Soul Land 5: The Rebirth of Tang San

Chapter 147: Soul-Chasing Cluster Ball

Chapter 147: Soul-Chasing Cluster Ball

If it weren't for the considerable defensive strength of his ice elemental physique, he might have been turned into a sieve just now.

"Is...Is this a hidden weapon technique?" Wu Bingji was filled with intense shock, and he was frozen in place, unable to react.

Tang San had already approached him.

"Senior brother, are you alright?" he quietly asked.

Wu Bingji looked up at him, his eyes full of shock, "This, this... How did you do this? You..."

Tang San chuckled. "Control! It's all about controlling the elements. Impressive, isn't it?"

"This is too powerful. Thirty meters! And still such force! What kind of divine hidden weapon technique is this?" Wu Bingji looked at Tang San, his mouth dry and eyes filled with wonder.

"Let's go, we'll talk when we’re inside." Tang San pulled Wu Bingji back to his dwelling, as Wu Bingji's current state was too bizarre to be seen by others.

In Wu Bingji's room, Tang San closed the door, turned to Wu Bingji with a grin, and said, "This is a hidden weapon technique I've been working on over the past month. The problem is that I can’t really do it very well because the wind element is not very well-suited to it. But by the time I realized this, I’d already invested too many hours of work into it. And then I thought...hold on a moment, wind might not be the best element for it, but if you try it using ice, it should produce incredible power."

"Tell me quickly, what's the trick to it?" Wu Bingji asked eagerly.

"I call this the Soul-Chasing Cluster Ball. See those two light spheres? They are the 'mother' balls. But the true power lies hidden within them. Do you remember I told you that once you can compress icicles into ice needles, your long-range attacks will improve? They can break through all kinds of strong defenses; even the tough bodies of demonic beasts might not withstand it."

"Ah, I can now use ice needles to some extent, and you’re right, they really have incredible penetrating power," Wu Bingji said excitedly. This was his latest outstanding achievement. Controlling the ice element to compress it into ice needles greatly aided his overall cultivation and experience with the ice element. Thus, he truly admired Tang San.

Tang San explained, "The reason I’m saying that the Soul-Chasing Cluster Ball would be well-suited for you is that you can use it with the ice needles. I said that the balls are the 'mothers,' right? Well, the 'children' are a bunch of smaller weapons hidden inside. I don't have control over ice, so what I hide inside are wind needles. But how can the power of wind needles compare to ice needles? The penetrating power of ice needles is much greater! Also, once an ice needle pierces into an enemy's body, as long as you can connect with your spiritual power, you can make them explode and cause even more damage. Imagine that power!"

Hearing this, Wu Bingji couldn't help but gasp in amazement. "That works? You mean to say, using an ice element shell to cover many ice needles, then flicking them out with a technique to make them collide and explode at a distance. How is that even possible..."

He had just finished speaking when he remembered Tang San's recent display. Thinking back, it indeed was as his junior brother had said! And if Tang San could do it, then what prevented him from doing the same?

Tang San smiled slightly and said, "Senior brother, don't worry, there's a knack to it. Let me explain it slowly. Your ice element is much more powerful than my wind element, at least in this aspect, so it'll be more difficult for you to use. This secret technique will take you a long time to practice, but as long as you progress step by step following my method, I think you'll soon be able to use it easily. Now think of what I told you earlier: if you really master this, don't you think it can one-shot a sixth-order demonic beast?"

Wu Bingji blinked and pondered over the power of his ice needles, "The Soul-Chasing Cluster Ball's explosion can accelerate the ice needles within? And it's not a gradual acceleration, but an all-out push?"

Tang San nodded and replied, "Of course, it all depends on how you use the Ice Explosion Technique. It's different from the wind element. But I've already thought it through for you. Let's take it step by step."

Wu Bingji's mouth twitched. "Well...alright. But you can't get past the teacher's test! How can you work at Kali Academy? You're too young." He knew that Tang San wasn't teaching him this marvelous hidden weapon technique for nothing; his junior brother had already stated his intentions, so it was clear that he wanted Wu Bingji to help him.

Tang San said, "I'll figure out a way with Master. You just find me a way to get in, preferably one the teachers will easily agree to."

Wu Bingji smiled, "You're always full of surprises. I don't know what you're up to this time. Let me think about it, and I'll tell you tomorrow."

"Alright, no rush. I trust you, senior brother. Today, I'll teach you the basics of the Soul-Chasing Cluster Ball, and you can start practicing from there. Let's take it step by step," Tang San generously said, showing no intention of waiting for Wu Bingji to sort things out before teaching him.

"Okay," Wu Bingji responded without hesitation, genuinely interested in Tang San's hidden weapon technique.

"Do you remember the Flicking Dart I taught you?" Tang San said. "Let's start with an enhanced version of it. It's also the basis of the Soul-Chasing Cluster Ball."

"Enhanced Flicking Dart?" Wu Bingji asked curiously.

Tang San nodded and asked, "When you use the Flicking Dart to launch ice needles, how far can they maintain their power?"

Wu Bingji thought for a moment and replied, "Within a range of thirty meters, the power doesn't diminish. Beyond thirty meters, the power gradually decreases, and the compressed ice element becomes unstable. As for detonation, I can also do that within thirty meters right now."

Tang San nodded and said, "Then, with this enhanced Flicking Dart, you can increase that distance by at least twenty meters. And it'll be easier to detonate as well."

"How?" Wu Bingji's eyes lit up. This was a more practical and effective way to improve his strength.

Tang San explained, "We'll utilize the Ice Explosion and add an ice bead at one end of the needle. You can control it within thirty meters, right? So, when it comes close to that distance, you can detonate the ice bead and let the explosive force push the ice needle, so you can get a second acceleration. This way, the ice needle will be much faster and penetrate much deeper. You'll probably be unable to detonate it afterward, but I think the ice needle itself would be pretty unstable. After all, it's very concentrated energy and it's getting away from you. The more energy you put into it, the more likely it is to explode on its own when it hits something."

Wu Bingji was stunned and asked, "Would that work? How can we ensure that the energy generated by the exploding ice bead will push the needle forward?"

As expected, he immediately realized the issue with this idea.

Tang San chuckled, "That's where the real skill comes in. What if you put the ice bead and needle inside a tube? Imagine a cylinder just large enough to fit the bead. Once it explodes, the force can only be released forward and backward. And then if you block one end of the cylinder, the whole force of the explosion should come out the other end, no? You can try first without throwing it. Hold it in your hand first, and you'll understand naturally. Actually, you can even make the needle flat on one end, like a mini-icicle, and that way, it'll take more of the explosive force and move faster."

"Can it be done like that?" Wu Bingji stared at Tang San dumbfounded, "I don't know how your brain works."

This is the experience of living three lifetimes! Tang San thought to himself.

The Soul-Chasing Cluster Ball, originally made of metal, was a powerful hidden weapon and ranked among the top even among all the hidden weapons Tang San could make. He previously used a basic version with the wind element. Of course, when targeting Wu Bingji, he hadn't used the Wind Astral to deploy the wind needles. Otherwise, Wu Bingji wouldn't have been able to block them.