Chapter 129: Everyone is making up stories; the return journey from the Soul Hunt
Chapter 129: Everyone is making up stories; the return journey from the Soul Hunt
"I wasn’t the one who killed this spirit ring’s beast."
Lin Qingmo chewed on his meat, his voice slightly muffled.
"I ran into it on the way back. It was a vine-type Spirit Beast that had been nearly struck to death by lightning. Seeing its aura was incredibly weak, I just conveniently finished it off."
"The spirit ring floated out, and it would have been a waste not to absorb it, so I gave it a try. I didn’t expect it to go so smoothly."
He said this as casually as if he had just happened to pick up tens of thousands of gold coins by the side of the road.
And he wasn’t lying.
He just didn’t mention the name of the Thunderous Hell Vine, nor did he mention the existence of his master.
"Huh?"
Ma Hongjun’s mouth twitched a few times before he finally managed to squeeze out a sentence.
"Are you sure you’re not joking?"
Finding a dying ten-thousand-year Spirit Beast and then successfully absorbing its ring just by ’trying’—it sounded completely unrealistic no matter how one heard it.
The expression on his face was one of both envy and jealousy.
There was also a sense of frustration, like ’this guy is humble-bragging, but I can’t even refute him.’
A ten-thousand-year Spirit Beast!
Is that something you can just ’conveniently’ finish off? And ’it would be a waste not to absorb it’?
His tone was like he was buying cabbage at a wet market!
Xiao Wu put her hands on her hips and glared at him, dissatisfied: "A-Qing doesn’t have time to joke with you guys. He really is that amazing!"
"...It’s not like I don’t believe him."
Ma Hongjun curled his lip: "I just think this is too exaggerated. Can’t I be shocked for a bit?"
Oscar also spoke up gloomily: "Indeed. Lin Qingmo, your words make someone like me, who almost didn’t even get a thousand-year spirit ring, feel utterly ashamed."
He was truly salty.
How could the gap between people be so vast?
"..."
Zhao Wuji didn’t say anything.
He frowned, looking Lin Qingmo up and down.
That feeling was becoming more and more obvious—the aura on this kid was indeed more than just a little bit stronger than before they entered the forest.
It wasn’t just the increase in spirit powerRank; it was something deeper, as if his entire level of existence had been elevated.
"Qingmo."
Zhao Wuji’s voice deepened: "Tell me the truth, exactly what Rank is your spirit power now?"
His aura wasn’t right; it didn’t seem like someone who had just broken through to Rank 40.
Lin Qingmo wiped his mouth and said calmly: "Rank 45."
"Clatter—"
Ma Hongjun, who was just about to sit down, lost his balance and fell to the ground.
Ning Rongrong’s hand slipped, and tea spilled all over her, but she didn’t even notice. She just stared blankly at Lin Qingmo.
Zhu Zhuqing pursed her lips, and a clear ripple of emotion appeared once again in her cold eyes.
"Rank 45..."
Dai Mubai clenched his fists so hard his nails dug into his flesh.
Absorbing one spirit ring and jumping five Ranks?
This could no longer be explained by luck; this was practically challenging the common sense of the Spirit Master’s world!
Zhao Wuji opened his mouth to say something, but his throat felt blocked, and he couldn’t squeeze out a single word.
He had been a Spirit Master for so many years, taught so many students, and seen so many geniuses, but someone like Lin Qingmo... was unique.
No, it should be said he was unheard of!
"A-Qing..."
Ning Rongrong finally found her voice and asked cautiously: "Then... that spirit ring of yours, exactly how many years old is it?"
She was actually a bit afraid to hear the answer; it would make one feel very inferior.
Everyone was around twelve years old, so how could there be such a huge gap?
Yet she couldn’t help but want to know.
Lin Qingmo thought for a moment and said: "About thirty thousand years or so."
He said it with such nonchalance.
"What?!"
Ning Rongrong covered her mouth in shock as she looked at Xiao Wu; she felt like she was hearing something out of a fantasy.
The others were much the same, their heads buzzing.
"Boom—"
Zhao Wuji’s mind was a mess, various thoughts exploding like fireworks.
Just what kind of monster is this kid?
"A fourth spirit ring... thirty thousand years..."
Tang San sat in the corner, his face as white as paper.
He lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly. He kept muttering something under his breath; his voice was very faint, but Oscar, who was sitting next to him, still heard it.
"Impossible... Teacher’s theory can’t be wrong... The limit for a fourth spirit ring is five thousand years... This is an ironclad law... an ironclad law..."
He was repeating this phrase like a mantra, or perhaps like he was brainwashing himself.
But that sense of being shaken could not be hidden.
Yu Xiaogang’s theories had always been his firmest belief, his greatest source of pride that set him apart from other Spirit Masters.
But now, this belief had been crushed underfoot by Lin Qingmo in the most direct way possible.
Crushed into smithereens!
Oscar glanced at Tang San and silently moved a bit further away.
He felt that the current Tang San was a bit creepy.
In those eyes, besides unwillingness and jealousy, there was something deeper—a hollowness following the collapse of faith, and a poisonous resentment spawned by that hollowness that even he himself hadn’t noticed.
Only Xiao Wu, who knew everything, wasn’t surprised. Her eyes were just full of pride that her man was so powerful... The night passed in silence.
Or rather, no one could sleep.
Everyone was more or less demoralized by Lin Qingmo.
At dawn the next day, Zhao Wuji woke everyone up to begin the journey back to the academy.
He didn’t want to stay in this damned place for a single moment longer.
If they stayed any longer, he was afraid his heart wouldn’t be able to take it... The atmosphere on the return journey was a bit strange.
No one took the initiative to speak.
Oscar walked in the middle of the group, his expression looking poor the whole time.
He finally couldn’t hold it in anymore.
"Sigh..."
He let out a long sigh, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Talk about rotten luck."
He kicked a pebble on the road, his tone resentful: "The Phoenix Tail Cockscomb Snake we finally found was ruined by someone."
"In the end, I could only absorb a thousand-year Green Swift Snake. The third Spirit Ability I got is just an Acceleration Sausage. Other than running a bit faster, it’s useless."
As he spoke, he glared fiercely at Tang San in front of him.
That gaze was like a knife, as if he wanted to cut Tang San into a thousand pieces.
Tang San’s back stiffened, and his footsteps paused, but he didn’t look back.
He couldn’t look back.
He was indeed in the wrong for this matter.
Twice, it was because of him that Oscar’s spirit ring plans fell through.
The first time, the absorption was interrupted.
The second time, Lin Qingmo had given away the information on the Phoenix Tail Cockscomb Snake to bail him out.
Oscar could understand the helplessness of having to choose an inferior spirit ring in the end, but the frustration in his heart still couldn’t be suppressed.
Why should he have to pay for Tang San’s mistakes?
Walking in front, Zhao Wuji heard the conversation and glanced back.
He was actually relieved in his heart.
Although this trip to the Star Dou Great Forest was fraught with danger, the result was still considered a Perfection.
Xiao Wu had returned safely, and Tang San had obtained his third spirit ring.
Though the process was convoluted, Oscar had also managed to absorb a spirit ring.
As for Lin Qingmo... Zhao Wuji shook his head.
That kid could no longer be described with the word ’Perfection’.
That was a cheat, a hack, a monster that broke all conventions.
But regardless, after encountering the 100,000 yearsTitan Giant Ape, everyone was fine, and that was the greatest stroke of luck.
"Stop chattering and pick up the pace!"
He raised his voice: "Let’s try to get back to the academy within three days. That old fellow Flender is probably getting anxious."
(End of Chapter)
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