Chapter 53: The Root of the Mutation
After listening to Ye Wen's analysis, Yu Yuanzhen quickly grasped the underlying principles and how they related to his son's martial soul issue.
"Xiaogang, it was my negligence," Yu Yuanzhen said heavily, his gaze dim. "If I hadn't been so obsessed with my own cultivation and had paid closer attention to your martial soul, we wouldn't have hunted the wrong soul rings, leading to this continual, negative mutation in your martial soul."
Yu Xiaogang looked as though he wanted to speak but hesitated.
"Master Ye Wen," Yu Yuanzhen continued, "is there any hope of saving my son's martial soul?" He fixed Ye Wen with a serious look.
Ye Wen pondered for a moment before answering slowly, "There's a chance we can try, though I can't guarantee success. Given the toll it's taken on his body, he's developed significant resistance to treatments, so any external enhancements might have limited effect."
"Tell me what you have in mind," Yu Yuanzhen replied, keeping his emotions in check.
"According to my On the Essence of Martial Souls, any resources a martial soul absorbs that closely match its core attributes will benefit its cultivation the most. This means your son's best shot now is to train in an environment that simulates light attribute energy. And the best place for such light attribute cultivation is in Spirit Hall's domain. If you have enough influence, you might be able to make a request to the Supreme Pontiff himself, who is known for his generosity."
Hearing this, Yu Yuanzhen's face darkened. For a powerful clan like the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan to seek favors from the Supreme Pontiff? It would be humiliating. Yet he was acutely aware that Ye Wen, with his humble origins, had only suggested this in good faith, so he refrained from showing his anger. But glancing at his son's hopeful expression, he felt a surge of frustration. How could he have such an imbecile for a son?
Ye Wen went on. "I've also done research on martial soul mutations. A significant mutation in a martial soul isn't random. One of my disciples, for example, has a family martial soul lineage with an ordinary rabbit soul, yet she awakened with a top tier rabbit martial soul, the Soft Bone Rabbit. Curiously, though, her innate soul power was only at six and a half, even though most high tier souls typically awaken with at least a seven. This was unusual, particularly as she grew up in a well nourished environment. I concluded that this reduction in innate soul power likely resulted from a deficiency in her martial soul's own requirements at the time of awakening."
He looked intently at Yu Yuanzhen. "Tell me, Your Excellency, was your son's mother powerful in her own right?"
Yu Yuanzhen hesitated before answering. "She was a Soul King, but she died during Xiaogang's birth due to complications."
"My condolences. But I think the circumstances of her passing indicate something critical here," Ye Wen replied. "Since both you and your wife had considerable strength and vitality, her passing seems unusual. If she died during childbirth despite her physical resilience, it could suggest that your son's martial soul was drawing from her life force."
"You're saying my son drained his mother's life force in utero, and that's what led to her difficult labor?" Yu Yuanzhen's expression tightened.
"Precisely," Ye Wen confirmed. "Given the innate attributes of both light and dragon within your son's martial soul, the demand on his mother's life force would have been substantial. Additionally, with his powerful bloodline as an anchor, the mutation would indeed produce a formidable martial soul. Yet, since it failed to complete, what we see now is an imperfect, deteriorated version of what it should be. I have one more question: was your son's appetite abnormal as a child?"
Yu Yuanzhen nodded. "Yes. Xiaogang ate more than most children but never gained weight."
Ye Wen nodded. "Classic symptoms of impaired absorption. It sounds as though his martial soul was still craving energy and nutrients after birth. Without a cultivated martial soul at that age, his body had nothing to channel the energy properly. Initially, this would have depleted his innate soul power. Eventually, this created a need for additional food, though it would have been far from sufficient to satisfy the demands of such a powerful soul."
"Then, according to you, his martial soul was likely a powerful, perhaps even a superior type of dragon soul. But because it lacked energy, it mutated into its current weakened state. Is that correct?" Yu Yuanzhen asked, visibly shaken.
"Precisely, Your Excellency," Ye Wen affirmed.
Yu Yuanzhen, who had always believed his son to be born with defective talent, was now confronted with the notion that he was instead a failed genius. Bitterness filled his heart. "Is there any way to remedy this?" he asked finally.
"There is a chance," Ye Wen answered. "If he can break through to rank 30 and absorb a soul ring from a true dragon soul beast with light attributes for his third ring, it might partially correct the failed mutation. Additionally, if you can capture a light dragon and use its blood essence to create a medicinal bath, it may strengthen his body. My Soul Ring Absorption Theory emphasizes the importance of body conditioning, and if Young Master Xiaogang truly wants to improve, he'll need to work hard. With persistence, he may be able to restore his soul back to its true light dragon form by his fourth ring. By then, he should be free of his past limitations. Continuing to cultivate this way, he could even reach rank 60 by his fifties, overcoming his reputation as a 'waste' entirely. Furthermore, by then, his bloodline should be strengthened enough that any offspring may carry forward this powerful bloodline martial soul."
Yu Yuanzhen's eyes flickered as he considered Ye Wen's suggestion. His resolve hardened. "Thank you, Master Ye. If Xiaogang's training yields results, he will personally offer his thanks. My previous promise also stands."
(End of Chapter)
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