Yu Xiaogang grew more and more animated as he spoke, gesturing in front of himself with both hands.
"Even if the Soul Ring's age is high, conflicting attributes won't just keep you from making the most of your Martial Soul's strengths—they'll backfire and ruin your future as a Soul Master."
"Only by finding that perfect point of compatibility can you unleash power far beyond the ordinary, even if the Soul Ring's age is a little lower."
Dugu Yan was walking ahead. When she heard this, she turned around, her face full of doubt.
The little girl looked Yu Xiaogang up and down, taking in his shabby clothes, then pursed her lips.
"Why do you talk in such a roundabout way? My grandpa's a Titled Douluo. Does he not know how to help me choose a Soul Ring?"
"You're not even a level thirty Soul Grandmaster, and you're here telling my grandpa what to do?"
Having his shortcomings pointed out to his face by a little girl, Yu Xiaogang's stiff face flushed red.
He forcibly suppressed his anger and put on a magnanimous air.
"Little girl, what do you know? Martial Soul research is a profound discipline. You can't understand it just by having high Soul Power."
"I've spent years studying Martial Soul Theory. No one in this world understands Soul Ring combinations better than I do."
Hearing the ceaseless chatter behind him, Dugu Bo's brow furrowed more and more.
He had always been irritable and short on patience.
"That's enough!"
Dugu Bo stopped and shot Yu Xiaogang a cold glance, rudely cutting off his stream of nonsense.
"Don't give me any more of that useless theory."
"Since you call yourself a grandmaster, then explain it plainly. What kind of Soul Ring do you think my granddaughter's Jade Scale Snake Martial Soul should hunt?"
Yu Xiaogang was delighted when Dugu Bo asked him. He knew this was his chance to shine.
He stroked his chin and pretended to fall into deep thought.
In truth, he'd already been pondering the matter.
The Jade Scale Snake was a top-tier poison-attribute Martial Soul. If it was handled poorly, the poison backlash could be terrifying.
Yu Xiaogang swept his gaze over the surrounding woods.
Suddenly, his eyes settled on a small patch of bushes not far ahead.
A lone, entirely green bamboo stood there, no thicker than a finger and barely half a meter tall.
Yu Xiaogang immediately raised his hand and pointed at the bamboo, speaking with absolute certainty.
"Senior Poison, look at that Solitary Bamboo."
Dugu Bo followed his finger and looked over, a trace of doubt flashing in his eyes.
It was nothing more than an ordinary Plant-type Soul Beast. Judging by its thickness and height, it had at most ten years of cultivation.
Yu Xiaogang cleared his throat and loudly shared his opinion.
"Your granddaughter's Jade Scale Snake Martial Soul has extremely unusual attributes and contains an exceptionally domineering poison."
"If she absorbs a poison-type Beast Martial Soul Soul Ring right off the bat, the poison in her body will completely run wild. At best, her body will become deformed; at worst, the poison will attack her heart and kill her on the spot!"
"So we absolutely mustn't increase its toxicity!"
Yu Xiaogang walked over to the Solitary Bamboo and pointed at its green leaves.
"This Solitary Bamboo has extremely gentle attributes and is hardy, with no offensive abilities whatsoever."
"If the Jade Scale Snake absorbs this Solitary Bamboo's Soul Ring, the gentle power of a plant-type Soul Beast can neutralize and temper the snake's poison. That way, your granddaughter's body will adapt perfectly to her Martial Soul, laying the strongest possible foundation."
After hearing this long-winded explanation, Dugu Yan rolled her eyes.
"You want my mighty Jade Scale Snake to absorb some useless bamboo that can't even move? Are you crazy?"
Dugu Bo said nothing. He just stared intently at the Solitary Bamboo.
His eyes were full of doubt, and he couldn't make up his mind.
Dugu Bo himself suffered from the Jade Scale Snake's poison backlash. Every day, the poison tormented him until he wished he were dead.
His greatest fear was that his granddaughter would follow in his footsteps.
Yu Xiaogang's words about "tempering the poison" had struck right at his weakness.
Did he really need to use a gentle plant-type Soul Ring to suppress the snake's poison?
But the Solitary Bamboo had only ten years of cultivation. It was pathetically weak.
Dugu Bo stood still, his expression shifting as he sank into deep indecision.
Just then, a young voice dripping with mockery suddenly rang out from the trees beside them.
"What kind of bullshit theory is that?"
The voice wasn't loud, but in the quiet woods, it sounded especially jarring.
Yu Xiaogang's face changed. He whipped around.
Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan immediately looked toward the voice as well.
A pair of hands brushed aside the bushes ahead.
Lin Yuan strode out, swaggering as if he owned the place.
He folded his arms across his chest, disdain written all over his delicate little face.
Hu Liena followed close beside him, her big golden eyes curiously sizing up the three people before them.
Everyone's attention was instantly drawn to the two children who had appeared out of nowhere.
Looking at the six-year-old boy before him, Yu Xiaogang froze for a moment. Then an inexplicable fury surged through him.
He was a grandmaster, yet a snot-nosed brat had publicly called his theory "bullshit."
Lin Yuan didn't even spare Yu Xiaogang a proper glance. His eyes went straight to the Solitary Bamboo, and he let out a scoff.
"You want a top-tier poison-attribute Beast Martial Soul to absorb a piece of worthless bamboo with ten years of cultivation?"
"This trash of a Soul Ring would make even a dog turn up its nose. And you want her to absorb it? That's an utter waste of talent!"
Lin Yuan's words were brutally direct and spared no one's feelings.
Yu Xiaogang trembled with rage and pointed at Lin Yuan, shouting at him.
"Where did this little savage come from? How dare you spout such nonsense here!"
"Martial Soul Theory is beyond the likes of a brat like you! Crossing plant and beast types is a profound theory I researched with all my heart, and you call it trash?"
Yu Xiaogang immediately brought up his theory, trying to save face in front of Dugu Bo.
"The Jade Scale Snake's poison is fierce. If it isn't neutralized, it'll inevitably backfire. This Solitary Bamboo may only have ten years of cultivation, but its gentle attributes are exactly the medicine the Jade Scale Snake needs!"
Looking at Yu Xiaogang's ridiculous eagerness to prove himself, Lin Yuan sneered again and again.
"Medicine? I think you're trying to get her killed."
Lin Yuan strode forward and met Dugu Bo's scrutinizing gaze head-on, speaking in a clear voice.
"The Jade Scale Snake Martial Soul's strength lies in its domineering poison."
"You need to make that poison purer and more potent, not water it down with some useless plant!"
Lin Yuan raised a finger and pointed it squarely at Yu Xiaogang's nose.
"Martial Souls thrive on kindred affinities. The Jade Scale Snake is obviously best suited to snake-type Soul Beasts!"
"Moreover, that snake-type Soul Beast must have poison attributes. Only poison can fight poison. Using the venom of a higher-level snake to stimulate the Martial Soul is the only way to awaken the Jade Scale Snake's true bloodline potential."
"As for a Soul Ring's age, what kind of bullshit is this about compatibility being more important than age? As long as her body can withstand it, the higher the better!"
"Absorb a Ten-Year Soul Ring, and you'll be a mediocrity for the rest of your life."
Hearing Lin Yuan's blunt words, Dugu Bo's eyes lit up.
The kid's words were crude, but they hit the nail on the head.
Fight poison with poison! Awaken her potential!
Dugu Bo had spent his whole life dealing with poison. He understood the ways of poison-attribute Soul Masters all too well.
Using gentle attributes to neutralize poison wasn't cultivation. It was crippling yourself.
Without that unstoppable, domineering poison, would the Jade Scale Snake even be the Jade Scale Snake anymore?
Wouldn't it turn into a garter snake?
Dugu Bo glanced at the frail Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo, then recalled Yu Xiaogang's argument. A surge of disgust welled up inside him.
If he really fell for this fool's nonsense and let his granddaughter absorb that bamboo, her future would be ruined!
Meanwhile, this six-year-old had exposed the core of a poison-attribute Martial Soul in just a few words.
"Good lad! Well said!"
Dugu Bo couldn't help but shout. His gaze toward Lin Yuan held a little more admiration.
Dugu Yan also stared at Lin Yuan, her eyes shining.
She'd already been strongly opposed to that man's suggestion. Now that Lin Yuan had spoken up for her, the handsome little boy immediately seemed much more likable.
Seeing Dugu Bo's attitude do a complete about-face, Yu Xiaogang finally lost his composure.
His pitiful self-respect had been trampled to pieces in public by Lin Yuan's few words.
Yu Xiaogang bounced on the spot in a panic, his face red as a boiled crab.
He thrust a trembling finger at Lin Yuan, spittle flying as he cursed him.
"Utter nonsense! Pure drivel!"
"What do you two brats know? You haven't even grown your first hairs, and you dare run your mouths here!"
Yu Xiaogang was beside himself, his chest heaving as he shouted at the top of his lungs.
"I'm the greatest Martial Soul theorist on the entire continent!"
"I'm a grandmaster who's studied Martial Soul Theory for twenty years!"
Before you continue