Chapter 5 The Skull Codex
The gaze that Ghost Tiger cast at this moment was so fierce that it was almost ferocious, revealing a resolute and murderous light as if he were about to die and wanted to perish together with his opponent.
His gaze was sharp as a physical object, piercing straight at Dugu Zhan, as if he wanted to vent all his resentment and unwillingness through his eyes.
As for those phantoms of ghost tigers, although they appear fierce and menacing, they actually have no physical attack capabilities.
Under the synchronized sword attacks of the three skeleton swordsmen, in just a moment, they were shattered like wisps of smoke and vanished without a trace, as if they had never existed in this world.
Then, the three skeleton swordsmen marched back to Dugu Zhan's side in neat and swift steps, like loyal guards, closely protecting him and willingly serving as human shields against all dangers.
Dugu Zhan knew very well that the three-thousand-year-old Ghost Tiger was already at its last gasp, barely clinging to life.
But he also understood that even a cornered beast will fight, and that the ghost tiger would surely try to take him down with it before it died.
So, he used his mental power to command the three skeleton swordsmen to step forward and launch a final, fatal attack on the Ghost Tiger, while he himself remained firmly in place, as cautious as a hibernating tortoise.
This time, the three-thousand-year-old Ghost Tiger was clearly powerless to reverse the situation and lacked the strength to continue.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, its fate is sealed; it will ultimately be dealt with by the Skeleton Swordsman.
As Ghost Tiger breathed its last, Dugu Zhan immediately sat down on the ground, preparing to absorb its spirit ring.
On the vast and mysterious Douluo Continent, the most common way for Soul Masters to obtain Soul Rings is by hunting Soul Beasts.
Whenever a soul beast dies, a soul ring will appear.
The color of the spirit ring is clearly distinguished according to the lifespan of the spirit beast:
A ten-year-old soul beast corresponds to a white soul ring.
The hundred-year-old soul beast has a yellow soul ring.
The thousand-year-old soul beast displays a purple soul ring.
A ten-thousand-year-old soul beast has a black soul ring.
The soul ring of a 100,000-year-old soul beast is a striking red.
If it reaches 200,000 years, it will have a scarlet soul ring, and such a soul beast is already at the level of a ferocious beast.
As for soul beasts that are over a million years old, their soul rings are even more dazzlingly golden.
Of course, there are also some special cases in this world, with soul rings that have a different color. These can be called mutated soul rings.
As for whether there are any green spirit rings, Dugu Zhan had also been curious and looked into it, but so far he could only helplessly say that he had not yet seen one with his own eyes.
However, the process of Soul Masters hunting Soul Beasts and absorbing Soul Rings is not without its limitations.
Once the limits that a Soul Master can withstand are exceeded, the consequences will be unimaginable.
In mild cases, it can damage the meridians, affecting future cultivation practices.
In severe cases, it can even cause the body to explode and the soul to be scattered.
What's even more troublesome is that soul beasts often carry a deep resentment towards soul masters when they die.
During the process of absorbing a spirit ring, some spirit masters with weak willpower will suffer great pain and torment, and may even go insane and become mentally deranged.
Furthermore, under normal circumstances, the attributes of a Soul Master must match the attributes of the Soul Beast they hunt.
Only in this way, when the two complement each other, can powerful soul skills be unleashed.
In other words, when absorbing a spirit ring, the spirit ring and the spirit master's attributes must not conflict.
However, Dugu Zhan's situation was extremely special. Perhaps it was because of the unique cultivation technique he practiced in his previous life—the "Skull Codex"—which allowed him to successfully absorb soul rings and advance in rank, but prevented him from obtaining the exclusive soul skills that soul beasts themselves possessed.
However, this method is not without its benefits.
The biggest advantage is that as Dugu Zhan's level gradually increases, his hidden abilities will be gradually unlocked, thus obtaining the corresponding soul skills.
Moreover, Dugu Zhan does not need to deliberately hunt soul beasts that match his own attributes.
As long as his body can withstand the energy impact of the spirit ring, no matter what type of spirit ring it is, it will not cause any conflict after being absorbed.
In Dugu Zhan's eyes, the process of absorbing a soul ring was quite similar to meditation and cultivation, and it was not a difficult thing.
With his powerful primordial soul force, he quickly absorbed all of Ghost Tiger's soul rings.
The powerful primordial soul force possessed by Dugu Zhan was like an indestructible fortress, easily suppressing the resentment left behind by the soul beasts after their deaths.
This is why he is able to withstand higher-level spirit rings, thus breaking through conventional limitations and advancing towards a higher realm.
Theoretically speaking, as long as his physical condition allows, he can try to absorb a ten-thousand-year spirit ring, even if it's just his first one.
But reality told him that, given his current physical condition, this idea was not yet feasible.
...
The next day, adhering to the philosophy of "using war to sustain war," Dugu Zhan continued his adventures in this perilous forest, hunting down thousand-year-old soul beasts to rapidly enhance his own strength.
When he was starving, he would skillfully light a campfire and happily roast soul beast meat to satisfy his appetite.
When thirsty, they drink the water that accumulates in the tree hollow or the dew collected in the early morning.
As the saying goes, the more self-disciplined a person is, the luckier they get. Dugu Zhan firmly believes that his efforts will eventually be rewarded.
"First Soul Skill, Skeleton Swordsman!"
Dugu Zhan's soul power surged, and he stomped his right foot heavily on the ground, instantly raising a cloud of dust.
At the same time, he forcefully lifted his left hand upwards, using the bones of the dead black-spotted wolf to instantly create ten pitch-black humanoid skeleton swordsmen.
These skeleton swordsmen are formed by the perfect combination of skeletons and soul power, possessing powerful combat abilities and the ability to transform into various combat forms to assist Dugu Zhan in dealing with various complex combat situations.
At this moment, ten agile skeleton swordsmen are chasing two thousand-year-old crested serpents through the jungle.
The two snakes, one male and one female, were incredibly agile and fast, weaving freely through the dense forest in the blink of an eye, and were about to escape the pursuit of the skeleton swordsman.
End of this chapter...