Just as Romantina was about to spout another of her "perverted" remarks, Xiao Wu quickly cut her off and asked Tang San, "What's your first soul skill?"
Zhou Qing also didn't dare let Romantina continue—who knows what suggestive, wild thing she might say next.
"Life Accumulation."
Tang San nodded slightly toward Zhou Qing. "Just like other soul masters who've obtained the Wolfmill Grass soul ring, this ability lets me store vitality. This strange power can be used to protect my heart and meridians—but I don't think that's its main function. It feels like this energy needs another outlet to fully release its potential... probably the ability to enhance soul skills."
Unfortunately, Tang San hadn't obtained a second soul ring yet, so he couldn't test the enhancement effects.
In fact...
Tang San had sensed that this accumulated vitality could also strengthen his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, Controlling Crane Catching Dragon, and Mysterious Jade Hand—but these were secrets he couldn't reveal to Xiao Wu and Romantina, two people he didn't fully trust yet.
"Can it strengthen other people's soul skills?" Zhou Qing asked.
"I'm not sure... probably not. It doesn't seem like this energy can be discharged directly through my Blue Silver Grass... but I might be able to try it in the future," Tang San said, shaking his head. He raised his right hand and waved it deliberately in front of Zhou Qing—he was sure Zhou Qing had noticed the unusual change in his hand.
Zhou Qing understood immediately. The first soul skill alone might not do it, but combined with the external right palm bone—it just might work.
"Right, a spirit beast forest isn't exactly the safest testing ground."
As night deepened, Romantina set up the tent, and the four of them took turns keeping watch.
The night passed quietly.
The next morning—
The newborn sun shattered the darkness.
Zhou Qing, Tang San, and Xiao Wu packed their gear. Under Romantina's lead, they headed to a small pond deep within the Nuoding Forest. After fetching water and freshening up, they began their ambush.
"The Moo Spring Ox comes here to drink. We'll hide up in the trees and wait quietly."
Romantina seemed quite experienced.
About an hour later, the underbrush rustled.
Rustle... rustle!
Ten Moo Spring Oxen pushed aside the bushes and arrived at the pond, lowering their heads to drink.
But they didn't all drink at once. Three stood in the back, alert and scanning the surroundings; three more stood behind the four drinking in front. Once the four finished drinking, they walked to the rear—led by the biggest Moo Spring Ox—replacing the initial three as sentries.
Unlike ordinary cattle with two separate horns, the Moo Spring Ox had two horns joined together at the forehead, forming a crescent shape.
"These Moo Spring Oxen are pretty clever."
Xiao Wu was surprised they actually took turns.
But Zhou Qing knew better. It wasn't that the Moo Spring Oxen had human intelligence—it was instinct. An evolved behavior meant to help their species survive.
Nature is cruel. Spirit beasts, like regular animals, prey on each other. Herd-type spirit beasts like the Moo Spring Ox, even for something as basic as drinking water, need a portion of their group on guard while the others drink.
"Which one do you want?" Romantina's breath quickened, eager to clash horns with the beasts herself. "All ten are at the hundred-year level. The biggest one is almost five hundred years old!"
The age of a Moo Spring Ox is judged by its horns. Every hundred years, a green circular ring appears. The leading ox had four clear rings and a faint fifth—meaning it was close to five hundred years, but not quite.
"That one," Zhou Qing decided.
With his innate internal energy cultivation, refining its soul ring wouldn't be a problem. Plus, the ox's massive frame meant it was brimming with vitality perfect.
"You sure?"
Though Romantina had been practically in heat the night before over the idea of a five-hundred-year soul ring, she now looked genuinely worried.
"Whether theory holds up or not I'll test it myself," Zhou Qing said confidently, raising a hand to the sky. "Grandpa Jack once told me: you'll never know unless you try. And I think I've got this!"
Tang San tilted his head.
Did Grandpa Jack really say that?
Romantina went silent for a moment, then gave up arguing. She leapt down with her Phoenix Sycamore staff and brought it crashing down toward the largest Moo Spring Ox.
"Oh ha!"
As her staff slammed into the ox, she let out a spirited war cry, her eyes burning with excitement.
"Moo—!"
Whether it was her staff's effectiveness or sheer brute force, the nearly five-hundred-year-old Moo Spring Ox reeled back, stumbling three steps.
The rest of the herd panicked. They stopped drinking and bolted for the trees, leaving their leader behind.
Despite its size, the Moo Spring Ox is a timid creature. At the first sign of danger, it flees rather than fight. Only the leader stays behind to buy time for the rest to escape.
After the strike, Romantina used the recoil to leap backward over ten meters. Her arms trembled slightly from the impact.
But her whole body was shaking, her cheeks flushed—not from fear, but excitement.
The jolt of pain thrilled her nerves. Even with sore, numb arms, she felt an intoxicating rush.
Zhou Qing, Tang San, and Xiao Wu leapt from the trees, surrounding the lone ox.
"Martial Soul Possession!"
Veins of red and blue energy patterns spread across Zhou Qing's skin. His heartbeat quickened, blood vessels expanded, and soul power surged in tandem with his own blood circulation. His body grew taller, and a faint red mist swirled around him. His hair stood upright, fluttering in the windless air.
"So fierce!" Romantina's eyes sparkled at Zhou Qing's transformation. She activated her own Martial Soul Possession, her consciousness merging with her soul.
And with both of their true body martial souls awakened, the strange resonance between them grew even stronger.
"It's not an illusion!"
In that moment, Romantina was completely certain—they were soulmates. Born for each other.
And he was a shota on top of that—
"Hiss! the heavens really do favor me!."