Chapter 17

C17 – The Assumption of His Achievement

The Soul Protection’s effect is to consume Soul Power, creating a barrier that wraps around the entire body.

It offers 360-degree defense against all forms of harm, including physical, elemental, and spiritual attacks—an all-encompassing shield!

The only drawback is the significant consumption of Soul Power by the user.

Beyond the base cost of casting a Soul Technique, it also depletes Soul Power when neutralizing damage.

The greater the damage it deflects, the more Soul Power it drains.

In the heat of intense combat, a Beastmaster low on Soul Power can quickly become depleted, struggling to even sustain the presence of their pet.

For Xie Yang, however, this is clearly not an issue.

He glances at his personal panel where the Soul Power figure, a striking 880, stands out prominently.

His Soul Power even surpasses that of some bronze-level Beastmasters.

He is well ahead of his peers.

“This Soul Technique suits me well.”

Xie Yang doesn’t hesitate to choose Soul Protection as his inaugural Soul Technique.

Eager to master it, he immediately dives into the text.

Within ten minutes, Xie Yang has committed the cultivation methods and techniques of Soul Protection to memory.

He then summons his panel, examining it closely, and is thrilled to discover a new Soul Technique listed.

Soul Protection (Unmastered), requiring 50 achievement points to upgrade.

“Just as I thought, the system does enhance Soul Techniques!”

Xie Yang is filled with elation.

With the system’s assistance, he can swiftly master an array of Soul Techniques without the extensive time and effort a typical Beastmaster would invest.

Without a second thought, Xie Yang spends 50 achievement points to upgrade his Soul Technique.

The text on the panel updates in a flash.

Soul Protection (Level One), now requiring 100 achievement points for the next upgrade.

Before the joy can fully sink in, a mechanical voice announces an achievement in his mind.

Achievement Unlocked!

But now, things were different.

Having confirmed his suspicions, Xie Yang had a basic strategy for accruing achievement points.

Setting other considerations aside, there was significant potential to delve into the Soul Technique and Pet Skill Achievement series.

Eventually, Xie Yang managed to quell his excitement and returned to studying the Basic Astrology compendium.

After a thorough review, he selected two Soul Techniques to focus on: Soul Arrow and Soul Power Impact.

Both were offensive Soul Techniques. Soul Arrow specialized in single-target attacks, while Soul Power Impact was designed for area attacks. Xie Yang immediately spent 100 achievement points to upgrade both Soul Techniques to level one. He then used another 100 points to advance Soul Protection to level two. With his Soul Techniques enhanced, he had depleted all his achievement points.

Xie Yang

Constitution: 5.0 / Soul: 8.8

Level: Apprentice

Soul Power: 780/880

Soul Techniques: Soul Protection (second rank), Soul Arrow (level one), Soul Power Impact (level one)

Pet: Ice Crystal Soul

Achievement Points: 3

Next, Xie Yang examined the Soul Replenishing Medicine he had acquired. This medicine could instantly replenish his entire soul power. “It’s incredibly practical,” he thought, stowing it away with satisfaction. The system’s rewards were indeed excellent. The Soul Replenishing Medicine would be a lifesaver in dire situations, its value was beyond question.

He needed to visit the Beastmaster Association to pick up some bounty tasks, which might require him to venture outside the city. Considering this, he chose to postpone the achievement for casting Soul Techniques multiple times. After informing Bai Tian that he had to leave, Xie Yang exited the school.

Once home, he dropped off his books and hurried to the Beastmaster Association. Half an hour later, he entered the grand building. The first-floor lobby bustled with activity; Beastmasters huddled in small groups, conversing quietly. Dressed for action and carrying tactical backpacks, they had the look of seasoned adventurers.

Scanning the area, Xie Yang quickly located the self-service kiosks at the back of the lobby. Beastmasters used these machines for mission registration and verification, as well as for browsing and accepting new tasks—streamlining the process considerably.

Xie Yang approached an available kiosk and activated the touchscreen. A myriad of mission options filled the display. As per the Beastmaster Association’s regulations, apprentice Beastmasters like him were limited to apprentice-level missions, with the exception of team-based tasks.

Beyond that, the missions could be broadly categorized into three types: Punitive Expedition Missions, Information-Collecting Missions, and Intelligence Missions.

Punitive Expedition Missions involved hunting ferocious beasts, Information-Collecting Missions required gathering certain materials, and Intelligence Missions entailed investigating the conditions of a specific area or exploring ruins and caves.

While Information-Collecting and Intelligence Missions posed less danger, they were notably time-consuming.

Conversely, Punitive Expedition Missions were less of a time commitment.

Among these, Xie Yang favored the time-efficient Punitive Expedition Missions, as they allowed him to quickly accumulate the necessary Credit Points.

Once he applied his filter criteria, the list of missions on the electronic screen was significantly reduced.

With renewed focus, Xie Yang meticulously reviewed the remaining options.