has already gone back. At this time, who could it be?"
He slowly stood up, walked to the door, and said in a steady voice, "Please come in."
"Creak."
The door was gently pushed open, and a tall figure quietly appeared in the doorway.
The person was wearing a gray robe, their hood pulled low, concealing their entire face in shadow. Their build was robust, but their aura was extremely restrained.
[end of the chapter]