Douluo Continent: From Blue Silver Grass to Nine-Leaf Sword Grass

Chapter 8 First Soul Ring

The next morning, after preparing the supplies needed for the Soul Hunting event, the two rented a carriage and headed to the Soul Hunting Forest.

One day later, at the entrance to the Soul Hunting Forest in Coconut Grove City.

The Soul Hunting Forest is not far from Coconut Grove City, about 400 miles away. It took the two of them a day and a night to reach the Soul Hunting Forest.

"Xiao Jiang, stick close to me when we enter the Soul Hunting Forest. Be prepared to stay there for a long time, since a suitable soul ring is hard to find," Director Li instructed Jiang Li.

Finding a soul ring is a long-term task for a soul master. The first two soul rings are relatively easy to find because they are of low age. However, it is different for high-level soul masters. High-level soul masters need to look for information at least one or two months in advance, or even longer, in order to find a suitable soul ring.

"Okay, I understand," Jiang Li said softly.

Jiang Li was well aware of the time it would take to hunt for a spirit ring, so he wasn't too upset. If he was lucky, he might find one in a day, but if he wasn't, he might have to wait several days.

After explaining the precautions to Jiang Li, Director Li took out a warrant and handed it to the guard at the gate. After the guard checked it and found that it was correct, he let the two of them enter the Soul Hunter Forest.

Since the two had already determined the soul beast they needed, they headed towards the area where the plant-type hundred-year-old soul beasts were located after entering the forest.

Plant-type spirit beasts love water, so the two of them just needed to head straight for a water source.

"What a pity. This Azure Vine is over five hundred years old. When I came last time, it was only four hundred years old. I wonder what opportunity it had to improve so much in such a short time. Otherwise, it would have been a perfect first soul ring for you."

The two stopped a few dozen meters away from the azure vine. Director Li looked at the bamboo in front of him and couldn't help but shake his head.

Before them stood a massive, green vine, its tendrils spreading out and covering the dense foliage. The vine was as thick as a dragon, covered with intricate patterns, and each leaf was etched with wondrous and complex designs, emanating a faint green aura and an immense life force.

It was none other than the Azure Vine that Jiang Li needed.

Normally, every meter a Celestial Vine grows represents a hundred years of cultivation. After a thousand years, its color will deepen, and it will return to a length of one meter. At that point, every meter it grows will represent a thousand years of cultivation.

Determining the age of a vine is quite simple; just look at its length and the patterns on its roots. A vine that's a hundred years old has yellow patterns. The vine in front of us is over five meters long, and the patterns on its roots are five and a half, with the sixth pattern almost complete. This means that the vine in front of us is at least 570 or 580 years old, or even close to 600 years old.

As for why it was only four hundred years when Director Li came before, but now it's close to six hundred years, we'll have to ask the skeletons next to the Azure Vine. Jiang Li thinks it's because the passing soul beasts triggered the Azure Vine's instinct as a plant-type soul beast, and it absorbed the bones as nutrients.

However, Jiang Li had no intention of explaining to Director Li.

He said deceivingly, "No need, Director Li, this one is fine. Do you remember what I told you? The absorption age of spirit rings below ten thousand years is related to the physical strength of the spirit master. Different spirit masters have different ages for absorbing spirit rings, different physical qualities, and different compatibility of spirit rings. A four-hundred-year spirit ring is the limit for others, not for me."

Director Li nodded and said, "That's true, but just to be on the safe side, let me test your physical strength." As he spoke, he touched Jiang Li's entire body with his hands.

After touching him, Director Li nodded. It was indeed as Jiang Li had said; Jiang Li's physical fitness was very strong, comparable to his own when he was a Great Soul Master.

"Your physical abilities are just as strong as mine when I was a Great Soul Master, or even stronger," Director Li commented. Then, with a serious expression, he said, "Are you really sure you want to absorb this Soul Ring? You should know that once a Soul Ring is absorbed, it cannot be interrupted unless you are a Title Douluo."

"Don't worry, I'm confident," Jiang Li patted his chest and assured him.

Jiang Li spoke with confidence. He hadn't slacked off on Tai Chi for the past two years, and his physical abilities, combined with Tai Chi and soul power, had now reached the level of a Great Soul Master. He was certainly qualified to absorb a very suitable Azure Vine.

"Alright, then you stay here and wait for me to call you. I'll be right back." Hearing Jiang Li's assurance, Director Li told Jiang Li to wait where he was while he went to torture Tian Qing Teng.

As Director Li approached the Azure Vine, the previously quiet Azure Vine suddenly began to stir.

Swish!Swish!Swish!

Just as Director Li was about seven or eight meters away from the Azure Vine, the Azure Vine twitched rapidly, and the vine made a sonic boom when it touched the air.

However, this was child's play for Director Li. If it were a Soul Master, it might be impossible, but Director Li was a Soul Sect Master. He summoned his Martial Soul and easily subdued the Azure Vine.

"Xiao Jiang, come here quickly, or it will die." After beating the Azure Vine to the point of near death, Director Li immediately called Jiang Li over.

Jiang Li went over immediately upon hearing Director Li's invitation.

It has to be said that Director Li was quite prudent in his actions. It is quite difficult to severely injure a plant-type soul beast like the Azure Vine, which has strong vitality, without killing it, but Director Li managed to do it.

"It seems we still can't underestimate the heroes of the world," Jiang Li thought to himself.

Because of his slight understanding of the original work, Jiang Li didn't think Douluo Continent was that powerful. However, the more he learned about the situation on the continent, the more alarmed he became. This was a real cultivation world where people could die if things went wrong. Seeing the scene before him, he felt that the things in the original work were absurd. Now that he thought about it, it was possible that the gods had put something on them.

But that's not his concern now. He's not even good enough to fill someone's teeth right now; he needs to absorb spirit rings.

I'm currently reading the error-free version! This is the first time I've published this novel.

After finding the roots of the Azure Vine, Jiang Li took out an iron sword from his backpack and killed the Azure Vine. He had bought it before setting off, which cost him one silver soul coin.

Faint yellow light gathered above the remaining roots of the azure vine, forming a yellow halo. Jiang Li sat down cross-legged beside the yellow halo.

Director Li sighed, glanced at the spirit ring, and then looked at Jiang Li with a hint of worry, reminding him, "But then again, do you really want to absorb this five-hundred-year-old Azure Vine? You know, from ancient times to the present, no one has ever had a first spirit ring that is more than five hundred years old; the most they've ever had is a little over four hundred years."

"I trust my judgment. Then, Director Li, I'll leave the matter of protecting the Dharma to you."

Jiang Li naturally wouldn't reveal the secrets of Tai Chi, nor would he discuss the theory of meridians. This was his confidence and assurance. Theory could be learned, but this wouldn't work. With that, he closed his eyes and focused on refining his soul ring.

Guided by the soul power, the soul ring slowly adhered to the sky above Jiang Li.

Because his own martial soul is Blue Silver Grass, which is a plant-type martial soul, and Azure Vine is also a plant-type soul beast with strong vitality and gentle soul power, he absorbed the Azure Vine very smoothly. At most, his soul power was saturated when he finished absorbing it.

In other words, this century-old azure vine was approaching the limit of his body's endurance.

Of course, this only applies to plant-type soul beasts.

If, as Yu Xiaogang wrote in his Ten Core Competencies for Martial Souls, plant-type martial souls absorb animal-type spirit rings, and he were to have his Blue Silver Grass martial soul absorb spirit rings that are unrelated to plants or even have incompatible attributes, such as poisonous snakes or spiders, then it would basically be useless.

(End of this chapter)