Martial Soul Resonance, Undercurrents Stir

The last rays of the setting sun gilded the Soul Hunting Forest in warm gold. As Lin Ye watched the strange halo that appeared where the Golden Crow Fire dancing in his palm touched the Blue Silver Grass leaves coiled around him, he suddenly had a peculiar feeling-as though his Martial Soul and Tang San's were meant to mingle this way. The heat of the flames provided energy for the plants, while the plants' toughness restrained the flames' savagery, forming a delicate balance.

"This feeling... it's strange." Tang San moved his fingertips, and the Blue Silver Grass slowly withdrew, the golden patterns on its leaves brighter than before. "There seems to be a power in your flames that makes Blue Silver Grass grow."

"Perhaps that's the secret of the Three-Legged Golden Crow." Lin Ye dismissed the flames, and the Golden Crow's phantom rubbed affectionately against his shoulder. "Legend says the Golden Crow is the spirit of the sun. The sun can scorch all things, but it can also nourish life." He looked at Tang San. "Maybe we can develop a combination skill someday."

Xiao Wu came over with her arms folded, a speck of dirt still on the tip of her nose. "What kind of combination skill? Is it like the village juggling troupe, where one person throws a ball and the other catches it?"

Lin Ye laughed at that. "Something like that, except we might be throwing Soul Beasts."

The three packed their belongings and followed the path they had taken into the forest. With the boost from his Soul Ring, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass could sense things within a hundred meters, while Lin Ye's Golden Crow Fire could drive away low-level Soul Beasts. Even Xiao Wu felt much lighter on her feet, hopping ahead to lead the way and occasionally picking a brightly colored wildflower to tuck into her hair.

By the time they emerged from the Soul Hunting Forest, dusk had fallen. The bushy-bearded deacon guarding the entrance was visibly relieved to see them come out safely. "At least you had some sense and didn't dare linger. Head back. The road isn't safe after dark."

When they hurried back to Nuoding Academy, the dormitory lights were already out. Wang Sheng and the others were fast asleep. The three climbed into bed as quietly as they could, but just after they lay down, Xiao Wu suddenly leaned close to Tang San's ear. "Hey, now that your Blue Silver Grass has a Soul Ring, can it grow a little taller?"

Tang San rolled over helplessly. "Go to sleep."

Beside them, Lin Ye held back a laugh. In the darkness, he could feel his Golden Crow Soul Ring slowly merging with his Soul Power, its flame power nourishing his meridians like a steady trickle of water. Tang San, in the next bed, gave off a faint, fresh fragrance of plants. The two presences intertwined in the air in perfect harmony.

Early the next morning, an uproar broke out on the training ground for the basic Soul Master class.

"Look! Tang San's Martial Soul!"

"That's Blue Silver Grass? How did it get so thick? And it has golden patterns!"

"Lin Ye's different too. He looks like he's glowing!"

Tang San stood in line, letting his Blue Silver Grass unfurl at his fingertips. After absorbing the fifty-year Blue Silver Grass King's Soul Ring, his Blue Silver Grass had not only doubled in size but had also become far tougher than before. The golden patterns on its leaves glittered in the sunlight, and no one could associate it with a "Trash Martial Soul" anymore.

Lin Ye was more discreet. He merely let the Golden Crow's warmth linger over his skin without releasing any flames. Even so, the pressure emanating from the divine beast made the students around him instinctively keep their distance.

The Iron Armor Rhinoceros teacher in charge of the basic class came over, his eyes widening at the change in the two boys. "You... absorbed Soul Rings? How long has it even been since you enrolled?"

"Yes, Teacher." Tang San nodded. "We went to the Soul Hunting Forest and obtained suitable Soul Rings."

The teacher circled them twice, clicking his tongue in amazement. "Tang San, your Blue Silver Grass... are you taking the control route?" He watched Tang San easily coil his Blue Silver Grass around a stone on the ground and lift it, his voice full of surprise.

"You could say that." Tang San smiled faintly. With a thought, his Blue Silver Grass suddenly surged outward, instantly winding around a wooden stake ten meters away and knotting itself around it-his first Soul Skill, Blue Silver Cage.

"Good! Now that's a control-type!" The teacher clapped his hands, then turned to Lin Ye. "What about your Soul Skill? What can that bird Martial Soul do?"

Lin Ye thought for a moment and held out his hand. A fist-sized ball of golden flame burned quietly in his palm without scorching his skin. "My first Soul Skill, Golden Crow Fire. It can keep me warm, and it can also... roast meat."

Laughter immediately broke out around them. Quite a few students thought the Soul Skill was practically useless. The Iron Armor Rhinoceros teacher frowned too. "Using a flame Martial Soul to roast meat instead of fight? What a waste."

Lin Ye offered no explanation. He knew the Golden Crow Fire's true power went far beyond that, but it was not yet time to reveal it.

Only Tang San and Xiao Wu knew he was hiding his abilities. Xiao Wu leaned over and whispered in his ear, "When are you going to use your fire to roast a rabbit for me?"

Lin Ye flicked her forehead. "You can't just eat Soul Beasts as you please. Careful, or Spirit Hall might arrest you."

After the morning classes ended, Yu Xiaogang came looking for them again. This time, instead of going straight to Tang San, he pulled Lin Ye into a secluded corner.

"What exactly is your Martial Soul?" Yu Xiaogang kept his voice low, an almost obsessive curiosity in his eyes. "The Three-Legged Golden Crow... isn't it?"

Lin Ye's heart jolted. He had not expected Yu Xiaogang to recognize it. The Three-Legged Golden Crow was a creature of legend, with scarcely any mention of it in the records of Douluo Continent. How did Yu Xiaogang know about it?

"You must be joking, Teacher. It's just an ordinary mutated bird Martial Soul," Lin Ye said, playing dumb.

Yu Xiaogang shook his head and pulled a yellowed ancient book from his robes. Its cover bore the title A Study of the Ancient Martial Soul. He opened it to a page depicting a golden divine bird with three legs. Beside it were several lines of indistinct notes: "The sun's spirit, a three-legged crow, master of the fire of life, guardian of all living things..."

"This is a fragment I found in Spirit Hall's library." Yu Xiaogang's voice trembled slightly. "The description of its presence matches the Soul Power fluctuations from your body perfectly! Lin Ye, you can't hide it from me!"

Lin Ye fell silent. He had not expected Yu Xiaogang to have searched through even such obscure ancient books in his study of Martial Souls.

"There's no need to be afraid." Yu Xiaogang noticed his wariness and softened his tone. "I mean no harm to your Martial Soul. I'm just... too curious. A legendary Martial Soul like the Three-Legged Golden Crow actually exists in this world..." He drew a deep breath. "Was the Soul Ring you absorbed for your First Soul Ring of the fire attribute?"

Lin Ye nodded, effectively admitting it.

"Wrong!" Yu Xiaogang suddenly raised his voice. "The Three-Legged Golden Crow's origin is the power of life and the sun. Fire is only its outward form! You should be looking for Soul Rings containing life energy, not simply fire-type Soul Beasts! Only then can you bring out its true potential!"

Lin Ye froze. He had always thought Golden Crow Fire was the core, never considering that the power of life was fundamental. Thinking back carefully, he realized that although his flame power had grown stronger after he absorbed the Flame Bird's Soul Ring, his inner life origin had indeed shown no obvious increase. Instead, it felt somewhat sluggish.

"Teacher..." For the first time, Lin Ye addressed him with respect.

A gratified smile appeared on Yu Xiaogang's face, as though his theory had been proven. "Your Golden Crow Fire should be able to heal as well as burn. Try wrapping a dying plant in Soul Power and infusing it with flame power."

Half doubtful, Lin Ye walked over to a potted rose that a student had knocked over in the corner. Most of its roots were broken, and its leaves had withered and turned yellow. He held out his hand, and golden flames danced in his palm. Deliberately restraining their heat and leaving only a warm presence, he slowly infused it into the rose.

A miracle happened.

The withered leaves turned green at a speed visible to the naked eye, and new shoots even sprang from the broken roots. In mere moments, the whole rose had regained its vitality and was flourishing even more than before.

"This..." Lin Ye stared at his palm in shock. He had never imagined that Golden Crow Fire could heal.

"I knew it!" Yu Xiaogang's face flushed with excitement. "Life and fire have always been two sides of the same coin! The sun shines upon the earth, bringing warmth that lets all things grow, yet it can also cause drought when it's too hot! Your Golden Crow Martial Soul is the unity of those contradictions!"

Watching Yu Xiaogang's excitement, Lin Ye suddenly felt conflicted. Though this eccentric, obsessed with theory, was somewhat stubborn, he possessed knowledge beyond the reach of ordinary people. If he had not pointed it out, Lin Ye would probably have taken a long detour.

"Thank you, Teacher," Lin Ye said sincerely.

Yu Xiaogang waved it off, his gaze returning to Tang San in the distance. "That boy... still won't accept my guidance?"

"He just wants to try on his own," Lin Ye explained. "But he really admires your knowledge. The map of the Soul Hunting Forest you gave us last time helped us a great deal."

Yu Xiaogang's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Really." Lin Ye smiled. "He said the markings on your map were much more detailed than the academy's."

The corners of Yu Xiaogang's mouth rose despite himself. He hurriedly tidied his messy hair and pushed up his glasses. "Then... should I show him something else? Like the chart I just compiled of Soul Ring combinations for Plant-type Martial Souls?"

"Go ahead, Teacher. He should be interested."

Lin Ye smiled as he watched Yu Xiaogang hurry toward Tang San. He knew some bonds were destined to be; however winding the path, they would eventually meet. Yu Xiaogang's theoretical knowledge could indeed provide considerable help on Tang San's Blue Silver Grass path. As long as Tang San did not accept it all wholesale, there was no harm in drawing on it where appropriate.

Sure enough, when Yu Xiaogang produced the detailed chart of Soul Ring combinations for plant types, Tang San's attention was visibly captured. The chart not only listed Soul Beast species suited to Plant-type Martial Souls, but also analyzed the effects of different Soul Rings on plant toughness, growth speed, and special abilities. The section on Blue Silver Grass even mentioned the possibility of "absorbing life force to repair itself."

"You made this?" Tang San looked up at Yu Xiaogang, a trace of surprise in his eyes.

"Of course." Yu Xiaogang puffed out his chest, showing a rare hint of pride. "It took me three months, and I consulted over a hundred cases of Plant-type Martial Soul development."

Tang San studied the chart, nodding from time to time and occasionally asking a question or two. Yu Xiaogang patiently answered each one. The two huddled together in discussion, sunlight falling over them, the scene somehow harmonious.

Xiao Wu nudged Lin Ye. "See? I told you that strange old man was a decent person."

Lin Ye nodded with a smile. "He is. He's just a little too particular."

The days slipped quietly by in peace, and under Yu Xiaogang's theoretical guidance, Tang San's understanding of Blue Silver Grass grew deeper. He no longer merely used Soul Power to spur its growth; he learned to use its roots to sense the pulse of the earth, and could even predict the weather through subtle changes in its leaves. He also developed new uses for Blue Silver Cage-growing barbs on the cage or making the leaves secrete a sticky sap to strengthen its binding power.

Lin Ye focused on mastering the dual attributes of Golden Crow Fire. He could precisely control the flames' temperature, using high heat to ignite wood or gentle warmth to heal minor injuries. Once, Xiao Wu accidentally sprained her ankle while practicing. He gently warmed it with Golden Crow Fire, and the pain immediately eased considerably, leaving her exclaiming, "Amazing!"

That afternoon, the academy suddenly announced a Soul Power test for the new students, to be overseen by a deacon sent from Spirit Hall. It was said that those who performed exceptionally well would have a chance to receive a scholarship from Spirit Hall.

The test was held on the academy's main training ground. The new students lined up and took turns placing their hands on a blue crystal ball. The examiner was a female deacon in red robes. Her Martial Soul was a Flame Fox, her Soul Power Level was above thirty, and her gaze was sharp enough to seem to see through people's hearts.

"Next, Wang Sheng."

Wang Sheng stepped up to the crystal ball, took a deep breath, and placed his hand on it. A pale yellow light came on, showing that his Soul Power had reached level fourteen.

"Not bad. You've advanced two levels since enrollment." The female deacon nodded and recorded it in her notebook.

When Xiao Wu's turn came, her Soul Power registered at level fourteen. The characteristics of her rabbit Martial Soul allowed her Soul Power to grow a little faster than that of ordinary Soul Masters.

"Tang San."

Tang San stepped forward, and the instant his palm touched the crystal ball, a dazzling blue light burst forth! It was even more brilliant than at enrollment, and bore faint golden patterns, showing that his Soul Power had broken through level twenty and reached level twenty-one!

"Level twenty-one!" The female deacon looked up in surprise. "You've advanced one level after only three months at the academy? A Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul actually has that much potential?"

The surrounding students were even more astonished, looking at Tang San with envy and awe.

Tang San calmly withdrew his hand and walked over to Lin Ye.

"Lin Ye."

Lin Ye stepped forward and placed his hand on the crystal ball. He did not release all his Soul Power, outputting only an amount equivalent to level twenty-one. But to everyone's shock, the crystal ball did not light up in the usual yellow, purple, black, or other colors. Instead, it erupted in brilliant golden light!

The golden light was as dazzling as the sun, even making the sky dim somewhat, and the temperature on the training ground seemed to rise by several degrees. The female deacon shot to her feet, disbelief written all over her face. "Th-this... what color of Soul Power is this? I've never seen it before!"

On Douluo Continent, the colors corresponding to Soul Masters' Soul Power Levels were: yellow for ten years, purple for a hundred years, black for a thousand years, red for ten thousand years, and gold for a hundred thousand years. But Lin Ye was clearly only level twenty-one. How could he display the gold that only a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring possessed?

"Y-you... what Soul Ring did you absorb?" The female deacon's voice trembled.

"A twenty-year Flame Bird." Lin Ye withdrew his hand, and the golden light vanished instantly.

"Impossible!" The female deacon shook her head. "A twenty-year Soul Ring could never turn Soul Power gold! Who exactly are you?"

Lin Ye did not answer, only smiled. He knew this was caused by the Three-Legged Golden Crow's origin power and had nothing to do with the Soul Ring's age, but explaining it would be too complicated, so he simply remained silent.

The female deacon wanted to press him further, but a sudden voice interrupted her.

"That's enough. Continue the test."

A dignified-looking middle-aged man in white robes walked over. The Spirit Hall emblem was embroidered on his chest, and his rank was much higher than the female deacon's. He gave Lin Ye a long, searching look, then said a few words to the female deacon in a low voice. Her expression gradually calmed, and though she still had doubts, she asked no more questions.

Lin Ye recognized the man-Salas, a Platinum Bishop of Spirit Hall. Why had he suddenly appeared at Nuoding Academy?

Salas did not stay. He merely looked at Tang San's and Lin Ye's names in the register before turning to leave. But Lin Ye could feel that, as Salas departed, his searching gaze lingered on him and Tang San for another moment.

"Something's wrong." After the test, Tang San walked over to Lin Ye and lowered his voice. "That Platinum Bishop's gaze... was dangerous."

"Mm." Lin Ye nodded. "Our talents may have attracted Spirit Hall's attention." He felt uneasy. Salas's appearance was no coincidence; perhaps an unknown purpose lay behind it.

As the sun sank in the west, the crowd on the training ground gradually dispersed. Lin Ye looked in the direction Salas had gone, then at Tang San beside him, discussing Soul Ring combinations with Yu Xiaogang. Suddenly, he had a premonition-his peaceful days were probably coming to an end.

Beneath the sky over Nuoding Academy, an undercurrent seemed to be quietly stirring. And he and Tang San had already been swept into it.