"I don't know what happened either. The spirit ring came to me—I had no choice but to absorb it."
Faced with Zhao Wuji and Li Yusong's questions, Xu Yunhan had no explanation.
Normally, absorbing a spirit ring carried difficulty—even danger.
Unless, of course, a spirit beast willingly sacrificed itself to a soul master. In such cases, the process was seamless.
This situation bore some resemblance to a spirit beast's sacrifice—effortless and risk-free.
No one could decipher why it had happened. Perhaps no one ever would. It might remain an unsolved anomaly.
"It seems we've encountered something unprecedented. Thankfully, Yunhan is unharmed."
Li Yusong stroked his beard. "We'll discuss it with Flender and the others later—though I doubt even they'll have answers."
Zhao Wuji nodded. The incident was too bizarre to explain. At least Xu Yunhan was safe. "Agreed."
He turned to the boy. "Yunhan, show us your soul skill."
Given the abnormality, they worried the skill might not meet expectations.
Xu Yunhan now possessed an external spirit bone—"White Bone"—attached to the back of his right hand. Its bone skill functioned as an additional soul skill.
Meanwhile, his first spirit ring had granted him a passive, permanent-effect soul skill: Charm.
This skill didn't require activation—it had been "on" since absorption, with no way to turn it off.
Fortunately, its soul power consumption was negligible, easily offset by Xu Yunhan's natural recovery.
But its effects? Extraordinary.
The Charm skill passively increased other beings' fondness and trust toward Xu Yunhan.
Those who spent prolonged time near him would find these feelings continuously deepening.
The longer one stayed around him, the more they'd trust him—the more their goodwill would grow.
The implications were staggering. No wonder Xu Yunhan was thrilled.
Now, Zhao Wuji demanded a demonstration.
The spirit ring's skill was too subtle to display, and Xu Yunhan had no intention of revealing Charm—it would remain his trump card.
So, he showcased his external spirit bone's skill instead.
Under the watchful eyes of Zhao Wuji, Li Yusong, and Oscar, Xu Yunhan raised his right hand and clenched his fist.
Instantly, his flesh morphed into bone, forming a ghastly white fist.
The skeletal knuckles radiated dense soul power—their destructive potential palpable.
The trio's reactions varied:
Oscar gawked at the eerie skill.
Zhao Wuji and Li Yusong fixated on the absence of Xu Yunhan's spirit ring during activation.
Normally, soul skills required their corresponding spirit rings to manifest.
Xu Yunhan had used a skill without his ring appearing.
Only one explanation fit:
"Instant-cast soul skill!"
Zhao Wuji and Li Yusong blurted in unison.
Oscar blinked, clueless—this was beyond his current studies.
"Mn." Xu Yunhan feigned nonchalance, indifferent to their suspicion.
"An instant-cast skill?!" Zhao Wuji's eyes gleamed. "To think your talent runs this deep!"
Instant-casting was typically seen in mid-to-high-rank soul masters—and even then, only after mastering a skill and possessing innate aptitude.
For a first spirit ring to grant such an ability? Sheer genius.
Li Yusong briefly explained: "Instant-casting eliminates activation time—a monumental advantage in battle."
Imagine: While foes fumble with incantations, Xu Yunhan's strikes land in the blink of an eye.
"The swiftest blade cuts deepest," as the saying went.
"Hah! You're full of surprises, brat. Excellent!"
Zhao Wuji beamed. Having rescued Xu Yunhan, he'd unofficially taken him as a disciple.
The boy's brilliance reflected well on him.
"Now—hit me with that skill. Let's gauge its strength."
"Gladly."
Xu Yunhan's "White Bone Tiger Fist" lashed out—its skeletal form menacing, its force concentrated.
The punch connected with Zhao Wuji's barely-defended torso, drawing a grunt. Yet the man grinned. "Solid! For a first ring, this rivals many second-ring skills!"
Li Yusong nodded. "A near-six-hundred-year ring is unheard of for a first absorption. The bone augmentation alone boosts its lethality."
"Hahaha!" Zhao Wuji clapped Xu Yunhan's shoulder. "Talent, luck, and diligence—you've got it all. A future titan, no doubt!"
Oscar shuffled over, envy plain on his face. "Congrats, Boss."
If only he had an offensive martial soul…
Xu Yunhan adopted a patronizing tone. "Remember, Little Ao—stick with me, and no one will bully you."
(Except me.)
"Mm!" Oscar bobbed his head. As a support-type, he needed strong allies. Xu Yunhan fit the bill.
Besides, the boy had treated him well. Oscar's loyalty was steadily cementing.
Xu Yunhan's precocious demeanor had long since stopped startling the adults.
"Let's head back. Once you're Spirit Grandmasters, we'll consider proper forest expeditions. For now—train hard."
Upon their return, Flender was absent—tending to his shop in Suotuo City, scraping funds for the academy.
Shao Xin and Lu Qibin were astounded by the "self-attracting spirit ring" incident but equally baffled.
Even Flender, upon hearing later, could only scratch his head. He wrote to Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang, who—though fascinated—dismissed it as a one-in-a-million fluke.
A year passed since Xu Yunhan's arrival in Douluo Continent.
"Boss, your cultivation speed is insane!"
Oscar slumped, disheartened. Despite training side-by-side, the gap between them yawned wider.
Xu Yunhan: "My spiritual power's exceptional—cultivation comes easier."
Thanks to his Three-Eyed White Tiger and transmigrator's soul, his spiritual force dwarfed peers'.
After absorbing his first ring, it had quadrupled.
Now:
Xu Yunhan: 18th-rank Soul Master
Oscar: 14th-rank
"Yunhan! Little Ao! Meet your new companion!"
Zhao Wuji and Flender approached, a fiery-haired boy in tow.
"This is Ma Hongjun. Six years old—younger than you both. Look after him."
Flender's grin stretched ear-to-ear. Another prodigy—not innate full soul power, but a rare mutated martial soul.
Worth celebrating.