"Circle, point, snatch, cut, pull, lift, parry, flick, stab, mark, sweep, press, knock, strike."
"The variations in this Eight Trigram Staff Technique are too many! Isn't it supposed to only involve eight directions and eight gates?"
Xiao Lin practiced until his muscles were sore and quickly realized that this technique was definitely not designed for children.
"Could it be that this staff technique is meant to be used with a wooden staff rather than my Qiu Long (Coiling Dragon) Staff?"
A thought flashed through Xiao Lin's mind, and he seemed to have discovered the truth.
His Qiu Long Staff was practically indestructible, so how was he supposed to perform techniques like flicking? Unlike a wooden staff, it had no elasticity at all!
If he had to choose a soul ring to increase elasticity when acquiring one, Xiao Lin would definitely refuse. Aside from wasting a valuable soul ring slot, this was the Douluo Continent, where raw strength reigned supreme. Pursuing such techniques would be completely missing the point.
After contemplating for a while, Xiao Lin decisively removed a few techniques that were unsuitable for the Qiu Long Staff.
With those discarded techniques out of the way, he resumed practicing.
Sure enough, not only did the training become much easier, but the moves also became more streamlined, and the speed of his transitions between techniques significantly increased.
This experience ingrained an important lesson in Xiao Lin's mind—one must always act according to reality and never be blindly confident.
After practicing the Eight Trigram Staff Technique, Xiao Lin began to focus on cultivating Xuantian Skill.
Although he could simultaneously practice the staff technique and Xuantian Skill through divided attention, delving deeply into either of them required full concentration.
Moreover, training in the Eight Trigram Staff Technique was nowhere near as sustainable as cultivating Xuantian Skill.
Xiao Lin soon sat down cross-legged, calming his mind and focusing entirely on the changes occurring in his dantian.
Back when Tang San was teaching him, Xiao Lin had already discovered why Xuantian Skill was so powerful in the Douluo Continent.
Because Xuantian Skill was a legitimate Daoist internal cultivation method, it could adapt to any individual and their relationship with soul power. Moreover, it formed a dantian within the body, allowing for the storage of more soul power.
At the same soul rank, Tang San's soul power was undoubtedly deeper and more enduring than others'.
In the future, Tang San could even rely on Xuantian Skill to achieve self-sustaining soul power regeneration.
That was the true strength of Xuantian Skill.
However, Xiao Lin had discovered another advantage of this technique.
He realized that soul power refined through Xuantian Skill was much calmer compared to ordinary soul power.
And when soul power was no longer volatile, it meant greater control—even the possibility of creating his own soul techniques!
In addition, Xuantian Skill could absorb and compress soul power indefinitely within the dantian.
This not only gave Xiao Lin far more soul power than his peers but also presented an opportunity to develop the legendary Soul Core cultivation method.
According to Xiao Lin's knowledge, Soul Cores were only achievable by Titled Douluo-level powerhouses or hundred-thousand-year soul beasts during the era of Absolute Tang Sect.
However, with Xuantian Skill's extraordinary adaptability, Xiao Lin didn't think he would fail.
Not to mention, in the near future, they would have a living test subject—a hundred-thousand-year soul beast in human form.
With a test subject and the firsthand experience of Xiao Wu, all Xiao Lin needed was time to experiment.
Moreover, he had to discuss Soul Core cultivation with Tang San.
While Tang San might not be the best in many aspects, his martial arts talent was undeniable.
As a disciple of the Tang Sect, Tang San had deep knowledge of human meridians, dantian, and vital points, making him invaluable to this research.
If the three of them worked together, Xiao Lin was confident that they could successfully develop the Soul Core cultivation method.
But before attempting Soul Core cultivation, Xiao Lin had to improve his soul power control first.
For that, he wasn't worried at all.
In his past life, the age of information explosion had provided countless training methods. With a little trial and error, he was certain he could find the best way to refine his control over soul power.
However, what interested Xiao Lin the most at the moment was not this—it was the transformation happening in his soul power due to the Qiu Long Staff and his unique physique.
For some reason, Xiao Lin's soul power had an innate hardness.
Though not as indestructible as the Qiu Long Staff, his skin was tough enough that even a small knife couldn't cut through it when soul power was applied.
With this ability, Xiao Lin wouldn't have to fear Tang San's hidden weapons at all once his level increased.
Additionally, Xuantian Skill itself had started to change due to his soul power.
Because of its highly adaptive nature, the same technique produced different effects depending on the user. For Tang San, it resulted in deep and boundless soul power.
For Xiao Lin, however, it became something even more terrifying.
Whenever he activated Xuantian Skill, his soul power would continuously surge through his body, forming a faint golden Vajra-like protective shield.
It was essentially a combination of Golden Bell Shield and Iron Cloth Garment.
Xiao Lin named this variant of Xuantian Skill: Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill.
And the Vajra Soul Power Shield became his first self-created soul technique.
Though the current version was rudimentary, with scattered and unfocused soul power, Xiao Lin knew he would eventually refine it.
In actual combat, he would need more specialized self-created soul techniques.
For instance… an ultimate defense: Vajra Soul Power Barrier.
A conical, forward-facing energy barrier—capable of blocking attacks while counterattacking at the same time.
Though not as all-encompassing as the Vajra Soul Power Shield, it would be more energy-efficient and provide both offensive and defensive capabilities.
Besides, in Douluo Continent, battles weren't always one-on-one duels.
At least in the early stages, Xiao Lin still needed teammates.
Preferably one at minimum, and six at maximum.
According to Xiao Lin's calculations, a seven-member team was the most efficient composition in the soul master world.
Since he was determined to keep Tang San away from that useless teacher Yu Xiaogang, they would definitely not be attending Shrek Academy.
He had no interest in that morally dubious school.
Instead, his plan was to enroll at the Tian Dou Royal Academy.
This would allow Tang San to meet Dugu Yan and obtain some immortal herbs.
Additionally, they could establish a friendly relationship with Dugu Yan and request Dugu Bo's assistance in acquiring high-quality soul rings.
Furthermore, Dugu Bo could serve as a Soul Core test subject.
As a Titled Douluo, he could withstand any experimental setbacks.
Not to mention, a Soul Core would stabilize his poison, granting him only benefits with no drawbacks.
If everything went smoothly, Xiao Lin would even lead Tian Dou Royal Academy in crushing both Shrek Academy and Spirit Hall.
More importantly, the three teaching elders at Tian Dou Royal Academy were all Soul Douluo-level experts, and their values were more righteous.
This way, Tang San wouldn't turn into a hypocritical double-standard individual.
Moreover, Tian Dou Royal Academy was filled with weak, spoiled nobles, meaning Xiao Lin's team would receive preferential treatment and resources.
And let's not forget about Ye Lingling of the Nine Heart Begonia—her healing abilities meant that even the most dangerous experiments wouldn't be fatal.
This would greatly accelerate Xiao Lin's research into martial souls and soul techniques.
After briefly reviewing his long-term plans, Xiao Lin resumed cultivating his Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill.
(End of Chapter)