Chapter 129: Everyone Is Making Up Stories, Returning After the Soul Hunt
"I didn't exactly obtain this soul ring by killing it."
Lin Qingmo chewed his meat as he spoke, his voice slightly muffled.
"I ran into it on the way back. A vine-type soul beast that had been struck by lightning and was almost dead. Its aura was already extremely weak, so I casually killed it."
"The soul ring had already floated out of its body. Since it would've been a waste not to absorb it, I just gave it a try. Didn't expect it to go so smoothly."
He spoke as casually as if he had randomly picked up ten thousand gold soul coins from the roadside.
And he wasn't lying.
He simply didn't mention the name Thunder Hell Prison Vine, nor did he mention the existence of his master.
"Huh?"
Ma Hongjun's mouth twitched before he finally squeezed out a sentence.
"You're not joking, right?"
Finding a dying ten-thousand-year soul beast and successfully absorbing it just by trying? No matter how you heard it, it sounded unreal.
His expression carried both envy and admiration.
There was also a sense of frustration, like, 'This guy is humble-bragging, but I can't even refute him.'
A ten-thousand-year soul beast!
Was that something you could just "casually finish off"? And what did he mean by saying that not absorbing it would be a waste?
His tone sounded like someone buying cabbages at a vegetable market!
Xiao Wu put her hands on her hips and glared at him, dissatisfied.
"Ah Qing doesn't have time to joke with you. He's just that amazing!"
"…I didn't say I didn't believe him."
Ma Hongjun pursed his lips.
"I just think it's too ridiculous. Am I not allowed to be shocked?"
Oscar also spoke quietly.
"Honestly, Lin Qingmo, hearing you say that makes someone like me, who almost didn't even manage to get a thousand-year soul ring, feel pretty miserable."
He was truly envious.
How could the gap between people be this huge?
"…"
Zhao Wuji didn't speak.
He frowned and carefully observed Lin Qingmo.
That feeling became increasingly clear. The aura around this kid was far stronger than before entering the forest.
It wasn't simply the result of his soul power level increasing.
It felt deeper, as if his entire life level had been elevated.
"Qingmo."
Zhao Wuji's voice became heavier.
"Tell me honestly, what level is your soul power now?"
His aura didn't feel like someone who had just broken through rank forty.
Lin Qingmo wiped his mouth and calmly replied.
"Rank forty-five."
"Clang—"
Ma Hongjun, who had just been about to sit down, lost his balance and fell directly onto the ground.
Ning Rongrong failed to hold her teacup properly. Tea spilled all over her clothes, yet she didn't notice at all. She only stared blankly at Lin Qingmo.
Zhu Zhuqing pursed her lips tightly. A clear ripple appeared again in those cold eyes.
"Rank… forty-five…"
Dai Mubai clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms.
Absorbing one soul ring and jumping five levels?
That was no longer something luck could explain.
This was practically challenging the common sense of the entire soul master world!
Zhao Wuji opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but his throat felt blocked. Not a single word came out.
He had been a soul master for so many years, taught so many students, and seen countless geniuses.
But someone like Lin Qingmo…
This was the first time.
No, this should be described as completely unheard of!
"Ah Qing,"
Ning Rongrong finally found her voice and asked cautiously.
"Then… that soul ring of yours, exactly how many years old is it?"
She was actually a little afraid to hear the answer.
It would make people feel inferior.
Everyone here was around twelve years old. How could the difference be so enormous?
Yet she couldn't stop herself from wanting to know.
Lin Qingmo thought for a moment before replying.
"About thirty thousand years, I guess."
He said it as if it were nothing.
"What?!"
Ning Rongrong covered her mouth in shock as she looked at Xiao Wu. She felt as if she were hearing something completely surreal.
The others weren't much different. Their heads were buzzing.
"Boom—"
Zhao Wuji's mind exploded with countless thoughts like fireworks.
Just what kind of monster was this kid?
"Fourth soul ring… thirty thousand years…"
Tang San sat in the corner, his face as pale as paper.
He lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly.
He kept muttering something under his breath. The voice was very soft, but Oscar, sitting beside him, still heard it.
"Impossible… The teacher's theory can't be wrong… The limit of the fourth soul ring is five thousand years… It's an iron rule… an iron rule."
He repeated those words over and over.
It sounded like chanting scripture, or like he was trying to brainwash himself.
But the doubt in his heart was impossible to hide.
Yu Xiaogang's theory had always been his strongest belief, the greatest pride that distinguished him from other soul masters.
But now, that belief had been crushed directly under Lin Qingmo's foot.
Shattered completely.
Oscar glanced at Tang San and quietly moved a little farther away.
He felt that Tang San looked a bit frightening right now.
In those eyes, aside from unwillingness and jealousy, there was something even deeper.
An emptiness remained after faith collapsed.
And from that emptiness, a trace of resentment had begun to grow, though even Tang San himself had not noticed it yet.
The only one who knew the truth, Xiao Wu, was not surprised at all.
She simply looked at Lin Qingmo with pride, as if to say, 'My man is amazing.'
…
That night passed without further conversation.
Or rather, no one managed to sleep.
Everyone had been more or less shaken by Lin Qingmo.
Early the next morning, Zhao Wuji woke everyone up and ordered them to begin their journey back to the academy.
He didn't want to stay in this place for even another moment.
If they stayed any longer, he feared his heart couldn't handle it.
…
On the road back, the atmosphere was strange.
No one spoke voluntarily.
Oscar walked in the middle of the group, his expression looking rather unpleasant.
In the end, he couldn't hold it in any longer.
"Sigh…"
He let out a long sigh, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Just my bad luck."
He kicked a stone on the road, his tone full of resentment.
"The Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent I finally found got ruined because of someone."
"In the end, I could only absorb a thousand-year Swift Green Snake. The third soul skill I got is just a speed-up sausage. Other than running a bit faster, it's completely useless."
As he spoke, he glared viciously at Tang San, who was walking ahead.
That look was like a blade, as if he wanted to slice Tang San into pieces.
Tang San's back stiffened, and his footsteps paused slightly.
But he didn't turn around.
He couldn't.
After all, he really was in the wrong about this matter.
Both times, Oscar's soul ring opportunity had been ruined because of him.
The first time, the absorption had been interrupted.
The second time, Lin Qingmo revealed the information about the Phoenix Tail Crest Serpent to help Tang San out of trouble.
Oscar could understand the helplessness of having to ultimately choose an inferior soul ring.
But the frustration in his heart simply wouldn't disappear.
Why should he be the one paying for Tang San's mistakes?
Walking ahead, Zhao Wuji glanced back after hearing the conversation.
Deep down, he actually felt relieved.
Although this trip to the Star Dou Forest had been extremely dangerous, the outcome was still fairly satisfactory.
Xiao Wu had returned safely.
Tang San had obtained his third soul ring.
Even though the process had been complicated, Oscar had at least absorbed a soul ring.
As for Lin Qingmo…
Zhao Wuji shook his head.
That kid's situation could no longer be described as "satisfactory."
It was cheating.
A complete violation of the rules.
A monster who broke every standard.
But no matter what, after encountering a hundred-thousand-year Titan Giant Ape, the fact that everyone returned safely was already the greatest fortune.
"Stop chatting and hurry up!"
Zhao Wuji raised his voice.
"Let's try to return to the academy within three days. That old guy Flender is probably getting anxious."
—
End of Chapter