Lin Mian's Theory

"What's wrong? Don't believe me?" Lin Mian knew exactly what Zhu Zhuqing was thinking.

"I believe you. Of course I do. I'll just wait until Master becomes a god and passes Judgment Hall on to me."

Zhu Zhuqing was still being perfunctory.

"Forget it. I won't hand Judgment Hall over to you after all. As my disciple, you don't give me any emotional validation at all, yet you still want to inherit your master's legacy."

Lin Mian put on a heartbroken expression.

Zhu Zhuqing was helpless. She always felt that her master was like a child who had never grown up. It was one thing for him to love boasting, but he even acted it so convincingly.

"All right, Master, my mistake. I'll treat you to something delicious. Is that okay?"

"Let's go." Lin Mian was instantly revived.

Zhu Zhuqing shook her head and followed him. The master she had chosen could only be spoiled.

After catching up, she still could not help asking, "Master, just how old are you?"

Lin Mian was still buying up snacks at the street stalls. Hearing her question, he answered without hesitation.

"I'm nearly seventy this year."

Zhu Zhuqing only assumed he was talking nonsense and followed up, "Master, you're already so old. Why do you always seem a little..."

"A little childish, right?" Lin Mian answered for her.

"This isn't childish. It's called following your heart and returning to one's true nature. What's so good about keeping a straight face all day?"

"Forget it. Your talent is too poor for me to explain it clearly to you. Good thing you met me. Otherwise, you'd have trouble even becoming a Title Douluo."

"As my disciple, no matter what, you should at least become a Limit Douluo. Otherwise, you'd disgrace me too much."

"Tonight, your master will have to do something. Otherwise, this little girl will really look down on me."

"What kind of thing?"

Although this master seemed somewhat unreliable, Zhu Zhuqing still believed that he ought to possess real skill.

"A good thing. You'll find out tonight."

That night, the two of them stayed at the Rose Hotel. Yes, it was the very room Tang San and Dai Mubai had fought over.

After fighting over it for so long, neither of them got it. Worse still, they had been hauled off and turned into charging batteries. Truly pitiful.

The Rose Hotel had originally been a hotel for couples, so naturally, they had checked into a couples' room. However, the atmosphere in the room was somewhat strange now.

A large wooden barrel had appeared in the middle of the room. It was already filled with red liquid, with all sorts of herbs floating on the surface.

"Master, do I really have to soak in it?" Zhu Zhuqing's face was flushed with embarrassment.

It would have been one thing if she were soaking alone, but with her master right beside her, it just felt strange.

"Of course. It's full of good stuff—not only the essence of dragon blood from a thousand-year dragon-type soul beast, but also all kinds of precious herbs."

"These things are twice as effective for tempering the body. Even the holy sons and holy daughters of Spirit Hall don't receive treatment like this, because Spirit Hall doesn't have your master's formula."

"Why do we need to temper the body? Aren't we soul masters? As long as our Soul Power can grow, isn't that enough?" Zhu Zhuqing did not quite understand.

Lin Mian did not lecture her on grand principles. Instead, he asked a question.

"Do you know the theoretical maximum absorption limit for a soul master's third soul ring?"

"1,760 years? That seems to be Master's theory."

"Wrong! He's a clown." Lin Mian did not hold back at all.

"In theory, there is no upper limit on the age of a soul ring one can absorb. Even a first soul ring can be a hundred thousand years old. Humans simply cannot withstand it with their bodies."

"If, at level ten, you possessed the physical constitution of a Limit Douluo, then you could absorb a hundred-thousand-year soul ring as easily as you pleased."

"In theory, this is possible, but it is far too difficult. Even your master cannot do it."

"If even I cannot do it, then no one else on this continent can."

Zhu Zhuqing's face was full of shock. This was the first time she had heard such a theory.

However, she was not stupid and still understood the meaning behind his words.

"Master, you mean that as long as my physical constitution is strong enough, I can absorb a ten-thousand-year soul ring at level forty."

"That's right. That's why I want you to temper your body. If every one of your soul rings has a higher age than other people's, then naturally your strength will exceed theirs as well."

"Later on, even if you want to absorb a hundred-thousand-year soul ring, your master can find one for you."

"You should also know that, in a sense, the age of the soul rings a soul master absorbs represents that soul master's potential."

"A soul master with Innate Soul Power at level four who absorbs a ten-year soul ring has less potential than a soul master with Innate Soul Power at level three who absorbs a hundred-year soul ring."

"I want you to temper your body so that you can win at the starting line. Even if your Innate Soul Power is a little lower, there's nothing to fear. With the enhancement from soul rings, your potential will far surpass everyone else's."

Not to mention that he still had quite a few immortal herbs that could increase Zhu Zhuqing's potential.

The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well had fallen into his hands decades ago.

At that time, Dugu Bo had not yet discovered the existence of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. Lin Mian had used those immortal herbs to cultivate nine Title Douluo.

Those people later became the foundation of Judgment Hall.

One of those Title Douluo was Dugu Bo. Not only had the poison in his body been cured, but his Soul Power had also reached level 95.

"Do you understand now?"

"I understand!" Zhu Zhuqing nodded forcefully. Although her master was somewhat childish, she was certain that he would not harm her.

"Now that you understand, take off your clothes and soak in it."

"I have to take off my clothes too?"

"What else? How are you supposed to temper your body with your clothes on?"

"B-But..."

"But what? Your master isn't interested in you."

As he spoke, Soul Power surged from Lin Mian's hand. The bed curtains detached from the bed and encircled the wooden barrel.

"That'll do. You can't see anything now."

Zhu Zhuqing looked at the somewhat transparent bed curtains and nodded.

Though they were a little transparent, at least everything looked blurry and could not be seen clearly.

Very soon, rustling sounds came from within the bed curtains.

From where Lin Mian was sitting, he could see a hazy yet alluring figure.

However, Lin Mian was not some pervert. He would not feel that way toward a little girl.

The instant she entered the water, a startled cry came from the wooden barrel.

Lin Mian's voice sounded from the bed.

"Pain is normal. These herbs and the dragon blood essence from dragon-type soul beasts are all violent substances. Even before you entered the water, the temperature in the barrel was already extremely high."

"What you need to do is endure it. You'll get used to this sort of thing."

"I know..."

Zhu Zhuqing's voice, gritting her teeth in endurance, came from the barrel.

The temperature of the liquid had long surpassed that of boiling water. If a soul master's physical constitution had not already far exceeded that of ordinary people, Zhu Zhuqing would have been unable to endure even the instant she entered it.

But she also understood that if she wanted to grow stronger, she had to pay a price. If she could not endure even this much, how could she speak of becoming stronger?

She had always understood that only by becoming stronger could she control her own life.