Chapter 11: Natal Skill

When the other 9 children finished the Martial Artifact plan, Vaiss made 5 beds and let them rest for a while.

"Han Yu, let's test your martial soul."

"Okay, brother!"

The difference showed as soon as Han Yu summoned her martial soul. Unlike before, the Watering Can martial soul now could float on its own and fly around Han Yu. 

Han Yu was surprised and touched the watering can, then she could hear a small voice.

"Brother, my martial soul spoke!"

Han Yu yelled, Ghost and Han Xu were taken back. They knew the martial soul was alive but it only had an instinct, it could not communicate with the host with words. Also, how could the martial soul float on its own?

"Young master, this is…"

"Well, let me first explain what the Martial Artifact plan does.

First, I erase the host energy veins and dantian, that is the meridians that transport and hold the energy in the body.

Second, I copied the energy veins of the martial soul and grafted it into the host body. The energy veins of the martial soul are always bigger and stronger than the host with no spirit power.

The third and final step, I turned the martial soul from virtual to reality and bestowed it with a small consciousness that could grow with time."

"Virtual to reality? Small consciousness?"

Ghost seemed to have seen a martial soul with this character but he couldn't recall it. Vaiss smiled.

"Grandpa Ghost, you have seen this kind of martial soul before, after all, I got the inspiration for this plan from him. And before the creation of the Martial Artifact plan, he was the only one with this kind of autonomous martial soul."

"I saw him? Why can't I recall then?"

"Hehe, let me give you a hint. Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, the Grandmaster."

"Yu Xiaogang?!"

"Bingo!"

Now Ghost recalled that waste's small pig martial soul. He realized that it was moving on its own and could even show emotion.

"But make no mistake, no matter how intelligent it looked, Yu Xiaogang's martial soul only has an instinct, not consciousness.

It cannot talk to the host directly like Han Yu's martial soul."

Vaiss held out his chest, how could his plan stop at the same or inferior to Yu Xiaogang's martial soul? His and the system's product must be boutique!

"The third step is the most crucial in the Martial Artifact plan. It can be done alone and it is still called the Martial Artifact plan.

Without it, the plan can't be called a Martial Artifact plan, it can only be called Energy Veins Grafting plan. Allowing those with no spirit power to have spirit power.

As for why it is so important, this step allows the host to quickly master the martial soul and know all its functions. 

And its greatest effect was to allow the martial soul to cultivate! It can absorb energy all the time, albeit slower and less than the host and not when fighting or used, and feedback to the host.

If the host and martial soul cultivate at the same time, the cultivation speed will double!

Han Yu, try to feel it, the spirit power flowing into you from your martial soul."

Vaiss smiled at Han Yu, who immediately closed her eyes to feel the spirit power. Ghost also waited in anticipation, if it really worked as Vaiss said, he wanted to appeal to Vaiss to make this plan available to all the Spirit Hall staff. Even he was tempted.

Such a magical way, how could anyone refuse faster cultivation speed? 

In fact, without Ghost saying anything, he would provide the plan to the Spirit Hall. After all, it was my own power. But before that, he needed to have some restrictions on it, and the system, like always, provided it with some price.

Martial Soul Contract 

Effect: When the contractor breaches the contract, the contract will destroy the martial soul of the contractor.

Price: 10000 

The price was so expensive because of the effect of the contract itself and it was not a one-time thing but permanent.

Now he only had some 8000 points, Vaiss decided to spar with Ghost when he had the time.

"Brother, I feel it! It's small but my martial soul gives me spirit power!"

"Good!"

Ghost was more excited than Han Yu and he turned to Vaiss but Vaiss spoke before he could.

"Grandpa, I know. But before I could put restrictions on the user of the plan, I will not spread this plan. Han Yu and the others are an exception as they are the first ones to receive this plan."

What Vaiss didn't say was that they were too weak to be a threat. Ghost also understood Vaiss's concern, the Spirit Hall could plant spies in other powers, couldn't the other powers do the same?

So, the restrictions must be placed so that the Spirit Hall wouldn't raise an enemy with their own hands and resource.

"Han Yu, communicate with your martial soul and know what it can do."

"Yes, brother."

Han Yu sat cross-legged with her martial soul on her lap. Vaiss looked at Han Yu and the other sleeping children, Vaiss thought he had some time.

"Grandpa Chief, please look after them."

"I will, Young master."

"Grandpa Ghost, let's go."

"Yes."

Vaiss and Ghost walked out of the house. Then They flew far from the village.

"Young master, why are we here?"

Ghost asked after they landed.

"Grandpa, I want you to spar with me."

"Alright, then I will suppress myself to level 69."

Ghost had heard that Vaiss could fight across the level, so he only suppressed himself to level 69.

"Great, then I won't hold back! Martial soul possession!"

Turning to Ultraman Vaiss, he quickly summoned a hundred golden weapons and shot them toward Ghost.

Ghost looked at the incoming golden weapons, smiled, and dissolved into the shadow. Vaiss was not surprised, he never thought he could hit Ghost so easily. 

"First soul skill, Giant Ghost Hand!"

From the side, a black hand the size of a small car flew straight to Vaiss. Myriad Aegis appeared in front of the giant hand and blocked it, but although it was undamaged, it was pushed by the giant hand and Vaiss needed to hold it to stop it. 

This was the first time the Myriad Aegis had been pushed away by an attack. But thinking of the attacker, Vaiss thought it was normal.

Ghost was a little surprised Vaiss managed to take his attack head-on. Although power was not his forte, he was not bad. 

When the giant hand disappeared, Vaiss rushed to Ghost and his speed once again surprised Ghost.

"Thunderous Claw!"

"Third soul skill, Ghost Claw!"

Bluish white claws of thunder hit the black claw with a ghost aura, the sound of screeching rang as the claws fought for dominance.

Although the thunder element restrained Ghost's dark attribute, the gap in level halved the restrained. Ghost felt Vaiss' strength growing as he slowly overwhelmed him. 

'Such a strong body, this is the reason he can fight across levels. What a monster.'

Ghost dissolved his attack and hid in the shadow again, Vaiss staggered a little.

"Fourth soul skill, Ghost Shadow!"

Ghost appeared behind Vaiss and multiple ghost phantoms came out of Ghost's hand and attacked Vaiss. 

"Fifth soul skill, Ghost Shadow Hand!"

Vaiss was about to defend himself when numerous black hands came out from under him, holding him and the Myriad Aegis tightly. This stalled him for a second and the ghost phantom hit him. Vaiss was pushed back for five meters.

It hurt him but the blazing sun energy offset some of the damage and residual energy inside his body and holy light healed him. 

Just as Vaiss was about to counterattack, he looked at Ghost who placed his hand on his neck. Vaiss stopped and lay down in frustration. He already knew he would lose. He could minimize the difference in strength, but the difference in battle experience was hard to cover.

"Points +632."

The frustration was lessened, the points were higher than when he sparred with Senet and the others. He guessed that the bigger the gap of strength between him and the enemy, the more the points. While Ghost suppressed himself, he was titled douluo.

"Haha, don't look so frustrated, young master. You can fight across two big realms, that is something no one can do."

Fighting across levels was not something uncommon but it usually only 3 or 4 level difference, not a big realm. 

"Hmph! If Grandpa doesn't run around, I can defeat grandpa!"

"Yes yes. Now, do you want to continue, or do we go back?"

"Continue! Of course, we continue!"

Such big points for a spar, Vaiss going to farm Ghost points today.

In the distance, Di Tian was looking at Vaiss. His recognition of Vaiss was slowly increasing, especially after he detected holy light from Vaiss. He could tell the superb healing power of the holy lights. He was tempted to take Vaiss back and tried to see if Vaiss could heal Gu Yuena.

After seeing the blazing sun energy could offset and purify foreign energy, he was even more tempted.

But he held back, he wanted to wait for Vaiss to grow stronger a little more. That way, he could help even more. 

.....

When Vaiss got back, his clothes were already full of mud while Ghost was still clean. Vaiss ran straight to the RV and cleaned himself.

A few minutes later, he went out refreshed. His points hit 11000, he could exchange for the Martial Soul Contract now. When he checked on Han Yu and the other children, they already communicated with their martial soul.

"Brother!"

Han Yu and the others ran toward Vaiss when they saw him.

"Well, how's your communication with your martial soul?"

"Brother, me and the other can use soul skill!"

"What?!"

Ghost was shocked. They haven't reached level 10 and added a soul ring, but Han Yu and the others said they have soul skill, how could Ghost not be shocked?

Vaiss was surprised too.

"Han Yu, can you show me your skill?"

"Yes!"

Han Yu held her martial soul, aimed at a tree. Vaiss and Ghost looked intently at Han Yu.

"Little Rain!"

Han Yu injected her spirit power into her martial soul and waved it upward, then on top of the tree, a gray cloud formed and a drizzle started to pour down.

The cloud was small with a 2-meters radius. The drizzle lasted for 5 minutes, the tree and its surrounding was wet.

Vaiss thought that it was just normal water but then the weeds started to grow longer, the flower became more vibrant, and the tree was flowering.

"This…"

"Hehe!"

Vaiss and Ghost looked blank while Han Yu was a little proud.

"Brother, this is my soul skill! It's called little rain, I can speed up the growing time of plants and make them grow better!"

Han Yu looked at Vaiss with a face that said 'Praise me! Praise me!' 

"It's good! Han Yu, your soul skill is great!"

Vaiss rubbed her head and praised her. He was never stingy with praise, especially for children.

The other children envied Han Yu.

"Brother, look at me! We can till the ground in an instant! Ground mover!"

A twin with a hoe martial soul said and hit the ground with it, the ground vibrated and two square meters in front of them were tilled.

"Brother, I can dig holes! Ground Collapse!"

A child with a shovel martial soul said, with a hit of his martial soul, a meter-wide and deep hole opened in front of him.

The other children showed their soul skills, vying for praise.

"Great! You all are the best!"

The children were satisfied and Vaiss looked at all the different soul skills. He felt that planting the new seeds would be a breeze.

He noticed that the same martial souls tend to have the same soul skill, he had some guess of the nature of the children's soul skills.

Besides Han Yu, he was interested in the three children with Blue Silver grass martial soul. 

One had a similar effect as Han Yu's soul skill, he could transform his spirit power to vitality through his martial soul, and this vitality could be used to heal people or promote plant growth.

The other could grow a field of blue silver grass. At first, we thought it was normal blue silver grass, but it was tastier and contained more spirit power than normal. Both people and beasts liked it very much.

The last one was unique, his soul skill was to wrap the enemy with blue silver grass and he could tighten it. It was pretty strong but still weak to fire. He could trap a decade soul beast using his blue silver grass.

The children were excited by their newfound power and played with it non-stop. They only stopped after they were called by their parent in the evening.

Vaiss and Ghost went back to the RV.

"Young master, their soul skill…"

"Yes, it was a self-created soul skill, no, maybe it is more appropriate to call it their natal skill."

"Natal skill?"

"Yes, just like a bird martial soul can fly, a plant can entangle or release fragrance, a hammer martial soul can be used to forge, or a beast martial soul inherits some of the characteristics of the soul beast. 

Every martial soul can be used without adding a soul ring, adding a soul ring will reinforce the martial soul function or give birth to a new function.

It seems that after their martial soul had undergone the Martial Artifact plan, one of these functions is strengthened in advance and becomes a natal skill. Like Han Yu's [Little Rain], it is the result of an upgraded and strengthened watering function.

The others are the same."

"That means, anyone that has undergone the Martial Artifact plan will have an extra soul skill than normal spirit master?"

Ghost sat down in shock, one extra soul skill, in this world where self-created soul skill was scarce, it was very precious.

It may not be too useful for an inferior martial soul, but if it were placed on the top martial soul, it would be very different. 

For example, Vaiss's Dawn Breaker.

"Young master, we need to quickly add a restriction and spread this in the Spirit City."

Ghost was serious, this plan will make Spirit Hall's strength reach new heights!, thought Ghost.

"I'll do my best."

Vaiss smiled, he decided to say he found the way in three months.