Chapter 22: The Violated Theory

Gazing at the towering Solitary Bamboo before him, Li Xun nodded.

The ability to propagate a bamboo forest of this scale proved that its latent talent was quite impressive. Moreover, as the primary bamboo, its inherent growth potential must also be formidable.

"Brother, what should we do if Teacher Qin Ming doesn't follow us?" Ning Rongrong glanced back.

Li Xun retrieved a saw from his soul tool. "It's fine. I feared he might not be reliable, so I made preparations in advance."

He had made contingencies the moment he agreed to let Qin Ming accompany him. If the man refused to let him absorb the thousand-year-old Solitary Bamboo, he would simply take matters into his own hands.

Seeing the saw in Li Xun's hand, Ning Rongrong and Dugu Yan wore complex expressions.

"Little brother Li Xun, it seems you are quite determined!" Dugu Yan chuckled, her laughter light and airy.

Li Xun grinned without replying. Instead, he took the saw and began working on the bamboo stalk. Although the Solitary Bamboo lacked aggression, its inherent toughness made it resistant to axes and blades; sometimes, the recoil alone could cause injury. Even with a saw, Li Xun found the labor arduous. Five minutes had passed, and he had only just breached the outer bark of the thousand-year-old specimen.

Li Xun stood up to wipe the sweat from his brow and couldn't help but look toward the sky, though the canopy of the bamboo forest obstructed his view. Perhaps sensing his gaze, a sliver of sword energy descended from the heavens, striking directly at the Solitary Bamboo.

*Creeeak—*

The sword energy slashed through, and the bamboo emitted a piercing sound as it toppled to one side.

*Thud—*

The twenty-meter-tall bamboo hit the ground with a resounding impact.

Dugu Yan’s expression grew grave. "Is that a senior from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan?" She had been standing by with her arms crossed, watching Li Xun’s struggle, but the sudden appearance of that sword energy made her hair stand on end.

"It’s Sword Grandpa," Ning Rongrong said happily.

Dugu Yan was startled. "Is it His Excellency, the Sword Douluo?"

"Yes, I already greeted him when I left," Li Xun nodded. He then turned his attention to the final remaining connection point of the bamboo. A soul master must personally slay the soul beast to absorb its ring; even with outside help, the final blow had to be dealt by the one intending to absorb the soul ring. The Sword Douluo’s intervention had been executed with exactly that in mind.

"Li Xun, what are you doing? Have you forgotten the academy’s teachings?" Just as Li Xun prepared to finish off the bamboo, a reprimand rang out from afar. Li Xun looked up to see Yu Xiaogang and his party, with Qin Ming being the one who had spoken.

"Killing a soul beast! What else would I be doing?" Li Xun replied coolly, his hands never stopping.

*Creeeak—*

The friction between the saw and the bamboo produced a harsh, grating sound.

"Li Xun, do you know how old this Solitary Bamboo is?" Yu Xiaogang raised a hand to stop Qin Ming, who was about to speak again, and walked slowly toward Li Xun.

Li Xun did not look up. "I know."

*Creeeak—*

Yu Xiaogang’s face was solemn. "Are you aware of the absorption limits for soul rings as defined by the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls?"

"I know," Li Xun replied, continuing to saw.

*Creeeak—*

"Since you know, why would you choose a thousand-year-old Solitary Bamboo as your second soul ring?" Seeing that Li Xun had no intention of stopping, Yu Xiaogang frowned, his hands clenching tightly. Li Xun’s response and the surrounding gazes made him feel as if he were being pricked by needles.

"I feel I can absorb it, so I chose it," Li Xun flipped the saw to a different side.

*Creeeak—*

"Hmph! The absorption limit for a soul master’s second soul ring is seven hundred years, and this Solitary Bamboo is a twelve-hundred-year-old beast. Forcing this absorption is nothing short of suicide." Yu Xiaogang snorted, flicked his sleeve, and turned to head back the way he came. He had only come to observe Li Xun’s martial soul, but since the boy insisted on ignoring the absorption limits he had studied, it was clear the lad did not believe in his Ten Core Competencies. When the boy eventually exploded from the pressure, he would let everyone see the consequences of defying his theories.

*Thud—*

As the last bit of bark was severed, the bamboo hit the ground with a dull thud. A purple soul ring began to condense above the bamboo stalk.

Hearing the sound, Yu Xiaogang paused and walked over to Tang San. "Teacher, do you think he can absorb that soul ring?" Tang San asked, bewildered.

Yu Xiaogang frowned, his expression stern and his voice rigid. "Little San, what is the seventh rule of the Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls?"

"The absorption limit for the first soul ring is four hundred and twenty-three years, and for the second, it is seven hundred and sixty-four years..." Seeing his teacher’s anger, Tang San quickly stood at attention and recited the theory.

"Little San, it seems you have not forgotten my teachings." Yu Xiaogang nodded, his tone softening slightly. "Given your aptitude, your second soul ring is still within seven hundred years. Do you think he can surpass you?"

Tang San clenched his fists, his eyes watching Li Xun—who was already beginning the absorption—with indifference. He possessed the dual martial souls, a rare blessing recorded only three times in the history of the entire continent. Naturally, he had to be superior to ordinary people. Moreover, the first two rings of his Blue Silver Grass had confirmed the validity of his teacher’s theories. This person, in his arrogance, sought to break a proven law. He was truly courting his own death.

Li Xun had no idea what the master and his disciple were thinking; he was currently guiding the soul ring. When the ring settled onto his Thousand-Hand Great Buddha, a surge of power flooded into every part of his body. There was no expected risk or pain; it was as if those hazards did not exist. Everything flowed naturally, as if it were meant to be.

"That simple? Is it because the Solitary Bamboo has a gentle nature?"

Before long, Li Xun opened his eyes. Looking at his martial soul, which was gradually regaining its vitality, he mused, "A pity. It seems this twelve-hundred-year-old bamboo wasn't my limit. My limit is likely around thirteen hundred years." He hadn't known his own potential before absorbing the bamboo, so he had capped his search at twelve hundred years for the sake of safety.

"I didn't expect the Wood Style and the Whale Glue to improve my body to such a degree." The efficacy of Whale Glue decreased drastically with frequent consumption, but the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan was wealthy enough that, for the past year, both he and Ning Rongrong had been consuming it almost like a daily medicinal meal. By the end, even he wasn't sure if it was still doing anything.

Li Xun stood up and stretched his body; he felt full of power.

"The attributes granted by this second soul ring are better than I expected." Li Xun sensed the ring. While he hadn't gained an active skill, he had acquired three passive ones: an eighty-percent increase in plant resilience, a forty-percent increase in plant growth speed, and a twenty-percent increase in plant propagation. In short, it meant higher defense, faster casting, and double the output.

"Rapid fire coverage is always the king of the battlefield!" Li Xun grinned.

As he smirked in triumph, everyone present was shocked, for this had shattered their understanding of common sense.

"This..." Qin Ming looked at the one yellow and one purple soul ring circling Li Xun’s feet, rendered speechless. He then turned his head to look at Yu Xiaogang, only to see the Grandmaster, Yu Xiaogang, trembling slightly.

"This is impossible..." Yu Xiaogang’s eyes were bloodshot, his breathing ragged, and he looked utterly devastated. The theory he prided himself on had been broken right before his eyes.