"The soul of a soul beast, combined with both sides' spiritual power and soul power, eventually forms a soul ring. The soul beast's soul is only a coordinate point that attracts its mental and soul power, it doesn't actually participate in the final reaction. I don't fully understand it, but it is a rule… like how wood naturally ignites once it reaches a certain temperature."
Watching as the shifting spiritual power caused the color to rapidly change through white, yellow, purple, black, and red, he sighed inwardly.
"Chi King, that's enough. Any more and you may get hurt."
Chen Fu methodically shut down the outer traction fields layer by layer, then activated the core's Soul-Return Composite Matrix in reverse, kicking the little dog-like spirit body back into its physical body with a whoosh.
This was a precaution he'd prepared in case the spirit body couldn't return. The metal sphere-shaped Soul-Separation Device could blur the boundary of the spirit body, and it could also serve as a coordinate so the Soul-Return Device could kick it precisely back.
"Human…!"
Upon returning online, the Chi King roared, but Di Tian slapped him down immediately.
"Don't move. She's breaking through over there. Check your own condition first."
The Chi King obeyed and quickly examined himself. His soul power was missing a thin layer,recoverable, not a big problem. His spirit was somewhat fatigued,still within acceptable range.
"I'm missing about one layer of soul power. It's fine," the Chi King explained to the others under Di Tian's gaze.
On the other side, above Ma Xiaotao's head, the deep crimson, oppressive soul ring rapidly faded as the Chi King's spirit left. Losing its purest power, the ring began to lose color.
The deep crimson color lightened and even showed signs of turning black. Fortunately, the Chi King was a fierce beast far beyond the hundred-thousand-year level. Even a single layer of his soul power was massive.
The ring stabilized at a pale red.
At the same time, with the pale-red hundred-thousand-year soul ring attaching perfectly, Ma Xiaotao's soul power began to rise,sixty-one, sixty-two, and finally stabilized at sixty-three.
The tremendous energy of the hundred-thousand-year ring also caused her originally white first ring to grow and turn into a normal yellow ring.
Before all humans and beasts present, a stunning configuration appeared: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, red.
"A single layer of soul power from a fierce beast equals the soul ring condensed from a normal hundred-thousand-year soul beast at death? Then we can infer the actual efficiency with which soul masters use a soul beast's power."
"The world seems balanced. The total amount of soul-power particles hasn't changed. But… it shouldn't be like this."
Elder Mu once showed Chen Fu the world. Douluo Continent was a sphere. What most soul masters called the "world" was nothing more than a speck of dust in an infinite universe.
"How do you feel?"
Shaking off his distracting thoughts, Chen Fu asked the girl whose face was full of joy.
"There are two soul skills, just like a normal hundred-thousand-year ring, but they're easier to control,no burden." She couldn't hide her excitement.
"What about the soul bone?"
Di Tian finally spoke after a moment of silence.
For tens of thousands of years, the dreams of all soul masters had always placed the hundred-thousand-year soul ring and soul bone as the highest prizes.
And then, he heard the sentence that would affect his entire life:
"The Path of Ring-Fusion is invincible,why borrow the bones of another?"
Clang!
Four soul rings formed a three-talents formation around a blue data-like core ring behind Chen Fu,slow at first, then explosively fast.
Between heaven and earth, spiritual energy poured downward and was absorbed by the ring matrix. Chen Fu's physical strength surged visibly under the enhancement.
Why did Chen Fu place Ring-Fusion on the same level as Energy-Storage Rings with a theoretical limit of nine red rings?
Because while Ring-Fusion cleared a soul ring's energy, it also acted as a node that could draw in the world's spiritual energy. In battle, when fully activated, it would create low pressure that continuously pulled spiritual energy toward the node.
Watching Chen Fu display his second type of result, Di Tian silently calculated.
With his power, he instantly saw Chen Fu's state,his entire being unified, essence and spirit merged, soul and body as one. This human was only a Soul Sect, yet if he reached Soul Saint and maintained this same amplification, his physical strength would be comparable to the soul bones of a hundred-thousand-year beast.
And he understood what this human was planning.
This human… seemed obsessed with reaching perfection.
"Human, you are impressive."
For a moment, Di Tian even felt killing intent. But after thinking deeply, he let it go.
Perhaps it was concern, or perhaps expectation. This human, though weak, threatened him far more than those two human Limit Douluos.
"Then, Lord Di Tian… regarding the future soul ring experiments, are you willing to continue cooperating?"
Dispersing his soul rings, Chen Fu began packing up the first-generation soul ring engraver, dismantling it piece by piece into a spatial device.
"Human, what is your name?"
"You may call me Chen Fu, sir."
Chen Fu answered without turning back. He had no interest in flattery. He preferred doing real work.
"Chen Fu, I accept your future experiments."
Di Tian did not feel slighted. After hundreds of thousands of years, he preferred straightforward communication.
"Take this. Try not to die."
A black streak shot from Di Tian's hand.
Catching it, Chen Fu saw a beautifully crafted black dragon scale resting in his palm.
"Thank you."
Smiling, he placed the scale in his chest pocket, next to a golden leaf.
He then quickened his pace, finishing his dismantling work. After Di Tian lifted the barrier, two elderly figures led Chen Fu away.
"King…"
The Chi King looked at Di Tian, who was silently gazing at the horizon, and spoke hesitantly.
"Go ahead. What haven't you said?"
Di Tian had long known the Chi King was holding something back.
"I feel… my tribulation has been delayed…"
The rustling wind stirred the forest. Fallen leaves danced through the air.
"You want to go to the human world?"
Di Tian stroked the golden fur of the Three-Eyed Golden Lion and finally spoke.
"Didn't you say the human world is dangerous?"
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion was confused,she previously wasn't allowed to run off, and now she was allowed.
"Are you curious about that human?"
"He seems strong… but I can't understand him."
From her perspective, Di Tian put up a barrier, then Chen Fu assembled a machine, then a woman broke through, and then Di Tian gave Chen Fu a dragon scale. Most of the important communication was through transmission; she didn't understand much.
"That human achieved a soul ring without killing a soul beast," Di Tian explained patiently.
"You said that hasn't changed in millions of years!" she exclaimed.
"That human looks down on soul bones now."
"You said soul bones were the dream of humanity for millions of years!!"
"That human is trying to attach soul rings without relying on soul beasts at all."
"???"
"So the era suddenly changed. Do you want to go to that human? Learn something new? Avoid being crushed by the tide of a new age?"
Di Tian gently smoothed her lion mane.
"Go. Go to that person's side. Go join the new era. Go enjoy life. Go… seize your fate."