Time passed, seasons changed, and three and a half years had quietly slipped by since Martial Soul Hall promulgated the proposal of the "Upper Three Sects and Lower Four Sects."
In Dragon City, deep within the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family, lay a top-tier simulated cultivation environment that generations of ancestors had spent a great price to construct.
The Thunder Power here was more violent and condensed than ever before, having almost turned into a substance-like purple-gold liquid that completely submerged the figure sitting cross-legged in the center. Yu Yuanchen kept his eyes tightly shut, his expression solemn, as every inch of his skin greedily devoured the massive amount of thunder essence. The soul power within his body surged and roared; he had already reached the extreme perfection of the Level 89 peak!
He was only one step away from the legendary realm of a Titled Douluo!
Over these three years, he had devoted almost all his time to frantic cultivation. While the outside world was surging with undercurrents and various factions were secretly wrestling and forming alliances for the ten-year appointment, he remained focused, heart and mind set on his seclusion. Only on one or two fixed days each month would he emerge briefly to meet Ye Zhilan, exchange insights on cultivation, occasionally guide her in further perfecting the Mountain Splitting Force, or ask for her opinions on herbs and medical theory.
Ye Zhilan's Mountain Splitting Force had already reached great success, its power astonishing. Combined with her increasingly profound Soul Power Control and vigorous Qi and Blood, she now possessed formidable close-combat capabilities far exceeding those of other healing-type soul masters of the same rank, becoming a hidden trump card for the Ye Family. Her soul power had also steadily risen to Level 64; for a twenty-four-year-old Soul Emperor, this progress could be described as rapid.
As for Yu Yuanchen himself, although his cultivation speed had slowed slightly compared to the early stages over these past three years, it still far exceeded what ordinary people could imagine. Level 86, Level 87, Level 88, Level 89... he had advanced like a hot knife through butter! This was thanks to his solid foundation, the dominance of his Thunder True Essence, the assistance of his god-rank mark, and... the Dantian vortex that never stopped running, constantly compressing and refining his soul power!
At this moment, he was standing before the final barrier leading to the chasm of Level 90.
Mighty soul power flowed within his body like a torrential flood blocked by a dam, accumulating earth-shattering power as it struck again and again against that incredibly sturdy barrier representing the boundary between mortals and the transcendent!
Every impact caused the entire Secret Realm to tremble, with lightning flashing violently! His meridians, internal organs, and soul were all enduring immense pressure and baptism!
This was not just an accumulation of soul power, but a leap in the level of life! It was the essential transformation from a Soul Douluo to a Titled Douluo!
At the same time, within his Dantian, the vortex of Thunder True Essence, which had been compressed and refined without rest for nearly three years, had also reached a critical point!
At the center of the vortex, the originally liquefied purple-gold true essence, under the extreme high pressure and the guidance of his increasingly profound understanding of the Thunder Law, had become incredibly viscous, its light restrained, as if it were about to solidify completely at any moment and condense into a core containing supreme power!
The breakthrough of soul power and the condensation of a soul core—these two monumental feats, which were incredibly difficult for any soul master and required countless years or even a lifetime to achieve, were being carried out simultaneously by Yu Yuanchen! The danger involved was far beyond imagination! If he failed, he would at best be severely injured and suffer a drop in cultivation level, and at worst, his Dantian would shatter, leaving his cultivation completely ruined!
But Yu Yuanchen's eyes were firm, without a trace of fear. He had waited too long for this moment! He had absolute confidence that he could succeed in one go!
"Break!"
With a low shout in his heart, Yu Yuanchen adjusted his state to the absolute peak, his Spiritual Power highly concentrated, drawing upon all the power accumulated in his body as well as the trace of origin Law Power contained within the Thunder God Seal at the center of his brow, launching the final and most violent impact!
Rumble--!!!
It felt as if ten thousand thunders were exploding in his body simultaneously! The vast torrent of soul power, like an awakened ancient Thunder Dragon, slammed into that indestructible bottleneck barrier with an unrivaled momentum!
Crack!
A faint yet clear sound of shattering echoed from the depths of his soul!
The chasm barrier that had trapped countless soul masters for their entire lives broke at the sound!
Mighty soul power instantly surged into a brand-new, more vast and boundless realm! His aura skyrocketed at a speed visible to the naked eye, his Life Origin emitted a joyful hum, and he underwent a complete sublimation and transformation!
Level 90! Peak soul power! Only one soul ring away from officially stepping into the realm of a Titled Douluo!
However, at the very same instant his soul power broke through, a sudden change occurred!
Within his Dantian, the vortex of Thunder True Essence, which was already at a critical point, could no longer maintain its balance under the massive energy impact and the resonance of the Law brought about by the breakthrough and the sublimation of his realm!
Hum--!!!
The entire vortex collapsed violently inward! The viscous, liquefied true essence at the center suddenly underwent an essential transformation under this terrifying inward-squeezing force and the guidance of Yu Yuanchen's powerful will!
Countless purple-gold Law runes, as thin as hair, were born from the void, merging into it, tightly binding, intertwining, and solidifying with the highly condensed Thunder True Essence!
The light was blinding, yet it instantly retracted!
It was as if the world had returned to chaos after its creation, or like the birth and silence of stars in the universe!
When all fluctuations subsided, the vortex that had been spinning at high speed in Yu Yuanchen's Dantian had disappeared.
In its place was a round crystal, about the size of a dragon's eye, presenting a deep dark purple-gold color, its surface covered with countless naturally formed, profoundly mysterious thunder patterns!
This crystal floated quietly in the center of his Dantian, rotating slowly. It no longer needed Yu Yuanchen's deliberate guidance; it began to swallow and spit out the Heaven and Earth Origin Qi and the Thunder True Essence within his body, converting them into the purest energy for storage, while simultaneously feeding back wisps of even purer Thunder Power containing the aura of the Law, circulating through his entire body to nourish every inch of his flesh, meridians, and soul!
It seemed to possess its own life and will, forming a self-contained cycle, eternal and indestructible!
A soul core! A Unique Soul Core! It was done!
At the very moment the soul core successfully condensed!
An indescribably terrifying aura erupted from Yu Yuanchen's body! A thick pillar of purple-gold light shot into the sky, instantly breaking through the layers of the Secret Realm's barriers, piercing straight through the clouds, and dyeing the clouds above Dragon City a brilliant purple-gold! A vast, sea-like pressure spread out, enveloping the entire Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family estate!
Within the estate, every soul master, regardless of their cultivation level, felt their martial soul tremble slightly at this moment, their soul power circulation sluggish, as if they were facing a supreme Thunder Monarch!
"Is this... Chen'er?!" Yu Boxuan, who was handling affairs in his study, suddenly looked up toward the direction of the Secret Realm, his eyes erupting with unbelievable ecstasy and shock. "The aura of Level 90! But this pressure... it far exceeds an ordinary Level 90 breakthrough! It's even... not weaker than a Level 95 Super Douluo! Could it be... could it be that he succeeded?!"
His figure flashed, and he instantly disappeared from where he stood.
In the training grounds, Yu Qingtian was instructing a family disciple in cultivation. Feeling this aura, his tiger-like eyes widened, and he laughed loudly: "Good kid! He really did it! Such a commotion, hahaha! My Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has added another top-tier Douluo!"
In the Ye Family courtyard, Ye Kuan, who was reading a medical book, stood up abruptly and looked at the pillar of light reaching the sky. His hand stroking his beard trembled slightly, and he muttered: "Level 90... and this... majesty that feels like facing the origin of the Law directly... Kid Yuanchen, just how far have you gone..."
Ye Zhilan was practicing the Mountain Splitting Force, letting her body adapt to the feeling of combat. Feeling this familiar yet infinitely more vast aura, she was first startled, then her beautiful eyes erupted with infinite joy and pride. Looking toward the direction of the light pillar, a gentle smile curled at the corner of her mouth: "Brother Yuanchen... you finally did it..."
Inside the Secret Realm, the pillar of light slowly receded.
Yu Yuanchen slowly opened his eyes. In his pupils, there were no longer simple purple-gold lightning flashes, but rather two miniature thunder universes containing endless life and death slowly rotating—deep, majestic, and supreme!
He felt the unprecedentedly mighty power within his body, as well as the soul core in his Dantian that operated on its own, providing an almost endless supply of pure energy, and a surge of heroic spirit rose in his heart!
Level 90 soul power! A Unique Soul Core!
The superposition of the two brought about a qualitative change! A leap!
He felt that his total soul power might not yet be as bottomless as his grandfather Yu Boxuan's, but in terms of the quality of soul power, instantaneous explosive power, recovery speed, and his control over the Thunder Law of heaven and earth, he had already reached an extremely terrifying level!
He was confident that if he were to face a Level 95 Super Douluo right now, he could easily defeat and kill them on the spot single-handedly! Even against a Sky Azure Bull Python in its prime, he had the confidence to fight it and retreat unscathed without the help of his grandfather or Tang Chen!
"Is this... the power of a Soul Core..." Yu Yuanchen slowly clenched his fist, and Palm Lightning spontaneously condensed in his palm, causing the surrounding space to distort slightly. "Truly powerful! Far beyond my imagination!"
With a flicker of his thought, his Soul Core spun gently, and a pure, Vast surge of Thunder True Essence instantly flooded his entire body. The slight fatigue brought on by his breakthrough and the condensation of his core was swept away in an instant, restoring his state to its absolute peak!
"Now, only the final step remains—obtaining my Ninth Soul Ring!"
His gaze turned sharp as he looked into the distance, as if piercing through layers of space to see the Star Dou Great Forest, the Extreme North, and the endless ocean...
The choice of his Ninth Soul Ring was of vital importance! It would determine his starting point and potential after stepping into the realm of Titled Douluo! Ordinary ten-thousand-year soul beasts could no longer catch his eye. His target was at least a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast! Or perhaps... even higher!
And with a Soul Core, his limit for absorbing soul rings would be greatly increased, and his endurance would far exceed that of his peers!
"It is time to go out and walk about." Yu Yuanchen rose to his full height, his aura completely restrained, yet his Deep eyes were brighter and sharper than ever before!
He took a single step, and his figure appeared outside the Secret Realm.
Yu Boxuan, Grandfather Qingtian, and the others, who had been waiting outside for a long time, immediately surrounded him, their faces filled with endless excitement and anticipation.
"Chen'er, you..." Yu Boxuan's voice trembled slightly.
Yu Yuanchen smiled slightly, his tone calm yet carrying unquestionable confidence: "Grandfather, Father, Grandfather Qingtian... I have not failed the mission. The Level 90 Bottleneck has been broken, and the Soul Core... has also been condensed."
Although they had guessed as much, hearing the confirmation with their own ears still made everyone gasp, followed by an earth-shattering cheer!
"Good! Good! Good!" Yu Boxuan said the word "good" three times in a row, unable to contain his excitement. "Heaven bless my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan! Hahaha, a twenty-six-year-old Titled Douluo! Chen'er, what is your strength now..."
"I feel that the quality and quantity of my Soul Power are no longer inferior to an ordinary Super Douluo. As for actual combat, those below Level 97... might be worth a try," Yu Yuanchen said indifferently.
The crowd was shocked once again, followed by wild joy! The sect had added another combatant comparable to a Super Douluo! And such a young Titled Douluo at that (only missing the soul ring)!
"What kind of soul ring do you need? The sect will do everything in its power to help you hunt it!" Yu Boxuan said immediately.
Yu Yuanchen's gaze was profound: "The Ninth Soul Ring concerns my future path; ordinary soul beasts are no longer sufficient. I intend to travel and seek opportunities myself. Perhaps... the Star Dou, the Extreme North, or overseas... all are possibilities."
What he was going to search for was not just a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, but the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, which might hide the traces of Immortal Herbs!
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan