The Great Light Mantra could enhance a cultivator's affinity with light elements. This discovery filled Zhu Ziyang with immense joy. Its emergence completely solidified the resolve that had once wavered within him.
Mainly cultivating light, and supplementing with death—this was a path toward a future shining with brilliance.
Of course, the most important aspect was the value of the Great Light Mantra itself. While cultivating soul power, it simultaneously enhanced mental strength and physical constitution. A meditation method with such effects likely didn't exist anywhere on the continent. Meditation could perhaps improve spiritual power, but strengthening the body? Absolutely not. And for a Soul Master, physical strength was crucial—it directly determined the maximum age of soul rings they could withstand.
Across the continent, methods for Soul Masters to improve physical constitution were scarce. The basic one was the body refinement that came from absorbing soul rings. Consuming heavenly treasures also worked, but such resources were reserved for heirs of powerful factions. Another was regular physical training—running like ordinary people could help, or self-abusive conditioning under intense pressure could too.
Still, none of those methods subtly strengthened the body during daily cultivation like the Great Light Mantra.
Zhu Ziyang felt a confidence like never before.
After a full night of cultivation, he was in peak condition. The exhaustion of days on the road had completely vanished, leaving his entire body relaxed and refreshed.
"Perfect. Time to find Nannan for our morning run!" Zhu Ziyang sprang up, washed up quickly, and headed to Jiang Nannan's house.
When he arrived, he happened to run into her mother, Bai Xinyi.
"Aunt Bai!" Zhu Ziyang called out.
"Xiao Yang, congratulations on becoming a real Soul Master!" Bai Xinyi smiled gently, her pale face glowing with heartfelt joy. She had always liked this bright and thoughtful child from the village chief's household. He was talented, innately full of soul power, and most importantly, treated her daughter with great care. If her Nannan could end up with him someday, she would have no regrets.
"Haha, it's nothing really!" Zhu Ziyang chuckled, then asked, "Aunt Bai, is Nannan up yet?"
"She already went out running!" Bai Xinyi said with a smile. "While you were away hunting your soul ring, Nannan woke up early every day to run."
"Really?!" Zhu Ziyang was surprised but soon replied, "Then I'll go find her. Goodbye, Aunt Bai."
"Take care," Bai Xinyi responded, watching his retreating figure thoughtfully.
Zhu Ziyang eventually found Jiang Nannan. The girl was drenched in sweat from her run, her bangs soaked and clinging to her smooth forehead. She actually ran right past him without even noticing.
"Nannan!" Zhu Ziyang called out, a little speechless.
"Huh?" She answered automatically, but her legs didn't stop moving. It wasn't until she had gone another thirty or forty meters that she realized something.
"That voice just now… was it Ziyang gege?!"
She abruptly stopped and turned around. There he was, standing atop a roadside rock, waving at her with a smile.
"Ziyang gege!" she cried joyfully, jumping up and running toward him.
Zhu Ziyang ran toward her as well.
They met midway, and Jiang Nannan threw her arms around him, pressing her head gently against his neck. Seven days—it had been the longest they'd ever been apart. Every morning when she ran, she couldn't help but think of him, and it left her heart feeling empty. She couldn't describe it exactly. Maybe… this was what Sister Ah Hua had called love?
The sudden hug left Zhu Ziyang frozen for a moment. Then he slowly returned the embrace, a soft smile appearing on his face.
Three or four minutes passed before Jiang Nannan stepped back, her cheeks slightly flushed, a silly smile on her lips as she gazed at him.
"What's wrong, Nannan? Why are you looking at me like that?" Zhu Ziyang asked curiously.
"It's nothing!" she hurriedly replied, lowering her head. Then she looked up again and asked, "Ziyang gege, you're back! Did you get your soul ring?"
"Of course!" Zhu Ziyang grinned confidently. "I'm now an 11th-rank Soul Master!"
He released his soul ring as he spoke, and the dazzling yellow ring rose at his feet. It added an aura of nobility to his already refined appearance.
"So this is a soul ring… it's so beautiful!" Jiang Nannan gazed at it in awe and admiration.
"Don't worry. With your talent, you'll definitely reach rank 10 within two months. Then I'll take you to get your first soul ring—with Dad's help too!" Zhu Ziyang gently patted her shoulder.
"Mhm! I'll train hard!" Jiang Nannan was a determined and independent girl. She quickly pulled herself out of her envy and responded with firm resolve.
"That's my Nannan!" Zhu Ziyang said proudly, unaware of the hidden implication in his words. At that moment, he was thinking whether he could pass on the Great Light Mantra to Jiang Nannan. But as soon as the thought formed, the word "forbidden" flashed in his mind.
So be it. He sighed inwardly. The Great Light Mantra could only be learned by those it recognized.
Apparently, neither Zhu Changhe nor Liang Ying could cultivate it either. He had given them the Lesser Light Breathing Method, but they had shown no response—just like Nannan. It seemed they too had not been acknowledged by the technique.
Such a pity, he thought.
Jiang Nannan didn't seem to notice. Maybe she had just gotten used to the way he spoke over the years.
"By the way, Nannan, have you been practicing that breathing method I taught you?" Zhu Ziyang asked.
"Yes! I use it every time I run, and again each night before meditating." She answered without hesitation.
"Good. Have you noticed any changes?" Zhu Ziyang's eyes flickered with curiosity.
"Hmm… does faster cultivation count? I can already circulate soul power through eight cycles now!" she replied after some thought. "Also, I don't get as out of breath after running!"
"I see." Zhu Ziyang squinted slightly and nodded.
Eight soul cycles—that was within his expectations. Her talent accounted for most of that. The breathing method likely didn't contribute much. That was probably her natural limit unless her spirit awakened again or she encountered some heaven-defying opportunity. As for her improved breathing after running, it was probably the minor physical enhancement from her awakened spirit—not the breathing method.
It made sense. She had only been practicing the Lesser Light Breathing Method for six or seven days. It was too soon for it to show major results.
Having reasoned through it, Zhu Ziyang smiled and said, "Alright, keep practicing. If you ever sense a strand of energy in your chest that feels different from soul power, be sure to tell me."
"Got it!" Jiang Nannan replied with a sweet smile.
"Let's head back. You're drenched in sweat—so stinky!"
"Am not! You're lying, Ziyang gege!"
"Hahaha!"
The two jogged back home, laughing and teasing each other.
Later, at home, Zhu Ziyang began thinking about whether he could combine the Great Light Mantra with traditional meditation methods to create an entirely new kind of meditation.
If the elders of the Soul Master world heard such an idea, they'd scoff and scold him.
"A six-year-old brat dares to think of innovating meditation? What nonsense!"
But Zhu Ziyang didn't care.
After all, he was someone who carried the knowledge of hundreds of thousands of books.
(End of Chapter)
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