The Blue Silver Bamboo-Scale Armor Soul Skill consists of two stages.
The first step involves stimulating the growth of Blue Silver Grass to wrap around the target, a process that primarily showcases the characteristics of Blue Silver Grass.
The second step involves weaving the Blue Silver Grass into armor-like patterns, followed by dehydration and hardening, which primarily displays the traits of Dragonscale Bamboo.
This transformation occurred after the Martial Soul fused with Dragonscale Bamboo.
Originally, the armor created by the Soul Skill leaned more toward “grass armor.” While it still provided triple toughness and defensive power, its protective effect against attacks like shockwaves was undoubtedly inferior to “bamboo armor.” Returning to the main topic, Russell controlled the Soul Skill to stop at the first step.
The Blue Scale King vines had not yet “hardened,” completely wrapping around Xiao Wu’s lower body, effectively using it as a Control System Soul Skill.
Although Russell had to bear the same consumption as fully executing the Soul Skill, in combat, this often yielded unexpectedly effective results.
“Ah!
Russell, you’re so despicable!
Let me go now!” While running, Xiao Wu’s lower body was entangled by the vines, causing her to fall to the ground in an awkward position, with only her hands and head still able to move.
She struggled fiercely against the vines, but the hardness of the Blue Scale King was far beyond that of Blue Silver Grass—it was incredibly tough.
Xiao Wu shouldn’t have been in such a sorry state.
With her reaction speed and explosive power, she could have reacted before the Blue Scale King grew and escaped the range of the Soul Skill.
However, having seen Russell perform the Soul Skill before, she hesitated out of confusion, allowing Russell to succeed.
Russell also noticed this: “Relying solely on the growth speed of Blue Silver Grass is still a bit slow.
Dragonscale Bamboo has vigorous vitality and isn’t slow to grow, but to enhance defense, growth speed must inevitably be sacrificed.
Next time, I need to fuse with a fast-growing plant Soul Beast.” “In addition, Soul Skill training must be added to the future training plan.
From activation to completion, Blue Silver Bamboo-Scale Armor requires two seconds of preparation time, which is far too fatal in combat.” Russell looked at Xiao Wu, and with a thought, he dispelled the Soul Skill, provoking her: “A bet is a bet.
Big Sister Xiao Wu wouldn’t go back on her word, would she?” Xiao Wu glared angrily at Russell.
“You’re the one who goes back on your word!
Liar!
Even your Soul Skill is deceitful!” Russell shrugged, letting Xiao Wu vent, and took out a glass tube, handing it to her.
“What for?” Xiao Wu played dumb, pulling her hand back slightly.
Russell extended the glass tube again.
“Don’t play dumb.
Give me your blood, or I’ll spread the word at the academy about how a certain big sister went back on her promise.” “Hmph!” Seeing that playing dumb was useless, Xiao Wu puffed her cheeks angrily.
Taking the dagger Russell gave her, she made a small cut on her finger and let out one drop, two drops…
ten drops, ah—eleven drops!
“Oops!
I miscounted!” Xiao Wu stomped her feet anxiously.
Letting Russell gain an advantage felt worse than not getting to eat carrots.
Russell promptly stored the glass tube and took a step back.
“Don’t move around recklessly.
If it breaks, you’ll have to bleed again.” Xiao Wu gritted her teeth, glaring at Russell, and squeezed out the words through clenched teeth: “Bastard!” Russell nodded.
A few insults wouldn’t cost him anything, so let her vent.
He placed the glass tube into the Synthesizer, and relevant information appeared.
[Blood containing a trace of Soul Beast aura] Category: Human Connective Tissue.
Quality: Green.
Characteristics: Quantity is too scarce to manifest.
Introduction: Derived from the blood of a legendary magical beast (crossed out) hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast after taking human form, it carries a trace of legendary essence.
Extremely precious, it can serve as a symbolic component in alchemical potions and as a stabilizer in magic potions.
Evaluation: Transformation, rabbit, animal, life/magical beast blood is a natural material for magic potions.
Russell was inwardly surprised: ‘Just a few drops of blood, containing minuscule Soul Power, yet it receives a green quality evaluation.
Truly worthy of a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast taking human form.’ ‘It can be used as a magic potion stabilizer, but I don’t have any formulas.’ Russell felt an itch of curiosity, but having no formulas meant just that—the Synthesizer couldn’t create something from nothing.
As for alchemical potions, they required a complete tradition to understand the meanings of those symbols spoken of by alchemists—celestial bodies like the sun, moon, and stars; emotions and sins like greed, anger, and ignorance; even abstract concepts and phenomena, all possessed multiple symbolic layers.
Russell didn’t believe he would encounter such a one-in-a-hundred-million chance, so he simply put it out of his mind.
“I’m leaving first.
If there’s another challenge next time, remember to tell me in advance and prepare the wager.” He waved at Xiao Wu and hurried away.
Xiao Wu pressed her finger against the wound, watching Russell run off into the distance, her anger burning.
After leaving the academy, Russell originally planned to buy some medicinal herbs, test their properties with the Synthesizer, record them one by one, and then attempt to synthesize magic potions independently, free from reliance on formulas.
But walking down the street, Russell felt his jingling pocket and sighed.
“So poor.” Forget buying medicinal herbs—he was even considering going to ask Director Su for his work-study wages back.
Thinking of ways to earn money, Russell recalled the empire’s laws he had studied in class.
“With only one soul ring cultivation, it’s not feasible.” Russell shook his head, abandoning the dangerous idea, and turned toward the Spirit Hall.
He hadn’t originally wanted this one gold coin, but a poor man couldn’t afford to be too picky.
Russell, familiar with the route, arrived at the Spirit Hall and saw his old acquaintance Su Yuntao.
“Your Martial Soul mutated again?!” Su Yuntao was just as surprised as Yu Xiaogang and Tang San.
After satisfying his curiosity by examining Russell’s Martial Soul, he led the way to register.
After completing the registration and dealing with the routine recruitment attempts, Russell asked about his other goal: “Brother Su, do you know any profitable ways to make money?” Su Yuntao was puzzled.
One gold coin, if not spent recklessly, was enough for basic sustenance.
“Are you that short on money?
Should I lend you some?” Russell expressed his thanks: “Thank you, Brother Su, but I want to earn money myself.” How much money could a Soul Grand Master have?
It wasn’t worth owing a favor for that.
“I really need to think carefully about this.” Su Yuntao scratched his head.
He usually received a salary from the Spirit Hall and also collected the Soul Master subsidy.
Although he spent most of it on Sisi, he had never truly worried about money.
“Got it.” Su Yuntao clapped his hands, his expression brightening with delight: “You could compile your experiences of two Martial Soul Mutations and submit them to the Spirit Hall’s newspaper.
If they take an interest, you could probably earn a three-digit sum in Gold Soul Coins.” “The Spirit Hall has its own newspaper?” Russell was confused; he hadn’t heard of it.
Su Yuntao explained somewhat awkwardly: “Its full name is ‘The Martial Soul Gazette.’ It generally publishes major events and interesting happenings across the continent.
Occasionally, people publish research on Martial Souls.
Some Soul Masters without backgrounds, unwilling to join major factions, often buy a copy to pass the time.” So that’s how it was.
Russell understood.
It seemed that Yu Xiaogang’s “fame throughout the world” likely came from publishing his “Ten Core Competition Theories of the Martial Soul” in the newspaper, which ultimately led to his own disgrace.
As for why a theory full of errors and leaks, revealing knowledge that higher-ups had tacitly agreed to suppress, was successfully published—that was undoubtedly due to the backdoor opened by the former Saintess of the Spirit Hall, the previous Pope, Bibi Dong.
Without overthinking it, Russell nodded.
“Alright, I’ll give it a try.”