Chapter 145: A Debate on Soul Master Theory | Tang San Has Too Many Useless Soul Skills
The veins on Yu Xiaogang's forehead twitched.
Hidden inside his sleeve, his hand gripped tightly onto the martial soul theory handbook that never left his side.
The edge of the pages dug painfully into his palm.
But that pain was nothing compared to the suffocating frustration in his chest and the stubborn refusal to admit defeat.
"The power of a soul skill fundamentally comes from the soul ring!"
His voice rose, filled with almost obsessive insistence.
"A soul ring provides amplification of soul power, allowing a soul skill to undergo a qualitative transformation!"
"That… that Blue Silver Grass you summoned is just ordinary grass! Even if you play tricks with it and control it perfectly, it's still nothing but a mundane thing! How could it possibly match the explosive power of a true soul skill?"
He stared fixedly at Lin Qingmo's face.
Trying to find even the smallest flaw in those overly calm eyes. Even a trace of guilt would be enough.
As long as the other party wavered a little, he could seize the opportunity and drag this collapsing debate back onto the track he understood.
Lin Qingmo didn't respond immediately.
He lowered his gaze, his fingertip lightly brushing the tender leaf of a newly sprouted Blue Silver Grass beside him.
Stimulated by a trace of his soul power, the leaf instantly shimmered with a moist green glow, as though the vitality of an entire spring had been condensed within its veins.
'Tsk… Xiaogang's getting anxious.'
Lin Qingmo muttered inwardly.
Now he's emphasizing absolute power. Makes sense. For someone who worships data and theory, the most terrifying thing is a "possibility" that can't be quantified.
He raised his eyes and looked at Yu Xiaogang.
His eyes were clear, yet like stones after rain, cold and hard.
"Yu Xiaogang, what you said is only half correct."
His voice wasn't loud, yet it silenced all the surrounding whispers.
"The amplification provided by soul rings is certainly important."
As he spoke, Lin Qingmo casually lifted his hand.
Several emerald blue silver grass strands burst from the soil beside Yu Xiaogang's feet with a sharp whoosh, so fast they left only an afterimage.
They swiftly twisted together, forming a flexible yet powerful grass rope that gently coiled around a half-man-high bluestone nearby.
Lin Qingmo merely curled his fingers slightly.
Crack—!
A grinding sound that made teeth ache echoed out.
The surface of the hard bluestone was actually crushed by that seemingly harmless grass rope, splitting into dense, spiderweb-like cracks.
Stone powder trickled down.
"But the direction of the amplification is the key."
Lin Qingmo released his hand.
The Blue Silver Grass silently withdrew back underground.
As if nothing had happened, leaving only the cracked stone as evidence.
"If every soul ring Blue Silver Grass martial soul absorbed wasn't meant to imitate snake venom, spider webs, or other messy abilities, but instead purely and continuously strengthened its most fundamental traits as a plant, its vitality and toughness, then what?"
He raised his palm.
An especially crystalline strand of Blue Silver Grass slowly grew out and spiraled within his hand.
A dense aura of plant life spread through the air, so refreshing that it even overwhelmed the lingering scent of battle.
Lin Qingmo gazed at the Blue Silver Grass martial soul in his hand, which seemed to pulse with its own life.
"When its origin power is stacked to a sufficient level, do you still think it needs to pursue explosive power from some specific 'soul skill'?"
"It itself would already be the sharpest spear and the toughest shield."
He paused, and his tone turned like a sharpened blade aimed directly at the core of Yu Xiaogang's theory.
"Besides, plant soul rings paired with a plant martial soul share the same origin. Their soul power conversion efficiency is the highest and often comes with additional attribute compatibility amplification."
"This kind of advantage is something mismatched animal soul rings could never catch up to."
He tilted his head slightly, his voice carrying an unconcealed note of confusion.
"Yu Xiaogang, you've studied martial soul theory for so many years. Surely you didn't actually overlook such a basic issue as attribute affinity, did you?"
The question sounded light.
But when it landed in Yu Xiaogang's ears, it felt like a heavy blow.
"!!!"
His face instantly turned ashen.
His lips trembled, opening and closing.
A hoarse sound escaped his throat, yet he couldn't form a complete sentence.
He unconsciously took half a step back, his back slamming against the rough bark of a tree.
His fingertips turned cold, trembling uncontrollably.
The theory handbook he had always treated like a treasure, worn from endless reading, suddenly seemed to lose all weight… and all warmth.
Lin Qingmo had no intention of stopping.
Anyone who had debated before knew that once you gained the advantage, you pressed forward without giving your opponent a chance to recover.
His gaze shifted toward Tang San, who had been silently regulating his breathing nearby.
Tang San's head remained lowered, hiding his expression, but his tightly clenched fists showed he was far from unaware.
"Let's set me aside for now."
Lin Qingmo's lips curved slightly.
'Tang San, I wonder if you can still stay calm after hearing this.'
"Let's talk about Tang San instead. Haven't you ever felt that his first and third soul skills are a bit… redundant?"
"What do you mean?"
Yu Xiaogang suddenly raised his head.
"Look."
Lin Qingmo extended two fingers, bending them down one by one.
"First soul skill: Entanglement. Third soul skill: Spider Web Restraint."
"The names are different. The latter sounds more advanced, right? But in essence, aren't they both just using Blue Silver Grass to bind the opponent and restrict movement?"
"At most, it's the difference between 'a rope' and 'a net.' From wrapping to covering. Maybe a larger range, maybe slightly faster activation."
He bent the second finger.
"But the second soul skill: Parasite."
Lin Qingmo's eyes lit slightly.
"That one is different."
"The seeds attach silently and erupt with growth at the critical moment, achieving precise internal control and opening up a series of follow-up attack possibilities."
"That's a qualitative change in the functionality of the soul skill. It truly expands the tactical dimension of the Blue Silver Grass martial soul."
He withdrew his hand and concluded calmly.
"So among three soul ring slots, two are used for highly repetitive 'binding' effects, while only one actually brings new tactical possibilities."
"As for the efficiency of using those soul ring slots… Yu Xiaogang, do you think that's worthwhile?"
In fact, in the original story, Tang San's fourth soul skill from the Ten-Thousand-Year Pit Demon Spider was Blue Silver Prison, whose effect was also fairly similar.
Before Yu Xiaogang could process this entirely new, profit-driven "cost-efficiency" perspective, Lin Qingmo's soul power fluctuated again.
"Since we're both using the Blue Silver Grass martial soul, my path is very simple."
Under the glow of his soul rings, Lin Qingmo's voice rang out clearly.
"All of my soul rings exist for one purpose—to endlessly strengthen the life origin of Blue Silver Grass itself."
"When the 'root' of the Martial Soul becomes strong and thick, things like entangling and binding are no longer abilities granted by specific soul rings."
"They become things it can naturally accomplish once it becomes powerful enough."
"Just like a tree. Once it grows large, it naturally provides shade, bears fruit, and attracts birds to build nests."
He smiled faintly.
"Do shade, fruit, and birds really require three different 'tree rings' to grant them?"
The metaphor was too simple. Too vivid.
Oscar's eyes suddenly lit up as he slapped his thigh.
"That's right!"
"When you put it that way, Qingmo's approach really does sound like the correct path!"
"Soul rings and soul skill slots are incredibly precious! Using them for repeated functions really is a waste!
Xiao Wu nodded rapidly like a pecking chick, pointing at the lively Blue Silver Grass martial soul in Lin Qingmo's hand.
"Exactly!"
"Ah Qing's Blue Silver Grass martial soul looks full of life. He can use it however he wants."
"Tang San's Blue Silver Grass martial soul feels useless. It's like it can't even move without those soul skills."
Dai Mubai's brows remained tightly furrowed.
With his arms crossed, his gaze moved back and forth between Lin Qingmo and the disheartened Yu Xiaogang.
Clearly, this overturning debate was also shaking his long-held beliefs.
Ma Hongjun scratched his head.
He looked at one side, then the other.
Finally, he muttered quietly, "Why do I feel like what Lin Qingmo says makes more sense? Though the Grandmaster doesn't seem completely wrong either."
"..."
Zhu Zhuqing said nothing.
But within her cold eyes flickered a thoughtful light.
—
End of Chapter