"There's more. The old man happened to discover a supplement called whale rubber."
"But actually, if whale rubber is softened at high temperatures before being consumed and absorbed, it can greatly improve a soul master's physique, raise their soul ring absorption limit, and even grant fire resistance."
"Really?" Tang San asked, stunned.
His first reaction was disbelief.
But as a disciple of the Tang Sect, he knew something about medicinal properties. Whale rubber was indeed a potent tonic, so perhaps it really could strengthen the body.
Still, he would not eat any until that had been verified.
Tang Hao, who was eavesdropping inside the house, scoffed. If whale rubber really had such miraculous effects, how could the Clear Sky Sect never have heard of them?
Su Mo spread his hands. "I'm not sure either, but the old man made it sound very convincing. He even named it the whale rubber body-tempering theory. It's one of the ten laws of martial souls he compiled."
Pfft!
Tang Hao, who had been about to take a sip of water to wet his throat, spat it out on the spot.
The moment he heard "ten laws of martial souls," he thought it was that Grandmaster he knew.
"What are the other laws?"
Tang San grew even more curious.
Whether they were true or false, there could be no harm in remembering them first.
What he did not know, however, was that every gift bestowed by fate already had its price secretly marked. Even merely hearing these ideas could exact a cost beyond his imagination.
"The second law is the martial soul evolution theory. I think it makes quite a bit of sense."
"It says that absorbing high-quality soul rings and soul bones with origins closely aligned with your own martial soul can nourish its martial soul origin, strengthen its foundation, and draw out its potential, increasing the chances of martial soul evolution."
The so-called martial soul evolution theory became widespread during the eras of Douluo II and Douluo Dalu III: The Legend of the Dragon King.
During the era of Douluo I, it was still being tested.
Come to think of it, this theory had even grown out of Yu Xiaogang's ten core competencies of martial soul, and Tang San himself had contributed to it.
-Though only as a lab rat.
"Could my blue silver grass do that too?"
Upon hearing this, Tang San instinctively summoned his blue silver grass, a faint hope stirring within him.
Su Mo nodded firmly.
"Of course. Your blue silver grass martial soul can absorb soul rings from blue silver grass soul beasts, plant-type soul beasts, or life-attribute soul beasts. That would strengthen its foundation and allow it to evolve to a higher level."
Everything he said was solid, useful information. He was even walking Tang San through how to choose soul rings.
He was far more dedicated than a certain so-called Grandmaster.
Of course, he was not actually that kindhearted.
Little Scumbag would definitely become Yu Xiaogang's disciple anyway, and to verify his ten core competencies of martial soul, Yu Xiaogang would surely persuade Tang San to choose soul rings according to his ideas.
Even if events did not unfold as expected, it would not matter.
He was about to seize the blue silver emperor bloodline. Once he did, Tang San's blue silver grass would become a genuine trash martial soul, and evolving it would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.
Even if it really did evolve, he could just drain it again when the time came.
"So that's how it works..."
After listening, Tang San felt as though wisdom had been poured straight into his head. Although he still could not be certain it was true, he genuinely thought the theory made sense.
Even Tang Hao inside the house could find no way to refute it for the moment.
Could that old fellow really not be a swindler?
"Oh, right. The old man also mentioned a third law. I think it was called the ultimate attribute theory."
Having reaped a great harvest of gratitude, Su Mo continued.
"An ultimate attribute is an element or power cultivated to the absolute pinnacle of that attribute. It has absolute dominion over non-ultimate attributes of the same type, its suppression of attributes it counters increases geometrically, and its soul power quality and soul skill strength far exceed those of soul masters at the same level..."
This theory, too, had essentially only become widespread starting in Douluo II.
He had chosen it because his Infinity Gauntlet needed to absorb ultimate attributes. That would be exposed sooner or later, so he might as well trade the information for gratitude in advance.
Besides, with Returning a Peach for a Plum, he had no fear whatsoever of Tang San cultivating an ultimate attribute.
For every one he cultivates, I'll drain one.
"Ultimate attributes are actually that powerful?"
Tang San found it unbelievable, and a trace of yearning flashed through his eyes.
By now, Tang Hao's eyes had gone wide, and he was too shocked to speak. Although he had never heard of the ultimate attribute theory, he knew that developing an attribute to its utmost limits did indeed make it exceptionally powerful.
The Clear Sky Sect's clear sky hammer martial soul was precisely such a case.
He himself had also developed the Clear Sky Hammer's power to its utmost limits. Just as Su Mo had described, it gave him formidable suppressive power and the ability to fight opponents above his level.
To think that kid Su Mo really did run into a grandmaster...
"Brother Mo, is there more?" Tang San's eyes were now filled with a thirst for knowledge.
Su Mo shook his head. "No. That's all the old man told me."
Tang San was deeply disappointed, but unwilling to give up, he asked for the old gentleman's name.
"I think the old man said his name was Tian Meng." Su Mo shrugged.
Tian Meng, inside the Sea of Consciousness: "???"
"Su Mo, why did you give him my name?"
"I figured that instead of making up some random name, I might as well use yours. If the ten laws of martial souls we compile become famous across the continent, Brother Sky Dream, you might even get a chance to become a god through faith."
"Become a god through faith?"
Tian Meng was stunned by Su Mo's audacious idea.
Even as a million-year soul beast, he had only dared to hitch a ride on a god-creation plan. Yet Su Mo was crazy enough to have a soul beast become a god through faith.
"Are you trying to make an enemy of the entire Divine Realm?"
Su Mo remained calm. "Why not? Besides, this isn't entirely for your sake."
"If I can popularize the ten laws of martial souls, I'll benefit too. By then, everyone on the continent will owe me some measure of gratitude for teaching them."
Hiss!
Tian Meng sucked in a breath, marveling at this brilliant yet insane scheme.
Hiss!
As Su Mo spoke, he could not help sucking in a breath himself.
"No wonder the ocular technique has that name..."
"So... this is what it truly means to have students everywhere!"
Understanding dawned on Su Mo, and his eyes shone ever brighter.
If he really became the entire continent's creditor... no, its revered teacher, wouldn't he be able to reap a harvest from anyone he pleased?
"Tian Meng?" Tang San murmured. "I really hope I get to meet this grandmaster."
"You'll have a chance." Su Mo brushed him off casually.
By now, his left eye had gathered a considerable amount of gratitude from Tang San.
Without further hesitation, he quietly activated his Sharingan and used Returning a Peach for a Plum, draining every last trace of the blue silver emperor bloodline from Tang San's body.
Boom!
At that very moment, however, the blue silver grass on the windowsill suddenly began to tremble violently.
It also released a powerful aura.
Mixed into that aura was a spiritual fluctuation filled with extreme pain and sorrow.
Tang Hao and Tang San felt it most intensely. Their hearts suddenly clenched in agony for no apparent reason, and tears spilled uncontrollably from the corners of their eyes.
"Ah Yin? What's wrong, Ah Yin?"
Tang Hao came out of the house and hurried over to the blue silver grass, his face filled with panic.
Tang San was even more at a loss.
Su Mo looked utterly bewildered. Why had the perfectly healthy blue silver grass suddenly taken ill?
Surely Ah Yin hadn't sensed that I drained all the blue silver emperor bloodline from Tang San's body?
Su Mo fell silent for a moment, his heart giving a jolt.
Actually, that really was possible!