Xiao Zhan is a strong individual at the Spirit Saint level.
The strength of a Spirit Master undergoes a qualitative change at several stages. Among them, the Spirit Elder stage is significant, marking a substantial bottleneck and the first node for a thousand-year Spirit Ring.
Next is the Spirit King, marking the first node for a ten-thousand-year Spirit Ring. Additionally, due to the soul resonance of the ten-thousand-year Spirit Ring, Spirit King-level experts, after absorbing the ten-thousand-year Spirit Ring, surpass Spirit Ancestors significantly in spiritual willpower.
Moving forward, the true qualitative change can be said to occur at the Spirit Saint level. Regardless of the origin of the seventh Spirit Ring from any Spirit Beast, the Martial Spirit's true form ability will be obtained.
The final stage of Spirit Master cultivation is the Titled Douluo. There is a vast difference in each level of Titled Douluo, especially after level ninety-five.
"The manifestation of the Martial Spirit's true form varies for different Martial Spirit Spirit Masters. When a Beast Martial Spirit Spirit Master manifests the Martial Spirit's true form, they will undergo a beastly transformation, as if truly embodying the Martial Spirit. There will be a qualitative leap in physical strength and other aspects, and the power of Spirit Skills will increase while consumption decreases."
Although Su Wen had not reached this level, Xiao Zhan was still explaining these things. In his view, Su Wen was into theoretical research, so there was no problem with him knowing this information in advance.
"As for the Spirit Masters with Tool Martial Spirits, most of them seem to integrate with their Tool Martial Spirits as if they were one entity. The Martial Spirit undergoes significant strengthening, and the amplification of Spirit Skills is stronger than that of Beast Martial Spirit's true form, while consumption is also lower."
Su Wen nodded.
He actually knew all of this but still listened carefully to Xiao Zhan's explanation.
Different people have different insights, especially since Xiao Zhan himself is a Spirit Saint, with direct experience, his descriptions are more detailed.
"The technique that Old Bai and I developed is actually based on the different manifestations of the Martial Spirit's true form. Why can Beast Martial Spirit Spirit Masters transform into beastly forms with their Martial Spirit's true form, but why can't Tool Martial Spirit Spirit Masters transform into tool forms? Even if they can't take on the appearance of the Martial Spirit, what if the Martial Spirit integrates into the body?"
Especially for someone like me, who is not a Spirit Master who treats their Tool Martial Spirit as a real weapon, allowing my Martial Spirit to merge into my body would make it more convenient to use Spirit Skills and fight."
Su Wen suddenly realized, understanding the source of Xiao Zhan's technique of not releasing the Martial Spirit to use Spirit Skills.
"Of course, this is just the inspiration for this technique. The real development of this technique actually relies on another aspect of theory. After all, relying on the Martial Spirit's true form for Spirit Saints and above is considered a trump card, with huge consumption, and it's not feasible to use it as a regular means."
Xiao Zhan hadn't continued his explanation, but Su Wen had already had some enlightenment.
"Uncle Zhan, your technique relies on the fusion between the Martial Spirit and the Spirit Master, right?"
"Huh?" Xiao Zhan was momentarily surprised that Su Wen would answer. He then showed an admiring expression and said, "Exactly, it seems that your research on Martial Spirit cultivation is truly profound."
Xiao Zhan had only learned from Bai Yuan that Su Wen had considerable insights into Martial Spirit cultivation. However, he didn't expect that by merely mentioning the source of his inspiration and demonstrating its effects, Su Wen would guess the theoretical basis behind it.
"The cultivation of a Spirit Master is essentially a continuous process of fusion between the Martial Spirit and the Spirit Master. The Spirit Saint stage is the first stage of that transformation, where the fusion between the Martial Spirit and the Spirit Master is greatly enhanced due to the existence of the Martial Spirit's true form.
Even without using the Martial Spirit's true form, the fusion is sufficient to significantly improve the Spirit Master's strength. This emphasizes the importance of the fusion between the Martial Spirit and the Spirit Master. According to the information from the Spirit Hall, in the later stages of Titled Douluo cultivation, the accumulation of Soul Power is not a barrier; rather, the advancement of Soul Power levels depends on the degree of fusion."
(The original work has this setting, but it seems like it was forgotten while writing.)
"So, Uncle Zhan, you rely on the high degree of fusion between yourself and your Martial Spirit to achieve this technique, is that right?"
Xiao Zhan nodded and said, "That's right, I've named it the Spirit Fusion Method."
It was evident that he was proud.
"In fact, many Spirit Masters have attempted this before; after all, the Spirit Hall is not lacking in theoretical scholars. However, they have not developed the Spirit Fusion Method." Xiao Zhan shook his head and continued, "It was just a stroke of luck for me, coupled with the special tolerance of the Book Martial Spirit, that I successfully mastered the Spirit Fusion Method."
"The tolerance of the Book Martial Spirit?" Su Wen murmured, pondering the meaning of Xiao Zhan's mentioned tolerance.
"Yes," Xiao Zhan looked at Su Wen's puzzled expression and smiled.
It seems you still don't understand. Your understanding of Martial Spirit cultivation is profound, but it seems you lack some understanding of your own Martial Spirit.
"A book is the carrier of knowledge, able to record all things."
"Record?" Su Wen vaguely understood what Xiao Zhan meant by tolerance.
The so-called tolerance refers to the recording characteristic of the book.
"The fusion of the Martial Spirit and Spirit Master is not just superficial; it is a complete fusion. The characteristics of the Martial Spirit will gradually integrate into the Spirit Master." Su Wen nodded, having roughly understood the principle of the Spirit Fusion Method by now.
Xiao Zhan continued to explain, "The Spirit Fusion Method is about triggering this characteristic, accommodating the Martial Spirit's Spirit Ring, which is to record it."
"In fact, it boils down to mastering Spirit Skills completely. By using the characteristics of the Book Martial Spirit to 'record' Spirit Skills, one can have near-instinctive control over them." Su Wen thought to himself.
If Spirit Skills can be recorded, what about creating one's own Spirit Skills?
Su Wen's thoughts quickly began to diverge.
Seeing Su Wen pondering, Xiao Zhan also asked about Su Wen's doubts and, upon learning what he was thinking, smiled.
"As long as it can be accommodated, then it's possible."
"So, the Book Martial Spirit has so many benefits." Su Wen also exclaimed.
Books are indeed extraordinary.
Books are the carriers of knowledge, how can they be ordinary?
"It's just that I haven't fully utilized the characteristics of the book before."
Su Wen's thought his Martial Spirit gained the Wise characteristic after absorbing the first Spirit Ring, but now it seems to be just another characteristic of the book.
'Recording is also an important ability of the book. In the future development of the Martial Spirit, this characteristic needs to be explored.'
Su Wen felt that recording was closer to the essence of the book.
"Well, unless unexpectedly, it's impossible to successfully cultivate the Spirit Fusion Method before reaching Spirit Saint, so you don't need to delve too deeply into it," Xiao Zhan said. "Of course, now you can start preparing. To record Spirit Skills, you still need to have a deeper mastery of them."
Returning to the current training plan, Su Wen needs to refine his understanding of Spirit Skills.
However, Su Wen did not directly give up on the Spirit Fusion Method because of what Xiao Zhan said.
'Unless unexpectedly?
But in this world, everything could be unexpected.'
'I have an extremely strong perception, even extending it to sense the faint Martial Spirit Space. Perhaps, this is the process of merging with the Martial Spirit?'
If that's the case, then undoubtedly, Su Wen's fusion with his own Martial Spirit is already quite high.
'In that case, I might still have the possibility of practicing the Spirit Fusion Method!'
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