"There's no need to shout so loud. I'm not deaf."Tang San shot a glance at Xiao Wu and asked, "What soul beast did you get your second soul ring from?"
"Wind Rabbit. The soul skill is Wind Listening."
She had chosen the option Tang San previously suggested, successfully condensing the soul skill Wind Song.
After obtaining the soul ring, Xiao Wu found that Tang San's analysis had been spot on. When she entered martial soul possession, her speed and reaction time noticeably increased—approaching the level of a thousand-year Wind Rabbit.
And that was just the passive effect of the ring.
The skill Wind Listening significantly enhanced her spiritual perception, allowing her to see three seconds into the future—though only while the skill was actively in use. Normally, it simply allowed her to sense subtle changes in airflow and movement around her.
"Alright, let's train."
Tang San activated Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, flitting like a phantom around the courtyard.Xiao Wu gave chase, her movement light and fast—but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't touch even the corner of his robe.
This movement technique was built for skirmishing and guerrilla mobility, not raw speed. But it was still enough to suppress Xiao Wu.
"Not bad," Tang San said, halting his steps. "Your speed has increased a lot. With Wind Listening's sensory boost, you can take one of three paths: melee assassination, interference agility, or even reconnaissance agility, thanks to your enhanced perception."
"Humph! Of course! Sister Xiao Wu is naturally amazing."She puffed up her cheeks in pride before spotting a quiet girl nearby. "Hmm? Who's the little sister?"
"My new student," Tang San said. "Her name is Guang Ling. Martial soul: Iron Bow. Innate soul power: level three. Her case helped me confirm part of a theory."
Xiao Wu raised an eyebrow."Why do I feel like you're abducting children?"
Before Tang San could respond, Guang Ling stepped forward and glared."I chose to be Big Brother's student. He didn't abduct me!"
"Tsk tsk~" Xiao Wu circled Guang Ling with a playful smirk. "I was only teasing. No need to get so serious."
"Serious?" Guang Ling tilted her head, confused by the term.
"It's a word Tang San made up," Xiao Wu said offhandedly. "It means you're too stiff."
Then she winked."Stick with Sister Xiao Wu from now on. I'll take you to beat up the noble kids at Nuoding Academy. It's super satisfying, trust me."
Guang Ling: "…"
Cough cough. Tang San cleared his throat."Let's not bring Guang Ling into your little 'extracurricular activities'. That's a bad habit."
Changing the subject, he looked at Xiao Wu."Let me see your new soul ring."
Xiao Wu nodded and activated martial soul possession. Her Soft-Boned Rabbit martial soul manifested, and two soul rings—one yellow, one purple—rose from beneath her feet.
The rings shimmered brightly. Guang Ling stared in awe.She realized that this slightly older sister was already a Great Soul Master—though she didn't yet grasp how extraordinary that was at their age. She was more curious about the vibrant colors of the rings.
"A thousand-year second ring…" Tang San analyzed aloud."The purple's slightly lighter than mine. Just barely at the thousand-year threshold. Not bad. At least the ten-thousand-year whale glue I gave you didn't go to waste."
Though his evaluation was neutral, Xiao Wu heard a hint of teasing in his tone and huffed.
"Regardless, I can handle a thousand-year ring. It's a perfect match for me!"
"Let's evaluate your martial soul's new stats," Tang San said, drawing up a report.
Xiao Wu – Martial Soul Evaluation (Post-Second Ring)
Strength: 4 – Spiritual power and muscular control improved. Waist Bow technique more refined.
Speed: 4 – Matches the speed of a thousand-year Wind Rabbit.
Defense: 3 – Slight increase, but base defense remains average.
Endurance: 4 – Soft-Boned Rabbit form consumes very little soul power.
Energy: 0 – No external energy projection yet.
Special: 2 – Can now perceive wind currents and micro-movements.
Total Score: 17
Xiao Wu beamed."As expected of me. So strong~ Still not quite as strong as you though…"
Tang San smirked."For the Soft-Boned Rabbit, being this strong is already remarkable. You're at the bottom of the soul beast food chain. Reaching this level is proof of exceptional talent."
Xiao Wu pouted but didn't argue."Then what should I aim for with my third soul ring?"
"I'll need to run more detailed tests on your current state first," Tang San said, raising a finger. "But I do have an idea."
Xiao Wu leaned forward, eager."What idea? Don't keep me in suspense!"
Tang San explained slowly.
"A soul master can obtain nine soul rings. Each one, in theory, brings a new soul skill. Excluding special techniques like martial soul true body or soul bones, that means nine skills."
"I found a few scattered references in the Spirit Hall and Nuoding Academy archives. Some soul masters from large families actually plan their skill combinations across all nine rings."
"Plan them?" Xiao Wu blinked.
"Yes.""Some soul skills complement or enhance others. The soul master world has a rare technique for this: ring fusion."
He continued, "Ring fusion allows two or more soul rings to combine and produce amplified power. But the requirements are harsh."
"First, the soul master's body and spirit must be strong enough to endure the fusion."
"Second, the soul rings must be compatible—their attributes must match, and their soul skills must align or support each other."
Tang San remembered a rare case from his past life: Huo Wu from Blazing Academy. She had successfully achieved ring fusion.
But right now, Tang San wasn't in a position to go looking for Huo Wu. He still needed to stay low-profile.So he turned to ancient records and fragmented historical examples—but found little that was concrete.
Still, one thing was clear:
Every soul ring contains a soul power circulation route.
Tang San elaborated with a metaphor.
"When ordinary people turn on a soul guidance lamp, they press a switch. The soul power runs through an internal array and lights up the lamp."
"Soul rings work the same way. The moment you inject soul power, the embedded circulation path activates and releases the soul skill."
"It seems instant, but it's not magic—it's an engineered process."
So, ring fusion…Was it about combining those internal soul power routes?
If two rings with compatible circulation paths were aligned just right, perhaps the soul power could flow between them seamlessly—resulting in a new or amplified effect.
"Combining skills like stacking formations..." Tang San's mind raced. "That's the future."