Why would someone from ten thousand years ago ask this kind of question... Shi Yu couldn't help but complain inwardly, but he still honestly explained his situation, and Song Lingzhen confirmed it.
"Since Director Du approved you, it seems your martial soul and talent are indeed quite remarkable,"the teacher nodded slightly and continued recording.
"My requirements for the soul ring are that it must have space attributes, and the age should be around 400 years. I want to aim for the best possible age range for the first ring," Shi Yu stated clearly.
"Soul beasts over 400 years old aren't a problem, but those with space attributes are rare and appear mysteriously. They're even harder to find than spiritual-type soul beasts,"the teacher replied.
"I advise you not to be too fixated on space-attribute soul beasts. Be prepared for the possibility of not finding a suitable one."
"If I really can't find one, I'll go with what's available," Shi Yu said, understanding that soul beast encounters rely heavily on luck and can't be forced.
"Based on your requirements, the cost will be around 200 gold soul coins."The teacher noted down the amount in the cost column.
"Can I pay on credit?" Shi Yu asked awkwardly.
The teacher stared at him silently. His expression said everything.
Shi Yu looked toward Song Lingzhen, seeking help.
Just as she was about to speak, a loud voice came from outside:
"Damn it, our luck's awful this time. We finally found a space-type soul beast, but it won't survive after being captured. What a waste of time!"
Two teachers walked in. One of them was complaining.
Shi Yu, who had felt awkward a moment ago, suddenly brightened and quickly said:
"Teacher, since the space-type soul beast can't survive, can I use it as my soul ring? Don't let it go to waste!"
The two teachers turned around and looked at him.
Shi Yu smiled hopefully. It seemed his luck wasn't so bad after all.
"That soul beast has over 500 years of cultivation. You're only at level 10—can you absorb it?"The taller teacher questioned, clearly skeptical.
He was a Soul Emperor and could see Shi Yu's level at a glance.
"I think I can do it if I give it my all. I just really don't want to miss this ring. I can pay—but I'll need to buy on credit.""Don't worry, I'll definitely pay later. I can even add interest," Shi Yu said earnestly.
"I can guarantee him," Song Lingzhen added.
The two teachers exchanged a look. Credit was better than nothing.
"Fine, but you'll need to sign a waiver. If you die during the absorption, don't blame us."
"No problem," Shi Yu agreed with a smile and felt relieved.
After signing the waiver and a 500 gold coin IOU, Shi Yu followed the two to the Colosseum.
The price for soul beasts brought back alive is much higher than for those hunted in the Star Dou Forest. This was already considered a discounted rate.
Song Lingzhen didn't go with them. She ran into an old acquaintance and stayed behind to chat.
Inside a metal building in the Colosseum, a soul beast was lying weakly, near death.
One of the walls was glass, allowing them to see inside.
Shi Yu and the two teachers were standing outside, looking in.
The moment Shi Yu saw the soul beast, he felt a strange sense of familiarity—an energy resonance.
He had a space martial soul, and this was a space-attribute soul beast. Their energies shared a connection.
"What's this soul beast called?" Shi Yu asked.
"It's a Sky-Control Beast. Its spatial ability allows it to move objects through the air, including itself—it can essentially fly."
"Because it could fly, we went a little overboard when capturing it. We hit it too hard. Now it's dying and won't make it," one of the teachers explained.
"If you want to absorb its soul ring, go in quickly. Any delay and it'll be too late."
"Alright."Shi Yu took a deep breath, grabbed a dagger, and entered the room accompanied by a teacher.
The dying flying beast tried to raise its head, baring its teeth in a final warning, but it had no real strength left.
Shi Yu ended its life swiftly with the dagger. A yellow soul ring rose from its body, radiating heat-like waves of energy.
Shi Yu recalled the soul ring absorption technique in his mind, sat cross-legged, and began channeling the soul ring energy into his martial soul.
The absorption process began.
"Do you think he can succeed?" one teacher asked the other quietly.
"He should be fine. His age is a disadvantage normally, but for the first soul ring, it can be a benefit."
"A twelve-year-old's body can typically handle several extra decades of soul ring energy. The max safe range for a first ring is 400 to 420 years—but that's not absolute. It varies per person."
"Some people can only handle 300 years, while others can go to 500 or even 600."
"There are students at Shrek who absorbed first rings of 500 or 600 years. Shi Yu wouldn't be the first."
Soon, Shi Yu's face twisted in pain.
The process was excruciating. It felt like countless blades were slicing through his body. Every nerve, every muscle screamed in agony.
Then came the swelling—as if his body were being overfilled with energy, like a balloon about to burst.
Shi Yu's sheer will to survive was what kept him going.
This wasn't something he could give up on. Failure meant death—and Shi Yu didn't want to die.
Rather than call it strong willpower, it was better described as a desperate will to live.
He gritted his teeth, pushing through the pain and resisting every urge to give in.
Five hours passed.
The pain began to fade.
The absorption was complete—he had succeeded.
"Stay calm. Don't get too excited or too emotional," Shi Yu told himself, grounding his thoughts.
But then—something strange happened.
A new type of energy surged up from within him and mixed with his spatial power.
"What's happening?" Shi Yu was startled, even panicked.
He tried to calm down, sensing and attempting to control it.
It felt like… another martial soul.
Shi Yu's eyes widened.He had gained another martial soul origin.Twin martial souls.
The two martial souls began resonating.
An unknown transformation began.
The origins of both martial souls intertwined—and then, suddenly, an invisible force exploded outward.
The two teachers nearby froze in place—motionless.
All movement stopped.
The swaying trees,The roaring soul beasts.The bustling students and staff—Everything paused.
Not just the Colosseum. The entire Shrek Academy.The whole city.The entire world fell silent—frozen in time.
Shi Yu didn't understand.
The space around him distorted and collapsed, dragging him inward. His body spun uncontrollably.
"Ahhh!"Shi Yu screamed, losing all composure.
As he spun, he glimpsed strange lights—flickering images—like memories or windows through space-time.
He couldn't see them clearly. Everything was spinning too fast.
He didn't know how long he spun before suddenly—he fell.
Headfirst, toward the ground.
Fear surged through him. He instinctively pushed against the ground with his hands, releasing soul power without thinking.
His body slowed—then stopped—hovering just above the dirt.
His face was only a fist away from the earth.
Shi Yu's breathing was rapid, mind racing.
He looked around.
He was suspended horizontally, floating in mid-air.
"Can I fly…?"But the moment he had the thought, he dropped.It wasn't high—he didn't get hurt.
"What the hell just happened?" Shi Yu sat up, ignoring the pain.
He was no longer in the Colosseum.
Now, he was in the wilderness—a forest.
It was night. Stars glimmered in the sky. The air was still—eerily quiet.No birds. No insects.
Shi Yu stood up and pinched his cheek—hard.It hurt. He let go quickly.
"Did I time travel again?"Shi Yu was in disbelief.
"Can someone please explain what's happening?"
He was on the verge of a breakdown. He had traveled again—for no reason.It felt like some cruel joke.
Then—He heard a noise.His heart tightened.
He cautiously moved toward it, pushed aside some vines—And his eyes went wide.
He ran. Without hesitation.
A giant spider burst through the vines—right where he had been.
It was massive—bigger than him—and radiated far more menace than a tiger.
The spider hissed and charged at terrifying speed.
Shi Yu was clumsy in the forest, but the spider was swift and agile. It closed the gap quickly.
Shi Yu glanced back. The spider was less than five meters away.
His heart pounded. He ran with all his might.
He wished he could leap dozens of meters in one stride.
And then—The space in front of him distorted.
He vanished into it—and reappeared ten meters away.
Shi Yu halted abruptly, nearly crashing into a tree.
"I… I can teleport?"
Before he could process it, the spider lunged again.
A spear-like leg stabbed toward him. Shi Yu dodged. The leg pierced the tree with a crunch.
He stared at the hole, terrified. If that leg had hit him, he'd be dead.
The spider yanked its leg free and gave chase again—furious it couldn't catch him.
"Someone help me!"Shi Yu spotted a person ahead and shouted.
The man took one look—then quickly hid. No intention of helping.
Shi Yu had no time to complain. He changed direction, not wanting to involve the stranger.
Apparently, the spider didn't care about the man—it kept chasing Shi Yu.
"Human-Faced Demon Spider?"Tang San, who had been watching from the shadows, muttered to himself.He recognized it instantly.
His eyes lit up.That soul beast… was perfect for his next ring.
After a moment's hesitation, Tang San began to follow.
Maybe he could get lucky.