Chapter 268: He's Just a Child

"The difficulty of stimulating blood and qi power is extremely high, and the process of soul power integration is also very sluggish. My own situation is special, but this problem shouldn't be unique..."

"I think the process of energy integration should be natural. There must be a key step missing..."

"Human soul masters advance their cultivation by hunting soul beasts to obtain soul rings. In the integration process, it's inevitable to incorporate foreign energy, which must create obstacles for most soul masters..."

"According to the foundational theory of Innate Skill, soul power, soul force, and blood and qi power are the main components of a soul master's strength. But the human body is complex, and it's not limited to just these energies. Purifying them is extremely difficult and requires high standards..."

"Perhaps the compatibility of energy should be considered from the initial stage of integration..."

"..."

Su Cheng's mind was completely absorbed by the densely written, neat small characters on the page, his expression solemn and serious.

Ah Yin stood beside him, silently observing.

The sharp lines of his facial features still looked very young.

Although he had been tempered by many life experiences, giving Su Cheng a mature aura, his serious demeanor at this moment exuded a unique charm different from ordinary people.

But in terms of appearance, there was still a hint of youthfulness.

Anyone could see that he wasn't very old, probably around twenty, which somewhat contradicted his demeanor and aura.

During these days, Ah Yin spent most of her time in this flower garden, staying with Chrysanthemum Douluo and others.

This was actually an idea suggested by Bibi Dong.

Ah Yin's mind couldn't help but recall the words the Pope Bibi Dong had said to her a few days ago.

"Su Cheng has something to discuss with Elder Chrysanthemum these two days. If you have any questions about your cultivation, you can take this opportunity to ask him."

She didn't know what Bibi Dong's purpose was for saying and doing these things.

In fact, since the other party had actively kept her in Spirit City and later had conversations with her, it had always made her feel suspicious.

Although Ah Yin had never been good at guessing people's intentions, she could see that Bibi Dong's attitude towards Su Cheng was somewhat subtle.

However, the other party probably misunderstood her thoughts.

That's what Ah Yin believed.

But she didn't intend to deny or explain, because it wasn't necessary.

Just like when facing Qian Renxue's cold eyes and harsh words, or the elders' indifference and exclusion, she couldn't be bothered to say anything to these people.

Because she had died once already.

She had long seen through irrelevant speculations from outsiders.

In the past, her thoughts were indeed somewhat naive, and her actions were rather childish.

But those behaviors stemmed from her nature and instincts, not from others' attitudes.

Just like when she first gained her spiritual body and traveled in Heaven Dou City, although she was deceived and lost all her money, she didn't feel any resentment.

Afterward, she never thought of asking Su Cheng to seek revenge and get back the stolen gold soul coins.

She simply didn't care.

Now staying in Spirit City, trying to get close to Su Cheng might be out of gratitude and guilt, or perhaps because of his special attitude towards the soul beast clan and the slight possibility of changing the hostile situation between soul beasts and humans in the future.

It could even be the details from the nearly two years they spent together that nurtured a sense of maternal affection in her heart.

But it was definitely not because of any kind of admiration or such strange feelings.

Ah Yin looked at Su Cheng with her blue eyes, a soft light flickering, "Actually, he's still just a seventeen or eighteen-year-old child..."

Su Cheng didn't notice the peculiar look in Ah Yin's eyes beside him.

At this moment, he was carefully chewing on a line of red-marked text on the next page.

"...I speculate that even if the Innate Power is successfully integrated in the future, it will be incomplete and difficult to become the norm. It is likely to be a temporary super-spec power, hard to sustain, and belongs to a special state of enhancement, not a truly high-level energy..."

"Not truly high-level energy, is that so..." Su Cheng murmured softly.

When a soul master becomes a god, their power will transform into divine power and operate smoothly.

However, the Innate Power doesn't function this way; it cannot reside in the body permanently. From this perspective, it indeed seems unreasonable.

In just a short moment, countless thoughts flooded his mind, only to be dismissed one by one.

Su Cheng subconsciously closed his eyes, frowned, and tried hard to capture that fleeting flash of inspiration.

"..."

Suddenly, a cool sensation appeared at his brow, a finger gently stroking that spot.

"Is it my writings that are affecting your thoughts?"

Su Cheng paused for a moment, opened his eyes, and looked at Ah Yin, instantly dispelling the chaotic thoughts in his mind.

Under his scrutinizing gaze, Ah Yin suddenly realized that her action seemed a bit overly intimate. Blushing, she quickly withdrew her hand as if touched by electricity.

Seeing this, Su Cheng temporarily gave up on immediately continuing his research on the Innate Skill.

Taking a deep breath, he said in a deep voice, "You're impressive. I underestimated you before."

Although Ah Yin's behavior and conduct were very different from normal people, even appearing pure and naive, completely inconsistent with her age.

But perhaps it was because of her pure mentality and different life essence that she had an extremely profound and unique understanding of the operation of energy and its deeper essence.

Hearing Su Cheng's praise, Ah Yin's eyes were filled with joy, and she softly said, "No, you're the amazing one, coming up with so many creative ideas."

"We're different." Su Cheng shook his head.

He had an unfair advantage, starting from entirely different starting points.

Ah Yin, however, didn't understand his meaning, sighed softly, and then smiled again.

"Come with me."

Saying this, her tone was a bit excited, indicating Su Cheng to follow her into the flower garden.

Su Cheng felt puzzled, but he didn't refuse and followed her into this garden paradise brimming with colorful flowers and plants.

For most plants, spring and summer are the best seasons.

The valley was vibrant and beautiful, filled with splendid colors.

Even though it lacked the dazzling immortal herbs and the magical Ice and Fire Yin Yang Spring, the scenery here was not inferior to the uniquely blessed Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eyes.

It was clear how much effort had been put into maintaining this garden.

Of course, effort alone couldn't achieve this; unique talent was also necessary.

"Look at them," the beautiful woman in palace attire raised her arm and pointed to the flower clusters ahead.

Her smile was radiant, almost dazzling, displaying a pure charm completely different from her usual reserved and awkward demeanor.

It seemed that only in this place could she find her past happiness.

After glancing at Ah Yin, Su Cheng's gaze followed her finger and landed on the flowers and plants not far away.

Eight patal Orchid, Frosty Dew Chrysanthemum, Cloud Brocade Hibiscus...

A variety of rare and exotic herbs were growing there in an orderly manner.

Of course, there were also the tea trees that Ah Yin had previously cultivated, Dragon Saliva Heavenly Fragrance.

Among these precious plants, many were transplanted from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eyes. Although not as valuable as immortal herbs, they were more demanding in their growth environment and extremely delicate, even competing with each other for dew and nutrients.

Now, they were all growing together harmoniously, which was quite rare.

To be honest, even Su Cheng couldn't manage to keep so many precious plants alive in an ordinary garden.

This garden had been meticulously cared for by Ah Yin for a long time, much better than when Yue Guan tended to it.

Indeed, nothing could be accomplished by "interest" alone.

Talent truly defies logic.

In terms of love for plants, Yue Guan was no less than anyone.

Unfortunately, regardless of his affinity for plants or related opportunities, Yue Guan fell far short.

The various rare flowers he had collected throughout his life couldn't compare to a few precious plants transplanted by Dugu Bo.

In comparison, even those Blue Silver Grass soul beasts seemed somewhat ordinary.

Although Blue Silver Grass soul beasts were extremely rare, considering their large numbers, it wasn't surprising for some to appear. These lowest and weakest soul beasts were generally overlooked...

Wait!

Su Cheng's eyes focused on the vine-like giant Blue Silver Grass growing in the garden.

"Those Blue Silver Grass..."

He suddenly realized that these soul beasts shouldn't have been transplanted from the Blue Silver Grass forest by Ah Yin.

As the former Blue Silver Emperor, she wouldn't have done such a thing.

No matter how good the environment here was, it wouldn't be as beneficial for Blue Silver Grass as the natural environment of the Blue Silver Grass forest.

"It's because of me; I helped them become soul beasts."

Ah Yin nodded heavily, a genuine smile appearing on her face.

She knew Su Cheng would understand what she meant.

She approached one of the plants, gently caressing the blue leaves on the vine.

The Blue Silver Grass responded to her touch, swaying gently like a child close to its mother.

"The Blue Silver Emperor has this ability?!"

Helping ordinary Blue Silver Grass grow into Blue Silver Grass soul beasts was an incredible ability, even for the Blue Silver Emperor.

For ordinary plants and animals to become true soul beasts was almost as impossible as ordinary people becoming soul masters.

For regular Blue Silver Grass, if they didn't show the soul beast bloodline at the start, they would remain as common weeds for life.

Hearing Su Cheng's question, Ah Yin explained with a mix of pride and confusion, "I didn't have this ability before, but after I advanced to Spirit Douluo, I could sense a special power lurking deep within the bloodlines of various plants.

"However, this feeling is faint, and the clearest sense is only with Blue Silver Grass.

"With some extra effort, I can help a few exceptionally gifted Blue Silver Grass become plant-type soul beasts."

"Is it because of her self-consolidated eighth soul ring?" Su Cheng pondered for a moment and then looked at Ayin, "Can you show me your current martial spirit and soul rings?"

When they last met by chance in the Elder Hall, he had sensed her breakthrough to the Spirit Douluo level.

Moreover, her aura was natural and exceptionally stable, unlike someone who had advanced through hunting soul beasts.

At that time, he had speculated that she had returned to the Blue Silver Grass forest and, like him, had self-consolidated her own eighth soul ring.

He had indeed received a confirmation from Ah Yin about this.

It was then that he passed on the third volume of the Innate Skill cultivation method to her.

However, he had other matters to attend to at that time, so they only chatted briefly, and he didn't pay much attention. He just felt that her comprehension was impressive, progressing quickly with the second volume of Innate Skill, showing more potential in cultivation than he had expected.

But now, it seemed there was more to it that he hadn't noticed.

Ah Yin naturally wouldn't refuse his request.

Nodding, her Blue Silver Emperor martial spirit appeared in her hand, and eight exceptionally powerful soul rings emerged.

The first seven rings were all black, ten-thousand-year soul rings, which Su Cheng was already aware of.

That day, when Ah Yin was reborn in the Blue Silver Grass forest, with the help of the natural environment and immense soul power, her cultivation had directly returned to her peak state before her death, the Soul Saint level.

Accordingly, her soul rings were all condensed to the maximum age limit that a Soul Saint could possess.

Those soul rings were not important; Su Cheng's focus was on the eighth soul ring.

Although it was also a ten-thousand-year soul ring, it emitted a green-gold light.

There was something unusual about this soul ring.

Su Cheng keenly sensed that it contained an immense amount of life force, and even the soul ring itself seemed to be of a higher tier than ordinary soul rings.

It wasn't just about its age or soul power reserves; its essence was higher.

It was similar to his seventh soul ring, which could trigger the second stage of the Eternal True Body, though not as exaggerated.

As he delved deeper, a faint glow appeared on Su Cheng's forehead, and his eyes began to shine with a golden light, scrutinizing Ah Yin and the soul rings around her.

Seeing this familiar scene, Ah Yin's cheeks turned red.

She remembered how, when she was still a spiritual body, Su Cheng had used this strange soul skill to thoroughly examine her inside and out.

Of course, he couldn't achieve the same effect now.

It wasn't that Su Cheng didn't want to; he simply couldn't.

His True Sight didn't have an X-ray vision effect; it just granted him the ability to see the essence of things.

At that time, Ah Yin's body-covering clothes were actually part of her body, like fur or a shell, naturally unable to block his sight.

Now, she was wearing normal clothes, which couldn't be seen through.

At this moment, Su Cheng could only observe the extremely peculiar flow of soul power within her.

No, perhaps calling it soul power wasn't appropriate.

That energy was far from ordinary soul power.

Normal soul power in the body is colorless and transparent, only changing form and color when infused with laws or attribute intents and released as soul skills.

But now, the energy flowing in Ah Yin's body emitted a faint green-gold light.

Su Cheng was astonished, "Such a highly concentrated life force is almost like an immortal body. Even if I use all my strength, I might not be able to truly kill her. Indeed, this is not an ordinary soul ring, and her current state is absolutely not normal. No, she has long ceased to be a normal being…"

Thinking of this, he suddenly realized that Ah Yin could serve as an excellent reference for his observations.

She could discern so many detailed nuances in the third volume of the Innate Skill, clearly due to her highly unique existence.

Moreover...

Perhaps she could help him solve issues related to immortal herbs.

He was foolish not to realize this earlier.

However, mere superficial observation wouldn't reveal much.

"..."

Su Cheng silently closed his True Sight, hesitated, and then boldly asked, "Ahem, I want to study your current physical state more closely. Would you mind?"

Ah Yin: "..."

Seeing her silence, Su Cheng thought she had reservations, so he quickly added, "This will greatly benefit your future cultivation. I see you've hit a bottleneck in integrating Innate Power. Give me some time, and I can certainly devise a method to help you advance further. Besides, I have studied this before…"

Hearing this, Ayin's delicate face turned bright red.