Chapter 11: Spirit Beast Selection
To follow them into the Soul Hunting Forest, preparations had to be made.
Zhao Liuyun first informed his Martial Uncle, then sought out the newly returned Mercenary Group Leader to extend his leave, and finally prepared his rations.
Only after completing these three tasks did he follow behind Tang San, entering the Soul Hunting Forest with the three of them.
It must be said that the permanent warrant for the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon in Yu Xiaogang's hands was truly convenient.
With the warrant, they could enter the Soul Hunting Forest freely, and as long as they didn't take out too many medicinal materials at once, they wouldn't be charged.
Even if you brought out a bit more, once you stored it in a spirit tool, the people from Spirit Hall wouldn't dare to check.
Yu Xiaogang didn't recognize it, and the Dean looked down on it.
Tang San, on the other hand, was skilled at collecting poisons.
We'll split the spoils. Since we are friends, I, Zhao Liuyun, won't stand on ceremony!
Guiding you in Spirit Hunting counts as payment.
After greeting the guards at the entrance, the four entered the Soul Hunting Forest under their respectful gazes.
The weather was much colder compared to when they left the academy.
However, the location of the Soul Hunting Forest meant the temperature difference throughout the year wasn't significant, and the vegetation was mainly evergreen broad-leaved forest.
Looking around, it was lush, verdant, with intertwined branches and leaves.
The drawback was the layers of dead leaves on the ground, which were the favorite hiding places of poisonous insects, snakes, and scorpions.
If they weren't careful, venomous snakes would dart out, poisonous scorpions would leap, or centipedes would crawl out from these spots.
To avoid this situation, the Dean, being the strongest of the four—a Tool Spirit Ancestor of the attack system with the optimal spirit ringconfiguration of two yellow and two purple—naturally walked in front to clear the path.
His Spirit was the Flame Spear, a fire element spear over two meters long with flowing flames, quite suitable for flushing out snakes.
"What kind of spirit ring are you planning to acquire this time?" Zhao Liuyun asked Tang San.
He was preparing to trick someone, but he couldn't make it too obvious.
He believed in fanning the flames without hesitation, but never forcing the issue if the situation was unfavorable.
If Tang San was going Spirit Hunting, Tang Hao, concerned about his good son's safety, would certainly be following closely behind.
It would be foolish to trap himself.
He needed to ask about everything and let Gang Zi make the final decision.
By then, regardless of the outcome, all of Tang San's resentment would naturally be transferred to his good teacher, who was like a father to him.
Yu Xiaogang's sturdy shoulders would likely be able to bear the anger of the Rat.
"I require toughness and powerful poison..." Tang San detailed his requirements.
Zhao Liuyun shook his head and interrupted, "I mean the specific Spirit Beast."
Tang San looked toward Yu Xiaogang.
A hint of arrogance appeared on Gang Zi's face.
He had originally wanted to hear what insights Zhao Liuyun, who had read the entire academy Library, might have, but unexpectedly, he was also a person of shallow knowledge.
He could only dominate among the students!
He clenched his left hand, which was resting on his chest, looking like he was planning strategies:
"The Spirit Beast I choose for Little San must enhance the Blue Silver Grass's control ability, strengthen its poison attribute, and simultaneously increase the inherent toughness of the Spirit itself."
"Snake types, such as the Datura Snake, Heavenly Ghost Snake, Azure Sea Demon Snake, and so on."
Apart from the Datura Snake, Zhao Liuyun had never heard of the other two; this was probably the depth of knowledge inherited by major powers, separate from Spirits.
A trace of envy arose in Zhao Liuyun's heart, and he resolved that in the future he must visit all the schools of thought and gather all the knowledge of the Douluo Continent.
"Centipede types, such as the Hundred-Legged Giant Centipede, Corrosive Poison Dragon Centipede, and so on."
He had some impression.
Zhao Liuyun remembered a tank named Wu Qianming in the Mercenary Group, whose Spirit was the Vajra Violent Bear, who was almost killed after being sprayed directly in the face.
"Spider types, such as the Cave devil spider, Man Faced Demon Spider, and so on."
"Plant types, such as the Ghost Vine, Bone Melting Green Silk, and so on."
Zhao Liuyun looked troubled and hesitated, "Most of these Spirit Beasts are extremely ferocious, and I'm afraid they are very rare in the Soul Hunting Forest."
Yu Xiaogang smiled confidently, "It doesn't matter, I have purchased information. I heard there is a Ghost Vine currently in the Soul Hunting Forest?"
The Ghost Vine was originally Tang San's second spirit ring, which Gang Zi had long selected for his disciple.
It possessed potent neurotoxins, and the Spirit Ability Parasite could release seeds which, when activated, provided rapid control, catching opponents off guard.
For the Blue Silver Grass developing the poison attribute, this was indeed a very good choice, and it truly existed in this part of the Soul Hunting Forest.
Its age was over six hundred years, just right for Tang San to absorb.
But... Zhao Liuyun shook his head, "You are late. When we were doing a mission a month ago, we saw that Ghost Vine had already been cut down by someone."
He chuckled internally, "I'm the one who killed it. Are you mad?"
During a Mercenary mission, Zhao Liuyun secretly caused trouble, using the Spirit Ability Dream Creation to clear the path, and specially formulated medicine to poison this plant-type Spirit Beast to death.
Traces?
No traces!
Even the stump was dug up and sold by someone else!
He also collected the Ghost Vine's sap and prepared corresponding neurotoxins.
Upon hearing this, Yu Xiaogang's face immediately darkened.
The Spirit Beast information he had purchased with a massive, painful expenditure had actually expired!
"However, I know the approximate location of a Corrosive Poison Centipede between five hundred and seven hundred years old."
This was something he overheard from his Mercenary Groupteammates joking around in their spare time.
Zhao Liuyun pondered extensively and selected this spirit ring for Tang San.
On the surface, this was the best choice: it met Yu Xiaogang's requirements, allowed him to trick Tang San, and wouldn't provoke Tang Hao into smashing him to death with his hammer.
It could grant the Spirit a toughness attribute; the poison wasn't potent, and its effect was slow, but it was extremely stubborn and difficult to dispel.
When selecting a Spirit Ability, it is often said that one must look to the future and view it with long-term perspective.
In the way of utilizing poison, stubbornness is a very good characteristic.
But Zhao Liuyun was confident: your future is not as vast as mine!
Considering the immediate future, do you want to use it in actual combat?
By the time your poison takes effect, the battle would have long ended!
Could battles between junior Spirit Masters really take a lot of time and drag on for too long?
Moreover, after the match is over, can you refuse to detoxify the person?
Thus, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass appeared tough, but limited by its inherent quality and lacking the refinement of the two Immortal Herbs, the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Inferno Apricot Delicate Solitude, it remained fragile.
The only poison capable of fighting was also neutralized.
It looked like it had a great future, but in reality, it was useless!
"No dragon..." Yu Xiaogang was somewhat conflicted.
The Corrosive Poison Dragon Centipede was the best; without the 'Dragon,' the toughness dropped a notch, making it only a backup option.
After the incident where the Ghost Vine was snatched away first, a degree of impatience inevitably arose in his heart.
And this impatience was magnified by [Hypnosis]!
"The Corrosive Poison Dragon Centipede is rare. At the very least, such ferocious Spirit Beasts shouldn't exist in the Soul Hunting Forest. Most of the ones you mentioned, Grandmaster, aren't here."
Zhao Liuyun shook his head.
This was not a lie. Overly ferocious Spirit Beasts would be cleared out by Spirit Hall to prevent excessive predation and disruption of the forest's normal ecology.
The Ghost Vine was terrifying but was a non-moving plant-type Spirit Beast, which is why it was left behind, allowing them to profit by selling information about it.
Unfortunately, it met the wrong person~
"Let me consider it carefully..."
With [Hypnosis] applied, the impatience combined with his optimism regarding the future of 'stubbornness,' and Yu Xiaogang's previously wavering thoughts gradually solidified.
Calling a halt to the Dean, he frowned in deep thought.
"Little San, what do you think?" Gang Zi pretended to solicit his disciple's opinion.
"The Corrosive Poison Centipede can provide the toughness attribute that Blue Silver Grass needs, and it possesses a corrosive poison that, while not potent, is very stubborn and difficult to dispel."
"The characteristic of stubbornness is very beneficial for the future development of the Blue Silver Grass's poison attribute."
"Although the centipede's softness and flexibility are inferior to a snake's, it also possesses considerable control ability."
Relying on the data from previous generations, his understanding of Spirit Beast characteristics was not weak, and he could discern the future strength of the stubbornness characteristic.
Similarly, the two words "future" also stirred a few ripples in Tang San's heart.
The future, ah~
What a beautiful pie in the sky.
"I leave it all to Teacher." He trusted and respected Yu Xiaogangimmensely, choosing without hesitation to follow his teacher's guidance.