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"Your first soul ring—do you have a target in mind?"
Su Wen was slightly surprised the dean knew so quickly.
Then again, he was the dean. A conflict on campus involving a second-year student at rank ten would naturally reach his ears immediately. That was his job.
And truly—having a ten-ranked second-year appear at the academy was big news.
"I don't know enough about soul beasts yet, so I haven't decided on a specific target," Su Wen answered honestly.
Although the academy had basic information on common soul beasts, they were too ordinary—not what he wanted.
The dean smiled. "Your martial soul is unusual. A book martial soul with actual combat development—that was surprising to see."
But then his expression shifted.
"However, you must understand—at the end of the day, a book is still a book. As an instrument-type martial soul, it's far inferior in combat potential to things like hammers, blades, or swords."
At the Soul Scholar or even Great Soul Master stage, the gap might not look too dramatic, but as cultivation progressed, the difference would grow wider—eventually becoming despair.
"A book martial soul is technically an instrument-type, yes. But it doesn't fall cleanly under your usual combat classifications—power attack, agility attack, control, and support.
Those categories are all combat-related.
A book-type martial soul, under normal circumstances, isn't classified as combat—it's functional."
Every great faction had non-combat Soul Masters performing auxiliary roles. Those martial souls were functional—they didn't fight; they supported.
Strictly speaking, they were still support-type—but not the same as food-type. Book martial souls were another branch entirely: functional auxiliaries.
The dean patted his bald head, watching Su Wen's thoughtful look with some pride.
He'd actually asked the Grandmaster for that explanation.
"I heard from the Grandmaster that you once approached him because you were thinking of becoming a scholar."
The dean said a great deal, and Su Wen quickly understood where this was going.
"Dean, you and I aren't a good fit," Su Wen said directly.
He wasn't planning to take a master—certainly not someone at the Soul Sect level. A Soul Sect couldn't teach him anything truly valuable. In fact, Su Wen doubted the man even knew as much as he himself did. What use was that?
Of course, he couldn't just reject him bluntly for that reason—so he chose a gentler excuse.
The dean sighed. "You're very sharp. I'm an agility-attack type Soul Master. If you're planning to walk the scholar's path, then yes—we're not suitable."
"But since you've developed combat techniques," he continued, "I assume you're considering the path of a Battle Soul Master despite your book martial soul?"
That got Su Wen's attention.
He could guess where the dean got all this information.
The Grandmaster's theoretical knowledge was vast, and Su Wen was curious to hear what route he'd suggest for a book martial soul.
"Across the Douluo Continent, martial souls vary widely. There have indeed been book-typed Battle Soul Masters—though most were support-oriented. A few went the route of element control. Among them, the Fire Demon Tome was a standout—there was once a Soul Emperor with that martial soul!"
Fire Demon Tome?
A spellbook-type path?
Just from the name, Su Wen could roughly imagine its development.
"No one, however," the dean continued, "has ever used a book as the weapon itself."
Books might serve as conduits for elemental attacks or auxiliary effects, but no one used the book as a physical weapon.
Because—they were too fragile.
Su Wen mentally compared this with the Grandmaster's data, treating it all as reference.
Using the book as a weapon was just his early-stage tactic. It let him hunt soul beasts more easily and served as a transitional method.
Fragility wasn't a fundamental law—it was only true for ordinary books.
"There's even someone who fights using a chrysanthemum," Su Wen thought.
He remembered that among immortal herbs was the Odd Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum—the martial soul of Chrysanthemum Douluo.
That could absolutely reinforce the quality of his Heavenly Tome, granting it the durability of a true weapon.
"It's fine," the dean said, smiling again. "Choosing a lifelong path takes consideration. Think it over carefully once you're back."
"What I wanted to tell you is about martial soul development."
"The soul skills of a martial soul don't just come from the soul beast you kill. They also come from how you develop your martial soul." His tone turned serious.
"A soul skill is originally part of the martial soul's own power. The soul ring only guides and draws it out. Different development leads to different soul skills."
"In the end, what soul skill you get isn't just determined by the soul beast—it depends more on your own daily cultivation and how you've shaped your martial soul."
This was the first time Su Wen had heard this theory stated so clearly.
"It's just that very few people have ever deliberately developed their martial soul to influence their soul skill direction," the dean added.
Most relied entirely on luck.
Martial souls were passed down over generations. Families accumulated experience—what soul beasts to hunt, what methods to use, and what techniques matched the soul skill best. From that, they chose the safest, most compatible combinations for their descendants.
That's why most family soul skills looked similar.
Which aspects of the martial soul to train, what methods to use, and what to pay attention to during ring absorption—these were all ways to steer the soul skill outcome.
"For normal martial souls, even without guidance, you'll still acquire a suitable soul skill. But your book martial soul is different."
If one wanted to walk a support route or manipulate elements via a book, one needed specific techniques.
And such methods were not passed around lightly.
"You're gifted in developing your martial soul," the dean said. "What I want to warn you is—if you want to walk your own path, then before absorbing your soul ring, develop your martial soul as much as possible in that direction."
"That way, when you absorb the ring, you'll have a much higher chance of obtaining the kind of soul skill you want."
"Dean, thank you for the guidance," Su Wen said with sincere gratitude.
Leaving the dean's office, he walked back deep in thought.
Most Soul Masters relied on luck—then summarized afterward, using experience to form techniques and traditions.
But there were a few who developed their martial soul first and guided the soul skill afterward.
Su Wen intended to be one of those few.
"My control over my martial soul is extremely high. Developing it won't be difficult. As long as I plan the path properly, I don't need to worry about getting a useless soul skill."
He let out a breath of relief.
That much at least settled his concerns.
"First soul ring?" Su Wen shook his head.
Not yet.
"My martial soul is too weak."
Too low-grade—so low it really was just an ordinary martial soul.
A martial soul's quality is tied to one's innate soul power.
But the truth was, a portion of his level-five innate soul power was 'inflated.' His martial soul didn't actually have matching quality.
Only he knew himself best.
His first soul ring was absolutely critical.
"Development path?" He chuckled bitterly. "Right now, I'm not even qualified to think about that."
The first soul ring had to transform the martial soul—maximize its evolution, push it toward an upgrade from the roots!
"Even a four-hundred-year ring may not be enough."
"But I'm not qualified to absorb an overage first ring yet."
"Everything hinges on my research into original soul power."
Returning to Dorm Seven, Su Wen sat down and entered meditation once more—sensing the martial soul space.
(End of Chapter)