Where Did That Wise Person's Information Come From

Bibi Dong had originally assumed Lu Chen only liked powerful soul skills out of instinct; she hadn't expected the child to have already considered the long-term applicability of his soul skills.

To think this far ahead at such a young age was truly rare.

Bibi Dong said, "Not bad."

Lu Chen looked up at her.

Bibi Dong continued, "To have considered things so deeply at such a young age."

"Many soul masters, when obtaining their first two soul rings, only think about increasing their combat power in the short term; very few consider whether a soul skill will remain suitable for their future growth."

On the Douluo Continent, without heaven-defying fortune, soul rings cannot be replaced.

Once a soul skill is acquired, it stays with a soul master for life.

Therefore, the choice of a soul ring is an extremely important matter in itself.

It is just that low-level soul masters often lack sufficient insight and resources, leaving them with no choice but to select the soul beast that is most suitable or easiest to obtain at that moment.

There are not many who can truly plan their soul rings from a long-term perspective.

That Lu Chen could think of these things right after awakening his martial soul already placed him far ahead of his peers.

Bibi Dong asked, "Then have you thought about what age limit you want for your soul rings?"

Lu Chen fell silent.

This question was the truly critical one.

If one followed the conventional theories of the Douluo Continent, the first soul ring should be at most four hundred years, and the second soul ring at most seven hundred years.

Yet Lu Chen knew very well that those were merely the limits for ordinary soul masters and could not possibly apply to him.

His martial soul was Leugocyte.

After his martial soul possessed him, his physical constitution had already reached the level of an assault-type Soul Ancestor.

If he were to still absorb soul rings according to the standards of ordinary soul masters, that would be a true waste.

But stating an overly exaggerated number would inevitably cause a fierce reaction from Bibi Dong.

Lu Chen thought for a moment and decided to voice his own judgment.

"Teacher."

"I feel that for my first soul ring, I can absorb one between five thousand and eight thousand years."

Bibi Dong's brows furrowed instantly.

Lu Chen did not stop, continuing, "For the second soul ring, I can absorb a ten-thousand-year one."

"Nonsense!"

Bibi Dong's voice turned cold in an instant.

The atmosphere inside the carriage froze along with it.

Lu Chen was not startled into moving; he simply sat quietly.

Bibi Dong looked at him, her eyes filled with severity.

"Xiao Chen, do you know what you are saying?"

Lu Chen nodded: "I do."

Bibi Dong's tone deepened.

"You have only just awakened your martial soul. Even if you have innate full soul power of level twenty, and even if your martial soul is very strong, that does not mean you can ignore the risks of absorbing soul rings."

Although her voice was stern, it was not merely a reprimand.

It was more out of concern.

A god-level martial soul was indeed powerful, but the consequences of a failed soul ring absorption were too severe.

At best, one would be injured; at worst, one would die. Lu Chen's talent was too important for Bibi Dong to allow him to risk his life.

She suppressed her anger and said patiently, "A wise man once published a theory."

Lu Chen's heart stirred.

Bibi Dong continued, "The limit for a soul master's first soul ring is four hundred and twenty-three years. The limit for the second soul ring is seven hundred and sixty-four years."

"While this theory may not necessarily apply to all special circumstances, it at least proves that there is an upper limit to what a soul master can withstand when absorbing soul rings."

Bibi Dong looked at Lu Chen.

"You speak of five thousand, eight thousand, and even a ten-thousand-year soul ring for your second; it is simply too dangerous."

When Lu Chen heard the words "wise man," he already knew who Bibi Dong was talking about.

Yu Xiaogang.

One of the sources of all evil on the Douluo Continent.

Lu Chen really had no affection for this person in his heart.

Especially as Bibi Dong's disciple, he felt he had an obligation to shatter the "white moonlight" filter that Yu Xiaogang held in Bibi Dong's heart.

Of course, one could not simply say that Yu Xiaogang was incompetent.

Bibi Dong might not be able to accept that right now.

Therefore, it was best to start with his theories.

To dismantle them, bit by bit.

Lu Chen did not show any dissatisfaction; instead, he feigned confusion and looked at Bibi Dong.

"Teacher."

Bibi Dong looked at him. "Speak."

Lu Chen asked, "But didn't you already experience it for yourself yesterday?"

Bibi Dong paused slightly.

Lu Chen continued, "After my Spirit Avatar, my physical constitution reached the level of a Power Attack System Spirit Ancestor."

"If my body can already withstand the power of a Spirit Ancestor, why can't I absorb a thousand-year spirit ring?"

Bibi Dong fell silent for a moment.

Lu Chen did not stop.

He knew he had to keep pressing at this moment.

"And another thing, Teacher."

"Why is that wise man's limit for spirit ring age so precise?"

Bibi Dong frowned slightly.

Lu Chen's tone remained one of simple curiosity.

"Four hundred and twenty-three years, seven hundred and sixty-four years—aren't these numbers a bit strange?"

"Has he personally absorbed spirit rings of these exact ages?"

"Or has he seen many people succeed at exactly these limits, and many others fail just beyond them?"

"If there aren't enough examples, then how was this limit calculated?"

The carriage fell silent once more.

Bibi Dong was momentarily at a loss for words.

She had originally intended to refute Lu Chen directly.

But Lu Chen's questions made her suddenly realize something.

That was right.

She had personally tested Xiao Chen's physical constitution after his Spirit Avatar yesterday.

Relying solely on his Spirit Avatar, without even using spirit skills, his strength had already reached the level of a top-tier Power Attack System Battle Spirit Ancestor.

With such physical constitution, should he really still be restricted by the standards set for the first and second spirit rings of ordinary spirit masters?

Why had she refuted him without a second thought just now?

It was only because the age limit Xiao Chen proposed far exceeded conventional theory.

But conventional theory was, after all, built upon the physical endurance of ordinary spirit masters.

Lu Chen was no ordinary spirit master.

Bibi Dong's expression shifted slightly.

And then there was Xiaogang's theory.

Was it truly correct?

In the past, she had never seriously doubted it.

Or rather, she had been unwilling to doubt it.

In her heart, Yu Xiaogang once represented a special past, as well as a certain reliance she had held in her youth for knowledge, warmth, and understanding.

Therefore, whenever she heard the spirit theories proposed by Yu Xiaogang, she would often subconsciously assume they were correct.

But now, Lu Chen's questions were simple.

So simple that they lacked any sharp aggression.

Yet, it was precisely because they were simple that Bibi Dong could not answer immediately.

Four hundred and twenty-three years.

Seven hundred and sixty-four years.

Where did these numbers actually come from?

If they were merely inferred from a large number of cases, was the sample size sufficient? Did the types of spirit masters' spirits differ? Did their physical constitutions differ?

Was their innate spirit power different? Were there people born with exceptionally strong physiques? Were there people who possessed special spirits that strengthened the body?

If these conditions were all different, could a single, uniform limit truly apply to everyone?

The more Bibi Dong thought about it, the deeper her frown became.

It was not that she lacked wisdom.

On the contrary, to have become the Pope of Spirit Hall, she naturally possessed immense judgment and strategy.

It was just that for many years, the Rakshasa Evil Thought had been influencing her, making her emotions extreme, causing her to fall more easily into obsessions, and making her lose the composure she ought to have had regarding certain matters.