Chapter 95: So That's What Soul Devices Are Like

It had been a few days since the last discussion on soul devices and the self-condensed soul ring class.

During this time, Xiao Lin had been thinking about what Xiao Wu had said.

Using his theories, the array-based soul skills he could create were limited to offense and defense—wasn't that too few functions?

However, in reality, even among the soul devices Xiao Lin knew of, most were essentially only for offense, defense, energy replenishment (like soul power bottles), or storage. As for soul devices that assisted or enhanced a soul master's attributes, Xiao Lin couldn't recall seeing any.

Those armor-like things—weren't they considered something else entirely, not soul devices?

If we're talking soul devices, then offensive ones simply channel soul power through an array to release it; defensive ones expand the array to form protective barriers.

As for things like lighting soul devices, it would be entirely possible to just insert something like a tungsten filament bulb inside a low-powered soul device.

And air conditioners? Either directly use ice-element soul power or ice-element minerals and materials to make them.

Or, like in Xiao Lin's past life, build an entire setup: a condenser, compressor, fan, coolant, and so on.

Heating devices would follow a similar principle.

Even in the Peerless Tang Sect era, they only added things like soul power bottles to recover energy.

Actually, even just a soul power bottle made someone's name renowned.

In Xiao Lin's eyes, that kind of device probably just involved placing materials inside that could store soul power, then compressing the soul power.

The only truly tricky part for Xiao Lin was the space-type soul devices.

Did those work by carving an array into rare spatial minerals and using soul power to "stretch" the space?

Xiao Lin shook his head. Maybe. Possibly. Who knows—that's probably how it works.

After all, even in his past life, technology basically just came down to "boiling water."

Soul devices being simple combinations of offensive and defensive arrays was perfectly normal.

Now, for Xiao Lin, the real challenge wasn't designing the arrays—but rather how to engrave them into the soul devices.

That was the true bottleneck.

Maybe truly powerful soul devices were like microchips from his past life—full of microscopic integrated circuits.

And inside a soul device, maybe it's packed with micro-sized soul power array circuits.

Once Xiao Lin realized that the difficulty lay in carving arrays, he immediately thought of a great way to train his spiritual power:

Sculpting. Micro-carving.

Using his own soul power to carve into stone, into metal blocks.

Using hair-thin steel wire, controlled with soul power so refined it might as well be indestructible, carving step by step.

Xiao Lin couldn't help but feel proud of his own brilliance.

Isn't this method more effective than tree-climbing or water-walking exercises?

Plus, it would contribute to soul device production—killing two birds with one stone.

As for the stuff Xiao Wu said about patterns inside the soul ring…

What are you talking about?

How would I know that?

Even that dumb rabbit couldn't explain it clearly, and now she expects us to understand?

What, are you Spiral Vortex Xiao Wu now? Gonna hit us with a Rasengan or something?

Still, Xiao Lin did have some interest in the patterns she mentioned.

Surely these soul power circuits can't work like electrical wires—just connect and done?

Soul power circuits likely needed geometric shapes and designs to function properly.

After all, soul power is… volatile.

What's that? Electricity is volatile too?

Hahaha!

Xiao Lin laughed out loud. As a seasoned pro, he could tell whether something had electricity or not just by touching it. (Sarcasm)

He figured that the complex shapes and special patterns on soul devices probably existed to reduce the consumption of expensive materials.

If it were as simple as running a wire, wouldn't people have simplified it already?

Even though Xiao Lin now had a better grasp of soul device mechanics, it didn't mean he could instantly create self-condensed soul rings.

Even if he could create soul skills from scratch.

Still, Xiao Lin had a new theory—soul rings were not easily destroyed by external forces.

For example, in this world, no one had ever been known to shatter a soul ring to disrupt another's skill.

For instance, when a Title Douluo released their soul skill and aura, as long as the other soul master wasn't knocked out from the pressure, they could still call forth their own soul rings.

Soul rings seemed to obey some kind of heavenly rule.

Now, while Xiao Lin hadn't seen a soul ring be destroyed, the Clear Sky Sect did have a technique known as Ring Explosion.

Could this technique involve destroying one's own ring in an instant, causing the soul power circuit within to release all its energy for a massive power-up?

And Ring Fusion—could it be similar?

Finding soul rings of the same type, linking the correct soul power circuit nodes, fusing them, and using the connection to amplify power?

For instance, using the ring with the highest year count to enhance the soul power of the others?

That would also explain why soul power gets instantly depleted after ring fusion.

Xiao Lin felt like he was onto something critical.

If that's the case, he might even have discovered the key to Martial Soul Fusion Techniques.

That is—just like with ring fusion, find matching soul power nodes between two people's martial souls and link them.

His Thunder Dragon Staff and Xiao San's Blue Silver Grass...

Xiao Lin bit his lip. He really felt the key lay right there.

Forget it. If martial soul fusion isn't doable yet, let's try ring fusion techniques between the two of us.

Xiao Lin wasn't one to waste energy spinning his wheels. Since he had a theory now, that was enough.

"I did it! I actually did it!"

While Xiao Lin was deep in thought, Tang San suddenly shouted with excitement.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Lin-ge, I did it!"

In another room of their secret base, behind a wooden desk with five or six lighting soul devices on it, Tang San energetically held one up.

He beamed with joy—he hadn't felt this kind of exhilaration since crafting Buddha's Fury Tang Lotus in his previous life.

He got it. He understood the essence of soul devices.

Just like a steam engine needed boiling water—it was that kind of basic.

Not long after, Tang San ran out of the room, handing the lighting soul device to Xiao Lin.

After hearing Tang San's modifications, Xiao Lin was stunned.

"You're telling me… you took apart the structure of other lighting soul devices, then reassembled and improved one?"

Xiao Lin raised his eyebrows high, looking like he couldn't believe it.

This kid really pulled it off?

"Well, it's not that amazing. I just noticed regular lighting soul devices could be brighter with a little tweaking, so I made some minor adjustments."

Tang San spoke modestly, but the slight upward curl of his lips betrayed his inner excitement.

"Not bad," Xiao Lin chuckled and shook his head. "But have you considered—if you increase the brightness, won't that decrease the device's lifespan?"

The improvement was good, but what Xiao Lin really wanted now was to understand the structure of soul devices.

What were the materials?What effects did they have?How strong were they?How much soul power could they withstand?How were the circuits engraved?Could two materials be fused?What alloy worked best?

As Xiao Lin mulled over these questions, he suddenly remembered something from his past life—how materials were the main limitation of modern science.

And so, he posed all these questions to Tang San.

But Tang San wasn't concerned. His stance was: Since our predecessors made it work, let's copy them first and figure out the rest as we go.

And the rest, they could learn slowly.

(End of Chapter)