Chapter 40: Yu Xiaogang's Fear of Death and Cowardice
[During the period when Yu Xiaogang's group entered the Thunder Forest to search for Spirit Beasts, they did not encounter any trouble that was too difficult to handle.]
[After all, to be valued by Yu Xiaogang, who came from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, this Soul Hunting Squad was not ordinary itself.]
[After searching for a while in the forest, Yu Xiaogang's group encountered another Soul Hunting Squad.]
[A thin and weak Spirit Master was sitting cross-legged in front of the corpse of a Dire Wolf. Looking at his appearance, he was clearly absorbing a spirit ring.]
[The captains of the two Soul Hunting Squads stepped forward to greet each other. Since they both did soul hunting business here in the Thunder Forest, they naturally knew each other.]
[While the two Soul Hunting Squads were conversing, Yu Xiaogang looked curiously at the Spirit Master who was absorbing the spirit ring.]
[Having never left the Sect before, this was the first time he had seen a Spirit Master absorbing a spirit ring.]
["...And just like that, we killed this wolf."]
["We originally planned to just leave, but then that guy stepped up and said he wanted to absorb this wolf's spirit ring."]
["We advised him not to do it at the time. That wolf's age was close to four hundred years, definitely exceeding the limit of what he could absorb."]
["But the guy wouldn't listen and insisted on absorbing it. We had no choice but to let him try."]
[The conversation between the two captains reached Yu Xiaogang's ears.]
[He raised an eyebrow and glanced at the Spirit Master who was absorbing the spirit ring.]
[Washed-out clothes with patches—clearly a commoner background. Combined with a weak body, yet he was attempting to absorb a spirit ring nearly four hundred years old.]
["Overestimating himself!"]
[Yu Xiaogang looked at that Spirit Master with contempt, a mocking sneer curling his lips.]
[A four-hundred-year first spirit ring is not something just anyone can absorb!]
[It would only be appropriate for someone like himself, with a body tempered through long-term training, to absorb it.]
[The outcome did not exceed everyone's expectations. Not long after, that commoner Spirit Master's body indeed began to fail because the age of the spirit ring was too high.]
[But once the absorption of a spirit ring begins, it must be carried through to the end unless a powerhouse intervenes to interrupt it.]
[The Soul Hunting Squad had heard that powerhouses capable of interrupting the spirit ring absorption process were at least at the level of a Spirit Saint or Spirit Douluo.]
[There were no powerhouses of that level among their group.]
[So, the crowd could only stand at a distance, quietly watching as the Spirit Master's face contorted in pain from being unable to withstand the spirit ring.]
[Soon, blood flowed from the Spirit Master's mouth, then his nostrils, then his skin.]
[In the end, the Spirit Master was dyed completely red with blood; the onlookers could no longer tell where his blood was even flowing from.]
[Finally, with a muffled thud, the Spirit Master spat out a large mouthful of blood and fell straight to the ground.]
["He failed."]
["Yeah, he failed."]
[The members of the Soul Hunting Squads watching shook their heads, their faces not even showing much of an expression.]
[They had seen far too many Spirit Masters from poor backgrounds who, wanting to stand out, chose spirit rings that exceeded their limits of endurance.]
[The result for these people was often like this: being burst by the spirit ring and falling at the very first step of becoming a Spirit Master.]
[When they first started in this business, they would still try to persuade those who overestimated themselves.]
[But many times, their persuasion would only be met with hostility from those people.]
[Therefore, having experienced it many times, they no longer had the heart for it.]
["Alright, we've rested enough. Let's continue searching for Spirit Beasts!"]
[The captain of the Soul Hunting Squad came to Yu Xiaogang's side, calling him to prepare to set out again.]
[It was only then that he noticed Yu Xiaogang's eyes were staring fixedly at the dead Spirit Master, his mouth agape in disbelief.]
["He... he... he's dead?"]
[Yu Xiaogang's voice stuttered slightly.]
["Of course. We've seen far too many overconfident fools like him."]
["They think they're some kind of lucky star on a whim, but in the end, these people die the fastest."]
[The Soul Hunting captain glanced disdainfully at the dead Spirit Master, then looked at Yu Xiaogang with a smile.]
["Of course, you are different, guest. You come from a great Family and have had good things to help temper your body since childhood."]
["According to our estimation, if it were you absorbing that four-hundred-year spirit ring, it would definitely be easy."]
[The Soul Hunting captain wasn't just talking nonsense; being in this line of work, they had basic experience.]
[They could make a rough judgment of how many years of a spirit ring someone's body could withstand just by checking them over.]
[Throughout the subsequent process of searching for the Thunder Fanged Pig, Yu Xiaogang remained in this state of being lost and dazed.]
[His mind constantly replayed the scene of that commoner Spirit Master covered in blood, finally dying from his body bursting.]
[He was thinking: what if he, like that Spirit Master, failed to withstand the spirit ring and ended up dying from his body bursting?]
[Then, wouldn't that mean his visions for the future—proving himself and slapping the faces of those who mocked him—would all fail to be realized?]
["No, I absolutely cannot die. Only by staying alive can I prove myself."]
[Yu Xiaogang kept muttering to himself in his heart.]
[After searching for two days in the Thunder Forest with no results, at noon on the third day, the Soul Hunting captain walking at the very front suddenly had his eyes light up.]
[He walked forward and inspected a pile of droppings on the ground ahead.]
["Found it!"]
[After poking at the still-fresh droppings, the Soul Hunting captain nodded to his teammates, and everyone immediately entered a combat state.]
[A moment later, everyone found the target of this trip, the Thunder Fanged Pig.]
[And there were two of them!]
[This Soul Hunting Squad truly lived up to being veterans. After a round of combat, the squad members suffered almost no losses and captured the two Thunder Fanged Pigs, placing them before Yu Xiaogang.]
["Guest, these are the Thunder Fanged Pigs you wanted. There are two here: one should be just at four hundred years, and one is just shy of three hundred years."]
["Which one do you plan to take?"]
[The Soul Hunting Squad captain still had that same smiling face.]
[One thousand gold coin were as good as his. This was practically the easiest business he had done in all his years in the industry.]
["I want this four..."]
[Yu Xiaogang was about to say he wanted the four-hundred-year Thunder Fanged Pig, but in his mind, the image of that commoner Spirit Master dying from his body bursting involuntarily surfaced.]
[The spirit ring that guy absorbed was only close to four hundred years and it still caused his body to burst. What about this one of his that exceeded four hundred years?]
[The Soul Hunting Squad captain at the side seemed to see Yu Xiaogang's fear and spoke up to remind him:]
["Guest, according to my suggestion, absorbing this four-hundred-year one might be a bit difficult for you, but you basically won't die from your body bursting like that commoner Spirit Master."]
["Your foundations are completely different, so there's no need to worry too much."]
[The Soul Hunting Squad captain's words were quite sincere.]
[However, when these words fell into Yu Xiaogang's ears, he only heard a few words.]
[Difficult, body bursting.]
[As a result, Yu Xiaogang no longer dared to look at that four-hundred-year Thunder Fanged Pig and instead pointed to the one that was just shy of three hundred years.]
["I choose this one!"]