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Yu Xiaogang had broken through to Rank 30.
However, he was in no hurry to obtain his third soul ring. Having been stuck at Rank 29 for many years, he understood perfectly the importance of a martial soul to a soul master. If the quality of the martial soul was too poor, one could be trapped for a lifetime, left with nothing but futile sighs.
Fortunately, having broken through Rank 30 with the help of the Mysterious Heaven Skill, he never wanted to be stuck like that again. Thus, taking inspiration from Su Wen's transformation and strengthening of his Book Martial Soul, he set his sights on the concept of "over-limit soul ring absorption."
Ordinary soul rings were one thing—at most, they could excavate a martial soul's potential to its current limit. But absorbing a soul ring beyond the standard age limit was different.
As a soul master's soul power increases, they naturally gain the physical tolerance to absorb soul rings below a certain age threshold. Even support-system soul masters differed little from other types in this regard. This was a fundamental reaction required by the martial soul.
In Su Wen's Theory of Martial Soul Growth, a martial soul grows alongside the soul master's cultivation. Reaching every ten-rank milestone represents a stage where the martial soul itself must undergo a metamorphosis.
The fact that a first ring can normally handle up to 423 years means that this age falls within the martial soul's inherent tolerance—the "normal" range of growth. In other words, a Great Soul Master's martial soul is typically defined by having absorbed one ring under 423 years and a second under 764 years.
However, if you break that limit, you are pushing the martial soul to a height it shouldn't naturally reach. This is especially true for low-quality martial souls. For a soul whose innate quality only allows a master to reach Rank 19, forcing it to absorb a first ring exceeding 423 years pushes it to the theoretical height it would only reach after Rank 20. This drastically elevates its quality. If it originally capped at Rank 19, an over-limit absorption ensures that breaking the next ten-rank bottleneck is no longer an issue.
The Theory of Martial Soul Growth explained all of this with crystalline clarity. Because it was an ideological inheritance—a direct infusion of knowledge—there was no need for tedious study. Su Wen used complex but easily understood terminology in his theories.
Yu Xiaogang placed immense value on this theory's claim that over-limit absorption could shatter the ceiling of one's aptitude. After his breakthrough, he had been waiting for the "Body Tempering Method" and the "Soul Ascension Method." Even without the Manual of All Methods, he was willing to spend years—even a decade—practicing these methods to maximize the age of his third soul ring.
Regrettably, before he could obtain these methods from Su Wen, Tang San died.
To Yu Xiaogang, Tang San was more significant than his own cultivation; the boy was the sole drive behind proving his own worth. After all, Xiaogang had long passed the optimal age for cultivation; even if his aptitude issues were solved, his ultimate achievements would be limited.
But today, Tang San was dead. And now, they had to use their Martial Soul Fusion Skill against Su Wen. If he had absorbed a thousand-year ring and promoted to Soul Elder, the power of their fusion skill would likely be entirely different.
Unfortunately, he had not made that promotion.
The Heavenly Book radiated light in all directions, its golden glow enveloping the entire valley. Streaks of golden light flickered—the same golden radiance that usually surrounded the Treasure Tower during Su Wen and Ning Rongrong's fusion skill. Now, Su Wen was manifesting this ability on his own.
The "pig" underwent a metamorphosis. A massive dragon, golden all over and exuding a noble aura with tangible dragon pressure, roared toward the sky. The golden light transformed into chains.
The golden chains coiled and bound the Golden Holy Dragon completely. Despite its erupting dragon pressure and surging strength, it could not break free from the shackles formed by that golden light. Within that light resided an aura that seemed to suppress all things, as if it could analyze and dissolve any form of energy.
"You likely have no true understanding of my strength," Su Wen said indifferently.
He knew the importance of eradicating roots, but at this moment, it was genuinely inconvenient to eliminate Yu Xiaogang.
Once the golden chains had the Golden Holy Dragon under complete control, Su Wen manipulated wind elemental energy, rapidly condensing wind blades that sliced toward the Shrek Seven Devils. As for the other teachers of Shrek, Su Wen didn't care about them. These younger companions were the ones most likely to harbor deep-seated hostility toward him because of Tang San. Therefore, they had to die.
Among them, Zhu Zhuqing was particularly unpredictable because of Dai Mubai. Su Wen was powerful, but he ultimately had vulnerabilities he needed to protect. These people had to be removed.
Puff! Puff! Puff!
Without a hint of hesitation, the wind blades fell. One by one, the geniuses of the soul master world fell. Their talents were top-tier across the continent, yet their lives were ended prematurely because of their association with Shrek. The future of the soul master world would no longer include them.
The Golden Holy Dragon let out a final, unwilling roar. Its body shimmered with golden light before rapidly fading, its aura plummeting. Finally, a weakened Luo Sanpao tumbled to the ground, turning into a streak of light as it returned to Yu Xiaogang's body.
Su Wen's eyes were cold and sharp as he looked at the Golden Iron Triangle. "Just now, you brought death upon yourselves. It wasn't that I didn't give you a chance."
Space fractured as silver blades streaked through the air. Flender, filled with shock and rage, possessed his Four-Eyed Eagle martial soul and took to the sky, desperately trying to dodge. Tang San had actually taught them the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Step, but Flender had clearly not mastered it. He was hit after dodging barely a dozen blades.
The cutting power of wind blades infused with spatial energy was terrifying. Within mere breaths, Flender was dead.
"Su Wen!" Yu Xiaogang's eyes were bloodshot, looking as if he were about to charge forward and throw his life away.
Su Wen spared him a glance but otherwise ignored him. "The rest of you, I will not kill. You may enter the Academic Realm in the future. Watch yourselves."
Having said that, the heaven and earth essence gathered behind Su Wen to form a pair of brilliant wings, and he flew away from the scene. The Zhantian Douluo took one deep look at the survivors before following him.
"Why didn't you kill those two?" the Zhantian Douluo asked in confusion once they were in the air.
He admired Su Wen's style—decisive, ruthless, and without hesitation. Yet, Su Wen had spared the Great Soul Master and the Fire Dragon soul master (Liu Erlong). "I don't think you're the type to fear the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
In the past, perhaps, but now that Su Wen had earned the title of "Grandmaster of Scholars" and made monumental contributions to the world, he certainly wouldn't bow to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
"Because Yu Xiaogang has someone behind him," Su Wen sighed.
"Someone behind him?" The Zhantian Douluo frowned. What powerhouse would care about a waste like that? A powerhouse capable of threatening Su Wen and willing to fight to the death for someone like Xiaogang... he couldn't wrap his head around it.
"Likely a Peerless Douluo. I'm not sure of the exact rank, but she's very troublesome."
More frustrating than Tang Chen was the fact that Bibi Dong possessed revival-type soul skills. Su Wen wasn't even certain if she could be permanently killed using the Life and Death Arena.
"Let's go. It's time we head to Sea God Island."
The Zhantian Douluo set aside his other thoughts, focusing instead on their destination. His eyes held a look of anticipation. Suddenly, a question occurred to him.
(End of Chapter)