Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhi Lin exchanged glances at what was said. They acknowledged Dugu Bo's great strength, but Dugu Bo was a master of the Poison Path, a solitary and eccentric man who always worked alone. They had never heard that he was also skilled at training soul masters.
However, Wang Li, at twelve years old and Level 40, was a glaring fact right in front of them. It left little room for disbelief.
Zhi Lin possessed the Sky Blue Vine martial soul, which gave him deeper understanding of plant martial souls and plant soul beasts. Just now, the terrifying power Wang Li displayed with Blue Silver Grass had left him astonished.
At this moment, he spoke:
"Wang Li, although this may be forward of me, may I ask which type of soul beast your third soul ring absorbed?"
Wang Li smiled faintly. There was no harm in answering, and it was a perfect way to justify his strength:
"It's a Great Diamond Vine over two thousand years old!"
As soon as he said this, Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, Zhi Lin, and even Qin Ming beside them all showed expressions of shock.
Meng Shenji urgently said:
"The third soul ring of an ordinary soul master is ideally around fifteen hundred years. How could you absorb a Great Diamond Vine over two thousand years old? This is a plant-type king with immense power. A two-thousand-year-old soul ring is not weaker than those six- or seven-thousand-year-old rings. How… how dare you do this!"
The maximum age for a third soul ring is 1,760 years, but not every soul master qualifies to approach or surpass this limit. That's why Meng Shenji mentioned around fifteen hundred years,this was the orthodox academy's teaching method: stable, safe, and unlikely to cause accidents.
Wang Li held his head high, smiling, and said:
"But I endured it. I specifically trained my body under Senior Dugu, enduring countless pains to achieve this. Others should not attempt it lightly."
"I came step by step from a small town in the remote western Fasnuo Province of the Tiandou Empire. Getting here was not easy. Senior Dugu gave me this opportunity,how could I not seize it?"
"Even if it meant suffering, even if it meant danger, because besides the mutated Blue Silver Grass martial soul, I have nothing else. I want to become stronger. I desire to become stronger. I must become stronger!"
Every word hit the ground like a hammer. Wang Li's unwavering determination directly moved Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhi Lin.
They looked at Wang Li, their faces showing deep emotion. Meng Shenji let out a long breath and then solemnly said:
"I understand. No wonder you could become so strong. Even others guided by Title Douluo would probably never dare to be as reckless as you!"
Wang Li did not care how the three academic committee members imagined things. His purpose was to let others know that his strength was earned through his own risks. Even with Dugu Bo's protection now, he still needed to remain cautious.
Like Yu Tianheng, who had been healed by Ye Lingling, and had already woken up. He had initially felt very unwilling, but after hearing Wang Li speak, he felt that his loss was not undeserved.
His third soul ring came from a Level 1,500 mid-quality soul beast. For disciples of large sects, the quality and age of absorbed soul rings had long been predetermined.
Powerful soul beasts were rare, meaning they could not be distributed to every disciple. After years of exploration, sects had developed optimal plans for hunting soul beasts. They chose beasts of moderate quality but large populations, which could reliably provide the most compatible soul skills.
Yu Tianheng gritted his teeth, his face bitter. Damn it, he was defeated by a Blue Silver Grass soul master, and yet he didn't even feel that the loss was unfair.
At this time, the other members of the Tiandou Royal Team, who had originally envied Wang Li's strength, no longer did. They came from respectable backgrounds and could become strong in their own right. They would never recklessly risk their lives,if they really died, it would be a huge loss.
Perhaps only Dugu Yan felt immense sympathy. If the three academic committee members and Qin Ming were not present, she would have rushed forward to comfort Wang Li in her gentle embrace.
Among the three academic committee members, Zhi Lin increasingly admired Wang Li, though he also felt some regret. He had not taken Wang Li as his disciple before, and now that Dugu Bo had trained him, it would be awkward to recruit him now.
Nevertheless, he did not mind extending his goodwill. Smiling warmly, he said:
"Wang Li, we now understand your situation. You have broken through to Level 40 soul power, but you have not found the soul beast you most desire."
"Tell us which soul beast you want. Although we are not as powerful as Lord Bi Lin, the Tiandou Royal Academy has extensive connections. With a little effort, we can help locate the soul beast for you. When that time comes, I will personally participate in hunting it for you!"
Meng Shenji and Bai Baoshan nodded as well. They did not see this as abusing power. With Wang Li's current soul power, absorbing the next soul ring would make him Level 41. After two years of serious cultivation, he would reach at least Mid- or High-Level Soul Master status. By the next Continental Advanced Soul Master Competition, he would be top-tier combat strength.
Wang Li was thrilled. If the three of them helped, the chance of finding the Gluttonous Root Demon would increase greatly. He said:
"The soul beast I want is the Gluttonous Root Demon. In future battles, capturing enemies and drawing out their soul power to weaken them will greatly improve my control ability and reduce my own soul power consumption. Although my Blue Silver Grass already has a powerful soul ring attached, its consumption is extremely high."
"Senior Dugu recommended the Spiked Thorns. Its armor-piercing ability can also enhance my strength, but I still feel the Gluttonous Root Demon is better!"
"If the three of you are willing to help, that would be amazing."
After hearing this, the three academic committee members frowned. A soul beast that even Dugu Bo could not find was indeed rare. Gluttonous Root Demons were scarce, and as self-mobile plant-type soul beasts, they were even more difficult to locate.
At this moment, Qin Ming spoke up:
"Three committee members, why don't I, along with the Tiandou Royal Team, take Wang Li to the Starfall Great Forest to search? With Wang Li's strength, he will inevitably become a core member of the team. Yet he interacts very little with the other members, which is not ideal for the Advanced Soul Master Competition."
"Going to the Starfall Great Forest allows him to search for his fourth soul ring while also interacting more with the team, helping everyone become familiar with each other."
Qin Ming had initially planned to take the Tiandou Royal Team to fight, but now it seemed better to first integrate Wang Li into the team, building coordination and trust.
Meng Shenji thought for a moment and said:
"That's fine. Let everyone get familiar with each other. In the next Continental Advanced Soul Master Competition, you will be inseparable comrades."
"Whether or not you find the Gluttonous Root Demon in the Starfall Great Forest is secondary. The main purpose is team coordination. We also have some old friends who can help you, so we will surely make some discoveries along the way."
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