Chapter 80: Green·Diga·Caterpillar

“Hmm, your Green Caterpillar already has over three centuries of Soul Power Cultivation. Logically, it should begin learning some Hundred-Year Soul Skills,” Teacher Zheng pondered. “Your target shouldn’t merely be awakening its Martial Soul. Focus on the Qihang Cup. Thanks to that trip to the Soul Land, your Green Caterpillar reached three hundred years of Soul Power Cultivation. Impressive, truly remarkable. But lacking suitable Soul Skills won’t do.”

“The Qihang Cup’s difficulty far surpasses the Dawn Cup… Relying solely on Rattler Tail Strike and Silk Spitting won’t carry it far.”

“What are your own thoughts?”

Wang Che thought for a few seconds, then shared his plan to train the Green Caterpillar in Insect Concealment.

“Insect Concealment? A fine idea,” Teacher Zheng remarked admiringly. “But it’s a core Hundred-Year Soul Skill for Insect Type Soul Pets, particularly one with tactical applications. Naturally, others will also see its value.”

“Only one Soul Skill Engraving for Insect Concealment exists on the market. Obtaining it would be exceedingly difficult.”

“Without the Soul Skill Engraving, mastering Insect Concealment is many times harder than learning Rattler Tail Strike.”

Teacher Zheng spoke plainly. Even Wang Che considered the skill excellent for this stage.

Few were fools when breeding Soul Pets nowadays. All recognized the utility of Insect Concealment. Acquiring the Soul Skill Engraving was naturally tough.

That Blazing Charge ability had been something Wang Che won via a capsule machine. Core power Soul Skills were outrageously expensive and rarely sold openly.

Absent the engraving, the learning difficulty dwarfed that of Rattler Tail Strike.

Teacher Zheng suddenly offered, “How about this? There’s a competition I know of. The rewards include substantial cash and a Soul Skill Engraving. An excellent opportunity. Care to try?”

“What competition?”

“A Silk Spitting Competition.”

“???” Wang Che blinked. A silk spitting competition? What nonsense was this?

“Here’s the deal,” Teacher Zheng coughed lightly. “You know Mi Chong Fashion?”

“Of course. It’s a major women’s clothing brand in our Xiyue Continent. My mom’s clothes are actually from Mi Chong,” Wang Che nodded.

“Mi Chong Fashion is preparing to launch several high-end clothing lines. Their in-house insect Soul Pets weren’t producing silk that met requirements after processing. So, they’ve issued an invitation to Xiyue Continent’s Soul Pact Masters who own insect Soul Pets.”

“If they find a suitable silk, they’ll sign a contract requiring only a fixed monthly silk output in exchange for considerable funds. They’ll also provide a random Insect Type Soul Skill Engraving as an additional reward.”

“…” Wang Che fell silent.

He glanced at his Green Caterpillar diligently practicing Silk Spitting across the yard. Hmm… darn, this little guy might actually start earning money?

“This sounds extremely challenging, right?” Wang Che frowned. With Soul Pact Masters participating, could his Green Caterpillar’s silk rival Soul Pets cultivating for millennia?

“Not necessarily. They need silk with specific properties. Soul Power Cultivation matters little here. It’s solely about silk quality meeting their demands.”

“As it’s high-end clothing, quantity is secondary. Perfection is paramount.”

“You train your Soul Pet while earning rewards…”

“Then I’ll give it a try,” Wang Che agreed.

He knew alternative income streams, but legitimizing this was decent. Besides, the Soul Skill Engraving reward was essential. Random? Better than nothing.

“Good. The competition starts around half a month later. Maintain regular training until then. This invitation grants access to Mi Chong Fashion Group HQ. The event itself is very brief—under a day total.”

Teacher Zheng handed Wang Che an elegant invitation card.

Wang Che accepted it, thanking Teacher Zheng.

Personally, he kept expectations low. After all, they likely demanded highly specific silk with elaborate requirements.

Earning money via Soul Pets was ordinary in modern society. Raising them incurred massive costs, and their diverse talents served countless industries. Some even became Soul Pet celebrities…

Finishing the day’s study, Wang Che headed home.

After resting, he contemplated initiating Insect Concealment training for the Green Caterpillar.

“Insect Concealment has two phases. First, altering skin pigment to merge into surroundings. Second, storing energy for a counterattack.”

Wang Che had grasped the skill’s essence through his studies. He was no ordinary instructor, but an Ascension Realm cultivator whose profound insight pierced illusions to reveal truth, much like comprehending spells’ parallels to Soul Skills.

“To learn Insect Concealment, we must first train another Soul Skill: Martial Spirit Armament.”

“Starting now, channel Soul Power to shift your skin’s hue.”

An idea seemed to strike Wang Che. “Adjust your skin tone using Soul Power.”

The Green Caterpillar looked baffled but complied.

Activating Martial Spirit Armament, Soul Power flowed over its body.

Instantly, its skin darkened into metal-shaded ebony, radiating durability. Wang Che tapped its hardened surface—plated like steel.

“Do you know why your skin turned black?” Wang Che inquired.

Green Caterpillar: “(乛_乛)”

How should I know?!

“…Because intensely condensed Soul Power reacts with your skin cells, spurring rapid division and mutation to enhance physical properties… hmm, you wouldn’t get that.”

Wang Che resumed, “Now gradually reduce Soul Power density—observe what happens.”

This the caterpillar grasped. It dialed down its energy output.

Martial Spirit Armament followed intricate Soul Power patterns derived from Soul Armament Haki, also darkening its hue while boosting defense and offense. Blending principles from the martial technique ‘Sky Guardian Battle Breath’, Wang Che refined the flow to sharpen speed and reaction time.

As the caterpillar thinned its Soul Power, its color shifted—black fading into cerulean blue.

“Stop. Maintain that,” Wang Che commanded.

Working hard, the caterpillar trembled, locking its form. Fine Soul Power control felt strenuous, but with its recent growth, the task remained achievable.

“Notice? Your skin changed color,” Wang Che smiled. “This proves fluctuating Soul Power intensity during Martial Spirit Armament triggers distinct transformations.”

“Your capabilities likely shifted now too.”

“Si wu!” protested the caterpillar, unconvinced of any variance.

“Then we test it.”

Wang Che walked to the opposite wall. “Approach me slowly.”

Nodding, the caterpillar inched forward.

Yet when it moved—

Whoosh! It slid like ice-skating, smiting against the wall meters away.

Splat! Instantly becoming a wall decoration before thumping down.

“See?”

Wang Che chuckled. “Your speed amplified greatly, making locomotion awkward. But power weakened—otherwise that wall would’ve shattered.”

The caterpillar shook its dazed head, enlightenment dawning.

“Martial Spirit Armament holistically enhances physique. Yet by modifying attached Soul Power concentration, altering tones shifts that enhancement into specialties.”

“Remember this exact energy flow. Blue skin signifies hyper-speed at power’s expense.”

“Next, experiment with other intensities. Observe resulting colors and physical changes.”

“Si wu si wu!!” The caterpillar pulsed with curiosity. Different tints felt irresistibly cool!

Wang Che patted its head warmly. “Should I rename you?”

“Si wu?”

“How about Green·Digah·Caterpillar?”

“???”