Soul Land: I Am the True Grandmaster

Chapter 175: The Gap of the First Soul Ring, Part 1

The hallmark of feudal times is the unchanging pace of life. Years may pass, but the landscape and customs remain largely the same.

Over a decade had gone by, and the spirit hunting forest looked as it had back then, with little altered besides the guards at the entrance. As Ye Wen scanned the familiar scene, a flicker of nostalgia crossed his eyes, recalling the nervous thrill of his first hunt and the kind advice given by the old guard. But now, time had swept that guard away, and Ye Wen could only assume he had found a modest life somewhere.

This visit wasn't for himself, but for his children and newly taken disciples to acquire their first soul rings. After rigorous training, the youngsters had pushed their physical limits to the maximum. As Ye Wen's own children, their talent was formidable; with powerful soul masters on both sides of the family, they'd been able to withstand soul rings of 700 years or more right from awakening. Thanks to the training, they could now absorb thousand year rings.

For Ma Hongjun and Oscar, Ye Wen had ensured no shortcuts in their training. Ma Hongjun could handle a 500 year ring, while Oscar could withstand up to 400 years. Given their humble backgrounds, and Oscar's status as a food type soul master, it was natural for his physique to be a bit weaker.

Ye Wen could certainly have brought the children to the Star Dou Forest for higher level spirit beasts. But for their first rings, this hunting forest would do just fine. There was no need for excessive trouble over something so basic.

The youngsters, full of excitement, peppered him with questions. His youngest daughter, Ye Tianshui, clung to his shirt, looking up with sparkling eyes. "Papa, are we really going to be soul masters now?"

Ye Wen, who was particularly doting toward her, scooped her up and lightly pinched her cheeks. "Of course. Our little Tianshui will officially be a soul master today! You'll have something to show off to your mom when we get back."

"Really? Yay! Papa, let's go in already! I can't wait to surprise her!" she chirped, grinning widely.

"All right, all right. I'll let you lead the way." He chuckled and let her down, and the group set off into the forest.

Ye Wen didn't rely on his own soul ring pressure to bypass security; instead, he presented the Spirit Hall Elder's token that Bibi Dong had once granted him. These tokens were a rare sight, typically only held by Titled Douluo. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Ning Fengzhi was an exception, holding one due to his high standing.

Their entry reminded Ye Wen of how Yu Xiaogang once tried to flash the Elder's token given to him by Tang Hao. Fortunately for him, the guards at that time didn't question the owner's legitimacy. Such an affront would have earned him an immediate sentence if his deceit had been discovered.

Inside, the forest was meticulously maintained. Unlike the dense wilderness of the Star Dou Forest, this one had neat pathways and spaced foliage, almost like a theme park.

Each child's martial soul required something specific. His eldest, Ye Tianxin, wielded the Blue Gold Emperor Spear, infused with sharpness and vitality from Ah Yin's life essence. Thanks to the Fire Dragon King's essence, her spear had gained an attribute of extreme fire, making it not only a top tier martial soul but one of divine potential. With her focus on enhancement abilities, a plant type soul beast would be ideal. Ye Wen's mental scan soon identified a suitable target: a thousand year old spiny bamboo with excellent reinforcement properties. In an instant, Tianxin dispatched the bamboo, her spear's fierce fire obliterating it.

Ma Hongjun watched with awe, enraptured by her fiery technique. Although he hadn't unlocked extreme fire, his respect for such powerful flames was clear in his admiring gaze.

Next up was his second son, Ye Tianchen, whose blade martial soul carried an extreme ice attribute, another top tier inheritance. He didn't need to find a rare ice beast from the extreme north his goal was simply to hone his weapon skills. Soon enough, Ye Wen found a thousand year sword willow, perfect for enhancing cutting abilities. With a swift strike, Tianchen ended the willow, leaving the main roots intact, as Ye Wen taught them never to wipe out a species entirely.

Through these lessons, he was also guiding Oscar and Ma Hongjun, subtly imparting his philosophy: the relationship between humans and spirit beasts should not be one of endless bloodshed but a complex coexistence, even symbiosis. Humans could live without soul beasts, but without soul beasts, the path of soul mastery would fade into extinction.

Finally, it was Ye Tianshui's turn. As a child with the bloodline of the True Dragon King and an ice attribute, her soul was leagues beyond an ordinary dragon, even rivalling the holy angel. For her, there was no need to worry about diluted bloodlines or soul rings interfering with her powers. Unlike lesser dragons, Tianshui could choose soul rings without reinforcing her bloodline.

Ye Wen's senses swept the forest, his spirit energy bringing each soul beast's aura into sharp relief. Then his eyes gleamed with delight he'd found a rare gem hidden in the heart of the hunting forest. In a deep lake within the forest's core lay a soul beast with a rare subspecies of dragon lineage.

"Little Tianshui, today's your lucky day," Ye Wen said with a smile, lifting her onto his shoulders.

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