Douluo: I Can Choose My Own Soul Skills

Join my Patreon to be 30 chapters ahead of the webnovel releases:

patreon.com/ZeroMoney

I would appreciate your help if you could join my Patreon and support me because it would keep me motivated. 

******

At night, Ye Lan arrived at his usual mimetic cultivation site.

This area, influenced by Ye Lan's soul power, had already become overgrown with Blue Silver Grass.

As Ye Lan approached, the numerous Blue Silver Grass stalks swayed joyfully, as if cheering his arrival.

Ye Lan sat cross-legged in the center of the Blue Silver Grass, closed his eyes tightly, and carefully attuned himself to the physical changes that followed his absorption of whale glue.

After his physical breakthrough from absorbing the whale glue, Ye Lan realized that his body had now reached a bottleneck.

Increasing his training volume any further would be futile. This was because the food produced by support-type food soul masters no longer provided sufficient recovery to match the physical toll of training.

In Ye Lan's cultivation regime, the restorative power of food soul masters' creations was crucial.

The growth of physical strength was inseparable from the process of muscle tearing and healing.

If recovery couldn't keep up, relentless training would only lead to lasting internal injuries.

Ye Lan resolved to maintain his current training volume, avoiding blind escalation. Only after his body matured and his soul power advanced would he consider increasing the intensity again.

Simply put, Ye Lan's "body bottle" was already filled with water. Only through soul power advancement, martial soul evolution, or physical development could he expand the bottle's capacity—his potential for growth.

From that perspective, Ye Lan was undoubtedly the strongest Level 7 soul master on the entire continent of Douluo.

Feeling centered and calm, Ye Lan completed his internal examination and began planning for the future.

Two years passed...

During these two years, aside from his nightly mimetic cultivation, Ye Lan was often seen in Nuoding Academy's classrooms and library, studying soul beast lore and martial soul knowledge—broadening his horizons in preparation for choosing his first soul ring.

The academy's female students were captivated by the suddenly active, dark-blue-haired youth. Excited and curious, they constantly tried to get his attention through various means: love letters, snacks, conversations about martial souls...

Ye Lan, however, could only respond perfunctorily. What mattered most to him was the pace of his cultivation. He couldn't wait to discover what "custom soul skills" really entailed. Besides, these girls were too young to interest him. To Ye Lan, they were simply children, and he dealt with them accordingly.

Among them, the one Ye Lan found most troublesome was Xiao Wu. As expected of Nuoding's infamous troublemaker, becoming "Sister Xiao Wu" didn't mellow her one bit.

At first, Xiao Wu had taken a liking to Ye Lan's gentle demeanor, often pestering him with endless questions. This led to several unpleasant exchanges. But after experiencing Ye Lan's repeated indifference, she finally realized that behind his gentle exterior lay a sea of cold indifference.

After a few more failed attempts to connect with Ye Lan, Xiao Wu shifted her attention to the plain-looking Tang San. While Tang San wasn't handsome, he was undeniably talented, with innate full soul power. Most importantly, he responded to her every request. During the first year's break, Xiao Wu even became Tang San's "little sister."

Over time, Xiao Wu grew increasingly satisfied with this "brother." The two became inseparable over the next two years.

Ye Lan, for his part, enjoyed the peace. If he had a sister like Xiao Wu, he figured he'd never be able to cultivate. Only someone with Tang San's talent could afford to be so distracted.

To put things into perspective: Tang San started with 13 soul power after acquiring his first ring. When he left for Shrek Academy six years later, he was only at Level 29.

Compared to normal people, this was of course exceptional. But for someone like Tang San, gaining only 16 levels in six years was merely average progress—not a sign of diligence. Xiao Wu's antics undoubtedly contributed to wasting some of his time.

Watching Tang San and Xiao Wu glued together as always, Ye Lan chose to ignore them. Instead, he began making plans to contact Uncle Tao in the next few days—to obtain his first soul ring.

That's right—after five years of cultivation, Ye Lan was now 11 years old. His height had shot up to 1.7 meters, and his soul power had reached Level 10. Advancing 7 levels in five years, considering he started with only Level 3 innate soul power, was an achievement born of total dedication.

By ordinary standards, reaching Level 10 from Level 3 would have taken at least eight years, even with consistent effort.

Thanks to mimetic cultivation, the aid of whale glue, and complete development of his physical potential, Ye Lan managed to shorten that timeline by three years. Once he acquired his first soul ring, he would fulfill the graduation requirements of Nuoding Academy.

Two years ago, Ye Lan could absorb a soul ring of approximately 600 years in age. Since then, with increased soul power, physical growth, and further breakthroughs in bodily strength, he could now safely absorb a soul ring of up to 750 years.

Why was Ye Lan able to absorb a soul ring more than three hundred years older than others? He speculated: soul masters with low innate soul power cultivated slowly, lacked proper techniques for tempering the body, and—more importantly—had no access to resources for acquiring century-old soul rings. As a result, most of the soul rings they absorbed were white in color.

As for the gifted individuals with high innate soul power, although their physical constitution was already quite good, none of them had spent five years refining their bodies like Ye Lan. Most of them obtained their first soul rings at the age of six.

Those with full innate soul power wouldn't remain stuck at level 10, delaying soul ring acquisition in favor of physical training. So for them, a soul ring around 400 years old was already the upper limit.

Additionally, the fact that one's physical constitution affects the soul ring's age was likely known only to a select few. And those who knew would never share this information.

If word got out that Ye Lan could absorb a 750-year-old soul ring as his first, the soul masters across the Douluo Continent would dismiss it as a cold joke.

This was because the maximum age limit for a second soul ring was only a little over 700 years. As for Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang's theory of 764 years—that was complete nonsense. Seven hundred-something years might be roughly correct, but specifying it down to the exact year was clearly a serious-sounding wild guess.

Unlike tree rings, soul rings didn't come with a precise age marker. One could only judge their general level based on color: ten-year (white), hundred-year (yellow), thousand-year (purple), ten-thousand-year (black), or hundred-thousand-year (red). Even the age of the soul beast itself could only be roughly estimated by experience. A several-hundred-year-old soul beast might not even remember how long it had lived, let alone a human trying to figure it out.

Soul masters could only approximate the age of a soul ring—not determine it exactly. So as far as Ye Lan was concerned, Grandmaster's theory about precisely calculated absorption limits was laughable—something he absolutely wouldn't believe.

Shaking off these thoughts, Ye Lan returned to his dormitory and began packing: dry rations, water, insect-repelling incense, and other essentials for the journey to the Soul Hunting Forest.

Once everything was prepared, Ye Lan changed into his fitted black combat attire, shouldered his travel pack, and headed for the Spirit Hall Branch in Nuoding City.

The travel bag had been custom-made at a tailor shop. It could hold a large number of items and was comfortable to carry on the back.

The inconvenience of travel was one of the few things Ye Lan envied about Tang San. Storage-type soul tools were incredibly convenient—but also incredibly expensive. Ye Lan simply couldn't afford one.

…

Under the glow of the setting sun, the dark-blue-haired youth carrying a travel pack walked along the main road of Nuoding Academy, forming a picturesque silhouette.

When he arrived at the gates of the Spirit Hall Branch in Nuoding City, Ye Lan was once again struck by the imposing building before him.

The Gothic-style structure stood over a hundred meters wide and more than twenty meters tall. No matter how many times Ye Lan saw it, the grandeur always left him in awe.

As expected of the Spirit Hall—even a mere branch in Nuoding looked so magnificent. He could hardly imagine what Martial Soul City must be like.

The gate guard at the Nuoding Branch spotted the dark-blue-haired youth and greeted him warmly, "Yo! Long time no see. Xiao Lan, you've grown taller again. Planning to become Nuoding City's next heartthrob?"

Ye Lan simply smiled in response to the teasing. "Don't make fun of me. Is Uncle Tao inside?"

"He's in there! Su Yuntao's been doing quite well for himself these past few years," the guard replied, a note of envy in his tone.

This was because Ye Lan had once taught Uncle Tao how to make candied hawthorn sticks—and had even explained a detailed business strategy. Though five years had passed, the profit from selling them was still significant, even for a soul master.

The income from the candied hawthorn was divided three ways: one share for Su Yuntao, one for Ye Lan, and the last portion went to Fengshou Village at Ye Lan's request—to help improve the village's roads and food supplies.

Upon hearing that Uncle Tao was inside, Ye Lan headed straight into the Nuoding Spirit Hall Branch.

Inside the branch hall, everything gleamed with golden splendor. The dome soared over twenty meters high, leaving a striking impression. The ceiling was adorned with murals, each depicting a different type of soul beast. Beneath their feet lay the massive insignia of the Spirit Hall—a sacred sword stretching dozens of meters in length.

Majestic music echoed all around, accompanied by radiant beams filtering through crystal glass windows. The dazzling light left Ye Lan momentarily entranced.

Following his memory, Ye Lan headed straight toward the side chamber where Uncle Tao usually spent his time. Ignoring the intense gaze of the attending nun, Ye Lan quickly found Su Yuntao, who was smiling warmly as he chatted with a stunning female soul master.

The female soul master noticed Ye Lan first and called out, "Tao-ge, isn't this Xiao Lan? He suddenly shot up in height!"

Su Yuntao turned around and was pleasantly surprised. "Xiao Lan! What brings you here? Out of cultivation resources again?"

"Uncle Tao, I've recently broken through to level ten soul power. I wanted to discuss obtaining my first soul ring from the Soul Hunting Forest with you," Ye Lan explained his plans clearly.

The female soul master gasped, "So fast? He's only eleven, right? I remember Tao-ge and I didn't get our first soul rings until we were fourteen or fifteen!"

"That's right. You don't know how hardworking Xiao Lan is. Even during vacations in Fengshou Village, he'd find any spot to cultivate! This kid's been running since he was little—fast as the wind!" Su Yuntao proudly praised Ye Lan, as if the effort had been his own. Then he asked Ye Lan about his plans.

"Xiao Lan, what kind of soul ring are you aiming for? What year level?"

"A hundred-year ring, preferably from a plant-type soul beast. Ideally one related to sunlight," Ye Lan replied, stating his requirements. However, he deliberately left out his soul ring absorption limit, since others were present.

His preference for a sunlight-related plant was part of a broader strategy. The Blue Silver Grass's greatest trait was its vitality. Even if all soul beasts went extinct, the Blue Silver Grass might still survive—it was a symbol of tenacity.

However, Ye Lan wasn't fixated solely on vitality. First of all, most plant-type soul beasts inherently had strong life force. It was rare to find a fragile plant-type soul beast.

Secondly, among the survival conditions for plants, sunlight ranked foremost, followed by water. Therefore, absorbing a sun-type plant soul beast would be the ideal path.

Thirdly, Ye Lan's greatest challenge at the moment was his cultivation speed. He urgently wanted to accelerate it. Hence, choosing a soul beast most closely associated with sunlight was his way of evolving the Blue Silver Grass and improving his efficiency.

After hearing Ye Lan's reasoning, Su Yuntao nodded firmly. "Not bad. To change your current situation, a hundred-year soul ring is a must. Even if I have to risk my life, your Uncle Tao will get one for you."

Hearing that, Ye Lan's forehead broke out in three black lines. "Uncle Tao, don't go throwing your life around. If you're going to be that dramatic, I won't ask for your help—I'll just find a wild adventurer team."

Scratching his head, Su Yuntao gave an awkward smile. "I just want to make sure you get the best ring possible. Now you're saying I'm not good enough!"

"No need to worry so much. With my current strength, I can handle a hundred-year soul beast. With your help, Uncle Tao, there's no way anything could go wrong," Ye Lan replied confidently.

Su Yuntao nodded again. He was familiar with Ye Lan's daily training, so he wasn't surprised that the boy could contend with a hundred-year soul beast. Turning to the female soul master beside him, he said, "Sisi, I'm taking Xiao Lan to Hall Master Matthew Nuo to get a Soul Hunt Permit."

Sisi looked at Su Yuntao with reluctant eyes. "Safe travels! Come back soon—I'll be waiting for you."

Su Yuntao replied with a smile, then led Ye Lan toward the center of the branch hall. On the way, he chatted about the Martial Soul Academy. "Xiao Lan, it's such a pity your innate soul power is so low. Otherwise, I would've recommended you to the Martial Soul Academy without hesitation. If you were studying there, you wouldn't have to worry about soul rings at all."

"It's fine. That's what I have you for, Uncle Tao." Ye Lan had no hostility toward the Spirit Hall. In fact, without it, the lives of ordinary civilians on the Douluo Continent would be even worse.

Apart from the threat of soul beasts, evil soul masters were rampant. The devastation caused by one evil soul master could cost thousands of lives. Thankfully, the Spirit Hall had driven most of them into hiding, forcing them to retreat to Slaughter City—their last refuge.

As for the threat of soul beasts, the Star Dou Forest—the largest soul beast habitat—was right next to Martial Soul City. With Angel Douluo Qian Daoliu and a host of other top-tier Douluo overseeing it, the threat of beast tides was kept in check.

Ye Lan felt no resentment toward his humble beginnings. He believed in doing the right thing at the right time and had long since mapped out his path.

The Soul Hunting Forest was located northeast of Nuoding City. It had been designated by the Heaven Dou Empire and the Spirit Hall as a hunting ground specifically for low-level soul masters. Most of the soul beasts inside ranged from ten to a hundred years in age. Thousand-year soul beasts were rare, which meant the danger level was relatively low. It was the first-choice hunting ground for nearby novice soul masters.

To enter the Soul Hunting Forest, one had to meet advancement requirements and also present a Soul Hunt Permit signed by three nobles. However, the Nuoding Branch Hall had a quota of permits each year. As a deacon of the Spirit Hall, Su Yuntao had no trouble acquiring one—he only needed to collect it from Matthew Nuo.

Once Su Yuntao received the permit, he and Ye Lan boarded a carriage and set off for the Soul Hunting Forest.

After several bumpy days on the road, the carriage finally reached the outskirts of the dense forest.

The Soul Hunting Forest was full of towering trees, and the air was thick with the scent of damp earth. No matter where one looked, it was a sea of lush greenery.

But unlike many untouched forests, the outer area of the Soul Hunting Forest was bustling. Rows of wooden huts lined the outskirts, and shouts of vendors filled the air—clear evidence of a thriving settlement.

(End of Chapter)