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Chapter 152: Yu Xiaogang Questions His Life
Sun Zhongjing first used Ye Cheng as a widely known example. He then continued, "As for your Martial Soul, I saw immense potential! Originally, if you had followed the tradition of your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, attaching a soul ring from a dragon-type soul beast for every one of your soul rings, then after being baptized by the dragon bloodline aura within... your Luo Sanpao would have gradually shed its pig-like form and continuously evolved!"
"Correspondingly, as the master of the Martial Soul, your own aptitude would also have been continuously enhanced! You definitely wouldn't be stuck at level 29 like you are now, unable to break through!"
"You just needed to proceed step-by-step, absorbing a soul ring from a pure-blooded dragon-type soul beast for every soul ring. Then, as you continuously absorbed dragon-type soul rings and refined Luo Sanpao's dragon bloodline, in the end, perhaps by the time you reached the Soul Saint realm, your Martial Soul would have evolved into the Golden Saint Dragon, just like in your trio's fusion skill... That's what your Martial Soul was supposed to look like. It was only due to an innate deficiency that it ended up in a pig-like form."
"However, an innate deficiency can be gradually compensated for by absorbing dragon-type soul rings later on. Unfortunately, you didn't do that. Instead, you gave up on it completely."
Sun Zhongjing observed the disheartened Yu Xiaogang, shook his head, and said, "You were too clever for your own good. Both soul rings you hunted were from pig-type soul beasts, which prevented your Martial Soul's dragon bloodline from being refined and instead contaminated it. The result is that your Martial Soul, which originally had infinite potential, has now truly turned into a pig. It can only barely release its true form by relying on the power of the other two Martial Souls."
"I also remember that in your so-called *Ten Core Competencies of the Soul Master World*, there was a section on the Martial Soul Mimicry Theory. It stated that a Plant Martial Soul doesn't necessarily have to absorb a soul ring from a plant-type soul beast, and a Beast Martial Soul isn't necessarily unable to absorb a plant-type soul ring. Under various preconditions, these two can be mutually absorbed."
Sun Zhongjing paused here, looked at Yu Xiaogang, and said, "I won't even mention this issue, which is practically common sense. Do you know why almost all Soul Masters have an unwritten rule that Plant Martial Souls cannot absorb animal-type soul rings, forming a tradition that has spanned thousands of years? Why has no one broken this rule? Do you think you're the only smart person in the world who could have thought of this?"
"Why?!"
Yu Xiaogang stared at him with bloodshot eyes, his voice hoarse, as if desperately seeking an explanation, but also as if he had given up on himself.
"This involves a fundamental issue of Martial Soul cultivation." The moment Sun Zhongjing spoke, he revealed a world-shattering secret.
At this, the other Soul Masters below the stage also pricked up their ears, eagerly gazing at him. After all, the privilege of a powerful figure lecturing like this was not something they could always enjoy. Even the smallest scrap of knowledge he casually revealed was an unattainable truth for them.
"According to my many years of research, the cultivation of a Martial Soul is nothing more than a process of accumulation leading from quantitative change to qualitative change. The key to a Martial Soul's evolution also lies here." Sun Zhongjing stroked his long beard, not minding making this knowledge, which he considered basic, public.
After all, it's easier said than done. Knowing how to become strong is one thing, but actually becoming strong by following the method isn't that simple. Otherwise, those Great Sects and major powers would have long been filled with peak-level experts.
Below the stage, the others waited with bated breath for Sun Zhongjing's detailed explanation.
"Although your Martial Soul resembles a pig in appearance, its core essence is that extremely pure trace of dragon bloodline. This means it possesses enormous potential! Low innate soul power doesn't mean anything; at most, it would make you a bit slower than others at the starting line. However, you only need to continuously hunt for soul rings from dragon-type soul beasts, utilizing the dragon bloodline within these pure soul rings to continuously supplement that faint trace of your own dragon bloodline, enabling it to grow and strengthen!"
"As the dragon bloodline is purified, your Martial Soul will become increasingly powerful, and your aptitude will also improve. Finally, when the accumulated 'quantity' reaches a limit, it will trigger a qualitative change! Your Pig Martial Soul will then officially sublimate and evolve into a Dragon!"
Sun Zhongjing paused again here, observing that some in the surrounding crowd had expressions of sudden realization, while others still looked confused. He decided to just state it plainly.
"And for a Soul Master, the key to accumulating this 'quantity' lies in the empowerment from the soul ring. The closer the soul ring you absorb is to your Martial Soul's essence, the more 'quantity' you can accumulate."
"Take a Plant Martial Soul as an example. Of course, a Plant Martial Soul can absorb an animal-type soul ring. However, if this happens, the origin that an animal-type soul ring can provide to a Plant Martial Soul is far too inferior compared to a plant-type soul ring. After all, the two possess fundamental differences. Animals and plants are different species, so their origins are naturally different."
"The consequence of this is that after absorbing an animal-type soul ring, the origin of the Plant Martial Soul will not only fail to be effectively enhanced but will even be contaminated by the animal-type soul ring's origin, making its essence impure. Furthermore, due to the inherent difference in species between animal-type soul rings and Plant Martial Souls, the soul skill obtained will also be much weaker than a skill from a soul ring of a similar type."
"If one continues to cultivate using a method like a Plant Martial Soul absorbing an animal-type soul ring, even if this Soul Master possesses extraordinary talent, they will reach their limit at the Soul Emperor realm at most. Soul Saint is completely out of the question, absolutely impossible! The reason has already been stated: the essence of this Martial Soul has long been contaminated by absorbing too many animal-type soul rings. It can no longer evolve or sublimate."
Once he finished speaking, the many applicants present had a sudden epiphany. They felt that many principles they had known of but never truly understood the reasons for suddenly became clear as he explained them. Previously, they only knew the Soul Master cultivation methods passed down by their clans, which dictated they must cultivate in a certain manner. But why cultivate that way? What principles did it contain? They only had a vague concept of it all.
If you really asked these people to explain the reasoning, they would be completely at a loss.
But today, after hearing Sun Zhongjing's words, they truly integrated and understood what they had learned. It was as if the clouds had parted to reveal the sun. For a moment, the sky felt clear and bright, as if they had glimpsed the ultimate mystery of the world!
"Wrong... All wrong!"
Yu Xiaogang's face was blank. He replayed his entire life in his mind, the memory finally stopping at the year he turned twelve. Supported by his clan's vast resources, he had spent six difficult years cultivating from half a rank to rank ten soul power. He could finally acquire a soul ring. His father had originally planned to hunt a pure-blooded dragon-type soul beast for him, but he himself, believing Luo Sanpao was a waste Martial Soul with no potential, pleaded with his father to find him a pig-type soul beast instead.
His father was truly doting, and he also felt that his son's Martial Soul, which had taken six years to cultivate to rank ten, indeed had little potential. So, in the end, he found him a hundred-year-old pig-type soul beast.
If back then, he hadn't, simply because he read a few more books, arrogantly thought he knew everything and presumptuously suggested absorbing a soul ring provided by a pig-type soul beast... but instead, had adhered to the sect's long-standing principle of only absorbing dragon-type soul rings... then perhaps he wouldn't be in such a pathetic state now.
Grandmaster?
Heh!
Yu Xiaogang felt his entire life was a complete joke. He had begun to question his very existence, completely shattered by this brutal reality!
So, it was my own arrogance that harmed me all along.
And it also harmed Xiao San...
Thinking of the disadvantages Sun Zhongjing had previously mentioned regarding a Plant Martial Soul absorbing an animal-type soul ring, he was even more tormented! He felt he had utterly failed as a teacher. He had cultivated Xiao San's Blue Silver Grass in the wrong direction, practically ruining it.
Twin Martial Souls!
If the Blue Silver Grass could only be cultivated to the Soul Emperor realm, then the other Martial Soul, the Clear Sky Hammer, would have to start absorbing soul rings at the Soul Emperor level just to break through... The fantasy of all nine soul rings being a hundred-thousand-years old was absolutely impossible to achieve.
Just thinking about it... Yu Xiaogang felt he had no face to see Tang San. This disciple had trusted him so much, yet he had...
He stumbled off the stage in a daze.
Ignoring the mocking gazes of those around him, Yu Xiaogang left the place, looking utterly lost.
And this day's debate between the "Grandmaster" and the Medicine King, fanned by the flames of certain interested parties, began to spread throughout the Soul Master World.
The "Grandmaster" had become thoroughly famous.
(end of chapter)
Sun Zhongjing first used Ye Cheng as a widely known example. He then continued, "As for your Martial Soul, I saw immense potential! Originally, if you had followed the tradition of your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, attaching a soul ring from a dragon-type soul beast for every one of your soul rings, then after being baptized by the dragon bloodline aura within... your Luo Sanpao would have gradually shed its pig-like form and continuously evolved!"
"Correspondingly, as the master of the Martial Soul, your own aptitude would also have been continuously enhanced! You definitely wouldn't be stuck at level 29 like you are now, unable to break through!"
"You just needed to proceed step-by-step, absorbing a soul ring from a pure-blooded dragon-type soul beast for every soul ring. Then, as you continuously absorbed dragon-type soul rings and refined Luo Sanpao's dragon bloodline, in the end, perhaps by the time you reached the Soul Saint realm, your Martial Soul would have evolved into the Golden Saint Dragon, just like in your trio's fusion skill... That's what your Martial Soul was supposed to look like. It was only due to an innate deficiency that it ended up in a pig-like form."
"However, an innate deficiency can be gradually compensated for by absorbing dragon-type soul rings later on. Unfortunately, you didn't do that. Instead, you gave up on it completely."
Sun Zhongjing observed the disheartened Yu Xiaogang, shook his head, and said, "You were too clever for your own good. Both soul rings you hunted were from pig-type soul beasts, which prevented your Martial Soul's dragon bloodline from being refined and instead contaminated it. The result is that your Martial Soul, which originally had infinite potential, has now truly turned into a pig. It can only barely release its true form by relying on the power of the other two Martial Souls."
"I also remember that in your so-called *Ten Core Competencies of the Soul Master World*, there was a section on the Martial Soul Mimicry Theory. It stated that a Plant Martial Soul doesn't necessarily have to absorb a soul ring from a plant-type soul beast, and a Beast Martial Soul isn't necessarily unable to absorb a plant-type soul ring. Under various preconditions, these two can be mutually absorbed."
Sun Zhongjing paused here, looked at Yu Xiaogang, and said, "I won't even mention this issue, which is practically common sense. Do you know why almost all Soul Masters have an unwritten rule that Plant Martial Souls cannot absorb animal-type soul rings, forming a tradition that has spanned thousands of years? Why has no one broken this rule? Do you think you're the only smart person in the world who could have thought of this?"
"Why?!"
Yu Xiaogang stared at him with bloodshot eyes, his voice hoarse, as if desperately seeking an explanation, but also as if he had given up on himself.
"This involves a fundamental issue of Martial Soul cultivation." The moment Sun Zhongjing spoke, he revealed a world-shattering secret.
At this, the other Soul Masters below the stage also pricked up their ears, eagerly gazing at him. After all, the privilege of a powerful figure lecturing like this was not something they could always enjoy. Even the smallest scrap of knowledge he casually revealed was an unattainable truth for them.
"According to my many years of research, the cultivation of a Martial Soul is nothing more than a process of accumulation leading from quantitative change to qualitative change. The key to a Martial Soul's evolution also lies here." Sun Zhongjing stroked his long beard, not minding making this knowledge, which he considered basic, public.
After all, it's easier said than done. Knowing how to become strong is one thing, but actually becoming strong by following the method isn't that simple. Otherwise, those Great Sects and major powers would have long been filled with peak-level experts.
Below the stage, the others waited with bated breath for Sun Zhongjing's detailed explanation.
"Although your Martial Soul resembles a pig in appearance, its core essence is that extremely pure trace of dragon bloodline. This means it possesses enormous potential! Low innate soul power doesn't mean anything; at most, it would make you a bit slower than others at the starting line. However, you only need to continuously hunt for soul rings from dragon-type soul beasts, utilizing the dragon bloodline within these pure soul rings to continuously supplement that faint trace of your own dragon bloodline, enabling it to grow and strengthen!"
"As the dragon bloodline is purified, your Martial Soul will become increasingly powerful, and your aptitude will also improve. Finally, when the accumulated 'quantity' reaches a limit, it will trigger a qualitative change! Your Pig Martial Soul will then officially sublimate and evolve into a Dragon!"
Sun Zhongjing paused again here, observing that some in the surrounding crowd had expressions of sudden realization, while others still looked confused. He decided to just state it plainly.
"And for a Soul Master, the key to accumulating this 'quantity' lies in the empowerment from the soul ring. The closer the soul ring you absorb is to your Martial Soul's essence, the more 'quantity' you can accumulate."
"Take a Plant Martial Soul as an example. Of course, a Plant Martial Soul can absorb an animal-type soul ring. However, if this happens, the origin that an animal-type soul ring can provide to a Plant Martial Soul is far too inferior compared to a plant-type soul ring. After all, the two possess fundamental differences. Animals and plants are different species, so their origins are naturally different."
"The consequence of this is that after absorbing an animal-type soul ring, the origin of the Plant Martial Soul will not only fail to be effectively enhanced but will even be contaminated by the animal-type soul ring's origin, making its essence impure. Furthermore, due to the inherent difference in species between animal-type soul rings and Plant Martial Souls, the soul skill obtained will also be much weaker than a skill from a soul ring of a similar type."
"If one continues to cultivate using a method like a Plant Martial Soul absorbing an animal-type soul ring, even if this Soul Master possesses extraordinary talent, they will reach their limit at the Soul Emperor realm at most. Soul Saint is completely out of the question, absolutely impossible! The reason has already been stated: the essence of this Martial Soul has long been contaminated by absorbing too many animal-type soul rings. It can no longer evolve or sublimate."
Once he finished speaking, the many applicants present had a sudden epiphany. They felt that many principles they had known of but never truly understood the reasons for suddenly became clear as he explained them. Previously, they only knew the Soul Master cultivation methods passed down by their clans, which dictated they must cultivate in a certain manner. But why cultivate that way? What principles did it contain? They only had a vague concept of it all.
If you really asked these people to explain the reasoning, they would be completely at a loss.
But today, after hearing Sun Zhongjing's words, they truly integrated and understood what they had learned. It was as if the clouds had parted to reveal the sun. For a moment, the sky felt clear and bright, as if they had glimpsed the ultimate mystery of the world!
"Wrong... All wrong!"
Yu Xiaogang's face was blank. He replayed his entire life in his mind, the memory finally stopping at the year he turned twelve. Supported by his clan's vast resources, he had spent six difficult years cultivating from half a rank to rank ten soul power. He could finally acquire a soul ring. His father had originally planned to hunt a pure-blooded dragon-type soul beast for him, but he himself, believing Luo Sanpao was a waste Martial Soul with no potential, pleaded with his father to find him a pig-type soul beast instead.
His father was truly doting, and he also felt that his son's Martial Soul, which had taken six years to cultivate to rank ten, indeed had little potential. So, in the end, he found him a hundred-year-old pig-type soul beast.
If back then, he hadn't, simply because he read a few more books, arrogantly thought he knew everything and presumptuously suggested absorbing a soul ring provided by a pig-type soul beast... but instead, had adhered to the sect's long-standing principle of only absorbing dragon-type soul rings... then perhaps he wouldn't be in such a pathetic state now.
Grandmaster?
Heh!
Yu Xiaogang felt his entire life was a complete joke. He had begun to question his very existence, completely shattered by this brutal reality!
So, it was my own arrogance that harmed me all along.
And it also harmed Xiao San...
Thinking of the disadvantages Sun Zhongjing had previously mentioned regarding a Plant Martial Soul absorbing an animal-type soul ring, he was even more tormented! He felt he had utterly failed as a teacher. He had cultivated Xiao San's Blue Silver Grass in the wrong direction, practically ruining it.
Twin Martial Souls!
If the Blue Silver Grass could only be cultivated to the Soul Emperor realm, then the other Martial Soul, the Clear Sky Hammer, would have to start absorbing soul rings at the Soul Emperor level just to break through... The fantasy of all nine soul rings being a hundred-thousand-years old was absolutely impossible to achieve.
Just thinking about it... Yu Xiaogang felt he had no face to see Tang San. This disciple had trusted him so much, yet he had...
He stumbled off the stage in a daze.
Ignoring the mocking gazes of those around him, Yu Xiaogang left the place, looking utterly lost.
And this day's debate between the "Grandmaster" and the Medicine King, fanned by the flames of certain interested parties, began to spread throughout the Soul Master World.
The "Grandmaster" had become thoroughly famous.
(end of chapter)
