Half a month later.
Near the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
"ORA ORA ORA ORA!"
Xiao Lin attacked Tang San relentlessly—his left fist blazing with flames, his right palm coated in frost.
At this moment, Tang San was clad in his Blue Silver Grass armor, even summoning a Blue Silver Grass giant. Outside that, he wore another layer of blood-red soul power armor. And yet, under Xiao Lin's fierce assault, he could only keep falling back.
Although Tang San's regeneration was fast—ordinary damage wasn't even enough to match his recovery speed—Xiao Lin's extreme ice and fire element restrained his Blue Silver Grass too much.
Even with the blood-red soul power armor, he could not fend off the invading chill and heat.
Controlling the Blue Silver Grass giant, Tang San stood several meters away from Xiao Lin, but even so he was suffocating under the scorching heat and his blood flow stagnated under the extreme cold.
"Stop, stop, stop—Brother Lin, I can't take it anymore!"
Very quickly, Tang San decisively called for a halt, raising a hand in surrender.
On the side, Tang Ni, who had been watching, grew restless.
At first, she had thought about defeating Xiao Lin. But after watching the fight, she temporarily gave up that idea.
Still, now she found a new target—Tang San's strength wasn't weak either.
When Tang San dispelled the Blue Silver Grass giant, he plopped down on the grass, speaking helplessly.
"I must be crazy, actually agreeing to spar with you, Brother Lin."
Tang San shook his head with a wry smile, then fell backward to lie on the grass.
"Tang San, fight me!"
Seeing this, Tang Ni immediately grew anxious and shouted.
"Forget it, Sister Tang Ni, I can't beat you anyway."
Tang San's tone was calm, almost monk-like, detached from the world.
"I'll allow you to use the Clear Sky Hammer!"
"Forget it. The Clear Sky Hammer doesn't have soul rings—it's no match for you, Sister Tang Ni."
Tang San had no interest in her offer and flatly refused.
Battle-loving Tang Ni clenched her teeth, then turned her gaze toward Xiao Lin instead.
At that moment, Xiao Lin was staring at the toothpick-sized Qiu Dragon Staff in his hand, lost in thought.
To understand what it felt like for a soul bone to fuse with the human body, he had been trying to fuse the Dragon Staff into his body.
But clearly, he had failed.
He had only intended to have the Dragon Staff appear inside his body, fusing it like when he used his Martial Soul True Body.
The result was obvious—failure.
His body could not merge with the staff.
This left Xiao Lin very puzzled.
Over the past half month, he had formed a hypothesis, but now it seemed wrong.
He had originally thought that beast martial souls were like beast bloodlines in a cultivation world—divine beast bloodlines—while tool martial souls were like innate spirit treasures.
And he also thought martial souls always existed within a soul master's spiritual soul, bound to it.
But then Xiao Lin suddenly remembered—Tang San was different from him.
Tang San had not truly fused with this body; he had simply taken it over. His innate full soul power had been cultivated with the Xuan Tian Gong.
This made Tang San a perfect counterexample, proving martial souls were not the same as the spiritual soul itself.
They seemed more like something stored in the soul master's bloodline.
But speaking of bloodlines, Xiao Lin grew even more confused.
DNA? Genes?
The more he thought about it, the less sense it made.
Still, even though Xiao Lin didn't know exactly what soul bones became after fusing with the body, he at least understood how he should cultivate in the future.
He must refine his body into one whole, no longer bound by meridians.
Xiao Lin believed soul bones could act as substitutes for meridians, making soul power circulation easier.
If a soul master had soul bones covering their entire body, would they still need to open the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, the Ren and Du channels?
And if soul bones were powerful enough to unite the entire body into one harmonious whole—Wouldn't that be achieving the "Dao"?
Of course, this "Dao" wasn't the Dao of primordial myths. The world of Douluo couldn't bear such power.
With this line of thought, Xiao Lin realized—if one wanted to become a god, it would be best to have a full set of high-quality soul bones.
"Xiao Lin, fight me!"
Suddenly, Tang Ni rushed over, eager to challenge.
"Forget it. Yesterday, I just discovered the true soul skill of this right leg bone."
Xiao Lin shook his head. Although battling Tang Ni would be enjoyable, this Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was not the right place.
What if the plants here were destroyed?
Hearing that, everyone turned to look at him.
"Brother Lin, what kind of soul skill is it?"
Xiao Wu, bored from staying here so long, perked up. For her to take the initiative to ask showed how stifled she'd been.
"It's a soul skill that fuses with the martial soul. From what I've seen, it should help a soul master enter Martial Soul True Body."
"That idiot clearly used the soul skill wrong."
"Not necessarily. Ye Lingling and the others were controlled for so long—that was probably the effect of Martial Soul True Body."
In other words, Martial Soul True Body could double the effect of soul skills.
Hearing this, Tang San and Xiao Wu's eyes lit up instantly.
"Could it be like Brother Lin's Tool Martial Soul True Body?"
Both of them immediately thought of Xiao Lin's invincible Tool Martial Soul True Body, their eyes full of anticipation.
"Should be. Its ability is to perfectly merge your soul skills with yourself—doesn't that match Martial Soul True Body?
"And it works on any skill, maybe even soul bone skills.
"I just don't know if, after you absorb it, you could stack it on top of Martial Soul True Body, then further enhance your soul bone skills."
Xiao Lin spread his hands, holding out the fused right leg bone, and asked if anyone wanted it.
Though the soul bone wasn't of high age, Xiao Lin believed if they absorbed it, it could evolve to at least fifty thousand years when they harvested the Sea God's wool.
For Tang San, surpassing one hundred thousand years was certain.
As for why Xiao Lin didn't take it himself—it was because he already had a Chaos Right Leg Bone.
"I really want it… but Brother Lin, aren't you studying how to evolve soul bones? Can this one be upgraded?"
Xiao Wu was tempted. With this soul bone, she would have confidence in her future revenge.
Even if she couldn't succeed in revenge, at least escaping would no longer be a problem.
"Of course it can. Once I become a god, I'll be able to strengthen this soul bone. When you become gods, you can also strengthen it."
Xiao Lin half-joked, earning an eye-roll from Xiao Wu.
By the time they became gods, who would even care about such a soul bone?
"This soul bone is pretty good."
Tang Ni, however, was moved by the soul bone's ability.
Wasn't this basically a cheaper version of Xiao Lin's Tool Martial Soul True Body?
And it could even double the effects of the eighth, ninth rings, and other soul bone skills.
Used properly, it was no weaker than Xiao Lin's True Body.
Still, though she wanted it, Tang Ni didn't directly ask.
She had already taken too much from Xiao Lin and the others. Though she didn't say anything aloud, she kept it in mind.
If she took this soul bone, she would have to return to the Star Dou Great Forest, rob King Bear of his Golden Sand Light to make up for it.
That bear!
Forget it. Once she became a god, the fate of the soul beasts would rise anyway.
Equivalent exchange.
Thinking this, Tang Ni's eyes lit up.
Ever since living with Xiao Lin and Tang San, she had overheard their ambitions.
Sometimes, neither Xiao Lin nor Tang San bothered to hide it when they talked about becoming gods.
They even plotted about harvesting the Sea God's wool.
Of course, Tang Ni kept all this in mind. If they could shear wool, so could she.
She, too, would become a god!
And to do that, she had to fight for every opportunity—never letting good things slip away.
"So… can I have this soul bone? I can exchange it with something else."
Tang Ni didn't hesitate, asking directly.
(End of this chapter)