Douluo Continent: A Thousand Miles of Cultivation

Chapter 12 The First Soul Ring

After a while, Qian Shui finished absorbing the energy, opened his eyes, sat up, and reached out to stroke the dead Netherworld Cat, feeling somewhat sad.

This was the first tangible life he had personally dealt with, besides mosquitoes, flies, and ants, and it was a cat, which he was still finding it hard to accept emotionally. He did so out of reverence for life and gratitude for the spirit ring it had contributed.

Bibi Dong no longer felt that way. Having killed countless people in the Killing City, the weight of life to her now was nothing more than the momentary stagnation of a knife piercing her throat.

"What soul skill did you acquire?"

"First Soul Skill, Netherworld Possession!" Rather than saying it, let's put it into practice.

A faint purple light enveloped Qian Shui, and he tried running. After circling Bibi Dong once, he stopped: "I feel my speed has increased by about 20%, and my aura seems to have also subsided a bit. It's an amplification-type soul skill, not bad."

Conversations with intelligent people don't require much explanation. Bibi Dong immediately understood Qian Shui's meaning, without explaining why she had him absorb a spirit ring that was around 800 years old. She believed Qian Shui should know about the age limit of spirit rings, but he didn't ask any questions and immediately began absorbing the spirit ring.

Bibi Dong couldn't tell whether this was out of trust or whether Qian Shui also knew the conditions for absorbing a spirit ring beyond his level. If it was the former, then he was too naive; but if it was the latter, then his behavior before awakening his martial spirit was very intriguing. How young must he have been to understand these things?

"It's not just okay, it's excellent! Qian Shui, don't you know about the lifespan of a spirit ring absorption?"

"Teacher, you're not going to tell me the same old thing—don't trust anyone, are you?"

"Uh~"

To be honest, Qian Shui is quite adept at roasting people; he understood Bibi Dong's meaning and guessed it the moment he saw the Netherworld Cat. His first instinct was that it was a cliché plot, and after a long time without his usual outburst, he unconsciously started typing again.

Anyway, Bibi Dong was speechless.

"Although theoretically the limit for the first ring is around 400 years, this is just the surface. People always have preconceived notions that a certain level can absorb a soul ring of a certain age, because this is the best answer obtained through countless deaths and trials over millions of years. But this is turning the result into the cause!"

But to use an imperfect analogy, imagine someone possesses the strength of a titled master, but he doesn't have any spirit rings! Could he absorb a 100,000-year spirit ring in the first ring?

Surely that's possible! Just like you! That's how someone with twin martial souls should do it!

Conversely, if someone absorbs a soul ring beyond their level without the corresponding cultivation level, the result will naturally be death from body explosion!

So you are very clear about this, and therefore we trust you!

Therefore, absorbing spirit rings from higher levels isn't impossible, but certain conditions must be met, such as physical and mental strength, or soul strength, etc. And coincidentally, I should meet all of these, given the nature of my martial soul and my physical abilities far exceeding those of my peers. An 800-year spirit ring shouldn't be difficult for me. Therefore, I trust myself!

'What a genius!' Bibi Dong exclaimed in admiration. Could someone really deduce something so profound based on theory alone? She herself couldn't do it. At least, before she had mastered the cultivation of her twin martial souls, she wouldn't have dared to make such a guess.

"You can cultivate in this area from now on. This is the outer edge of the Star Dou Great Forest. As long as you don't go too deep, there won't be much danger."

He turned to leave as he spoke.

Bibi Dong's plan was simple: to leave Qian Shui on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest. This was also the reason she planned to come to the Star Dou Great Forest!

Having not gone completely mad, Bibi Dong, who retained a degree of humanity, did not want Qian Shui to continue serving the Qian family. She had a good impression of him and did not want to kill him. Therefore, there was only one option: to drive him away!

Fortunately, he still possesses the martial soul of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. As long as Qian Shui finds a way out of the Star Dou Great Forest, he can return to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and his future development will be assured.

The reason it can't be anywhere else, or be sent directly back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.

Firstly, the Spirit Hall has many spies, so I need to distance myself from it. I only said that it was for him to gain experience, but I didn't expect him to run away. In the end, it will become a fait accompli, but I will be punished.

Secondly, they can't stay near Wuhun City, to avoid Qian Shui running directly back to Wuhun City—literally running away.

Thirdly, she wanted to instill despair in Qian Shui! Her indifference towards him, as the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall, casually abandoning him in the Star Dou Great Forest without even assigning him protection, would cause him to develop aversion to the Spirit Hall. He would then lose all desire to return to Spirit City and instead turn to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, where the benefits were greatest!

Bibi Dong believed her plan was perfect, killing three birds with one stone! But...

"Really! Wow, as expected of you, teacher! Training alone in the outside world! The loneliness tested your willpower, as well as your survival skills and sense of danger!"

Qian Shui was extremely excited, and he had three reasons for it!

Firstly, this is a classic fantasy storyline!

Secondly, he genuinely enjoys watching survival shows; figures like Ed Stafford and Bear Grylls are practically invincible! His absolute favorite is Matt Damon, who can run 100 kilometers a day in just a pair of flip-flops! You could say his daily running habit is influenced by this!

"Just kidding! Running 80 kilometers every day out of interest! Created a super marathon runner! A truly amazing skill! This thing is incredibly useful in the early stages of a long-distance race!"

Thirdly, he's free! Living next to the Elder Hall is very oppressive; with a bunch of top-tier experts living nearby, you have to be careful even to urinate. And without Qian Renxue bothering him with all sorts of things, he has more time to study cultivation!

Moreover, Qian Shui has too many topics to study. His cultivation path has only just begun. Even if the novels in his previous life were all true, they did not provide hands-on instruction. It was like the blind men and the elephant, so there was no established system to refer to.

Some descriptions are only vague; all cultivation theories and applications must be learned through trial and error. Take magic, for example. Others in the Qi Refining stage can fly on swords! Can Qian Shui do that? Nobody taught him how to fly on a sword!

Some simply understand that this is achievable at this stage, that the established logic holds true, and that avoiding starting from scratch saves them countless trial-and-error costs. Frankly, they've already saved a lot of effort, so there's nothing to complain about.

Bibi Dong was completely taken aback by Qian Shui's response, and her steps faltered. She thought that at most, silence would be golden, or at worst, she would ask why; she even imagined a scene of crying and making a scene!

But Qian Shui didn't do as she wished! Feeling a bit short of breath, Bibi Dong simply gave up thinking and said, "Whatever, go ahead if you like it!"

Without saying a word, he unfurled his six purple wings and flew away.

……

"I must say, Bibi Dong's external soul bone is quite beautiful! And very cool!" Bibi Dong was gone, and the habit of calling out his teacher's name from behind his back from his past life came back. Holding a dagger in one hand and rubbing his chin with the other, he sighed at Bibi Dong's external soul bone.

The Chinese don't have the habit of eating cats. After returning the corpse of the Netherworld Cat to its original state, he began his first wilderness expedition.

In my past life, there was no way to organize such activities; besides, as a homebody, I lacked physical strength and was terrified.

This life is great! He now feels like he has the physical abilities of a peak-level ordinary human from his previous life, and he has also cultivated and has special abilities!

So when Bibi Dong said she was going to leave him behind and run away, Qian Shui was really excited, but thinking back on it, it seemed to have a deeper meaning.

"Sigh, it would be better if this little bit of kindness wasn't all there was. After all, she's a beauty, why be so vicious? Forget about her. Don't advise others to be kind if you haven't experienced their suffering. If I were her, I might not have done any better. I might have just committed suicide in despair. The fact that she had the courage to survive and even achieve godhood is already incredibly impressive."

Qian Shui walked along, his head bowed, observing his surroundings. This was the habitat of the Netherworld Cats, a place of extreme gloom. Towering canopies blocked out the sun, each vying for the meager ray of light overhead.

The bottom of this primeval forest is perpetually blocked from direct sunlight, and the ground is covered with tangled roots and leaves, as well as a thick layer of dead leaves.

It was also very damp, with moss everywhere on the tree trunks and dead wood, in green, yellow, red, and even blue and purple colors!

"The three principles of survival: water, fire, and food!" Qian Shui kept recalling the various survival shows he had watched back then.

Having figured out the necessary conditions for survival, Qian Shui began to search for a water source, a flowing water source, so that he wouldn't die of thirst before finding food!

Chapter 13 Survival in the Wilderness

Fortunately, Qian Shui had enough strength and stamina, and after about half a day's journey from the starting point, he found a stream. The only downside was that he had vomited when Bibi Dong brought him here, so his stomach was empty now.

Along the way, he continued to collect useful items, such as relatively dry fuel for starting a fire, which he stuffed inside his clothes to keep it dry and prevent moisture from seeping out. He also collected some appropriately shaped branches.

It was already afternoon when he and Bibi Dong arrived at the Star Dou Great Forest. He absorbed the spirit ring quickly, but it still took a long time. By the time he reached the stream, it was already getting dark.

Qian Shui was clearly inexperienced, but he was also aware of this. The uncertainty of time made him particularly attentive to the ambient light. Because this was before the industrial society, even in Wuhun City, things like the City That Never Sleeps, which were commonplace in his previous life, wouldn't exist.

As soon as night falls, it becomes completely dark!

Therefore, Qian Shui had to start a fire before sunset, otherwise he would be completely swallowed up by the darkness of the Star Dou Great Forest tonight, and be in a completely unknown environment.

This is something Qian Shui, who is always cautious, absolutely does not want to face! The unknown equals the uncontrollable!

So he had to start a fire as quickly as possible and build a shelter to get through this first and most dangerous night!

“A dry, short, round stick, plus a dry piece of wood, cut slits in the wood, and make several marks where the surface meets the slits to form a hole.”

Qianshui knew the principle of starting a fire by friction, but he had never tried it himself, so he could only imitate the methods of those masters he remembered.

There are many ways to start a fire by rubbing sticks together. The most direct way is to rub them together by hand. This method is the simplest, but it's not clever at all!

“It’s impossible to rub it by hand.” So Qianshui used a slightly bent twig and strips of cloth torn from her clothes to make a short bow for easy work.

Then I found a piece of wood about the size of my palm and placed it on top of the short stick being used for friction, to serve as a friction pad.

"I hope there won't be any problems!" Qian Shui began his first attempt at starting a fire by rubbing sticks together, a feat he had never accomplished in either his past or present life!

He planted his feet on the wooden plank he had carved with a dagger, his left hand supporting the friction plate, and his right hand pulling the small bow back and forth. The buzzing sound of the friction was like sawing wood, and by then, the sunset was no longer visible; the sun was about to disappear completely below the horizon!

Fortunately, Qian Shui was lucky. Having transmigrated to Douluo Continent, this was the first time he'd felt a slight soreness in his arm. But the final result was good; he obtained the carbon sparks generated by frictional heat.

Ignoring the sweat pouring down his face, Qian Shui quickly poured the embers onto the crumpled tinder, held the tinder above his head, and gently blew on it.

This scene is exactly like worshipping a great god; it's like worshipping fire and water.

As the white smoke gradually dissipated, flames rose up!

Finally! Qian Shui ignited that spark!

They quickly set up small branches, tore off excess and useless strips of cloth from their clothes, and placed large logs on top to enlarge the fire.

"Ahhh! This is really tough! I don't dare to breathe!" Maintaining her kneeling position, Qian Shui couldn't help but fall backward, completely disregarding her image.

Feeling the warmth and joy brought by the flames, Qian Shui began to understand what the early stages of human evolution were like! The brain and hands brought everything; there were no gods or emperors!

"I need a lighter, I absolutely need a lighter!..."

Qian Shui muttered complaints under his breath as he added firewood and silently spread out a dry area with withered grass and leaves.

Qian Shui would definitely not sleep that night; besides, he could use cultivation as a substitute. He needed to keep the fire burning, and he dared not lose consciousness. After all, this was the Star Dou Great Forest!

Before long, Qian Shui sat down in front of the fire and finally breathed a sigh of relief. Holding the dagger given to her by Bibi Dong, she watched the fire burn and began to summarize what she had gained that day.

"The Netherworld Spirit Cat~ The inherited martial soul of the Zhu family of Xingluo. Zhu Zhuqing shouldn't have been born yet! In a typical novel, could this be the starting point of their destiny?" Don't jump to conclusions!

Qian Shui carefully sensed the soul skill, from its release to its activation and dissipation. He roughly understood what it was!

"This is a way of using the soul power of a soul beast, which is engraved on the external form of a soul ring formed upon death, and then absorbed by the soul master."

Soul Masters can break the shackles on their Martial Soul by using Soul Rings, thus allowing them to continue cultivating.

Furthermore, spirit rings also impart some characteristics of spirit beasts, giving the martial spirit those characteristics as well.

Silently analyzing the rules of martial soul and soul rings, Qian Shui finally understood the process, and things would be easier from now on.

"It's just a way of using soul power, why bother with soul rings? I can just run it myself, can't I?"

It sounds simple, but it's difficult in practice. Specific ways of using soul power are skills created by specific soul beasts over many years. Soul skills are essentially borrowed and used immediately.

This is an advantage, but the disadvantages are also obvious. After all, it is an external force, and to put it bluntly, it has plundered the cultivation of the soul beast over many years.

This doesn't belong to me, and I can't fully control it. I can only rely on spirit rings to unleash skills. How can I forge my own path and achieve greater success?

The three peerless masters of this era are the best examples. Qian Daoliu and Poseidon could only reach level 99 through divine examination.

Tang Chen, on the other hand, relied solely on developing the way to use the Clear Sky Hammer and strengthening himself with skills other than his Soul Rings, ultimately going the furthest.

Qian Daoliu and Poseidon were stuck at level 99, unable to advance an inch! Admittedly, this was due to the limitations imposed by their duties as Grand Elders, but ultimately it reflected a narrow perspective.

……

Throughout the night, Qian Shui continuously used his soul skills to understand the operating logic of the Netherworld Possession and to restore his soul power.

"Damn it, this thing isn't an ability that the body uses by following some kind of operating logic; it's emitted directly by the spirit ring and then acts on the body! But what about offensive skills?"