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--- Chapter 493 ---
Han Tianyi led Han Yuan, Zhen Hua, and Mu Ye into the innermost vault of the Heaven Dou Spirit Pagoda. While this regional vault wasn't as vast or complete as the central hold at the headquarters, it still housed strategic, high-tier resources that even other grand factions could only dream of possessing.
Looking at the super-dense network of spirit guidance arrays blinking and humming throughout the underground walls, Zhen Hua and Mu Ye could only twitch their mouths in quiet disbelief.
The sheer, raw paranoia and defensive over-engineering displayed by the Spirit Pagoda were downright absurd.
Han Yuan, meanwhile, was rapidly analyzing the overlapping array lines in his mind. 'Spiritual sealing, spatial stabilization, multi-layered dimensional expansion, and cryogenic stasis circuits designed to suspend biological decay...'
As expected, the development of Spirit Guidance Technology in this era had reached a terrifyingly sophisticated level. After all, humanity was rapidly closing in on the Interstellar Age.
Before long, they arrived at a huge, circular chamber supported by high-rising, multi-colored metallic pillars. These structures were far more than load-bearing supports, as each one functioned as a contained, micro-dimensional habitat for unique, sealed Spirit Souls.
Of course, it wasn't a prison for these Spirit Souls, as they still had access to the world of the Spiritual Ascension Platform.
Zhen Hua curiously approached one of the nearby pillars, expanding his spiritual perception before turning his head to Han Tianyi with a shocked expression. "Brother Han... are these...?"
"Unyielding Spirit Souls?" Han Tianyi chuckled and put on a faint, knowing smirk. "Brother Zhen, these aren't merely Unyielding Spirit Souls."
"Unyielding Spirit Souls are indeed incredible..."
"They possess ancient bloodlines, terrifying physical innates, and wild, unpredictable natures," Han Tianyi continued, his tone calm yet full of quiet pride. "However, that exact 'unyielding' nature is precisely what makes it nearly impossible for ordinary Soul Masters to contract them without destroying their own minds."
"And I don't want to place Han Yuan in such danger. Even if he already meets the physical and mental requirements to contract an Unyielding Spirit Soul."
"What I am showing to you today is something purer, higher, stronger, and fundamentally far more advanced than any Unyielding Spirit Soul..."
Han Tianyi raised his hand, placing his high-clearance authority card onto the central interface. "Allow me to introduce you to... Ultimate Spirit Souls!"
With a heavy, mechanical hiss, the glass barriers of the multi-colored pillars retracted. The dense spirit energy fields parted, revealing several exquisite spiritual entities that gently hovered in the air, looking around with bright, curious, and remarkably lucid eyes.
Mu Ye picked at his ear with a pinky finger, staring in utter disbelief as if he had misheard his senior brother. "Ultimate... Spirit Souls...?"
Han Tianyi gestured toward the glowing entities residing inside the pillars and began his explanation. "Ultimate Spirit Souls represent the absolute pinnacle of Spirit Soul engineering."
"Unlike standard artificial or even transformed Spirit Souls, these entities were painstakingly recovered and revived from the remains of prehistoric genetic samples of ancient Spirit Beasts. Some date back far beyond the modern eras, straight to the primordial age preceding the fall of Spirit Hall."
"Having Ultimate Attribute and extreme growth potential are just basics."
"They don't merely possess the capability to evolve alongside their host, but also possess a level of higher intelligence and cognitive reasoning that rivals human beings."
"And precisely because of this high intelligence, the Spirit Pagoda was able to strike a mutual pact with them."
"As long as a candidate possesses a compatible attribute and sufficient talent, these Ultimate Spirit Souls enter the bond completely voluntarily."
"And should an emergency occur where the host's very life is endangered, these Spirit Souls are even capable of compensating the Soul Master by pouring their own origins back into the host's sea of consciousness!"
"You both know the current limitations of Spirit Souls. While some can assist the Spirit Master in combat, standard Spirit Souls can't bring much to the table unless it is a Black Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Soul or even a Red Hundred-Thousand-Year Spirit Soul."
"But Ultimate Spirit Souls are different. They can understand their host's heart and cooperate on a much deeper spiritual level."
"Hiss..." Zhen Hua and Mu Ye both possessed high-tier Spirit Souls of their own and knew that while their contracted spirit beasts could assist in combat, their own raw power easily overshadowed them.
If Ultimate Spirit Souls were truly as great as Han Tianyi described, then this was a brilliant move. It would grant Han Yuan not just two powerful spirit rings, but sentient guardians.
They hated to admit it, but both elders knew they couldn't protect the boy every second of the day. Even if they could, coddling him wouldn't be good for his growth as a true Spirit Master.
"Xiao Yuan... come forward," Han Tianyi smiled warmly at the silver-haired boy. "Let me introduce you to some of them. While the Heaven Dou Spirit Pagoda doesn't house all existing Ultimate Spirit Souls, I have specifically prepared some that are highly suitable for your martial souls."
"Okay!" Han Yuan stepped forward with genuine curiosity, standing in the very epicenter of the chamber to observe what kind of existences these Ultimate Spirit Souls truly were.
He knew about the Forbidden Spirit Soul—the entity Alpha contracted as the sole Spirit Soul for his Clear Sky Ant King—and the mutated Heavenly Horned Ant was indeed absurdly powerful. However, he had never heard of these Ultimate Spirit Souls before.
There were seven pillars in total, and Han Tianyi gestured toward the first container on the left. "Number 8, this is my grandson, Han Yuan. I brought him here today to see if the two of you could form a mutual contract."
The first pillar contained 'Number 8,' a slender Spirit Soul that looked like an emerald firefly, sparkling brightly under the multi-colored light.
"Hello..." It transmitted a crisp, remarkably eloquent spiritual voice that echoed directly through the chamber.
"I-It can talk?!" Mu Ye pointed at the container in complete disbelief.
Zhen Hua rolled his eyes helplessly. "Didn't Brother Han just tell us that these Spirit Souls are special? Their intelligence rivals humans, so of course it can talk, you idiot!"
Even though Zhen Hua snapped at Mu Ye, he was just as stunned inside. The emerald firefly was radiating a Purple Spirit Soul aura, meaning its cultivation wasn't even at the ten-thousand-year mark yet, and yet its speech was completely fluent.
Han Yuan was equally surprised, blinking his silver eyes before politely replying, "Um... hello."
The green firefly hovered closer to the glass barrier, its glowing yellow eyes scanning Han Yuan's body before giving a soft, gentle sigh. "Elder Han... Your grandson is far too terrifying..."
The Spirit Soul paused, its soft voice filled with deep reverence and self-awareness. "As the Emerald Flame Firefly King, I truly desired to contract with him... but I am simply not worthy."
"My Ultimate Fire is merely like an insignificant candle flame compared to the burning, noble origins resting inside his Martial Souls." The Spirit Soul shook its tiny head, willingly choosing to back down.
"This..." Han Tianyi blinked, caught entirely off-guard.
He had fully expected these Ultimate Spirit Souls to be somewhat proud, perhaps even slightly arrogant or demanding. He had prepared himself to smooth over their negotiations.
He certainly hadn't expected one to immediately bow out and forfeit the contract on the spot, looking at Han Yuan like a common pheasant trying to gaze up at a divine phoenix!