Zhu Ziyang and Qian Lingyi did not linger long in the coastal town. After resting for just one night, the two set out southward at full speed, entering the borders of the Star Luo Empire.
However, just as Zhu Ziyang was preparing to hunt down his remaining two targets in one push, a message from the Academy reached him in the great northern fortress city of the Empire—Hualuo City.
The message was simple. Just two words: Return immediately!
The moment he read it, Zhu Ziyang's heart sank. Only the most urgent matters could justify such a terse command. And in his mind, there was only one possibility—Mu En was at the end!
Without hesitation, Zhu Ziyang abandoned the southern journey. He turned west and raced back toward Shrek Academy at his fastest speed. Qian Lingyi did not understand the reason for his urgency, but she followed closely behind, her curiosity growing with every step.
Zhu Ziyang had no time to explain. After a day and night of travel, he returned to Shrek Academy and went straight to Sea God Island.
Before he could even catch his breath, Xuanzi intercepted him and dragged him directly into the Sea God Pavilion. Inside, Mu En's aura was unstable and faint, as if it might vanish entirely at any moment.
When Mu En saw Zhu Ziyang, he smiled faintly, his voice so weak it seemed it could dissipate into nothing. "Good. I managed to wait until you returned."
"Teacher, why has your condition worsened so suddenly?" Zhu Ziyang asked in shock and sorrow. Before leaving, Mu En had assured him he could last at least another year or two. Yet he had been gone little more than a month, and already things had deteriorated beyond hope.
Mu En chuckled softly, a relieved smile on his face. "Rather than wasting away slowly, it's better to use my final strength to do something meaningful for you."
With effort, he took out from his robes a pure white, egg-sized core. It radiated warmth and faint majesty, as though a dragon coiled and circled within.
"Here," Mu En said proudly. "I've finally finished refining this dragon core. I spent half my life contending with it. Now that I'm dying, I cannot take it with me. Ziyang, your cultivation has reached sixty-eighth rank. Absorb this dragon core, break through to seventieth rank, and condense your second soul core."
"Teacher…" Zhu Ziyang's throat tightened, his eyes burning. At last, he understood why Mu En's decline had been so sudden.
He dropped to his knees before Mu En's chair with a thud, clutching his teacher's withered hand as tears streamed down his face, a sorrow too heavy to put into words pressing down on his heart.
"Enough. You're already grown—don't act like a child," Mu En said sternly, though his eyes softened with affection. "With such a demeanor, you're no different from your senior brother. How can I entrust the Academy to you like this? Would you have me die without peace of mind?"
"Teacher, I…" Zhu Ziyang choked, unable to answer.
"Ziyang, your goal lies among the stars. Why cling to worldly ties?" Mu En said lightly. "I've been prepared for death a long time. When you finally reach that place among the heavens, be sure to tell me. Now—absorb the dragon core and condense your second soul core."
"I will, Teacher!" Zhu Ziyang wiped his tears, his gaze firm. Taking the dragon core that had consumed half of Mu En's life, he swallowed it without hesitation. Sitting cross-legged, he closed his eyes and began refining it.
The core, forged from the essence of a true dragon that had lived over five hundred thousand years, released its vast energy the moment it entered his body. Though Mu En had already tempered away its violent and domineering nature, the sheer torrent of power still surged through Zhu Ziyang's limbs and meridians like a flood.
At once, Zhu Ziyang summoned the Reaper's Eternal Scythe and poured all his focus into absorbing and refining the energy.
The Grand Light Sutra roared to life, his spiritual soul core spinning rapidly. His soul power climbed swiftly—sixty-nine in just a few breaths, and it continued pressing toward the seventieth bottleneck. Within fifteen minutes, the core's energy would force him to break through.
Outside, Mu En and Xuanzi watched anxiously. The soul power breakthrough was only the beginning—the true trial was the condensation of the soul core. Even though Zhu Ziyang had already formed one, condensing another remained a dangerous ordeal. A single mistake could spell disaster.
As expected, Zhu Ziyang soon reached seventieth rank. The Eternal Scythe shone with six rings—five black and one red—and the faint shimmer of a seventh beginning to form.
Ring first, then core—this was the order he had chosen again. As the seventh ring stabilized, Zhu Ziyang focused all his will.
He had long since prepared for this step. His first soul core was a spiritual one, fusing his mental strength, golden Fate, silver Fate, and the time-space forces contained within. To achieve the Three Talents Soul Core Method, his second core also had to be a composite energy crystal that balanced with the first.
As the seventh ring solidified, his soul power converged at his dantian, spinning at tremendous speed. Unlike the first core, which had been formed outside his body, the second had to be condensed within, placing immense strain on his physique. The force of the spiraling soul power was akin to withstanding his own attacks.
But Zhu Ziyang's body was unparalleled—four spirit bones, seven hundred-thousand-year rings. He withstood the pressure, compressing his soul power in the dantian. The Eternal Scythe trembled as ultimate light and death energies were drawn inward, restrained and fused.
A crystal began to form in his core sea—at first the size of a grain of rice, then a jujube pit, then a green plum, until it stabilized at the size of a pigeon egg.
At last, the storm of soul power calmed, and Zhu Ziyang relaxed, along with the two watching outside.
"Xuanzi, call everyone," Mu En said weakly.
"Yes," Xuanzi answered, his voice heavy with sorrow, before leaving.
The most dangerous part was over. Now only one step remained: settling the core into his dantian and connecting it to his soul power circuit. This required no technique, for this was a true soul core.
As the second core of the Three Talents method, it was placed in the lower dantian—the seat of Qi, the vital energy.
Thus, Zhu Ziyang's second soul core was born—the Light and Death Soul Core, formed from his soul power, ultimate light, and death.
The moment it stabilized, a vast soul power circuit linked the spiritual Fate Core above with the Light and Death Core below. His efficiency in cultivation, recovery, and the release of soul skills multiplied several times over.
A sixteen-year-old Soul Saint, with two soul cores and seven rings—five black and two red. Across all history, there had never been another like him.
Zhu Ziyang opened his eyes, joy shining across his face. Seeing this, Mu En felt ripples of relief and pride in his dying heart.
But the excitement faded quickly. Looking at his teacher, knowing Mu En's death was near, Zhu Ziyang's heart sank, and he could no longer smile.
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