Chapter 20: Want to Try a Martial Soul Fusion Technique?
The moment Yu Xiaogang finished speaking, Qi Tian immediately questioned him:
"You claim to be a master of Martial Soul theory—so talented that even Spirit Hall would stoop to steal your research—yet the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan still expelled you?
Tell me, was it that your clan failed to recognize your genius, or that you hadn't actually created any real theories back then?"
His tone carried a hint of mockery as he continued coldly,
"You say Spirit Hall drove you out just to plagiarize your theories, but from where I'm standing, it looks more like you were the one who stole their ideas."
After all, Yu Xiaogang had only begun preaching about his so-called "Martial Soul Theory" after joining Spirit Hall.
Who would believe that wasn't copied?
As Qi Tian's words fell, Yu Xiaogang's face darkened instantly. Before he could respond, Flender quickly stepped in to defend him.
"Impossible! Xiaogang would never do such a thing!"
"With his intellect, how could he possibly steal someone else's theory?"
Yu Xiaogang clearly wanted to steer the conversation away from this topic. He forced a calm expression and turned stiffly toward Liu Erlong.
"Miss Liu, if you don't explain the origin of this jade token, don't blame me for being rude!"
Qi Tian chuckled lightly.
"Rude? With your twenty-ninth rank of soul power, I'd like to see just how you plan to be rude."
He waved dismissively.
"Forget it. Take the jade token if you want—it's useless to me anyway. Just hand it over to Yu Luomian."
Then, as if dropping a bomb, he casually added,
"Oh, and my Fire Dragon Martial Soul? It's actually a mutation of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon."
Qi Tian had already discussed this with Liu Erlong. Since she had no intention of acknowledging her irresponsible father, Qi Tian directly exposed the truth.
"What?! Then your relationship with Second Uncle…"
Yu Xiaogang's expression shifted drastically, realization dawning upon him. He had completely misunderstood.
He wanted to clarify things immediately, but Qi Tian had already turned away, heading straight toward the Sunset Forest.
Flender smirked mischievously.
"Xiaogang, could she be your younger sister?"
The first time he saw Liu Erlong, her beauty had already captured his attention.
If she really were Yu Xiaogang's sister, then that would make Yu Xiaogang his future brother-in-law!
Yu Xiaogang finally pieced things together—Liu Erlong was likely his Second Uncle's illegitimate daughter.
Suddenly, a thought struck him.
He recalled the two secret manuals he had exchanged for an herbal formula from Spirit Hall. One of them detailed Martial Soul Fusion Techniques.
According to the text, certain fusion techniques could only be performed by siblings with blood ties, due to their high Martial Soul compatibility.
For example, Spirit Hall once had two brothers, both with the Coiling Dragon Staff Martial Soul—they could unleash a powerful fusion technique together.
(What Yu Xiaogang didn't know was that those brothers had long since become Elders of Spirit Hall, and such details were naturally omitted from the book.)
"Liu Erlong also possesses a mutated Martial Soul… could it be possible for the two of us to perform a Martial Soul Fusion Technique?"
His mind raced as he recalled another line from the manual:
"When two Martial Souls are compatible, their users will feel an inexplicable attraction upon meeting."
"Was that why I was drawn to Liu Erlong…? Because our souls resonate? If I could perform a Fusion Technique with her—and be the dominant one—that would be perfect!"
The more he thought, the more excited he became.
"No, I have to find her and confirm this!"
However, with his low soul power and external Martial Soul, Yu Xiaogang had no hope of catching up to Liu Erlong alone.
He turned to Flender.
"Flender, I need to speak with Liu Erlong about something important. Will you come with me?"
Flender's eyes brightened immediately.
"Of course! I was about to suggest that myself!"
---
An hour later, Qi Tian stepped into the depths of the Sunset Forest.
Having already entered this place twice before, he was now quite familiar with its terrain. Without hesitation, he advanced straight into the heart of the forest.
"Huh? The mission still isn't marked as complete?"
Qi Tian frowned in thought.
"Could it be that Yu Xiaogang will deceive Liu Erlong again in the future? Or perhaps her mother will face another crisis?"
Feeling uneasy, he decided that the next time he met Yu Xiaogang, he'd make sure to add a bit more medicine to his eyes.
"Erlong, do you know what a Martial Soul Fusion Technique is?" Qi Tian suddenly asked.
Liu Erlong blinked in confusion. Having dropped out of her studies years ago, she had never heard of such a term.
"Martial Soul Fusion Technique?" she repeated curiously.
Qi Tian nodded.
"That's right. It's a special technique performed by two or more Soul Masters whose Martial Souls are highly compatible. When they fuse their Martial Souls, the resulting power can be utterly terrifying."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.
"When two Soul Douluo combine their Martial Souls, they can even contend head-on with an ordinary Titled Douluo."
Liu Erlong felt her brain overflow with yet another bit of information that seemed useless to her.
She couldn't figure out why Qi Tian was bringing this up now.
Qi Tian glanced at her thoughtfully.
"You see, people with compatible Martial Souls are naturally drawn to each other—almost like an invisible force of attraction."
Then, with a hint of teasing in his tone, he added,
"And since both Yu Xiaogang and Flender seem rather taken with you, I suspect you might be able to perform a Martial Soul Fusion Technique with either of them."
"What? Me… with them?" Liu Erlong looked completely stunned.
Qi Tian chuckled softly while continuing forward through the forest.
"It's just a guess, of course. But cultivating a Fusion Technique creates a strong mental resonance between both parties. You start to understand each other instinctively, think alike, and move in perfect sync."
His voice grew more serious.
"If the pair happens to be of opposite gender, that bond can even be mistaken for love."
Then he asked with a smile,
"So, Erlong—would you like to try cultivating a Martial Soul Fusion Technique with them?"
Liu Erlong quickly shook her head, recalling their faces with mild disgust.
"No way! I don't want to share any 'heart resonance' with either of them! I can become strong on my own!"
This Liu Erlong was no longer the same woman as before—her mother was alive and well, their lives peaceful and stable.
Why would she fall for someone like Yu Xiaogang or Flender?
In theory, even Flender should have been compatible enough to perform a Fusion Technique with her.
But after Yu Xiaogang's betrayal, Liu Erlong hadn't fallen for Flender either. Clearly, her taste leaned toward someone at least slightly more handsome.
Yu Xiaogang might not be good-looking, but compared to Flender… he was still an improvement.
Yet, since Liu Erlong hadn't suffered the grief of losing her mother or being left homeless, there was no way Yu Xiaogang could exploit her vulnerability this time.
Qi Tian smiled faintly.
"Good. I believe in you, Erlong. With your own strength, you'll definitely become a powerful Soul Master—someone who can stand proudly on her own."
Her crimson eyes lit up with determination.
"Mm! And with your help, Benefactor, I'll definitely become strong!"
Then, after a moment of hesitation, she asked shyly,
"Benefactor… are you human? Or… a god?"
Qi Tian raised a brow, amused.
"Why not a ghost? This world does have plenty of ghost legends, after all."
He continued casually,
"There's even a Soul Master in Spirit Hall who's said to be possessed by a ghost—his Martial Soul is literally 'Ghost Demon.'"
Liu Erlong smiled sweetly.
"There's no way a ghost could be as kind as you."
Qi Tian laughed.
"Then what do you hope I am? Human or God?"
Liu Erlong hesitated for a moment before softly answering,
"I… I hope you're human. That way, I might have a chance to find you one day."
Qi Tian chuckled.
"Haha, you're right—I am human."
Her eyes widened in delight.
"Really? Then does that mean I'll be able to meet you someday?"
"You might," Qi Tian said cryptically. "Though by then, I fear you might not recognize me anymore."
He wasn't speaking of this world, but of his own.
According to the system, this Douluo Continent was merely a parallel world—meaning, the Liu Erlong from his world had never met him.
But Liu Erlong's tone was full of certainty.
"That's impossible. No matter what you look like, I'll recognize you, Benefactor."
Then, with a hint of playful curiosity, she asked,
"Since you're human… Are you a man or a woman?"
Qi Tian smiled.
"I'm a man. You don't mind that, do you?"
"Of course not!" Liu Erlong said quickly, shaking her head. "You saved my mother's life—how could I possibly mind? I should be grateful!"
But deep down, she couldn't help feeling a little flutter in her heart.
After a brief pause, she spoke again, her tone suddenly mischievous.
"Then, Benefactor… where are you from? What's your name? How old are you? Who's in your family? Are you… married?"
Qi Tian sighed helplessly.
"What's this? Are you trying to check my household registration now?"
—
End of Chapter