Self-created soul skills and soul ring skills — there is actually no absolute distinction of superiority between the two.
Self-created soul skills are not necessarily high and mighty; there are plenty of clumsy and unimpressive ones as well.
Soul ring skills, though relatively rigid and lacking the flexibility of self-created skills if not further developed, can enjoy more amplification from the Martial Soul True Body.
After all, many soul masters' Martial Soul True Body grants effects such as "no cooldown" for soul skills below the seventh ring. If one were to transform a self-created skill into a skill below the seventh ring, it could then be unleashed continuously without cooldown.
Moreover, in the soul master world of the continent, there are very few self-created skills with power comparable to hundred-thousand-year soul ring skills. Perhaps the majority of soul masters below rank 90 cannot, through the Condensed Ring Method, transform a self-created skill into one at the level of a hundred-thousand-year soul skill, but there are a small number of geniuses who are exceptions.
Take Muyang as an example: his Iceflame Spear secret art was decent in power, yet its actual strength clearly could not compare to a hundred-thousand-year offensive soul skill.
But if the Iceflame Spear were transformed into a soul ring skill, with his current physical constitution, he could elevate it into a soul ring skill whose age far exceeded a hundred thousand years. In terms of might, it would be greatly enhanced.
The only pity was that, according to the feedback from his deduction ability, even if a self-condensed soul ring reached the hundred-thousand-year level, it could only have one self-created skill engraved into it — a second could not be added.
Furthermore, once engraved, it could not be altered later. There was no such thing as changing it at will.
Additionally, not every self-created skill was suitable for transformation into a soul ring skill through the Condensed Ring Method. The compatibility between the self-created skill and the martial soul also had to be considered.
For example, Muyang's Soul Capture secret art or True Illusion secret art — if engraved into the self-condensed soul ring of his Iceflame Saint Shadow martial soul, because the Iceflame Saint Shadow was not a spiritual-type martial soul, the result would be that although the ring's age might be high, the actual effect would still be weaker than the secret art versions of Soul Capture or True Illusion.
Another example would be Huo Wushuang's Crimson Flame Crystal Dragon martial soul. If, in the future, his self-condensed eighth or ninth soul ring were engraved with some hammer-style martial skill, it would likewise turn into a wasted soul skill.
Uh… perhaps when Huo Wushuang used Martial Soul Avatar to activate this skill, the effect would be spitting out a huge crimson hammer? Or maybe smashing with clenched dragon claws?
The specific image was hard to imagine, but one thing was certain: if the compatibility between a self-created skill and the martial soul was too low, or even completely mismatched, then if forcibly engraved into a self-condensed soul ring to be transformed into a soul ring skill, that soul skill would essentially be useless — unable to exhibit the true power expected of a high-aged soul skill.
It was also worth noting that if a self-created skill's level was high while the self-condensed soul ring's age was low, then after transformation into a soul ring skill, the level would be correspondingly reduced. There would never be a situation where a low-aged soul ring produced an unusually strong skill.
Conversely, if a self-created skill's level was low but the self-condensed soul ring's age was extremely high, then after transformation into a soul ring skill, the level would be correspondingly optimized. Without considering compatibility, the actual effect of the soul ring skill would align with the soul ring's corresponding age.
It could be said that this feature effectively ensured that soul masters advancing through the Condensed Ring Method would not be weaker than those who advanced by hunting soul beasts.
As long as compatibility was not an issue, even the weakest of self-created skills, once corrected and optimized by the soul ring's age, would not result in a soul skill weaker than the average standard.
Of course, because the skills of self-condensed rings came from transformed self-created skills, the Condensed Ring Method was not particularly suitable for auxiliary-type soul masters.
For example, food-type soul masters: if they wanted to obtain a food skill with the effect of reducing damage, what kind of self-created skill could they possibly transform?
Or, to take another example — something like Invincible Golden Body, that form of "absolute defense," what kind of self-created skill could be transformed into that?
But that being said, although the Condensed Ring Method carried no small number of flaws, it was without question a secret art of immense power and extremely wide adaptability.
And in the future, if paired with the secret art that increased the age of soul rings, countless soul masters would no longer need to hunt soul beasts in order to become strong.
"Eight soul ring slots should be enough to push me to level 99 as an Ultimate Douluo, right?"
Muyang could not help but think to himself.
His Icefire Immortal Ginseng martial soul was still lacking a ninth soul ring, while the Iceflame Saint Shadow martial soul had only its first and second rings. Altogether, the two martial souls still had eight empty ring slots.
Currently, he was an 84th-level Soul Douluo, still fifteen ranks away from level 99 Ultimate Douluo. Averaging less than two levels of soul power increase per ring slot, it should not be a problem.
In other words, in the future, he would no longer need to obediently meditate and cultivate. Simply by filling the remaining slots with self-condensed rings or god-bestowed soul rings, he could complete all the soul power accumulation required before godhood?
Tsk~ how satisfying would that be!
Afterward, Muyang fetched brush and paper, wrote down the Condensed Ring Method, washed up, and after filling his stomach with two soul power ginseng roots, he prepared to hand the secret art over to Huo Lie.
Although Muyang did not intend to spread the Condensed Ring Method widely, it could still be circulated on a small scale within the academy's upper ranks.
After all, with the Condensed Ring Method in hand, the Saint of Elements Academy's future Titled Douluo graduates would no longer need to worry about lacking hundred-thousand-year rings.
Just as he stepped outside, Muyang saw Shui Bing'er, face alight with joy.
"Bing'er, have you condensed your first soul core?"
Sensing the faint whirlpool of soul power at Shui Bing'er's abdomen, Muyang asked with a smile.
"Of course! A little soul core, how could it ever stump this young lady?!"
Shui Bing'er lifted her chin proudly, her face full of arrogance.
"Tsk~ double happiness at once."
Muyang smacked his lips.
"Double happiness? What good fortune do you have?"
Shui Bing'er was slightly stunned and asked.
"I created something good, but it's not something you can use."
Though the effect of the Condensed Ring Method was not bad, Shui Bing'er had no need for it.
Compared to god-bestowed soul rings, self-condensed rings were ultimately somewhat lacking. During her five previous trials, the mighty Asura had already granted her two god-bestowed rings. Her eighth and ninth rings already had destinations arranged. Shui Bing'er truly had no use for the Condensed Ring Method.
"What good thing?"
Blinking her ice-blue eyes, Shui Bing'er could not help but be curious.
"You'll know later. I'll explain it together then."
Saying this, Muyang pulled Shui Bing'er along toward Dean Huo Lie's office.
"Hiss~ to think such a heaven-defying secret art could exist in this world?"
Inside the office, after learning of the Condensed Ring Method's effects, Huo Lie could not help but gasp sharply. Then he shook his head with a sigh.
"What a pity… if this thing had appeared years earlier, how good it would have been."
Had the academy possessed the Condensed Ring Method back when he had not yet advanced to Titled Douluo, would he not now also have a hundred-thousand-year ninth soul ring?
For additional chapters
Versatile mage {40 chapters}
Douluo Dalu:This Soul Master is to Weird {30 Chapters}
Patreon. Com/ALLISWELL123