Chapter 145: Debate on Spirit Master Theories, Tang San Has Too Many Useless Spirit Abilities
Chapter 145: Debate on Spirit Master Theories, Tang San Has Too Many Useless Spirit Abilities
A vein throbbed on Yu Xiaogang’s forehead.
His hand, hidden in his sleeve, tightly gripped the Spirit Theory Manual that never left his side.
The corners of the book dug into his palm, causing a stinging pain.
But this small amount of pain was far from matching the stifling frustration and the stubborn refusal to admit defeat in his heart at this moment.
"The power of a Spirit Ability fundamentally lies in the spirit ring!"
He raised his voice, with a nearly obstinate emphasis.
"Only when a spirit ring provides spirit power amplification can a Spirit Ability undergo a qualitative change!"
"Your... yours is just ordinary summoned Blue Silver Grass. No matter how many tricks you play or how exquisitely you control it, it is ultimately just a mundane thing! How could it possibly compare to the explosive power of a true Spirit Ability?"
He stared fixedly at Lin Qingmo’s face.
He wanted to find a single flaw in those overly calm eyes, even a tiny bit of guilt would do.
As long as the other party wavered even a little, he could seize it and pull this collapsing debate back onto the track he was familiar with.
Lin Qingmo didn’t reply immediately.
He lowered his eyes, his fingertips lightly brushing over a newly sprouted tender leaf of Blue Silver Grass beside him.
Stimulated by his spirit power, the leaf instantly rippled with a layer of moist green light, as if the vitality of an entire spring were concentrated within its veins.
’Tsk, Gangzi is getting anxious.’
Lin Qingmo muttered to himself.
’He’s starting to emphasize absolute power. It makes sense; for someone who believes in data and theory, unquantifiable "possibilities" are the most terrifying thing.’
He looked up at Yu Xiaogang.
His eyes were clear, yet like stones after rain, cold and hard.
"Yu Xiaogang, you’re only half right."
His voice wasn’t loud, but it caused all the surrounding whispers to stop.
"The amplification of a spirit ring is certainly important."
As Lin Qingmo spoke, he casually raised his hand.
Several emerald-green strands of Blue Silver Grass "swished" out from the soil at Yu Xiaogang’s feet, so fast they left only an afterimage.
They nimbly entwined together, twisting into a flexible yet powerful grass rope that lightly rested on a nearby half-man-high bluestone.
Lin Qingmo merely tightened his fingers slightly.
Creeeeeak—!
An ear-grating sound rang out.
The surface of that hard bluestone was actually squeezed into fine, spiderweb-like cracks by this seemingly soft and harmless grass rope!
Stone powder rustled down.
"But the direction of the amplification is the key."
Lin Qingmo loosened his hand.
The Blue Silver Grass silently retracted into the ground.
It was as if nothing had happened, leaving only the cracked stone as proof.
"What if every spirit ring absorbed by the Blue Silver Grass didn’t aim to mimic a snake’s poison, a spider’s web, or any other random ability, but purely and continuously strengthened its most fundamental vitality and toughness as a ’plant’?"
He turned his palm upward.
An exceptionally crystalline strand of Blue Silver Grass slowly grew out, coiling in his hand.
A rich aura of plant life, concentrated enough to refresh one’s Spirit, spread out, even overpowering the lingering scent left by the previous battle.
Lin Qingmo looked at the Blue Silver Grass in his hand, which seemed to have its own rhythmic life.
"When its Origin power is stacked high enough, do you think it still needs to specifically pursue the burst brought by a certain ’Spirit Ability’?"
"It is itself the strongest spear and the toughest shield."
He paused, his words turning like a sharpened blade toward Yu Xiaogang’s core theory.
"Furthermore, a plant spirit ring with a plant Spirit means they share the same roots and Origin, resulting in the highest spirit power conversion efficiency, often with additional attribute compatibility amplification.
"Animal spirit rings, which are forced across attributes, can’t even hope to catch up to this kind of advantage."
He tilted his head, his tone carrying a bit of undisguised doubt.
"Yu Xiaogang, you’ve researched Spirit theory for so many years; surely you haven’t truly ignored this most basic issue of ’Attribute Affinity’?"
The question was asked lightly.
But it landed in Yu Xiaogang’s ears like a heavy, muffled blow.
"!!!"
His face instantly turned ashen,
His lips trembled, opening and then closing.
A "he-he" sound came from his throat, but he couldn’t piece together a complete sentence.
He involuntarily took half a step back, his back thudding heavily against a rough tree trunk.
His fingertips were ice-cold and began to tremble uncontrollably.
That theory manual, which he regarded as a precious treasure and had flipped through until it was worn out, suddenly seemed to lose all its weight and warmth.
Lin Qingmo didn’t intend to stop there.
Anyone who has been in a debate knows that one must expand their advantage and not give the opponent room to breathe.
He shifted his gaze to Tang San, who had been silently regulating his breath nearby.
Tang San’s head was lowered, his expression unreadable, but his clenched fists showed he was not oblivious.
"Let’s not talk about me for now."
The corners of Lin Qingmo’s mouth curled up.
Tang San, I wonder if you can still stay calm after hearing what I’m about to say.
"Take Tang San for example. Haven’t you ever felt that his first and Third Spirit Abilities are a bit of a ’redundant construction’?"
"What do you mean?"
Yu Xiaogang suddenly looked up,
"Look."
Lin Qingmo held up two fingers and bent them down one by one.
"First Spirit Ability, Binding. Third Spirit Ability, Spider Web Restraint."
"The names are different, and the latter sounds higher-level, right? But to put it plainly, aren’t they both just using Blue Silver Grass to ’tie up’ an opponent and restrict their movement?"
"At most, it’s the difference between a ’rope’ and a ’net,’ changing from ’wrapping’ to ’covering.’ The restraint area is a bit larger, and the activation might be a bit faster."
He bent his second finger.
"But the Second Spirit Ability, ’Parasite’."
Lin Qingmo’s eyes lit up slightly: "This is different."
"Seeds attach themselves silently and then burst into growth at a critical moment, achieving precise internal control and a series of subsequent follow-up strike possibilities."
"This is a ’qualitative change’ in the functionality of a Spirit Ability; it truly expanded the dimension of how Blue Silver Grass can be used."
He withdrew his hand and summarized: "So, out of three spirit ring slots, two were given to ’restraints’ with highly redundant effects, and only one brought a new tactical possibility."
"The utilization rate of these spirit ring slots... Yu Xiaogang, do you think it’s worth it?"
In fact, in the original work, Tang San’s fourth spirit ring, the astonishing ten-thousand-year spirit ring from the Pit Devil Spider, also gave a Spirit Ability called Blue Silver Prison, and its effect was just so-so.
Without waiting for Yu Xiaogang to react to this brand-new, utilitarian "Cost-effectiveness" perspective, the spirit power around Lin Qingmo fluctuated again.
"Both are Blue Silver Grass, but my path is simple."
Lin Qingmo’s voice was exceptionally clear under the radiance of his spirit rings.
"All spirit rings serve only one purpose—to infinitely strengthen the Life Origin of the Blue Silver Grass itself."
"When the ’roots’ of the Spirit are strong and thick, ’Binding’ and ’Restraint’ are not skills that require specific spirit rings to bestow; they are things it can naturally do once it becomes powerful."
"Just like when a tree grows large, it naturally provides shade, bears fruit, and attracts birds to build nests."
"Does providing shade, bearing fruit, and attracting birds require three different ’tree rings’ to be bestowed?"
This metaphor was too direct and vivid.
Oscar’s eyes suddenly lit up, and he slapped his thigh hard.
"That’s right!"
"Put that way, Lin Qingmo’s line of thinking is the Righteous Path!"
"spirit ring and Spirit Ability slots are so precious; using them all for redundant construction is such a waste!"
Xiao Wu nodded like a chicken pecking at grain, pointing at the highly spiritual Blue Silver Grass in A-Qing’s hand.
"Exactly, exactly!"
"A-Qing’s grass looks so lively; he can use it however he wants."
"Tang San’s Blue Silver Grass is so useless; it’s like it won’t even move without those few Spirit Abilities."
Dai Mubai’s furrowed brows hadn’t relaxed.
He crossed his arms, his gaze moving back and forth between Lin Qingmo and the despondent Yu Xiaogang.
Clearly, this subversive debate was also impacting his inherent understanding.
Ma Hongjun scratched his head.
He looked at one, then the other.
Finally, he said in a low voice: "Why do I feel like Lin Qingmo makes more sense? Although Grandmaster also seems to have a point..."
"..."
Zhu Zhuqing didn’t speak, her cool eyes filled with thought.
(End of Chapter)
[Every 15 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]