Chapter Thirteen: The First Soul Skill—Blood Invocation for Vitality

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Ning Wuqie’s comprehensive and profound study of the soul skill “Ninefold Hell Gate” was crucial to his future! From the very beginning, he deduced all possible accidents and flaws through relentless reasoning. Starting with fifteen days of initial research, and continuing with monthly supplementary studies during his rest days, he had, in total, developed over a hundred annotations on the original manuscript. The latest annotation had reached [Note 136]. However, that handwriting was from two months ago. Since then, he had reviewed it repeatedly, pondering deeply, yet found no further advancements. Perhaps only when he succeeded in shattering the ring to open the “First Gate” would new potential issues arise for him to deduce.

“Luckily, you’re smart, Wuqie. Take this soul bone. When we return to the sect, go to the treasury’s steward and exchange it for something more useful to you!” Although Ning Wuqie couldn’t absorb soul bones, Zhang Can still handed him the bone, slipping it along with the closed manuscript into Ning Wuqie’s embrace. There was no harm in not needing the soul bone; it could be exchanged for something beneficial. Surely it wasn’t meant to gather dust! That would be such a waste!

Zhang Can fully understood Ning Wuqie’s current expenditures. Just maintaining his training required two gold soul coins daily. Even though the sect offered discounted nutritious meals at the cost of only one sect contribution per day, that was before. Now, after absorbing the first soul ring, Ning Wuqie’s martial soul had evolved, and his physical fitness had improved by at least thirty percent—a significant change. This figure would only grow larger in the future! Therefore, money was perpetually insufficient.

“Thank you, Grandfather!” Ning Wuqie took no airs, immediately storing the soul bone and manuscript Zhang Can handed him into his soul-storage device. Ever since Zhang Can had created the forced soul-guidance training suit for him, Ning Wuqie had resolved that he would one day care for Zhang Can in his old age, treat him as his own grandfather.

“Good, good. Come on, Wuqie. Show Grandpa your first soul skill. The first ring in a millennium—never have I seen anything so rare in my life. Throughout history, only the third sect leader of the main body sect achieved this!” Zhang Can’s eyes gleamed with anticipation, curious about this millennial first ring’s true nature. It should be remarkable, after all, the soul ring originated from the dark gold soldier ant, a beast sharing the same source as Ning Wuqie’s martial soul.

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Ning Wuqie didn’t hesitate. He rose and summoned his martial soul. The purple soul ring gleamed brightly, and faint golden lines appeared on his body’s surface. He explained to Zhang Can:

“This is my first soul skill, ‘Blood Drawing Vitality.’ It mimics the combat and transport posture of black gold ants and dark gold soldier ants, by strongly activating the blood within my body to grant me greater strength and physical fitness.”

He was immensely satisfied with this soul skill—far more than with percentage-based enhancements. This skill directly affected his very being, meaning he only needed to activate it once, and by continuously outputting soul power, he could maintain it throughout the battle. What did that mean?

Normally, after shattering a soul ring, the skill’s enhancement disappears because the soul power sustaining it, along with the ring itself, is destroyed. But some skills differ—those that directly enhance the soul or stimulate the body itself can be maintained by soul power even after the ring is shattered. This is the difference between having someone else’s help and self-empowerment; one is relying on external force, the other is opening one’s own meridians and channels, remaining effective as long as it is continuously maintained.

If it’s still unclear, think of it as the difference between a skill that has a cooldown after mana consumption and one that continuously drains mana to remain active.

With this soul skill, when shattering a ring, Ning Wuqie could still benefit from this enhancement. This was more precious than a mere percentage boost—it was an “independent multiplier,” essentially a second boost layered upon the first, an extraordinary effect!

“Grandpa doesn’t understand it, but judging by your expression, this soul skill makes you very happy. Alright, rest up now. Grandpa will take you back to the sect soon.”

“Mm!”

Time passed swiftly. After acquiring the soul ring he desired, Ning Wuqie returned to the sect with Zhang Can. Yet, he didn’t hurry to exchange the soul bone at the treasury. Instead, he asked Zhang Can to fetch a current inventory list of the treasury’s treasures.

The Jiubao Liuli Sect’s treasury had five levels, but only the first three were open internally. The last two levels required elder status or significant contributions for access and could only be used personally. Zhang Can could do nothing about this; he would not violate sect rules, which were his sacred ground.

The treasury’s inventory refreshed annually, with only the Supreme Elder—bearing the title Douluo—having firsthand records. Others had to apply to the treasury’s steward. It was worth noting that the steward guarding the treasury was a super Douluo.

After reviewing the list Zhang Can brought, Ning Wuqie shook his head. Everything was too ordinary. Though whale gelatin was available, its effects diminished after the first use. Only those aged over fifty thousand years were worth consuming again, but such high-grade gelatin was beyond the reach of a minor soul master—not due to cost, but inability.

After surveying the list, Ning Wuqie found nothing worthwhile to exchange for. Trading the soul bone for sect contributions would be an even worse deal. It was better to wait—perhaps a month before his current resources ran out—then consider exchanging. Otherwise, he’d have to settle for a large amount of sect contributions.

Putting away the list, Ning Wuqie skipped training for the day. He first increased the intensity of his training suit by another level, then began cultivating the “Human-Soul Unification Method.” This was his second attempt since creating this cultivation method. The first try had yielded no progress; perhaps his connection with his martial soul was too shallow to establish contact.

Now, having absorbed the first soul ring, he could use it as a medium to communicate with his martial soul, fully conveying his intentions. With their cooperation, perhaps he could succeed and complete the human-soul fusion—that is, a beast martial soul wholly led by the human will.

“Martial soul, open your eyes. I am Ning Wuqie.”

“Kaa~”

In the chaotic sea of spirit, Ning Wuqie’s spiritual form plunged in. Using meditation techniques and his years of soul power control, he entered a state of semi-deep meditation, delving into his soul sea to seek his martial soul.

He did not know how long passed until, amid the swirling chaos, he saw a towering black giant ant. It crawled with closed eyes, only raising its head to roar when Ning Wuqie awakened it.

Human and soul, through human effort, officially met in youth.

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