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The only problem was that the Stone Golem's attribute and the book didn't really match.
What had caught Su Wen's eye was its ability to recombine and aggregate, which was almost like a racial talent.
The Stone Golem could fuse with rock, and it could also separate its own body. Every separated piece of rock had the potential to become part of its body.
In terms of combat, it was an even better fit for Su Wen's requirements.
It could control rocks to form combination skills, fuse with rock to greatly strengthen itself, and even form combination attacks with other Stone Golems.
After learning about the Stone Golem clan in the Sunset Forest from Dugu Yan, Su Wen invited her to help him hunt his spirit beast.
Dugu Yan did not refuse.
"It just so happens I haven't gone back to see my grandfather in a while."
Su Wen was inwardly delighted.
Excellent. When the time comes, I can accompany you home to see your grandfather.
"By the way, Little Wen, is Teacher Xiao Zhan helping you hunt your spirit beast this time?" Dugu Yan asked.
Su Wen nodded.
For this kind of thing, troubling Xiao Zhan was the natural choice.
"Then let's set off tomorrow."
"Alright."
The next day.
The group of three—Su Wen, Xiao Zhan, and Dugu Yan—left Tian Dou Royal Academy.
The academy was situated on a mountain in the outskirts of Tian Dou City, located between the Sunset Forest and the city itself.
The distance to the forest was very short.
They set off in the morning and arrived at the outermost perimeter of the Sunset Forest by evening.
"Sister Yan, is your home in the spirit beast forest?"
"Of course not." Dugu Yan rolled her eyes.
Who would live inside a spirit beast forest?
"My home is in Tian Dou City. It's just that my grandfather is usually cultivating in the Sunset Forest around this time, so I always come here to find him."
Although it was inconvenient to live in the Sunset Forest, Dugu Bo's poison could still cordon off an area. When he sensed Dugu Yan approaching, he would exit his cultivation state.
"Little Wen, are you certain you want to choose the Stone Golem?" Xiao Zhan had lost count of how many times he had asked.
"Yes, I'm certain."
"But aside from the combination skill you want, the Stone Golem's other aspects aren't highly compatible with you," Xiao Zhan tried to persuade him. "If you want a combination-type skill, I'd still recommend a target like the 'Sword-Scale Dragon'."
"Its scales are like swords and can even be released, forming a 'sword domain' that rains down."
"Of course, its 'combination' effect is much smaller."
"Don't you also have that combat style of folding paper into swords? With a Sword-Scale Dragon, you could easily obtain a skill similar to 'Myriad Swords Return to One'."
Su Wen shook his head.
"Uncle Zhan, the 'Paper Style' was just a temporary measure for me at the beginning. Its upper limit is too low. The material of the pages themselves dictates that paper swords can never compare to real swords."
"What's the greatest advantage of a Sword Spirit?"
"Is it the sword itself?"
"No, it's the sword qi (sword energy)."
"My paper swords just imitate the shape of a sword."
"It was just a convenient trick to achieve a sword's sharpness, but it could never become a true sword."
"Now, my old 'Paper Style' abilities are mostly just used to attach flames for attacks."
"I engrave fire-control patterns on the paper swords to help me mobilize the fire element at a distance."
"Or, I just use them to carry fireballs, making it easier to control their trajectory."
"Besides, if I absorb the Stone Golem's ring, I can most likely gain an ability similar to 'Earth Element Control'."
"Besides the combination skill, the Stone Golem's compatibility with me isn't high. So, I'll just have to acquire its characteristics."
"The Book Spirit has a strong 'all-encompassing' nature."
"My elemental control is rooted in my own affinity for those elements; I just use my second spirit skill to express that affinity. It's not that my second skill is 'Wind and Fire Control'."
"Therefore, if a subsequent spirit ring grants me affinity for another element, I can absolutely use my second spirit skill to master that corresponding attribute as well."
"Sigh." Xiao Zhan sighed.
He could see Su Wen's mind was made up.
Even if he truly didn't understand, he respected Su Wen's decision.
"In that case, when you're absorbing the spirit ring, pay special attention to sensing these aspects..."
He began to pass on some of his own experiences with absorbing spirit rings as a Book Spirit Master.
"A ring from the same type of spirit beast, when absorbed by Spirit Masters with the same spirit, can result in different spirit skills."
"Besides the beast itself and the Spirit Master's own focus, the details during the absorption process also have an influence."
"It's a small influence, but it's there."
"Or rather, this experience isn't circulated in the outside world."
"A White Tiger Spirit Master must absorb a specific type of spirit beast, and then use a specific technique during absorption, to reliably obtain the same spirit skill."
"The same goes for Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit Masters. By absorbing a lightning-attribute dragon beast, they can almost always obtain specific, predictable skills."
"The reason inherited spirit skills overlap so much within clans is precisely that they have mastered these techniques."
"The few points Xiao Zhan was reminding Su Wen of now were all from his own experiences."
"During the absorption, you can focus on sensing your own spirit, actively merge with the spirit ring, and then attempt to 'encompass' it. Since you've already developed your spirit's 'recording' ability, you should be able to do this."
This was Xiao Zhan's method for achieving his spirit's "energy transformation."
"The difference, however, is that your spirit most likely won't gain an 'energy transformation' from this."
"This way, your spirit might also be able to 'petrify'. Due to the compatibility issues between rock and a book, it probably won't be a complete petrification, but more likely a 'state' you can enter."
"Of course, that's not the main goal. The main goal is that by doing this, you might also gain mastery over the earth element."
"Even if your third spirit skill isn't 'Earth Control', there's a chance it could chain-react with your second skill."
"Combined with your development of your second skill, and your spirit's innate 'recording' characteristic..."
"...there's a very good chance."
This was the only reason Xiao Zhan could come up with for why Su Wen was so insistent on the Stone Golem.
Wind and fire are no longer enough to satisfy this kid.
He wants to master even more elements.
Seeing that Su Wen, contrary to expectation, didn't look surprised, Dugu Yan inwardly mused: Did Little Wen plan this from the start? It's possible. After all, Teacher Xiao Zhan is just a 'half-baked' scholar who finds it convenient, whereas Su Wen is a real theorist.
"You theorists are really something else," Dugu Yan thought, impressed.
She didn't fully grasp the fundamental principles, but she could tell that, logically, everything Xiao Zhan said was sound.
So, when you theorists add a spirit ring, you can even plan for it to mutate your existing skills?
My goodness.
When I got my spirit rings, all I thought about was what 'type' of skill I wanted.
I never once thought about using a specific method or technique to guide the influence, to make the spirit itself metamorphose, and then use that metamorphosis to trigger a mutation in my other existing skills...
It sounds idealistic, but what if it actually works?
If you plan for it from the very beginning, the probability of success is definitely much higher than just relying on luck.
Dugu Yan couldn't help but feel a newfound respect for the 'scholar' profession.
The gap between having a good scholar help you plan, and just relying on luck and 'what looks good' to get a spirit ring, is truly massive.
(End of this chapter)