"Sister, do you know why this book says that martial souls can't absorb beast-type soul rings?"
Gu Han held a book in his hand and casually opened the topic with a question.
"I think the teacher mentioned something about it… but I forgot."
Bibi Dong tilted her head and tried to remember, then shook it. The teacher had indeed said something, but she hadn't really listened.
Gu Han sighed lightly. So she really was a slacker in elementary school.
"On the continent, people often classify plant-based martial souls as weapon types."
"Although some say that martial souls fall into three categories, the most commonly accepted view is that there are only two: beast-type and weapon-type martial souls."
"Senior sister must have heard of the Clear Sky Hammer and the Seven Kill Sword."
"Mhm, I know. The Clear Sky Hammer is the inherited martial soul of the Clear Sky Clan, and the Seven Kill Sword is wielded by generations of Sword Douluo. They're considered two of the most powerful weapon-type martial souls."
Bibi Dong nodded. These were foundational facts she was familiar with.
"Exactly. The Clear Sky Hammer, the Seven Kill Sword, and even my own sword martial soul all share the same nature — they are weapons."
"When I hunted beasts for my first and second soul rings, not only was the process successful, but it also enhanced the attributes and quality of my martial soul."
"But plant-type martial souls are different. Take Yue Guan's martial soul as an example. From what I've gathered, all of his soul rings were from plant-type soul beasts — ones with strong metal and attack attributes."
"Mhm, then why exactly can't a martial soul absorb soul rings from beasts?" Bibi Dong tilted her head again, confused.
"More accurately, plant-type souls shouldn't be lumped with weapon-type martial souls. They should be a separate category. Soul masters need to absorb rings that are compatible with their martial soul's attributes to evolve their spirits."
"If a plant-type soul master absorbs beast-type soul rings, it's not impossible, but it risks mutating or even degrading the martial soul. At best, the soul's quality won't improve."
"Think about it — what would happen if a plant-based martial soul rich in vitality absorbed a poisonous beast's soul ring?"
"Emm… would it degrade?" Bibi Dong guessed.
Gu Han smiled. "If the martial soul is of extremely high quality, one or two might not affect it much. But if this continues, its original function will be completely overridden. It won't be able to evolve properly, and there's even a risk of regression."
"A soul master with the potential to reach Rank 97 could end up stuck below Rank 95 for life."
"Of course, the reverse applies to beast martial souls too."
"So it's not that weapon-type souls can't absorb beast-type rings — it's that plant-type martial souls shouldn't absorb them, unless it's a 100,000-year-old beast."
That's what happened with Tang San in the original story. His first four soul rings were all from beasts with poisonous or dark attributes. Before he absorbed the immortal herbs, his Blue Silver Grass was as fragile as wet paper.
His poison was barely useful, like a chicken rib — useless against the strong and ineffective against the weak. If not for his hidden weapons and Tang Sect skills, he wouldn't have made it past the Canghui School trials, let alone the finals.
Against true geniuses, his Blue Silver Grass was practically useless. It was only through the Tang Sect techniques and the Clear Sky Hammer that he remained competitive.
His real breakthrough came with the fifth soul ring, when the Blue Silver King awakened his Blue Silver Emperor martial soul. From then on, he gave up the laughable poison route and turned into a frontal assault powerhouse. The Blue Silver Overlord Spear and his Spring Breeze soul bone technique helped him pass several divine trials.
Luckily, his Blue Silver Grass was actually an unawakened Blue Silver Emperor. If it had been a regular one, it would've been utterly ruined by those early poisonous rings.
Actually, if Tang San had absorbed plant-type rings for his first four, would it have evolved on its own?
Gu Han shook his head. He couldn't be certain. But even if it hadn't evolved into the Blue Silver Emperor, it would likely have reached the Blue Silver King.
"Oh, so that's why. No wonder the first two soul beasts the teacher chose for me were both spider-types with poisonous traits like my martial soul."
Bibi Dong looked enlightened.
"But why doesn't the 100,000-year soul beast follow this compatibility rule?"
"Because once a soul beast reaches 100,000 years, it undergoes a qualitative transformation. Even if the attributes don't match perfectly, a plant-type soul master would gain far more from absorbing it than from a 90,000-year beast of the right type."
"Plus, 100,000-year soul beasts always generate soul bones and provide two powerful soul skills."
"Ahh, I get it now."
Bibi Dong nodded slowly, then smiled and gave a thumbs up. "Brother, you explain things way better than our teacher."
"Thank you for the compliment. How does your teacher normally teach you, though?"
"He always makes me read from a book, then gives these long, dry lectures — like reciting ancient scriptures. Every time, I just want to fall asleep."
Bibi Dong rested her cheek on one hand and sighed, recalling her previous martial theory classes.
"If only the teacher could explain it in a few simple sentences like you, brother."
"It's fine. From now on, I'll study martial theory with you."
Gu Han smiled. After years of reading, he knew how boring it could get. Having someone to teach and explain to helped him revise and reflect, too.
"Mhm! Oh, by the way, Brother, that tackle technique you taught me… does it have a name?"
Bibi Dong suddenly changed topics. She had been practicing the technique Gu Han had shown her every day, but realized she never asked its name.
"Honestly, I haven't thought of one. Why don't you name it?"
These techniques had come from the mysterious cultivation method in his mind, and Gu Han never bothered naming them. To him, names didn't matter — only the results did.