The Meteorite Iron Mine, as the name implied, was a vein that produced Meteorite Iron, likely formed after a meteorite fell there long ago.
The only problem was that a Dark Gold Bear had taken up residence where the Meteorite Iron Mine was located. The Dark Gold Bear possessed the bloodline of the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear; even if it wasn't a super Spirit Beast, it was a top-tier one. A one-thousand-year Dark Gold Bear possessed strength no less than a five-thousand-year Spirit Beast.
After all, Duan Jin was merely a Spirit Elder. Dealing with an ordinary thousand-year Spirit Beast was manageable, but handling a thousand-year Spirit Beast like the Dark Gold Bear was beyond his means.
This was the reality for Spirit Masters.
Generally, a Spirit Master couldn't handle a Spirit Beast at the maximum age limit they could absorb for their next Spirit Ring. For example, Duan Jin was currently a Spirit Elder. The optimal limit for his fourth ring would be around five thousand years.
He definitely couldn't hunt one alone.
This was when one needed to utilize their connections, gather people, and work together to hunt for the optimal Spirit Ring.
It could be said that the profession of a Spirit Master heavily tested one's background. Even by the time of the third Douluo Continent era, this hadn't changed; it had merely taken on a different form.
The two quickly withdrew and returned to where they had found the Diamond Ape.
Su Ming was extremely satisfied with this Diamond Ape. Giant apes were inherently very similar to human bodies, with outstanding attributes. The slightly exceeded limit age also attracted him.
"Brother Duan, your assistance, please," Su Ming said to Duan Jin.
Duan Jin nodded, a large hammer appearing in his hand.
Beneath his feet were three Spirit Rings: two yellow and one purple.
Duan Jin's innate Spirit Power was a full level six, which was considered very high among Spirit Masters of ordinary origins. His Martial Spirit was, after all, just a large hammer without any special properties; this level was pretty much his limit.
When he broke through level ten back then, he had already been sent to Gengxin City by Duan Tie and became his current teacher's disciple, so his Spirit Rings had always had the optimal configuration.
"Shock!"
Duan Jin's first Spirit Ring shone.
He uttered a single word, then charged out fiercely.
Su Ming saw Spirit Power surging around the large hammer in his hand. The intense Spirit Power fluctuations caused the hammer's surface to vibrate, emitting a high-frequency hum.
"Roar!"
Duan Jin's sudden charge greatly startled the Diamond Ape, followed by an angry roar.
It beat its chest with both hands, seemingly warming up. Instantly, its Spirit Power swelled to an extreme.
Duan Jin's pupils contracted.
Previously, while dormant, the Diamond Ape's Spirit Power fluctuations weren't strong, and he had estimated it to be at least three hundred years.
Now, with the Diamond Ape erupting, his heart began to pound.
Could it be five hundred years?
No matter what, the fight had started, and retreat wasn't an option.
Gritting his teeth, he continued swinging his hammer.
Boom!
The giant hammer collided with the ape's palm, which gleamed with a metallic luster. Both man and ape were forced back simultaneously.
Seeing this, Su Ming breathed a sigh of relief.
Judging by their sizes, both Duan Jin and the Diamond Ape were forced back several steps, indicating Duan Jin had the upper hand.
Duan Jin forced himself to stop after just two steps back. His body was very coordinated as he gathered strength on the spot. Power traveled from the soles of his feet,flowing through his entire body, starting from the legs, core at the waist, and erupting through the arms.
"Stack!"
His second Spirit Ring also began to shine.
Seeing the small figure before it attacking again, the Diamond Ape roared angrily and swiped with its palm once more.
A phantom image appeared behind Duan Jin's hammer, lagging about half a second behind the main body. As Duan Jin's hammer collided with the Diamond Ape, the phantom image stacked onto the impact.
The Diamond Ape cried out in pain, roared, and staggered back several steps.
Duan Jin jumped up, swinging his hammer in a full circle mid-air.
The phantom image still followed behind the main hammer.
This blow landed squarely on the Diamond Ape's chest. Accompanied by the phantom's stacking, Duan Jin also utilized his third Spirit Skill.
"Blast!"
Boom!
With a deafening crash, the Diamond Ape was sent flying backward.
As the dust settled, Su Ming saw Duan Jin slightly panting as he withdrew his Martial Spirit.
The Diamond Ape that had been sent flying now had a weak aura, with a huge bloody crater in its chest.
"Little Su, go finish it. Be careful, don't let it sneak attack you."
Duan Jin produced a finely forged steel knife and handed it to Su Ming.
Su Ming nodded.
He took the knife, approached the Diamond Ape, raised the blade, and brought it down towards its neck.
The Diamond Ape suddenly swiped at Su Ming.
Su Ming, having anticipated this, immediately retreated several steps, narrowly dodging the attack.
After dodging, he thrust the knife forward, taking advantage of the gap after the Diamond Ape's attack.
The Diamond Ape cried out in pain and struggled frantically.
Su Ming repeatedly engaged and disengaged with it. After about ten minutes, he finally killed it completely.
"Little Su, this Diamond Ape's Spirit Power fluctuations were quite strong. I'm not sure if it reached five hundred years. Do you still want to absorb it?"
Although it was a question, Su Ming sensed that Duan Jin seemed inclined to stop him from absorbing it.
He explained to Duan Jin.
"Brother Duan, its age probably doesn't exceed four hundred years."
Hearing this, Duan Jin looked puzzled.
Su Ming stepped forward, pointing to the patterns beneath the Diamond Ape's fur, and said, "Look, it has these patterns all over its body. Most have four rings, and a few have three. Considering its age range, the density of these patterns is most likely related to its age. Meaning it's over three hundred and ninety years old, just a few years short of cultivating all its patterns to four rings, which would mark four hundred years."
Depending on the interpretation, the number of rings could indicate an age difference of a hundred years.
Duan Jin said hesitantly, "But its Spirit Power fluctuations were too strong."
"Brother Duan, have you forgotten the Dark Gold Bear? A thousand-year Dark Gold Bear – does its Spirit Power aura feel like a thousand years? This Diamond Ape probably also has some powerful Spirit Beast bloodline mixed in."
Su Ming's explanation was thorough, and Duan Jin was convinced.
"Alright, then you absorb it."
Relieved, Su Ming sat down cross-legged and directly guided the Spirit Ring.
Torrential Spirit Power impacted his limbs and bones, causing cracks to appear in his meridians.
But everything was still okay.
He didn't even feel like he was on the verge of collapse.
"Good, this is easy. My first time absorbing a Spirit Ring beyond my level isn't agonizing."
Su Ming knew this was the effect of his body tempering. While this could be called absorbing beyond his level, it was actually within the limits of what his body could withstand.
However, being within his body's tolerance didn't mean it was the stage his Martial Spirit should withstand.
In later research, some scholars compared a Spirit Master's cultivation to the successive growth stages of their Martial Spirit. Every ten levels was a stage, and each Spirit Ring was an aid to their growth at each node.
The limit for the first ring was just over four hundred and twenty years.
Within this limit, everything was considered normal.
Beyond this limit, any additional cultivation years provided extra stimulation to the Martial Spirit, causing additional enhancement.
Absorbing a Spirit Ring beyond one's level each time would make the Martial Spirit's development far exceed the magnitude typical for that rank, creating a snowball effect that led to an overwhelming advantage.
If each Spirit Ring provided a 1.1 times enhancement, nine Spirit Rings would amount to approximately 2.358 times!
Su Ming's first tentative beyond-level absorption already gave him 1.1 times. The degree of exceeding the level later would only increase, potentially even exceeding 2 times. One could imagine the effect after stacking nine Spirit Rings.
Three hours later.
Su Ming rose safely. The cracked meridians inside his body had long since recovered, and his condition was better than ever.
"How's the Spirit Skill?" Duan Jin stepped forward, asking immediately.
(End of Chapter)