White World, Shrek Academy
"This Yu Xiaogang has finally been exposed!"
After watching the comparison video, Ning Rongrong could not help but complain.
"I knew it. Taking Tang San alone to the Spirit Hunting Forest had ulterior motives from the start."
"As expected, he wanted Tang San to use Blue Silver Grass to absorb the Datura Snake's spirit ring just to verify his so-called martial soul mimicry theory!"
"Is there really anything wrong with that?" Ma Hongjun scratched his head in confusion.
"Didn't Tang San absorb the spirit ring just fine? And the Spirit Ability seems decent, doesn't it?"
"You simply don't understand." Ning Rongrong crossed her slender arms, her exquisite face carrying a trace of pride.
"Even Yu Xiaogang himself admitted that if an ordinary plant Spirit absorbs a beast-type spirit ring, the Spirit Master could explode and die."
"That alone proves how poor the compatibility is between plant Spirits and beast-type spirit rings."
"Blue Silver Grass is also a plant Spirit, so its compatibility is equally bad. It only worked because it's too weak to cause a violent rejection."
"But that is not a good thing!"
"After absorbing the Datura Snake's spirit ring, Tang San only gained a poisonous binding ability."
"For plant-type Spirits, binding is practically instinctive!"
"If he had chosen a powerful plant-type Spirit Beast instead, not only could he bind, he might have gained far stronger abilities."
"So in the end, Yu Xiaogang was just using Tang San to verify his theory."
"And Tang San still hasn't realized it. He's truly foolish to the core!"
Her tone was filled with disdain.
White World, Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well
"It's finally over."
Dugu Bo exhaled, feeling nothing but irritation after watching the entire sequence.
"This Tang San is unbelievably frustrating."
"By the way, Xiao Chuan…"
As if recalling something, he turned toward Tang Chuan, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
"When you went to Nuoding Academy, did you meet Yu Xiaogang?"
"You didn't take him as your teacher, did you?"
Although he already suspected the answer, the frustration from Tang San's story made him eager to confirm it.
Tang Chuan simply smiled, deliberately keeping the suspense.
"Grandpa Dugu will know soon enough."
"If I reveal it now, where would the anticipation be?"
With that, he stepped toward the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd and spoke calmly.
"Earth Dragon Golden Gourd, you should now understand whether my words are true."
"If you choose to sacrifice yourself to me, then when I become a god in the future, I will elevate your spirit ring to the million-year level, allowing you to ascend as well and share eternal life with me."
"Isn't that far better than struggling as a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast, facing life-and-death tribulations every time your cultivation advances?"
Under Tang Chuan's persuasion, the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd finally made its decision.
"Human, your name is Tang Chuan, correct?"
"I am a controller of the earth, an emperor among plants. My word is absolute."
"Since you truly possess the potential to become a god, I will sacrifice myself to you."
With that declaration, the sacrifice began.
In an instant, the dragon-shaped golden gourd at the top of the plant burst into a dazzling dark-gold radiance, transforming into a protective shield that enveloped Tang Chuan.
Within the light, the gourd fruit detached and floated upward, releasing streams of dark-gold energy that continuously poured into his body.
Part of the energy was absorbed by the Golden Holy Dragon Martial Soul Origin, while the rest nourished his physique and merged into his spirit power.
Soon, the Golden Holy Dragon Martial Soul Origin completed its transformation, manifesting as a physical hatchling.
At the same time, the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd itself vanished.
In its place appeared a crimson hundred-thousand-year spirit ring and a dark-gold left leg bone, crystal-like in clarity, shaped like a dragon and covered in intricate patterns.
The spirit ring attached itself to Tang Chuan's Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul, while the spirit bone fell into his hands.
Because it was a sacrifice, the ring instantly became his fifth spirit ring.
At the same moment, four surges of energy flowed outward from it, merging into his previous four rings and elevating each of them to the ten-thousand-year level.
"Tang Chuan, my spirit ring totals one hundred and eighty thousand years," the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd's voice echoed in his mind.
"I have allocated forty thousand years to upgrade your first four rings."
"No need to thank me. In the future, cultivate diligently and become a god as soon as possible. I am waiting for you to carry me to the peak."
With that slightly proud tone, the voice faded into silence.
Realizing that all four of his earlier spirit rings had been elevated to forty thousand years, Tang Chuan felt a surge of delight.
The enhancement would significantly strengthen all his existing Spirit Abilities.
After completing the absorption, he began testing the abilities granted by the fifth spirit ring.
He named them Earth Vein Connection and Blue Silver Wood Dragon.
Earth Vein Connection allowed him to draw power from the earth, converting it into vitality and spirit power, enhancing recovery and growth while redirecting incoming physical damage into the ground.
Blue Silver Wood Dragon transformed the Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul into dragon-like constructs, merging vines and roots into powerful wood dragons capable of launching devastating attacks.
He then fused with the left leg spirit bone.
Its two abilities were named Earth Control and Gravity Domain.
Earth Control granted him full manipulation over surrounding terrain, allowing him to reshape earth and rock at will and even trigger earthquakes.
Gravity Domain enabled him to alter gravitational force within a certain range.
Among these, Earth Vein Connection, Earth Control, and Gravity Domain were sustainable abilities with manageable energy consumption.
However, Blue Silver Wood Dragon was vastly different.
When he tested it once, it consumed sixty to seventy percent of his spirit power in an instant, despite his energy already being highly compressed.
Clearly, his current reserves were insufficient.
After the comparison video ended, he would need to undergo Ice and Fire Body Tempering as soon as possible and continue compressing his spirit power.
If possible, he should even condense his first Spirit Core.
Tang Chuan silently planned ahead.
After waiting for over an hour, the golden screen in the sky lit up once more.
Lines of radiant text appeared.
[White World · God of Life and God of Destruction Tang Chuan, Third Stage Comparison Video]
[Start Playback!]
The familiar scene unfolded again.
Old Jack brought Tang Chuan to Nuoding City by bullock cart, and after asking for directions, they arrived at the academy gate.
As expected, they were stopped by the gatekeeper.
Old Jack stepped forward with a humble smile, explaining that Tang Chuan was a work-study student from Saint Spirit Village and presenting his Martial Soul Proof.
The gatekeeper glanced at it and scoffed.
Innate Full Spirit Power with Blue Silver Grass?
Impossible.
Declaring the document forged, he attempted to drive them away.
["Are you showing contempt for the great Spirit Hall?"]
[Tang Chuan remained calm, his gaze steady as he spoke.]
["You claim my Martial Soul Proof is fake. What evidence do you have? Is it merely because you think such a combination cannot exist?"]
["I can go to the Spirit Hall branch and bring the deacon who awakened my martial soul to testify. But if my proof is genuine, what will you do then?"]
The gatekeeper froze, his face stiffening before flushing red. He opened his mouth but no longer dared to push them away.
"Hmph! For the sake of Spirit Hall, I will let you pass."
"When you register, proper Spirit Masters will verify it. If it's fake, you won't escape!"
His words sounded bold, but his actions were honest as he immediately opened the gate.
"Grandpa Jack, let's go," Tang Chuan said calmly.
"Wait!"
A raspy, urgent voice sounded from nearby.
A middle-aged man with a stiff face, short hair, and a thin frame, dressed in a black academic robe, hurried over.
White World, Shrek Academy
"Yu Xiaogang really showed up."
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit with anticipation as she watched the scene unfold.
"I wonder whether Tang Chuan will see through him… or end up making the same mistake."
Elsewhere, Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, Shi Nian, and Dugu Bo all focused intently on the screen.
They were all waiting for one thing.
A different outcome.