The tall elder, whom Xu Xiaoyun had called "Old Poison," was Poison Undying, the current sect master of the Body Sect. Upon hearing the definitive answer, his eyes shifted several times before he burst into hearty laughter, his voice full of vigor.
"Hahahaha, good, good, good! How could I, the sect master, be doing poorly? My Martial Soul is a uniquely gifted Body Martial Soul. Who could be healthier than me?"
"I never thought you, an Old Turtle who hasn't been active in the Soul Master world for years, would come to my Body Sect today. This is truly rare, extremely rare..."
Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—
As Poison Undying laughed boisterously, streaks of dazzling light shot out from deep within the Body Sect, stirring up gusts of wind. Xu Xiaoyun's eyebrows twitched slightly, and a hint of black light flashed in his eyes.
"Everyone, don't be rash. It's not an enemy; it's an old acquaintance of our sect. The sect master needs to catch up properly." Poison Undying waved his hand backward, signaling the Body Sect disciples not to rush.
Seeing Xu Xiaoyun again after a hundred years, the feeling he got from the other man was like a deep abyss, his aura unfathomable.
He was a Level 98 peak Super Douluo, just a step away from becoming a Limit Douluo. For Xu Xiaoyun to give him such a feeling, it meant Xu Xiaoyun had clearly broken through before him, entering the Limit Douluo realm.
Though arrogant, he could roughly imagine the immense gap this single level difference would create. Now that the other party seemed more like a friend than an enemy, he didn't want to bring trouble to the Body Sect, and there was no benefit in fighting the Xuanming Sect.
"We understand." The Titled Douluo of the Body Sect responded in unison. Several of them, upon seeing Xu Xiaoyun's face clearly, showed a change in expression, as if recalling Xu Xiaoyun's identity.
To think even this old fossil has come. The Body Sect has truly been blessed with distinguished guests lately.
After dismissing the Body Sect disciples, Poison Undying offered a friendly smile and personally extended a hand, leading the two down. "Let's go, Brother Xu. You've traveled a long way, and our sect can't be accused of lacking courtesy."
Xu Xiaoyun followed Poison Undying, landing and walking along the mountain path of the Body Sect, a somewhat strange smile on his face. "You, Old Poison, never cared for any rules in the world. When did you start bothering with courtesy?"
Poison Undying turned his head and scoffed, "Cheh! What right do ordinary people have to expect courtesy from me? My Body Sect has always acted as it pleases; we despise those strict rules."
"Heh heh, I'll take that as a compliment." Xu Xiaoyun smiled faintly, thinking to himself that Old Poison also understood a bit about human nature.
Poison Undying chuckled disdainfully and said, "Your cultivation has reached this point, and how I view it no longer matters. I heard that although Mu En didn't die, he's crippled and won't live much longer."
"I'm afraid in a few more years, besides that mysterious grand sect master of the Clear Sky Sect, you, Old Turtle, will be invincible. The First Defense System Soul Master of this era will undoubtedly be you."
Poison Undying's tone was airy, his voice tinged with envy. Reaching the Limit realm instantly allowed one to look down upon the world; this was the dream of countless Soul Masters, including him.
Xu Xiaoyun chuckled but didn't respond, nor did he mention the existence of Long Xiaoyao, Ye Xishui, and Kong Deming.
Those three had reached the Limit realm or possessed Limit-level combat power much earlier than him. Although he was confident in his powerful Martial Soul, he probably wasn't their match right now and needed a few more years to consolidate.
However, there was no need to tell Poison Undying this information for now. It was still hard to say whether they would be friends or foes in the future.
Xu Xiaoyun followed Poison Undying to a pavilion with an excellent view. Disciples of the Body Sect brought several bowls of strong wine and a few plates of fragrant, refreshing spirit fruits, simple yet generous.
Xiao Changfeng, receiving a signal from Xu Xiaoyun, stood guard outside, giving the two some privacy.
The view here was excellent, allowing them to see everything happening inside and outside the Soul Duel Stage. Poison Undying spoke first, not without pride:
"Brother Xu, what do you think of these young disciples of mine?"
"They're all good. There are quite a few promising talents."
Xu Xiaoyun nodded lightly. With a glance, he saw many outstanding young prodigies among the Body Sect's disciples, with solid foundations and burgeoning talent.
"I saw you were observing my disciple, Aotian, just now. What do you think of his talent?" Poison Undying asked with a smile.
Xu Xiaoyun lowered his gaze and said, "Cultivate him well, and he should be able to reach your level. Your Body Sect has a worthy successor."
Long Aotian's cultivation talent surpassed Xu Sanshi's, and his comprehension was also top-notch. Becoming a Super Douluo was a natural progression for him. With the Body Sect's inheritance, reaching Level 98 was merely a matter of time and effort.
It's just that compared to Tianxi, he's still a bit lacking.
"Ai~~ Cultivating juniors is easy to say, but not easy to do. I don't even think he's guaranteed to inherit my Body Sect's Inheritance Seed."
Poison Undying chuckled, somewhat proudly, "His Martial Soul is skin, which is still inferior to mine. I'll just have to put in more effort."
"It's only right for us to worry about the younger generation; otherwise, there's not much meaning to living."
Xu Xiaoyun said calmly, his gaze sweeping around. He drained a bowl of aged wine, the liquid dripping down his chin and instantly evaporating.
"That's true. By the way, Brother Xu, what brings you here this time? You're not just here to tell me you've reached the Limit, are you?"
Poison Undying nodded in agreement, then asked about Xu Xiaoyun's purpose.
In terms of relationship, the two of them were old acquaintances who had fought a few times; they had some connection, but not much. The Body Sect and Xuanming Sect had always kept to themselves, with no interference between them. The other party surely wouldn't come looking for a fight just because he'd broken through.
Xu Xiaoyun looked up, a faint smile welling up in his eyes. "I had some insights after breaking through to the Limit, and I wanted to seek your validation. If we talk well, perhaps we can even make a deal."
His primary purpose for coming here was to find a method for Xu Tianxi to undergo a Second Awakening, or even a Third Awakening, of his Body Martial Soul. The Xu Family had also researched Second Awakenings, and he had some conjectures, but he couldn't be certain.
"Validate insights? What insights?"
Poison Undying thought Xu Xiaoyun was willing to share his cultivation essence, so he quickly leaned closer, his eyes fixed on Xu Xiaoyun.
"Insights about Martial Souls. Your Body Sect controls the method for the Second Awakening of Body Martial Souls. My Xuan Ming Lineage's juniors can also perform special Martial Soul Awakening Ceremonies to stimulate the deep-seated bloodline within them. Now that I think about it, perhaps the two paths lead to the same destination."
Xu Xiaoyun stated his conjecture earnestly, then continued:
"As I see it, there are roughly two methods for Martial Soul Second Awakening. The first is to stimulate the Soul Master's inherent potential. The forms vary; it can be like my Xuan Ming Lineage's special awakening ceremony, or it can be stimulating potential during battle or crisis. Am I right?"
Poison Undying nodded. "Indeed, the principle behind our Body Lineage's Martial Soul Second Awakening method is largely like that."
The Martial Soul Second Awakening method controlled by their Body Sect was precisely about pushing a person's potential to the extreme, stimulating new potential to emerge in desperate situations.
The founding ancestor of the Body Sect was framed and thrown into the sea. Under the pressure of the ocean, his Martial Soul underwent a Second Awakening, granting him a powerful Body Martial Soul.
These were originally secrets that shouldn't be admitted, but since Xu Xiaoyun had already guessed, his denial would be meaningless. His changes in demeanor couldn't escape the eyes of this Old Turtle.
Good, if that's right, then I know what to do.
Xu Xiaoyun nodded subtly and continued, "The second method is to absorb good things like Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, drawing in massive energy from external sources to prompt Martial Soul evolution. Isn't this similar to how some Soul Masters' Martial Souls evolved after absorbing their Seventh Soul Ring or or Ninth Soul Ring in history?"
Xu Xiaoyun hadn't thought of this path initially. The idea came to him after learning about Xu Tianxi's Profound Tortoise Shell Shield evolving into the Dark Gold Black Tortoise Shield, which then made him recall more ancient examples.
Upon hearing this, Poison Undying's expression shifted. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly nodded.
"Indeed, there have been instances in our sect's history where ancestors accidentally ingested Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, inadvertently completing a Second Awakening. What do you mean by bringing this up? And how does it relate to your breakthrough?"
Xu Xiaoyun chuckled. "Of course it's related. You and I both spent a long time at level ninety-eight. Looking back now, I've come to understand something."
"What is it? Brother Xu, don't keep me in suspense." A hint of eagerness appeared on Poison Undying's face.
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"It's simple. Relying on resources like Soul Rings and Soul Bones, reaching level ninety-eight is the human body's limit. To progress further, one absolutely needs a great stroke of luck!"
Xu Xiaoyun spoke with conviction, then pointed at Poison Undying.
"Your Martial Soul, Soul Rings, and Soul Bones are all top-tier, Old Poison, yet you can't take that final step. Why? Your potential has been fully tapped; you can't force out any more."
"It's like a Soul Master trying to evolve their Martial Soul. If they don't possess much innate talent, no amount of pressure will make a difference. Your Body Sect even categorizes Body Martial Souls based on their potential."
As his words fell, the air suddenly solidified.
Poison Undying's face turned very grim, a dark cloud gathering between his brows, his eyelids lowered. An inexplicable chill swept through the pavilion, inside and out.
It was only because the speaker was Xu Xiaoyun, a Limit Douluo with all his limbs intact. If it had been anyone else, even Mu En, Poison Undying would have rolled up his sleeves and challenged them!
What the other party said was tantamount to telling him that his potential was exhausted and he had no hope of further advancement in this life. What angered Poison Undying even more was that Xu Xiaoyun's words actually made a good deal of sense!
No one understood better than him how cruel and painful the Body Sect's cultivation methods were. For over two hundred years, he had never slackened in his cultivation, and his body's potential had long been squeezed dry. Yet, he still couldn't take that final step, which proved the other party was right.
Fortunately, the other party's words gave him an out. Poison Undying abruptly gulped down a large bowl of wine, then shattered the bowl with a wave of his hand, propping his arm on the table. He said coldly,
"Brother Xu's insight is profound; this sect is enlightened. Is there anything else you wish to impart?"
Good, he's hooked.
Xu Xiaoyun smiled faintly. "Of course, it's about seeking opportunities. Only then can one advance further."
"Easier said than done. How easy is it for me to advance further?"
Poison Undying shook his head repeatedly. Seeing Xu Xiaoyun's persistent smile, a flash of inspiration struck him. He couldn't help but lean forward slightly, his eyes sparkling with sharp light as he stared at the other man.
"Could it be that the cooperation Brother Xu mentioned is about taking me to seek that great opportunity?"
"Precisely."
Xu Xiaoyun nodded, extending a finger and lowering his voice. "I accidentally discovered a place where the Original Shrek Seven Devils, who ascended to godhood, might have obtained Immortal Herbs. If you, my friend, are willing to lend me something, I'll take you there to explore."
"How about it?"
"Bang!"
Poison Undying's elbow smashed the stone table, but he seemed not to notice, his eyes fixed on Xu Xiaoyun, so excited they looked like they might pop out. A fire seemed to burn in his throat.
"Tell me what treasure you want! I'm in with you!"
Xu Xiaoyun said calmly, "Simple. The Body Secret Codex of your Body Sect's Sect Master lineage."
These words were light, but as they fell, the burning flames in Poison Undying's eyes extinguished. He blinked, then gritted his teeth, enunciating each word:
"Old Turtle, what did you say you want to borrow? Did I mishear...?"
"You didn't mishear. What I want to borrow is your Body Sect's Body Secret Codex. Don't worry, I swear on my name as a Limit Douluo that I will only show it to one person and will absolutely not let it out. I'll return it to its rightful owner once I've read it."
Xu Xiaoyun calmly took a bite of a pear-fruit, acting as if nothing was amiss.
"Rumble—!"
An immense and unparalleled Soul Power pressure instantly surged out from within the pavilion. A ghostly green light beam shot into the sky, and the massive stone pavilion instantly shattered into pieces, then disintegrated into dust in a flash.
"Old Turtle, today I'm going to fight you to the death! Let me see how capable you are as a Limit Douluo!"