"A person's cultivation achievements depend not only on innate talent and acquired effort, but also significantly on resources and state of mind."
"It might be a bold statement, but any powerhouse capable of cultivating to the Super Douluo level, aside from having shown early talent among their peers, also greatly benefited from the resources they acquired during their growth. This includes Elixirs they consumed, Soul Rings and Soul Bones they absorbed, or even special Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures they ingested..."
"However, once you reach Level 95 Super Douluo, the importance of one's state of mind begins to outweigh resources. Unless it's some peerless serendipitous encounter, nothing compares to a clear state of mind. Only with a clear mind can one achieve the best understanding and comprehension of their Martial Soul."
"As for this state of mind, it doesn't necessarily mean adhering to principles of righteousness and honor. Don't Evil Soul Masters also have top-tier powerhouses? The key to a strong state of mind lies in firmly believing in your cultivation path, and aligning it with your Martial Soul. For instance, your Grandmaster, myself, believes in not acting unless necessary, but when I do, it's lethal..."
On the surging seas, a Ship equipped with Advanced Soul Guided Equipment, its hull streamlined, cut through the waves. Yue Lao was at the helm in the Bridge, while Xu Xiaoyun pointed at the stars in the night sky, sharing some unique elderly insights with Xu Tianxi.
Xu Xiaoyun paused every few sentences, and Xu Tianxi, seated beside him, nodded repeatedly. Whenever something exciting was said, he'd applaud with a "pat-pat," his eyes shining brightly.
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The Far North Land is located in the northern reaches of the Heavenly Soul Empire. Vast Sea City, where the Black Tortoise Merchant Guild's headquarters are situated, is in the western part of the Heavenly Soul Empire. They were currently sailing along the vast coastline from the northern to the western borders of the Heavenly Soul Empire, a long journey.
Tonight was moonless, and endless cultivation was boring. Listening to an elder recount interesting anecdotes wasn't bad at all.
"Let's take your Senior Martial Uncle, Xiao Changfeng, as an example. He achieved the Titled Douluo realm at the age of thirty-five, breaking through to Level 93 after absorbing the Soul Ring and Soul Bone of that Hundred Thousand Year Jade Sea Harriers. Five years later, he broke through to Level 95, then cultivated in seclusion with me for another twelve years, breaking through to Level 96. He then went to Vast Sea City to take over as the President of the Black Tortoise Merchant Guild. That was exactly seven years ago, to be precise."
Xu Xiaoyun beamed as he introduced his direct disciple to Xu Tianxi, then changed the subject, finding the perfect negative example.
"Then there's Yan Shaozhe. He is Shrek Academy's strongest individual, the direct eldest disciple of Sea God Pavilion Master Mu En. He has access to top-tier cultivation resources. Aside from lacking a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and Soul Bone compared to your Senior Martial Uncle, his other resources are no worse, perhaps even better, than your Senior Martial Uncle's. I won't mince words: when it comes to understanding cultivation, I can't compare to Mu En. He's a Limit Douluo, and his comprehension of Light power is undoubtedly the best in the current era. No one is more suitable to be Yan Shaozhe's Teacher. Shrek has ten thousand years of heritage; perhaps they possess things our Xuanming Sect does not."
"He possesses extraordinary talent and has cultivated for far longer than your Senior Martial Uncle, yet he's probably been stuck at Level 95 for decades. Tianxi, what do you think of him?"
What did he think? This guy's awakened Martial Soul has issues! If he had inherited the Dark Sacred Dragon, wouldn't he have soared?
When Yan Shaozhe was mentioned, Xu Tianxi couldn't help but recall his identity as "the son of Holy Spirit Church Supreme Sect Master Ye Xishui and Supreme Elder Long Xiaoyao." This background was truly "rooted in evil."
From his origins, Yan Shaozhe's qualifications to become Sect Master were second only to Zhongli Wu, "the son of the Holy Spirit Church's former-former Sect Master Zhongli Laogui and Supreme Sect Master Ye Xishui."
After organizing his thoughts, Xu Tianxi looked up and answered the question: "His temperament is too poor; he's not suited for the Light Phoenix Martial Soul."
"Exactly!"
Xu Xiaoyun looked satisfied, as if to say, "This child is teachable," and declared:
"This person is a classic example of slow cultivation progress due to a complete mismatch between his character and his Martial Soul! He's simply not suited for the Light Phoenix. The Dark Phoenix, or even the Evil Phoenix, would be much more appropriate for him. Tianxi, you must learn from this and choose the most suitable cultivation belief for yourself in the future."
Look at what you're saying. Although Yan Shaozhe doesn't have the Evil Phoenix Martial Soul, he's experienced the taste of the Evil Phoenix! Xu Tianxi silently griped about Yan Shaozhe's youthful romantic entanglements, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
This whole situation was a tangled mess. Feng Ling, the current Vice Sect Master of the Holy Spirit Church, was once Yan Shaozhe's girlfriend, and is now Zhongli Wu's wife. How were these relationships supposed to be sorted out? Feng Ling didn't become Yan Shaozhe's wife, but she became his great-aunt, or even his great-great-aunt? Yan Shaozhe and Zhongli Wu, these relatives, became "kindred spirits"? As expected of the Tang Family Continent's characteristic love triangles, the relationship between the Holy Spirit Church and Shrek was truly an unbreakable, tangled mess...
After complaining about these melodramatic individuals, Xu Tianxi turned his thoughts to his own future, and confusion quickly appeared in his eyes. "Grandmaster, I understand what you mean, but I have a question..."
"What is it?"
Xu Tianxi rubbed his chin, puzzled. "My Illusory Moon Mystic Eyes is a Body Martial Soul. What kind of cultivation belief should this type of Martial Soul choose? Should I be like those flamboyant people from the Body Sect?"
"I don't need to think about long-term cultivation goals. I'm very clear-headed now. In the future, I must go to Shrek City to avenge my mother's death at the hands of Gluttony Douluo Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe's insult to my mother."
"And that time shouldn't be too far off."
As he spoke, Xu Tianxi's tone was calm and natural, his gaze clear and serene, exuding a composure unsuited for his age.
"Well... that's not entirely necessary. Those people from the Body Sect are both righteous and evil, and their actions are unpredictable. Sometimes they're quite annoying."
Xu Xiaoyun collected his thoughts, recalling his experiences dealing with two generations of Body Sect Sect Masters, a hint of helplessness in his eyes. Those individuals weren't bad people; they were very loyal and extremely protective of their own. However, their tendency to constantly create a big stir... he didn't quite approve, but he respected it. He fully understood their actions of slaughtering Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beasts for their Sect disciples and elders, but these individuals were too reckless. The resulting Beast Tides and harm to civilians were undeniable.
"However, their righteous-yet-evil nature and their carefree state of mind are worth learning from. As Soul Masters, cultivation should prioritize a smooth state of mind; just know your limits."
Xu Xiaoyun chuckled, "I don't want you to be constrained by rules and regulations. As long as we do what proper Soul Masters should, acting heroically and righteously is fine when the opportunity arises, but remember to act within your capabilities. Don't get yourself killed trying to be a hero."
He said meaningfully, "You must understand that there are still many wicked people in this world. Some powerful figures among them even make me wary. You are currently just a Great Soul Master new to the world of Soul Masters. Great responsibilities aren't for you to bear, nor can you bear them."
"Shrek Inner Courtyard disciples suffer accidents on the continent every year. Even top Inner Courtyard talents at the Soul Ancestor, Soul King, or even Soul Emperor and Soul Sage cultivation levels die due to accidents, let alone a child like you. Upholding justice is often a right reserved for Titled Douluo."
In the past two years, he had noticed that this child possessed significant kindness, often expressing pity for commoners and occasionally giving Copper Soul Coins to ragged, struggling commoners when he went out. He once jokingly asked why he didn't give Gold Soul Coins, but the still-childlike Xu Tianxi replied dejectedly, "Giving them Gold Soul Coins would be killing them; they wouldn't be able to keep them..."
This wasn't something a child would typically say, yet it was indeed spoken by a precocious child. After Kong Xiyue's death, Xu Tianxi's personality changed dramatically. He spent time in the Library Pavilion every day, reading everything from Martial Soul cultivation and continental history to various miscellaneous books, almost becoming a different person. As an elder, Xu Xiaoyun felt immense heartache, but all he could do was provide more guidance to prevent this promising junior from going to extremes.
He, Long Xiaoyao, and Mu En had also experienced their fiery youth. Back then, they were young and naive, filled only with passion to face life. They would slay evil without hesitation and intervene in any injustice, believing there was nothing impossible in this world. However, the higher their cultivation, the more darkness they witnessed, and the more they realized that the dark side of this world was not so simple: aside from the powerhouses among Evil Soul Masters, many villainous bandits who harmed commoners were backed by nobles, or they were simply pawns raised by nobles to do their dirty work, such as forcibly seizing others' property, or conveniently allowing nobles to play the victim. Killing one of these nobles was easy, but killing them all was difficult. He couldn't fight an entire nation, nor could Mu En or Long Xiaoyao. Moreover, both of them had changed after their cultivation increased. All he could do was look out for himself and protect his own family.
Xu Tianxi might be able to achieve that in the future, but definitely not now.
"You're right, but I think it's not necessarily true that you need to be a Titled Douluo to change the world."
"Clang—clang—clang—"
Xu Tianxi pulled out a row of Level 2 Fixed Soul Cannon Shells he had personally crafted from his Storage Ring, squatted down, and tapped them, producing clear, pleasant sounds. His eyes sparkled with sunny amusement as he flashed a brilliant smile at Xu Xiaoyun.
"Grandmaster, these Level 2 Fixed Soul Cannon Shells can pose a life threat to Soul Ancestorexperts. If they all explode at once, even a Soul King would be thrown into disarray, perhaps even injured. My talent with Soul Guided Devices is quite good. If I can become a Level 9 Soul Engineer, and my opening move is a Level 9 Fixed Soul Cannon Shell, I believe many people would be willing to listen to me."
"If one isn't enough, then two, or three. Those who are willing to listen to me will follow me, and those who aren't will follow the Level 9 Fixed Soul Cannon Shells. Don't you agree with me?"
Xu Tianxi brazenly promoted his "firepower coverage makes people obedient" theory, his small face serious, as if completely unaware of how terrifying what he was saying was.
Hearing this, Xu Xiaoyun's mouth twitched visibly, speechless.
"...You child, a Level 9 Fixed Soul Cannon Shell is a weapon of mass destruction. One blast can turn the world upside down. If you don't get far away early enough, or if your cultivation isn't high enough, you'll be swept away by the energy wave yourself and vanish into thin air."
"To use a Level 9 Fixed Soul Cannon Shell in combat, you need to have at least the cultivation of an Eight-Ring Soul Douluo. And that's if you have the talent of Twin Martial Souls. For other Level 9 Soul Engineers, even a Titled Douluo would never willingly use one, because using it means mutual destruction."
Xu Tianxi smiled, pursing his lips, and nodded in agreement. "Don't worry, Grandmaster. Before that, I'll definitely use Fixed Soul Cannon Shells more often to gain experience and improve my firing skills by the time I reach eight rings."
Xu Xiaoyun was amused by Xu Tianxi's words. He laughed and playfully tapped Xu Tianxi's forehead, "Look at you, kid. Your Level 2 Fixed Soul Cannon Shells can pose a life threat to a Soul Ancestor. Where are you going to find Soul Ancestor-level targets to practice on?"
"Don't think that just because our Xuanming Sect has many experts, it's the same outside. A Soul Elder is already a cut above the rest, and a Soul Ancestorcan even receive noble titles from the Three Great Empires after making contributions. Finding one isn't easy."
Xu Tianxi blinked and said, "Aren't there still Evil Soul Masters?"
Xu Xiaoyun chuckled, shaking his head.
"Those are even harder to find. Those rats from the sewers have always been cautious and don't dare to show themselves openly. They rarely even go to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for Soul Rings, often coming to hidden places like the sea to hunt for them..."
At this moment, Yue Lao, who was steering the Ship, suddenly spoke, his old voice filled with vigilance.
"Ancestor Xu, the Soul Guided Scanner shows that there are several Soul Masters battling Soul Beasts a few miles away from us, and they're heading our way at a good speed."
"Hm?"
Xu Xiaoyun looked out, his vision piercing through several miles, and then his gaze darkened. "Ten Thousand Souls Banner Martial Soul? Vengeful Ghost Martial Soul? How are there really Evil Soul Masters coming?"
Xu Tianxi quietly reminded him, "Didn't you just say that those rats from the sewers like to hunt for Soul Rings in hidden places like the sea?"
Xu Xiaoyun: "..."
That makes a lot of sense.