Chapter 144: The Compatibility Between Plant-Type Martial Souls and Animal Soul Beast Rings.
"Xiao San!!!"
Yu Xiaogang almost stumbled as he rushed to Tang San's side.
His knees slammed against the scattered gravel with a dull thud that sounded painful just to hear.
But he paid it no mind. His hands trembled violently as he gently touched Tang San's face.
Fortunately, nothing major had happened. He had only fainted.
The breath Yu Xiaogang had been holding finally left his chest, and his back was already soaked with sweat.
He suddenly twisted his head around and stared fiercely at Lin Qingmo.
That gaze was like a knife.
"Lin Qingmo!"
Yu Xiaogang's voice cracked as he shouted.
"Have you gone mad? He's still a child! Even if he made a mistake, did you really have to strike with lethal force?"
Lin Qingmo remained standing where he was, unmoving.
The wind lifted the corner of his black robe as he casually flicked his sleeve, even though there was nothing on it.
"A child?"
Lin Qingmo smiled, but there wasn't the slightest trace of warmth in that smile.
"Grandmaster, you say that rather lightly."
He slowly spread his hand.
A slender, deep-blue needle lay in his palm. The tip glowed with a sinister gleam, and a faint fishy scent lingered around it.
"Just now, this thing was aimed straight at my heart."
His voice turned cold.
"The poison on it… If I had been even a little slower, the one lying on the ground right now wouldn't be Tang San."
"At that time, Grandmaster, would you still say, 'Tang San is just a child'?"
"I…"
Yu Xiaogang choked on his words.
He stared at the hidden weapon, his expression changing several times.
"Xiaogang."
Flender's hand landed on his shoulder, heavy and steady.
"I saw the whole thing. The hidden weapon is real, and the poison is real. Qingmo… didn't act without reason."
Flender then turned and shot Oscar a look.
"Xiao Ao, don't just stand there."
Oscar curled his lips, wearing a "why is it always me" expression.
A flash of golden light appeared in his hand, and a large steaming sausage appeared.
He squatted beside Tang San and rather roughly stuffed the sausage directly into Tang San's mouth.
Soon, Tang San's eyelids twitched, and he woke up.
His mouth tasted bitter, and his body felt like it had fallen apart. It even felt like a few ribs had broken.
He tried to sit up, but Flender immediately pressed him back down.
"Don't move yet. Regulate your breathing," Flender said.
Once Tang San was settled, Flender turned back toward Lin Qingmo.
There was curiosity in his eyes, but also surprise he couldn't suppress.
"Qingmo."
Flender asked curiously, "That fourth soul skill of yours caused quite a commotion. But why does your Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul have a lightning attribute?"
Hearing this, Lin Qingmo raised a finger.
A thin strand of crackling blue lightning flickered at his fingertip, illuminating his eyes with a faint glow.
In the surrounding air, the scent of fresh grass mixed with a faint smell of burning.
"Blue Silver Thunder Ode. That's my soul skill. It grants both my martial soul and myself the ability to control lightning," he said.
"Nonsense!"
Yu Xiaogang suddenly interrupted, his brows twisted tightly.
With his hands behind his back, that familiar air of theoretical grandmaster returned.
"Your Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass. Its essence is a plant. Lightning attributes are powers that come from animal soul rings. The attributes clash. If you forcibly absorb them, it will only limit your future path. In severe cases, your martial soul might even mutate. This is simply a dead end!"
Lin Qingmo didn't hurry to respond.
Instead, he smiled meaningfully.
"I've heard a little about Grandmaster's theories."
There was a hint of mockery in his eyes.
"So I'd like to ask… are the soul rings you chose for Tang San really that 'compatible' with Blue Silver Grass?"
Yu Xiaogang's face darkened.
"Xiao San's Blue Silver Grass has limitless potential. Every soul ring I chose was the result of careful calculations."
He spoke with firm confidence.
"Xiao San's first soul ring came from the Datura Snake, compensating for Blue Silver Grass's original weakness in toughness. Its snake venom also gives his vines offensive capability."
"The second soul ring, Ghost Vine, possesses a parasitic ability that is extremely difficult to guard against. It allows him to complete control while the enemy remains completely unaware, seizing the initiative."
When he mentioned the third soul ring, a trace of pride flashed across Yu Xiaogang's face.
"The third soul ring, the Man-Faced Demon Spider. Absorbing it beyond rank carried immense risk, but the reward was equally great."
"The spider's poison is far stronger than the Datura Snake's, and its spiderweb restraint is a top-tier control-type soul skill. Combined with Blue Silver Grass's characteristics, it is practically perfect."
The members of Shrek listened and couldn't help nodding.
Ma Hongjun stroked his double chin and muttered, "Sounds reasonable. Poison and binding… that's convenient in a fight."
Dai Mubai crossed his arms as well, feeling that the Grandmaster indeed had some real ability.
"Perfect? Heh."
Lin Qingmo laughed, the clear sound interrupting everyone's thoughts.
"Grandmaster, your reasoning sounds thorough. But you've forgotten the most fundamental point."
His gaze swept across everyone present. His tone was calm, but every word was clear.
"Blue Silver Grass is first and foremost a plant. So why go the long way around and look for animal soul beast rings?"
He paused, allowing everyone to digest the statement.
"There are many high-level vine-type plant soul beasts whose toughness surpasses snakes. Quite a few naturally possess paralysis or corrosive poison as well."
"Using them as soul rings would perfectly match the origin of the Blue Silver Grass martial soul while further strengthening its identity as a plant. Wouldn't that be better?"
"This…"
Yu Xiaogang's lips moved as he tried to refute him, but Lin Qingmo didn't give him the chance.
"Furthermore,"
He continued, his tone sharper now.
"Tang San's first soul skill is Entanglement, and his third soul skill is Spider Web Restraint. In essence, both make Blue Silver Grass perform control."
"The greatest strength of Blue Silver Grass lies in manipulation and transformation. That control can be continuously strengthened through one's own cultivation."
"So why waste two precious soul ring slots stacking the same function?"
"Absurd!"
Yu Xiaogang's face turned pale, and his voice stiffened.
"The power of soul skills comes from soul rings. Without the corresponding soul ring, relying purely on one's own control could never reach the strength of a soul skill. This is common knowledge in the soul master world!"
"Common knowledge exists to be broken, Grandmaster."
A crisp female voice suddenly interjected.
Ning Rongrong stepped forward, hands on her hips. She had long been displeased with Yu Xiaogang.
"Ah Qing has never absorbed any snake-type or spider-type soul rings. But his Blue Silver Grass is far more impressive than Tang San's!"
Lin Qingmo nodded toward Ning Rongrong.
Then he turned to look at the old locust tree standing not far away.
He didn't release a soul ring. He simply raised his right hand slightly.
Ssssh—
Several strands of nearly transparent emerald blue silver grass suddenly burst from the soil at the base of the old locust tree without any warning.
They were as fast as real venomous snakes, instantly wrapping around the thick trunk.
Lin Qingmo slowly curled his five fingers.
The tightened Blue Silver Grass emitted a tooth-grinding creaking sound.
The bark on the locust tree cracked as wood chips flew everywhere, deep grooves forming where the vines constricted it.
Then, with a loud crack, the trunk—thick enough that two people could barely encircle it—was forcibly snapped in half.
The upper half of the tree crown crashed to the ground, sending up a cloud of dust.
But it wasn't over yet.
Lin Qingmo raised his left palm upward and casually flipped it.
Even more Blue Silver Grass surged from around his body, rapidly weaving and crossing through the air.
In the blink of an eye, a massive, delicate green spiderweb formed in midair, emitting the fresh fragrance of plants.
The threads were crystal-clear, their edges glowing with a gentle light, almost like a piece of art.
"!!!"
Yu Xiaogang stood frozen as if struck by lightning, his eyes wide.
He looked at the broken tree, then at the flawless Blue Silver Grass web floating in the air, woven without relying on any soul ring skill.
His lips trembled several times.
"…Impossible…"
His voice sounded dry, as if squeezed from his throat.
"How could this be done without a soul ring soul skill… how could this be possible?"
The theories he had always been proud of, the research he had devoted half his life to, now seemed to develop a clear crack before that glowing green web and the fallen tree.
—
End of Chapter