Chapter 38: Soul Guide, Twenty-Four Bridges Moonlit Night (5)

Tang San thought of an important question. "Teacher, how can one distinguish the strength of a Soul Beast? Or rather, its age?"

The Great Master said, "Distinguishing a Soul Beast's strength isn't difficult. Look, that Lone Bamboo over there. It is also a type of Soul Beast, a plant-type. It could be useful for you. The Lone Bamboo itself is resilient. Its attack power isn't strong, but its defense is quite good. That is a ten-year Lone Bamboo. Because its height is no more than ten meters. Anything over ten meters is considered a hundred years. Therefore, generally speaking, identifying Soul Beasts mainly relies on their size and the color of the Soul Power they use when attacking. The color of the Soul Power corresponds to their strength. In other words, Soul Beasts of ten years use white Soul Power, hundred-year ones use yellow, and so on. Of course, when facing an unknown Soul Beast, it's best not to look at its Soul Power at all. If it's beyond what you can withstand, then you will face devastating danger."

"Teacher, then are we going to hunt this Lone Bamboo?"

The Lone Bamboo didn't look particularly impressive. It stood out only because the surrounding area was filled with tall trees rather than a bamboo forest. Its slender body swayed gently, the bamboo leaves rustling in the wind.

The Great Master replied, "Not for now. If there are no more suitable choices, it may be the only option in the end. The selection of a Soul Ring must be cautious. Every Soul Ring is permanent. When a Soul Apprentice advances to a Soul Master, they can absorb the Soul Ring of a Hundred-Year Soul Beast. To be more precise, a Soul Ring from a Beast with a cultivation age below four hundred and twenty-three years. I have carefully studied the growth experiences and failures of many Soul Masters. Four hundred and twenty-three years appears to be the absolute limit for a first Soul Ring. Therefore, I hope your first Soul Ring comes as close to that limit as possible."

The Great Master's research on Martial Souls was always so precise. Tang San felt that having such a teacher was truly a blessing.

"Even among Hundred-Year Soul Rings, there is an enormous difference in the attribute boost provided by a ring from a hundred-year beast versus one from a nine-hundred-year beast, even though they share the same color. Pursuing the limit of the Soul Ring while maintaining safety is a required course for every outstanding Soul Master."

As they continued onward, the Great Master was as if giving Tang San a vivid practical lesson. Relying on the keen sense of smell of the Martial Soul Luo Sanpao, they discovered the Soul Beasts hiding in the shadows one by one. Perhaps because most of these beasts were only at the ten-year level and lacked strong aggressive desires, the Great Master patiently introduced each one to Tang San, explaining their names, characteristics, and the methods for discerning their cultivation age.

Looking up at the sky, the Great Master said, "It seems we will have to spend the night in the Hunting Soul Forest. Let's first find a place to camp."

After searching for a long time, although many Soul Beasts that met their criteria had appeared, the Great Master hadn't made a move, patiently continuing their search.

The camping spot the Great Master chose was a depression in the ground, surrounded by complex terrain and encircled by numerous towering trees.

From a wristband-shaped Soul Guide on his own wrist, the Great Master took out a large glass bottle and handed it to Tang San. "Sprinkle this around the perimeter. Remember, do it evenly."

"Okay." Tang San took the bottle. Inside was a powder-like substance with a pungent odor. Twitching his nose slightly, Tang San immediately identified it as a substance similar to the realgar powder from his previous life. The Tang Sect was famous for its Hidden Weapons and poisons. Although he was an outer disciple, his ability to identify poisons was quite remarkable. During the search for Soul Beasts earlier, he had found and collected many poisonous herbs within the Hunting Soul Forest that he could identify, storing them in his Twenty-Four Bridges Moonlit Night. The Great Master's knowledge of Martial Souls was unquestionable, but when it came to identifying these non-Soul-Power poisonous herbs, he was far less capable than Tang San, who had the experience of two lifetimes. Many of these herbs required specific combinations to become effective.

After sprinkling the powder, Tang San returned the bottle to the Great Master.

"Do you know why I had you sprinkle this around the perimeter?" The Great Master's expression was serious. In this moment, he was a teacher testing his student.

Since he could identify the powder, how could Tang San not understand the Great Master's purpose? Without hesitation, he said, "It should have two functions. One is to mask our own scent, and the other is to repel creatures like snakes, insects, rats, and ants."

The Great Master nodded with satisfaction. "Correct, that is precisely it. This is Snake Repellent Powder, a must-have for adventurers. Remember, in a forest, especially one containing Soul Beasts, try your best not to use fire. Although most wild beasts and Soul Beasts fear firelight, there are a few particularly powerful Soul Beasts that are attracted to it. If you encounter them, unless your own cultivation is sufficiently powerful, death is certain."

The sky gradually darkened, but the forest was not peaceful. The chirping of insects, birdsong, and even the roars of wild beasts rose and fell continuously.

They did not build a fire. The surroundings were pitch black. Tang San and the Great Master ate a simple dinner, then leaned against a large tree to rest.

The Great Master was an exemplary teacher, or perhaps he placed extreme importance on Tang San. Even though it was time to rest, he still quizzed Tang San from start to finish on every Soul Beast he had pointed out during the day, to deepen his impression.

Tang San's memory was fairly good. Coupled with this being his first encounter with the creature known as a Soul Beast, the novelty strengthened his recollection. He answered correctly for the most part, and any mistakes were corrected by the Great Master.

"Xiao San, do you know why I say that a Soul Master's cultivation is most important when they are young?" The Great Master's low, hoarse voice carried a hint of melancholy.

Tang San shook his head, waiting for his teacher's explanation.

(End of Chapter)