The Second Pulse Ignites
"Still, that was only a simulation," Yao Xuan mused, the afterglow of victory tempered by cold analysis. The phantom of Wu Zhangkong, while formidable, was a logic-bound construct, lacking the unpredictable spark of genius, the adaptive cruelty of a true Shrek graduate. A real confrontation would be a different calculus entirely.
Yet, the result was undeniable proof of concept. The Ancestral Dragon Overlord Body was a force of nature condensed into a soul skill. Crossing a major realm to defeat even a simulation of his teacher was a testament to its catastrophic potential. He was confident that against the real Wu Zhangkong, even with the teacher employing the first three soul skills of a Soul Venerable, he could force a stalemate—a protracted, draining battle of attrition until his own reserves ran dry.
"But the cost..." Yao Xuan's focus turned inward, assessing the ledger of the fight. The power was staggering, but the expenditure was equally colossal. In less than five minutes of maintaining the Overlord Body, nearly half of his vast soul power reserves—already more than ten times denser than a peer's due to the Creation Soul Forging Technique—had been consumed. That rate of depletion was unsustainable for prolonged conflict; it was a skill for decisive, overwhelming bursts, not a permanent state.
'A ten-minute limit at most,' he calculated, a slight furrow in his brow. 'A potent finisher, but one that leaves me vulnerable if the enemy endures.' The solution, he knew, lay in the future. The formation of a Soul Core at the Soul Ancestor realm, as guided by his cultivation technique, would exponentially increase his recovery rate, turning this ultimate technique into a more readily wielded weapon.
At that moment, a stream of crystalline data flowed into his consciousness from the Simulated Battle Space—a post-combat analysis. It dissected his movements, highlighting microseconds of hesitation, minor inefficiencies in energy channeling, and suboptimal angles of attack. This was another invaluable function: a mirror that reflected not just his opponent, but every flaw in his own form.
"Excellent," he nodded, absorbing the insights. Perfection was a path, not a destination, and this system provided the map.
With a thought, he exited the mental arena. The sterile quiet of the physical cultivation chamber welcomed him back. He took a deep breath, evaluating the toll. "Only ten percent of my mental energy consumed. Remarkably efficient." This meant he could run a dozen such high-intensity simulations daily, honing his skills against a gallery of remembered foes without physical risk. The process itself would temper his mental fortitude—a virtuous cycle of improvement.
"Now, to solidify this advancement."
His attention shifted to the deep well of power within—the Ancestral Dragon Bloodline. The 1,005 Golden Evolution Points were a capital he was eager to invest.
[Status Check]
Golden Evolution Points: 1,005
Ancestral Dragon Bloodline Unlock: 14.7%
A flicker of resignation passed through him at the steep cost—a clear sign of the escalating investment needed for each percentage of progress. Yet, there was no hesitation. "Confirm."
The points vanished. In their place, a torrent of pure, primordial evolutionary energy flooded his meridians. It was not a violent invasion, but a profound infusion, as if the universe itself was offering a distillate of creation.
His body became a crucible of awakening. Every cell sang with voracious hunger, drinking in the energy. Deep within, the slumbering strands of the Ancestral Dragon Bloodline stirred like awakened leviathans, drawing the energy to themselves, purifying, condensing, and weaving it into their own majestic tapestry.
A soft, nine-colored luminescence emanated from his skin, painting the chamber in hues of forgotten epochs. Inside, his qi and blood, already potent, began to churn with renewed ferocity. They grew denser, hotter, a molten river of vitality that scoured his vessels and infused his bones with incalculable potential.
Then, as the bloodline concentration ticked past the 15% threshold, a profound structural shift occurred.
Deep within his body, along pathways adjacent to his primary meridians, a new network began to ignite. Faint, luminous lines of nine-colored light etched themselves into his spiritual anatomy, connecting major acupoints and forming a secondary, intricate grid. This was the nascent form of the Second Qi and Blood Cycle.
As it solidified, the previously torrential flow of his life force gained a new order. The chaotic power became orchestrated, moving with disciplined, resonant harmony between the primary and secondary cycles. His control over his own vital energies reached a new pinnacle; the power was not just greater, but infinitely more focused and readily commanded. It was the difference between a flooding river and a power-generating dam.
The light faded. The torrential energy settled into a deep, placid ocean of strength within him. Yao Xuan opened his eyes, and for a moment, they held the serene, terrifying depth of a calm sea hiding submerged continents.
The physical gains were immediate and measurable. His base strength now rested at five thousand kilograms—a benchmark that, in another life, had required Tang Wulin to unleash the Golden Dragon King's sealed power. It was force that could crater stone and shatter ordinary soul tools.
Manifesting his martial soul would amplify this to seven and a half thousand kilograms. Activating the Ancestral Dragon Overlord Body would triple that, launching him into a realm of twenty-thousand-kilogram strikes. And the Right Claw Dragon Transformation would layer on a further multiplier… The arithmetic of destruction was becoming absurd. He possessed, even now, raw power that could dominate the Soul Master level of the original timeline.
But more than the numbers, it was the feeling of solidified foundation, of a second engine of life now humming within his core. His endurance, recovery, and defensive resilience had all ascended to another tier.
"Good," he whispered, the word echoing with quiet finality in the chamber. He rose to his feet, his movements fluid and carrying a new, unconscious gravity. "The foundation is laid. Now, we await the proving ground."
The Promotion Tournament was no longer just a challenge; it was the anvil upon which this newly tempered strength would be hammered, tested, and displayed. He thought of his team—of Gu Yue's elemental majesty, Xie Xie's darting precision, Tang Wulin's unyielding resilience. With this new power and the Simulated Battle Space, he could refine their coordination to perfection.
He left the cultivation chamber, his path forward illuminated by the twin lights of primordial bloodline and unwavering purpose. The Ancestral Dragon was not just awakening; it was beginning to coil its power, readying itself to truly shake the world.