Hardcore Sweet-Talking

"I've always been a good judge of character. Uncle, you should be the bold, domineering sort, someone broad-minded and unconcerned with trifles.

"A man with such magnanimity would never seriously bicker with a child like me. I imagine that was also the main reason Sister Ah Yin fell for you."

Tian Hao spun his tale with a straight face. It was time to earn this Clear Sky Douluo's goodwill, so he could talk him into cooperating with his research later on.

Tang Hao was shaken, especially by that last remark, which struck straight at his heart. He turned to meet his fiancée Ah Yin's eyes, and the two gazed at each other with deep affection, their genuine feelings laid bare.

"Let me properly introduce myself. My name is Tang Hao, and I come from the Clear Sky Sect, one of the Upper Three Sects."

Leaping down, Tang Hao extended his hand to Tian Hao.

At that moment, the youth before him had truly gained his recognition and was qualified to know the name Tang Hao.

Of course, that was only if the brat stopped acting so close to his Ah Yin. Otherwise, Tang Hao would still want to hammer him to death. That was his reverse scale.

"So you're from the Clear Sky Sect. Then Uncle, your Clear Sky Hammer must be the strongest among those your age, perhaps even among those at the same level, right?"

Tian Hao shook Tang Hao's hand and put on a surprised expression as he offered a pointed compliment.

"There's a theory behind that too?"

Tang Hao was puzzled. He truly was the strongest in the Clear Sky Sect among those his age and at the same level. He could even fight above his rank; even his elder brother, whose Soul Power Level was higher than his, was no match for him.

But how had this youth known?

"This is one of my hypotheses, called Soul Master–Martial Soul Compatibility."

Tian Hao gave the opening line, then looked at Ah Yin and rubbed his fingers together, signaling her to hurry up and pay.

Naturally, making a little money was secondary. The important thing was gaining the fortune of the two of them.

He had consumed quite a lot of fortune last night and needed to replenish it quickly.

"Can't you just ask for more at once?"

Ah Yin, who had also leaped down to listen closely, rolled her eyes. Every time he reached a crucial point, this brat held out his hand for money. Didn't he know that ruined the atmosphere?

"That's a matter of principle. It can't change. This one Silver Soul Coin is merely payment for my speaking fees. Knowledge cannot be measured in terms of wealth or money.

"If I had already achieved financial freedom, I wouldn't even accept this one Silver Soul Coin. After all, I still have to eat."

After pocketing the Silver Soul Coin Ah Yin handed over, Tian Hao continued his earnest nonsense, building himself a lofty and righteous image.

"The priceless nature of knowledge can probably only be truly embodied in someone like you."

Tang Hao and Ah Yin were moved once more. This youth's breadth of mind was frighteningly immense. At least, they knew they could not compare.

"I've read many biographies of powerful sages and studied contemporary Soul Masters as well. I found that Martial Souls can influence a Soul Master's personality. For example, some people undergo changes in temperament after awakening their Martial Soul. At the same time, a Soul Master's personality can also actively adapt to their Martial Soul's traits.

"The greater the compatibility between the two, the more effective their cultivation will be, and the greater the power their Martial Soul skills can unleash.

"Your Clear Sky Sect's Clear Sky Hammer possesses the innate qualities of hardness and heaviness, so the most suitable temperament is one of fierce boldness and magnanimity. The more one's personality aligns with the Clear Sky Hammer's traits, the more power it can display.

"Conversely, if one is narrow-minded, gloomy, and the like, their compatibility with the Clear Sky Hammer will be lower, restricting its potential. Forget about cultivating it to the peak..."

Whether or not Third Young Master had been glorifying Tang Hao in his previous life's book, Tang Hao was indeed the strongest man in the Clear Sky Sect besides Tang Chen, the strongest among those at the same level.

Just look at Tang Hao's style and might when wielding the Clear Sky Hammer in the original work, then look at Tang San's style and power with it. Under equal conditions, Tang San would never be Tang Hao's match with the Clear Sky Hammer.

It was not that Tang San was weak. Rather, his personality was incompatible with the Clear Sky Hammer. In comparison, Tang San was better suited to Martial Souls that emphasized technique. The more versatile and agile they were, the more fully he could display his methods. The Clear Sky Hammer, however, needed someone with an overwhelmingly domineering personality to wield it.

It was like Qiao Feng, the Beggars' Clan Chief, in Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils. Only in that man's hands could the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms unleash their peak might, even surpassing their limits and earning him the title of War God.

In anyone else's hands, they declined. That was the issue of compatibility with martial arts.

The same principle could be applied to the Douluo Continent.

As Tang Hao listened, he could not help sinking into thought. He recalled everyone in the Clear Sky Sect and compared them one by one, increasingly convinced that the youth's hypothesis was correct.

"You're right."

Taking a deep breath, Tang Hao's expression grew more solemn as he recognized the youth before him once again.

Thinking back on those from the Clear Sky Sect, it was indeed true that those with better dispositions possessed greater combat power. People like himself, invincible at the same level, all had similar temperaments.

In that case, his personality truly was highly compatible with the Clear Sky Hammer. He had even heard from his father that his temperament greatly resembled that of his grandfather, Tang Chen.

That was also the main reason his father had ultimately chosen him to inherit the legacy soul bone and become the Clear Sky Douluo.

Perhaps his father had not possessed such a clear hypothesis back then and had merely noticed that his temperament resembled his grandfather's. But it was indeed a basis for the decision.

And there had to be a reason why his grandfather had become a Peak Douluo through his own efforts. Perhaps this was one of them.

"By the same logic, Sister Ah Yin has a gentle and kind nature, making her well-suited to specialize in power such as Life Force. But Sister Ah Yin's Martial Soul shouldn't be merely Blue Silver Grass, should it?"

Tian Hao shifted his gaze to Ah Yin, deliberately exposing certain matters so he could proceed with his later research.

"How did you know my Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass, and that it isn't ordinary Blue Silver Grass?"

Ah Yin was curious. How had the youth known?

"You told me yourself."

Tian Hao smiled. She truly had told him.

"I told you?"

The beauty was confused. Had she?

"You told me that spear was called the Blue Silver Overlord Spear, and that the domain you possess is the Blue Silver Domain. If I still couldn't figure it out from that, I should find a block of tofu and smash my head against it."

Tian Hao shrugged, indicating that it was all her fault.

"Then why are you certain my Martial Soul isn't ordinary Blue Silver Grass?"

Ah Yin was stunned, then quickly recovered and pressed him further, wanting to see how the youth had analyzed it.

Tang Hao was equally curious about how the youth had seen through it.

"I spent all last night studying your Blue Silver Overlord Spear and discovered the golden patterns on it.

"Blue Silver Grass has a blue base with silver markings on its stems and leaves, but your Blue Silver Overlord Spear has an additional type of golden pattern. I guessed that your Martial Soul should also have golden patterns.

"But those are secondary. The true reason is that ordinary Blue Silver Grass is almost incapable of possessing Innate Soul Power above level one, much less cultivating to Sister Ah Yin's level.

"Although I don't know exactly how strong you are, judging solely from the strength of the Blue Silver Overlord Spear and the profundity of that Blue Silver Domain, you definitely aren't weak. Not to mention that your Blue Silver Domain directly points toward a high-level power like Life Force."

Tian Hao maintained his serious little expression as he continued fooling them. He could not expose Ah Yin's secret as a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, but the rest did not matter.

"The theory in Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul that says Martial Soul quality is directly proportional to Innate Soul Power?"

Ah Yin recalled a set of theories she had once read. It had discussed the relationship between Martial Soul quality and Innate Soul Power, while Innate Soul Power was linked to a Soul Master's cultivation speed and future achievements.

"That Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul has some merit. That man should be able to develop better theories in the future."

Tang Hao nodded in agreement. He had also read that set of theories and had even used the Clear Sky Sect's resources to investigate. He knew that the author, Yu Xiaogang, was the son of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's Sect Master and seemed to have some connection with the current Saintess of Spirit Hall. That set of theories had been published throughout the Soul Master world with Spirit Hall's help.

Although the theories were all rather shallow, and the Clear Sky Sect's forebears had long since developed similar theories without making them public to the Soul Master world, the man still showed some talent by being able to summarize them.

More importantly, he was still young and would surely achieve greater things in the future.

(Yu Xiaogang: I reached my peak the moment I debuted, and my peak is recommendation votes!)