Douluo: Martial Soul Research Diary

Chapter 429 Failure & Success?

Nottingham, on the outskirts of the empire.

After wandering around for a long time, he finally returned to his hometown, the academy that had helped him break through to become a Soul Master.

"Notting City Junior Soul Master Academy," Han Tao smiled slightly as he looked at the powerful characters displayed above the entrance and walked in amidst the congratulations from the gatekeeper.

"Dean Su!"

He bowed and greeted them.

Principal Su was holding a book, and through the crack in the pages, one could see that it was "Unofficial History of ***", as if he had always been particularly concerned about certain aspects.

"Han Tao?"

Upon seeing Han Tao, Principal Su closed his book and hid it in the corner of his desk.

He stepped forward and invited Han Tao to sit down in the principal's office, then picked up a cup of tea and gently placed it on Han Tao's desk.

Q: "Han Tao, is there anything I can do for you to visit our alma mater?"

Han Tao did not drink the tea.

Although he respected his former principal, he still had two major enemies, the Spirit Hall and the Clear Sky Sect. It was best to avoid such underhanded tactics as having someone close to him poison him if possible.

The illusion was able to grasp Principal Su's thought process, but attacking his former benefactor was somewhat impolite.

"Um"

After a few moments of hesitation, they decided to stop hiding it.

"I'm currently researching a special soul skill and need the help of a Blue Silver Grass soul master."

"But please rest assured, I will help them hunt for spirit rings, and even help them break through the barriers of level 19 and level 29."

"is it?"

A hint of surprise flickered in the principal's eyes.

After all, going to the Soul Hunter Forest to help students hunt for Soul Rings is a very dangerous thing, so it would be best if Han Tao could help.

As for the subsequent breakthroughs at levels 19 and 29, I didn't pay much attention to them.

Because there simply isn't a single student at the Notting City Junior Soul Master Academy with a Blue Silver Grass martial soul, at level 19.

"Lin San, Lin Si, and Lin Wu are all Soul Masters of Blue Silver Grass!"

As Principal Su dispatched, the three little rascals quickly arrived at Han Tao's side.

"Lord Soul Master!"

Lin Si's tone had a childish quality.

His attitude was respectful, and his body trembled slightly with fear.

"Don't be so nervous!"

She gently patted his shoulder, her fingers casually flicking away the black caterpillars on Lin Si's clothes.

Principal Su's face turned ugly: "This is..."

"Pranks among students."

"Ok!"

Although Nottingham is a small city, it still has classes of nobles and commoners. In the school, small groups are formed based on nobles and dormitories, and it is not uncommon for nobles to bully commoners.

Han Tao was once a bullied person. If he hadn't found Xiao Chenyu to be his boss, his student days wouldn't have been so easy.

"Let's go!"

After saying this, Han Tao led Lin San, Lin Si, and Lin Wu away.

"Lord Soul Master?"

"Ok?"

Are you also a Blue Silver Grass Soul Master?

Lin San was the eldest of the three, so he mustered up his courage and asked.

Han Tao paused for a moment: "Yes!"

"I heard from Principal Su that you are already a Soul Saint. Is it really possible for us Blue Silver Grass Soul Masters to break through to the Soul Saint level?"

As Lin San asked his question, the other two little radish heads also showed anticipation.

Squatting down slightly to wipe away the dew from the blue silver grass by the roadside, Han Tao spoke softly.

"I don't want to talk to you about motivational stuff or nonsense like 'there are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters'."

"In fact, Blue Silver Grass is a useless martial soul!"

Having a useless martial spirit means you can't do anything.

Should we pursue a treatment approach?
Even if all nine spirit rings were healing-type, or even all of them were 9-year spirit rings, the final healing effect would only be at the level of Crimson Pearl, incomparable to Nine-Hearted Begonia. "In terms of growth, it's inferior to Lonely Bamboo; in terms of healing, it's inferior to Begonia; and its offense and defense are even worse."

"But there is always hope. You need to perceive this world and its existence in your own way, understand the essence and charm of Blue Silver Grass, summarize and record, and find the fireflies in the boundless darkness."

Han Tao paused in his speech.

He hadn't told them what the essence of a martial soul was: "adaptation".
They were not informed of what "spiritual bond" or "martial spirit foundation" were, nor were they told about the profound core evolutionary paths of emperors and rulers.

Instead, it teaches them how to fish, showing them research methods and helping them find the future path of Blue Silver Grass with their youthful intuition.

"Ok!"

Lin Wu was always taciturn, harboring his emotions and lost in thought.

"Did you see that soul beast?"

Han Tao pointed to a spot not far away, where frost swept over Lin San, causing him to shiver involuntarily.

"Frost-Condensing Grass, a hundred-year-old soul beast!"

Frost lingers around the grass and leaves in the form of a protective barrier.

It was the first possible option Han Tao chose, and even if it failed, the loss wouldn't be too great.

"Soul power, annihilated!"

He drew out the Blue Silver Bamboo and with a casual tap, brought the Frostweed to the brink of death.

"Who among you will kill it and absorb its spirit ring?"

Lin Wu hesitated and did not move forward.

He seemed to want to say something, but was too timid to speak.

Lin San asked, "Soul Master, it's only a hundred years old, isn't it?"

"According to Yu Xiaogang's theory of limit spirit rings, shouldn't our first spirit ring be able to absorb a 423-year-old spirit beast?"

Han Tao shook his head: "In fact, it won't work!"

"Absorbing a 423-year-old soul beast is the physical limit of a top-tier martial soul, not the limit of Blue Silver Grass."

"Why is Blue Silver Grass called a useless martial soul? Even if you want to absorb a hundred-year-old animal soul beast, it may cause your body to explode and die. Even if it is this Frost Condensation Grass, you will have to bear great risks when absorbing it."

Their words were sharp, but the cold, pale reality reflected their despair for the future.

"Let me do it!"

Lin Si stepped forward.

Of the trio, he was the most timid and was often bullied at the Notting City Junior Soul Master Academy. No one craved power more than him.

He took the knife from Han Tao, faced the biting frost mist, and severed its soul ring.

He sat cross-legged and began to draw upon and absorb the spirit rings.

"I silently prayed to myself, 'I need a soul skill that provides a protective barrier!'"

"I silently repeat to myself, 'I need a soul skill that provides a protective barrier,' and then repeat it over and over again."

Han Tao whispered in his ear.

After a long time, Lin Si endured the excruciating pain in his body and finally sketched a yellow soul ring on the Blue Silver Grass.

Lin Si looked up, secretly pleased: "It worked?"

Then, he stretched out his arms, and the spirit rings on the Blue Silver Grass flickered.

"First Soul Skill: Frost Protection Barrier!"

The aura of frost gathers around you, forming a clever protective barrier.

"Okay, not bad!"

Han Tao praised him softly.

Then, he suddenly raised his hand.

The Blue Silver Overlord suddenly appeared before everyone's eyes, its seven spirit rings—yellow, white, red, black, black, black, black—flashing rapidly.

As the spiritual bond was formed, Han Tao's thoughts were projected into Lin Si's first soul ring, perceiving the soul skill records within.

"Success? Or you could say failure!"

The Frost Barrier, which solidifies ice elements around the body, does indeed increase the Soul Master's strength by 50%.

The problem is that once the frost element is removed, this protective barrier cannot take shape.

Just like with the whale glue of the past, the protective barrier can only be stabilized by using three forms: ice, space, and spirit.

(End of this chapter)