Ma Xiu Nuo said enviously, "Your luck is truly amazing, you actually managed to encounter such a low-probability event. It's just that your appearance is a bit unbearable to look at."
"Cough, cough..."
Li Qing gave an awkward smile. "Don't worry about these details. There are no evil spirits, only evil people. For a Soul Master, a spirit is just a tool."
"That's true," Ma Xiu Nuo nodded in deep agreement.
Li Qing said sincerely, "Grandpa Ma Xiu Nuo, thank you."
Although finding the raven was thanks to him, not every Great Soul Master would dare to confront a raven head-on, especially a six-hundred-year-old one.
Let alone a Great Soul Master, even a Soul Venerate might not dare.
It wasn't about whether they could win, but the risk was too high. After all, once stained by Netherworld Flame, even if they didn't die, they would lose an unknown amount of lifespan.
"What's with all the nonsense? Let's go, we should head back."
Ma Xiu Nuo rolled his eyes at him, then turned and walked towards the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest. Li Qing smiled and followed, his mind already making plans.
"Grandpa Ma Xiu Nuo, aren't you curious how I reached level ten so quickly?"
Ma Xiu Nuo gently patted his head and said, "It's best you keep this to yourself. If anyone asks in the future, just say it's because of a spirit mutation."
Li Qing's heart warmed at his words. He then stopped hiding it and said directly, "It's because of whale gum."
"What is that?"
Ma Xiu Nuo was stunned, stopped in his tracks, and looked at him with a face full of surprise.
Whale gum?
Isn't that an aphrodisiac? How does it have such a strange function?
Li Qing immediately concocted a lie about accidentally discovering the effects of whale gum. He then told him about the usage and specific effects of whale gum, leaving the latter dumbfounded.
He accidentally burned the whale gum left by his father while cooking, and as a result, unexpectedly discovered its miraculous effects?
Is this kid's luck that good?
Coming back to his senses, Ma Xiu Nuo's face couldn't help but show ecstasy. He was getting on in years and didn't dare to hope for too much more, but at least breaking through to Soul Venerate should be no problem.
Because he was only one step away from level thirty.
However, Ma Xiu Nuo quickly realized the seriousness of the issue. He immediately looked at Li Qing with a serious face and asked, "How many other people have you told about this?"
Li Qing said, "Only you."
Hearing this, Ma Xiu Nuo felt deeply fortunate and also somewhat relieved. He then instructed, "Then remember, from now on, you absolutely must not tell a third person about this."
"You are still young and don't understand the value of your discovery."
"Once this discovery is announced, it will be enough to shock the entire Soul Master world, but such a discovery can only play its proper role if a certain force has exclusive access to it."
"So if you want to trade it for a bright future, the probability of being silenced is actually greater."
"Actually, you shouldn't have told Grandpa either, because you can know a person's face but not their heart. Grandpa might not be able to resist the temptation of promotion, wealth, or becoming famous throughout the continent."
Li Qing smiled and said, "Grandpa Ma Xiu Nuo, I remember."
He naturally understood everything Ma Xiu Nuo said, but how could a person who was willing to risk his life to help him hunt for a soul ring be unable to resist even this little temptation?
"Okay, let's go."
Seeing that he understood, Ma Xiu Nuo said no more and led him to continue walking out of the Star Dou Great Forest, even feeling a bit impatient to go back and buy and consume whale gum.
Soul Venerate, was beckoning to him.
After leaving the Star Dou Great Forest, the two hired a carriage in a nearby town and headed straight for Nuoding City, finally arriving there on the evening of the second day.
Ma Xiu Nuo tested Li Qing's soul power level. Although he had expected it, he was still slightly shocked.
He had actually increased his soul power by four levels directly.
After returning home, Li Qing didn't rush to cultivate but sat by the bed lost in thought. What he was thinking about was naturally his future plans.
The talent issue was temporarily resolved for now.
On the way back to Nuoding City, he roughly estimated through the changes in the efficiency of his meridians in absorbing and refining energy that his talent should no longer be inferior to geniuses with innate soul power of eight or nine levels.
Perhaps it still couldn't compare to innate full soul power and divine spirits, but it was the current limit.
To improve further, he could only scheme for immortal herbs, which meant that the things he had temporarily put aside a year ago now needed to be carefully reconsidered.
With his current talent, if he wanted to rely on Tang San, it should no longer be difficult.
After all, his spirit had mutated and could not be regarded as a waste with innate soul power of level three. As long as his cultivation speed kept up, joining the protagonist's group should not be a problem.
However, joining the protagonist's group had both advantages and disadvantages.
The advantage was that as long as he didn't die, he could at least get a first or second-level deity position. The disadvantage was that following Tang San would mean he could only ever eat leftovers.
As for the Spirit Hall...
With his current talent, it shouldn't be difficult to join a battle team in the Spirit Hall in the future and come into contact with the higher-ups of the Spirit Hall. The difficulty lay in gaining the trust of the Spirit Hall's higher-ups.
What if they burned the bridge after crossing the river after taking people to steal from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?
After all, the Spirit Hall had Ju Hua Guan, and he knew much more about immortal herbs than Li Qing. Even if he could get some of this good stuff, it would likely be leftovers as well.
It was no different from joining the protagonist's group, and he would also have to deal with future crises.
It seems he still needs to work on the ignorant Du Gu Bo. Perhaps he can first join the Heaven Dou Royal Academy and start with Du Gu Yan.
As long as he can establish a bond with Du Gu Yan, he won't have to fear Du Gu Bo killing him.
However, there was also a problem, which was that the Heaven Dou Royal Academy only accepted noble children. Although his parents were both deacons of the Spirit Hall, they didn't have noble status.
Moreover, with his connection to the Spirit Hall, it would only be more difficult for him to join the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Damn it!
When others transmigrated to the Douluo Continent, they were instantly invincible, but why did it become so difficult for me? Am I too greedy?
Thinking carefully, it seemed that was indeed the case.
If he just wanted to scheme for an immortal herb, it wouldn't be difficult, but with his small arms and legs, it was indeed a bit difficult to monopolize most of the benefits.
Noble status...
Perhaps he could go ask Xiao Chen Yu. As the biggest noble in Nuoding City, their family's network of connections was definitely not as simple as it appeared on the surface.
Decided on this for now.
Tomorrow, he would first go consult Xiao Chen Yu. If that didn't work, he would use a two-pronged approach.
First, try to establish some basic friendship with Tang San to ensure a retreat, and then find a way to join the Heaven Dou Royal Academy to pursue Du Gu Yan.
Perhaps he didn't necessarily have to join the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
With a plan in mind, Li Qing stopped thinking and immediately went to bed. This was the only bad thing about Douluo; cultivation couldn't actually replace sleep.
One can only say that it truly was a fantasy sewer world.