Jiang Wuyue, oh Jiang Wuyue, haven't you realized it yet?
Long Yuxue was truly exasperated at this moment.
Perhaps Jiang Wuyue had been too engrossed in the earlier battle to notice that Xu Yuan hadn't even used his soul skills.
For a soul master, the role of soul skills was self-evident.
And yet, even without using soul skills, Xu Yuan had thoroughly suppressed him.
If Xu Yuan were to unleash his soul skills as well, he wouldn't be weaker than Jiang Wuyue, even without revealing his mech suit.
That was the key point.
Long Yuxue had considerable authority on this matter. During the evaluation, Xu Yuan only used—
At this thought, Long Yuxue's mind froze.
She realized she had overlooked many details.
From the evaluation to the recent battle, many of Xu Yuan's displayed abilities seemed stackable, yet he had never showcased them all together.
For instance, during the evaluation, Xu Yuan's pure blood essence and the various soul skills of his spear were already enough to match Ba An. This indicated that Xu Yuan possessed strength comparable to Jiang Wuyue after fusing with his battle armor.
On top of that, Xu Yuan had an even more advanced method of controlling the environment than a domain. He had briefly used it at the start of the recent battle but then canceled it midway while holding back.
Moreover, Xu Yuan hadn't even shown his battle armor yet.
Could someone capable of crafting a mech suit entirely from spirit-forged metal lack enough spirit-forged metal to make Two-Word Battle Armor?
Battle armor could enhance all these abilities comprehensively.
Furthermore, Long Yuxue felt that Xu Yuan's mech suit was different from ordinary ones. If it could also stack effects, it would be astonishing.
In fact, Long Yuxue could deduce something: the mech suit's abilities displayed in the recent battle were essentially an amplified version of battle armor's enhancement effects. Unlike traditional mechs that relied on soul-guided cannons or specialized weapons, this mech purely amplified the soul master's innate abilities.
Such a mech suit might actually be able to stack with battle armor?
If so, how terrifying would his full strength be?
"Forget it. You couldn't even beat Xu Yuan. Don't drag him down when you enter the Abyssal passage," Jiang Qiyue said bluntly, showing no mercy to her brother.
Brother?
Older sibling?
Where could she find someone as handsome, strong, and skilled with a spear as Xu Yuan?
Jiang Wuyue's lips twitched.
He felt like he had taken ten thousand points of damage.
But he still refused to admit that he was inferior to Xu Yuan, a newcomer.
It was unavoidable—Xu Yuan wasn't just a new recruit in the Blood God Legion; most importantly, he was only seventeen years old.
Being outmatched by a seventeen-year-old was unacceptable for Jiang Wuyue.
At least, he couldn't accept it outwardly.
"The Abyssal passage is completely different from the outside world. In the Abyssal passage, martial soul abilities are greatly weakened, and deeper inside, they can't be used at all. Tactics and the use of soul-guided weapons become crucial, which will rely entirely on me."
"Have you forgotten about blood essence?" Long Yuxue interjected. "Blood essence is purely condensed body energy and won't be affected in the Abyssal passage."
Jiang Wuyue had just realized this and immediately responded, "So, does this mean I'll be able to utilize more of my abilities in the Abyssal passage?"
Then his expression fell.
The same applied to Xu Yuan.
Moreover, Xu Yuan's martial soul seemed capable of being driven purely by blood essence.
Recalling the battle, this guy hadn't used any soul skills. Even wielding his spear techniques with pure blood essence alone had reached that level.
"Good grief, even restricted in the Abyssal passage, Xu Yuan might be able to unleash my peak performance outside," Jiang Wuyue thought, deeply shaken.
"You've finally realized this?" Long Yuxue added another jab.
Jiang Wuyue could only reluctantly accept the truth.
Reflecting on the details of the battle, he had already come to understand many things.
"By the way, you mentioned the Body Sect earlier."
Jiang Wuyue remembered Xu Yuan's invitation to join the Body Sect.
Condensing blood essence and not condensing blood essence were two entirely different concepts.
Even if physical fitness was at the same level, the application and explosive power of strength weren't on the same tier.
This was Jiang Wuyue's personal experience.
Because of this, he was now even more curious about the many blood essence cultivation secrets rumored within the Body Sect. These were techniques for cultivating and utilizing blood essence, and mastering them would be no less impactful than having soul skills for a martial soul.
Jiang Wuyue felt slightly uneasy.
Even though Xu Yuan had already helped him condense his blood essence, he still had concerns.
After all, the Tyrant Dragon martial soul was a conventional martial soul, not a Body martial soul.
Even if he could condense blood essence, it didn't align with the core principles of the Body Sect.
"I know what you're worried about. In the past, accepting you into the sect would have required an exception, but now it doesn't. Your talent in blood essence makes your martial soul akin to a quasi-body martial soul," Xu Yuan said with a smile.
Upon hearing Xu Yuan's first half-sentence, Jiang Wuyue relaxed.
The implication was clear—even in the past, with his talent, he would likely have been accepted as an exception. However, he might not have been able to fully utilize the sect's secret techniques, such as the second awakening of a body martial soul.
As for the latter part of Xu Yuan's statement—
"A quasi-body martial soul?" Not only Jiang Wuyue but also Jiang Qiyue and Long Yuxue looked curiously at Xu Yuan.
"Martial souls closely related to blood essence enhancement are what I call quasi-body martial souls. Using my developed secret techniques, a conventional martial soul can be transformed into a blood essence martial soul. The original martial soul becomes blood essence, and blood essence becomes the martial soul, thus making the martial soul a true Body martial soul."
"Blood essence martial soul?"
The three repeated this concept, gaining some clarity in their minds.
"So your spear is a blood essence martial soul?" Jiang Qiyue exclaimed in surprise.
So the spear really was a body martial soul.
Xu Yuan nodded. "My Heavenly Origin Five Elements Spear was formed through a blood essence contract via a soul spirit, gradually transforming into a blood essence martial soul. Thanks to this, your martial soul, Wuyue, is highly compatible with blood essence cultivation. Transforming it into a blood essence martial soul would not only make cultivating blood essence easier but also facilitate the second awakening of your martial soul. Additionally, your fusion with your martial soul would improve through blood essence cultivation, significantly reducing bottlenecks after breaking through to Title Douluo."
All martial souls could undergo a second awakening.
However, body martial souls were directly linked to the soul master's body, receiving more direct feedback. When the body was stimulated, it could directly trigger survival mechanisms, completing the second awakening.
A second awakening for the Tyrant Dragon martial soul?
Xu Yuan found the idea intriguing.
The Tyrant Dragon wasn't a direct descendant of the Golden Dragon King but rather belonged to the same power system, with both tracing their heritage to the Dragon God. Due to the Tyrant Dragon's lower bloodline hierarchy compared to the Golden Dragon King, it created the illusion that the Tyrant Dragon was an extension of the Golden Dragon King's bloodline.
So, what if the Tyrant Dragon martial soul underwent mutation?
After the second awakening, could its bloodline hierarchy further fuse and evolve with Jiang Wuyue's human blood essence?
Moreover, Xu Yuan remembered there was an ancestral Tyrant Dragon dragon bone in the Dragon Valley, which should provide a torso bone.
Fusing the torso bone and incorporating the residual soul spirit formed from the ancestral Tyrant Dragon's lingering consciousness...
Under ideal conditions, Jiang Wuyue's future potential was truly limitless.
Listening to Xu Yuan's explanation, Jiang Wuyue became increasingly intrigued.
"It's just... even if I join the sect, I might not be able to contribute much. As long as the Abyss threat persists, I'll remain in the Blood God Legion."
Though tempted, Jiang Wuyue clarified his situation upfront.
"It's fine. Consider yourself sent by the Body Sect to guard the Abyss here. After all, even though I'm a disciple of the Body Sect, I'm technically still a student of Shrek Academy, following the Spirit Pagoda channel. I'm not officially dispatched by the Body Sect. However, if you join the sect, you'd be specifically assigned here to guard the Abyss," Xu Yuan waved dismissively, his reasoning sound.
Jiang Wuyue thought it over and realized Xu Yuan's words made perfect sense.
The Blood God Legion was composed of personnel sent by various large factions, with the purpose of suppressing the Abyss.
However, since the decline of the Body Sect, it had been a long time since they last contributed talents here.
"Then, I'll join the Body Sect."
Xu Yuan nodded in satisfaction.
"Wuyue, you won't regret today's decision," he said, retrieving a small booklet from his storage soul-guided device. "These are some secret techniques for cultivating blood essence from the Body Sect. Use them for now. As for joining the sect, I'll inform my teacher. My teacher, Mu Ye, is the current head of the Body Sect. By the way, once you join, you should call me Senior Brother. There's another senior brother ahead of you—a twelve-year-old who recently completed his apprenticeship."
Jiang Wuyue's lips twitched.
He opened his mouth, but ultimately refrained from arguing.
He knew he was in the wrong.
He couldn't serve the Body Sect, nor could he actively contribute to it. From joining the sect onward, he would likely remain in the Blood God Legion until his death, leaving him no room to protest.
"Isn't it a bit early to give me these secret techniques?"
"I trust your integrity."
To be honest, although Jiang Wuyue could be assertive, he was fundamentally kind-hearted. Even when using his rank to force certain actions, he always compensated accordingly—a rare trait among officers. He treated others sincerely.
"Take today off to rest and study the basics of blood essence usage. Tomorrow, we'll enter the Abyssal passage together, and I'll guide you."
The Abyssal passage's environment was beneficial for practicing the Body Sect's blood essence techniques, especially during the initial stages of adapting to blood essence. The suppression of soul power and spiritual power in that environment facilitated the mobilization of blood essence and the practice of various secret techniques.
Everything had its pros and cons.
"Alright!"
---
The Next Day
Deep within the Blood God Legion.
The Blood God Legion was built around the Abyssal passage. Ten kilometers deeper into the legion lay a pitch-black expanse.
Xu Yuan and Jiang Wuyue met within the legion and proceeded to the edge of this dark area.
Ahead, within the black region, was a massive pit.
This pit wasn't a three-dimensional hole but rather a passageway extending into another dimension.
"The Abyssal Plane is an energy plane, existing in a dimension different from our Douluo Star's material universe," Jiang Wuyue explained, drawing on his extensive knowledge as a seasoned officer. "Because of this, the collision between our planes formed this pit. Though it appears to be a hole in our plane, the passage extends across countless dimensions."
"According to some theoretical researchers in our legion, the energy dimension should be closer to the various energies we cultivate. If we could train in an energy dimension, our soul power and spiritual power growth would undoubtedly accelerate."
Xu Yuan's eyes flickered.
This was something he hadn't considered before.
The Abyss was an energy plane located in an energy dimension.
There were countless dimensions, and many belonged to energy. While the dimension the Abyss occupied might not perfectly align with soul power, blood essence, or spiritual power, it was certainly more attuned.
Jiang Wuyue glanced at Xu Yuan, satisfied with his reaction.
"The only pity is that our martial souls and soul power are suppressed within the Abyssal passage, making cultivation impossible. Thus, we can't benefit from this acceleration. However, frequent expeditions to the Abyssal passage, or even stimulating ourselves in this environment, significantly boost our cultivation efficiency back at camp. This isn't the same as ordinary adventures. Researchers analyzed data from various dangerous areas and concluded that while we can't cultivate in the Abyssal passage due to the suppression, we're temporarily more attuned to the energy dimension, accelerating our cultivation."
Danger often came hand in hand with opportunity.
In the Abyssal passage, soul power was suppressed, making cultivation impossible.
However, the dimension involved was more aligned with soul power. Yet, the Abyss's suppression acted as a rebound, strengthening the bond between soul masters and the corresponding energy dimension upon leaving the passage.
"But we're different," Xu Yuan smiled.
Jiang Wuyue hadn't yet adapted to being a disciple of the Body Sect or the fact that he now cultivated blood essence.
"Blood essence can be utilized in the Abyssal passage's environment and theoretically cultivated."
Jiang Wuyue's eyes lit up.
Of course!
Then, he sighed despondently. "But that's only in theory. Practically speaking, we can't cultivate in such a dangerous environment."
"No, cultivating blood essence isn't as simple as sitting in meditation," Xu Yuan corrected him. "Although my past blood essence cultivation resembled soul power cultivation, the best way to cultivate blood essence is through combat and external pressure. But nowadays, the Douluo Continent is too peaceful..."
This was subtly one of the reasons for the Body Sect's decline.
"Let's go. First, we'll enter the Abyssal passage, and I'll feel the environment inside."
With that, Xu Yuan stepped into the dark opening.
Concerned for Xu Yuan's safety, Jiang Wuyue quickly followed.
Upon entering, the light dimmed significantly.
It wasn't completely dark, but visibility was greatly reduced.
"Yuxue said your spiritual power could be used freely. I forgot to remind you to bring night vision goggles," Jiang Wuyue said.
Xu Yuan waved dismissively. "Simple perception doesn't consume much of my spiritual power. As long as it's not a large-scale scan, it balances out with my recovery rate."
Jiang Wuyue nodded.
He looked around and pointed in one direction.
"I'm most familiar with this area. Follow me."
Xu Yuan sensed the changes in the surrounding environment. His martial soul and soul power were already being suppressed.
"If you're conducting research, why not try using that technique of yours to resist this suppression?" Jiang Wuyue suggested.
"That's my teacher's ultimate skill, the Seven Forbidden Techniques," Xu Yuan explained. "The fundamental principle of the Seven Forbidden Techniques is still to suppress using the forces of heaven and earth. Here, however, this place belongs to the Abyss. Borrowing its power would only result in Abyssal forces, which can't repel the Abyss's suppression."
Jiang Wuyue was disappointed.
"Is that so?"
"However, if we had a bit of our Douluo plane's power as an extension, I could try."
"Oh?" Jiang Wuyue perked up, listening intently.
His eyes remained vigilant, scanning the surroundings.
"For example... this!"
Xu Yuan summoned the Heavenly Origin Five Elements Spear.
Blood essence swirled around his right arm, extending and coalescing into spear form.
Beneath his feet, soul rings spiraled.
The fourth soul ring, originally pitch black, instantly changed. Greenish patterns rapidly spread across it, followed by a surge of vitality.
A faint rune appeared on Xu Yuan's forehead. A force emanated from the rune, merging into his fourth soul ring.
Xu Yuan's vitality and blood essence were consumed to sustain this force.
A familiar sensation washed over Jiang Wuyue, and intuitively, he released his martial soul.
"It worked!" he exclaimed joyfully.
"Hmm, I borrowed the power of the Ancient Gold Tree. The Ancient Gold Tree is the core of the Douluo plane, and its power can, to some extent, extend the rules of the Douluo plane," Xu Yuan explained.
"Of course, this only works within this passage."
Perhaps, as long as they didn't enter the true Abyssal Plane or reach the Abyss's core within the energy dimension, this force would remain effective.
However, the deeper they went, the harder it would be for Xu Yuan to maintain a space free from the Abyss's suppression.
"It's fine. We're not investigating the Abyss's essence. We're just here for research," Jiang Wuyue laughed.
Being able to use his martial soul gave him an unprecedented sense of security—more tangible and direct than even his ability to use blood essence.
For a soul master, the martial soul was their greatest reliance.
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