"I knew it! Why else would you talk to Oscar about this?
"If he wants us to help Tang San hunt a Soul Beast later, we'll make a deal.
"His father definitely won't be able to stay with Tang San forever. When that time comes, Yu Xiaogang will come looking for us!
"With a Martial Soul that looks like a pig and a dog, and can only make him fart, I don't believe he'd really dare take Tang San into the Star Dou Great Forest on his own!"
Ma Hongjun snorted with laughter, but quickly covered his mouth.
Mocking someone's Martial Soul was the same as mocking their looks. According to his senior brother, all appearances were illusory; making fun of someone's looks only made you seem uncultured.
Well... Zhao Wuji was just like that, but he couldn't afford to be immoral.
Flender glanced at him. Over the past two years, he'd become more and more pleased with the little fatty.
Not only had Ma Hongjun's Martial Soul evolved into Ultimate Fire, but under the scorching flames, he was also starting to look more and more like a porcelain doll.
He was still a little chubby, but in a few years, Ultimate Fire would surely transform him into a strikingly handsome young man.
Flender knew Oscar had something to do with it, but he'd never asked for details. After all, it was his child's secret.
More importantly, Oscar had helped shape the little fatty's personality for the better. If things continued this way, Ma Hongjun would become a great master in his own right.
He could then assist Oscar, one working in the open and the other in the shadows.
Oscar could serve as Shrek's dean, while Ma Hongjun could take on the role of Sky Net's deputy leader once he was older. What could be better?
At the thought, a smug expression appeared on Flender's face, leaving Zhao Wuji thoroughly baffled.
"Since the Grandmaster came up today, let's talk about his theories."
Oscar took two teacups from the table and brewed a pot of tea for himself and Ma Hongjun.
"He has an almost obsessive interest in toxins. His line of thought isn't bad. He thought of guiding a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul user toward poison, and even had the boy absorb a Mandala Snake Spirit Ring."
Flender grew interested too. He wanted to see how much Oscar had learned about Martial Soul Theory over the past two years, alongside his cultivation.
"Not bad? A Plant-type Martial Soul choosing a Mandala Snake for its Spirit Ring?"
Oscar smiled and looked at Flender, his expression unreadable.
"What? Do you have a better path in mind?"
Flender took a sip of tea and looked at Oscar expectantly.
Oscar had given Flender far too many surprises. His Self-Created Soul Skill, his help in refining Ma Hongjun's Ultimate Fire... Each achievement was enough for Flender to treat the ten-year-old as a young man with a mind of his own.
"I only have a few thoughts. If I'm wrong about anything, I'd be grateful if you teachers could correct me."
Oscar spoke modestly, then picked up a quill, dipped it in ink, and began writing on the paper.
"A Martial Soul gives a Soul Master the traits of that Martial Soul. It might be strength, speed, or defense.
"Plants are known for their tenacious vitality. In the same way, Plant-type Soul Masters can inherit that trait. We can see this in the Plant-type Soul Masters in Suotuo City.
"Most of them live a long time, and they have great stamina in battle.
"Spirit Rings also pass their corresponding traits on to Soul Masters. Absorbing a Spirit Ring from a resilient plant like bamboo would grant resilience and vitality. Absorbing one from a vine that can grow over long distances would increase reach, flexibility, and vitality."
Oscar spoke slowly. These were conclusions he'd drawn over the years by watching Soul Masters fight at the Soto City Grand Spirit Arena and taking part in battles himself. His theories were grounded in observation and practice.
"For Blue Silver Grass, its greatest strength is its tenacious vitality. Even when wildfires burn it away, it grows back with the spring breeze.
"As Soul Masters, we should strengthen our Martial Soul's strengths and build around them to compensate for its weaknesses—not sacrifice those strengths to make up for its shortcomings.
"Choosing a Mandala Snake can indeed increase Blue Silver Grass's resilience, but many Plant-type Soul Beasts could provide even more resilience, and would be a better fit. They could also strengthen a Soul Master's natural advantage in vitality.
"By comparison, the resilience a Mandala Snake offers is of little use.
"As the Grandmaster, I'm sure he could've thought of this too. But he valued the Mandala Snake's poison and wanted his disciple to become a poison Soul Master.
"What he didn't consider was that, according to how Spirit Rings pass on their traits, inheriting poison would cause toxins to accumulate inside the Soul Master's body. This would severely damage their vitality—the very strength of Plant-type Soul Masters.
"In serious cases, it could even leave them with lasting ailments!
"It just isn't worth it!"
After Oscar finished, the others continued to mull it over, weighing his claims against their own knowledge and experience.
By the time the tea had cooled, Flender spoke with a dry mouth.
"Oscar, you're right. Some of our past students who cultivated poison did suffer the problems you mentioned. Their eye color and hair color changed, and their bodies felt unwell at certain times.
"That Poison Douluo is probably suffering from the same problem."
Flender picked up his teacup and drained it in one gulp.
"We were wrong. We've harmed so many children... Oscar, do you have any ideas? How could the toxins be neutralized, or how should they be cultivated?"
"Spiders and snakes release poison through their fangs, and they also have special venom sacs to store it. Scorpions keep their venom sacs in their tails and release poison with their stingers.
"Humanity follows the earth, the earth follows the heavens, the heavens follow the Dao, and the Dao follows nature.
"To solve this, we must follow nature and learn from how living creatures store and release toxins. That's the only way to avoid being harmed by them.
"A Martial Soul is part of a Soul Master's body. If poison is stored inside it, problems will arise sooner or later. To solve this, we can only look to Spirit Rings and Spirit Bones.
"Or we could create a cultivation method that channels toxins back into the Spirit Ring, or find a precious Spirit Bone and store the toxins inside it, using it as a venom sac."
As Oscar spoke, Flender's eyes gradually brightened. Things he'd overlooked before were becoming clearer by the moment.
"But I only know which direction to look in. Spirit Bones are extremely difficult to obtain, and creating a cultivation method is even harder."
Flender knew that already. Finding a direction they'd overlooked was what mattered most!
Especially one that had been right in front of them all along, yet no one had noticed!
The things hidden in plain sight were the hardest to find!
"Oscar, you've given your father a wonderful surprise!"
Flender patted Oscar on the shoulder. Shao Xin was growing even more pleased with his precious disciple, though he was also beginning to worry.
His disciple was so exceptional. What would he have left to teach him?
"Oscar, hurry up and tell us: what should a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul choose for its First Spirit Ring?"
Zhao Wuji wasn't thinking too deeply about it. He was simply curious.
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