Tang San's explanation was surprisingly easy to understand.
Su Yuntao understood.
Si Si understood.
Ma Xiunuo was amazed.
This way of explaining it was essentially a redefinition of how soul masters interacted with soul rings.
"Soul masters use soul rings to activate soul skills by 'pressing the button' of the soul ring through their spiritual will," Ma Xiunuo reflected aloud. "They don't need to think too hard. At most, they make a corresponding gesture or recite a soul incantation, and the soul skill is released. That's because the soul ring already sets how the soul power should flow."
Tang San's eyes glinted thoughtfully.
"The energy required to activate a soul skill is soul power, which originates from the soul master themselves. It's just like a noble using a soul-guided lamp—pressing the switch activates it, but the light depends on the soul power stored inside."
"When the stored energy runs out, the light goes out. In a soul master's case, when their soul power is depleted, the skill fails or stops."
"My first soul skill functions the same way. I mentally press the 'button' of my soul ring, but I have one advantage over others—I have an external energy source."
"The earth."
"Blue Silver Grass consumes very little. My own soul power is low, but because I use energy drawn from the ground to heal you, Brother Tao, the actual soul power cost is minimal."
"It's like an ordinary person pressing the switch of a soul-guided lamp—it doesn't take strength. Likewise, using this soul skill doesn't require much soul power. And because my Blue Silver Grass naturally regenerates itself, my consumption rate is slower than my recovery."
Ma Xiunuo, Su Yuntao, and Si Si were all dumbfounded.
What kind of terrifying ability was this?
Was the entire Douluo Continent your soul power battery?
Are you the son of the earth?!
After a long pause, Ma Xiunuo asked, "…So as long as you're standing on the ground, your soul power will never run out?"
"In theory, yes," Tang San nodded calmly. "Even if I was helping a Titled Douluo recover, my first soul skill could restore their entire soul power. After all, compared to the earth's energy, even the power of a Titled Douluo is like a drop of water in the ocean."
"Of course, with my current level, healing a Titled Douluo would be… slow. I estimate it'd take a month or two to restore them completely. During that time, they'd have to avoid eating, drinking, or going to the bathroom…"
He smiled, "But fortunately, the efficiency of my soul skill improves as my own soul power increases. It's not a fixed-value recovery skill."
Upon hearing that his soul skill scaled with soul power, Ma Xiunuo's heart stirred. Tang San's Blue Silver Grass had become comparable to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda—the strongest auxiliary martial soul on the continent.
Currently, only the amplification skills of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda were known to increase in strength alongside the soul master's level.
Even the Nine-Hearted Begonia, though every skill was healing-based, only improved healing with new soul rings—not with level.
Next, Tang San asked Su Yuntao and Si Si to help test his first soul skill further.
Beyond restoring soul power, Endless Life also had impressive effects on external and internal injuries.
Su Yuntao, for example, had a lingering waist injury that flared up when twisted. After just one use of Tang San's soul skill, it vanished.
His body felt light, flexible. Even his soul power flowed more smoothly.
The blisters from sawing the Thousand Root Banyan? Gone.
"Little San," Su Yuntao said in awe, "your soul skill can recover soul power, heal injuries, even hidden damage—and it infuses vitality. I wouldn't be surprised if it helped with diseases or poisoning, too. If you became a doctor, you'd earn more in a month than I do in a year."
But Tang San had no interest in becoming a doctor.
"My first soul skill does have a weakness," he admitted. "For example, just now, when you picked me up, Brother Tao, I was lifted off the ground—and the energy transmission from the earth weakened immediately. The further I am from the earth, the worse my absorption, and I have to rely more on my own soul power."
"I'm not sure yet how things like stone bricks or paved roads might affect it…"
Su Yuntao was speechless.
"Even eagles need to land. Who can fly forever? You don't realize how many people would envy, hate, and covet your soul skill."
Tang San blinked in surprise. "Brother Tao… that was kind of poetic."
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Su Yuntao asked suspiciously, patting his face. "Do I have something on it?"
"No, no," Tang San said, barely hiding his grin. "Just… I didn't expect you to be poetic. When we first met, your love letter only had three words: 'I love y—' Ow!"
Su Yuntao clapped a hand over his mouth, nervously eyeing Si Si who had just turned her head.
"I'm a Great Soul Master—refined and eloquent."
Tang San pried his fingers away and teased, "Since you're so eloquent, Brother Tao, why don't you recite a poem for us?"
Su Yuntao: "…"
That's not teasing, that's exposing weaknesses!
He had been reading some poetry lately. His secret hope was to memorize a few romantic ones—maybe recite them to Si Si after they married.
But now wasn't the time to say that.
Not in front of Ma Xiunuo.
After leaving the Nuoding Forest, Ma Xiunuo informed the Spirit Hall guards outside about the Thousand Root Banyan. It was far too large to transport without help—they'd need a team to bring it back to Nuoding City.
A five-hundred-year-old Thousand Root Banyan would be in high demand among carving masters. The starting price alone could reach five hundred gold soul coins.
As for the Banyan Silkworm's corpse, the group brought it to a local town and asked a restaurant to cook it. The four of them shared the meat.
The silkworm was edible, delicious, and even invigorated the blood.
Without Tang San's reminder, Ma Xiunuo and the others wouldn't have given the corpse a second thought.
After eating, Si Si's soul power reached Level 22.
Banyan Silkworm meat didn't inherently increase soul power, but its ring was extremely compatible with her. The energy absorbed during the ring fusion was efficient and left little waste.
Combined with the medicinal properties of the meat and her stimulated circulation, the bottleneck broke, and she ascended smoothly.
—
Back in Nuoding City, Ma Xiunuo reissued Tang San's Soul Master certificate.
"To avoid attracting too much attention," he advised, "don't say you're level 17. Just tell people you're level 13. As long as you hold back a little, no one at Nuoding Academy will know."
Though Nuoding Academy didn't have a formal Master, caution was wise.
Lower levels wouldn't draw suspicion.
What Ma Xiunuo was more concerned about was the so-called "Master" at Nuoding Academy.
If Tang San were to be deceived or misled by him…
Though he trusted Tang San's intellect, it was best not to court unnecessary risks.
That "Master" was widely regarded as a laughingstock in the soul master world.
"Don't worry, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo," Tang San assured him. "I understand the saying, 'The taller the tree, the harder the wind blows.'"
Then he added a request, "Can you delay reporting my situation to Spirit Hall headquarters?"
"Why?" Ma Xiunuo asked. "Afraid the higher-ups will notice you and start studying you?"
"Indeed, there are people in Spirit Hall with bad intentions," Ma Xiunuo admitted, "but rest assured. I won't report layer by layer—I'll send the message directly to Spirit City and have it passed to the Pope."
Tang San nodded. "It's not that I won't go to Spirit City—but not yet. I want to study soul theory independently, without being restricted by Spirit Hall's ideology."
He gave his usual reasoning: research.
"I'm currently working on a theory to help soul masters better identify their martial soul traits and potential roles."
"When it's ready, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo, feel free to send my theory along with my profile. I trust the Pope's wisdom—she'll understand my intentions."
Author's System Note:If the Nine-Hearted Begonia could increase its healing efficiency with soul power level, it'd be too broken. Near-resurrection levels.
But the original work didn't describe it that way, so in this version, the Nine-Hearted Begonia's healing efficiency is fixed:
1st ring: 50% healing efficiency
Each new ring: +10% healing
That means even at Titled Douluo, it's still powerful—but not limitless. Still worthy of the name Nine-Hearted Begonia.