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"The wind element..."
As Su Wen began to develop his control over the wind element, he immediately discovered a difference.
The gap between his control over it and his control over the fire element was quite large.
"Little Wen, your mastery over the wind element is greater, and it's much easier for you to practice. This isn't because your spirit skill favors one over the other," Xiao Zhan explained, resolving Su Wen's confusion.
"Your spirit is, in the end, a Book Spirit."
And a book is naturally countered by the fire element.
Su Wen nodded, indicating he understood.
The fact that he was able to gain any affinity for the fire element at all from the Three-Eyed Phantasmal Spirit Fox's spirit ring was likely thanks to the enhancement his first spirit ring had provided to the spirit itself.
Otherwise, even though the spirit fox possessed the fire attribute, it would have been very difficult for it to successfully transform his spirit and imbue it with fire affinity.
The wind element, however, was not so difficult. The spirit ring's transformation of his spirit was more thorough in that regard, resulting in a much higher affinity.
"My suggestion is that you first focus on training your wind element control, as well as the techniques for flame compression and excavation."
As for fusing it into the Flame Fist and forcing your body to adapt to higher-intensity flames, Xiao Zhan no longer recommended it.
Although you won't be able to unleash the true power of the Flame Fist for now, this is the most efficient and practical arrangement.
"Until you overcome your Book Spirit's innate fear of fire, it will be extremely difficult to increase your body's resistance. You will struggle to adapt even to flames converted from your own spirit power, let alone flames converted from the energy of the world."
Xiao Zhan shook his head.
Su Wen's talent was just too high; it had completely disrupted many of his teaching plans, making him temporarily forget this crucial point.
"My advice is to use your next two spirit rings to solve this problem. First, you must overcome your spirit's fear of fire. Only then can you begin the next stage of your Flame Fist training. I suggest you attempt this with your third spirit ring.
After that, get a spirit skill that transforms spirit power into flames. Although it will partially overlap with your second spirit skill, flames converted from one's own spirit power are less harmful to the Spirit Master, making it faster to build resistance. Furthermore, the two skills could be used simultaneously. Combining the flames from your internal power and the external energy, the resulting power might be even greater."
Even his own 'Fire Demon' path was not a smooth one. It required the cooperation of every single spirit ring, constantly evolving his Book Spirit to adapt it to the path he had chosen.
"This fear of fire is, in essence, the nature of a Book Spirit. Paper fears fire. It's the same principle as plant-type Spirit Masters fearing fire."
Upon hearing this, an idea naturally formed in Su Wen's mind.
The Ice and Fire Tempered Golden Body.
The immunity to fire and ice would be critically important for his Book Spirit.
However, Xiao Zhan had just proposed another path.
"Energy transformation."
"Energy transformation?"
"That's right. Use a spirit ring to transform your spirit into a form of pure energy."
Even when you fully release it, manifesting it in the real world, it would be an energy construct, not physical paper.
By doing this, you could also avoid the fire element's counter.
"Uncle Zhan, do you have a skill like that?"
"I do."
By a stroke of luck, Xiao Zhan had obtained such a spirit ring and successfully completed this step.
"But even now, Old Bai and I still haven't figured out how one might obtain this type of skill reliably. So, if you have a better idea, I won't force you to follow my path."
Su Wen fell into deep thought.
The spirit skills granted by spirit rings all originate from the spirit's own power.
This was a theory Su Wen had proposed in the past, and he still believed it. To be more accurate, it was that the spirit must have the potential for it.
Only by meeting the conditions and possessing that latent capability can one guide the spirit ring to produce a corresponding skill.
The foundation of everything is the spirit; otherwise, the spirit ring is just a rootless "source."
Now, after hearing Xiao Zhan's advice on the Book Spirit's development, Su Wen felt his understanding of a spirit ring's purpose had deepened.
Using a spirit ring to ac-quire new characteristics for the spirit.
A spirit ring's power fuses into the spirit and transforms it. Su Wen's initial understanding of this had leaned more toward strengthening the similar traits the spirit already possessed.
He had overlooked the characteristics that the spirit ring adds to the spirit.
"The elemental affinity... that was an extra effect added by the Three-Eyed Phantasmal Spirit Fox's ring."
Even if it doesn't manifest as a spirit skill, the spirit ring itself will still transform the spirit.
And Su Wen's absorption process was different from that of an ordinary Spirit Master. His absorption was more complete, meaning the ring's transformation of his spirit was also more thorough.
This was why he was able to obtain the ring's other traits in addition to just the spirit skill.
Others have to rely on luck, but he was different. He could take all of it.
"In that case, the absorption process itself requires further study. If I could intervene in the spirit ring's transformation of the spirit... perhaps even finely control the direction of that transformation..."
Of course, this goal was definitely not something he could achieve in the short term.
"Uncle Zhan, I understand. I will cultivate to level 30 as quickly as possible and first find a way to overcome my spirit's fear of fire."
Although Xiao Zhan's suggestion was excellent, Su Wen did not plan to adopt it.
He already had a way to solve the fear of fire. Therefore, his third spirit ring could still be chosen according to his own original plan.
However, regarding the specific plan for his third spirit ring, Su Wen felt it was necessary to reconsider.
"For now, I'll focus on training my wind element control and the techniques for flame compression and excavation."
In truth, it wasn't just these two points. Su Wen's true second skill was 'Control'—control over the ambient heaven-and-earth energy. He was also trying to develop his ability to mobilize this raw energy.
For example, using it during cultivation, to create a higher concentration of external energy to stimulate his spirit power cultivation speed.
Although he couldn't unleash the stronger forms of the Flame Fist, Su Wen was not discouraged.
"This just means that, for the short term, I can focus wholeheartedly on improving my 'mage' abilities."
Su Wen was continuously learning flame compression and explosiveness. These techniques weren't limited to just the Flame Fist. Xiao Zhan used them that way only because he possessed the 'Fire Demon Overlord Body' skill, making him more suited for close-quarters explosive power.
"Wind element... fire element... a mage..."
Su Wen's mind was teeming with ideas for applying these two elements, all waiting to be tested.
Of course, before testing those ideas, he had to first attempt to develop his flying technique.
"Propulsion using airflow is the simplest and easiest to achieve. It's very convenient for short bursts of speed, but it isn't suitable for sustained, conventional flight."
Despite saying this, Su Wen showed no hesitation in his actions.
First, he would use airflow propulsion to develop the basic ability to fly.
Whether it was convenient to maintain sustained flight with this method... that was a problem for the next step.
Having adapted to the process of converting heaven-and-earth energy into the wind element and transforming it into powerful gusts, Su Wen began his attempt.
"Haha, it really works!"
As his feet lifted off the ground, Su Wen let out a breath of relief.
Excellent. The preliminary development was very smooth.
He didn't get reckless. Attempting to fly required caution. Otherwise, a fall from a high altitude, even if it didn't kill him, would cause severe injuries. That would seriously disrupt his cultivation rhythm.
Sure enough, Su Wen's control over the wind power quickly became unstable, and he began to wobble.
(End of this chapter)