Purple-gold lightning streaked across the vast western wilderness. Its speed was immense, yet it carried an unprecedented sense of composure and restraint.
Yu Yuanchen was eager to return home, but he did not devote his entire focus to the journey. Within his sea of consciousness, he was repeatedly deducing and conceptualizing the "Method of Unique Soul Core Condensation" that concerned his future path.
At the center of his brow, the already-formed Thunder God Seal grew slightly warm. Its deep connection with the Broken God Position elevated his perception of the essence of energy and the condensation of laws to a brand-new height. Combining the sporadic records of the ancient Thunder God regarding the "Spirit Core" with his own profound understanding of Thunder True Essence—a brand-new power fused from soul power, qi and blood, and spiritual power—a bold and unprecedented concept gradually became clear in his mind.
"The essence of a soul core, or even a higher-level spirit core, should be a 'singularity' where energy and laws are highly condensed, stable, and self-consistent," he pondered. "Later generations of soul masters need to condense multiple cores, perhaps because the world's rules have changed and energy levels have dropped, making a single soul core unable to bear the quality and quantity required for a breakthrough; or perhaps because the soul master system is flawed, unable to temper a single core to the extreme, forcing them to seek qualitative change through quantitative change."
"Yet, I possess Thunder True Essence, a quality far exceeding ordinary soul power, and it is fused with a trace of divinity. With the Broken God Position as a reference... perhaps I can walk the path of 'One Core Forever Stable'!"
With his train of thought set, he began to refine the steps. This method was perilous and required extreme caution.
"The first step is to use powerful spiritual power to guide the construction of a stable, high-speed rotating energy vortex at the Dantian," he introspected. His Dantian held vast, pure purple-gold Thunder True Essence, flowing like a lake. "Ordinary soul masters must build it with soul power, but I must build it with Thunder True Essence! This vortex is the foundation of condensation; it must be extremely refined, and the rotational force must be just right. Too strong, and it will damage the meridians; too weak, and it will fail to compress the energy."
"The second step: once the vortex is stable, one must continuously apply terrifying pressure to its center, forcing the liquid Thunder True Essence to compress and condense, transforming into a solid state! This process is the most dangerous and requires extremely high control over spiritual power. Once it goes out of control and the energy runs wild, the best case is severe damage to the Dantian, and the worst case is the total loss of cultivation or even exploding to death!"
"The third step: when the energy is compressed to the limit and transforms from liquid to a solid prototype, one must use their own will as a guide to imprint their understanding of the laws of that element onto it, making it completely stable and forming an indestructible, self-operating, infinite-energy 'soul core'!"
Deducing to this point, Yu Yuanchen frowned slightly. The method seemed clear, but every step contained immense risk and uncertainty. In particular, the compression process in the second step required such terrifying spiritual control and energy restraint. And the law imprint in the third step required such a profound understanding of the laws.
He was confident that with his current foundation and control over thunder, he had a seventy percent chance of success if he took the risk. However, this method relied too heavily on individual genius and a powerful foundation, making its general applicability extremely low. He feared that across the entire continent, aside from himself, Qian Daoliu, Tang Chen, and a few others, no one could replicate it.
"This method... is too crude, almost like brute force," Yu Yuanchen shook his head with a wry smile. "It might work for me, but for the rest of the world... it is as difficult as ascending to heaven. To promote it and benefit the masses, it must be refined, optimized, and made safe."
The first person he thought of consulting was his grandfather, Yu Boxuan. As a Level 97 Super Douluo, his grandfather's understanding of soul power had reached a state of perfection, and his seasoned experience might provide many valuable suggestions, especially regarding the stability and safety of energy compression.
"If I still feel it is insufficient after discussing it with Grandfather... then I can only seek out Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen," he thought to himself. Gathering the wisdom of the three greatest geniuses of the current era to deduce it together might truly create a relatively safe and feasible method for unique soul core condensation. This matter concerned the future path of soul masters on the continent and was a key step in accumulating his exclusive faith; it was worth his full effort.
Just as he was immersed in his deductions, his soul power, which was already at the peak of Level 76, had accumulated enough after being baptized by divinity and initially fusing with the Broken God Position. At this moment, his thoughts were clear, a flash of inspiration struck, and he broke through that thin barrier as naturally as water flowing!
"Hum!"
The purple-gold lightning around his body erupted involuntarily. His speed suddenly increased, and his aura surged, becoming even deeper and more vast.
Level 77!
The breakthrough came naturally, without any obstruction. Yu Yuanchen smiled slightly, not overly surprised, and continued to refine his soul core concept while traveling.
A few days later, the towering outline of Dragon City was already in sight.
Meanwhile, in the Mixed Zone of the Star Dou Great Forest, a tragic battle had just come to an end.
Tang Chen, the young master of the Clear Sky Sect, had successfully broken through the Level 80 bottleneck not long ago. Proud and ambitious, he was determined to surpass Qian Daoliu and Yu Yuanchen, and he had set his target for his Eighth Soul Ring on a hundred-thousand-year-level forest overlord—the Titan Giant Ape!
This beast possessed infinite strength, terrifying defense, and controlled a powerful Gravity Domain. Its strength was comparable to a Level 95 Super Douluo, and being on its home turf in the Star Dou Great Forest increased its power by another thirty percent.
To ensure nothing went wrong, the Clear Sky Sect had brought out its elite forces. The Level 97 Sect Master, Tang Gan, led the team personally, supported by a Level 95 Great Elder, along with eight Soul Douluo elites with soul power above Level 85. They set up the sect's secret "Clear Sky Trapping Formation," while Tang Chen, whose attack power was already comparable to an ordinary Titled Douluo, waited to deliver the finishing blow, aiming for a one-hit kill!
They were lucky enough to find this wandering Titan Giant Ape in the Mixed Zone. The battle erupted instantly!
The Titan Giant Ape was furious, its roars shaking the heavens and the earth. It opened its Gravity Domain fully, making the Clear Sky Sect members feel as if they were carrying mountains, their movements sluggish. Its giant fists swung with the power to collapse mountains and split the earth; every time it smashed down, the earth trembled and the formation's light barrier shook violently.
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Not long after, dust filled the air, giant trees were toppled, and the ground was crisscrossed with gullies, leaving behind terrifying energy fluctuations and the traces of rampant soul skills. The air was thick with the heavy scent of blood and the aftermath of violent soul power.
Tang Chen, the young master of the Clear Sky Sect, was covered in blood, leaning on his massive Clear Sky Hammer and gasping for breath. Beneath his feet lay a corpse as large as a small mountain—it was a giant ape covered in pitch-black fur, its muscles knotted like rock, its face ferocious! It was one of the overlords of the Star Dou Great Forest, the Titan Giant Ape with a cultivation of one hundred thousand years!
However, the price of victory was immense. Scattered around were the corpses of several Clear Sky Sect soul masters, and many others were severely injured, their auras withered. The two accompanying Titled Douluo were in bad shape; Sect Master Tang Gan's complexion was pale, his soul power severely depleted. The Great Elder had even lost an arm, the wound wreathed in violent, earthy-yellow energy that refused to heal, his complexion like pale gold; he was clearly at the end of his rope.
Tang Chen could not spare a moment to regulate his breath. With eyes flashing with a mix of excitement and grief, he immediately began to absorb the blood-red hundred-thousand-year soul ring floating above the Titan Giant Ape's corpse.
Although the process was painful, his will was firm and his physique was strong, and he eventually succeeded without any mishaps! The vast energy not only stabilized his cultivation at the peak of Level 83 but also granted him two powerful hundred-thousand-year soul skills, as well as a top-tier strength-type soul bone from the Titan Giant Ape's right arm!
The joy of his surging strength had not lasted long when a sudden change occurred!
"ROAR—!!!"
An even angrier, more violent bull roar, as if from the Primordial Era, shook the entire forest! A pressure no less than that of the Titan Giant Ape, and perhaps even deeper and more terrifying, descended from the sky!
A massive cyan figure rushed out from the depths of the forest like lightning! It was a giant bull-headed, python-bodied soul beast no smaller than the Titan Giant Ape! Its entire body was covered in cyan scales, a single horn on its head flashing with destructive lightning, and a pair of giant bull eyes red as blood, filled with endless rage and killing intent!
A hundred-thousand-year soul beast—the Sky Azure Bull Python! The Titan Giant Ape's closest friend! It had sensed the death of its dear friend and had gone completely mad!
"Careful!" Sect Master Tang Gan's expression changed drastically, and he roared sharply.
But it was too late! The Sky Azure Bull Python came in a rage, its speed too fast, its attack too fierce! A massive cyan lightning bolt mixed with a destructive energy breath slammed toward the most crowded area like divine punishment!
Having just experienced a brutal battle, severely injured, and with their soul power depleted, the Clear Sky Sect members could not organize an effective defense!
"ROAR!" At the critical moment, Tang Chen, who had just finished absorbing the soul ring and whose strength had surged to Level 83, suddenly opened his eyes, which were filled with bloodshot veins! He roared, his figure expanding, and the newly acquired hundred-thousand-year soul ring shone brilliantly. His strength instantly reached its limit, and his Clear Sky Hammer grew as large as a mountain, defiantly meeting that destructive breath!
"BOOM—!!!"
An earth-shattering explosion rang out! Tang Chen was shaken back, his palms split and bleeding, but he had ultimately blocked the fatal blow, protecting most of the clansmen behind him. However, the aftermath of the explosion still swept out, injuring the already wounded group once more.
"Beast! You're courting death!" Sect Master Tang Gan and the Great Elder were furious, suppressing their injuries as they prepared to fight to the death.
"Don't get entangled! Go!" The Great Elder suddenly pushed Tang Gan away and shouted at Tang Chen, who had just finished absorbing the ring and whose aura was unstable: "Take the Sect Master and everyone else! I will cover the rear!"
He knew that while they could have contended with the Sky Azure Bull Python in their prime, everyone was now injured and their soul power was exhausted. Facing this enraged hundred-thousand-year soul beast, the only option was to cut off the tail to save the body!
"Great Elder!" Tang Chen roared, blood and tears filling his eyes.
"GO!" The Great Elder burned his life origin, erupting with power far beyond his usual limits. He swung his Clear Sky Hammer, desperately entangling the crazed Sky Azure Bull Python to buy the final moments for the others.
Sect Master Tang Gan gritted his teeth until they clicked, and finally, with immense pain, he waved his hand: "Retreat!"
Tang Chen took one last look at the old man fighting the Sky Azure Bull Python in a bloodbath, his figure gradually being swallowed by the cyan light. He let out a heart-wrenching roar and, protecting the severely injured clansmen, fled in a wretched state toward the outer perimeter of the forest.
In the end, the members of the Clear Sky Sect narrowly escaped the pursuit of the Sky Azure Bull Python, but they paid a heavy price for this trip: two Soul Douluo elders and the Great Elder, a level 95 Super Douluo, were killed in battle! They harvested one Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and one soul bone, but their foundation was severely damaged, and they had forged a blood feud with the two overlords of the Star Dou Great Forest.
On the way back to the sect, the atmosphere was suffocatingly heavy. Tang Chen clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms as blood trickled down. In his mind, the image of the Great Elder's final, resolute figure and the furious gaze of the Sky Azure Bull Python flashed repeatedly.
"Sky Azure Bull Python..." Hatred burned in Tang Chen's eyes, accompanied by an extreme desire to grow stronger. "I, Tang Chen, will engrave today's grudge in my heart! Once I achieve the Title, I will surely return to the Star Dou, and with your lives, I shall pay tribute to the spirit of the Great Elder!"
The seeds of hatred had been sown; the proud young master of the Clear Sky Sect had undergone a baptism, and his state of mind had quietly undergone a transformation.
Yet, he did not regret hunting the Titan Giant Ape, for yearning for greater power was human nature. He only hated that he was too weak, which was why the Great Elder had died protecting them.
At this moment, Yu Yuanchen had quietly returned to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family in Dragon City. His return was low-key and calm, but the increasingly deep Thunder God Seal between his brows, and the faint, majestic aura that resonated more harmoniously with the thunder of heaven and earth, were immediately sensed by the keen Yu Boxuan.
The grandfather and grandson soon held a secret discussion in the chamber. Yu Yuanchen did not hide the matter of the Broken God Position and also put forward his initial concept regarding the "Method of Soul Cores."
After listening, Yu Boxuan was shocked for a long time. Looking at his grandson, his eyes were filled with disbelief and immense comfort.
"Broken God Position... Method of Soul Cores... Chen'er, your ambitions are truly vast!" The old man sighed with deep emotion, then his expression turned grave. "The method of condensation you've conceived is indeed feasible, but... it is far too dangerous. It demands the absolute peak of talent, foundation, and control; it is nearly a gamble. Let alone promoting it, I fear not even a second person within the sect could attempt it."
He pondered for a moment and said, "The method of optimization cannot be achieved by one person's strength alone. Perhaps... it is as you thought; it requires pooling wisdom. Qian Daoliu, Tang Chen... they are indeed suitable candidates. Once your injuries have fully healed and your state is adjusted to its peak, you may seek an opportunity to meet with them. If this succeeds, it will be a feat for the ages!"
Yu Yuanchen nodded: "That is exactly what I intended, Grandfather."
Just then, a family intelligence elder hurried over, handing over a secret report with a grave expression.
Yu Boxuan took it and glanced at it, his complexion changing slightly before he handed it to Yu Yuanchen: "Something has happened to the Clear Sky Sect. That kid Tang Chen... he really dares to think and act."
Yu Yuanchen quickly scanned the report; the content detailed Tang Chen leading a team to hunt the Titan Giant Ape, encountering the Sky Azure Bull Python, the deaths of the Sect Master and elders, and the group's retreat in heavy injury.
He looked at the words "Tang Chen severely injured," "Sky Azure Bull Python," and "this grudge must be avenged" on the report, his eyes flickering as he gently set the intelligence down.
"It seems that the meeting with Brother Tang may need to be moved up." He whispered to himself, a complex light flashing in his eyes. Hatred, at times, is also a powerful driving force. And cooperation often begins with shared goals and... powerful opponents.
The upheaval in the Star Dou Great Forest seemed to be quietly pushing certain events forward.
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan