'What is my goal for my first Spirit Ring? it seems he already knows I reached level 10!'
Su Wen was surprised at how well-informed the dean was.
However, as the dean, it was normal for him to know about conflicts happening in the academy in a timely manner.
Moreover, as a dean, it was his duty to be informed promptly when a second-year ten-level Spirit Scholar appeared in his academy.
"I don't know enough about Spirit Beasts yet, so I don't have a specific goal in mind right now" Su Wen said truthfully.
Although there was some information on common Spirit Beasts in the school's teaching materials, they were all too ordinary and did not meet Su Wen's requirements.
"Your Martial Spirit is very special, it's a Book Martial Spirit, and you can develop combat abilities, which is indeed impressive," he said with a smile, but then his expression changed: "However, you should know that a book is just a book. As a Tool Martial Spirit, it is far inferior in combat to hammer, sword, and other Martial Spirits."
At the level of Spirit Master, and even at the level of Spirit Grandmaster, the difference is manageable and not too extreme. However, as Soul Power increases, this difference becomes more and more pronounced, even despair-inducing.
"A Book Martial Spirit, while it is a Tool Martial Spirit, does not belong to the common classification of Martial Spirits.
The Martial Spirits you learn about are divided into categories of strong attack, agile attack, defense, control, and support, but in reality, these are all divisions within combat.
A Book Martial Spirit, under normal circumstances, is not classified as battle-oriented but rather utility-oriented."
Major forces all have non-combatant Spirit Masters; their Martial Spirits are functional, responsible for various non-combatant auxiliary tasks.
In essence, they also fall under the category of support, just as the food category is a special type of support. The Book Martial Spirit belongs to another category within the support classification, the utility category."
The dean rubbed his bald head, looking at Su Wen's pensive expression, secretly pleased.
This is the explanation he specifically sought from the Grandmaster.
"A Book Martial Spirit's Spirit Master generally engages in research and finds it convenient for recording and studying. I heard from the Grandmaster that you once consulted him and had aspirations to become a scholar."
The Bald Dean spoke a lot, and Su Wen roughly guessed his intentions.
"Dean, I am not compatible with you." Su Wen was not prepared to take him as a master, at least not when he was only a Spirit Ancestor. A Spirit Ancestor couldn't teach him much, perhaps even less than what he already knew. What's the use of becoming his disciple then?
Of course, Su Wen couldn't refuse so bluntly; he could only decline on the grounds that they were not suitable for each other.
The Bald Dean sighed, "Su Wen, you are very clever. I am an agile attack type Spirit Master, and if you choose the path of a scholar, indeed, we are not suitable. However, since you have developed combat capabilities, presumably, you also intend to walk the path of a Battle Spirit Master with your Book Martial Spirit, right?"
Su Wen showed a keen interest.
He also figured out where the dean got his information from.
The Grandmaster's knowledge was indeed extensive, and Su Wen was curious about what path he could suggest for a Book Martial Spirit as a Battle Spirit Master.
"In the Doulou Land, there are all sorts of Martial Spirits, among which there are those that use Book Martial Spirits and become Battle Spirit Masters. Most of them are in the auxiliary category, with a few focusing on elemental control. The Fire Demon Book Martial Spirit is one of the more famous ones, and it has produced strong individuals that reached Spirit Emperor level!"
'The Fire Demon Book?
The route of elemental books?'
Su Wen roughly guessed the development path upon hearing the name of the Martial Spirit.
"No matter which path, there is no Battle Spirit Master who uses a Book Martial Spirit as a weapon."
One could use a book as an intermediary, mobilize elemental energy, or provide assistance, but there was no wielding of books as weapons.
After all, books were too fragile.
Su Wen pondered the information obtained by the Bald Dean from the Grandmaster and took these thoughts into consideration.
Using a book as a weapon was only his initial method, convenient for hunting Spirit Beasts, and also served as a transitional means.
However, fragility itself wasn't the issue.
The so-called fragility of books was just for ordinary books.
"There are also attacks using chrysanthemums."
Su Wen remembered that within the Immortal Herbs, there was a peculiar one called the Heaven Chrysanthemum, which was the Martial Spirit of the Chrysanthemum Douluo.
It should be able to compensate for the quality issues of the Book Martial Spirit, allowing his Heavenly Book to possess the strength of a weapon.
"It's alright, after all, it involves the choice of the direction of lifelong cultivation. You can think about it slowly when you return," The Bald Dean said, "What I want to discuss with you is the development of Martial Spirits."
"The Spirit Skills of Martial Spirits doesn't just come from acquiring Spirit Beasts' Spirit Rings, but also from the development of the Martial Spirit by the Spirit Master themselves," The Bald Dean said sternly.
"A Spirit Skill is actually the inherent power of the Martial Spirit itself. It's just that by using the Spirit Ring, this part of the power is guided out, and the way it's guided out determines the type of Spirit Skill that emerges. Ultimately, what Spirit Skill is obtained depends not only on the category of the Spirit Ring obtained but more on the development direction of the Martial Spirit in the Spirit Master's daily practice."
Su Wen also heard this theory for the first time.
"However, there are very few examples of Spirit Skills developed and guided independently."
It's mostly a matter of luck.
After inheriting the Martial Spirit, accumulating generation after generation, the Spirit Masters summarized the categories of Spirit Rings the Martial Spirit possesses and the techniques practiced before, selecting the most suitable Spirit Skill for that Martial Spirit to cultivate for future generations.
This is why most Spirit Master families have similar Spirit Skills.
By exercising different aspects of the Martial Spirit, employing various techniques, and paying attention to what to consider when absorbing the Spirit Ring, one can obtain the corresponding Spirit Skill in each specific Rank.
"Normal Martial Spirits are fine; even without technical experience, they can acquire a Spirit Skill suitable for themselves. But your Book Martial Spirit is different.
For a Book Martial Spirit, if you want to take the auxiliary route or manipulate elemental powers, you need techniques.
And these techniques are closely guarded secrets.
You have talent in developing your Martial Spirit. What I want to remind you is, if you want to pave your own path, try to develop your Martial Spirit in that direction as much as possible before acquiring a Spirit Ring.
This way, when you absorb the Spirit Ring, you'll have a higher probability of obtaining the Spirit Skill you desire."
"Dean, thank you for your guidance," Su Wen expressed gratitude to the dean then soon after left the dean's office.
On the way, Su Wen continued to ponder what the dean had said.
Other Spirit Masters rely on luck to obtain the corresponding Spirit Skills, and then they reflect back and formulate their techniques through practice.
However, there is still a small portion of Spirit Masters who develop their Martial Spirits independently to guide the direction of the obtained Spirit Skills.
Su Wen hopes to be one of them.
"I have a high level of control over my Martial Spirit, and developing it poses no difficulty at all. So, as long as the path is planned out well, I don't need to worry much about the Spirit Skill not aligning with my expectations."
Su Wen breathed a sigh of relief.
That, at least, eased his mind.
"Go for the first Spirit Ring?" Su Wen shook his head.
It's too early.
"My Martial Spirit is too weak."
It's too low-level, so basic that it's really just an ordinary Martial Spirit!
The quality of the Martial Spirit awakened by a Spirit Master is directly proportional to their Innate Spirit Power.
However, Su Wen's fifth-level Innate Spirit Power has come from his personal training, and his Martial Spirit lacked corresponding quality.
Only he understands himself the best.
Su Wen is well aware that his first Spirit Ring is crucial!
"Development direction?" He sighed bitterly, "At this point, I don't even have the qualification to consider it."
The first Spirit Ring will transform the Martial Spirit, and has the highest chance to cause significant transformation, and even evolve, evolving from its foundation!
"A Spirit Ring of four hundred years can not guarantee evolution. However, I don't have the qualification to absorb a Spirit Ring of the next level. So, I guess everything wil depends on the research on Origin Soul Power and hope it will make up for the diffrence..."
...
Back in Room 7, Su Wen entered a meditative state, beginning to sense the Martial Spirit Space...