Ultimate Attribute

Remember to read the author's note at the end of the chapter. There's quite a lot in there, and it doesn't count toward the chapter's word count.

Xiao Hongchen was surprised.

When he had absorbed a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring as his fifth soul ring, he had felt that he was on the verge of reaching Level Fifty-Two.

At the peak of Level Fifty-One, he was just about to reach Level Fifty-Two.

But what about Su Yu?

He had absorbed a Fifteen Thousand Year Soul Ring!

And before absorbing the soul ring, Su Yu had only been Level Forty.

Even if he had not absorbed it completely, he should have reached the peak of Level Forty-Two. Under normal circumstances, he should even have reached Level Forty-Three, right?

Why was he only Level Forty-One?

And he had only just reached Level Forty-One.

It even felt like he might fall back down at any moment.

Unlike Xiao Hongchen, who was baffled, Jing Hongchen smiled.

"Just as I thought."

"Hahahaha!"

Jing Hongchen laughed heartily, thrilled beyond measure.

"Grandfather, Su Yu only broke through one level of Soul Power."

"What do you know, brat!"

Hearing Xiao Hongchen's words, Jing Hongchen slapped him on the head, furious at his failure to meet expectations.

"I told you long ago that Soul Tool research is important, but the foundation of everything is still Soul Power. You don't have to be the best at Martial Soul cultivation, but you should at least understand something!"

Xiao Hongchen felt utterly wronged.

"Little Yu's Martial Soul has evolved into an Ultimate Attribute."

Jing Hongchen grinned, still visibly excited.

Across the entire Douluo Continent, examples of Ultimate Attributes were few and far between.

And in every generation, those with Ultimate Attributes who managed to grow almost all became figures capable of stirring the continent's winds and clouds.

Unfortunately, such soul masters had always appeared at Shrek Academy.

But now, things were different.

The Sun Moon Empire's Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy now had a soul master with an Ultimate Attribute!

Martial Souls with Ultimate Attributes were far stronger than ordinary Martial Souls, but they also came with a price: their Cultivation Speed was much slower.

Ultimate Attributes required more condensed Soul Power for cultivation, making cultivation between Level 30 and Level Seventy extremely slow.

Su Yu's Martial Soul had only transformed into an Ultimate Attribute after he absorbed his Fourth Soul Ring. The missing portion from Level 30 to Level Forty had been made up by the Soul Power from the Sword Grass soul ring.

The Ultimate Attribute had greatly reduced the quantity of his Soul Power to compensate for its quality.

The total amount remained unchanged. It could be understood as an increase in density, resulting in less volume.

The fact that he had not fallen below Level Forty was already thanks to how powerful that Sword Grass soul ring had been.

"It can't be considered a true Ultimate Attribute."

Su Yu shook his head. He understood his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul's current condition best.

It could be said that, with the enhancement of the Mutated Sword Grass, the Life Attribute of his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul had undergone a complete transformation.

However, it was still lacking something.

It was not that the quantity of the Life Attribute was insufficient, nor was its quality lacking.

"The essence of Blue Silver Grass is simply too weak."

But this was not a failed evolution. Rather, it had swallowed more than it could digest.

Blue Silver Grass's attribute had already become an ultimate Life Attribute, but the strength of the Martial Soul itself had not caught up yet.

A weak essence did not mean its upper limit was locked, but the leap had been too great, and digesting it would not be easy.

As time passed, Su Yu's Blue Silver Grass would gradually improve until it reached the corresponding level.

When he had absorbed his previous three soul rings, Su Yu had not had a clear standard, so he had not known whether he had reached his limit or not.

But now, his transformation into an Ultimate Attribute allowed Su Yu to clearly feel it.

Its attribute had been excavated, and the Martial Soul had been pushed to evolve.

The sensation was extremely clear.

"My Blue Silver Grass still needs time to settle. It will take a few more years before it can transform into a true Ultimate Martial Soul."

Jing Hongchen was not disappointed by this.

"It's fine. Even if it only has an Ultimate Attribute for now, that's still better than having no hope at all."

It had already made it through the door; it simply had yet to adapt.

"An ultimate Life Attribute—wouldn't that be an incredibly explosive existence even across the entire Douluo Continent?"

Ultimate Ice and Ultimate Fire were relatively common, since Martial Souls with those two attributes were common. Ultimate Strength also appeared from time to time.

But ultimate Life was something they had truly never heard of.

After absorbing the soul ring, the three of them did not delay and returned to Ming Capital at a relatively fast pace. Along the way, Su Yu also explained the effects of his Fourth Soul Ring in greater detail.

"My Fourth Soul Skill is the Grass Sword Art. It can imbue Blue Silver Grass with sword qi for attacks. The strength of the sword qi can increase alongside my Soul Power, and at the same Soul Power level, it is equivalent to the Mutated Sword Grass.

"Furthermore, my Fourth Soul Skill can also be used with the Godslayer Sword. By using the Godslayer Sword to unleash the Fourth Soul Skill, I can gather Heaven and Earth Origin Qi and condense it into a heaven-shaking slash."

The more Soul Power and origin qi he condensed, the stronger the burst of power would be.

After hearing Su Yu's explanation, Jing Hongchen sighed with emotion.

He had personally witnessed the power of that Mutated Sword Grass.

At the time, sixteen Suppression Bombs, all sixth-level and used in a combined suppression, had been pierced through by the Sword Grass at a single point, severing its restraints. The power of that strike had been no weaker than a Soul Saint's full-force attack.

Jing Hongchen felt that, under his pressure, the Mutated Sword Grass had undergone another transformation at that moment.

But he had killed it in the end, so he did not dwell on it further.

"Cultivating an Ultimate Attribute is very slow between Level 30 and Level Seventy. You need to prepare yourself mentally."

Before they parted, Jing Hongchen reminded Su Yu.

He was worried that Su Yu would be unable to accept the turtle-like speed of Soul Power cultivation for a while. After all, Su Yu was only Thirteen Years Old and had already cultivated to Level Forty.

On average, Su Yu had advanced five and a half levels per year!

After gaining an Ultimate Attribute, Su Yu's cultivation would become much more difficult. He might not even advance one level in an entire year.

Only Shrek Academy had ever successfully cultivated soul masters with Ultimate Attributes. It was not that Ultimate Attributes had never appeared in other academies, but their cultivation had been too slow, preventing them from reaching Level Seventy and bringing out the greatest effects of an Ultimate Martial Soul.

Jing Hongchen did not know how Shrek Academy had increased the cultivation speed of Ultimate Attribute Martial Souls. However, the Sun Moon Empire truly did not lack resources for cultivating Soul Power.

"Medicinal baths, pills, medicinal meals—arrange all of them. I refuse to believe Su Yu can't grow stronger."

After returning to his dormitory, Su Yu took out a round, plump pill and swallowed it.

Jing Hongchen had improved his treatment.

The medicinal meals would no longer be provided by the academy, but directly by Illustrious Virtue Hall. Everything would be supplied according to the quota of a Seventh-Level Soul Engineer.

Besides medicinal meals, there would also be pills—various cultivation-aiding pills with virtually no side effects. Su Yu would receive one every month.

There were also medicinal baths.

Jing Hongchen had already instructed Illustrious Virtue Hall personnel to prepare them.

These three arrangements alone showed Jing Hongchen's determination to nurture Su Yu.

And that was only Jing Hongchen. Once Kong Deming returned and learned of Su Yu's circumstances, he would likely provide additional resources as well.

Compared to Jing Hongchen, Su Yu himself was not worried about his future Cultivation Speed.

"I've already explored quite a few Soul Power circulation routes. That's enough to further refine and optimize my cultivation method.

"Old Yi has also awakened. Perhaps I can ask Old Yi for guidance in perfecting the cultivation method.

"And finally, a Mental Power cultivation method can also assist my cultivation."

Look here!!!

Look here!!!

Look here!!!

Someone has been stirring things up. I was seriously furious yesterday. I usually don't curse at people, but yesterday I really couldn't hold it in.

Let me explain again: there's no deliberate level suppression. Ultimate Attributes are just like this. I made it very clear in this chapter. Although the protagonist's cultivation has become more difficult, his cultivation method is about to be improved, his Mental Power cultivation will also be refined in the direction of assisting Soul Power cultivation, and there's Old Yi too.

Overall, the protagonist's rate of improvement will not drop. I may even speed it up.

Also, don't say Soul Power quality is useless. Whether it is useful or not has already been made very clear in the setting. Ultimate Attributes are invincible among those at the same level. Why do you think they are invincible at the same level?

Some people are even saying he goes through all that effort to compress his Soul Power, only to spend forever fighting Huo Yuhao and the others and still lose. Am I brain-dead, or are the people stirring this up brain-dead? Who has nothing better to do than make a Level Forty protagonist unable to beat a Level Twenty supporting character?

A Martial Soul Fusion Skill? So the protagonist can't interrupt it? Who would stupidly know that the other side has a Martial Soul Fusion Skill and still give them the chance to fuse? Ahem, the protagonist did it on purpose when he fought Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen Siblings, because he wanted to show off his strength. But in an official competition, he definitely would not do that. He would choose whatever method won most easily.

And lastly, for those who still insist that I'm deliberately suppressing his level, saying that absorbing a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring as his Fourth Ring and only reaching Level Forty-One is level suppression.

All I can say is, go read the original work. In Douluo 1, the God King absorbed a Ten Thousand Year Crypt Demon Spider soul ring as his Fourth Soul Ring. Do you know what level he was after absorbing it? Level Forty-One!

Alright then, how will you respond, sir?