Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul

Actually, when he saw the spider legs, Su Yan had already had a vague feeling.

It wasn't until the Holy Maiden herself said her name was Bibi Dong that Su Yan still felt like he was dreaming.

He had actually become Bibi Dong's disciple.

Tsk. No matter what, he had to keep his master away from Qian Xunji and Yu Xiaogang, the two people who had caused her tragic life.

Bibi Dong sat across from him, wearing black-rimmed glasses and holding a book.

Su Yan looked over, his gaze landing right on the cover.

Hundred Solutions of Martial Soul, by Yu Xiaogang.

Published by Martial Soul Hall Press.

Oh, no.

Su Yan hurried to his feet and went to stand beside Bibi Dong. His head came to about her shoulder, giving him an excellent view of the book.

"Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul... First: There are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters."

Su Yan reserved judgment.

"Second: Martial Souls are divided into Beast Martial Souls and Tool Martial Souls. There are no others. Anything that is part of the body is a beast, and anything separate from it is a tool."

So Plant-type Martial Souls counted as Tool Martial Souls, too.

"Third: Martial Soul Mimicry Theory. Plant-type Martial Souls can absorb Soul Rings from animal Soul Beasts, while Zoan Martial Souls can absorb Soul Rings from plant Soul Beasts."

That was pure nonsense. There weren't even any hammer Soul Beasts whose Soul Rings a hammer Martial Soul could absorb.

Even giving the theory every benefit of the doubt, and limiting it to Plant-type and Zoan Martial Souls, it only made the tiniest bit of sense.

"Fourth: the Soul Ring Bottleneck cannot stop a Soul Master's Soul Power from increasing. It only prevents them from entering the next realm because they lack a Soul Ring."

"..."

The farther Su Yan read, the more his brow furrowed.

But his master was absorbed in the book, and Su Yan had a bad feeling about it.

The names Bibi Dong and Yu Xiaogang looked downright jarring together.

As his master's beloved disciple, it was his duty to help ease her burdens.

Su Yan cleared his throat twice and spoke slowly. "Master, this Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul... it seems to say something, but also nothing at all."

Bibi Dong glanced sideways at Su Yan. "What do you think of this theory?"

Su Yan thought for a moment, deciding to be tactful. "It's superficial."

"That's all?" Bibi Dong frowned.

"It's full of nonsense."

"Hm?"

"It's not fit for serious discussion."

"Xiaoyan, you still don't understand. This book..." Bibi Dong shook her head, then turned to Su Yan. "It's fucking garbage!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Bibi Dong tore Hundred Solutions of Martial Soul to pieces and threw it on the floor.

Su Yan froze. This wasn't how he'd expected things to go.

"It's completely useless!" Bibi Dong cursed. "What kind of rubbish is this?"

Master, you got it! It really is completely useless!

Su Yan cheered inwardly. His master in this Douluo World had finally come to her senses!

He asked curiously, "Master, why were you reading this book?"

Bibi Dong turned her head, her pretty face flushing. "You're the first disciple whose Soul Ring I've had to worry about, so I figured it couldn't hurt to read up."

For a moment, Su Yan didn't know what to say.

"Let's set Soul Rings aside for now. First, I'll teach you some basic theory from the Soul Master World." Bibi Dong took off her glasses and rubbed her forehead. "Do you know the Four Souls of the Douluo Continent: Martial Soul, Soul Power, Soul Beast, and Soul Ring?"

"A little." Su Yan searched through his memories. "Soul Power is the strength stored within the human body. A Martial Soul is an outlet for Soul Power, its manifestation in tangible form. Soul Beasts are wild animals that possess Soul Power, and after they die, they can produce Soul Rings."

Bibi Dong nodded, her face full of approval. "Very good. What else?"

"Every ten levels, a Soul Master needs to absorb a Soul Ring to advance. Soul Rings also have different ranks. Rings of different levels place different burdens on the person absorbing them, and their boosts vary, too." Su Yan counted on his fingers. "There are Ten-Year Soul Rings, Century Soul Rings, Thousand-Year Soul Rings, Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings, and the highest, Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings."

Su Yan paused, then continued. "Soul Masters are divided into ranks, too: Soul Scholar, Soul Master, Soul Grandmaster, Soul Elder, Soul Ancestor, Soul King, Soul Emperor, Soul Saint, Soul Douluo, and Titled Douluo."

"Not bad. I didn't expect you to know so much." Bibi Dong nodded in satisfaction. "All right, I'll start by teaching you the most basic way to cultivate Soul Power."

She pushed her chair aside, sat cross-legged on the floor, and placed her hands together over her dantian.

Su Yan followed her example, sitting cross-legged opposite her and positioning his hands.

"Gather your essence and focus your mind. Empty yourself of distracting thoughts." Bibi Dong raised her right hand, her fingers poised like an orchid. A faint blue light spread across her palm.

She leaned forward and touched Su Yan's forehead with her index and ring fingers.

"Close your eyes and sense my Soul Power. Follow its path and circulate your own Soul Power."

Su Yan took a deep breath and carefully sensed the warm Soul Power Bibi Dong had sent into his body. He followed it through one complete cycle, then felt Soul Qi pouring into him from all around through the Heavenly Acupoint at the crown of his head, while impurities were expelled through the Earth Acupoint near his rear.

No wonder cultivators needed to sit cross-legged.

Bibi Dong's Soul Power had already withdrawn, but Su Yan had memorized its route. He began practicing on his own, learning to control his Soul Power.

"What a genius," Bibi Dong exclaimed.

She could feel that Su Yan was like a vortex, greedily devouring all the Soul Power around him.

It looked like he'd reach level ten soon and be able to obtain his First Soul Ring.

She didn't have much time left.

After using strands of the Death Spider Emperor's webbing to build a temporary protective barrier around Su Yan, Bibi Dong left the training room.

Outside the door, Yue Guan was bent over with his ear pressed tightly against it.

"Tsk, why is it so quiet? Is Su Yan still alive in there?"

"What do you mean, 'so quiet'?"

Bibi Dong's voice suddenly came from behind him. Yue Guan jumped straight up, every hair on his body standing on end. The chrysanthemum in his hand clenched tight.

"Holy Maiden, what are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you that. Why haven't you gone back to the Main Martial Soul Hall?" Bibi Dong crossed her arms and watched him at her leisure.

Yue Guan straightened up, his eyes darting about. "There's an Auction in Notting City tomorrow. I thought I'd stay and join in the fun before heading back."

"What happened to the concert at the Main Martial Soul Hall?" Bibi Dong asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Postponed. Postponed."

"Ghost isn't rushing you back?"

"Not when I'm with the Holy Maiden. He wouldn't dare, even if he had ten times the courage." Yue Guan grinned and pulled two tickets from his belt. "Holy Maiden, I've already got the Auction tickets ready."

"Fine. Give the orders: don't let anyone disturb Xiaoyan's cultivation, and provide him with three meals a day according to my standards."

"Yes."

The two of them left the Spirit Hall, one after the other.

Among the children playing on the field, Pan looked up at Bibi Dong's departing figure, her face full of admiration.

Only, the person she admired was the one meditating on the training ground.

As expected of Big Brother Su. What a brilliant move, pretending to be weak to catch his enemy off guard.

"Ha-choo!" Su Yan sneezed hard. "Who's thinking about me?"

He looked around. Everything was pitch-black, except for four human-sized Red Five-Pointed Stars standing at the four corners. Within the space they enclosed, a faint firelight flickered.

He should have been meditating on the training ground.

How had he ended up here?

Su Yan walked toward the light.

The place where the fire burned looked like an altar. A five-pointed star had been drawn on the ground, with a wooden stand at each point. Each stand held an antique, wooden Glazed Lamp.

Only one of the five Glazed Lamps had a small flame burning inside it. The other four were empty.

A blue gemstone was embedded in the outside of the Glazed Lamp with the tiny flame.

At the very center of the five-pointed star stood an egg, still and silent, half a person's height.

Three gray orbs of light floated above it.