Eight Petal Immortal Orchid—a pinnacle divine herb. Its medicinal nature was the gentlest, purest—capable of fortifying one's core, purging impurities, and refining the body to its essence.
"Old Ji," Chen Junting said seriously, "with your innate Level 3 soul power, reaching this level at your age is already astonishing. Ordinary Title Douluo barriers won't stop you—but ascending to Super Douluo? That's near-impossible."
"In my view, had your innate soul power been Level 6 or 7, Limit Douluo would've been within your grasp. This Eight Petal Immortal Orchid? It's your opportunity. Since your soul rings prioritize soul power over offense, bonding it as your soul spirit is perfect."
Ji Juechen hesitated for only a heartbeat—then nodded firmly. "Done."
"Good." Chen Junting smiled. "Then get acquainted. I'll prepare the Spirit Contract Array."
He stepped aside, leaving man and flower alone.
Silence fell—awkward, heavy.
Finally, the orchid spoke timidly: "H-hi. I'm Eight Petal Immortal Orchid…you can call me Xiao Ba (Little Eight)."
"I'm Ji Juechen."
…And the conversation died instantly.
Moments later—
"How's it going?" Chen Junting returned, dusting his hands after setting the array.
"Uh… alright."
"Good enough," the orchid added.
Chen Junting sighed. One's shy, the other's silent—what did I expect?
"During the contract, neither of you resist. Xiao Ba—channel your medicinal essence and most of your cultivation into boosting Old Ji's innate talent. Your 100,000-year cultivation is too much for his current body and spirit to handle. We'll raise his innate soul power to Level 10 first."
"I understand."
Xiao Ba drifted to one corner of the array. As Ji Juechen took his position opposite, soul power surged—the ritual began.
The herb's vitality and soul beast cultivation peeled away, flooding into Ji Juechen.
Impurities erupted from his pores—a stench of toxins thickening the air.
As dawn's first light bled over the horizon, Xiao Ba's form dissolved—leaving only a soul bone, a soul ring, and her soul essence.
In the next breath, all three shot toward Ji Juechen—completing the final step for his Level 70 breakthrough.
Chen Junting stood guard the entire night—unblinking, vigilant.
Huuuuum—!
Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Black, Crimson—
Soul rings rose from Ji Juechen's feet. From the seventh, Xiao Ba's spirit-form emerged, now his soul spirit.
Chen Junting's smile widened.
"Congratulations, Old Ji."
This outcome was… perfect.
…
After securing Ji Juechen's spirit soul contract, Chen Junting headed to the sect's Soul Guidance Research Institute.
Jing Ziyang had been locked in Lab A01 for seven straight days.
Though it'd only been a week, Ji Juechen—oddly—felt unsettled. Under Chen Junting's knowing gaze, he decided to accompany him to the institute.
They soon reached a sleek, modern building. At the entrance, two guards halted them.
Ji Juechen's nerves snapped taut—as if sensing imminent death.
"Present your access token."
Chen Junting wordlessly flipped out a sect authorization plaque.
Verified, they passed—and the suffocating pressure on Ji Juechen vanished.
"This institute cost the sect a fortune," Chen Junting explained quietly. "Annual maintenance alone consumes 1% of the sect's yearly revenue. Security-wise, it's the third most fortified location in Nine Treasure City. Those two guards? They're just the visible layer. Hidden in the shadows are dozens of disciples—armed with Level 7+ soul guidance devices… even Level 9 fixed-ammo soul guidance cannon shells. I don't even know their exact number."
Ji Juechen said nothing.
He knew Chen Junting spoke for his benefit—his instinctive tension hadn't gone unnoticed.
But honestly? Reacting to being locked onto by lethal soul guidance tech?
Completely normal.
Past layers of steel doors, they reached Lab A01. With a clack, the vault-like doors slid open.
The circular lab spanned 100+ meters wide, 30 meters high. At its center stood a 15-meter-tall humanoid metal frame—the Mingde Hall Humanoid Soul Guidance Device.
Beside it lay a suit of armor—Chen Junting's "masterpiece" from the Sun Moon Empire, the prototype Doubt Armor that had lured Xuan Ziwen.
The lab was nearly empty. Only four figures bustled about—five, if counting Huo Yuhao (still half-student, half-researcher).
For a project of this scale? Grossly understaffed.
But talent was scarce.
Pioneering humanoid soul guidance meant only two Level 9 Soul Guidance Engineers worked here—plus Jing Ziyang and one innovative Level 7 engineer.
And the second Level 9?
Xuan Ziwen himself.
The moment he joined Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the sect gifted him a 10,000-year soul bone and Nine Treasure Purple Zoysia (a near-divine herb)—pushing him to Title Douluo and Level 9 status.
(The herb? From the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eyes—technically not a "divine herb," so no promise broken.)
Xuan Ziwen's prowess instantly earned him the title of Chief Soul Guidance Researcher—a position the other Level 9 engineer accepted without jealousy. Xuan Ziwen's genius had conquered him.
Just then—
Jing Ziyang, closest to the door, looked up—and froze at Ji Juechen's silhouette.
"Old Ji? You're here?"
The white-coated Jing Ziyang instinctively reached to tame her tangled hair—then gave up. Seven days of no grooming? A quick fix wouldn't cut it.
She embraced the chaos.
Her surprise was laced with unnoticed delight—and Ji Juechen's usual stone-cold expression softened as she rushed toward him.
"I came to see you," he said simply.
Their reunion caught the attention of the other three researchers—but Xuan Ziwen's eyes locked onto Chen Junting.
Noticing this, Chen Junting smiled.
"Old Ji, catch up with Senior Ziyan. And—" he added to Jing Ziyang, "—use the institute's dedicated dorms to freshen up. You all need rest."
Our Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect isn't some soul-crushing capitalist factory, he thought, eyeing the four sleep-deprived researchers.
Watching them work 24/7? My eyelids are twitching.
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