Douro Continent

Chapter 34 Soul Guidance Device, Moonlit Night on the Twenty-Four Bridges (Part 1)

"Teacher, the longer a soul beast cultivates, the stronger it becomes, and the better the effects of its soul rings. In what ways does this strength manifest itself?" Tang San asked.

A signature, unsightly smile appeared on the master's stiff face. "That's a very good question. The main difference between spirit rings produced by spirit beasts of different levels lies in the attribute bonuses and skill abilities they provide to the spirit master. For example, from a quantitative perspective, if your Blue Silver Grass spirit is going down the control-type weapon spirit master route, then if you obtain a ten-year spirit ring with compatible attributes, your control over the Blue Silver Grass will increase by ten. But if it's a hundred-year spirit ring, then your control over the Blue Silver Grass will increase by one hundred. And so on. Therefore, whenever possible, all spirit masters will strive to pursue a more powerful spirit."

Tang San asked doubtfully, "Doesn't that mean the more powerful a person is, the better the spirit ring they can get? Those nobles can simply use their family's power to hunt for stronger spirit rings for themselves."

The master's eyes gleamed with approval. "To think of this proves you've considered it carefully, but in reality, it's not that simple. Or rather, the additional requirements for spirit rings are extremely demanding."

"First, you must kill the spirit beast yourself to obtain its spirit ring. The spirit ring will only last for a very short time; it will lose its effect if it is not attached to you within one hour."

"Secondly, soul beasts are extremely proud creatures. No soul beast will allow itself to be captured. If it is severely injured by an enemy and they try to capture it, the soul beast will choose to self-destruct with its soul power and die. This eliminates the situation you described. Even if you hire someone to hunt a soul beast, if they don't kill it in the end, it will be very difficult to obtain a soul ring."

"Of course, none of this is absolute. How can human intelligence compare to that of spirit beasts? The best way to hunt spirit beasts is to go to their location in a group and deliver the final blow yourself, thus obtaining a spirit ring. Therefore, the nobles and powerful individuals you mentioned do indeed have a certain advantage in hunting spirit beasts."

"However, the fact that such a person can easily obtain spirit rings does not mean that he will become stronger than an ordinary spirit master. No one can be sure whether the spirit beast they encounter has the most suitable attributes for them. The level of the spirit beast is important, but whether the attributes are compatible is equally crucial. No matter how good the spirit ring is, if it is incompatible with your own spirit, it will not produce any good effect and will instead harm you. Most importantly, there are limits to how many spirit rings each spirit master can absorb at different stages."

"For example, you're currently only a level ten Soul Master. With your current Soul Power, you can only absorb the Soul Ring of a hundred-year-old Soul Beast at most. If you try to absorb a thousand-year-old Soul Ring, there will only be one outcome: your body won't be able to withstand it and you'll be destroyed by the Soul Ring's power. When absorbing a Soul Ring, no external force can help; you can only rely on yourself. Think about it: those who need help to hunt the Soul Beasts they need—how could their own strength possibly be resilient? They might even suffer a devastating blow from absorbing a Soul Ring that suits them and is within their controlled level. Tang San, you must remember, this world is fair. If you want to obtain something, you must make corresponding efforts. Taking shortcuts is what mediocre people do. The Martial Soul theory I've researched is simply to make this process easier for Soul Masters. To make them stronger while possessing equal strength. Do you understand?"

Tang San nodded seriously.

He was never one to take shortcuts; he believed that working hard step by step towards his goal was the most solid approach.

Instead of rushing out of the city, the master led Tang San and headed back into the city.

"Teacher, aren't we going to leave the city?"

The master said, "We need to prepare some things before we go hunting soul beasts, and we can't go on foot. Although four hundred miles is not too far, it's always better to hurry."

As the sun gradually rose in the east, the number of pedestrians in Notting City gradually increased. Today was also one of the few days that Tang San did not use the Purple Qi Eastward to cultivate the Purple Demon Eye.

The master's preparations were simple: he bought two leather bags specifically for holding drinking water, each capable of holding a full five liters of water. He also bought some cured meat, flatbread, and fruit, filling two large bags.

While Tang San could understand these things, the Grandmaster bought something else that Tang San couldn't comprehend, and it was also the item he bought the most.

Twenty pounds of white radishes. Tang San's current task is to carry them. Twenty pounds is nothing to him. Of course, it would be a problem if he had to walk four hundred miles.

Fortunately, after purchasing all these items, the master immediately hired a carriage in the city and gave the driver five silver soul coins.

The currency exchange rate in Douluo Continent is as follows: one gold soul coin equals ten silver soul coins, and one hundred bronze soul coins. One gold soul coin is enough for an average family of three to live on for several months. It's also equivalent to Tang San's income from working at Notting Academy for three years.

The Soul Master profession is considered the most prestigious on the continent, largely due to its high income. Even just advancing from Soul Warrior to Soul Master grants a monthly subsidy of one Gold Soul Coin. This is enough for an ordinary person to live on. Of course, this is just for basic living; luxury is out of the question.

When a Soul Master cultivates to a higher level, especially surpassing the Great Soul Master realm and entering the Soul Venerable realm, they can receive a direct noble title from the state upon registration with the Spirit Hall, becoming a baron, the lowest rank of noble. The higher the strength, the higher the noble title. Naturally, their income will also increase accordingly.

(End of this chapter)