Chapter 26: Martial Soul Evolution
Lin Mo's gaze first fell on Spirit Rings and Spirit Bones.
Compared to Spirit Rings, a Spirit Bone seemed even more likely to become the opportunity for his second Martial Soul's evolution.
After all, Spirit Bones corresponded one to one with important parts of the human body, while Spirit Rings carried far more uncertainty.
Spirit Bones, like Spirit Rings, were special items produced after a Spirit Beast died.
But unlike Spirit Rings, the drop rate of Spirit Bones was extremely low. Across all Spirit Beasts, it was less than 1 in 1,000.
Also unlike Spirit Rings, Spirit Bones did not have the restriction that only the killer could absorb them. That alone made demand far exceed supply.
Even the most ordinary Spirit Bone could sell for an astronomical price.
When a Spirit Master absorbed a Spirit Bone, not only could they greatly increase their strength, they would also gain a new skill bestowed by the Spirit Bone.
And if the quality of the Spirit Bone was high enough, and it matched the Spirit Master extremely well, it was not impossible for it to trigger deeper changes, or even evolution, in the Spirit Master's Spirit.
Besides Spirit Rings and Spirit Bones, another possible external force was the "Heaven and Earth Treasures" nurtured by the world.
Among these, the most familiar in Lin Mo's memory were the Immortal Herbs.
The moment he thought of Immortal Herbs, several examples that had left a deep impression on him surfaced immediately.
For example, the Immortal Herbs Tang San obtained at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Among them, the Qiluo Tulip helped Ning Rongrong of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan complete a transformation comparable to a carp leaping over the dragon gate.
It forcibly evolved her Spirit from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, breaking the innate restriction that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda could only possess 7 Spirit Rings, and even paving her road toward becoming a Titled Douluo.
There was also Ma Hongjun.
His original Evil Fire Phoenix Spirit had serious flaws, but after he consumed the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower given by Tang San, the evil fire was cleared, his Phoenix bloodline purified, and he finally escaped the trouble that had plagued him.
Later, on Sea God Island, Ma Hongjun received the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent Neidan given by Tang San. After swallowing it, it transformed into his seventh Spirit Ring, allowing his Evil Fire Phoenix to advance again and evolve into the Ten Headed Fire Phoenix.
Both of these examples relied on Heaven and Earth Treasures with matching attributes to directly trigger changes to the Martial Soul's essence.
As for Tang San's own Blue Silver Grass evolving into the Blue Silver Emperor, that case was special.
He had received help from a Blue Silver King with cultivation as high as 85,000 years, and he completed his Martial Soul's evolution, or rather, a second awakening, turning Blue Silver Grass into Blue Silver Emperor.
But that process was less "evolution" and more a second awakening triggered by bloodline stimulation.
Strictly speaking, it did not rely purely on external objects.
After all, if Tang San did not have Blue Silver Emperor bloodline, his Martial Soul would have remained Blue Silver Grass forever, and could never become the Blue Silver Emperor.
"Besides, Tang San's situation is too unique. He isn't a pure human, but a hybrid of a human and a Spirit Beast. His Martial Soul evolution has no reference value."
Lin Mo quickly excluded Tang San. He was not a Spirit Beast hybrid, and he did not have any hidden top tier Spirit Beast bloodline waiting to awaken.
So his thoughts returned to external forces themselves.
"If my second Martial Soul's evolution really requires external intervention…" Lin Mo could not help wondering, "then what exactly will my opportunity be?"
Would it be some Spirit Bone with an attribute that perfectly matched his main body Martial Soul?
For example, a Spirit Bone produced by a top tier Spirit Beast with terrifying vitality, or overwhelming qi and blood strength?
After absorbing it, could it trigger a transformation of his main body Martial Soul?
Or would it be like Ning Rongrong and Ma Hongjun, finding a Heaven and Earth Treasure that perfectly matched his Martial Soul?
Like Qiluo Tulip and Ning Rongrong, Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent Neidan and Ma Hongjun, Myriad Year Profound Ice Pith and ice attribute Spirit Masters…
So where was the treasure that suited him?
Lin Mo fell into deep thought.
But the moment he considered how rare these two types of external forces were, the excitement that had just risen in his heart was like being splashed with cold water.
It cooled rapidly, replaced by frustration and helplessness.
The reason was simple.
Whether it was Spirit Bones, or Immortal Herbs and other Heaven and Earth Treasures, they were not things a lowly 1 Ring Spirit Master like him could touch.
Spirit Bones were treasures every Spirit Master dreamed of, found by luck rather than searching.
Any Spirit Bone's appearance was enough to stir up the Spirit Master world and spark bloody conflict.
Otherwise, Spirit Bones would not be called the treasure of the blood river.
With Lin Mo's current strength, let alone owning one, even seeing one was almost a fantasy.
And Immortal Herbs were no less rare.
Compared to other mysterious treasures, Immortal Herbs seemed easier to locate. Lin Mo also knew that the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, that treasure land, gathered countless Immortal grade herbs.
But leaving aside the fact that he had no idea where the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well truly was, even if he did, did he have the strength to break in?
Could he snatch an Immortal Herb right under the nose of that poison using old freak, Dugu Bo?
The answer was obvious.
No.
That would be the same as ending his hard won third life early.
"Strength… in the end, it's still because my strength is insufficient." Lin Mo sighed inwardly, feeling stifled.
Knowing where the path might be, yet lacking the power to walk it, that feeling was truly suffocating.
But soon, Lin Mo shook his head hard, as if trying to shake the frustration out of his mind.
"I can't be too ambitious. It's still too early to think about these things," he warned himself.
For now, what he could do had not changed.
Cultivate steadily and raise his Spirit Power rank.
Only when his strength was high enough would he have the qualifications and the chance to pursue those opportunities.
And only by being strong himself could he seize an opportunity when it appeared, instead of watching it slip away in front of him.
"Rank 30…" Lin Mo reaffirmed his resolve. "I'll set a small goal first. Raise my Spirit Power to Rank 30 as fast as possible."
"By then, Charmander will evolve into Charmeleon and gain a huge increase in strength."
"And I will also be able to absorb a thousand year Spirit Ring, pushing my overall power to a new level."
"Only then will I have the initial strength to seek the opportunity for my second Martial Soul's evolution."
As for the even more distant mysteries of a second or third awakening for a main body Martial Soul, those would require even greater strength as a foundation.
One had to walk step by step, and eat bite by bite.
Having lived 3 lives, Lin Mo understood that truth better than anyone.
After sorting out his thoughts, the restlessness in Lin Mo's heart, caused by his recent breakthrough, gradually settled. His mind returned to its usual calm.
He no longer obsessed over the "unknown" evolution condition on the panel, nor did he worry about distant opportunities that were still out of reach.
His priority remained cultivation, raising Spirit Power, and preparing for his future departure to an intermediate Spirit Master academy.
The carriage continued to roll smoothly.
Inside, the dean also seemed to have entered a cultivation state, breathing steadily.
Lin Mo adjusted his posture as well and entered cultivation. His Spirit Power circulated silently along the routes of the Calm Mind method.
He wasted not a single moment.
Cultivate and grow stronger.
That was the most important thing, and the only thing he could firmly hold in his hands right now.
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