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After dinner, Gu Yuena took the initiative to join Ling Meng in the kitchen to help wash the dishes. She still remembered that she owed Tang San a lot of money, so she needed to work hard to repay her debt. Self-reliance is a virtue!
Meanwhile, Tang San didn't have the bad habit of sleeping right after eating. Instead, he went to the study to examine the materials he had obtained from the Ancient Golden Tree. Although there were no specific details on cultivation or soul tools, there were many useful summaries, akin to the synopsis of a book, which could significantly reduce unnecessary attempts.
For example: the concept of self-condensed soul rings.
The Golden Civilization had once forced a multitude of hundred-thousand-year-old soul beasts to take human form to observe how they self-condensed soul rings. This was to address the problem of the diminishing number of soul beasts.
Although no research data was left behind, there were fragments of information: [Self-Condensed Soul Ring: Use the soul as the core, absorb the power of the stars, gather the energy of heaven and earth, and transform it into a soul ring!]
From this, Tang San inferred that self-condensed soul rings required a soul, then some power from the stars to draw in the energy of heaven and earth, condensing it into a soul ring.
The soul...
Soul rings are produced from soul beasts and contain the soul of the beast. However, in the past, the souls of soul beasts were relatively fragile compared to humans.
This should be the core of a soul ring.
Tang San had already realized this while helping Ling Xi and Ling Meng condense their Three Flowers Gathering Soul Rings. However, the energy they used to condense their soul rings came from their essence, spirit, and energy, with some help from Electrolux. This method couldn't be directly compared to the Golden Civilization's approach.
Moreover, Ling Xi and Ling Meng were quite special. They were "beastmen," with their beast martial souls and physical bodies fully integrated. This made them akin to "innate divine beasts" in human form, although they suffered severe malnutrition before condensing their soul rings.
As for the power of the stars...
Tang San was unsure whether this referred to the light of the stars, some elemental energy, or perhaps the planetary will—after all, this world was also a star.
Lastly, the energy of heaven and earth...
This was easier to understand. It was the external energy required to condense and stabilize the soul ring.
Based on Xiao Wu's method of self-condensing soul rings and his experience helping Ling Xi and Ling Meng condense their unique Three Flowers Gathering Soul Rings, Tang San felt more confident about [condensing three soul rings in the upper, middle, and lower dantian, using essence, spirit, and energy as the cores, to improve the conversion efficiency between them].
But before that, he needed to complete the condensation of the Immortal Golden Core, the Soul Power Heart Core, and the Spiritual Soul Core.
"Shouldn't you wait for Bibi Dong to experiment with condensing the three special soul rings first?" Electrolux asked.
"Come on, with Bibi Dong's domineering personality, do you really think she'd agree to be my test subject? She only cooperated with me in adjusting the primary storage location of her soul power because I demonstrated it first..." Tang San's gaze was firm. "Besides, researchers have to lead by example. Even if something goes wrong, as long as I don't explode instantly, I can recover with my first soul skill."
"I have to admit, your first soul skill is practically designed for risky endeavors." Electrolux commented, though he was also envious. If his "previous self" had such a skill, he wouldn't have been cursed. With this skill, let's see if your curse is stronger than the life force transformed from the power of the entire plane!
"After all, it's the first soul skill I chose," Tang San replied with a smug smile. "But Bibi Dong's method of dual meditation with soul power and the transformation between qi, blood, and spirit has indeed given me some insights. I can borrow and improve it..."
Mental Strength and Vitality are not a concern for now; I need to first condense the Soul Power Core.
Practicing the Genesis and Destruction Technique, Tang San's Zhongji acupoint in the middle of his chest gathered soul power with dual attributes, spiraling like a Taiji symbol: life and creation, death and destruction. In balance, these four different attributes and laws intertwined, creating life from creation, evolving death from destruction, and incorporating other elements like fire, light, wind, water, and poison. However, under the transformation of the Genesis and Destruction Technique, all these attributes were covered by death, balancing with the life attribute of the Blue Silver Emperor.
Tang San had reached the basic standard required for condensing the Soul Power Core of creation and destruction, life and death. The next step was to break through to the level of a seventy-ranked quasi-Soul Saint, achieving a complete balance between the forces of creation and destruction.
"I still need some time to break through to seventy ranks, but I can plan the condensation of the soul rings for essence, qi, and spirit in the meantime," Tang San thought. "I can take these days to observe Ling Xi and Ling Meng more closely..."
Knock, knock, knock!
A gentle knocking on the door interrupted Tang San's thoughts.
The door opened.
Ling Xi entered, carrying hot tea. She walked up to Tang San's desk and placed the tray beside him, speaking softly, "My lord, I have prepared some hot tea and snacks for you. Please try them and see how they taste."
"Not bad." Tang San took a sip from the teacup, finding it overly sweet, but he nodded slightly.
He wasn't very particular about food and drink; as long as it wasn't overly unpalatable, he could accept it. His childhood experiences had left a lasting impression—often not knowing when his next meal would come, having to rely on Grandpa Jack for food.
"I'm glad you like it, my lord. I'll prepare it for you every day while you're here." Ling Xi smiled, seemingly very happy.
"Well... actually, you could use a bit less sugar." Thinking about having to drink such sweet tea every night, Tang San decided it was better to be honest.
Ling Xi's smile froze for a moment, then she apologized nervously, "I'm sorry, my lord. I added more sugar because I heard it can boost energy..."
Tang San's eye twitched slightly, sensing some "ill intent" from Ling Xi. He decided to change the topic, asking about something else, "By the way, I heard Yue Xuan has closed. Where has Tang Yuehua gone?"
His blood-related aunt, who had said she would stay here last time they met, was now nowhere to be seen. Wasn't she supposed to help look after the place? Her unreliability seemed on par with Tang Hao.
"Master Tang left a year ago. She mentioned that the Haotian School was summoning all direct bloodline disciples back. She also left a letter for you, my lord. I'll go get it right away." Ling Xi slapped her forehead, remembering the letter, and quickly ran out of the study.
In no time, she returned with an unopened envelope, muttering, "My lord, I was so happy when you came back that I almost forgot, if you hadn't mentioned Master Tang..."
Taking the envelope, Tang San tore it open and began reading the letter inside, finally understanding what had happened within the Haotian School...
(End of Chapter)