Chapter 3: Determining the Timeline, spirit rings, and Spirit Abilities
The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear is a supreme existence in the Spirit Beast world, comparable to the Ultimate Spirits among Martial Spirits.
Even if its cultivation is only a century old, it can easily handle an average ten-thousand-year Spirit Beast.
Let alone Su Haichao, who is nearing the level of a Spirit Elder; even if a Spirit King encountered one, they would certainly not have a good time.
"Little brother, stay at home by yourself. Dad and I are leaving."
Su Yuntao turned his head, his eyes filled with a bit of reluctance and worry. Ultimately, Tang Shan was still a child not even three years old. Leaving such a small child home alone was something Su Yuntao and Su Haichao would never have felt comfortable with, had they not lived with Tang Shan for two years.
Watching the two of them walk away, Tang Shan's gaze gradually became distant.
I hope they return safely.
When thinking about Su Yuntao's spirit ring configuration in the original work, Tang Shan wanted to do whatever he could to change it. He considered what he had done to be the limit of his current capabilities; after all, he was still just a child and possessed no real strength.
Checking the time, it was only about ten in the morning. Tang Shan changed his clothes, took his keys, and turned to head out the door.
As the Hall Master of the Nuoding City Spirit Hall, Su Haichao enjoyed excellent benefits. This two-story attic residence was one of them. Located in the center of Nuoding City and adjacent to the Spirit Hall, it brought great convenience to Su Haichao's work and life.
Spirit Halls were basically located in every town across the continent, even extending into the villages.
The Spirit Hall in Nuoding City was not luxurious, yet it naturally carried a solemn and sacred aura.
A plaque representing the six major Spirits hung over the main gate, and passing pedestrians frequently cast their gazes toward the Spirit Hall.
Walking through the main gate with practiced ease, the guards on either side did not stop him; clearly, Su Haichao had already given them word.
Before he could turn into the library, the commotion at the counter caught Tang Shan's attention.
"Sisi, right? You want to join the Spirit Hall."
An elderly man wearing the exclusive uniform of the Spirit Hall was writing something with his head down.
Standing before the old man was a young girl. Judging by her age, she was only fourteen or fifteen, radiating a youthful and lively aura.
"Grandpa Ma Xiunuo."
Tang Shan approached. This old man was Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo, who in the original work had tested Tang San's spirit power level and evaluated his status as a Spirit Master. His status in the Nuoding City Spirit Hall was likely second only to Su Haichao.
The reason Tang Shan's attention was drawn was not because of this Grandpa Ma Xiunuo, who was very kind to him, but because of this young girl, Sisi, who was applying to join the Spirit Hall.
He remembered that in his previous life, his good older brother had become a simp for this girl. Looking at the girl's behavior in the original work, she was definitely a textbook 'green tea' girl.
He wondered what kind of choice his big brother would make in this life.
"Tang Shan is here."
Seeing the tiny figure walk up to him, a gentle smile appeared on Ma Xiunuo's aged face.
"What's this? Here to read books again?"
Tang Shan nodded and looked toward Sisi.
Sisi was also drawn to this exquisitely carved little boy. "Hello, little brother. I'm Sisi. Where is your family? Why aren't you at home? It's still a bit dangerous for someone so small to be out alone."
Tang Shan blinked his eyes. "My dad works on the top floor here. I just came over to play."
Hearing this, Sisi's expression changed slightly. Someone who could work on the top floor of the Nuoding City Spirit Hall was likely none other than the current Hall Master.
"Alright, Sisi, your file has been registered. I'll tell you about your job responsibilities when you come to report tomorrow."
Ma Xiunuo's words interrupted Sisi's drifting thoughts. She respectfully took the documents from him. "Little brother, big sister has things to do. Goodbye."
With that, Sisi said her goodbyes to Ma Xiunuo, turned, and walked out of the Spirit Hall.
"You little brat, what are you up to?"
Before Tang Shan could react, he was pulled over by Ma Xiunuo.
"Who are you putting on this ignorant act for? Tell me, what designs do you have on that girl?"
Tang Shan gave a cheeky grin. "Grandpa Ma Xiunuo, don't you think Sisi is a good match for my big brother?"
Ma Xiunuo was left speechless.
"You cheeky brat, only three years old and already trying to set your brother up with a girlfriend. Fine, go read your books. I have a pile of work to handle here."
Tang Shan didn't leave immediately. Instead, he pulled up a small stool and watched the other man work while cheekily asking, "Grandpa, how is the situation on the continent lately?"
Hearing the question, Ma Xiunuo didn't even look up. "How else could it be? Heaven Dou and Star Luo are often in conflict, and the Haotian Twin Stars are shining across the continent. I really don't understand why a little brat like you cares about the continental situation. Oh, right, the Spirit Hall has confirmed the successor for the next Supreme Pontiff, the Holy Maiden. I think her name is Bibi Dong."
Hearing this, Tang Shan's pupils contracted slightly. He stood up and waved his hand. "Grandpa, then I won't disturb you anymore. I'll go wander around."
"Tang Shan, slow down. If you trip or bump into something, I won't be able to explain it to the Hall Master."
Tang Shan made an 'I know' gesture and headed toward the Nuoding City Spirit Hall's library without looking back.
The Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden, Bibi Dong... then that certain 'Angel Successor, love-brain, Heaven Dou Crown Prince' must have been born already. I wonder which of us is older.
After Tang Shan learned that his father was the Hall Master of the Spirit Hall, he often asked him to gather information about the continent, under the guise of broadening his horizons.
Before, he couldn't determine the general timeline, but while he still couldn't pinpoint it exactly, narrowing it down to a certain range was no longer a problem.
The Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall existed before, but her official appointment as the successor to the Supreme Pontiff and the announcement to the continent was another matter. Presumably, it was only after Bibi Dong gave birth to the Supreme Pontiff's bloodline that she gained such status.
Romance Continent, it really is a Romance Continent.
Thinking of the melodramatic love story behind the final three gods and one scabbard, Tang Shan couldn't help but shake his head. One must not be a love-brain; if all else fails, following physical desires is better than being a love-brain.
He walked into the library, found the research on spirit rings he hadn't finished last time, and began to read carefully.
A Spirit Master absorbing a spirit ring can obtain one Spirit Ability; if it is a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring, they can obtain two.
The Spirit Ability obtained depends on the quality of the Spirit as well as the age and quality of the Spirit Beast. A Spirit Master's desire for a specific Spirit Ability can also have a minor influence.
Seeing this, Tang Shan frowned. He didn't particularly agree with this point. For one thing, the Spirit configuration of the Star Luo White Tiger Dai family's first three spirit rings was a strong rebuttal to this theory. It's impossible for every Spirit Beast to have only one type of ability, yet every time a descendant of the Dai family hunts a specific Spirit Beast, they manage to obtain the three Spirit Abilities: White Tiger Vajra Transformation, White Tiger Body Barrier, and White Tiger Light Wave. Clearly, the instructions of past ancestors exerted a subtle influence on the Dai family's Spirit Masters.
Setting the Dai family aside, even the series of spirit power amplification skills used by the soul engineers of the Sun Moon Empire during the douluo two era was a powerful rebuttal to this view. If the Dai family could be attributed to talent, then it's impossible for all the future soul engineers of the Sun Moon Empire to have come from the same family.
From this, it can be seen that the Spirit Master's consciousness also plays an important role in the effects produced by a spirit ring. However, experiments are still needed. The specific situation should have an answer when Big Brother and the others return... The dense forest blocked the skylight, and fragmented rays of light pierced through the gaps in the leaves, scattering on the ground in a beautiful display.
Dressed in a set of armor, Su Haichao led the way, watching in all directions and listening to all sounds to guard against dangers in the forest. Su Yuntao followed closely by his side, wearing a smaller set of leather armor. Whether a threat appeared from the front or the side, Su Haichao could react immediately.
"Dad, what is the age of the Spirit Beast we're looking for this time?"
Hearing Su Yuntao's question, Su Haichao answered without hesitation, clearly having prepared long ago.
"Before entering the Soul Hunting Forest, I tested your physical fitness with spirit power pressure. You can withstand the pressure of level eighteen, so a Spirit Beast of around six hundred years is suitable for you. But to be safe, finding a six-hundred-year Spirit Beast will be enough for you to absorb."
Before he could finish speaking, a rustling sound in the bushes triggered Su Haichao's alertness.
"Lone Wolf Possession! Yuntao, get up a tree first."
As he spoke, a drastic change occurred in Su Haichao's body: his physique expanded significantly, and had his leather armor not been specially prepared, it would likely have been burst open.
His pupils turned an eerie green, radiating a cruel aura. Sharp claws extended from his ten fingers, glinting with a terrifying cold light.
Two yellow and one purple—three shimmering spirit rings displayed Su Haichao's cultivation, proving him to be a powerful Spirit Elder.
Hearing the instructions, Su Yuntao likewise possessed his Spirit without hesitation and scrambled up a nearby large tree. His movements were crisp and efficient; clearly, this year of hellish training had not been in vain.
Awoo! Awoo! Wu!
One Wolf Howl after another rang out, and blurry wolf silhouettes flickered in the thickets. They were clearly surrounded by a pack of wolves.
Seeing this, Su Haichao was not alarmed but rather pleased. It was a direct start; he hadn't expected to encounter a pack of wolf-type Spirit Beasts as soon as they arrived at the Soul Hunting Forest. Among them, there might just be a Spirit Beast suitable for Yuntao.
Accompanied by a long Wolf Howl, gray wild wolves lunged out from the bushes one by one.
The Gray Wolf is a ten-year Spirit Beast. If it reaches a hundred years, a tuft of white fur appears on its head, and for every additional hundred years of cultivation, another tuft of white fur is added.
Relying on his keen vision, Su Haichao identified them the moment the Gray Wolves lunged out. With a quick scan, he hadn't found any hundred-year Spirit Beasts yet, so he wondered about the specific cultivation of the wolf king hidden behind the scenes.
While his thoughts raced, Su Haichao did not hesitate in reality. The first spirit ring beneath his feet suddenly flashed.
Awoo!
First Soul Skill, Wolf Howl: Reduces all enemy attributes by 10% and increases all of one's own attributes by 20%.
With invisible power bolstering him, his already expanded body became even more robust.
Facing the oncoming wolf muzzles, Su Haichao dodged the pounce with a swift movement. His sharp wolf claws swung from the side, and blood instantly sprayed from the Gray Wolf's neck.
He thrust his right hand forward, blocking the wolf claws swiping at his chest, while his other hand directly pierced the chest of the Gray Wolf in front of him.
Tossing the wolf corpse aside, Su Haichao looked at the somewhat hesitant wolf pack and shouted, "Come!"
Seeing his father slay enemies with such swift and decisive movements, Su Yuntao's blood boiled with excitement. Had he not retained some rationality, he would have loved to jump down and fight alongside his father.