Chapter 18
Chapter 18: Soul Armor Haki
2
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
A rare soul pet had actually lost.
Most of the sparring partners were aghast.
“It was a worthy loss.”
The middle-aged man on the third floor also shook his head as he said, “This student over there isn’t as simple as he looks to be. Although his soul pet is just a green caterpillar, this is the first time I’ve seen such amazing training.
!!“Especially the entire flow of the battle…” he muttered as he frowned. “Little Le was completely swept under the control of the other party. It makes me feel… that Little Le was not facing his classmate… but rather…”
He was against an opponent with extremely rich combat experience, basically a combat master!
He could tell that from the beginning, the other party had been setting up a trap, slowly luring his son into it.
Otherwise, he would not have lost so helplessly.
“Teacher Yan, this child…” he trailed off as he glanced at the elder beside him.
“His name is Wang Che, from Skyheart First High,” the old man said simply. “I don’t know much about anything else, but this battle really made me see him in a different light.”
“Oh?”
The middle-aged man was instantly surprised.
Although this battle was interesting, it was only ordinary entertainment.
After all, the soul pets of both sides had not even gotten the hang of soul powers, and their soul power cultivation was meager.
They had not even reached a hundred years of cultivation yet.
Of course, there had been many impressive aspects, but it wasn’t to the extent where the old man had to say that he saw the person in a different light, right? .
“The first time I saw this green caterpillar was about two weeks ago. Do you know what the length of its soul power cultivation was?”
The old man’s eyes flickered as he inquired.
“30 years?” the younger man replied as he thought about it.
The elder smiled and revealed.
“No, it just hatched a day or two earlier.”
The other man was left speechless…
It had just hatched? In other words, it reached 50 years in two weeks?
What kind of speed was that?
It was already comparable to rare soul pets, or even faster!
How could a green caterpillar have such rapid cultivation speed?
“It is indeed extraordinary…” His expression changed immediately.
The old man added slowly, “Of course, that’s not the only thing that impressed me…”
“Hmm?”
The middle-aged man was confused.
“Think about the battle just now. Did you sense the soul power fluctuation of that green caterpillar?”
Hearing this, the younger one was shocked…
——
Yuan Xiaole was very unwilling to concede defeat.
However, what could he do?
With a leap, he jumped off the high platform.
“Kuka! Kuka!”
The Kuka Beast waved its arms at Yuan Xiaole, indicating that it could still fight!
“It’s okay.”
He patted the beast’s head and smiled, “You’ve already done well. It’s that green caterpillar that’s a little too strong…”
Although he was hesitant, he had to admit that it was too abnormal.
As he regained his senses at this moment, he replayed the match in his head, and he actually had a lingering fear in his heart.
Speed was the greatest advantage of the Kuka Beast.
He had relied on this to attack from the beginning, but it seemed that Wang Che had been plotting to remove their convenience from the start.
Only at the end did he realize what was going on.
Of course, the most important thing was that the green caterpillar was not ordinary at all.
“Kuka!”
The Kuka Beast lowered its head. It was not satisfied.
“Don’t worry!” cheered Yuan Xiaole, comforting it. “After you take control of your soul skill, you’ll definitely be able to defeat that green caterpillar!”
“Kuka!” The beast pulled itself together.
Suddenly, wisps of white mist began to emanate from its body as a faint soul power fluctuation began to spread throughout its physique.
“This is…”
Yuan Xiaole was dumbfounded.
“It’s a soul skill.”
At the side, Wang Che walked over with his green caterpillar, saying, “Your Kuka Beast is about to learn a soul skill. It’ll take a few more days, and it’ll be able to comprehend it when its soul power cultivation improves.”
Such soul power fluctuation was obviously bizarre.
Naturally, it was a sign that it had developed a soul skill.
It was the same situation when Wang Che had his green caterpillar attack the first time.
However, the comprehension of soul skills was not instantaneous.
It required a process to master and use it, so it would take a few days.
“Holy f*ck!” Yuan Xiaole was excited right away. “This battle was a good loss!”
“It’s not entirely because of this,” Wang Che explained. “You already had several fights before this, so it must be the Kuka Beast’s own accumulation and understanding. It just happened that this battle triggered its insight.”
The first soul skill a Kuka Beast would learn was usually around 40 years.
Yuan Xiaole was thrilled.
Comprehending a soul skill was not a simple task.
Many soul pets, even at the proper age of cultivation, would still be unable to do so, not to mention learning it in advance.
“Haha, Brother Che, you won’t be able to beat me the next time we fight,” laughed Yuan Xiaole. “The first ten-year soul skill of the Kuka Beast is the Gale Flash. It can instantly defeat your green caterpillar!”
Gale Flash was the first ten-year soul skill that was learned by most soul pets that were proficient in speed.
It would allow them to circulate soul power through their limbs, enabling them to run in a flash. At the same time, as the soul power fluctuated, a mighty flow of wind would cause their entire body to charge toward their opponent.
When put up against someone of the same cultivation level and age, it was basically impossible to dodge.
It was indeed extremely powerful.
Wang Che smiled.
If the green caterpillar had used its soul skill earlier, it would not have needed to use its silk thread to fight head-on.
If it had used the Rumbling Tail Strike attack, just one hit would have been enough to knock the Kuka Beast down.
The enhancement of a soul skill usually made it several times more powerful.
“That’s all for today. School starts tomorrow, so I have to return home and prepare.”
Wang Che grinned.
This battle was mainly to help the green caterpillar understand what it meant to battle.
From the looks of it, the little one had done well.
Other than its speed, of course.
“Sure, I’ll drive you.”
Yuan Xiaole nodded. He thought of something all of a sudden, but did not bother raising the question.
‘How is your green caterpillar so strong, especially in its defense?’
It was absolutely ridiculous.
However, when he thought about it, cultivating soul pets was a personal matter. Even if there was a special method, it wouldn’t be shared.
Ultimately, there was no need to ask.
Wang Che nodded and left with his soul pet.
The battle today had given him a lot to think about.
By facing a speedy soul pet that could easily surpass the green caterpillar despite nearly 20 years of difference in cultivation, he observed that the difference in potential between the two races was simply too great.
Indeed, it was hard to make up for it by relying solely on extra training.
If it had been any other green caterpillar, it would have been nigh impossible to avoid the first attack of the Kuka Beast.
Moreover, even if he had used his soul power, the green caterpillar’s speed would not have had much of a difference.
‘I have to think of a way to improve its speed.’
Wang Che proceeded to mutter to himself, “Otherwise, it would be very difficult to fight without using soul skills against soul pets with a soul power cultivation 10 to 20 years higher that specialize in speed.”
There was no way to make up for the contrast in their potential. They could only rely on training.
He thought for a long time and had some ideas.
After sending Wang Che off, Yuan Xiaole returned to the club excitedly.
A group of sparring partners came forward and exclaimed in surprise.
“Young Master Yuan, your classmate is pretty strong!”
“Pretty strong? This is the first time I’ve seen such a tough green caterpillar.”
“50 years of cultivation, skilled in both strength and defense… This is a little exaggerated.”
“The key is the battle. The whole scene just now gave me an indescribable feeling…”
…
“Of course he’s strong,” Yuan Xiaole chuckled. “Brother Che is the top student of Skyheart First High. He can even nurture a green caterpillar to this level! However, he won’t be able to beat me next time!”
As he spoke, he looked at the Kuka Beast. He was very enthusiastic, gushing, “When my Kuka Beast learns the Gale Flash, even the strongest green caterpillar will be no match.”
The other sparring partners smiled and nodded in unison.
After all, the power of a soul skill was truly on another level.
However, at that moment, a voice sounded slowly.
“I don’t think your Kuka Beast can defeat him, even if you learned the Gale Flash.”
When Yuan Xiaole heard this, his expression changed.
“Dad!”
He looked nervous as he glanced at the middle-aged man and the old man walking over, “Professor Yan? Why are you here?”
Professor Yan laughed, “Why? Am I not allowed to come? I personally handed this Kuka Beast’s soul pet egg to you, obviously I have to monitor it’s progress under your foster…”
Yuan Xiaole asked nervously, “You watched the whole battle just now?”
He felt embarrassed because he had lost to a mere green caterpillar, and he bowed his head.
Professor Yan’s voice softened. “You did well in the fight. It was just that your opponent was too powerful.”
“…”
Yuan Xiaole smiled awkwardly.
He felt that Wang Che was very tough, but not ridiculously so.
The middle-aged man, who was also Yuan Xiaole’s father, calmly noted, “Seeing you act like this, you might not be convinced, but that’s okay, since I didn’t even notice, so it’s not your fault.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re not a professional Contract Soul Master yet, so you’re not able to sense the slightest soul power fluctuations in battle. Of course, even a professional Contract Soul Master may not have been able to do that…”
When Yuan Xiaole heard these words, he did not realize anything was wrong, but on second thought, he seemed to vaguely recall something.
“Holy f*ck! Was that green caterpillar only fighting with its physical body?”
At this very moment, a professional Contract Soul Master exclaimed.
These words stunned Yuan Xiaole.
‘It was only using its physique to fight?
‘It could already unleash such power and durable defense with just its physical body?’
“That green caterpillar might be more capable than you think,” revealed Yuan Zhen, continuing, “Although it can only develop a very weak soul skill like Spit Thread, you might not be able to defeat it even if you have a soul skill. It possesses a powerful physique and has the ability to break through everything with its strength, not to mention its soul power cultivation as well.
“Do you understand?”
Yuan Xiaole was silent for a moment, then immediately nodded solemnly in response.
“Professor Yan, the green caterpillar’s potential is so low… so why is its body so strong?” Yuan Xiaole asked in confusion.
Professor Yan beamed and did not answer him directly, thinking to himself.
‘How would I know even if you ask me?
‘I’m curious too!’
He coughed a few times and paused for a moment before replying, “Species potential only determines the lower limits of a soul pet. However, the cultivation of a soul pet is closely related to its Contract Soul Master. Although the green caterpillar is very weak and its species potential is low, it also has a certain degree of variance.
“If it undergoes proper training, it could also obtain great combat power.”
That was what he said, but Professor Yan himself felt that it was inaccurate.
He had studied soul pets for so many years, but this was the first time he had seen such an unusual green caterpillar.
However, he could not say that he did not know. He was a professor, after all.
“I understand,” replied Yuan Xiaole as he nodded. “But its cultivation speed is too quick@ Could it have cultivated with a Soul Guiding Skill?”
“Learning a Soul Guiding Skill wouldn’t be so simple for a soul pet. The effects aren’t that exaggerated either,” explained Professor Yan. “It could be that he used some heavenly treasure, or caused some sort of internal mutation or enlightenment in the pet. Wait…
“All right, let me take a look at your Kuka Beast first…”
Professor Yan waved his hand, signaling for him to stop asking.
Yuan Xiaole heeded his instruction.
He felt that if the Kuka Beast learned a soul skill, it would definitely be able to bring down the green caterpillar.
However, he would have to wait a few days to find out.
——
When Wang Che reached home, he did not immediately train the green caterpillar.
Balance between work and rest had to be emphasized.
He took out the drawing board and drew along as he told the green caterpillar the usual story.
His soul pet first took a dozen leaf biscuits and placed them by his side. Then, it obediently coiled its body and gazed at Wang Che expectantly.
As Wang Che painted, he spoke.
“With a certain amount of power, Little Green wanted to soar in the sky and swim in the sea. It decided to bid farewell to its soulmate. It wanted to try the sea first. The sky was too far away, and it had no wings…
“So, it went to the seaside and visited many of the soul beasts there. Little Green had already cultivated for a thousand years, but the sea was vast, and there were too many powerful soul beasts roaming in it. It was no match for them…
“Especially since it was only a green caterpillar, far inferior to the soul pets in the sea…
“The more it asked, the more hesitant it became, and the less courage it had… Until one day, it heard a legend, a tale about the sea.
“Legend had it that there was a treasure residing in the sea, one left behind by an extremely mighty soul beast – the ‘Divine Light Whale’. As long as one obtained this treasure, any soul beast would be able to control the sea and roam freely in it!”
Wang Che sketched out a huge soul pet on the drawing board, stretching over the restless sea.
Inside the waters, a glittering treasure was drawn.
The green caterpillar was very eager for more. It ate the leaf biscuit and listened intently.
“Finally, it made up its mind to enter the sea to find the treasure!
“It learned from humans and built a huge ship. It entered the waters and asked about the precious object.”
“However, the sea was too dangerous… It encountered endless hordes of soul beasts with 1000 years, 10,000 years, and even 100,000 years of cultivation… The Emperor’s Teeth Seal, Thunder Falcon Shark, Aurora Electric Eel…
“It suffered the aftermath of one failed battle after another… Any soul beast in the sea could easily defeat it. The aftershocks of several battles shattered its ship.
“It flowed into the sea, drifting among the waves… and just as it was about to drown, it was carried over to an island.
“On this desolate island, it encountered a mystical soul beast race – the sea beast race. Here, these sea beasts cultivated a miraculous power through their soul power, allowing them to freely wander the sea…”
At this point, Wang Che paused.
Clap, clap, clap!
The green caterpillar thumped its tail against the ground, indicating that it wanted to hear more.
“This kind of power, when released from the body by the soul, enshrouds the entire frame, thus improving the various aspects of the physique…”
Wang Che began to draw on the paper again.
“It was called the ‘Soul Armor Haki’.
“The caterpillar followed the sea beasts on this island and cultivated this strange power…
“Alright, that’s all for today.”
Wang Che stopped as he put down the drawing board.
“Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!” the green caterpillar sounded, begging for more.
“You’ll have to train first before I continue the story,” Wang Che squinted as he replied, smiling.
The green caterpillar’s training was too slow.
Under a normal training regime, it would be too difficult to improve its species potential.
Speed was all Wang Che could think of.
Demonic cultivators had demonic cultivation techniques.
He had seen many bug-type demonic beasts in the past, and had grasped many of their movement techniques, but those were much harder to learn than the Beast Origin Skill.
Moreover, they were of different races. Wang Che had adapted a movement technique that was suitable for the green caterpillar.
His soul pet might not be able to learn it in this short term.
He still had to wait for its soul cultivation and intelligence to increase.
However, during his first battle with Yuan Xiaole, Wang Che had felt that the green caterpillar was far from being able to rely on his Beast Origin Skill and its two great soul skills.
In the past, whenever Wang Che reached a certain level, he would be too embarrassed to go out unless he prepared dozens of trump cards.
He had to give the little one some other ace up its sleeve!
“Ssss!”
The green caterpillar hissed excitedly, showing that it wanted to learn the Soul Armor Haki technique.
It was motivated.
“Recall the battle today. I’ll teach you tomorrow after school for the next few days.”
Wang Che said as he patted its head and beamed.
The next day arrived, and with it, the school term started.