Chapter 2531

Lin Moyu chuckled, "Actually, from the very beginning, I wanted to talk to you properly."

"It was you who didn't want to talk properly." The arrogance on the Big-Headed Doll's face vanished, and its tone became softer.

"Then speak!" Lin Moyu said, "Why do you have requirements for your master?"

"They must have a sufficiently high soul level," the Big-Headed Doll said. "My master once said…"

"After the Great Dao Realm, only if the soul level is high enough can one reach higher realms."

"Ordinary souls find it difficult to take even a single step in the Great Dao Realm."

Lin Moyu's heart stirred. "Was your master once in the Great Dao Realm?"

The Big-Headed Doll replied, "Yes, Master was once in the Great Dao Realm."

"In that case, did your master also perish during the Origin Catastrophe?" Lin Moyu continued to ask.

"Only in that prehistoric catastrophe did a large number of Great Dao Realm experts fall," the Big-Headed Doll shook its head.

"That's not it. When the Origin Catastrophe began, Master was not yet in the Great Dao Realm."

"Master became a Great Dao Realm expert during the catastrophe, but later, Master perished, and I was damaged and lost consciousness."

"When I woke up again, many, many years had passed. The Big-Headed Doll had been an artifact spirit for a long time."

Its intelligence was not weak, but it lacked deep schemes. Its master…

To be able to step into the Great Dao Realm amidst the catastrophe could be considered a heaven-sent talent. It was a pity.

In the end, they still perished; one could only say it was bad luck. However, its words were worth considering.

After the Great Dao Realm, soul level is very important. To go further…

…requires a higher soul level. Lin Moyu felt a sense of sudden enlightenment. He seemed to realize why those in the Great Dao Realm…

…all wanted to go to the Soul Void, because the Soul Void contained opportunities to enhance one's soul level, not just the soul's realm or strength.

It was about the level. The soul level is the foundation; the realm is merely an external manifestation.

Just like himself—his soul was already at the Dao Venerable 5th Realm, and the ice-fire dao stone was still continuously refining his soul.

His soul realm was gradually improving, and he was not far from the Dao Venerable 6th Realm, but the ice-fire dao stone could only improve the realm.

It could not improve the level. For the Great Dao Realm, the realm was important.

But the level was even more important. The level was the foundation, and the realm was just a tall building on top of that foundation.

Only when the foundation was solid enough could the building be built higher. While Lin Moyu was thinking…

The Big-Headed Doll looked at the World-Burning Fire in Lin Moyu's hand, appearing very afraid. When Lin Moyu finished thinking…

The Big-Headed Doll said, "Can you put this fire away first? Let's talk properly about whatever you want to say."

Lin Moyu smiled slightly and put away the World-Burning Fire. "Regarding the Origin Catastrophe…"

"How much do you know?"

Chapter 3207: Speculations on the Great Dao Realm

The Big-Headed Doll artifact spirit was truly terrified of the World-Burning Fire.

Except for not having acknowledged him as master, it answered whatever Lin Moyu asked. It was not like those cultivators…

…who would hide things they knew, debating what could be said and what could not.

Regardless, it said everything it knew. Unfortunately…

…it still didn't know much. The main problem lay with its former master. When the Origin Catastrophe descended back then…

…its former master was not yet in the Great Dao Realm, so they were not facing the Outer Domain Celestial God or the experts of the Black Blood World. At that time, its master was facing the Bloody Legion from the Blood Rat Realm.

In one battle after another, its former master broke through the Dao Venerable Realm and stepped into the Great Dao Realm. After that…

…they were truly considered to have entered the core battlefield. It was also then that they encountered a powerful Outer Domain Celestial God.

Its former master, who had just ascended to the Great Dao Realm, sacrificed themselves gloriously. It was rare for a Gold Body Silver Soul cultivator…

…to fall just like that. At the same time, the cloud-piercing sword was also damaged in that battle.

The Big-Headed Doll fell into a slumber, and it didn't know how many years it slept before waking up again.

After waking up, the world had changed completely; it was a brand-new era.

But the Big-Headed Doll still retained its former arrogance. It had seen too many experts, and its former master was a genius.

Every friend they knew was a genius. In its view, all these current ancestors were very stupid.

They were simply unworthy of becoming its master. After the Big-Headed Doll finished speaking, it looked at Lin Moyu eagerly.

All of its previous arrogance was gone, and its voice was even weak. "I have told you everything I know."

"Can you let me go?" Lin Moyu said, "No need to rush."

"As long as your answers satisfy me, I naturally won't erase you. Next question."

"How is the soul level divided?" In all the information Lin Moyu had obtained, the classification of soul levels…

…was quite vague. In this era, people only spoke of the soul's realm.

And the realm of cultivation. It seemed that the higher the soul's realm, the more powerful it was.

Previously, Lin Moyu had also thought so, believing that the soul was innate, like the Natural Jade Soul.

It was predetermined at birth. After the incident with the Eleven-Colored dragon soul crystal, he changed his mind.

The Big-Headed Doll said, "Master once said that soul levels can be divided into two types: Acquired and Innate."

"Acquired souls are the souls of ordinary people. Those cultivators with special constitutions often have Innate souls."

Lin Moyu asked, "Is there anything more specific?" The Big-Headed Doll tried hard to think.

Then it shook its head. "Master didn't say specifically, but Master's friends…"

"…would often envy Master, saying that because Master possessed an Innate soul, they naturally had more advantages than others."

"Master also said that only with a higher soul level can one go further."

Lin Moyu pondered the Big-Headed Doll's words and, combining them with the information he already possessed, roughly analyzed the situation.

The soul could be divided into Acquired and Innate. The first step to improving the soul level was to step from Acquired to Innate.

The barrier between Acquired and Innate was huge and difficult to cross, but it was not entirely impossible.

Perhaps, the Great Dao Realm was the leap between the Acquired and Innate soul!

Lin Moyu had vaguely grasped a secret of the Great Dao Realm.

To step from the Ninth Realm of Dao Venerable to the Great Dao Realm, one needed to undergo the baptism of Heavenly Punishment. Only after withstanding it…

…could one truly step into the Great Dao Realm. The baptism of Heavenly Punishment was a test.

The Great Dao was fair; there must be a reward for the test. What was the reward?

No corresponding information had been passed down. Lin Moyu had asked Su Pu, and even he didn't know.

The true answer might only be known to those in the Great Dao Realm, Lin Moyu speculated.

The reward after withstanding the Heavenly Punishment was to transform the soul from Acquired to Innate. Although it was just a guess…

…Lin Moyu felt that his guess was likely correct. Moreover, he thought of something else.

Why was there no information? Because Innate was also called Natural; this transformation happened naturally.

Everyone's soul was different, and their experiences were different. Once you knew about it…

…there would be an element of deliberation, which would break the natural state, thus falling into a lower tier.

Even if one stepped into the Great Dao Realm, the soul might not be perfect, making the subsequent path difficult.

If that was the case, his soul should have already stepped into the Innate state, which meant…

…the path to the Great Dao Realm was already open for him. He just didn't know…

…what kind of Heavenly Punishment an Innate soul would receive when breaking through to the Great Dao Realm. After pondering…

…Lin Moyu asked again, "When your former master broke through to the Great Dao Realm…"

"…did they receive Heavenly Punishment?" The Big-Headed Doll said, "Of course they did."

"But my master was powerful, and the Heavenly Punishment received didn't seem very strong." Lin Moyu felt his thoughts were likely correct.

An Innate-level soul already met the requirements for the Great Dao Realm. Therefore, when breaking through to the Great Dao Realm…

…the test received would be smaller, and correspondingly, the reward would be less.

Everything is relative. For the Great Dao, effort and harvest are generally equal.

Lin Moyu asked some more questions, and the Big-Headed Doll said everything it knew. The Big-Headed Doll didn't know if it was because of fear…

…or if it really had a lot of patience; it truly answered every question. After a round of questioning…

Lin Moyu said, "Then do you think my soul is qualified to be your master!"

With a thought, Lin Moyu's soul flew out and stood in front of the Big-Headed Doll.

The Big-Headed Doll looked at Lin Moyu's soul in surprise. "Why do I feel that your soul's level is even higher than my master's?"

The soul level of a Gold Body Silver Soul should be inferior to Xiaoyue's Natural Jade Soul, while his own soul level seemed to be even higher than Xiaoyue's Natural Jade Soul.

Naturally, it surpassed the Big-Headed Doll's master. The Big-Headed Doll looked at Lin Moyu hesitantly. "But your realm…"

"…is a bit too low." Lin Moyu asked in return, "With my soul level…"

"…is improving my realm a difficult task?" The Big-Headed Doll thought for a moment and muttered to itself.

"Master once said that soul level is the most important thing. As long as you have the soul level…"

"…improving your cultivation realm is not a difficult task." It seemed to be persuading itself to accept Lin Moyu as its new master.

Lin Moyu did not use forceful means now. After all, the Big-Headed Doll had honestly answered all his questions, and Lin Moyu decided to give it a chance.

As for whether it could seize it, that was up to the Big-Headed Doll itself. Lin Moyu also hoped for a win-win result.

After all, whether or not it had an artifact spirit was still very important for a high-grade magical artifact.

After thinking for a while, the Big-Headed Doll said, "Alright then, come and refine me."

Upon hearing this answer, Lin Moyu smiled. A very smart decision.

A stream of soul power surged over, drilled into the cloud-piercing sword, and left his mark on the sword.

This time, the Big-Headed Doll did not resist, and the refinement process was very smooth.

A mark appeared on the Big-Headed Doll's forehead, and its small body began to emit an aura belonging to Lin Moyu. Lin Moyu asked.

Chapter 3208: The Ten-Million-Population Yudao City

"What is your name?"

The Big-Headed Doll said, "In reply to Master, my name is Big Head." It was actually called Big Head. Lin Moyu's mouth twitched.

"Did your former master name you that?" The Big-Headed Doll gave an affirmative sound, "Yes."

"Does Master want to change my name?" Lin Moyu shook his head, "No need."

"Let's just call you Big Head." After obtaining the cloud-piercing sword, only one day had passed in Yudao City.