Soul Land: Heartbreak Makes Me Stronger

The soft gurgle of flowing water complemented the tranquil elegance of the small pavilion.

"Technically, it's possible for different individuals to merge Soul Rings…"

Qin Jian swapped to a fresh piece of paper, continuing his illustration. "If multiple people have martial souls of the same attribute—for example, our Skywater Battle Team, where everyone has water-attributed martial souls—then ring fusion is feasible."

"Does that mean our Blazingfire Academy could do it too?" Huo Wu asked eagerly.

Qin Jian glanced at her briefly before replying, "Yes, but only if all of you master the techniques for ring fusion. Alternatively, if you alone could fuse the Soul Rings of all seven members, it would require an exceptionally deep understanding of ring fusion."

Huo Wu couldn't help but ask, "Qin Jian… Aren't you worried that if I master this, I'll help Blazingfire Academy defeat Skywater Academy?"

You'd figure it out on your own even if I didn't teach you.

Qin Jian chuckled and said, "If you could pull that off, you'd be a true genius. Losing to someone like that would be no shame at all."

This little bit of flattery caused the corners of Huo Wu's lips to curl into a faint smile.

"What about Soul Masters with entirely different attributes? Could their Soul Rings be fused?" she pressed further.

Qin Jian replied, "In that case, each person would need to independently fuse their own Soul Rings first. Only then could the group work towards fusing them all together. This requires everyone involved to be a prodigious Soul Master."

"Did you grasp the basics of ring fusion?" he asked with a smile.

Huo Wu nodded. "I think I understand. Please teach me how to train for ring fusion."

"There are two ways to learn it," Qin Jian said. "You can choose for yourself."

He elaborated, "One option is that I explain the theory, and you figure it out on your own. The second option is for me to assist you in fusion, so you can experience it firsthand."

"The second option sounds easier," Huo Wu mused.

Qin Jian laughed. "It is easier, but it requires your complete trust. Additionally, because our attributes are different, we can't fuse remotely. I'd have to inject my Soul Power directly into your body. You understand what that implies, don't you?"

A faint blush rose on Huo Wu's face.

Of course, she understood the implications. Soul Power was an intimate part of any Soul Master. Allowing another's Soul Power to enter one's body wasn't just a matter of trust—it was a profound act of mutual openness, akin to standing bare before one another.

"Just explain the theory to me," Huo Wu said quickly.

Qin Jian nodded, showing no sign of disappointment.

At present, he had no intention of provoking Huo Wu—unless fate deemed it unavoidable.

"Ring fusion involves using your Soul Power to reconcile the differences between various Soul Rings," Qin Jian explained as he continued drawing. "Each Soul Ring has its own characteristics. What we need to do is identify the commonalities between them and use those as a bridge to eliminate their repulsion."

After finishing his explanation, he fell silent.

Huo Wu waited a while, and when Qin Jian didn't continue, she asked, "That's it? You're done explaining?"

"Yes, that's all," Qin Jian said, spreading his hands. "The principle is that simple. Practicing the technique, however, requires constant personal experimentation."

Huo Wu looked perplexed. "But I have no idea where to start…"

"To be honest, I've gone through a lot of sect records," Qin Jian said. "But in summary, this is all there is. The rest depends on personal insight—or on me guiding you to experience the process directly."

"This kind of subtle operation can't be described in words. You have to feel it yourself."

Huo Wu shook her head, then picked up the diagrams he had drawn. "Can I take these with me?"

"Of course," Qin Jian said with a smile.

After putting them away, Huo Wu said, "Then let me tell you about the technique of swapping places with your martial soul."

"Sure," Qin Jian responded with interest.

This technique, though not as explosively powerful as ring fusion, was incredibly practical. When applied skillfully in battle, it could dramatically enhance combat flexibility.

"Martial souls, like Soul Power, are part of us as Soul Masters," Huo Wu explained seriously. "Since we can manipulate Soul Power to perform soul skills, we can also interact with our martial souls in a similar way."

"A martial soul is oneself, and oneself is the martial soul. To swap places with your martial soul, you just need to grasp this concept. It's like standing in two places at once—different parts of your being can naturally switch back and forth."

Then she, too, fell silent.

"You're done explaining already?"

This time, it was Qin Jian's turn to look bewildered.

"Yes, I'm done," Huo Wu said, a smirk tugging at her lips. "It seems we'll have to see who has better comprehension skills. This kind of technique sounds so abstract…"

"How long did it take you to turn the idea into reality?" Qin Jian suddenly asked.

Huo Wu thought for a moment. "About half a year. What about you? How long did it take you to master ring fusion?"

"I read through most of my sect's records in my early years…"

That was during his hesitation about whether to embark on the path to godhood.

"So I already knew the theory. When I acquired my second Soul Ring, I started experimenting with fusion," Qin Jian said.

"And how long before you succeeded?" Huo Wu asked eagerly.

Qin Jian scratched his head. "Not long—just a morning. By the afternoon, I'd succeeded."

Huo Wu was stunned. "You mastered such a divine skill in a single day?"

"More or less, but it wasn't entirely like that," Qin Jian said, downplaying it to avoid discouraging her. "My Soul Rings are rather unique, so the difficulty was low. It actually took me another ten days or so to study how different Soul Rings could be fused."

"Different Soul Rings?" Huo Wu asked. "You mean fusing someone else's Soul Rings?"

Qin Jian nodded. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have offered you the second method. I've fused Bing'er's Soul Rings before, but helping others with fusion is so time-consuming that it's impractical for actual combat."

"You're not even human, are you…"

Huo Wu gave him a peculiar look.

Technically, she wasn't wrong… but that wasn't something Qin Jian could admit, so he just smiled.

"Let's both work hard and see who masters their technique first," he said, standing up. "If you find it too abstract, I can help you fuse once so you can experience it."

Huo Wu stood up as well. After some thought, her eyes sparkled mischievously. "Actually, I could use your method too. If you find it too hard to comprehend, you can come to me, and I'll help you try it."

Qin Jian blinked, suddenly understanding her sentiment.

Allowing another person's Soul Power into one's body… Without a close relationship, it really did feel bizarre.

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