Chapter 172: Switching to the Clear Sky Hammer
I have added this story to my Patreon. You can support me and read the 60 latest and advanced Chapters there. It also fed and motivate me to write more Chapters!
Link: Patreon.com/AVRKingsTL
—------------------—
Yu Xiaogang had never revealed the name of this Martial Soul to Tang San; he had merely instructed Tang San never to manifest it in the presence of outsiders, and—above all—never to attach any Soul Rings to it first.
But now... Tang San made a silent resolution in his heart: Teacher, please forgive your disciple for disobeying your instructions this one time!
He raised his head and looked at Liu Erlong, his gaze earnest: "Teacher’s Wife, I feel that my Blue Silver Grass is growing weaker and weaker. Relying solely on this Spirit, I simply cannot contend against other Spirit Masters."
"I want to find Master and Xiao Wu; I want to exact my revenge upon that man. I need to become stronger!"
"But I don’t want my future efforts to be wasted on a ’junk Spirit’ like the Blue Silver Grass!"
He spoke each word distinctly: "I want to switch my cultivation to the Clear Sky Hammer!"
He was not lying.
For his second Spirit Ring—drawing upon the experience gained from the first—Master had Flander take him to the Spirit Hunting Forest near Soto City, where they secured an 800-year-old Black Mamba for him.
When he activated this Spirit Skill, the Blue Silver Grass transformed into eerie, emerald-green poisonous threads that coiled around their target with the lightning speed of a striking Black Mamba. T
hose ensnared would find their movements slowed and their Spirit Power sluggish; combined with his own expertise in the use of poisons, this ability proved remarkably effective.
As for the third Spirit Ring...
A flicker of gloom crossed Tang San’s eyes.
Originally, according to Master’s plan, he was supposed to venture into the Star Dou Great Forest to seek out a wider range of options.
But then, that incident occurred in the small town.
Master and Xiao Wu were taken away.
He had tried to give chase, but no matter how hard he searched, he could not find them.
Upon returning to the academy, it was Flander himself who personally escorted Tang San and Oscar to the Spirit Hunting Forest near Soto City, where they helped him capture a 1,200-year-old Azure Nether Miasma Serpent.
The ability granted by this Spirit Ring was that, once the Blue Silver Grass bound an enemy, it would release a foul-smelling, grayish-white "miasma" that plunged the foe into a state of both poisoning and hallucination.
To be honest, Tang San felt that this ability suited him perfectly.
After all, he was a professional when it came to the use of poisons.
And yet...
He couldn’t shake the feeling that the Blue Silver Grass was becoming increasingly inadequate.
Were it not for the aid of his Mysterious Heaven Skill, he would be utterly incapable of holding his own against other Spirit Masters.
Meanwhile, those other Spirit Masters possessed Spirits that were inherently powerful—Spirits that granted them a natural, innate advantage.
He wanted to find Master; he wanted to find Xiao Wu; and he wanted to exact his vengeance upon the man named Jiang Bai.
But relying solely on the Blue Silver Grass, he knew he could never achieve that!
And so, the idea of switching his cultivation to his other Spirit began to take root in his mind!
Liu Erlong fell silent. She gazed at the young man standing before her—a youth whose eyes burned with an intense fire—and a complex mix of emotions welled up within her heart.
Persistence. Tenacity. Purpose. Determination.
This boy... he actually bore a striking resemblance to Xiao Gang in his younger days.
Yet, she did not agree immediately.
She pondered for a moment, then slowly began to speak: "Tang San, there are two primary prerequisites for the emergence of a Twin Spirit."
Tang San listened intently.
"First, the Spirits of both parents must never be identical. Second, the quality of their respective Spirits should be as closely matched as possible."
Liu Erlong looked at him, enunciating every word with precision: "In other words, if there is a significant disparity in the quality of the parents’ Spirits, it is simply impossible for a child to be born with a Twin Spirit."
"Your Clear Sky Hammer is a top-tier Spirit; of that, there is no doubt. Therefore, your Blue Silver Grass..."
She paused briefly. "...must not be ordinary Blue Silver Grass, either."
Upon hearing this, Tang San’s brows furrowed in confusion.
Not ordinary Blue Silver Grass? But even my teacher said... isn’t it just a useless Spirit?
He lifted his head, his gaze remaining steadfast: "Teacher’s Wife, I still wish to focus my cultivation on the Clear Sky Hammer!"
Liu Erlong looked at him and let out a soft sigh: "Have you truly thought this through?"
"Yes!"
Liu Erlong fell silent for a moment, then finally nodded: "So, you came to me because you want me to take you to acquire a Spirit Ring?"
Tang San dropped to one knee, cupped his fists in a respectful salute, and pleaded: "Please, Teacher’s Wife—grant me this request!"
Liu Erlong gazed down at him, offering no immediate reply.
If Xiao Gang were here right now, what would he do?
Would he support him? Or would he try to stop him?
She did not know.
A long moment passed.
She turned away, her gaze drifting toward the distant horizon.
"Very well."
Her voice was soft, yet imbued with unwavering resolve: "Tomorrow, I shall take you to the Star Dou Great Forest."
In Tang San’s eyes, a brilliant spark of joy suddenly ignited!
...
The following day.
The Star Dou Great Forest.
The Core Zone: The Lake of Life.
Sunlight pierced through the layers of swirling mist, casting its golden glow upon this mysterious lake.
The emerald-green waters shimmered with a faint, ethereal luminescence—like a magnificent jade gem embedded deep within the heart of the forest.
A solitary figure stood silently upon the lakeshore. He was a man who appeared to be around thirty years old, clad in a black robe.
His features were handsome yet stern, and etched between his brows was an air of arrogance—a haughty disdain for the entire world.
His eyes were as deep as abysses, as if harboring within them the weight of endless ages and the vicissitudes of time.
Di Tian.
A ripple appeared in the space behind him, and the figures of Jiang Bai and Jiang Li’er materialized out of thin air beside the lake.
Di Tian turned around, his gaze settling upon the pair.
His eyes lingered on Jiang Bai for a fleeting moment, a flicker of enigmatic light flashing within them.
This kid... his mastery of spatial abilities is growing more formidable by the day.
Then, his gaze shifted to Jiang Li’er; upon that stern face, a rare trace of tenderness emerged.
"Li’er, you’re back?"
Jiang Li’er smiled as she greeted him: "Uncle Di Tian!"
Her smile was as radiant as the morning sun—a sight that filled the beholder’s heart with joy.
With his hands clasped behind his back, Di Tian sensed Jiang Li’er’s aura; upon his stern face, a rare smile surfaced.
"Impressive. After being away for so long, it seems you’ve made significant progress."
He paused for a moment. "You’ve already reached Level 70."
Jiang Li’er nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Hehe, of course!"
She pressed her palms together, mimicking the gesture of a fly rubbing its forelegs, her eyes brimming with anticipation.
"Now, Uncle Di Tian, could you please help me arrange a Soul Beast?"
"I want a particularly powerful one! I won’t turn my nose up at one with seventy, eighty, or ninety thousand years of cultivation—but a hundred-thousand-year-old one would be even better!"
Watching her antics, Di Tian couldn’t help but chuckle.
He shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness:
"You mischievous girl—where on earth am I supposed to find you that many hundred-thousand-year-old Soul Beasts?"
Hundred-thousand-year-old Soul Beasts weren’t exactly cabbages you could just pick up anywhere.
Throughout the entire Star Dou Great Forest, the number of Soul Beasts capable of cultivating for a hundred thousand years could be counted on one’s fingers.
Each and every one was an existence standing at the very pinnacle of the Soul Beast world’s hierarchy—how could they simply be handed out on demand?
Di Tian pondered for a moment, then mused aloud, "The seventh Soul Ring—isn’t the corresponding Soul Skill simply the Martial Soul True Body?"
He turned his gaze toward Jiang Li’er. "I’ll find you one with a cultivation of over eighty thousand years. The age is high enough, and the power boost will be substantial."
Just as Jiang Li’er was about to speak, Jiang Bai, standing nearby, suddenly interjected, "Di Tian."
Di Tian looked at him.
Jiang Bai stroked his chin, a flicker of contemplation passing through his eyes.
"Could you find some Soul Beasts that are close to reaching the hundred-thousand-year mark?"
He paused, then added, "The old ones—the ones nearing the end of their lives—would work just fine. Those with a cultivation of over ninety thousand years, hovering right on the cusp of a hundred thousand."
Di Tian was slightly taken aback.
Close to a hundred thousand years? Old and dying?
He thought it over for a moment, then nodded.
"There are actually quite a few of those."
As the undisputed ruler of the Star Dou Great Forest, he was naturally well-aware of the condition of those old-timers.
There were certain Soul Beasts—those with mediocre bloodlines and unremarkable strength—that managed, purely through sheer longevity, to tough it out until they reached a cultivation level of one hundred thousand years.
Yet, they often lacked the power to withstand the Heavenly Tribulation that accompanied that milestone; it was not uncommon for them to be struck down by the tribulation, suffering a regression in cultivation and left in a half-dead, barely-alive state.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Bai smiled mysteriously. "In that case, please bring me three of them. Let me give them a little ’boost’ first!"
Hearing this, Jiang Li’er’s crimson eyes suddenly lit up!
That’s right! How could she have failed to think of that?
That rascal Jiang Bai’s Martial Soul possessed the ability to accelerate a Soul Beast’s cultivation speed!
He could absolutely, within a very short timeframe, help a Soul Beast with over ninety thousand years of cultivation undergo a metamorphosis and evolve into a true hundred-thousand-year-old entity!
The golden cowlick atop her head began to quiver with excitement, bobbing up and down uncontrollably.
Could it be...
That my remaining three Soul Rings could also be hundred-thousand-year Soul Rings?!
Hahahaha!
Jiang Li’er laughed wildly in her heart, a broad grin spreading across her face—a smile she simply could not conceal.
Di Tian did not quite grasp the meaning behind Jiang Bai’s words.
However, he did not press for details.
He simply nodded, his response concise and to the point: "Very well. Wait here."
As the words left his lips, his figure gave a slight shimmer; it was as if he had dissolved into the very fabric of space, vanishing instantly without a trace.
Jiang Bai and Jiang Li’er exchanged glances, smiling at one another.
By the lakeside, the gentle breeze continued to blow. The emerald-green lake water shimmered with a faint luminescence, reflecting the silhouettes of the two figures.