Time quietly passed as Li Fan continued to familiarize himself with his divine soul.
Having the "Soul Ghost Hairpin" as a miraculous item significantly enhanced Li Fan's sensitivity to the divine soul.
The success rate of identification also nearly doubled.
From one in a thousand to one in five hundred, it was a tremendous leap!
"Well, it is indeed useful. Unfortunately, my original foundation was too weak. To raise it to a qualified level, I still need to continue strengthening my training."
During the comprehensive process of understanding the divine soul, the golden light content in the Soul Gathering Pearl rapidly decreased.
Seven days later, when the fifteen lucky ones, who had been eliminated, all returned to the Universal Academy, the second phase of closed training officially began.
The students, to some extent, had heard about Dantai Tao and the others meeting an "accidental" demise, and their expressions were subtly complex. However, everyone understood that the matter was deep, and no one openly discussed it.
In the second phase of training, besides learning the inner-layer array structure of the "Tianxuan Locking Spirit Array," the focus was on further enhancing the accuracy of sensing the soul contract traces. It was required to achieve one hundred percent accuracy.
For substitute members like Li Fan, who originally did not meet the standards, this was somewhat difficult. Fortunately, Ji Hongdao also took this into consideration and thoughtfully prepared additional special training for these lagging classmates.
"You were originally eliminated, but due to some changes, you have returned here."
"This is your fate. Although your talents are not as good as others, your lives are better than those geniuses."
"Life... is very important."
"The reason you were eliminated before was mostly due to the inadequate sensing of the soul contract marks. The wasted Soul Gathering Pearl indicates that you are not proficient in this field."
"So, to ensure your qualification, we can only use a different method."
Ji Hongdao looked expressionless at Li Fan and the others, waving his big hand.
Suddenly, several golden chains extended from all directions in the void, binding their hands and feet.
Ignoring the somewhat astonished expressions of the students, Ji Hongdao said coldly, "This method is very dangerous. If you can't hold on, becoming an irrational fool is the best result. Annihilation of body and spirit, seeking death in agony, is also a kind of relief."
"The reason this method wasn't used before is because for ordinary cultivators, the death rate is too high."
"However..."
A hint of strangeness flashed in Ji Hongdao's eyes.
"Since your lives are so good, it shouldn't be a problem to endure this."
With a light clap of his hands, the surroundings suddenly changed.
The sound of surging waves came, and Li Fan and the others were bound by golden chains on the rocks by the sea.
Although their limbs were bound, it didn't affect their field of vision.
Li Fan squinted, looking at the "sea" in front of him.
The aura from this ocean made him feel somewhat creepy.
Upon careful listening, amidst the sound of the waves, there seemed to be countless wailing and cries of pain.
"What is this..." Li Fan seemed to have noticed something, his expression slightly changed.
"In front of you is the famous 'Sea of Resentful Spirits' in the Wan Xian Alliance."
"For thousands of years, the shattered divine souls of the fallen cultivators in the Wan Xian Alliance's territory have been absorbed into this 'Sea of Resentful Spirits.'"
"Accumulating day by day, who knows how many divine souls have gathered in this sea."
"Every drop of seawater could be a collection of the divine souls of several or even dozens of cultivators."
"Since each of you cannot discern soul contract marks through comprehension, then let's increase the quantity."
Ji Hongdao looked at Li Fan and others with a cold gaze.
As he spoke, it seemed that the "Sea of Resentful Spirits" responded to his call.
Waves surged without wind, and towering waves suddenly formed, crashing towards Li Fan and the others, who were bound on the rocky shore.
As soon as the sea water touched, countless scenes and emotions appeared in Li Fan's mind in an instant.
Regardless of whether the other party could accept such massive information in such a short time didn't matter.
The condensed divine soul was extremely violent, rushing into Li Fan's sea of consciousness frantically.
It forcefully occupied every blank space.
With a sudden onslaught, Li Fan was caught off guard and almost lost his consciousness, almost losing himself.
Cursing inwardly, Li Fan, under this tide of divine soul, struggled to maintain the existence of his original consciousness.
At the same time, the Daoist Stone in Li Fan's mind operated at full capacity, rapidly categorizing and processing the vast amount of information mixed in countless divine souls.
Seemingly due to the imminent danger, the Xuanhuang Refining Heart Mantra at this moment also uncommonly accelerated its efficiency.
It absorbed all the negative emotions such as joy, anger, sorrow, and fear from the divine souls.
With both methods at play, it seemed like a long time had passed before Li Fan barely managed to endure.
Glancing at the surrounding cultivators, it turned out that one of them couldn't bear it and, under the impact of the waves from the Sea of Resentful Souls, directly dissolved.
His divine soul also became a part of the seawater.
For the majority, their eyes were occupied by a blank emptiness.
However, occasionally, black eyeballs moved, indicating that their consciousness had not been completely obliterated.
Out of all those who had recovered from the impact of the divine soul tide, like Li Fan, there were only two or three.
However, the horrifying and grotesque expressions on their faces indicated the pain they were currently enduring.
Just as Li Fan hadn't had much time to think, the second wave immediately followed.
Sinking, resisting, recovering, sinking again.
In this cycle, after an unknown amount of time, the seawater finally calmed down.
The chains disappeared, and everyone slumped to the ground, exhausted.
"Indeed, your luck is not bad. Among the fifteen people, surprisingly, eleven of you endured it," Ji Hongdao exclaimed.
"Fate is truly mysterious. Although it cannot be seen, it truly exists. You should know that, according to the statistics we previously gathered, the survival rate of ordinary cultivators under the impact of the Sea of Resentful Souls is only one percent."
"Very good!" Ji Hongdao seemed quite pleased.
"Today's special training is over. Go back and rest!"
Everyone couldn't help but sigh with relief.
"Continue tomorrow."
Ji Hongdao continued.
Hearing this, everyone's faces showed lingering fear and unease.
Their ability to endure today could be considered luck.
Who knows if they can hold on tomorrow?
Some people couldn't help but consider retreating.
After all, compared to the future of Dao formations, their own lives were more important.
However, these people received only Ji Hongdao's cold words: "Thinking of quitting at this point? It's too late."
"The Sea of Resentful Souls is so precious. Even our Array Pavilion finds it difficult to apply for it."
"Either endure it or become a part of it."
The rejected cultivators sat on the ground, lifeless and powerless.
Li Fan, on the other hand, had no feelings of fear.
(End of this chapter)