Xander proceeded through the motions of absorbing a spirit ring. Xander made sure to learn the process to avoid mistakes. From what Xander knew, absorbing spirit rings from 10 years till 1,000 years was relatively straightforward.

As sprit rings where remnants of spirit beasts, by absorbing the spirit rings the body also had to take in and absorb the sprit beast spirit energy.

In order for this to be successful the soul master had to have a relatively strong body. Simply put, the stronger the body the better the ring that a spirit master could absorb.

Conversely, a 10,000-year-old spirit ring contained far stronger remnants of spirit beasts and thus the remnants could have their own wills which would resist being absorbed.

As a result, absorbing a 300-year-old spirit ring, into a body which had done a relatively good amount of exercise, as much as a 7 year old body could handle, should have been straightforward.

However, Xander knew that in order to grow stronger one had to take risks and thus he used his martial souls ability, the sephiroth grail, in order to converse and connect with soul hopping to see a reaction.

He did this because a 300-year-old spirit ring wasn't very dangerous, and he had the benefit of having the Dean nearby observing him and could take action should the need arise.

Thus, within his mind space, the area created from his mental energy in his mind, Xander summoned his martial soul and a shimmering golden grail appeared before him.

Xander moved the grail towards the yellow spirit ring which he had also pulled into his mind space and waited for a reaction.

Xai ji's perspective

The Dean was pleased with the little brat, no little Xan. Despite the loss of composure after killing the spirit beast, Little Xan had performed quite well on their little trip.

He had been attentive and alert throughout the trip and tried his best in order to be useful, unlike most of the brats back in the Academy.

"Indeed, this child will do well in the future."

However, Xai Ji's eyes were alerted as he saw a light began to flow out of the spirit beast towards little Xan.

He was unaware as to what this could be as beside the spirit ring produced after killing a spirit beast no more reaction should occur from a dead corpse.

Yet despite this fact, a torrent of energy which he was unfamiliar with was going towards little Xan.

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"Wait, this energy".

This energy was something even him, a spirit king, was seldom able to use and access.

It was mental energy!

"But why is it going to little Xan?"

Xai Ji became a little more attentive at this peculiarity and was ready to intervene should the need arise.

Xanders perspective

In response to the Sephiroth Grail, the yellow spirit ring began to glow and grow larger as a stream of energy began entering it.

Xander had allowed this energy to enter his mental space and was aware it was the mental energy of the Tiger.

As the last streams of the mental energy entered the spirit ring, the ring began to glow brighter and brighter until it released a wave of blinding light.

As Xander refocused and his eyes adjusted, he saw the spectral from of the tiger.

Although he was happy to see the tiger the tiger didn't seem as delighted. And that was something Xander found out as his mental space was attacked and he was forced to run in his own mind.

After a few hours of attempting to subdue the Tigers mental energy, Xander began to grow tired and had to begrudgingly release the spirit ring outside of his body.

As a result of the spirit ring having been formed more than a few hours and that 100-year-old sprit rings didn't last long. The spirit ring quickly evaporated almost as if it never existed.

Sighing with relief Xander collapsed back on the floor, panting with heavy breaths.

"What happened little Xan. Why did the spirit ring leave your body?"

The elderly Dean was very worried as he had never heard the case of a spirit master failing to absorb a spirit ring under these conditions, being the spirit ring was of adequate age.

"I'm not sure Dean, I felt my mind grow hazy and then as if my mind was attacked."

"Hmm very strange Little Xan, that was a waste of a perfect opportunity and spirit ring. Alas at least you are alright".

Lamenting Xander understood the Dean's regret.

He had tried his best to subdue the Tiger in his mental space but had failed. The only reason he was even able to hold on for so long was a result of the tiger not being as strong as its physical body in its mental energy form.

The mental energy form is what Xander referred to as the spectral form the Tiger took.

Even though the tiger was far weakened it still held on and resisted all of Xander attempts and as Xander was running out of mental energy, he had no choice but to expel the ring and the Tiger out of his body to avoid true harm coming to himself.

As a result, he lost this spirit ring.

However, he felt like he had learned something!

The sephiroth grail was linked with life and souls and by using it he was able to not bring a remnant, but the whole consciousness made up by the mental energy of the tiger into his body.

Did that mean that mental energy was the consciousness and the consciousness the soul?

Xander didn't have an answer to that question yet, but he was excited to find out.

Afterall there was something similar to this in the Douluo dalu novel.

A method very different from his own but it allowed a spirit master and a willing spirit beast to make a connection resulting in not a spirit ring but a spirit soul.

"Ha, ha lets try again Dean. Please".

Signing, the dean responded to the boy who was laid out in a heap of sweat and panting on the floor.

"You need some rest little Xan and then you will explain to me what happened before we try again".

Xander tiredly nodded at the dean and as the adrenaline in his body began to decrease, a wave of tiredness washed over him, dragging him into a bliss full sleep.

It seemed using mental energy left him far more tired than he initial thought.