Beibei's mouth twitched at Han Yu's words. He knew he had to respond. "That's because I'm not good at learning. It has nothing to do with the technique."
Han Yu fell silent, not wanting to engage with those who seemed to be pretending to sleep. He knew that the Tang Sect's unique skills in this era had been watered down, likely less effective than the original techniques.
Recognizing Han Yu's reluctance, Beibei and Tang Ya decided to focus on Huo Yuhao, highlighting the benefits of joining the Tang Sect. As they spoke, Huo Yuhao, still naive and inexperienced, quickly fell for their enthusiasm.
Tang Ya pulled out a book with a serious expression and handed it to Huo Yuhao. The cover bore the title "Mysterious Heaven Technique" in bold letters. Meanwhile, Beibei shared key insights with Huo Yuhao as well, while Han Yu distanced himself, uninterested.
Beibei felt satisfied as he observed Huo Yuhao's eagerness to learn. What he didn't realize was that Han Yu had already copied the essence of skills like Mysterious Jade Hand,Controlling Crane Catching Dragon and Ghost Shadow Perplexing Step during their earlier battle. The only technique he hadn't seen was the PurpleDemon Eye, which trained eye abilities. Han Yu was intrigued by the mental enhancement method and hoped to replicate and refine it using his shadow clone technique.
Although Han Yu's ability was called "copying," it was really about gaining deep insight into others' skills and rapidly learning them. Only basic skills could be copied; more complex bloodline abilities, like Beibei's Dragon Transformation or Xu Sanshi's Black Tortoise Awakening, were beyond his reach. Still, this was a powerful advantage—every new skill strengthened a soul master.
Just then, a group of Wind Baboons appeared, clearly seeking revenge.
The Baboons had clearly chosen the wrong targets. They could only kill low level martial masters, and were swiftly dispatched by Tang Ya's hidden weapons.
From a distance, a red light flickered in Han Yu's eyes. He had successfully replicated the hidden weapon technique, and with his Sharingan, he knew he could enhance its effectiveness. After all, the Sharingan excelled in this area. A faint smile played at the corners of Han Yu's mouth; while he hadn't captured the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm, he had still made significant gains—solving his negative state and acquiring valuable skills.
"Xiaoya, be careful!" Beibei suddenly sensed something and his expression shifted.
A dark shadow descended: "Mandragora Snake?" Beibei hadn't expected to encounter such a spirit beast . Was it luck or misfortune?
Instantly, he entered a state of martial spirit possession and turned to Han Yu, seriousness etched on his face. "Brother Han Yu, can you lend me a hand? This Mandragora Snake is at least a thousand years old, and even I can't handle it alone."
While Beibei could manage a fight, he risked injury, and being wounded in the Xingdou Great Forest could be dangerous if a powerful soul beast appeared.
"Reward!" Han Yu replied, walking over slowly.
Tang Ya's face flushed with anger. "You!"
Before she could continue, Beibei interjected, "How about two thousand gold soul coins?"
Han Yu considered this and decided it was a fair offer. Fighting a soul master required effort, but dealing with soul beasts? That was another matter entirely.
"Okay!" he agreed.
Beibei said quietly, "Xiao Ya, protect Yuhao. Brother Han Yu, let's go." His first soul skill activated, and he prepared to charge at the Mandragora Snake.
At that moment, Huo Yuhao's eyes glowed with a light golden hue as a white soul ring rose from his feet.
"Shared spiritual detection!" Beibei and Tang Ya both jolted in surprise, their eyes widening, while Han Yu smiled slightly.
He got it! Under the shared spiritual detection, Han Yu felt as if he had gained a divine perspective, with the surrounding fog dissipating. He no longer needed to rely solely on his eyes to see within a 30-meter radius. Although it paled in comparison to the Byakugan, it had its advantages.
With a flash of his scarlet Sharingan, Han Yu activated spirit detection sharing on himself. His version not only had a greater range but was also clearer. To his surprise, it extended to about 150 meters—much more than he had anticipated.
Huo Yuhao's range was determined by the age of his soul ring, while Han Yu's was based on his spirit power, allowing for a broader scope. Perhaps one day, he could reach a range that encompassed the entirety of the Douluo Continent, he mused.
His gaze toward Huo Yuhao softened; this boy was a treasure. The million-year soul ring bestowed four soul skills: spirit detection, spirit sharing, spirit interference, and spirit attack. While the spirit detection sharing was invaluable, the other two skills seemed less significant.
Interference and attack? With the Sharingan, his illusions could be effective. This Mandragora Snake would serve as a perfect opportunity to test the power of his illusions.
"Xiao Ya's martial spirit is Blue Silver Grass, and this Mandragora Snake is a perfect match for her. Brother Han Yu, don't kill it—leave a breath for Xiao Ya to finish it off," Beibei instructed, his expression serious as he focused on the snake.
"I'll take the lead. You adjust your tactics as needed, and let's resolve this quickly!" Beibei added, eyes locked on the Mandragora Snake.
Han Yu replied coolly, "It's not that complicated. I'll handle it after I get my reward!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Beibei felt Han Yu's presence vanish, leaving him startled. He hadn't even noticed how Han Yu had moved.
Ignoring Beibei's surprise, Han Yu instantly appeared in front of the Mandragora Snake. The snake's massive pupils widened in shock, seemingly unprepared for a human to appear so suddenly. It opened its mouth, releasing a noxious fragrance.
The foul smell made Han Yu frown.
Swoosh! "Illusion. Sharingan!"
His scarlet eyes locked onto the Mandragora Snake, the tomoes spinning rapidly within his gaze. The snake, possessing its own three tomoe Sharingans, suddenly froze in place.
With a swift movement, Han Yu hurled the massive creature toward Tang Ya.
"It's yours," he declared.
Tang Ya jumped back in surprise as the Mandragora Snake landed before her, taking a few hesitant steps backward. "Ah!" she exclaimed, startled by the sudden appearance of the giant snake.
Beibei quickly moved to Tang Ya's side, shock evident in his eyes. He hadn't anticipated Han Yu's ability. With a slightly trembling voice, he looked at the Mandragora Snake and asked, "Is it controlled by the mind?"
A cold voice interrupted, "Hurry up and kill it to absorb the soul ring. It's just a basic use of mental power—no need to make a fuss!"
"And remember, two thousand gold soul coins!"
Beibei, with a complicated expression, handed a small bag to Han Yu. "Brother Han Yu, thank you. If it weren't for you, I would have faced a lot more trouble."
His tone suggested that while he could have taken down the snake himself, he wouldn't have done it as efficiently. There was a hint of competition in his voice.
Han Yu shrugged, accepting the small bag of gold soul coins. "The deal is done. You pay the reward; it's simple. No need for thanks."
Tang Ya unsheathed a knife and swiftly finished off the Mandragora Snake. She glanced at Han Yu, wanting to express her gratitude but ultimately held back, curling her lips in frustration as she sat down to absorb the soul ring.
Huo Yuhao, watching from the sidelines, was stunned. He hadn't expected such strength from a soul master with only two rings. It felt as if Han Yu was significantly stronger than Beibei, who had three rings. The realization shocked him even more than the revelation that Huo Yuhao's second soul ring was a thousand years old.
Unable to contain his curiosity, he stepped forward hesitantly and asked, "Han Yu, brother, did you use a soul skill just now?"