By now, Master had relaxed, his eyes brimming with confidence, "One of the ten core competencies of the Martial Soul realm that I have researched and proposed is the theory of Martial Soul mimicry. It's not set in stone that a plant Martial Soul must absorb the Soul Rings of plant soul beasts, nor that a Beast Soul cannot absorb plant Soul Rings. Given certain conditions, they can absorb each other. I've told you before that one of Bluesilver Grass Martial Soul's major strengths is its lack of exclusivity. Due to its extreme weakness, it rejects no attributes from any Soul Ring; instead, it passively integrates them. Thus, absorbing the Soul Ring of this Datura snake won't be a problem. Also, do you remember what kind of Soul Ring we were looking to find?"
Tang San's eyes lit up, "One that adds resilience and preferably possesses toxicity. That's right, the Datura snake has both qualities."
Master looked deeply into the eyes of his disciple and said, "Whether it's normal Soul Masters or those guys from the Martial Soul Hall, they all scoff at my ten core competencies theory, and none believe in it. Previously, no Soul Master was willing to absorb a Soul Ring of a different kind to enhance themselves. Xiaosan, are you willing to give it a try? Though I am absolutely certain in theory, no one has ever attempted this before. Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth. The reason my proposed ten core competencies remain mere theory and not truth is because no one has been willing to put it into practice."
In Master's eyes, Tang San saw fanaticism. Due to the anomaly in his Martial Soul, Master could never become a powerful Soul Master, but he was still so persistent, devoting his life's energy to the study of Martial Souls.
For such a person, Tang San held heartfelt respect, respect for Master as a person, and for his research, "Teacher, let me be the one to help you put it into practice. I believe there is no error in your research."
The body of the Datura snake had gradually stopped moving. Its vital head pierced by the blade, even with its tenacious life force, it could not escape the inevitability of death.
Faint yellow specks of light began to converge above the body of the Datura snake. Unlike the Soul Ring of the Hell Wolf that Tang San had seen before, the yellow light halo produced by the Datura snake was very clear, and its luminescence was much brighter than the Hell Wolf's. Even without touching it, one could clearly sense the tremendous energy contained within.
Hearing Tang San's words, Master's eyes were filled with gratification, "Xiaosan, begin."
Tang San nodded, lifting his right hand, staunchly enduring the feeling of weakness, and slowly condensed his remaining Soul Power into the center of his palm. Accompanied by a pale blue halo, Bluesilver Grass grew from the center of his palm, its faint life force gently swaying with the fluctuations of his Soul Power.
Come, my first Soul Ring. You will determine whether I can master the Tang Sect techniques and whether I can inherit the hopes of my teacher.
Under the guidance of the pale blue light, the hundred-year-old Datura snake Soul Ring slowly flew towards Tang San.
Master stared intensely at the approaching Soul Ring and said in a deep voice, "Sit cross-legged, focus on your Martial Soul."
Doing as instructed, Tang San sat down cross-legged on the spot, concentrating his attention on the Martial Soul in his right hand. As the hundred-year-old Datura snake Soul Ring neared, he felt an unprecedented powerful pressure, causing even his bones to emit faint cracking noises under the pressure.
Soon, the yellow halo reached above Tang San's head, not giving him any chance to react. The halo suddenly contracted, forming a bracelet-sized band of solid gold that slipped directly over the Bluesilver Grass Martial Soul on the palm of his right hand.
Tang San felt as if his right hand had plunged into magma, a scorching energy insanely pouring in. An intense surge of heat shot through his body in an instant, and he felt as if his insides were ablaze. His body uncontrollably began to tremble violently.
"No matter how the power of the Soul Ring strikes your body, remember to stay conscious. Only by doing so can you better utilize the power of the Soul Ring in the future."
This was the last thing Tang San heard Master say. The next second, with his eyes closed, his consciousness had completely submerged into that searing ocean.
The Mysterious Heaven Method Inner Strength inside his body seemed to have been ignited by this sudden power, as the heat spread instantly to every part of his body. Tang San felt as though he could breathe fire if he opened his mouth.
Such a domineering power.
The surging power of the Soul Ring instantly baptized Tang San's body, but to his surprise, the scorching energy didn't destroy his Bluesilver Grass Martial Soul.
Suddenly, a light flashed in his consciousness, and Tang San seemed to see himself immersed in a sea of flames, within which a solitary blade of Bluesilver Grass swayed with the flames. No matter how intense the fire, it couldn't destroy it.
Tang San rejoiced in his heart. This seemed to be the state of internal vision associated with Inner Strength. In his previous life, because he was too old when he practised the Mystic Sky Records, he had never experienced this state. Unexpectedly, it appeared while he was absorbing his first Soul Ring.
Under the baking of the flames, the Bluesilver Grass began to change. The originally slender grass leaves grew longer and wider, the faint blue gradually becoming deeper. The deep blue leaves spread through the sea of flames, moving dynamically, like numerous Datura snakes darting through the fire.
The pale blue leaves turned deep blue, adorned with some black patterns that exactly matched those on the Datura snake from before.
Boom—, all the heat surged outward, and Tang San felt as if the fiery breath had melted his body.