Liu Qing and Zhang Niu walked carefully along the eastern side of the cavern.
The ground beneath their feet was damp, and every step they took felt slightly sticky.
Inside the cavern, the stone walls were layered with stalactites, and water droplets slowly gathered and fell from their sharp tips.
The “drip-drop” sound echoed continuously in the empty cavern, adding a touch of mystery.
Liu Qing slowly crouched down, his rough palm gently brushing over the ground as he carefully felt the softness and moisture of the soil.
Liu Qing whispered, “The soil here is quite fertile and there’s plenty of water.
It’s a very suitable environment for the Earth Net Spirit Root.”
Zhang Niu nodded, his hand tightening around the Double-sided axe.
His knuckles turned slightly white from the grip as his eyes alertly scanned the surroundings, not missing a single corner.
Suddenly, Zhang Niu’s gaze fixed on a low-lying thicket of shrubs.
The shrubs were lush with foliage, their leaves a shiny green.
The thick roots extended in all directions like a spiderweb, densely burrowing into the ground.
“Old Liu, look over there!” Zhang Niu lowered his voice, pointing toward the thicket.
Liu Qing looked in the direction he pointed, a flash of pleasant surprise in his eyes.
“That’s it!
That’s the above-ground part of the Earth Net Spirit Root!
We finally found it!”
Meanwhile, on the western side of the cavern, Liu Feng and Zhang Ma were also searching diligently.
The light inside the cavern was dim, and a damp atmosphere permeated the surroundings.
The flickering light of their torches barely illuminated the winding path ahead.
Liu Feng followed carefully behind Zhang Ma, the torch in his hand swaying back and forth, casting flickering shadows on the surroundings.
Zhang Ma suddenly stopped and slowly crouched down.
Reaching out to touch the ground, he said softly, “Xiao Feng, come take a look at this.”
Liu Feng hurried forward and examined the ground closely.
The soil was somewhat loose, and thick roots could be seen faintly.
He asked in a low voice, “Is this the root system of the Earth Net Spirit Root?”
Zhang Ma nodded with a smile.
“Exactly.
The Earth Net Spirit Root has a well-developed root system that spreads underground like a spiderweb.
If we follow these roots, we’ll definitely find its main body.”
The two of them slowly moved forward, following the direction of the roots.
Before long, they arrived at an open area.
The ground was covered with low shrubs, their branches and leaves crowded together in a vibrant display of green.
Among the thickets, thick roots were partially visible, extending underground like a complex network of veins.
Liu Feng crouched down and leaned in to closely observe the base of the shrubs.
Zhang Ma nodded and explained with a smile, “Yes, these shrubs are the above-ground parts of the Earth Net Spirit Root.
It seems our luck is quite good.”
After searching separately in the cavern for a while, the two groups of the Soul Hunting Squad finally met up in an open space.
Liu Qing, Zhang Niu, Liu Feng, and Zhang Ma sat in a circle and began sharing their discoveries.
Liu Qing spoke first.
“We found a patch of Earth Net Spirit Root above-ground parts on the eastern side.
The root system is well-developed and the foliage is lush; it looks like it’s been growing for quite a few years.”
Zhang Niu nodded and added, “However, we didn’t have time to check the exact age before coming to meet up.”
Zhang Niu continued, “We’ve marked the location.
We can just take Xiao Feng over there to hunt it later.”
Liu Feng followed up, “We also found a patch of Earth Net Spirit Root on the western side.
The above-ground parts are growing well, and the roots spread underground like a spiderweb.
Zhang Ma Uncle and I followed the roots to find the main body, but we haven’t confirmed the age yet either.”
Zhang Ma praised him with a smile, “Xiao Feng observed very carefully.
The above-ground parts of that Earth Net Spirit Root really are growing well.”
At that moment, Sun Lao San hurried over, his expression somewhat solemn, clutching a blood-stained strip of cloth in his hand.
He whispered, “While I was searching, I ran into a Numbing-tooth Weasel with about five hundred years of cultivation.
It ambushed me, but I managed to drive it away.”
“Everyone, be careful from now on.
Soul Beasts like the Numbing-tooth Weasel are very vengeful.”
Liu Qing nodded with a serious expression.
“While the Numbing-tooth Weasel isn’t particularly powerful, it’s skilled at ambushes.
It’s best if everyone stays extra cautious.”
Following Sun Lao San’s warning, the group decided to first head to the spot on the eastern side where the Earth Net Spirit Root was found to confirm if its age was suitable for Liu Feng to absorb.
The group moved cautiously along the cavern’s passage.
A damp, rotting smell permeated the passage, making it somewhat difficult to breathe.
Before long, they reached the area where Liu Qing and Zhang Niu had discovered the Earth Net Spirit Root.
The ground was covered with low shrubs, their leaves a deep green, radiating vitality under the torchlight.
Liu Feng crouched down and leaned in to examine the base of the shrubs closely.
He whispered, “Dad, look.
The above-ground parts of these shrubs are about an inch tall.”
Liu Qing nodded and explained patiently, “The above-ground part of the Earth Net Spirit Root grows one inch every hundred years.
This patch is approximately a hundred years old, which is suitable for Xiao Feng to absorb.”
Zhang Niu frowned and voiced his concern, “A hundred-year-old Earth Net Spirit Root’s Soul Ring effect might not be strong enough.
How about we look elsewhere?”
“Let’s check the other spot first and compare them,” Zhang Ma agreed.
The passages within the cavern were winding and tortuous, like a coiled giant python.
Fortunately, the group was experienced and quickly found their destination.
The Earth Net Spirit Root area on the western side was more open than the eastern one.
The shrubs on the ground grew exceptionally lush, their branches and leaves intertwining like a green ocean.
Liu Feng crouched down and carefully observed the base of the shrubs again.
He whispered, “The above-ground parts of these shrubs are about four inches tall.”
A hint of pleasant surprise flashed in Liu Qing’s eyes.
“Four inches tall means this Earth Net Spirit Root is around four hundred years old.”
Zhang Ma said with a smile, “Xiao Feng has good luck; here’s another one that meets the requirements.”
Sun Lao San also nodded and added, “The root system of the Earth Net Spirit Root in this area is more developed.
The Soul Ring effect will definitely be stronger.”
After confirming the age of the western Earth Net Spirit Root was four hundred years, Liu Qing’s brow furrowed slightly, and his expression held a trace of hesitation.
He turned to Liu Feng and said earnestly, “Xiao Feng, this Earth Net Spirit Root is four hundred years old.
The older it is, the stronger the Soul Ring’s effect, but I’m worried about whether your body can withstand it.
After all, this is your first Soul Ring.
There might be risks if the age is too high.”
Hearing his father’s words, Liu Feng’s heart tightened.
He understood that his father was being this cautious out of love for him.
But Liu Feng knew that in this era, theories regarding Soul Ring absorption were not yet systematic; most people judged compatibility based on experience and intuition.
However, as a Transmigrator, he knew the theory about the limits of Soul Ring absorption released by the future “Master” Yu Xiaogang—the limit for the first Soul Ring was approximately four hundred and twenty-three years.
Liu Feng took a deep breath, looked up at his father, and said firmly, “Dad, I think I can try absorbing this Soul Ring.
Although the Earth Net Spirit Root’s Soul Ring is old, its attributes are gentle, mainly focusing on healing and recovery.
It shouldn’t place too much of a burden on my body.”
Hearing his son’s words, Liu Qing’s brow still didn’t relax.
He turned to Zhang Niu and Zhang Ma and asked, “What do you think?
Is a four-hundred-year Soul Ring too risky for a level ten Soul Warrior?”
Zhang Niu pondered for a moment before slowly saying, “Old Liu, Xiao Feng has a point.
The Earth Net Spirit Root’s Soul Ring has gentle attributes; it really is easier to absorb than those from aggressive Soul Beasts.”
Zhang Ma also nodded and added, “Xiao Feng has good talent, and his physical fitness is much better than his peers.
If he feels he can try, we can stand guard nearby to ensure his safety.”
Sun Lao San said with a smile, “Old Liu, your son has courage, which is a good thing.
As long as Xiao Feng keeps his composure, there’s a high probability of successful absorption.”
He continued, “Besides, if he can’t absorb it, we can just interrupt him.
For the first Soul Ring, the injury from interrupting the absorption won’t be too severe.”