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"To know what happens isn't enough—you must understand why it happens."
Originally, Su Wen hadn't paid much attention to where soul power went after reaching a level divisible by ten.
After all, nobody had ever figured it out. Subconsciously, he'd accepted that it was unknowable. Only once he truly reached rank ten—combined with his exceptional perception—did he remember this issue.
"The Grandmaster's conclusion is clearly backed by a great deal of data. That means soul power cultivated after reaching rank ten really is being stored somewhere without serving any other purpose."
But just because it's being stored doesn't mean it can only be stored!
Entering meditation, Su Wen continually sensed the soul power he cultivated.
When a full bucket of water overflows, you can't see exactly where the excess emerges from—but by repeatedly scanning his body, observing every subtle change in his meridians, he still detected an anomaly.
"This sensation… it's similar to how I felt before awakening my martial soul."
Before his martial soul awakened, he could vaguely feel its existence, though not clearly. He only sensed it—which allowed him to judge the strength of his innate soul power. By comparing fluctuations and changes, he filtered and refined his external training movements, eventually forming his external training method.
Now, sensing a similar state again, he associated it with a special space within his body.
"The martial soul is a medium formed between spirit and flesh. A Soul Master's mental power and soul power are born from that fusion—mental power from spirit, soul power from the body—both using the martial soul as the bridge."
That was Su Wen's conclusion based on his understanding.
Martial souls exist on a singular level—like the soul: intangible, without physical form, yet also capable of manifesting externally like the body.
"If every bit of soul power cultivated after each ten-level interval is stored in another special space… then what's the purpose of that space?"
"Or maybe it's not another space at all—but the martial soul's own 'soul space.'"
Because after obtaining a soul ring, the stored soul power is revealed alongside it, becoming real soul power and increasing one's level.
"The reason it doesn't manifest is because the bucket is already full. It can't pour more in, so it stays in the martial soul's space."
Su Wen continued hypothesizing.
Even while hypothesizing, he tested it through what he already knew, checking for flaws.
"No—it's not that it can't be poured in." Feeling the meridians within him still far from truly full, Su Wen rephrased: "It's that it can't be output further!"
The martial soul had reached its limit and could no longer endow new soul power with the necessary qualities.
Thus, what was stored wasn't true soul power—it lacked certain traits conferred by the martial soul, so it remained in the martial soul's space.
Original Soul Power.
Su Wen defined this stored energy as original soul power.
"After acquiring a soul ring, the martial soul gains the ability to continue refining original soul power into true soul power."
The logic was complete—but Su Wen still felt it wasn't enough.
This was merely a valid conclusion.
But so far, it had no real use to him.
What good was a theory that couldn't be applied?
"Original soul power is the core of this theory, and it's closely connected to the process of absorbing soul rings." Su Wen sensed he had found a key. "Right—after absorbing a soul ring, there's also a soul power backlash, isn't there? If that backlash matches the nature of original soul power, could original soul power be merged into the ring absorption process to enhance martial soul evolution?"
Su Wen took a deep breath, excitement rising.
He had finally found his chance to allow his martial soul to truly evolve—and overtake others through a curve!
"And there's one more thing."
He knew exploration like this couldn't be completed in a day or through theory alone—it needed practice.
"First, I must sense the martial soul space and perceive and control original soul power."
His heightened perception was his greatest confidence.
"By tracking where original soul power goes when it's formed, and by consuming it consciously, combining both sensations… I might soon sense the martial soul space and gain control over original soul power."
As for consuming original soul power—
"If martial power lacks the trait of the martial soul, then consume the already-refined soul power."
Su Wen poured his soul power into his martial soul. The gray Heavenly Tome unfurled, three pages separating and circling around him. They changed rapidly in strength and form, soon folding into the shape of paper swords.
The best way to consume soul power was to reinforce the martial soul.
A martial soul had inherent strength, but infusing it with soul power temporarily increased the durability and flexibility of its pages.
But the cost was high—far less efficient than using soul skills.
As his soul power depleted, Su Wen began recharging it.
"I won't draw on the world's ambient energy—I'll draw from within, from the martial soul space."
Even without him actively absorbing, his soul power would naturally recover to its maximum from environmental energy.
This was the self-restoration property of soul power.
"With this trait, maybe I can pull original soul power out of the martial soul space."
Fully focused, Su Wen concentrated on the source of his soul power recovery.
If it wasn't converted world energy, then it had to be original soul power refilling him.
"As expected."
He sensed it.
When he absorbed ambient essence, soul power grew—but not proportionally.
I absorb.
I absorb.
I absorb-absorb-absorb!
Su Wen reinforced this process again and again, sharpening his perception.
When his soul power refilled, he cultivated more, sensed the birth of original soul power, consumed it, then tracked how it faded.
Gradually, he began to grasp some of its principles.
"One major result is that my recovery speed has increased."
Using original soul power to replenish soul power meant near-instant recovery—much faster than absorbing world energy.
After all, it came directly from the soul master's own cultivation.
"So in reality, continuing cultivation after a full ten-level cap is basically the same as increasing my maximum soul power reserve."
A hidden backup fuel tank!
"Su Wen!"
While he was cultivating, a voice interrupted.
Opening his eyes, he looked at Lin Tian standing before him and frowned. "What is it?"
Lin Tian was also a work-study student, one of Wang Sheng's followers.
"As I thought, you were training here in the dorm. Stop for now—there's a fight!"
A fight?
So it started again.
Su Wen didn't even need to guess—it had to be a clash between work-study students and regular students.
"Boss Xiao seems to have gotten into it with Xiaopang, and Xiaopang got beaten up."
"Xiaopang was beaten?" Su Wen's brows drew together.
Sun Xiaopang was from his village, and thanks to Old Jerry's instructions, the boy always listened to Su Wen. Over the past year, Xiaopang had even helped complete Su Wen's janitorial duties.
(End of Chapter)