Looking at Yu Xiaogang's face full of disdain and contempt, Nangong Lingyun's previously excited expression froze instantly.
He didn't know why,but just seeing this guy's existence made an intense, instinctive disgust bubble up from deep within his heart.
Let alone the fact that the other guy was constantly putting on airs —faking a tone, posturing with arrogance, always using words to boast about himself —it was like he needed to cram "Soul Master World's Recognized Martial Soul Theory Master" into every single sentence.
No matter what he saw, he had that insufferably superior look: tone dripping with contempt, expressions of disdain, eyes full of scorn,like nitpicking eggs just to show off how "brilliant and extraordinary" he was.
Most critically, the guy's whole worldview was just... absolutely impossible to respect.
Were there no food, support, healing, or scouting types in these hunting teams because they didn't want them or didn't know better?Get real — even elite squads from Heaven Dou, Star Luo, or the Spirit Hall Academies barely had a few food and scouting types.
So following that genius logic—you, being short, ugly, stuck under level 30 forever, stuck with a farting Pig Martial Soul that needs to pre-eat carrots just to fire three pathetic blasts—is that because you "chose" not to get stronger too?
Also, all these veteran hunters are out here farming soul beasts like pros.Who's like you, a rank 29 Grandmaster getting absolutely bulldozed by some random century-old soul beast?
Seriously, was it supposed to be this embarrassing?
...
The Beginner Hunting Forest wasn't very big. Near sunset, Yu Xiaogang and Tang San slowly made their way to the mixed area of ten-year and hundred-year soul beasts.
Because of the temporary dimensional space created by Angel Yan, spiritual perception was suppressed.
Nangong Lingyun had already hidden himself ahead of them inside a concealed cave,operating a tiny saw-scaled viper, quietly lying in ambush under the leaves.
To avoid leaving any traces, he directly used his spatial powers to teleport in — no chance of being detected.
Soon after, a creature that looked kind of like a dog but had the body of a fat pigwaddled over, shaking its head and swinging its stubby legs.
The saw-scaled viper's presence was completely masked under a thin spiritual film laid by Nangong Lingyun,so Luo Sanpao didn't sense a thing and passed by easily.
Yu Xiaogang trusted his Martial Soul completely — anywhere Luo Sanpao walked, he just marched through without a glance.
As they walked, he continued to show off his "knowledge" to Tang San.
"Even though they're both hundred-year soul rings, the ones produced by a mere century-old soul beast,compared to a top-notch nine-hundred-year ring,even if the color looks the same, the strengthening properties, the degree of Martial Soul development,and the final soul skill effects are worlds apart.Under safe conditions, pushing for the limit of the soul ring is a required course for every top-tier Soul Master."
"And based on my many years of research,plus analyzing the growth experiences and failure cases of countless Soul Masters,I've concluded that 423 years is the maximum limit the first soul ring can bear.As my disciple, you should aim as close to that boundary as possible."
Listening to Yu Xiaogang's bragging,
in the cave, Nangong Lingyun suddenly felt a mischievous urge and secretly asked Diao Chan:
"Hey girl, what's Tang San's real soul ring limit?"
"Respected master..."
"From now on, when I call you girl, you can call me Good Brother, or Brother Yun, or Brother Nangong."
"As you command, Good Brother~"
Diao Chan's voice was ridiculously special — playful, seductive, teasing —like she was always hinting at something, but it still sounded fresh and sweet, and most devilishly, it echoed directly from within the heart.
The second she let out that mischievous, smiling little line,Nangong Lingyun got a full-body shiver, and even the smirk on his lips turned... a little twisted.
"Good Brother, the true soul ring limit mainly depends on four factors:First, physical attributes or, for spirit-type Soul Masters, their mental strength.Second, the gap between the Martial Soul's quality and the soul ring's quality —high-grade Martial Souls absorbing lower-grade rings is easier and can stretch the limit;low-grade Martial Souls absorbing high-grade rings does the opposite.Third, the compatibility between Martial Soul and soul ring in category, attribute, ability, and traits —higher compatibility means a higher limit, lower compatibility can even cause absorption failure.Fourth, whether there's external aid like cultivation techniques, soul bones, elixirs,or whether the Martial Soul itself has life, creation, carrying, or devouring properties."
"The specific formula is: @a#b&c￥d%=XTang San's Martial Soul is Blue Silver Emperor, a top-tier quality with life and plant dual supreme attributes,plus carrying and devouring special properties.He also cultivates Xuantian Record, which stabilizes and endlessly regenerates soul power,and has the Purple Demon Eye, enhancing vision and spiritual strength.With three years of training, his physique is extraordinary.Thus, he can absorb up to a 1999-year-old low-level Blue Silver Grass soul ring."
"For best Martial Soul development and evolution,a high-level 1339-year Blue Silver King soul beast is ideal.For soul rings matching his Martial Soul's quality,he can successfully absorb a 999-year top-tier Blue Silver Emperor."
"As for snake-type soul rings without life attributes,depending on secondary traits,top-grade limits are around 339 to 599 years,high-grade about 469 to 739 years,mid-grade about 599 to 969 years,and low-grade around 739 to 1399 years."
"Important reminder:Soul beasts two bloodline levels stronger than the Martial Soul will drastically raise absorption difficulty.Conversely, soul rings two bloodline levels weaker than the Martial Soul will barely help evolution at all —even if the years are higher, it's mostly a waste that harms more than it helps."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk... if Sanzi ever finds outhe could've absorbed nearly 2000 years on his first ring —and that it would've fit him even better —he's gonna cough up blood on the spot, guaranteed!"
Nangong Lingyun, through his spiritual vision, stared at the slowly approaching Yu Xiaogang and Tang San from his ambush point,and the corner of his mouth lifted in an absolutely vicious smile.
He wasn't a bloodthirsty guy,but normally messing with people might leave a bit of guilt.Only when it came to that holier-than-thou jackass — not only no guilt, but a bubbling, uncontrollable joy surged from deep within.
(End of Chapter)