"No. Unless there is a one-hundred-percent certainty, I will absolutely not let you take that risk." This time, it wasn't the Great Master who spoke, but Xiao Wu, who had been quietly listening to their conversation from the side.
Xiao Wu's emotions suddenly flared up, and even Tang San was startled. "Xiao Wu, don't be like that. Listen to me, nothing will happen to me."
Xiao Wu looked at Tang San, her eyes filled with stubborn resolve. "Absolutely not. If it were a nine-thousand-year Soul Beast, I'd say you could try, but once a Soul Beast's cultivation breaks through the ten-thousand-year mark, it's a completely different concept from a thousand-year Soul Beast. The jump from a hundred years to a thousand years is a qualitative transformation, and from a thousand years to ten thousand years is another qualitative transformation altogether. Do you think absorbing the Soul Ring of a ten-thousand-year Soul Beast is that easy? Never mind the massive energy surge—the residual soul shock produced when it dies and you absorb it is something you'd barely be able to withstand."
"Soul shock? What's that?" Tang San wasn't the only one taken aback—even the Great Master was surprised by Xiao Wu's words. He had never heard of the concept of soul shock before.
Xiao Wu explained calmly, "Soul shock is a special ability that manifests after a high-level Soul Beast dies, before its soul has fully dissipated. Only Soul Beasts that are ten thousand years or older possess it. Generally speaking, absorbing the Soul Ring of a ten-thousand-year Soul Beast requires at least a Soul Master of the fiftieth rank. At the fiftieth rank, a Soul Master's various physical functions have all reached a certain level, and their spiritual strength has grown to a sufficient degree. But even then, one must be extremely cautious when absorbing a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring. Apart from the energy contained within the Soul Ring, the soul shock is the other great danger. For an adult Soul Master at or above the fiftieth rank, physical and spiritual maturity greatly reduces the effect of soul shock—generally, the Soul Master won't suffer any harm. But Xiao San, you're only fourteen years old. Your body is far from fully mature, and your Soul Power is only at the fortieth rank. How can you afford to take that risk? Even if your body withstands the energy surge of the Soul Ring, if your spiritual world is destroyed by soul shock, you'll become an idiot. Do you understand?"
After hearing Xiao Wu's words, the Great Master couldn't help but draw in a sharp breath. "Xiao Wu, how do you know all of this?"
Xiao Wu froze for a moment, then lowered her head. "Mommy told me."
"Soul shock, soul shock…" A thoughtful glimmer appeared in Tang San's eyes.
Xiao Wu thought her words had moved him. "Brother, you promised you'd protect me forever. So you absolutely cannot come to harm. I'm begging you—just listen to the Great Master. That Man-Faced Demon Spider with six thousand years of cultivation is already quite good. Why must you risk everything to go after a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring?"
Tang San naturally wouldn't explain to Xiao Wu why he had chosen the Cave Demon Spider. But his resolve had not diminished one bit because of her words.
"If I can avoid the soul shock, would that mean I can attempt it? I originally only had ninety-percent confidence, but after hearing what you said, I'm now a hundred-percent certain." Tang San ruffled Xiao Wu's hair, his expression completely relaxed.
Xiao Wu looked at him suspiciously. "I don't believe you. Brother, you're not lying to me, are you?"
Tang San countered, "Have I ever lied to you?"
Xiao Wu unconsciously shook her head.
Tang San said, "Xiao Wu, have you forgotten the immortal herb I once consumed—the Gazing-Through-Autumn-Water Dew? With your reminder and my Purple Extreme Demon Eye, I can absolutely ensure that even a ten-thousand-year Soul Beast cannot produce soul shock against me. I can even significantly weaken its resentment toward me. Trust me, I won't joke with my own life. You're right—this life of mine still needs to be around to protect you in the future."
Looking at Tang San, Xiao Wu suddenly smiled. Her smile was beautiful—impossibly beautiful. And in Tang San's eyes, it was nothing short of perfect.
She pulled her scorpion braid forward over her shoulder, stepped closer until she was nearly pressed against Tang San, and leaned her warm, red lips to his ear, whispering softly, "Fine, then go. But, Brother, remember this. If you die, then I will follow you."
Though her voice was soft, the impact it had on Tang San's ears was no less devastating than the scene of Liu Erlong's outburst the night before. Especially those final words—they carried an unmistakable note of absolute resolve. She was clearly not joking.
Truth be told, Tang San's heart had already begun to waver. Just as he had said, his confidence in absorbing the Cave Demon Spider's Soul Ring was only ninety percent. Even with Xiao Wu's warning, even if he could avoid the soul shock, he still had only ninety percent confidence. Attempting to absorb a Soul Ring one tier above his level meant any number of uncertain factors could arise. Whether he could walk away unscathed—how could Tang San guarantee that?
Tang San certainly didn't want to die, and he even less wanted to gamble with both his own life and Xiao Wu's. But at this moment, he had no better option. Should he really choose that Man-Faced Demon Spider instead? No. In an instant, he had made up his mind. Once he decided on something, he would never look back. When undertaking any task, thorough preparation was important, but equally important was the unwavering belief in victory. Xiao Wu's words had effectively pushed him to the edge of a cliff. Just like the last time, when he had unhesitatingly risked everything to absorb the Man-Faced Demon Spider's Soul Ring—for Xiao Wu's sake, he would definitely push through. And besides, he had made more than sufficient preparations.
With that thought, Tang San gave Xiao Wu a firm nod, then turned to Flandre. "Headmaster, Teacher Zhao, I'll have to trouble you both to make the move. I want that Cave Demon Spider."
Flandre said solemnly, "Xiao San, have you really thought this through? You should understand what the consequences of absorbing it this way would be."
Tang San answered without the slightest hesitation, "Headmaster, I will succeed. Don't forget—I have two Martial Souls, an External Soul Bone, and an immortal herb. So what if it's a ten-thousand-year Soul Beast?"
"Good. You've got nerve. Then I wish you success." From Tang San's eyes, Flandre saw a belief that pressed forward without retreating. He knew that saying anything more at this point would be useless—even the Great Master and Xiao Wu had failed to dissuade him.
Meanwhile, not far away in the forest, successive booms continued to ring out. Though no one had witnessed it firsthand, they could all imagine the Armored Beast's tragic fate. This only further reinforced their collective determination to never provoke Liu Erlong.
People needed to release their emotions, and women especially so. The fact that Liu Erlong could not be with the man she loved most had turned her already formidable killing intent into something bordering on madness. She was an illegitimate daughter who had grown up without a childhood. To become stronger, to one day seek justice for her mother, she had spent virtually every waking moment of her youth training without rest. But what had been the result? Before she could achieve greatness, her mother was already gone. From that point on, killing became her greatest pleasure. Only when she saw her enemies' blood bloom beneath her hands, only when she felt those hostile lives slip away through her fingertips, did she feel at ease and truly alive.
Later, an even greater tragedy struck between her and the Great Master. The overwhelming anguish had once driven her to slaughter an entire Soul Beast forest. From that point on, there was no stopping the killing. Anyone who crossed her path—even those guilty of only minor offenses—never got the chance to live. It wasn't until Flandre found her again one day and gradually helped her find some measure of peace that Liu Erlong finally reined herself in somewhat. After parting ways with Flandre, she established the Blue Tyrant Academy and cultivated her temperament in the forest within the campus grounds. Only then did she manage to suppress her murderous nature.
The Great Master's reappearance in her life had been both a blessing and a curse for Liu Erlong. The blessing was that the two had finally reunited, rekindling the flame of hope in her heart. But at the same time, the heart she had worked so hard to calm began to boil once more. After being rejected by the Great Master several more times, the killing intent within her erupted again—worse than ever before. If not for Flandre and the Great Master's presence, and the fact that so many children were around, her bloodlust would likely have erupted with far greater ferocity.
Flandre understood all of this, and the Great Master did too. But who among them could hope to talk Liu Erlong down now?
The Flying Heaven Hooks shot out like lightning, landing precisely on the Cave Demon Spider.
Perhaps the Armored Beast's fate before had been witnessed by these powerful Soul Beasts, or perhaps their intelligence was simply that high. At the very instant the Flying Heaven Hooks were about to latch onto the Cave Demon Spider, the ten-thousand-year Cave Demon Spider suddenly moved with blinding speed. A sheet of yellow spider silk sprang up from beneath it like a shield, blocking its front.
Pfft, pfft—two sounds rang out as the Flying Heaven Hooks sank into the web. Flandre and Zhao Wuji hastily tried to reel the hooks back. But what left them caught between laughter and tears was that while the hooks did come back, they brought with them an enormous sheet of yellow spider silk. If there was a single phrase that described their current predicament, it was this: walking right into the trap.
The ten-thousand-year Cave Demon Spider was even more cunning than anyone had imagined. Not only had the Flying Heaven Hooks brought back its web, but in the same instant, the Cave Demon Spider retreated with astonishing speed, darting behind the towering form of a nearby Soul Beast and bolting toward the distant forest. Its speed was in no way inferior to that of the Man-Faced Demon Spider.
(End of chapter)