Chapter 7: Gravity Training, Sparring with Tang San

After returning home, Gu La cooked a pot of sweet potato porridge, ate it to satisfy his hunger, and then closed the door behind him as he headed out of the village.

It was noon, and wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys in the village. The streets were empty.

As Gu La walked along, not needing to worry about pedestrians, he summoned his martial soul.

"Martial Soul Possession."

With that thought, the Groudon martial soul enveloped him. Gu La's body, originally just over a meter tall, suddenly expanded. His skin turned red and took on a rocky texture, becoming thick and sturdy.

The most significant changes were in his hands, which materialized into Groudon's claws—sharp talons harder and sharper than swords or blades, capable of effortlessly tearing through metal and rock.

Gu La recalled the memories shared by his split self and awkwardly adopted a fitness pose. He focused his energy, concentrating deeply.

After about three seconds, crimson soul power flowed through his body, tightening his muscles and filling the spaces between his cells with a special protective structure formed by energy.

This manifested in Gu La as a flash of red light, his muscles slightly bulging, enhancing both his strength and defense.

It was a bodybuilding technique—consuming energy to strengthen muscles, increasing physical attack and defense. In the Pokémon world, this was considered a basic strengthening move.

Having confirmed his hypothesis, Gu La wasn't surprised.

"Just as I thought, even after Groudon became a martial soul, it can still use the moves it learned. But I only have the memories—I've never practiced them myself. To master them, I'll need to train my body to develop muscle memory through the martial soul."

"Moreover, just like how Pokémon have level restrictions when learning moves, my soul power limits me too. I can't use overly powerful moves like Flamethrower, Earthquake, or Precipice Blades right now."

Gu La understood this clearly, but he had plenty of time to train.

Activating the gravity field, Gu La manipulated the gravity to evenly press against every inch of his muscles and skin, attempting to use Gravity Control to strengthen his physique.

A god-tier martial soul was indeed powerful, but if he were to become arrogant like Qian Renxue, neglecting daily cultivation and failing to deeply explore his potential, he would eventually squander his talent, allowing others to catch up and surpass him.

Gu La wouldn't fall into the trap of arrogance. Using the knowledge imparted by the title "Breeder," he trained while adjusting his regimen based on his own condition.

The god-tier breeder techniques encompassed most of the knowledge and skills from the Pokémon world, especially everything related to Pokémon. The principles could be adapted for human use with minor adjustments, making them directly applicable.

Compared to tangible rewards like skill discs and TMs or Viridian Power, Gu La believed that the comprehensive cultivation knowledge was the most precious reward—it would save him from taking many detours.

"The fighting techniques of Fighting-type Pokémon, honing muscles and strengthening the body. Psychic techniques to enhance Viridian Power and energy control, training secrets from Giovanni of the Ground-type… "

Gu La, thanks to his split self, had long mastered multitasking. While training his body, he also practiced meditation techniques.

These weren't the meditation methods of the Douluo Continent, but rather those of the Pokémon world, used by Psychics to train and enhance their psychic abilities. These techniques could even reach the point of predicting the future and altering reality.

Gu La didn't know if Groudon had latent psychic potential, but as a Pallet Town Physique owner and a soul master/Pokémon hybrid, his mental power was undoubtedly strong, giving him a high probability of developing psychic abilities.

"Psychic powers, Viridian Power, combined with my inner potential and the Fighting-type Aura Force—it's almost like the essence, energy, and spirit from wuxia novels. Even without a martial soul, I could still become a trainer capable of punching Kyogre and kicking Rayquaza."

Gu La set an ambitious goal.

[Detected Host's soaring determination. Mission unlocked: Become a Psychic, become an Aura user!]

[Reward: 1000 Shop Points, Legendary Pokémon Exchange Coupons x2.]

Gu La glanced at the panel and saw the rewards, feeling no excitement—just a slight urge to laugh.

Just looking at the system's name told him the game was extremely pay-to-win.

Every week, dozens of pay-to-win items rotated, constantly backstabbing players. All kinds of suffocating mechanics were designed to make players spend money.

Even as a V7 player, Gu La found it frustrating—he had to grind for a full year's worth of rewards just to exchange for a modified Pokémon released two years ago.

The Legendary Pokémon Exchange Coupons sounded impressive, but realistically, you'd need at least forty or fifty coupons to accumulate a powerful legendary Pokémon. With evolution stones, it could take eighty or ninety coupons just to get a true legendary.

And that was just a nerfed version—you'd need to exchange for exclusive skills and equipment to get the complete form. Who knows when they might release another evolution stage?

"Still, two Legendary Pokémon Exchange Coupons would be enough to exchange for a regular Gardevoir. Should I exchange for one?"

Gu La felt a bit tempted.

But upon further consideration, his split self already had plenty of ordinary Pokémon. If he wanted to see Gardevoir in person, he could wait until Groudon's injuries healed.

At that point, what Pokémon couldn't he meet?

Sweat dripped down Gu La's forehead as he gazed at the distant sky. "For Gardevoir! Work hard!"

His shout startled a flock of birds as Gu La sprinted up the mountain, leaping like a frog to the summit. After using Viridian Power to heal himself, he sat cross-legged to practice the Xuan Tian Technique.

---

One month later.

Back Mountain.

Tang San, gifted in martial arts, quickly mastered the Disorderly Wind Splitting Hammer Technique. After hearing about Gu La's gravity training method, he made it a point to train with Gu La every day.

Today, Tang San had a different idea.

"Brother Gu, we've never sparred since becoming soul masters. Let's have a match today?"

Tang San knew Gu La was stronger than him, but battles weren't decided solely by strength. If it were just a matter of raw power, there wouldn't be so many contradictions in the world.

Gu La raised an eyebrow, sizing up Tang San's slim frame. Even though Tang Hao had ensured Tang San's nutrition this month, his body was still slender.

In contrast, Gu La, who could draw energy from the earth to grow, was much sturdier than his peers. Looking about ten years old, he was taller than Tang San by a head—they weren't even in the same weight class.

"You sure about this?"

After a brief pause, Tang San felt a hint of disdain and his competitive spirit flared. Dissatisfied, he retorted, "Don't look down on me. My teacher taught me several self-created soul skills. It's not clear yet who will win."

"Heh."

Gu La chuckled lightly, tossed aside his sweat towel, and pointed to the nearby grass. "Alright, but don't go crying if you lose."

Tang San remained silent, preparing himself seriously, determined to show Gu La what he was capable of.

"Here I come!"

Gu La took a step forward, leaving a shallow depression beneath his foot, and shot forward more than ten meters in an instant.

Tang San used his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Steps, his movements ghostly and unpredictable, like fluttering leaves, dodging Gu La.

While retreating, Tang San's hands turned a jade-like color. Moving to Gu La's side, he struck out with a palm.

Xuan Yu Hand (Mysterious Jade Hand).

Gu La seemed to have anticipated this, raising his arm to block. A layer of red soul power coated his arm as he deflected Tang San's palm, then swiftly closed the distance and threw a punch.

The fighting techniques he practiced were concise and efficient, combining strength and speed to their utmost.

Tang San hadn't expected Gu La's reaction speed to surpass his own. By the time he realized it, it was too late to dodge, forcing him to summon his Blue Silver Grass martial soul.

With Huyan Li injured—and it appeared to be serious—the others quickly rushed to his rescue.

This turned into a classic "besiege the point, strike the reinforcements" scenario. Tang San reacted with lightning speed, activating his third soul skill: Blue Silver Hurricane Array. In an instant, multiple members of the Elephant Armor Academy were ensnared by the Blue Silver Grass. Remarkably, the grass now had a faint green hue, its tips razor-sharp. Even the heavily armored students of the Elephant Armor Academy couldn't withstand it, their bodies riddled with countless wounds.

At the same moment, Dai Mubai unleashed his fourth soul skill: White Tiger Meteor Shower. Under the relentless barrage, four Soul Elders from the Elephant Armor Academy collapsed onto the stage.

However, the other two Soul Ancestors, Huyan Ba and Huyan Shan, simultaneously activated their fourth soul skill, Thousand-Jun Guidance, to protect Huyan Li. Many members of large sects with the same martial souls often shared identical soul skills—a result of their sect's traditions.

Seeing the enemy closing in again, the injured Huyan Li let out a thunderous roar. A terrifying force erupted from his head, sending the four members of Shrek Academy flying. Yang Xiong, tasked with protecting the two auxiliary members, didn't engage in the attack.

A golden glow emanated from Huyan Li's head, resembling a helmet adorned with two sharp fangs.

The onlookers couldn't help but swallow nervously. A head soul bone—this was a head soul bone! Judging by its appearance, it was likely at least a ten-thousand-year grade. This was the first soul bone to appear in the entire Soul Master Competition.

Yang Xiong merely snorted coldly and remained beside the two auxiliary members without moving.

Huyan Li, Huyan Ba, and Huyan Shan then simultaneously activated their third soul skill: Death Crush. The entire arena trembled, and everyone felt an overwhelming pressure. Even Yang Xiong, Ning Rongrong, and Oscar, who were relatively farther away, found the pressure immense.

The appearance of the head soul bone shocked the entire audience. Ning Fengzhi couldn't help but chuckle. "Sect Leader Huyan, your grandson is indeed extraordinarily talented. To possess a head soul bone at such a young age—his future looks incredibly promising."

Huyan Zhen merely grunted and said nothing. Soul bones were treasures of the soul master world. His grandson was only at Level 43, and displaying such a valuable soul bone in public could easily attract covetous eyes.

Under the Elephant Armor Academy's Death Crush, especially with three Soul Ancestors unleashing the skill, the pressure on the Soul Elders was immense.

Unfortunately for the Elephant Armor Academy, the members of Shrek Academy had undergone rigorous training. They couldn't be defeated by a simple large-scale attack soul skill.

Moreover, although Huyan Li's head soul bone was formidable, he had already used three soul skills, leaving him with little remaining soul power.

Oscar quickly handed out his Super Recovery Sausages. After consuming them, the team's soul power was restored, and with Ning Rongrong's enhancement abilities, they continued their assault on the three members of the Elephant Armor Academy.

Though Tang San was only a Soul Elder, his combat strength rivaled that of a Soul Ancestor. Dai Mubai's abilities were also commendable.

After several intense minutes, the final member of the Elephant Armor Academy was knocked down, securing Shrek Academy's victory. However, this battle against a team with three Soul Ancestors left everyone feeling the true weight of the competition.

Still, astute observers noted that this match was a tactical disaster for Shrek Academy. Tang San's control abilities hadn't shone particularly brightly—in fact, he had exposed significant vulnerabilities. If not for Yang Xiong's superior strength compared to Huyan Li, Huyan Li might have broken through their defenses. Two auxiliary Soul Elders would have been no match for a Soul Ancestor.

As everyone stepped off the stage, Oscar finally spoke, his voice trembling. "Brother Xiong, thank goodness you were there to protect us earlier. Otherwise, Rongrong and I would've been in serious danger. That big guy was terrifying!"

Yang Xiong smiled. "Isn't my role as a defensive soul master to protect the two auxiliaries and maintain the formation?"

Ning Rongrong muttered, "If Little Bear had attacked earlier, those big guys would've fallen much sooner. It wouldn't have been so troublesome."

Yang Xiong simply smiled without responding. He had never intended to fully commit to the Soul Master Competition or strive for the championship.

Although they had defeated the powerful Elephant Armor Academy, Tang San didn't speak to anyone afterward or pay attention to other matches. Instead, he left the team with Yu Xiaogang.

Yang Xiong, on the other hand, was dragged shopping by Ning Rongrong. With his straightforward personality, he couldn't understand why girls enjoyed shopping so much.

Yu Xiaogang, seeing Tang San's dejected expression, consoled him. "Xiao San, don't overthink it. You performed exceptionally well in this match. At the very least, your combat strength matched Huyan Li's."

Tang San shook his head. "Teacher, I'm well aware of some things. Though we won this match, my Blue Silver Grass was clearly countered.

"For soul masters with strong physical builds, my Blue Silver Grass lacks sufficient resilience to effectively control them. My self-created soul skills, while advantageous, can only marginally bridge the gap between a Soul Elder and a Soul Ancestor. They can't achieve absolute dominance."

Yu Xiaogang quickly responded, "Xiao San, don't dwell on this too much. You're still young, and your path ahead is long. Besides, don't forget—your true strength lies in your second martial soul, the Hao Tian Hammer. Only when you add soul rings to it will your true potential emerge."

Tang San frowned. "Teacher, why won't you and Father let me add soul rings to the Hao Tian Hammer? I could become much stronger."

A bitter smile crossed Yu Xiaogang's face. "Twin martial souls are extremely rare, and your talent surpasses even my expectations. But twin martial souls come with a significant drawback: cultivating two martial souls simultaneously can lead to mutual repulsion, potentially resulting in death.

"Over the years, I've analyzed and researched extensively, but I've yet to uncover the secrets of twin martial soul cultivation. This may be one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in history."

Tang San fell silent upon hearing this.

---

Yu Xiaogang had once said that control-type soul masters were the strongest fighters among all soul masters. Unfortunately, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass had glaring weaknesses, particularly its lack of resilience—it was vulnerable to fire and ice, making it highly susceptible to being countered. Compared to top-tier martial souls, the gap was vast.

Though Tang San had recently performed well and was widely acknowledged as having Soul Ancestor-level combat strength despite being a Soul Elder, these feats relied on his self-created soul skills rather than the inherent qualities of the Blue Silver Grass itself.

In the Soul Master Competition, information flowed freely. Every soul master's strengths and weaknesses were magnified countless times, especially for strong teams that meticulously analyzed each opponent to devise counter-strategies. After all, this was a rare five-year event.

Compared to Tang San's intense pride, others were more cheerful. The girls, in particular, reveled in the limelight, enjoying the attention of defeating a powerhouse like the Elephant Armor Academy at such a young age.

After the match against the Elephant Armor Academy, many teams quickly began studying Shrek Academy's weaknesses.

So far, Shrek Academy had remained undefeated, having not yet faced any veteran powerhouse teams. Their flawless record placed them at the forefront of all academy teams, drawing the attention—and targeted strategies—of rival schools.

In the following matches, opponents frequently fielded weapon-type soul masters or fire-attribute soul masters. Under their influence, Tang San's control abilities were further weakened.

Moreover, everyone knew that Tang San was the tactical core of Shrek Academy. Most of their strategies originated from him. Disrupting his Blue Silver Grass control essentially disrupted the team's fluidity, forcing Shrek Academy into direct confrontations and even traps.

The result was that every match became an arduous struggle. Both sides would wear each other down, eliminating numerous members before gradually securing victory.

Compared to other academies, Shrek Academy's advantage wasn't Tang San or Dai Mubai, the Soul Ancestor, but rather their possession of two high-level auxiliary soul masters.

One day, the group watched a match between the Blazing Fire Academy and the Sky Water Academy. These two teams were genuine contenders, with extraordinary combat strength. Notably, the Sky Water Academy had effortlessly defeated the Elephant Armor Academy, leaving Shrek Academy deeply concerned.

After observing the match, Tang San voiced his confusion. "Teacher, though their teamwork is solid, I don't see any auxiliary capabilities like Rongrong and Xiao Ao provide. Do they not have auxiliary soul masters?"

Yu Xiaogang stared at the stage and shook his head. "Elemental Academies are veteran powerhouses. Their teams adhere to a fundamental requirement: all members must share a single elemental attribute. Take the Elephant Armor Academy you faced—they even had seven members with identical martial souls. No auxiliary soul masters, not even an agility-type soul master."

Tang San's eyes widened. "Teacher, I've been reviewing that match recently and feel their team-building philosophy is entirely different from ours. It seems they prefer to maximize the potential of a single attribute."

"And after closely observing the Five Elements Academies, I've noticed they don't emphasize inter-elemental coordination. While their strengths are pronounced, their weaknesses are equally glaring."

Yu Xiaogang explained, "This reflects two schools of thought in the soul master world. One is the extreme specialization approach, like the Elemental Academies. The other is the balanced approach. Our team, which includes various types of soul masters, represents the latter."

Tang San pondered. "Teacher, haven't the Elemental Academies considered addressing their weaknesses?"

Yu Xiaogang remained silent for a long time before answering. "Each academy has its own traditions and backing. Behind the Elephant Armor Academy is the Elephant Armor Sect; behind the Thunder Academy is…"

He sighed. "In recent years, aside from the Five Elements Academies, no other powerhouse teams have emerged in the Tiandou Empire. Even this year, only Tian Dou Imperial Academy has performed well. In contrast, the Star Luo Empire seems to favor balanced approaches, with better synergy among their soul masters."

Tang San asked, "What about the Spirit Hall?"

A bitter smile crossed Yu Xiaogang's lips. "Compared to the two empires, the Spirit Hall's research into soul masters runs deeper. They pursue individual extremes while maintaining team balance. I call this the fusion approach. In my opinion, their method may be the strongest form of cooperation."

Tang San remarked, "The Spirit Hall is too selfish. Why don't they release these theories to promote the development of the soul master world?"

---

Others nodded in agreement, but Yang Xiong and Ning Rongrong exchanged glances, speechless. Born into the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, they had seen far more soul masters and information than the others.

Anyone with a bit of insight in the soul master world knew that synergy yielded better results, especially with a top-tier support like the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda.

However, for students whose combat strength was relatively weak and whose knowledge was shallow, failing to maximize their potential and martial soul attributes would only sow seeds of trouble for future cultivation. Not to mention the Five Elements Academies—where in this world were there lightning-attribute auxiliary soul masters? Even control-type soul masters were scarce.

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