Talking Book Elder into It

Lin Huo naturally knew that Twin Martial Souls alone would never be enough to fool someone as knowledgeable as Book Elder.

So he had long since slightly revised the speech he had prepared in his mind, readying a more plausible explanation.

Lin Huo paid no heed to the danger he had yet to escape and merely continued calmly:

"Book Elder, you are right. Twin Martial Souls alone truly cannot raise my Soul Power by two levels in a single day.

"The reason this happened to me is, in my personal opinion, due to several factors."

"Several factors?" Suspicion appeared in Book Elder's eyes. He wanted to see what sort of explanation Lin Huo could possibly come up with.

"Yes, several factors. Next, this junior would like to show you something. I hope you will not misunderstand."

To avoid Book Elder misunderstanding what he was about to do, Lin Huo gave him a warning beforehand.

"No matter. Go ahead and show me."

Book Elder remained composed and utterly unconcerned about whatever little tricks Lin Huo might try next.

A mere level-eight Soul Warrior could not possibly make any waves in the hands of an eighty-eighth-level Soul Douluo like him.

Under Book Elder's watchful gaze, Lin Huo switched his Martial Soul to Charmander and activated the Ember skill.

The blazing flames gathering in his mouth immediately cast a fiery red glow across Book Elder's face.

The Soul Power in his body, four times denser in quality, was rapidly consumed. Ember soon condensed to its limit and could no longer be controlled, forcing Lin Huo to spew a scorching stream of flame toward the ground.

Seeing the wooden bookshelves and books around them, Book Elder felt his blood pressure shoot through the roof. His brow twitched as he decisively raised a hand into the flame's path.

The flames burst against Book Elder's palm, but his powerful Soul Power rigidly confined them to an area no larger than a head. In the end, they exhausted their energy and went out.

Lin Huo was not at all surprised by this. He merely pointed out, "Book Elder, I presume you felt the strength of that flame attack?"

Book Elder's furrowed brows knotted together. Just now, despite being a fire-attributed Soul Douluo himself, he had actually felt a trace of warmth on his palm upon touching those flames.

Even though he had not used his full strength, it would take at least a fire-attributed Soul Master at the Soul Ancestor level to make him feel warmth.

This could only mean that the flames possessed by Lin Huo's Charmander Martial Soul had reached an unbelievable level of quality.

And the Martial Soul quality represented by such flames did not match Innate Soul Power of level five in the slightest.

Filled with doubts, Book Elder looked to Lin Huo for an explanation. "Your flames are powerful—absurdly powerful. They are far too strong to belong to a level-eight Soul Warrior.

"To be honest, this old man can no longer see through you, you clever little brat."

"Was that a compliment? Then I'll gladly accept it." Lin Huo smiled confidently and began to clear up Book Elder's doubts.

"The flames of my Charmander Martial Soul are too powerful. That is precisely why this junior studied so diligently in the Blazing Fire Library: to find a reasonable explanation.

"Fortunately, this junior has found one."

Lin Huo picked up a book from the pile by his feet, the proof he had prepared, and waved it in front of Book Elder.

"Book Elder, I imagine you have heard of cases where malnutrition causes a Soul Master's Innate Soul Power to suffer a deficit."

Book Elder stared blankly at the book in Lin Huo's hand for a moment, then took it and flipped through its pages.

After a while, Book Elder's expression turned complicated. He truly had not expected this boy Lin Huo to have even absorbed such obscure knowledge.

"You are correct. Such cases do exist on the continent. But among those examples, the best-case scenario was only suspected to involve recovering a single level of Innate Soul Power after birth.

"For you, Little Huo, to leap three full levels at once is simply so outrageous that it is hard to believe."

Questioned again, Lin Huo remained perfectly calm. He spread his hands and said frankly:

"What else could it be? There is no better explanation, is there? Book Elder, you have personally experienced the quality of my Martial Soul. Does it look like something one should have with level-five Innate Soul Power?"

Lin Huo's acting reached its peak as he put on an expression of someone who found it hard to believe himself.

"To be honest, this junior suspects that I was originally born with Innate Full Soul Power. I simply ate too many meals from too many households and suffered such severe nutritional deficits after birth that I fell to level-five Innate Soul Power.

"Recently, my nutrition has caught up, so my Innate Soul Power has begun recovering toward its limit as well."

"Hiss..." Book Elder sucked in a breath and grabbed at his hair with both hands.

Ah, no, no—ah! Yes, yes!

He looked at Lin Huo, then at the book in his hand with its detailed case records. Book Elder's thoughts fell into fierce conflict, and a pained struggle showed on his face.

As Lin Huo had said, after ruling out Fallen Soul Masters, Book Elder truly could not think of any possibility other than Lin Huo's explanation.

But Book Elder was, after all, an old hand who had spent many years in the world.

Though he already agreed with Lin Huo inwardly, he still maintained a doubtful posture on the surface, hoping to bluff more information out of him.

"Little Huo, you say your nutritional deficiencies during development caused this loss after birth, and that you have now made up the deficit through nutrient-rich food.

"I admit that your explanation is very reasonable, Little Huo, but there is still a flaw in it!

"How many days have you been at Blazing Fire Academy? No matter how much you eat, it is impossible to make up for deficits accumulated over so many years so quickly!"

Book Elder had hoped to see Lin Huo panic, but he was destined to be disappointed.

Lin Huo was not surprised that Book Elder had found the flaw, because he had deliberately left it there.

Lin Huo remained unruffled. "You are right, Book Elder. The academy's meals alone truly could not make up the deficit in three days.

"Actually, this involves a powerful innate ability of my second Martial Soul, Bulbasaur."

Lin Huo stood up. "It is not convenient to demonstrate it inside the library. Book Elder, would you accompany me outside?"

"Certainly." Book Elder readily agreed.

After their conversation, Lin Huo's extraordinary talent, intelligence, and spirit had all been displayed to the fullest.

Book Elder now felt nothing but deep, heartfelt appreciation and regard for this child.

His initial intention of prying the secret of Lin Huo's rapid Soul Power growth from him had vanished completely.

Only one thought remained, growing firmer by the moment: recruit Lin Huo into the Fire Clan and nurture him with all their strength.

Walking side by side, the two soon arrived at a secluded clearing outside the library.

"How is this place? If it will do, hurry up and demonstrate it. This old man has a treasure for you afterward."

Book Elder urged Lin Huo on with unusual impatience, even throwing out bait to entice him.

He truly could not wait to see just how many more surprises this remarkable boy Lin Huo could bring him.

Lin Huo swept his gaze over the surroundings, then entered the possession state of his Bulbasaur Martial Soul. "This is a fine place with fertile soil and abundant water. Watch carefully, Book Elder."

As his words fell, he activated Ingrain at full force, quickly draining every last bit of Soul Power from Lin Huo's body.

Naturally, the movement of roots continuously spreading beneath the earth could not escape the notice of a Soul Douluo like Book Elder.