Chapter 493: Conversation with Xue Qinghe (Part 2)
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"Brother Tang, you are indeed meticulous."
As the inheritor of the Angel God, Xue Qinghe didn't fully understand divine power. All she knew was that a god's power was overwhelming.
The previous Angel God was completely gone, leaving behind only a divine seat and the faith energy gathered in the Offering Hall.
If not for Bibi Dong revealing certain secrets, Qian Renxue's only thought about becoming a god would have been: "Once you become a god, no one can oppose you."
But now, she had become more cautious about the prospect of godhood.
After all, she didn't want to ascend to godhood only to be bound by a higher, more powerful god realm, against which she'd have no power to resist.
"I wouldn't call it meticulous. There are still many objective factors that can't be ruled out. Martial spirit research requires human cooperation, and no two people in the world are exactly alike. Their personalities differ as well, so all we can do is gather large amounts of data." Tang San shook his head with a sigh and then continued talking about innate martial spirits. "In the past, most people considered this type of martial spirit useless. Either it had zero innate soul power, or it only started at one or two levels. Even those who could cultivate it didn't develop any significant abilities."
"But in truth, this type of martial spirit has a natural talent that ordinary martial spirits don't possess!"
"The key is that as long as their physical attributes keep up, their cultivation speed can increase, and in the best cases, they can reach the speed of someone with innate full soul power."
"As for why, I currently have only one theory: this type of martial spirit shares a connection with a part of the body. Every part of the human body, aside from things like hair, is essential. Since the martial spirit is linked to the body, humans, by nature, wouldn't reject a part of their own body—unless they develop extreme despair and suicidal thoughts."
Xue Qinghe was momentarily stunned, finding this idea incredibly surprising, but when she considered Tang San's theory of the "connection between martial spirit and psyche," it actually made sense.
If that were the case, wouldn't it mean that, in ancient times, everyone started on equal footing? But because of various desires and worship, the formless martial spirit essence became fixed, which then led to differences between martial spirits?
"Perhaps that's how it is," Tang San's eyes grew distant, as if he had become a philosopher. "Humans developed desires and thus were punished. And this punishment wasn't imposed by the gods—it was self-inflicted."
Qian Renxue pondered, recalling the mercy and generosity of angels, and her resolve grew even stronger.
Tang San continued, "It's often said that 'dragons give birth to dragons, phoenixes give birth to phoenixes, and rats are born knowing how to dig holes.' Bloodline inheritance is also very clear in martial spirits. If you exclude those that have mutated beyond recognition, you can tell whether a child is truly their parent's by the martial spirit they awaken at six years old."
"But the inheritance of innate martial spirits is different."
"For instance, if both the father and mother have hand martial spirits, the child is more likely to have a hand martial spirit too. However, it's also possible that the child will inherit an arm, a leg, a chest, or even ribs as their martial spirit."
"Among the innate martial spirit holders currently in Spirit City, there are several married couples. Their children also have innate martial spirits, but very few have the exact same martial spirit as their parents. You might think those children aren't their biological offspring, but these children resemble their fathers quite closely. One of them even looks like he was carved from the same mold."
Qian Renxue understood. Tang San was ruling out the possibility that these children weren't the biological offspring of their fathers and clarifying that the inheritance of innate martial spirits is far more unpredictable than that of other martial spirits.
This so-called "instability" perhaps lends theoretical support to the earlier idea that "most human tool and beast martial spirits were initially shaped by strong desires and beliefs."
Although it couldn't serve as definitive proof, Qian Renxue now understood why Tang San had grown so powerful. While other soul masters were still preoccupied with choosing their next soul ring, he was already studying the origins, essence, mutation, and evolution of martial spirits.
How many steps ahead was this?
Perhaps this was what it truly meant to be a soul master—not just to wield power, but to understand its very nature and the changes within it.
Most soul masters merely accumulated power, relying on soul rings to unleash their abilities. At best, they refined their combat skills through constant practice.
In other words, they relied on battle experience.
But Tang San?
Qian Renxue had already witnessed his combat prowess during the last Continental Elite Tournament. His tactics were unpredictable, his adaptability unmatched.
She could tell that, at least five years ago, Tang San didn't have much combat experience. Yet, his powerful physique, immense soul power, and keen spiritual awareness allowed him to completely dominate the students from other academies. His flexible and varied fighting styles seemed endless.
He fought with freedom, with ease, and without constraint.
"Brother Tang, I'd love to have a match with you," Xue Qinghe said, her eyes shining. If not for the need to keep her identity hidden, she would have demanded a duel to personally experience Tang San's strength.
"Are you joking?" Gu Yuena spoke up. "You know what level Tang San is at now, don't you?"
"Exactly, that's why I want to! To see how big the gap is between us, little one."
Qian Renxue reached out, trying to touch Gu Yuena's soft silver hair, but the latter quickly dodged, muttering, "I don't play with people who aren't clearly men or women."
Xue Qinghe's smile stiffened, and she awkwardly withdrew her hand. Glancing around to ensure no one else was present, she then shot Tang San a glare. "Some things shouldn't be told to children," she said, her tone laced with irritation.
Her words carried a deeper meaning—she was blaming Tang San for revealing things he shouldn't have to someone who had no business knowing, as it could lead to trouble in the future. At the very least, it meant this little girl now held some leverage over her.
Tang San responded calmly, "No one will believe a child."
Gu Yuena puffed out her chest, put her hands on her hips, and looked up at Qian Renxue, seriously declaring, "Exactly! I'm just a kid—who would believe anything I say?"
Qian Renxue was taken aback by this act but quickly understood. She realized that without enough status, there was no platform to speak from. Whether something was true or false, those in power would always have the upper hand in shaping the narrative. Even if others uncovered the truth, it would still be dismissed as falsehood.
The "truth" was always in the hands of those in control.
Of course, Qian Renxue also understood that this power could never be abused. Overusing it would lead to backlash, causing her to lose the trust of the people.
As expected, speaking with Tang San always brought unexpected insights.
Meanwhile, Tang San just wanted to say: "What did I even say?" A moment ago, they had been discussing innate martial spirits and hypothesizing about the origins of martial spirits. How did the conversation shift to Qian Renxue gaining profound insights about "controlling public opinion"?
It seemed that after ruling for so long, Qian Renxue's thoughts had become more aligned with that of a ruler.
When they finally arrived at the inn, Wang Chen greeted them with a smile, but the moment he saw Tang San, that smile froze on his face—
(End of Chapter)