Battle Through the Heavens: Xiao Yan, who was kidnapped to another world

“I’m telling you, your teacher is a complete idiot, and you…” Long Gong looked at Tang San with a hint of regret in his eyes, “If you keep doing what your teacher taught you and keep absorbing the spirit rings of beast-type spirit beasts, your life is over.”

"...What are your thoughts, senior?"

Although he was clearly unconvinced, Tang San suppressed his anger when facing the Dragon Lord who was speaking, and asked calmly.

"What's the difference between plant-based martial souls and other weapon-based martial souls?" Without waiting for Tang San's answer, Long Gong answered on his own, "Plant-based martial souls have a real reference point among soul beasts."

"Take the Soul-Devouring Spider as an example. A Soul-Devouring Spider that is 100,000 years old is also known as the Soul-Devouring Spider Emperor. By analogy, a Blue Silver Grass that is 100,000 years old might be called the Blue Silver Emperor, and a Lonely Bamboo that is 100,000 years old might be called the Lonely Bamboo Emperor..."

"However, no matter how they change, they retain their most basic attributes. The Devouring Spider King's devouring ability is the best example," Long Gong continued. "And the most basic attribute of plants is vitality. Even if the soul ring of a beast-type soul beast doesn't bring much improvement, it will definitely have some impact on the basic attributes of plant martial souls."

"Your first spirit ring is the Mandragora Serpent? Then your Blue Silver Grass must have acquired a poison attribute now, right?"

"So what if it is?" Tang San remained defiant.

"Whether you change your mind or not is irrelevant," Long Gong didn't want to persuade him any further. "If your spirit inherits the ability to devour energy from the spirit beast of your chosen third spirit ring, you'd better report it to the Spirit Hall."

After speaking, Long Gong closed his eyes. If he hadn't thought that this Tang San was Yan Xiao's classmate, and that the girl who was close to this man was a bit unfathomable, he wouldn't have said so much.

"Report it?" Tang San frowned and subconsciously looked at Dai Mubai.

"Don't look at me, I don't know." The ignorant Dai Mubai spread his hands dismissively, indicating that he knew nothing.

“The ability to absorb energy can easily be mistaken for that of a fallen soul master,” Ning Rongrong explained to the group this time. “Several soul masters were once identified as fallen soul masters because they did not report in time and were taken away by the Spirit Hall’s enforcement team. They have never been seen since.”

"Disregarding human life is truly hateful!"

Before Dai Mubai, the prince of the Star Luo Empire, could say a few bad things about the Spirit Hall and damage its image in everyone's eyes, Tang San angrily spoke up.

……ah?

For a moment, Xiao Yan began to doubt Tang San's thought process. Considering what had happened a few days prior, Xiao Yan figured Tang San had probably been brainwashed by some nobleman. At the same time, he also suspected that Tang San genuinely knew absolutely nothing about the workings of a Soul Master.

The definition of a Fallen Soul Master is someone who slaughters humans or cultivates by consuming flesh and energy through devouring abilities. Such Soul Masters pose little threat to nobles, since nobles already have Soul Masters to guard their homes. Therefore, these Soul Masters mostly target commoners.

A Soul Master from a commoner background looks down on the Spirit Hall, which arrests Soul Masters suspected of devouring others in order to ensure the safety of ordinary people...

Perhaps this is why an organization exists on this continent that spans two great empires but doesn't belong to either.

Before today, Xiao Yan had never understood how an organization that possessed 'nuclear weapons' could span two great empires and have its own exclusive buildings in every city. But after seeing Tang San, Xiao Yan suddenly felt that he understood: there must be an organization to protect civilians, right?

As dusk settled, the air in the Star Dou Great Forest became humid, and the rich fragrance of plants was refreshing. If it weren't for the presence of soul beasts, this place might truly be a paradise on earth.

It was at this moment that Meng Yiran and Oscar, who had absorbed the spirit ring, woke up one after the other.

With a long breath, Oscar slowly opened his eyes. In an instant, the light around him turned into a beautiful pink, and he was bathed in this pink light.

"Congratulations, Oscar!" Zhao Wuji smiled at Oscar.

"congratulations!"

Seeing Oscar, who had grown several centimeters taller after absorbing his third spirit ring, Xiao Yan looked slightly annoyed. While complaining about how the inhabitants of Douluo Continent had a hormone-like effect when absorbing spirit rings, he offered his blessings.

"Tell me, what is the effect of your third soul skill?"

Just as he couldn't see the three of them, including Long Gong, not far away, Dai Mubai, who had squeezed next to Oscar, laughed heartily.

"Yes..." Oscar didn't notice and subconsciously wanted to say it.

"Of course it's a speed boost, need I say more?" Xiao Yan patted Oscar on the shoulder in time, signaling the still-dazed Oscar to be mindful of the presence of outsiders. "How many can you make at most in one go?"

"Huh? Oh, oh..." Oscar responded awkwardly, noticing the strangers. "Uh, with my soul power, I can only make eight at a time right now, which can be stored for twelve hours."

"How long?"

Tang San frowned slightly at the sight of eight at once, but the number was within his expectations. The key issue was what followed.

"Three minutes later, the speed boost is over 100%!"

The actual effect is to fly at the speed of a Golden Gale Eagle for three minutes, during which time it can also consume the user's soul power and release a wind blade with power equivalent to the user's level. However, since there are strangers present, Oscar, who cannot say this directly, can only choose to increase the speed bonus to the maximum.

"One hundred percent acceleration for three minutes?" Zhao Wuji nodded. "A very good soul skill."

"My wife said before that your students are all geniuses, Brother Zhao, and I didn't quite believe it," Long Gong said as he walked over after learning about Meng Yiran's soul skills, "but now I have to believe it!"

"Not at all..." Zhao Wuji replied somewhat awkwardly, looking at the beaming Long Gong.

"Next up is the spirit ring of this student whose spirit is Blue Silver Grass, right?" Long Gong, who already regarded the students present as the core of his family, looked at Tang San. "When I came here before, I remembered there was a nest of Human-Faced Demon Spiders nearby. Shall we go take a look?"

"Then I'll have to trouble you, senior." Tang San bowed and said respectfully.

After concealing the traces, the group followed the Dragon Lord's guidance and headed towards the nearest lair of the human-faced demon spider.

With a Soul Douluo, a Soul Saint, and a Soul Emperor present, the human-faced spiders in that nest had no chance of escape and were even subdued by Dragon Duke in a single encounter.

"Come on, the soul beast you wanted." Long Ping looked at Tang San calmly.

“Yes…” Tang San licked his lips and took out a short sword from his soul tool.

"No, we can't absorb the soul ring from this human-faced demon spider!"

In the next moment, Xiao Wu overcame her fear of Soul Douluo and stood in front of Tang San.

"why?"

Everyone stared at Xiao Wu's actions in astonishment.

“This human-faced demon spider is over two thousand years old. Master said that the limit of the third spirit ring is over seventeen hundred and sixty years, right?” Xiao Wu looked at Tang San with a determined expression.

"More than two thousand years?" Tang San looked at the motionless human-faced demon spider controlled by the Dragon Lord. "Xiao Wu, how did you know?"

Because the number of human-faced demon spiders is extremely rare, even Tang San's teacher, Yu Xiaogang, could not determine the age of the human-faced demon spider. Therefore, Tang San's first reaction after hearing Xiao Wu's words was that he was puzzled.

"It's that picture book with the Golden Gale Eagle!" Xiao Wu used the same excuse she had used before without even thinking.

"The age of the Human-Faced Demon Spider can be judged by the length of its legs," Xiao Wu continued, as if worried that Tang San might not believe her. "This Human-Faced Demon Spider's legs are clearly over three meters long, which is a sign that it is over two thousand years old!"

Upon hearing Xiao Wu's words, everyone's gaze turned to the long legs of the human-faced demon spider—indeed, they were clearly over three meters long, even approaching three and a half meters.

"The legs of a thousand-year-old human-faced demon spider are two meters long. After that, they will increase by one meter every thousand years until they reach ten thousand years, at which point their leg length will stop changing."

Is that right?

Apart from Xiao Wu, the eleven others looked at each other in bewilderment, as they truly had no knowledge of how to determine the age of a soul beast like the Human-Faced Demon Spider.

"...Alright," Tang San finally made the decision, "Let's go find other spirit beasts!"

"Then this human-faced demon spider..."

"Kill it. Such beings that only devour life are unnecessary," Tang San calmly answered Long Gong's question.

"Weren't you the one who said we should protect soul beasts and not kill them indiscriminately?"

Hearing Tang San's words, the Shrek Academy students, who had previously stopped Dai Mubai from killing the spirit beasts blocking his path, were speechless.

Dragon Lord had no objection to this. With a casual tap of his dragon-headed cane, the human-faced demon spider fell silent, and a purple soul ring slowly rose up.

"Let's go."

After confirming that the human-faced spider had no fluctuations of soul power, meaning it did not possess a soul bone, Long Gong led the group to continue their journey through the forest.

Perhaps the human-faced demon spider had exhausted their luck, because for two whole days they still came up empty-handed. Not to mention the soul beasts that Tang San had specifically requested, they hadn't even encountered many other soul beasts of suitable age.

This bad luck actually alerted Zhao Wuji and the Long couple, causing them to gradually move their area of ​​operation outwards.

If they encounter an overly powerful soul beast that comes out to hunt, even with the three of them, they cannot guarantee the safety of the nine Soul Venerables and Great Soul Masters.

Chapter 45 Titan Ape

Night has fallen, and it's time to rest.

It is not suitable to light a fire in the Star Dou Great Forest. After all, flames can only drive away some weak soul beasts. For some powerful soul beasts, flames are actually very attractive to them.

Without the need for three adults to direct them, the boys began setting up tents, while the girls started preparing dry rations and other food to eat later.

After a simple dinner, the boys and girls returned to their tents to rest, while the three adults took turns keeping watch.

Midway through, Zhao Wuji also called Tang San aside for a private talk.

'That monkey is coming; it should be nearby in about ten minutes.'

Xiao Yan, who was lying in the tent, suddenly heard Yao Lao's voice.

'That monkey' refers to the only 100,000-year-old soul beast that Xiao Yan encountered during his two years in the Star Dou Great Forest. According to records, its name should be Titan Giant Ape, one of the few soul beasts at the top of the pyramid.

'You're here to see Xiaowu, right?'

'Perhaps, but this is the best opportunity if I want to test the spirit ring storage device.'

Xiao Yan wasn't particularly alarmed by the arrival of the Titan Giant Ape. Besides his own spiritual power, he suspected that the Soft Bone Rabbit's hometown was the Star Dou Great Forest, and that the Titan Giant Ape had come to reminisce with her.

However, Yao Lao's words made Xiao Yan fall silent for a moment.

'Okay, I'll leave the team for a while to do some testing.'

Since it concerned whether Xiao Yan could recreate his glory as an alchemist on the Douluo Continent in the next five years, he quickly made a decision.

"Everyone get out of the tents, quick!"

After silently counting to five hundred and fifty-odd seconds, Long Gong's deliberately lowered voice reached Xiao Yan's ears.

Xiao Yan nudged Oscar, who was startled awake, and patted Ma Hongjun, who was still dazed, on the shoulder. He then walked out of the tent first, followed by Dai Mubai, who hadn't fallen asleep at all.

"Senior, what happened?" Zhao Wuji, who was with Tang San beside him, looked at Long Gong with a solemn expression.

"Have your students stand at the back. If anything happens, try to lead Yiran and your students to escape first." Holding the dragon-headed cane, Long Gong stared at a certain spot in the woods, not answering Zhao Wuji's question, but instead giving instructions as if he were entrusting his last wishes.

"Old woman, get ready."

After speaking, the Dragon King summoned the Snake Woman to his side.

Just as Long Gong was speaking as if making his final arrangements, Xiao Yan noticed that the Titan Giant Ape suddenly quickened its pace, as if worried that the people here had left.

"Grandpa..." Meng Yiran wanted to say something.

However, he swallowed back all his words in shock at what he saw—

In the direction that Dragon Lord was looking, two tall trees suddenly parted to the sides, and a huge figure suddenly leaped out, its ferocious face staring directly at Dragon Lord.

Upon seeing this enormous creature, everyone seemed to hold their breath, and they finally understood what Lord Long was wary of.

It was a mountain-like creature, its jet-black fur shimmering faintly in the dim starlight and moonlight. Although it was on all fours, its shoulders were definitely over seven meters high.

"It's actually the king of the forest, the Titan Ape!"

Xiao Yan wasn't surprised by Tang San's exclamation. After all, aside from the fact that Tang San seemed to have been brainwashed by the nobility, he knew quite a lot about spirit beasts. It would be strange if he didn't know such a symbolic spirit beast of the Star Dou Great Forest.