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"Training origin soul power is similar to training soul power itself."
Cultivating soul power increases one's upper limit. After expending it in battle, that soul power can rapidly recover up to the level one has trained to.
The same was true for origin soul power.
The reason it was called "origin" soul power was because it lacked the characteristics granted by the martial soul—without those traits, it could no longer count as true soul power used by Soul Masters.
A martial soul had a certain amount of authority to bestow traits. During training, you gradually unlocked that authority. Within the unlocked portion, the martial soul could imbue that energy with soul power characteristics, restoring it easily. But beyond the developed range, the martial soul couldn't grant traits quickly.
Accumulating origin soul power was akin to expanding the martial soul space.
Once one hit the bottleneck at every tenth level, the martial soul's authority at that stage had been fully developed. Only by acquiring a soul ring could the next stage of authority be opened.
If one continued to cultivate, origin soul power would accumulate in the martial soul space instead, slowly expanding it.
Once consumed, it could still rapidly regenerate by drawing in the world's energy.
This was why Su Wen had dared to use origin soul power in yesterday's battle.
If that energy were permanently lost from one fight, months of effort would've gone to waste.
"Training, consuming, and restoring origin soul power helps me better sense the existence of my martial soul space," he reflected.
If his theory held, then as origin soul power accumulated and the martial soul space expanded, it would become easier to sense.
Time passed in a flash—several months had gone by.
Another school year began.
It had already been over half a year since Su Wen hit rank ten, but he still hadn't rushed into soul ring hunting.
"Sensing the martial soul space was expected," he said to himself, satisfied with his progress.
Floating before him was a dusty-gray book, glowing faintly.
"Using pure origin soul power to directly reinforce the martial soul has a better cost-performance ratio."
Instead of summoning his martial soul reinforced by soul power, he used origin soul power within the martial soul space to empower it directly.
This form of strengthening was more pronounced—almost like reinforcing the martial soul at its very source.
And importantly, it still didn't count as the martial soul itself growing stronger.
"Origin soul power can enhance a martial soul, but it can never truly merge with it or strengthen its core." Su Wen summarized his experiments.
"Soul rings."
A Soul Master needed a soul ring to transform the martial soul and continue cultivating soul power—there was good reason for that.
"I hope that during the absorption of a soul ring, origin soul power can merge with the soul ring's power and strengthen the martial soul together."
He wasn't sure if this idea would work.
But he had to try.
Only that way could he—without the qualification to absorb overaged rings—use the first soul ring to achieve a transformation equivalent to a much higher age ring.
"My expectations aren't high—seven to eight hundred years would be enough. Of course, if I can reach the thousand-year level of enhancement, I won't object."
To do that, however, he needed a large reserve of origin soul power.
"I still have to stay stuck at rank ten for a while."
Accumulate.
Keep cultivating.
Gather enough origin soul power, then absorb the first soul ring to trigger his martial soul's first metamorphosis.
Because of him, the lives of the work-study students had improved quite a bit.
Under his influence, the others in Dorm Seven had also begun training harder.
Knock, knock.
Someone rapped on the dorm door.
"Hello, is this Dorm Seven?"
A boy in patched cloth clothing stood at the entrance. His clothes were worn and covered in mended spots, but meticulously clean.
"You're one of the new work-study students this year?"
"Yes. My name is Tang San."
Su Wen opened his eyes and looked toward the door.
Tang San's gaze met his.
They exchanged a glance—then Su Wen withdrew his eyes.
Regardless of the underlying cause, the deaths of Su Wen's parents were tied to Tang Hao, Chihiro Ji of the Spirit Hall, Chrysanthemum Douluo, and Ghost Douluo.
The aftermath of their battle had killed his parents. For them, that might've been nothing. For Su Wen, it was a blood debt.
If someone flees or fights, that's their business. But if they involve him—he doesn't concern himself with excuses. An enemy is an enemy.
So by nature, Su Wen stood hostile to Tang Hao and Tang San.
Two years ago, he had even attempted to apprentice under the Grandmaster—back then, Tang San and the Grandmaster had no connection.
Now, they likely did.
That made them enemies.
On the road of vengeance, anyone who blocks his path is the enemy.
Su Wen never believed Tang San would simply allow him to kill Tang Hao, nor that the Grandmaster would stay out of the way.
The moment their master-disciple bond was forged, the Grandmaster stood opposite Su Wen.
Tang Hao was no doubt watching from some dark corner, so Su Wen couldn't touch Tang San.
And the Grandmaster?
He was still a Great Soul Master, after all.
Most importantly—Su Wen simply lacked the strength to act yet.
"I'm confident I'll evolve my martial soul and climb to the peak of the continent step by step—but time isn't on my side. I have to surpass Tang San."
Fortunately, he was two years older.
"Excuse me, is this Dorm Seven?" a cute girl's voice called from the doorway.
It was Xiao Wu.
She was far more warmly received than Tang San.
Su Wen glanced once and lost interest.
A hundred-thousand-year-old rabbit held no appeal.
He absolutely didn't believe that a hundred-thousand-year soul beast could abstain from mating for that long. Biological instinct could not be restrained.
Xiao Wu wasn't some monk-like rabbit who pursued cultivation with pure dedication.
More importantly, soul beasts only developed higher intelligence in their later years. Before ten years, a hundred years, or even a thousand, most relied on instinct and possessed low wisdom.
Who knew what she'd done over that long span?
Time flew—another half year passed.
"I've already stayed at rank ten for over a year. I can't keep this up."
Su Wen had remained at level ten for more than a year.
Though he had theories to test, he knew his experimentation had limits.
Even if he made mistakes, a year of continuous cultivation still built soul power—he only missed out on developing higher-grade soul power.
It wasn't a complete waste.
During that year, his training in origin soul power was also a form of storing strength.
"I didn't take a master, and the dean has already said all he had to say. He won't help me obtain a soul ring."
Su Wen wasn't regretful.
The dean was, after all, a friend of the Grandmaster.
They truly weren't suitable.
"I'll remember the favor of his advice on martial soul development."
Anything more—he couldn't afford to owe.
As for the Hunting Forest permit, which required three noble sponsors…
"I'll have to rely on Su Yuntao."
Though Su Yuntao was a Spirit Hall deacon, his connection to them was different from how the dean or the Grandmaster were tied to Tang Hao.
At the very least, when it came to Su Wen wanting to kill Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo—Su Yuntao would not stop him.
(End of Chapter)