"Second spirit skill, Parasite!"
As Tang San's low shout rang out, his second spirit ring beneath his feet glowed with a yellow light. In the next moment, blue light began to flash continuously from the large tree entwined by the Blue Silver Grass. A mass of black and blue light emerged, and in almost an instant, the tree was once again enveloped by the Blue Silver Grass. However, this time, it wasn't Tang San's first spirit skill, Bind, but rather his second spirit skill, Parasite.
"Look, Little San, the effect of your second spirit skill, Parasite, is not to be underestimated," Grandmaster said, pointing to the tree now entwined once more by the Blue Silver Grass as he cautioned Tang San. "In a situation where an opponent doesn't know about your second spirit skill, Parasite, you can completely take them by surprise. If your opponent is careless, your Blue Silver Grass might even play a crucial role."
Upon hearing this, Tang San nodded slightly, but as he looked at the tree wrapped in his Blue Silver Grass, he couldn't shake a feeling that something wasn't quite right.
If his first spirit skill was to bind the enemy, then the second spirit skill added seeds and poison. However, the effect of the poison seemed minimal—it couldn't even corrode the bark of a tree. If he were to encounter a spirit master with spirit power circulating in their body, wouldn't it be even less effective? With these thoughts in mind, Tang San couldn't help but ask, "Teacher, I'd like to ask—if both of my spirit skills are focused on binding the enemy, aren't these abilities a bit repetitive? As you said, the element of surprise can be effective if the opponent doesn't know, but look, it can't even corrode the bark of a tree. If I'm up against a spirit master, wouldn't the effect be even weaker?"
"Moreover, if I encounter a powerful enemy who can break free from my Blue Silver Grass bindings, how will I attack them?"
"Little San, you don't understand," Grandmaster replied, explaining, "The battles between spirit masters are not only determined by the quality of their spirits and the level of their spirit power. Another important aspect is the development of their spirit abilities."
"For example, there are spirit masters who specialize in assault, agility, defense, support, or control. Each of these five types of spirit masters follows a completely different path of development. Assault-type spirit masters excel in combat, agility-type spirit masters in assassination, defense-type in protection, support-type in aiding others, and control-type in controlling the battlefield. Of these five paths, my years of spirit theory research have proven that control-type spirit masters are the strongest."
"The other types may seem distinctive, but they are often just brute force—focused on overpowering the enemy without much thought. But for a control-type spirit master like you, your brain must always be sharp, calm, and able to make the most accurate judgments at all times. So, don't be concerned that the first two spirit rings I've chosen for you are primarily focused on binding, with some offensive abilities."
"You need to understand that in the spirit master world, the majority are offense-oriented spirit masters. As a control-type spirit master, once your spirit power level increases, even a strong offensive spirit master will struggle to break free from your Blue Silver Grass. Although the Blue Silver Grass is often seen as a weak spirit, you are not weak, Little San. Don't forget, there are no useless spirits, only useless spirit masters!"
Grandmaster spoke passionately, repeating his famous line. In his view, there is no such thing as a useless spirit in the world of spirit masters, only spirit masters who are too weak. If your spirit is difficult to cultivate, that's because you are weak. It has nothing to do with the spirit itself. If it weren't for his own innate half-rank spirit power, which caused his spirit to mutate negatively, he would have long since broken through to become a Spirit Douluo, perhaps even a Titled Douluo. All his regrets stemmed from his poor talent, otherwise, reaching the pinnacle of the continent would have been inevitable for someone like him.
Hearing Grandmaster repeat once again that there are no useless spirits, only useless spirit masters, Tang San felt a surge of passion in his heart. He had been wrong—he shouldn't have doubted his teacher's theories. So what if the Blue Silver Grass binds enemies? As long as it can firmly control them, that's enough. Just imagine—a spirit master with a top-tier offensive spirit being controlled by the Blue Silver Grass! What a scene that would be! By then, who would dare call the Blue Silver Grass useless?
"Little San, remember what I've said," Grandmaster suddenly became serious. "Your Blue Silver Grass binding is powerful, but no one can guarantee that your enemy won't have a special means of attack. There are natural counters between spirits, just as there are between spirit masters. So, don't blindly rely on your binding abilities. After all, you never know what kind of power your opponent truly possesses."
Tang San asked, "Teacher, based on what you're saying, does that mean within the same level, my Blue Silver Grass control is practically invincible?"
"Nothing is absolute." Grandmaster shook his head, taking a small knife from his pocket. He casually slashed at the Blue Silver Grass that was binding the tree.
In an instant, the previously tough Blue Silver Grass was easily cut through. After being sliced in half, the grass fell from the tree.
"Teacher, I understand now. My Blue Silver Grass has flexibility but lacks hardness, so when facing sharp weapons, it can be easily cut, right?" Tang San's eyes lit up. Grandmaster's demonstration reminded him of two years ago when he sparred with Cheng Xiao, and his Blue Silver Grass was mercilessly cut apart. It was at that moment that Tang San realized that no matter how flexible the Blue Silver Grass was, it was still a plant. When confronted with a sharp blade, it could be easily severed.
Grandmaster nodded with a smile, proud of Tang San's insight. "Exactly, Little San. Your Blue Silver Grass is a plant, so unless you encounter a spirit master with a fire-type spirit, your greatest fear will be those who possess powerful weapon spirits. Weapon spirits like swords or knives are natural counters to your Blue Silver Grass. However, you needn't worry. Weapon spirit masters are quite rare, and those who awaken sword or knife spirits are even rarer. So, there's no need to be concerned about Cheng Xiao's dual swords. Once your spirit power level increases, his weapons will no longer pose a threat."
After hearing Grandmaster's words, Tang San had a sudden realization. It was just like with the hidden weapons of the Tang Sect—ordinary hidden weapons couldn't break through a spirit master's defense. Only top-tier hidden weapons with special properties could truly threaten a spirit master's life.
By comparing the two, Tang San understood. Right now, Cheng Xiao was like an ordinary hidden weapon—effective against low-level spirit masters but ineffective against higher-level ones. Once the gap in spirit power widened, the difference between them would become as stark as fireflies competing with the brightness of the moon. They would no longer be on the same level.