Fancy Uses for Spirit Abilities

This was Blue Silver Grass after being transformed by Divine Skill Inner Force. Otherwise, relying on Blue Silver Grass alone, its toughness would probably have been even lower.

The name "trash Spirit Soul" had not come from nowhere, Shi Quan sighed inwardly.

The toughness of his Blue Silver Grass Spirit Soul was probably about the same as an ordinary rope now. Fortunately, while its toughness was far from ideal, he had plenty of it!

With a flick of one hand, another four or five vines formed from branches and leaves extended at once, binding themselves around the tree trunk.

He exerted force again, and the bark instantly cracked apart inch by inch. Even the sturdy trunk caved in slightly.

Although Blue Silver Grass had poor innate qualities, its consumption was extremely low. Releasing Spirit Abilities like this was not much of a drain on him.

"This First Spirit Ability will be called Blue Silver Growth. Its age is a little low, but at least it gave me the Spirit Ability I wanted. Let's test it first."

As he spoke, a hint of mischief appeared in Shi Quan's eyes. After looking around and confirming that no one was nearby—

He clenched one hand and shouted, "First Form of Blue Silver Growth, Blue Silver Bulwark!"

The Spirit Ring beneath Shi Quan immediately burst forth with brilliant light. A great number of Blue Silver Vines spiraled, extended, and piled up before him. In just two breaths, the pale-blue vines stacked atop one another, forming a wall-like bulwark.

"Not bad." Shi Quan smiled faintly, withdrew his Blue Silver Grass, and threw a punch. "Second Form of Blue Silver Growth, Blue Silver Fist!"

As Shi Quan threw his punch, the Spirit Ring flared brightly again. The Blue Silver Grass before his fist seemed to swell, rapidly expanding. Then, as his fist came down, boom, a ball of Blue Silver Vines nearly a meter in diameter slammed into the ground.

"Haha, nice, nice." Shi Quan's smile widened. He then struck a chuunibyou transformation pose. "Ultimate Secret of Blue Silver Growth, Blue Silver Armor... combine!"

The familiar light bloomed from the Spirit Ring again. Starting from Shi Quan's right hand, Blue Silver Grass rapidly wound its way up his right arm. Within one or two breaths, the slender Blue Silver Vines covered his entire body, leaving only his eyes and nostrils exposed. He had directly turned into a blue-silver human cocoon.

Ho ho ha hey!

Shi Quan stiffly waved his fists, looking even more chuunibyou than before. After playing around for a while, he retracted the Blue Silver Vines.

It might have been a joke, but that did not mean Blue Silver Armor was impractical. If he attached some Blue Silver Grass to his arms and limbs in battle, it really could provide a certain degree of defense.

Though Blue Silver Growth did not appear to have any offensive power, if used properly, its effects were no weaker than many offensive and defensive Spirit Abilities.

As for Bind? With just a little control over the Blue Silver Grass Spirit Soul, combined with the fact that vine-type plant Spirit Beasts usually possessed an innate talent for binding, it was not a problem at all.

Compared to Tang San's single-minded binding control, Blue Silver Growth was far more flexible.

However, since it could be called a Spirit Ability, Tang San's Bind Spirit Ability had its own unique quality: strength!

In the original novel, whenever Tang San used Bind, there would be descriptions of it tightening. Aside from the binding poison, the effect of Tang San's First Spirit Ability likely also carried the Mandala Snake's strength for constricting enemies.

Fortunately, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass Spirit Soul possessed the Blue Silver Emperor Bloodline, making its toughness innately greater than that of ordinary Blue Silver Grass. Its attribute growth after absorbing Spirit Rings was also high enough.

Otherwise, if an ordinary Blue Silver Grass Spirit Soul obtained such a Spirit Ability, then the moment it was released, it would not even need an enemy to break free. The Blue Silver Grass itself would be unable to withstand the power of the Spirit Ability and snap itself apart.

"Right, there's also the treasure chest reward."

Returning to his senses, Shi Quan shifted his attention back to the system. More than a year had passed since the last time he triggered a treasure chest, and he had nearly forgotten the system even existed.

System Storage Space.

Shi Quan looked at the yellow diamond-shaped crystal on the light screen.

Primary Spirit Ring Enhancement Stone: An item from a Douluo Continent fan-made mobile game. After use, it can enhance a Hundred Year Spirit Ring, increase the Spirit Ring's age, and amplify the effects of Spirit Abilities.

Note: Crush it to use.

System, are you serious?

A mobile game? A game item? It could actually produce something like this?

Shi Quan secretly complained, but his body honestly took out the Primary Spirit Ring Enhancement Stone. After carefully examining it from top to bottom—

With a crisp cracking sound, the yellow diamond-shaped crystal in Shi Quan's hand suddenly shattered, turning into a cloud of yellow mist that instantly merged into his body.

A warm current flowed through his body before finally sinking into it.

That's it?

Before Shi Quan could properly sense it, he discovered that the warm current had already merged into his body.

He summoned his Spirit Ring again and carefully inspected it.

There was no change at all. Shi Quan was certain that, judging from its appearance, the Spirit Ring had not changed in any way.

"Could it be fake?"

Shi Quan pursed his lips and released his Spirit Ability again. Pale-blue Blue Silver Grass extended outward once more. After a careful comparison, Shi Quan discovered to his delight that while the Soul Power consumption had not changed, the Blue Silver Grass extended a little faster. Moreover, the extended Blue Silver Grass had gained a healing and regeneration property. In other words, as long as the Blue Silver Grass was not completely severed, it would slowly heal itself.

Given the current toughness of his Blue Silver Grass, the healing property would not be of much use. But as the toughness of the Blue Silver Grass increased, it would definitely become tremendously useful later on.

Products from the system truly were premium goods!

Although it was only a Hundred Year Spirit Ability, after using a Primary Spirit Ring Enhancement Stone, this Spirit Ability felt as though its usefulness was already approaching that of a Thousand Year Spirit Ability.

One word: awesome!

Though the system's treasure chests were difficult to trigger, everything they yielded was useful to Shi Quan.

"Now that the first hurdle has passed, Spirit Hall should be temporarily safe for me until Level 30."

After experiencing the changes to his Spirit Ability, Shi Quan sat down while thinking.

His draft of the Spirit Ring Limit Theory would probably be finished in another two days. Dawson would certainly submit his initial theory to Spirit City. To Spirit Hall, Shi Quan was now a free and diligent test subject. Before his theory was perfected, Spirit Hall probably would not make a move against him. Not only would they leave him alone, they might even deliberately conceal his existence.

"Spirit Hall knowing that my theory can indeed protect me for now, but it has also endangered my teacher."

Shi Quan's expression became somewhat complicated. He had always been focused on how to protect himself, yet he had overlooked someone: Marde.

As a teacher at his academy, Marde was currently the person who knew the most about his theory. The more one knew, the more dangerous it naturally became.

If Spirit Hall wanted to monopolize his theory and decided to control him, Marde would inevitably be unable to escape death.

His strength was still low. Though he had successfully achieved Over-Level Absorption, the theory was not yet mature and his talent had not been revealed. Spirit Hall probably would not consider taking action yet, but what came later was hard to say.

Balance.

Shi Quan wrote those two large characters on the ground.

If he wanted to preserve himself while also keeping Marde safe, he had to maintain a balance. He needed to choose another force to counterbalance Spirit Hall.

"Who can keep Spirit Hall and the Upper Three Sects from causing trouble for me..."

A moment later, another character appeared on the ground.

Xue!

Only she could do it.

After all, only she was both part of the Heaven Dou Empire and considered part of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect of the Upper Three Sects, while also being a member of Spirit Hall!

If she could protect me, who would dare touch me?

And perhaps he could trigger another treasure chest then.

However, this was not something he needed to rush. He would have to wait at least until after obtaining his Second Spirit Ring before putting it into action. For now, he still needed to plan things carefully.

He continued cultivating.

Two days later, Shi Quan handed the completed first draft of his Spirit Ring Limit Theory to Dawson.

As expected, Dawson tried to recruit him.

Shi Quan neither agreed nor refused. He casually found an excuse and chose to delay.

Time passed swiftly, while Shi Quan's days remained busy and fulfilling.

Since they no longer crossed paths, Tang San and Xiao Wu did not come looking for trouble with Shi Quan again.

As the theoretical material they studied grew more advanced, Shi Quan and Marde gradually developed a relationship that was both teacher and friend.

To make discussions and exchanges more convenient—

Later on, Marde directly used his authority as headmaster to arrange an independent Dormitory for Shi Quan. Shi Quan also became the academy's most unusual exception. Though he was clearly a student, he never needed to attend classes, and the Dormitory he lived in was an independent one normally occupied by teachers.

A year passed. Shi Quan's Soul Power Level had reached Level 16, rising by about one level every two months on average. His martial arts cultivation had also improved significantly.

If he had not spent his daytime hours studying and training in martial arts, Shi Quan's Soul Power Level might have been even higher.

Although cultivation was tedious, the feeling of having power in his own hands was addictive. As such, Shi Quan's enthusiasm for cultivation had not diminished, but instead continued to grow stronger.

Over the past year, Shi Quan had also keenly noticed that his movements within the academy were being watched, deliberately or otherwise. It was obvious that Spirit Hall had sent people to monitor him.

Aside from Spirit Hall's people, Yu Xiaogang was another person who paid special attention to him. Over the past year, Yu Xiaogang had repeatedly, intentionally or otherwise, sought to inquire into Shi Quan's circumstances.

Human curiosity was like this: the less you wanted someone to know, the more they wanted to know. Even someone as prideful and conceited as Yu Xiaogang could not escape the influence of curiosity, especially when what he was curious about lay within a field he believed himself unrivaled in.

"Even now, you still can't tell me?" Yu Xiaogang's questioning voice came through, his hoarse tone carrying a trace of barely suppressed anger.

"Xiaogang, why are you so fixated on this?" Marde looked at Yu Xiaogang with a headache and tried to persuade him. "I've told you many times already. When it is time to tell you, I will."

"Then tell me Shi Quan's Soul Power Level." Yu Xiaogang's stiff face revealed no emotion as his eyes stared straight at Marde.

"I said... Xiaogang, why must you make things difficult for me?" Marde showed a helpless expression.

"I understand." Disappointment appeared on Yu Xiaogang's face as he turned and left.

"Xiao Quan, Xiaogang came to ask me about you again. Should I tell him something? After all, his theoretical foundation is far stronger than mine." Marde looked at Shi Quan awkwardly.

Shi Quan paused in his writing, set down his pen, and looked up at Marde. "Teacher, do you know that Tang San has Twin Martial Souls?"

"Twin Martial Souls? Tang San has Twin Martial Souls?" Marde was first stunned, then his eyes widened as he looked at Shi Quan. "How did you know Tang San has Twin Martial Souls?"

"Yu Xiaogang's theory told me."

"What?" Marde looked at Shi Quan in surprise.

Shi Quan stood and took down the copy of Ten Core Competencies of Spirit Masters written by Yu Xiaogang from a nearby bookshelf.

Opening the book, he pointed to a passage and said, "Yu Xiaogang wrote in his book that Innate Soul Power is directly proportional to the quality of one's Spirit Soul. This sentence is what told me."

Marde looked at the sentence, still somewhat confused.

Shi Quan explained, "The Blue Silver Grass Spirit Soul is innately weak. Even my mutated Blue Silver Grass only has one level of Innate Soul Power, yet Tang San possesses Level 10 Innate Full Soul Power. According to Yu Xiaogang's theory, Innate Soul Power is directly proportional to the quality of one's Spirit Soul. The Blue Silver Grass Spirit Soul certainly cannot meet that condition. For his theory to hold true, Tang San must possess another Spirit Soul, and it must be an extremely powerful one—a Spirit Soul powerful enough to give him Innate Full Soul Power!"

"So that's how it is!" Marde immediately showed a look of realization. He also knew of the Grandmaster's Ten Core Competencies of Spirit Masters, but he had never considered such a possibility. He could not help shaking his head. "I'm old, I'm old. Why couldn't I think of that?"

If everyone could think of it, how would that highlight the Grandmaster's wisdom? Shi Quan complained inwardly.

Shi Quan continued, "If Yu Xiaogang comes to ask you again in the future, you can question him with this. If he can tell you about Tang San's second Spirit Soul, then you can tell him my secret as well."

"Hahaha. All right." Marde agreed with a smile. "You said it, Xiao Quan."

What a pity Yu Xiaogang will never tell you about Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer, Shi Quan secretly laughed to himself.

Another half year passed.

Shi Quan had already read nearly all the books stored at Notting Academy. In terms of Spirit Soul Theory alone, Shi Quan had surpassed Marde.

With his current knowledge of Spirit Soul Theory, he was already qualified to teach at most academies.

Since he had no more books to read, Shi Quan began spending his mornings conducting research into Spirit Soul Theory. The knowledge in books was limited; more theories still had to be researched and tested through personal practice.

Another half year passed like this.

Late at night.

"Hmm?"

Shi Quan, who was cultivating his Divine Skill, discovered that his level had finally achieved a Breakthrough.

"Level 20."

Shi Quan opened his eyes, showing neither joy nor anger. He was not surprised by the level Breakthrough. If he had not deliberately controlled it, diverting much of his inner force to nourish his Spirit Soul, he might have broken through even sooner.

Looking at the bright moon outside the window, Shi Quan murmured, "It's time to leave Notting Academy..."