Just from Song Mu's ability to capture Soul Beasts, he already showed great potential.
Even without any combat ability, this one talent alone could bring Shrek Academy enormous benefits.
For example, the academy could have an elder accompany Song Mu into Star Dou Forest to capture Soul Beasts. When the inner-court students needed Soul Rings, they could choose one directly from Song Mu.
And if this ability were put to use in the Beast Fighting Zone, the benefits would be even greater.
Most of the Beast Fighting Zone's money went toward raising Soul Beasts. If Song Mu could store Soul Beasts in large numbers, it would greatly reduce expenses.
If he could control Soul Beasts in battle, then his Martial Soul would be incredible.
Watching Song Mu, Du Weilun asked excitedly, "Come on, Song Mu. Control the Wind Spirit Wolf and have it attack me."
Song Mu didn't hesitate. He summoned the Wind Spirit Wolf and gave it an attack command.
The Wind Spirit Wolf sprinted forward, extending its sharp claws to rake at Du Weilun.
Du Weilun simply raised a hand and blocked the Wind Spirit Wolf's attack, but inside, he was nowhere near as calm as he looked.
Du Weilun asked excitedly, "Song Mu, how many Soul Beasts can you control in battle at once? How many can you capture in total, and what's the highest age of Soul Beast you can capture?"
Watching Du Weilun's excited expression, Song Mu replied, "I'm not sure."
Du Weilun said, "Song Mu! Don't worry. The Beast Fighting Zone has Soul Beasts ranging from a hundred years old to ten thousand years old. We'll definitely be able to find your limit. Let's go now!"
And so, accompanied by Du Weilun and Elder Gong, Song Mu tested his ability on Soul Beasts ranging from a hundred years old all the way up to four thousand years old.
The results were in. Song Mu could currently control two Soul Beasts in battle at once, and his control limit was just over three thousand years. He couldn't make Soul Beasts beyond that limit fight, but he could still capture them.
Du Weilun exclaimed in surprise, "You can control three-thousand-year Soul Beasts at only level twenty-five! When you reach Soul Douluo rank, won't you be able to control hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts? Maybe even Ferocious Beasts will obey you!"
After saying that, Du Weilun shook his head. "Still, that's probably impossible. Capturing Ferocious Beasts is far too difficult."
Looking at Du Weilun, Song Mu prepared to put his plan into action. He pretended to hesitate before saying, "Actually, there's still a chance I could control a Ferocious Beast in battle."
Du Weilun and Elder Gong both stared at Song Mu in surprise.
Song Mu summoned the King Gulu Ball and said, "This is my Martial Soul, the King Gulu Ball. When my Martial Soul awakened, I sensed that a Soul Beast had appeared inside this ball. It's still asleep, and I don't know when it'll wake up."
Elder Gong couldn't help but marvel, "Your Martial Soul really is something else, kid. But why are you telling us this? Could it be that there's a Ferocious Beast inside that King Ball?!"
Elder Gong then argued with himself, "That can't be right. No matter how powerful a Martial Soul is, it couldn't do something like that right from the moment of awakening."
Song Mu said, "It's not a Ferocious Beast yet, but it can become one."
Elder Gong urged him, "All right, out with it, kid. Don't keep this old man in suspense."
Song Mu said, "Just now, when I released a Soul Beast, a burst of energy appeared, and the Soul Beast inside the King Ball absorbed it. It was only a little over seven hundred years old to begin with, but after absorbing the energy, it actually grew stronger."
Elder Gong asked doubtfully, "You mean this Soul Beast can grow into a Ferocious Beast by absorbing energy?"
Song Mu nodded. "That's right."
Elder Gong and Du Weilun exchanged a glance. Both of them thought the same thing: this kid's Martial Soul was far too overpowered.
Song Mu added, "But if this Soul Beast dies, my Martial Soul will shatter too. I would lose the ability to capture Soul Beasts and control them in battle."
Du Weilun silently made a note of that, while Elder Gong patted Song Mu on the shoulder and said earnestly,
"Song, you can't go around telling people your weaknesses, not even your best friends. If someone uses that against you, you'll be in a very difficult position."
Hearing that, Song Mu put on an enlightened expression and said, "I understand. Thank you for the guidance, Elder Gong."
Elder Gong was a pretty good guy, Song Mu thought.
That wasn't his weakness at all. Wang Dong'er's death wouldn't affect Song Mu in the slightest. He could even use a large amount of materials to revive her.
When a summoned Soul Beast suffered a fatal blow, Soul Power would automatically surge out of Song Mu's body to shield it from the attack. The amount of Soul Power consumed depended on the attack's strength.
If the attack was too powerful, Song Mu's Soul Power would be drained, leaving him at the enemy's mercy, and the Soul Beast would die as well.
So what Song Mu truly feared was an enemy unleashing a burst of attacks on one of his Soul Beasts, leaving him drained in an instant. Without enough Soul Power to release his Martial Soul, Song Mu wouldn't even be able to summon a Soul Beast or recall one.
As long as the enemy didn't unleash a burst of attacks, Song Mu could currently even wear down a Soul King.
When his summoned Soul Beasts attacked or used Soul Skills, they consumed their own Soul Power, not Song Mu's.
The Soul Beasts on the field could be swapped out. In other words, unless an enemy could kill one Soul Beast in a single blow, they would have to defeat every Soul Beast Song Mu had before they could win.
The reason Song Mu had mentioned Wang Dong'er was that he would need an explanation when he started capturing Soul Beasts from the Beast Fighting Zone in large numbers in the future.
Most importantly, Song Mu would be staying at Shrek for a long time. Wang Dong'er couldn't stay cooped up inside the King Ball forever, could she? She was a thinking person, and she was only eleven. If she stayed inside the King Ball all the time, she'd definitely go crazy!
After spending time together yesterday, Song Mu had grown rather fond of the little girl. Besides, she was the most talented Soul Beast he currently had. He didn't want this seed of a Ferocious Beast to be ruined by psychological problems.
Song Mu only knew that Soul Masters above Soul Douluo rank could see through the identity of a Humanoid Spirit Beast. He didn't know whether they could tell if one was a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast in humanoid form.
Wang Dong'er was a Humanoid Spirit Beast. It would be bad if people mistook her for a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast in humanoid form.
So Song Mu had deliberately made Wang Dong'er sound extremely important. That way, if such a situation really arose, Shrek would give up on targeting Wang Dong'er because his value to them outweighed that of a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast.
Song Mu told the two of them, "That's everything. Those are all the abilities of my Martial Soul."
Du Weilun said, "Very good, Song Mu. You can go back now. Someone will contact you in a few days."
Elder Gong said, "Haha! You're welcome here anytime, and you can capture any Soul Beasts you like."
Song Mu bowed and said, "Thank you, Elder Gong and Director Du. I'll take my leave."
On the way back to the dormitory, Song Mu and Wang Dong'er talked about what had just happened.
"Don't worry. Even if someone from Shrek really comes and tells me to let you out, I won't do it. You can just stay inside the King Ball and not come out. You'll be safe."
"But what if they hurt you?"
"Given my talent, what can they do to me? I'm very useful to them. They won't be stupid enough to go that far."
"Didn't you say before that there was someone called Chicken Leg Douluo?"
"Ahem, him? Don't worry. His brain may be broken, but there are people above him, and with that person around, he wouldn't dare get too out of hand."
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