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Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Martial Soul (武魂) |
| Type | Innate power manifestation awakened by humans |
| Occupation/Role | Determines a soul master's innate soul power, cultivation potential, compatible soul rings, and combat capabilities |
| First Appearance | Chapter 1 |
Nature and Awakening
A Martial Soul is awakened in childhood and serves as the foundation of a soul master's path. The level of Innate Soul Power produced at awakening affects cultivation speed: higher innate power corresponds to faster cultivation. 1 37
Su Yu's awakening was performed through an Awakening Array made from six Awakening Stones and Angel Soul Power, resulting in the Brass Book and Innate Full Soul Power. 1
- Martial Souls may be inherited through a family line, such as the Full Moon Martial Soul of the Full Moon family. 8
- A Martial Soul can undergo a mutation rather than following its inherited form. Aornia's mutated Blood Moon Martial Soul replaced her family's Full Moon Martial Soul. 8 25
- Transformed soul beasts retain their original form as their Martial Soul after becoming human and are guaranteed Innate Full Soul Power. 9
- A Martial Soul is commonly summoned for combat, examination, or the use of soul skills. 2 6
Soul Rings and Cultivation
Soul Rings are integral to a Martial Soul's growth and to advancement as a soul master.
- When a soul beast dies, it necessarily produces a soul ring and may also produce a soul bone. Extreme emotion at death increases the chance of a soul bone appearing. 2
- A soul master must absorb a soul ring when breaking through a title. 2
- Absorbing a ring below ten thousand years requires withstanding physical impact; rings above ten thousand years additionally impose mental impact. 2
- Compatibility with one's Martial Soul is considered more important than a soul ring's age when selecting a ring. 13
- A suitable soul ring can strengthen the Martial Soul itself, as Aornia suspects occurred after absorbing her highly compatible first ring. 25
Forms and Variants
| Form or variant | Documented example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tool Martial Soul | Brass Book; Clear Sky Hammer | The Brass Book manifests as a physical brass book, while the Clear Sky Hammer is regarded as the continent's foremost tool Martial Soul. 2 6 9 |
| Body Martial Soul | Xue Qinghe | Its user follows the Extreme School and can alter his appearance at the cellular level through control of his own body. 41 |
| Inherited Martial Soul | Full Moon | Members of the Full Moon family who awaken it generally possess Innate Soul Power of level five or higher. 8 |
| Mutated Martial Soul | Blood Moon; Two-Headed Gale Demon Wolf | Mutations may alter a family's inherited Martial Soul. They can be malignant, but mutation alone is not inherently a cause for ridicule. 8 17 25 29 |
| Twin Martial Souls | Tang Hao's son | Requires parents with Martial Souls of comparable quality as a prerequisite, remains exceptionally rare, and carries a backlash problem. 3 13 |
| God-level Martial Soul | Six-Winged Angel; Sea God | These Martial Souls originate from divine gifts and can surpass the ordinary innate level-ten limit. 12 |
| Innate God-level Martial Soul | Brass Book | Unlike divine-gift Martial Souls, an Innate God-level Martial Soul awakens naturally at level ten without divine blessing. 12 |
Innate God-level Martial Souls
Qian Daoliu identifies the Brass Book as an Innate God-level Martial Soul after sensing an aura beyond ordinary soul power around Su Yu. 12
- Prior to Su Yu, Qian Daoliu states that only the ancestor who ascended to the God Realm and the Sea God were known to have awakened Innate God-level Martial Souls. 12
- After their owners ascend, such Martial Souls may sublimate into divine artifacts; the cited examples are the Angel Holy Sword and Sea God Trident. 12
- The Brass Book's hidden divine aura cannot be assessed through ordinary probing, leading Qian Daoliu to order others not to examine it further. 12
- Qian Daoliu considers an Innate God-level Martial Soul valuable enough that its wielder must be fully secured as an ally of Martial Soul Hall. 12
The Brass Book
Su Yu's Martial Soul is the Brass Book, also called the Book of Rules. Its first half records basic rules of the world, including the formation of soul rings and bones, the requirements for absorbing high-age soul rings, and the need to obtain rings during advancement. 2
Unlike ordinary Martial Souls, every soul ring Su Yu obtains produces the same core soul skill: Rule Setting. His increasing Soul Power and number of soul rings expand the number, duration, range, and strength of the rules he can establish. 5
Rule Setting
The Brass Book writes enforceable rules within its effective range; violators receive punishment.
- Its initial range is approximately one hundred meters. 5
- Rules must conform to public perception and receive a degree of recognition. A rule simply prohibiting breathing immediately fails. 5
- Repeated violations increase the punishment's severity. 5
- Early punishments manifest as invisible, directionless attacks that even Snake Lance Douluo cannot detect before being struck. 5
- The skill does not distinguish allies from enemies unless Su Yu designates specific individuals as enforcers. 5
- Later applications include exile and other forms of punishment beyond direct injury. 40 42
- Su Yu asserts that, within an established rule's scope, the rule holds the highest authority and cannot be deceived by soul skills or similar methods. 37
Social and Political Significance
Martial Souls influence more than combat ability. The Heaven Dou Royal Academy's Martial Soul curriculum teaches students both a Martial Soul's traits and the factions associated with it, so that they can judge whom they can afford to provoke. 26
High-quality Martial Souls and Innate Soul Power are treated as strategic assets. Su Yu's Innate Full Soul Power and unusual Brass Book prompt efforts by both Qian Renxue and Emperor Xue Ye to conceal his existence and secure his loyalty. 2 12