Making One Yourself

Hu Liena's vision blurred.

Those she had charmed, opponents who had lost themselves before her, peers who had been thrown into disarray by a single word from her—they all flashed through her mind.

But Su Chen was different.

Her methods were like those of a child who had just learned to walk in front of him.

The gap was far too great.

So great that she couldn't even get angry. All that remained was bewilderment.

Hu Liena's legs went weak, and she staggered back two steps.

Su Chen withdrew his spiritual power.

"Stand steady. Don't fall."

Hu Liena barely managed to steady herself and looked up at Su Chen.

"You... you really didn't summon your martial soul?"

"No."

"What about your Soul Ring?"

"Don't have one."

"Then how did you do that?"

Su Chen thought for a moment.

"Read more. Show off less."

Hu Liena froze.

Bibi Dong couldn't hold it in, a faint smile appearing at the corner of her lips.

Hu Liena's face reddened again.

If anyone else had dared mock her like that, she would've flown into a rage already.

But Su Chen had just proven with facts that she was no match for him.

And though he could clearly have made her humiliate herself on the spot, he had held back at the end.

Hu Liena lowered her head and stayed silent for a long while.

"I lost."

"Mm."

"Can't you at least be polite about it?"

"Didn't you come here to test me? If I were polite, you'd think I was looking down on you."

Hu Liena raised her head, the hostility in her eyes gone.

"I used to think Teacher took you as a disciple because you wrote that Treatise on the Truth of Martial Souls."

"Now it seems Teacher was still being too conservative."

"Conservative about what?"

"You're not a genius at all."

Su Chen raised a brow.

"Then what am I?"

Hu Liena looked at him seriously.

"A monster."

Bibi Dong gave a light cough.

"Nana."

Hu Liena hurriedly corrected herself.

"A very impressive monster."

Su Chen waved a hand.

"I can accept that evaluation."

Hu Liena hesitated, then stepped forward twice.

"Su Chen."

"What is it?"

"If... if you create another spiritual cultivation method like this in the future, can you teach me?"

"You want to learn the Clear Mind Soul-Calming Mantra?"

"Mm."

"Didn't you just think I couldn't hold my position as Holy Son?"

The tips of Hu Liena's ears turned hot.

"I was wrong."

"What were you wrong about?"

"I shouldn't have come looking for trouble before I understood the situation, and I shouldn't have thought I was stronger than you."

"And?"

Hu Liena glared at him angrily.

"Don't push it."

Su Chen smiled.

"Fine. Come find me tomorrow. I'll first see what's going on with your spiritual power, then modify a version suitable for your Demon Fox martial soul."

Hu Liena's eyes lit up.

"Really?"

"What do I gain from lying to you?"

"Then I'll come first thing tomorrow morning."

"Not too early."

"Why?"

"I need to sleep."

Hu Liena couldn't help laughing, then immediately felt it was inappropriate and quickly stopped herself.

Bibi Dong watched the two of them, her gaze softening.

"Nana."

"This disciple is here."

"Starting tomorrow, cultivate alongside Su Chen."

Hu Liena was briefly stunned, then immediately nodded.

"This disciple is willing."

She looked at Su Chen, her eyes exceptionally bright.

"Your Highness the Holy Son, if anyone refuses to accept you in the future, I'll teach them a lesson for you."

After Hu Liena left, only Bibi Dong and Su Chen remained in the Papal Hall.

Bibi Dong looked toward the door, a trace of helplessness in her eyes.

"That child has always been proud. Today, she finally ran into a wall."

"After running into it a few more times, she'll settle down."

"You seem quite experienced."

"I learned a lesson when I was six."

"What lesson?"

"Don't use what you're best at to challenge someone else's livelihood."

Bibi Dong gently shook her head.

"Your soul power has reached level ten. By the rules, it's time to prepare your first Soul Ring."

The smile on Su Chen's face faded somewhat.

This truly couldn't be delayed any longer.

Once a soul master reached level ten, their soul power could no longer improve without absorbing a Soul Ring. Spirit Hall had always been rigorous in its training process for soul masters, and especially for direct disciples, the choice of the first Soul Ring could not be careless.

Bibi Dong had long considered this for Su Chen.

"I had Elder Ghost investigate several Spirit Hunting Forests. In the northern region, there's a Thunderstripe Leopard around three hundred and eighty years old. Its speed, explosive power, and lightning attribute all suit your sword martial soul."

"Elder Chrysanthemum also found a Swordspine Beast just over four hundred years old. It's more aggressive, but the risk of absorption is also greater."

Su Chen didn't answer immediately.

Hu Liena was standing outside the hall, originally having come to ask about tomorrow's cultivation time. When she heard the words "first Soul Ring," she turned around and entered the hall again.

"Teacher, the Thunderstripe Leopard is the safer choice."

Bibi Dong looked at her.

"Why haven't you left yet?"

Hu Liena looked a little embarrassed.

"I... I wanted to ask Su Chen when he gets up tomorrow."

Su Chen added, "Before lunch."

Hu Liena's eyes widened.

"Didn't you tell me to come early?"

"I said not too early."

Bibi Dong raised a hand and pressed her forehead.

"Nana, stop fooling around for now."

Hu Liena immediately shut her mouth, though her gaze remained fixed on Su Chen.

"Which soul beast are you planning to choose?"

Su Chen shook his head.

"Neither."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Hu Liena didn't understand at first, then frowned.

"What do you mean? You're choosing neither the Thunderstripe Leopard nor the Swordspine Beast?"

"Mm."

"Then what do you want?"

"No soul beast."

Bibi Dong slowly sat up straight.

"Su Chen, your first Soul Ring is no trivial matter."

"I know."

"If you don't absorb a Soul Ring, your soul power will remain stuck at level ten."

"That's the path of ordinary soul masters."

Bibi Dong's tone darkened.

"What path do you intend to take?"

Su Chen raised his right hand.

An ordinary iron sword appeared in his palm.

The blade had already shed its initial rust, and its edge was much sharper than when it had awakened, but it was still only the most ordinary iron sword martial soul.

"Teacher, you've read the Treatise on the Truth of Martial Souls."

"Martial souls are manifestations of one's origin, while Soul Rings are products formed by the union of external laws and a soul master's origin."

"The Soul Rings left behind after soul beasts die are, in essence, the power and laws they accumulated over their lifetimes, forcibly fixed into something that soul masters can absorb."

Bibi Dong's gaze sharpened slightly.

These theories had indeed come from the Treatise on the Truth of Martial Souls written by Su Chen.

Su Chen continued.

"Since Soul Rings are merely the embodiment of laws, then I shall gather the laws of heaven and earth myself."

Hu Liena opened her mouth.

"You want to create a Soul Ring yourself?"

"I'll try first."

"How do you try that?"

"Watch the sky."

Hu Liena glanced outside through the window.

At some point, dark clouds had gathered over Wuhun City.

The sky had grown much darker.

Bibi Dong stared at Su Chen without speaking for a long time.

With her experience, she naturally understood how absurd those words were.

Soul Rings were the foundation of cultivation for soul masters on Douluo Continent.

For countless centuries, no soul master had been able to bypass soul beasts or Soul Rings.

Not even those with Twin Martial Souls, nor those with Innate Full Soul Power, could escape that rule.

Yet the child before her had already broken too many "rules."

Half a level of soul power, yet he had reached level ten in the blink of an eye.

An ordinary iron sword martial soul, yet it could draw upon the energy of heaven and earth.

A self-created meditation method that overturned Yu Xiaogang's theories.

Even Hu Liena's charm had been seen through at a glance.

Bibi Dong should have stopped him.

But seeing the calm in Su Chen's eyes, the words at her lips became something else.

"How confident are you?"