Douluo Continent: From Internal Martial Arts to the Law of Heaven and Earth

His reminder helped Xue Qinghe calm her turbulent thoughts. Although Tang Shan's theories seemed somewhat abstract and lacked specific cultivation methods, who was she? She was the granddaughter of the Grand Elder of the Hall of Offerings, and having been exposed to cultivation since childhood, she already possessed considerable insight. Now, hearing the "master's" theories, many of her previous scattered understandings seemed to have been wiped away, perfectly connected by a single thread—spirit cultivation is no different from nurturing a person; spirit power is like ordinary food, and at a certain stage of growth, it needs high-end food (spirit rings) to continue breaking through; and to make a spirit possess greater power, one must improve the compatibility between oneself and the spirit.

What happens after the compatibility is improved? Xue Qinghe could already vaguely guess the direction to follow.

Qian Daoliu's kind voice seemed to echo in my ears again: "Xiaoxue, you must deeply comprehend your own martial soul. You must earnestly understand it from the very beginning of your cultivation. Otherwise, once you become a Title Douluo, your path will come to an end, and your body will no longer be able to hold a single trace of soul power. The essence of Title Douluo cultivation is to develop one's own martial soul, raise its upper limit, and then refine the soul power within the body with a higher quality martial soul. While improving the quality of the soul power, impurities are eliminated, thereby making room for the soul power to be further enhanced."

P.S.: This is a synthesis of previous theories and a prelude to the cultivation of Title Douluos. While a Soul Core hasn't been condensed, the quality of Soul Power has improved, similar to transforming water into mercury. The method of cultivation is to comprehend the Martial Soul, unlock its upper limit, and forcibly improve its quality. Finally, thank you to Pineapple Snow's Lonely Seeker and Underestimating People for their donations. I've included the thanks for monthly tickets and recommendation votes in the author's notes, as the free word count is limited; please understand. Finally, I pray for everything...

Chapter 60: An Unfinished Theory, The Sigh of the Porcupine Douluo (Please add to your favorites and subscribe)

Recalling his grandfather's story, Xue Qinghe gradually formed a guess in his mind.

Is there a stage of comprehending one's martial soul before one can truly comprehend it? If one's martial soul isn't even compatible with it, how can one comprehend it or unlock its potential?

The reason why those titled Douluo encounter bottlenecks may be because their compatibility with their own martial soul is not high enough.

However, the cultivation of a Title Douluo was ultimately too far removed from his own, so Xue Qinghe stopped focusing on that and instead continued discussing the topic of martial soul cultivation with Tang Shan.

"Your master's research on martial spirits is truly outstanding; he was able to explain the principles of martial spirit cultivation in such a simple and easy-to-understand way."

Xue Qinghe looked at Tang Shan with admiration. In the end, what she truly admired was the master hidden behind Tang Shan.

"Your Highness, the mysteries of martial spirit cultivation are extremely profound. My teacher said that he has only touched upon a tiny fraction of it, and there is nothing to be complacent about."

Tang Shan picked up the cup in front of him, took a sip of water to moisten his throat, and took the opportunity to organize his thoughts and plan his next words.

"What I am about to talk about is my master's research on the true form of the beast soul. There are many unorthodox views in it, so please be prepared, Your Highness."

Xue Qinghe was stunned for a moment, then asked in astonishment, "The theory I mentioned before wasn't the whole story?"

Tang Shan was also taken aback, and subconsciously replied, "Of course not. I only introduced my and my master's basic understanding of the Martial Soul True Body before, and I haven't had time to talk about his real research results yet."

Xue Qinghe fell silent. Had she underestimated the master, or was the master's research on martial souls far deeper than she had imagined? The exploration of the true form of a martial soul, which she found as amazing enough, was merely a basic understanding for the master. This was far beyond her expectations.

Xue Qinghe raised his teacup, his expression becoming serious, and looked up at Tangshan.

"Tangshan, I would like to apologize to your teacher with tea instead of wine. I underestimated your teacher's talent before."

After speaking, Xue Qinghe drank the tea in his cup in one gulp, and when he looked up, a complex light flashed in his eyes.

Sir, I have underestimated you after all.

At this moment, Tang Shan finally realized that something was wrong. It was just a misunderstanding, and the theory had already been explained. Why was this "Prince of Tiandou" apologizing so solemnly? Could it be that the other party was secretly hiding a powerful figure related to the "master"?

"Your Highness, you show exceptional respect for my teacher."

"That's natural."

Xue Qinghe quietly calmed himself down and a smile returned to his face.

"Your master has nurtured two such outstanding geniuses for my Heavenly Dou Empire. How can I not respect him?"

Xue Qinghe naturally didn't tell the truth. She couldn't very well tell Tang Shan that his teacher held a special place in her heart. If she said that, she was afraid that Tang Shan would run away the next day.

"Your Highness, I haven't agreed to join your ranks yet."

Tang Shan felt somewhat helpless. Was this "angel lady" being too enthusiastic and too eager to win him over? They had only known each other for a short time, yet she had already placed him in the Heavenly Dou Empire's camp. Moreover, her attitude towards Grandmaster clearly showed a certain peculiarity...

First of all, it is certain that the identity of the master's disciple has been basically settled in her mind, but Tang Shan does not believe that the master's disciple can have such a great influence. After all, the master is ultimately just a theoretical researcher. Even if he is suspected of having profound cultivation, he would not be so deliberately courted.

Thinking about it this way, Tang Shan gradually came to the answer. It must be that the talent of his own martial soul had left a deep impression on her, which was why she treated Grandmaster with such respect.

The two people sitting face to face were both lost in thought, but on the surface they remained calm and tacitly concealed their true feelings.

"Your Highness, my master's research on the true form of the beast soul is indeed quite unorthodox. If you have any doubts, just listen to it as casual conversation and don't take it too seriously."

Tang Shan gave a heads-up, since what he was about to say was practically a mockery of all the top Beast Martial Soul Masters.

The more Tangshan laid the groundwork, the more interested Xue Qinghe became, much like some children who are more inclined to try things the more their parents forbid them from doing.

"My master believes that almost all Beast Soul Masters have incomplete Martial Soul True Body."

Tang Shan was the first to put forward the core conclusion, which surprised Xue Qinghe: What does it mean that almost all beast spirit masters' spirit bodies are incomplete? The literal meaning is understandable, but upon closer examination, it is puzzling. Is there really such a thing as a spirit body being complete or incomplete?

"In terms of potential, the true form of the weapon spirit is higher, isn't that right?"

Upon hearing Tang Shan's question, Xue Qinghe nodded subconsciously.

"Since they are both seventh soul skills, why is there such a significant difference in their potential? Is it possible that the beast soul true form itself is incomplete?"

Xue Qinghe frowned slightly and hesitated before answering, "That's true, but isn't that a bit far-fetched? Although I don't know much about the details of cultivation, I shouldn't say that the Beast Soul True Body is incomplete just because its upper limit is lower than that of the Weapon Soul True Body."

Tangshan didn't rush to refute, but instead asked another question.

"Your Highness, what are the differences between a Soul Saint or even a stronger Soul Master who uses a Beast Soul True Body and a true Soul Beast when the latter is in the Martial Soul True Body state?"

Upon hearing this question, Xue Qinghe was greatly shocked and blurted out four words: "No difference."

"No, there is still a difference. They don't have the pure fighting instinct of soul beasts, nor the combat experience that soul beasts have accumulated over a long period of time, while my elder brother does."

As he spoke, Tang Shan patted Su Yuntao on the shoulder. Su Yuntao was eating a spiritual fruit produced by a plant-type soul beast that was several decades old. When he was patted like that, he blinked and looked at the two of them with a blank expression.

"You mean, a true Beast Soul Saint, after activating their Martial Soul True Form, can completely transform into a Soul Beast in a short period of time, even retaining their full combat instincts?"

"That's right. According to my teacher's speculation, once you enter that Martial Soul True Body state, it will consume soul power just like the Weapon Soul True Body."

"How do I enter this special Martial Soul True Body state?"

Even though the theory sounded a bit far-fetched, Xue Qinghe still had a considerable foundation of trust in it. Her previous views on cultivation had already been overturned once, so she quickly grasped the key point and subconsciously turned her gaze to Su Yuntao.

Clearly, Tang Shan's words just now made it very clear that Su Yuntao possesses the potential to enter this so-called true beast soul form.

"In fact, every Beast Soul Master possesses this potential; the key is whether or not it can be developed."

Seeing that Xue Qinghe was captivated by the theory he was explaining, Tang Shan's lips curled up slightly.

"As long as it is a beast spirit, the spirit master will have some bloodline of spirit beasts remaining in his body. The spirit also contains some of the fighting instincts of his ancestors. This can be seen from the fact that after the spirit master opens the true form of the beast spirit, the spirit master's grasp of the timing of battle and the use of the beast body will be improved."

The important thing is never whether there is potential, but whether it can be developed. As for how to develop it specifically, even my master didn't have a clear method, and even my eldest brother only achieved it by chance.

Xue Qinghe closed her eyes and fell into deep thought. Tang Shan did not disturb her and waited quietly for her response.

Is the true beast soul form he described real or fake?

This question lingered in Xue Qinghe's mind, refusing to leave.

"Young Master, the master's theory should be correct."

The complex voice of the Porcupine Douluo rang in Xue Qinghe's ears; they were communicating through telepathy.

"Uncle Porcupine, how do you know?"

Xue Qinghe remained deep in thought, responding silently with a telepathic message.

“We just reminisced about Su Yuntao’s battle on the arena. When he fought against those two Royal Soul Masters under your command, he entered a special state, which we all witnessed. I just carefully analyzed the details of that battle and discovered that Su Yuntao’s subsequent fighting rhythm and timing control have reached an extremely terrifying level. Moreover, his behavior is basically no different from that of a real soul beast.”

"How much does this state increase one's strength?"

The Porcupine Douluo sighed, his tone full of emotion: "Very strong. If I can fully master the combat experience and instincts corresponding to my martial soul, I am confident that I can challenge a level 93 titled Douluo with just my newly broken-through level 91 soul power."

Xue Qinghe naturally understood why the Porcupine Douluo sighed. To painstakingly cultivate to the level of a Title Douluo, only to be told that one's Martial Soul True Body was incomplete, would be a tremendous blow to any top-tier Soul Master. No wonder Tang Shan said this theory was heretical; it wasn't just heretical, it was practically pointing a finger at all the top Beast Martial Soul Masters and saying: "Your cultivation is all wrong; you're all missing a crucial part."

"Uncle Prickly Porcupine, don't worry. I'll ask Tangshan later to see if there's any possibility of repairing this kind of injury."

Xue Qinghe comforted the Porcupine Douluo with a few words of comfort via telepathy, but his own feelings became increasingly complicated.

If the Porcupine Douluo's cultivation has such problems, what about Grandpa Golden Crocodile? Do the other beast spirit worshippers in the Hall of Worship also have the same situation?

In a sense, her Angelic Martial Soul can be arguably classified as a type of Beast Martial Soul. Could her own cultivation also have this problem? Does that mean that her grandfather, who is a peerless Douluo, also has the same cultivation deficiency?

Xue Qinghe opened her eyes again, her gaze returning to its usual calm and serene expression. She looked at Tang Shan with an extremely serious expression.

"Your master is truly a prodigy. Such a revolutionary theory, upon closer examination, makes perfect sense. Such exceptional talent is unprecedented. Although there is no specific development method at present, do you have any general development direction? If you, Tang Shan, are willing to tell me, I am willing to give you a thousand-year-old soul bone as a token of my gratitude."

Tang Shan quickly waved his hand, his tone sincere, "Your Highness, there's no need for that. Everything I can tell you is information that my master allows outsiders to know, so there's no need to hide anything. As for the development direction, there is indeed one: to imitate the daily behavior and actions of the spirit beast corresponding to the martial soul, and then try to completely integrate the spirit beast's form with oneself. If one has enough talent and good luck, one might have the opportunity to unlock this special state."

Tang Shan paused, then added, "While it's called development, it's more like a fusion of combat experience between a Soul Master and their Martial Soul. That's why my master calls this state 'Martial Soul Fusion.' However, my master speculates that the higher a Beast Soul Master's Soul Power level, the harder it is for them to enter this state, because in his view, this state is the result of a perfect synergy between the Soul Master and their Martial Soul. Many Beast Soul Masters, in their daily combat, still tend to use human-like fighting styles. Over time, they have subtly worn down and silenced the fighting instincts and experience of the Soul Beasts that remain in their Martial Soul and their own bloodline."

P.S.: Divine Martial Souls are quite special, as will be explained later; they are not on the same level as Beast Martial Souls.

Chapter 61 Successful defection, the choice of soul beasts (Please bookmark and subscribe)

In the shadows, Serpent Spear Douluo gently patted Porcupine Douluo on the shoulder.

"Relax and think about it carefully. We're already lucky to have broken through to the Title Douluo level. What if we're right or wrong? What if the Grandmaster's theory is also flawed?"

Even if these words came from Serpent Spear Douluo himself, he wouldn't believe them. The intensive theoretical output just now not only gave the two of them a lot of insights, but also made them clearly realize that there was a world of difference between them and the Grandmaster in terms of understanding of martial soul cultivation.

The more one's own understanding of spiritual practice, the more profound one's reverence for the master becomes.

Before he was granted a title, he saw the master as a frog in a well gazing at the moon in the sky.

Once granted a title, seeing the master again felt like floating in the clear sky.

The gap seems to be widening.

Is that so?

Xue Qinghe felt a tightness in his throat and slowly opened his mouth, his tone full of complexity.

"Your Highness need not worry. Even if this potential is not developed, it will not have much impact on daily cultivation."

Tang Shan offered simple words of comfort, deliberately ignoring the automatic circulation of soul power within Su Yuntao's body after he entered that state.

That was absolutely a coincidence. Not entering the Martial Soul Fusion state might just mean slightly weaker combat power, but there were no other disadvantages.

Don't let this angel lady lose her composure; don't overthink it. The Six-Winged Angel martial soul is most likely, probably, perhaps, possibly not a beast martial soul; just focus on your cultivation.

Tang Shan himself wasn't sure if this method would work on the six-winged angel, but to avoid Qian Renxue overthinking and developing serious self-doubt, he proactively changed the subject.

"Your Highness, what kind of treatment would I receive if I joined your ranks?"

Xue Qinghe paused for a moment, barely managing to suppress his increasingly chaotic thoughts, and replied without hesitation:

"All kinds of cultivation resources are fully available. I will report to my father later and ask for at least two ten-thousand-year soul bones. The empire will be responsible for finding and assisting in hunting the soul beasts needed for each stage of cultivation."

A hint of struggle flashed across her face, but then, as if she had made up her mind, she solemnly added, "If I ascend to the throne in the future, when you reach the ninth ring, I will spare no effort and incur many favors to ask all the titled Douluo to help you hunt down a 100,000-year-old soul beast."

hiss!

Sitting to the side, Su Yuntao couldn't help but gasp. That was a 100,000-year soul ring, a 100,000-year soul ring with two soul skills! In addition, 100,000-year soul beasts have a 100% chance of producing soul bones, and absorbing the same type of soul bone can bring out the maximum effect. In other words, Xue Qinghe was essentially promising a 100,000-year soul ring and a 100,000-year soul bone. Such generosity was truly astonishing.

Tang Shan was also quite surprised. The period of Douluo Continent I was far less about the iteration of strength than that of Douluo Continent II, and at this time, the Title Douluo did not yet have a Soul Core.

In Douluo II, a 100,000-year-old soul beast that could be easily killed by a Super Douluo could fight a Super Douluo to a standstill in Douluo I. In addition, the physical strength of a Super Douluo is not as good as that of a 100,000-year-old soul beast, so it is extremely difficult to truly kill a 100,000-year-old soul beast.

Consider the current Pope: he possesses twin martial souls, is undergoing the Rakshasa God Trial, has mastered numerous rule-based soul skills, and is assisted by many Title Douluos, including two with martial soul fusion skills. Yet, even so, he still expended tremendous effort to hunt down the Titan Giant Ape and the Azure Bull Python, ultimately sacrificing these two soul beasts for Tang San. This demonstrates the immense weight of Xue Qinghe's final promise.

Although she made several conditions before making the promise—first, that she would ascend to the throne, and second, that Tang Shan needed a ninth soul ring (which meant becoming a quasi-titled figurehead)—it was enough to show how much she valued Tang Shan.