The sensation of having a full reservoir of soul power had been with Xiao Yao Zi for several months now, yet he could not take even a single step forward.
According to Shi Hao's teachings, in this world, one could only awaken their martial soul after reaching the age of six.
Though Xiao Yao Zi's body had grown rapidly, now resembling someone in their teens, he was fundamentally still just a four-year-old child.
"You… you're serious? How is that even possible?" Shi Hao asked in disbelief.
Xiao Yao Zi also focused his attention on Meng Cheng Xian, trying to understand where the issue lay.
Meng Cheng Xian spread out his hand, and a massive surge of soul power gathered.
His muscles tensed, rippling with strength. Shi Hao was astounded by the sheer magnitude of this force—it far exceeded what one would expect from someone who had not yet reached the rank of a first-degree soul master.
A small sword began to manifest in Meng Cheng Xian's hand, gradually growing larger. He spoke:
"My body is incredibly strong right now. While it's true that Bei Ming Shen Gong absorbs soul power at a formidable rate, it doesn't enhance my physical constitution as fast as I do on my own.
My soul power reached its limit months ago, but I couldn't summon my martial soul. Now, my body is strong enough to break through conventional limits and awaken my martial soul independently."
"Put away your martial soul and hit me with a pure physical punch." Shi Hao said.
"Alright."
Meng Cheng Xian retracted his martial soul, flexed his muscles, and unleashed a full-force punch aimed at Shi Hao's arm.
Shi Hao didn't even take a step back, yet he was deeply astonished:
"Though a soul master's strength has never been in raw physical power but rather in their soul power, your current physical strength is on par with that of a fourth-degree soul master."
Then, recalling who he was facing, Shi Hao thought to himself:
"This guy isn't really human. Anyone who sees him would probably call him a demon."
At this moment, Meng Cheng Xian summoned his martial soul once more. He swung the sword a few times and muttered:
"I don't like weapons. Let's change it to something else."
Shi Hao and Xiao Yao Zi were stunned. Before they could say anything, a ripple of soul power spread outward.
The sword in Meng Cheng Xian's hand shattered, transforming into rays of light that were absorbed into his body.
Now, his body was enveloped in a golden glow, resembling the radiance emitted by his martial soul earlier.
Shi Hao was completely dumbfounded at this point. This development shattered his understanding of the world once again.
"Where… where's your martial soul? Don't tell me you destroyed it? How could you even do that? And the Kai Tian Sword is a top-tier martial soul! Why would you break it?"
He was on the verge of tears. The martial soul his family had passed down for generations was exceptionally powerful, yet here it was, being dismissed as unworthy.
"I don't like using weapons." Meng Cheng Xian replied nonchalantly.
"Besides, after destroying it, my martial soul has transformed into my own body."
Shi Hao knew what a body-based martial soul was, and he sighed deeply:
"Why? A body-based martial soul might naturally come with decent soul power, but it's considered a trash martial soul! How can a mere body stand against ferocious soul beasts and weapons?"
Meng Cheng Xian nodded in partial agreement. He, too, felt that his martial soul had indeed weakened after merging with his body.
"What you said isn't wrong. But do you think I rely on my martial soul to fight? You've already felt how strong my physical body is. Combined with my soul power, it's more than enough to battle." Meng Cheng Xian admitted.
Shi Hao nodded reluctantly. Although he found it a great pity, it wasn't an entirely hopeless situation.
Turning to Xiao Yao Zi, Shi Hao asked:
"You're not planning to destroy your martial soul, are you?"
If another martial soul were destroyed, Shi Hao might just collapse in despair. After all, he only had two sons.
One was now no longer human, and if the other also discarded the Kai Tian Sword martial soul, his disappointment would be immeasurable.
Fortunately, Xiao Yao Zi reassured him:
"I'm a swordsmanship expert. The Kai Tian Sword is an excellent weapon, so there's no reason for me to destroy it."
Hearing this, Shi Hao was initially delighted but soon grew curious. He asked:
"You're a swordsmanship expert? Care to spar? Just sword techniques—no soul power involved."
"Sure,. Xiao Yao Zi agreed.
The two headed to the courtyard, each picking up a wooden stick to use as a makeshift sword.
Whoosh!
Both swung their "swords" at each other. The force they used was moderate, so the wooden sticks remained intact.
After exchanging a few moves, Shi Hao couldn't help but feel astonished.
"Why do I feel like I'm being completely seen through? Could it be that his swordsmanship is designed to dismantle other sword techniques?" he thought.
Ling Bo Wei Bu!
The movements of Xiao Yao Zi became incredibly elusive and unpredictable, as if he were gliding on waves.
Even a demigod would find themselves forced into a passive position against such a technique.
After exchanging blows for a while longer, Shi Hao stopped and admitted:
"I've lost. If we were on the same level, there's no way I could match you. What was that movement technique you used earlier?"
"It's called Ling Bo Wei Bu, a profoundly free-flowing and unpredictable footwork technique I developed based on the 64 hexagrams of the Book of Changes (I Ching). You don't need to understand what the I Ching is. Want to learn it? It doesn't require you to forgo your soul power." Xiao Yao Zi explained.
Since Xiao Yao Zi had no successors to pass this technique to, he didn't mind sharing it.
Furthermore, mastering such footwork was no easy feat, but Shi Hao's exceptional talent made him a viable candidate.
Shi Hao thought for a moment before responding:
"I don't think I need it. The Kai Tian Sword is designed to cleave the heavens in a single strike. I don't see the need for running around like that."
Xiao Yao Zi offered his perspective:
"In my opinion, the Kai Tian Sword's strongest techniques probably require some time to gather power, don't they? Why not use Ling Bo Wei Bu to evade attacks while you're charging up?"
"Would that really work?" Shi Hao asked, skeptical.
"Of course it would. But the footwork is quite challenging to master. If you're worried about wasting time, then forget it." Xiao Yao Zi replied.
Shi Hao initially felt that such a technique wasn't necessary.
In his mind, the next great battle would be straightforward—advance without retreat.
Moreover, learning such complex footwork seemed like a significant time investment, and he believed that dedicating that time to cultivating soul power would yield better results.
"Fine, if that's your decision, so be it." Xiao Yao Zi said.
"In any case, mastering this footwork requires immense effort to ingrain it into your instincts. I'll write down a training manual for it and leave it with your sect. If someone can make use of it, great. I don't expect many people to succeed, though."
Hearing this, Shi Hao nodded happily.
After all, almost everyone had limited potential in cultivating soul power.
Once they hit their limits, learning Ling Bo Wei Bu to enhance their combat ability wouldn't be a bad option.
Shi Hao, however, was different. He still had vast untapped potential. For him, focusing on cultivating soul power was the right path.
"On behalf of the Kai Tian Sword Sect, I thank you." Shi Hao said sincerely.