Chapter 181: Sublimation and Subordination
"Why do you think so?"
Xiao Qiang looked puzzled by Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo's sudden speculation. He didn't understand why the two of them had come to such a conclusion.
"We all heard Nana call you Master," Lan Susu said seriously. "The two soul bones in her body are likely connected to you, and so is her strength. The secret method you mentioned… you used it on her before, right?"
Xiao Qiang nodded slightly. Although the details were not difficult to guess, considering the girls were still under fourteen years old, it was impressive they could analyze the situation this thoroughly. It wasn't fair to hold them to adult standards, but their instincts were sharp.
"I did use some techniques on Nana," Xiao Qiang admitted, "but him calling me Master has nothing to do with those methods. That's an entirely different matter."
"Is that so…" The girls let out a small sigh of relief. What Xiao Qiang had offered them was far beyond what they were worth by most standards. If he had asked them to call him Master in return, they weren't sure how to respond.
While the value of Xiao Qiang's gift could justify such a demand, the emotional hurdle was another matter. They might not have rejected him outright, but saving face was still important.
After the conversation, Xiao Qiang, Lan Susu, and Lan Luoluo ended the soul power transfer using the ice popsicle that had been enhancing Ling Luochen's attributes. As the attribute sublimation came to an abrupt stop, Ling Luochen felt a sudden sense of loss—exactly the effect Xiao Qiang had intended.
In the original Douluo Dalu series, the relationship between Huo Yuhao and Ling Luochen never developed much. So when watching Peerless Tang Sect, readers might not grasp the significance of attribute sublimation for Ling Luochen. However, The Legend of the Dragon King in Douluo Dalu III illustrated it clearly.
Even if Huo Yuhao's soul power was weak, his Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion martial soul could still elevate Ling Luochen's martial soul quality simply through contact. If the two had been enemies, the pressure from Huo Yuhao's extreme ice would have suffocated Ling Luochen.
Moreover, Ling Luochen was eager to train with Huo Yuhao precisely to benefit from this improvement. The dynamic closely mirrored that of Wang Jinxi and Tang Wulin in The Legend of the Dragon King.
Just like Ling Luochen's weaker ice attribute, Wang Jinxi's lower-tier dragon clan lineage was intrinsically overpowered by Tang Wulin's Golden Dragon King. In both cases, being enemies induced instinctive fear. But once aligned, the stronger individual could enhance their partner's martial soul through aura transfer—Blue Silver Grass for Tang Wulin and Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion for Xiao Qiang.
Although Wang Jinxi's complete loyalty developed over time, Ling Luochen hadn't been with Xiao Qiang long enough to reach that level of emotional dependence. However, the groundwork was there.
And unlike Tang Wulin, Xiao Qiang possessed the ability to use psychological suggestion, subtly increasing his control over Ling Luochen without her realizing it.
"Mmm…"
Once the soul power transfer ended, Xiao Qiang's psychological hint slightly amplified Ling Luochen's sense of loss. She stared at him, faint resentment flickering in her gaze.
But Xiao Qiang pretended not to notice. He didn't cater to emotions—he shaped them. Only when there was a clear gap in one's heart could someone be trained. Giving in to every wish wouldn't cultivate loyalty—it would create weakness.
Ignoring her look, Xiao Qiang took out two ten-thousand-year spirit-type head soul bones.
Normally, a level-40 soul master couldn't absorb a ten-thousand-year soul ring due to soul shock—something fatal at that level. However, the rules changed when the ring came from a soul spirit, where the shock was significantly reduced. Still, precautions were necessary.
The ten-thousand-year-level spiritual head soul bone would raise a soul master's spiritual power to the level of the Spirit Abyss Mirror—sufficient to resist the backlash.
"You two, one piece each. Start absorbing it now. When your soul power reaches level 37, I'll guide you through the second awakening of your main martial souls. By then, you should be close to level 40. My method can double the maximum age of the soul ring you can absorb. With the bonus from the soul bone, you'll be able to handle a ring of about 15,000 years."
Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo's eyes sparkled. A 15,000-year soul ring was already on par with the sixth ring for most advanced soul masters. The typical upper limit for the fifth ring was well below that.
Without waiting for Xiao Qiang to offer the ten-thousand-year rings he'd mentioned, the twins took the initiative and officially joined his faction, proving their sincerity through action.
Xiao Qiang had already begun fulfilling his promises. Even if it was just a ten-thousand-year head soul bone—and despite the relative abundance of such items in Douluo Dalu II—for soul masters at their level, it was still immensely valuable.
They were not Xiao Xiao. Their talents were already excellent, and they'd received a ten-thousand-year soul bone before officially joining. Xiao Qiang didn't offer empty promises—he delivered.
Satisfied with their decision, Xiao Qiang handed each of them a dose of ten-thousand-year whale glue and instructed them to begin absorbing the whale glue and soul bone immediately.
As they began their cultivation, Xiao Qiang turned his attention back to Ling Luochen.
Looking at the still uneasy woman, he asked calmly, "Miss Ling, how did you feel just now?"
"It was… alright. It didn't have much effect," she said, trying to sound indifferent.
"Oh? I thought that technique would sublimate your attributes and enhance your martial soul. If it's not effective, I suppose we don't need to continue with it."
"N-No! That's not what I meant. It was effective. I… actually liked the feeling," she quickly clarified, realizing she had said the wrong thing.
"Really?"
Ling Luochen nodded. "Yes."
"Well, since it's beneficial to you," Xiao Qiang said with a faint smile, "come massage my shoulders. Transmitting that much soul power was quite exhausting."
"I'm not your servant."
"But you can be my subordinate. And the treatment you receive in the future will depend on your performance."
Ling Luochen: "…"