A Chance Encounter in the Library Pavilion

In the blink of an eye, Su Cheng had already spent more than ten days in Spirit City and become familiar with quite a few of Spirit Hall's elders.

Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan in particular liked coming to him to study the Medical Dao whenever he had nothing better to do. Su Cheng was also happy to build a good relationship with him and did not keep many of his research findings to himself.

As a level 94 Titled Douluo, Yue Guan's research into Martial Souls was already extremely profound. This was one of Su Cheng's weak points, and he had broadened his horizons considerably through their exchanges.

One had to know that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's two strongest members, Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong, were only level 92 at present.

As for Bibi Dong, he had not seen her again since their conversation that day.

However, this was within Su Cheng's expectations.

As the newly appointed Pope, Bibi Dong had shallow foundations within Spirit Hall and was surely extremely busy every day.

This suited Su Cheng just fine.

That woman's thinking was extreme, her strength formidable, and her thought process unlike that of ordinary people. If he had not known that Yu Xiaogang was a vulnerability in her heart, he would have found it difficult to identify a way to break the deadlock.

Recently, Su Cheng had spent nearly all his time in the Library Pavilion.

It had to be said that the difference in accumulated foundations between factions was truly enormous.

Materials that were hard to find in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—such as the races of Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, classifications of top-tier Martial Souls, ideas for Martial Soul development, techniques for Self-Created Soul Skills, and more—could be found almost everywhere here.

Unfortunately, although the Library Pavilion contained information on Titled Douluo throughout the continent, it did not include the Seven Great Elders of the Worship Hall.

Su Cheng remembered that the Coiling Dragon Staffs of Qian Jun and Jiang Mo, two of the Seven Great Elders, respectively sealed an Evil-Breaking Dragon and a Heaven Awakening Sacred Golden Dragon.

Without question, every powerhouse who could reach level 95 or above and become a Super Douluo without relying on cheats had something uniquely exceptional about them.

And those who could enter the Worship Hall were even more extraordinary.

Su Cheng extended his right hand. A flash of light passed, and a longsword covered in cracks appeared in his palm. One yellow and one purple Soul Ring glimmered with a soft halo.

Sealing exotic beasts inside Tool Martial Souls can not only enhance combat power, but also create more tactical options. It truly is a good idea—but how is it done? And would this method bring other side effects, such as weakening the Tool Martial Soul's purity in certain aspects? he pondered silently.

Both the Clear Sky Hammer and the Seven Kill Sword are top-tier Tool Martial Souls that have reached the extreme in certain aspects, yet it seems that no one with either of those Martial Souls has ever added a "beast" attribute to them. Is it impossible, or do they simply not want to?

Su Cheng's earlier research had been more focused on the human body, and his understanding of Martial Souls was limited. After all, his talent points had been invested in the Medical Dao.

If he had chosen "True Scholar" as his Initial Talent, perhaps he would have been better suited to research.

"Tool Martial Soul, Beast Martial Soul..." Su Cheng wore a thoughtful expression.

Martial Souls contained incredibly profound mysteries. Even after the Douluo Continent's countless years of development, the connection between Soul Beasts and humans was far from simple.

Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts could take human form, and they could even sacrifice themselves to humans.

The beastification state after a Beast Martial Soul possessed its user, as well as the influence different inherited Martial Souls had on a person's character, were all matters worth examining closely.

Yu Xiaogang's so-called core Martial Soul competitiveness did not even scratch the surface.

Su Cheng looked at his Broken Sword Martial Soul.

Though it still looked unimpressive and remained covered in cracks, under the enhancement of a Thousand Year Soul Ring, his Martial Soul had actually become extremely resilient.

"My Innate Soul Power is only level 0.5. This is a malignant mutation caused by conflicting attributes. Yet the boost from my Thousand Year Second Soul Ring was far greater than I initially expected. Perhaps..."

After all these years, Su Cheng's understanding of the essence of Martial Souls remained limited, but he had thoroughly studied his own condition.

"I can try continuously adding extreme attributes to my Martial Soul through Soul Rings. Perhaps there is a chance to improve, or even reverse, this condition."

As for whether it would succeed, he had no confidence.

It was exceedingly difficult for an awakened Martial Soul to change, unless one underwent a bloodline awakening with the Blue Silver King's help like Tang San, or consumed some heavenly treasure such as an Immortal Herb compatible with one's Martial Soul.

He could consider the Immortal Herbs later. With Spirit Hall's power, he could find their exact location in Sunset Forest, which would also make planning easier after returning to reality.

"Impressive. I had long heard that although Mr. Su possesses only level 0.5 Innate Soul Power, he had forged a path the world had never imagined. Seeing it today, you truly are extraordinary."

Just as Su Cheng was contemplating matters related to Martial Souls, a cool and pleasant female voice came from behind him. There had been no one else in the Library Pavilion earlier; only he had been here, reading through all kinds of materials.

Su Cheng turned around and saw a girl with bright eyes, pearly teeth, golden hair, and skin as fair as snow. She stood not far behind him with her hands clasped behind her back, studying his two-ring Martial Soul with great interest.

Though the girl was still young, the first hints of peerless beauty had already begun to show. A single glance was enough to make one's heart tremble faintly.

Perhaps because of her Martial Soul, Qian Renxue appeared to be thirteen or fourteen years old at the moment, though her actual age should have been just over nine.

"It is nothing much." Su Cheng did not put away his Martial Soul. Instead, he continued along her line of thought. "It is only because most people in this world are ignorant that I seem different from the rest."

His words instead left Qian Renxue slightly stunned.

Was he really that unmodest?

She had not come here intentionally to look for Su Cheng.

Spirit Hall was now mainly divided into two factions: the Pope's faction led by Bibi Dong, and the Worship Hall faction led by Qian Daoliu.

Qian Renxue had shared a distant relationship with her mother, Bibi Dong, since childhood. Whenever she was in Spirit City, she generally spent her time either in the Worship Hall or the Library Pavilion.

After receiving Bibi Dong's permission to return to Spirit City these past two days, she had heard Bibi Dong mention that Su Cheng had joined Spirit Hall and was preparing to take on a disciple. However, she had not taken it to heart, much less considered becoming his disciple.

She had come to the Library Pavilion today out of habit, intending to look up some materials while she was at it.

Su Cheng, on the other hand, had long been mentally prepared to encounter Qian Renxue here.

"Hehe, Mr. Su, you truly know how to joke." His sudden reversal of roles left Qian Renxue at a loss for words.

"Why would I joke with a little girl who doesn't understand anything?"

Su Cheng glanced at her.

"Even a cultivation waste with merely level 0.5 Innate Soul Power can find a way to surpass the so-called absorption age limit. Yet for hundreds and thousands of years, the Douluo Continent has actually treated the so-called Soul Ring absorption age limit as absolute truth. What have all of you been doing?"

Those words cut deep, especially because every word was true, leaving people unable to refute them.

Combined with being called a "little girl," even with Qian Renxue's composure and upbringing, she was starting to lose her cool.

She did not know whether Su Cheng was aware of her identity and strength as the Former Pope's daughter. He probably was not. But even if he did know, what could she say now?

The man had already admitted that he himself was a cultivation waste, so how could she use that against him?

If they continued this argument, it would probably turn into a genius with level 20 Innate Soul Power being inferior to a waste with level 0.5 Innate Soul Power.

She gritted her teeth inwardly, but could only force a smile and say, "Mr. Su is right."