"You're not wrong — if you chose to cultivate the Clear Sky Hammer now, it could indeed push your strength up another level in a short time. As long as you found the right Soul Rings, you'd become powerful right away, even stronger than a fifty- or sixty-level Soul Master. But have you thought about it? If you waited until you reached the ninetieth level to start cultivating the Clear Sky Hammer and then obtained nine Soul Rings, what grade would they be? At that point, even obtaining nine hundred-thousand-year Soul Rings and applying them all at once wouldn't be impossible. Even if Blue Silver Grass isn't the best, it's more than enough to push you to that level. And when the time comes to let all that accumulated potential burst forth, it won't be too late. At your current cultivation speed, you'll probably break your father's record for becoming the youngest Titled Douluo. So what's the rush?"
Dugu Bo clearly didn't know about the fatal flaw of Twin Martial Souls, but his words were an unmistakable truth.
Yes — in the past I was able to obtain external power. Why wouldn't I be able to do so in the future? Others have ten-thousand-year Soul Rings; I'll have twenty-thousand-year ones. Others have fifty-thousand-year Soul Rings; I'll get a hundred-thousand-year one. The effects of the Soul Rings alone could close the gap between my Martial Soul's quality and everyone else's. Besides, he still had an unexchanged Soul Bone. Weren't all of these advantages his own?
The turmoil in his heart gradually dissipated. The fog in Tang San's mind was quietly lifting. Now, as far as he was concerned, only one question remained: how to make himself stronger.
Dugu Bo watched the change in Tang San's eyes and knew that this little monster had figured out a great deal thanks to his guidance. Leaning back in his chair, he smiled: "Little monster, do you know what I left to do this time?"
Tang San said, somewhat annoyed: "How would I possibly know what an old monster like you is up to?" With his emotions recovering, he had visibly relaxed.
Dugu Bo chuckled: "I went to exchange blows with an old rival."
"Oh? Did you win or lose?" Tang San asked.
The green light in Dugu Bo's eyes grew noticeably more excited. "Neither of us won, neither of us lost — it was a draw. Haha."
Tang San mocked: "It was only a draw. What's there to be so smug about?"
Dugu Bo curled his lip: "You don't know a damn thing. In the past, every time I fought this guy, I'd end up beaten half to death, battered and humiliated. If it weren't for my poison, he would've killed me long ago. But this time, it was him who came out looking like a mess. If this old man hadn't shown a little mercy, I might have actually killed him."
Tang San's heart jolted. If Dugu Bo put it that way, his opponent had to be a Titled Douluo as well. Otherwise, how could anyone have given Dugu Bo such a hard time?
"Your strength has improved?"
Dugu Bo said proudly: "Not exactly. This fellow's Soul Power is at the ninety-sixth level — he's no slouch among Titled Douluo. And the forces backing him are even more terrifying. But this time he nearly fell. Can you blame me for being excited? Of course, I have you to thank for that!"
"Me? What does this have to do with me? He's a ninety-sixth-level Titled Douluo, and I'm only in the forties."
Dugu Bo grinned: "Remember those two Mother-Child Soul-Chasing Life-Seizing Galls you gave me? You really don't know how good something is until you try it. I should have lost this round again. I was already cornered and ready to run. But then I suddenly remembered that little treasure you gave me. So I pulled it out and gave it a go. I never expected it to be that terrifying. That fool took at least seven or eight poison needles, and I turned the whole fight around in an instant. In the end he had no choice but to flee for his life. Hahahaha." At the thought of how satisfying it had been, Dugu Bo burst into hearty laughter.
Mother-Child Soul-Chasing Life-Seizing Galls? Ever since crafting that Hidden Weapon, Tang San himself had never once used it. Suddenly, inspiration blazed through his mind, and his thoughts became crystal clear. Hidden Weapons. Hidden Weapons — I was born into the Tang Sect. I have Hidden Weapons.
That was it. Blue Silver Grass might not be a powerful Martial Soul, but just as his teacher had said, its adaptability was extraordinary. What if — what if he could combine Blue Silver Grass with the Hidden Weapon techniques he had inherited from the Tang Sect? What would the result be?
His heart began to pound wildly. Tang San swallowed hard, his mind already racing to figure out the secret of merging Blue Silver Grass with his supreme Hidden Weapon skills.
Dugu Bo watched Tang San's entire body shudder the moment he heard about the Mother-Child Soul-Chasing Life-Seizing Galls, after which he immediately went blank. It startled the old man too.
"Little monster, what's wrong with you?"
"Huh? I'm fine. Old monster, thanks for setting me straight. I've figured it out."
Dugu Bo struck the pose of a wise elder: "I can't very well have saved you for free, can I? I used up all of those Mother-Child Soul-Chasing Life-Seizing Galls this time. Do you have any more? Give me two more. I'll trade for them, or I'll buy them."
Tang San shot Dugu Bo a glare: "Trade for them, my foot. Take them." Four dark, round balls flew straight toward Dugu Bo.