Although Alistair Jewel and the others had prepared themselves mentally because they had seen the truth with their own eyes, when Wu Ling said it aloud, everyone present was still stunned beyond words.
A person's Martial Soul was decided at birth. Unless a cheat like Asher Vale was involved, there should be no second way to increase the number of Martial Souls a person possessed.
Yet the fact stood before them now. Even Yue Guan and Ghost, who had both been tempered by cultivation methods and potions, felt their understanding of the world overturn. Alistair Jewel and the others, who had never experienced such shocks, were in even worse shape.
With an expression of astonishment that did not match his status, Alistair Jewel kept looking back and forth between Wu Ling and the long spear in Blair's hand.
Before they could calm down, Wu Ling signaled Yue Guan and Ghost with his eyes, then threw out another bomb.
"Blair. Spirit Cat."
When everyone looked at Blair again, they saw the white light of Martial Soul possession appear on her body.
"This... this is!"
Although they had never seen innate twin Martial Souls in reality, historical records said that a Spirit Master with twin Martial Souls could only use one Martial Soul at a time. To use the second Martial Soul, they first had to withdraw the other one.
But what appeared before them now was a cat-eared girl holding a spear.
The Soulbreaker Spear and Netherworld Spirit Cat Martial Souls were displayed at the same time.
That was right. This was the result of Rose's long research.
First, they needed to select a suitable death-row prisoner from Spirit Hall's prisons.
Then, through Rule Breaker and Knight of Owner, that person's Martial Soul was stripped away.
After that, all of the person's flesh, blood, and even soul were refined into enough soul liquid to fill one small bottle.
Finally, the stripped Martial Soul was sealed back into that bottle of soul liquid. The Spirit Power absorption array on the outside of the bottle provided the most basic Spirit Power.
When the device needed to be used, the Soul Shifter activated it, letting the Martial Soul possess the user in a symbiotic form.
To put it simply, it was like an unconscious Soul Spirit made from a Spirit Master as raw material. The user supplied Spirit Power to maintain its existence, while it supplied the user with a Martial Soul and Spirit Skills.
"In the future, Asher Vale will create the Spirit Pagoda. Now, Wu Ling builds the Sacred Spirit Hall."
That was what Wu Ling had thought at the time.
Back in the present, Wu Ling sat in his chair, poured himself a cup of tea, and waved to Alistair Jewel.
"Sect Master Jewel, there is no need to be so shocked. Come sit and drink tea with me. I will explain it slowly."
Hearing Wu Ling's words, Alistair Jewel suddenly understood.
"I have been completely handled..."
While sighing inwardly, he sat back beside Wu Ling, because both he and Wu Ling understood that a support-type Spirit Master like him would never give up a chance to change his fate.
"Sect Master Jewel, after seeing Blair's current state, you should understand. Since she can use two Martial Souls at once, your support-type Spirit Masters can do the same. In other words, the unwritten rule that support types cannot buff themselves may no longer apply from today onward."
Because support-type Spirit Masters had almost no attack or defense methods, in past battles, the idea that support types could not enhance themselves had nearly become an unwritten rule. Today, Alistair Jewel saw the possibility of removing that rule.
"Your Highness, I do want it very much, but I still ask you to explain the details." Although desire filled Alistair Jewel's heart, he understood that in this world, aside from parents, no kindness came without reason. He needed to understand more before making a decision.
Just as Alistair Jewel thought, Wu Ling was not giving this away for free. His goal was Alistair Jewel's blood. More precisely, the genes inside that blood.
Before coming here, Wu Ling had already made this plan. Because of that, he had added a small modification to this Soul Shifter. Every time it was used, it would continuously analyze the user's genes, then transmit the analyzed portion to Rose's receiver.
Once Rose completely parsed the data, mass-producing Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagodas, or even Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagodas, would no longer be a dream.
Wu Ling looked forward to the future Spirit Hunt Operation. If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect still stood against Spirit Hall then, they could begin with a Soulcraft tool explosion, followed by every Titled Sage holding a Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. He truly wanted to see Alistair Jewel's expression as his worldview was ground against the floor.
Before that, however, Alistair Jewel had to buy it.
So Wu Ling first explained its advantages. It did not merely provide a Martial Soul. It also provided Spirit Skills. However, the user could use only the Spirit Skills corresponding to their current level.
For example, Blair's current level was sixteen, while the original Soulbreaker Spear Spirit Master's level had been Spirit Daoist. In that case, Blair could use only the Soulbreaker Spear's first Spirit Skill. Only after reaching the same level could she use that level's corresponding Spirit Skill and everything below it.
On the other hand, once the user's level surpassed the level of the Spirit Master inside the Soul Shifter, the device had the weakness of being unable to add further Spirit Rings.
The method for using Spirit Skills was simple. The user drew cards from the pouch on the side of the belt. Those cards were the manifestation of the Spirit Rings. Insert the desired card into the Soul Shifter, and the corresponding Spirit Skill could be used.
Wu Ling had Blair demonstrate the other notes and advantages one by one.
After learning most of the Soul Shifter's abilities, Alistair Jewel feared Wu Ling might change his mind. He did not even bargain. He bought two at an extremely high price.
That was right. Even though the price was painfully beyond expectation, Alistair Jewel gritted his teeth and bought two.
"All right, Sect Master Jewel. Since you bought the Soul Shifters, should you not also take a few Martial Soul Bottles?"
After placing two adjusted Soul Shifters in front of Alistair Jewel, Wu Ling took out several small bottles identical to the one from earlier and placed them before him.
Alistair Jewel's expression tightened slightly. As someone who also had a merchant's identity, he was very familiar with this routine. He simply had not expected today's "lucky customer" to be himself.
"Your Highness, our sect has purchased so many things from your hall in one transaction. Is there no discount or the like?"
After buying the Soul Shifters, even Alistair Jewel's own funds were nearly depleted. Under such circumstances, face no longer mattered much.
"Oh, right. To show Spirit Hall's sincerity, I will gift Sect Master Jewel this support-type Spirit Adept Martial Soul Bottle for free."
As he spoke, Wu Ling pushed a bottle with a somewhat sloppy-looking exterior toward Alistair Jewel.
Alistair Jewel silently looked at the small bottle in front of him. Then he reached out and wordlessly stored it in his storage ring.
"Then, Your Highness, may I ask how much a Spirit King Martial Soul Bottle costs..."
After Wu Ling left, Alistair Jewel leaned close to Lucius Grimm's ear.
"Uncle Bone, issue a notice in a while. Say our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has made an exception and purchased a large number of Soulcraft tools from Spirit Hall. Anyone interested may use next month's wages plus some of their own money to buy one."
Once the transaction was complete, Wu Ling did not linger. He only ate dinner, stayed for one night, and left.
His next destination was those academies.