Premeditating the Advance into Star Luo
However, You Chen did not use these Nourishment Pills for cultivation. The reason was that he had enough cultivation resources now, but his understanding of the Godly Elephant Suppressing Prison Strength was insufficient.
So after he converted 70% of the Giant Elephant Micro-Particles into Dragon Elephant Micro-Particles, the progress clearly began to slow down.
You Chen possessed a special reward he received from the three members of the Sword Bone Pagoda: "Comprehension".
Whether it's martial arts techniques or Soul Skill, you can gain a lot of experience through it.
If he relies on it, You Chen will definitely have a chance to fully comprehend the entire Dragon Elephant Chapter and then break through in the shortest possible time.
However, the Godly Elephant Suppressing Prison Strength is a cultivation method that can grow even by consuming resources. By consuming a large amount of resources, it is possible to continue to improve, and in the process, the cultivator can gradually comprehend the technique.
If you use Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, the comprehension effect will be even better.
This is also why You Chen was able to break through to the Dragon Elephant Chapter in one go Icefire Body Refinement.
If comprehending the Dragon Elephant Chapter is already this difficult, one can only imagine how challenging the subsequent Primal Elephant Chapter and Godly Elephant Chapter will be.
According to the system's detailed explanation, the more profound the foundation of the "Comprehension" reward, the more powerful the effect. In short, the effect will not significantly decrease as your cultivation techniques and martial arts skills advance.
For example, if you only understand 100% of the Godly Elephant Suppressing Prison Strength at the beginner stage, you can directly break through to the minor mastery level and increase your understanding to 50%. The experience points required to break through from minor mastery to Great Accomplishment are several times that of breaking through from beginner to minor mastery, but you can still increase your understanding by about 40%.
It's like a capsule containing a percentage of skill experience that decreases slightly over time.
The value of such a percentage increase is self-evident.
Of all the martial arts techniques and skills You Chen possesses, only the Three Parts Vigor Restoration and the Godly Elephant Suppressing Prison Strength are currently worth using.
You Chen only intended to use the Three Parts Vigor Restoration as a reference. Giving such a top-quality reward to a technique that was only for reference and would not be used in actual combat would be a waste. Therefore, it was only natural for You Chen to reserve this reward for the Godly Elephant Suppressing Prison Strength.
You Chen had no hope of reaching the final Divine Elephant Realm of the Godly Elephant Suppressing Prison Strength, even if he truly comprehended it completely.
Even if all the resources of Douluo Star were combined, it would probably take him more than a hundred years of resource production time to have any hope of completing the cultivation.
However, given his current progress, he still has a chance to reach the perfect level of the Yuanxiang realm.
A full set of Primal Elephant Micro-Particles equals the physical strength of First-Level God. Adding You Chen's own base strength and the amplification from his Martial Soul, he has at least the physical strength of a top-level First-Level God, and there is even a possibility that he could reach the threshold of a god-king.
Perhaps those god-kings' physical bodies are all very poor, and they haven't even reached the standard for god-kings as assessed by the system; they're just at this level.
However, it's hard to say about other god-kings. At least the strongest Asura God couldn't possibly be only at that level, so don't think of using this as a basis to fight them head-on.
To reach the pinnacle of Yuanxiang cultivation, the "comprehension" reward should naturally be used as late as possible.
At least it shouldn't be wasted while it's still at the Dragon Elephant realm.
The resources required for each chapter of the Godly Elephant Suppressing Prison Strength increase exponentially.
The more time one spends honing their skills at the Dragon-Elephant Realm, the less time one spends honing them at the Primordial Elephant Realm, the more astronomical the amount of cultivation resources saved.
You Chen would rather delay the time when his theoretical combat strength reaches its limit than use up his "comprehension" in such a hurry.
In order to fully comprehend the Dragon Elephant Chapter as soon as possible, You Chen has temporarily put aside most of his other cultivation and devoted all his efforts to comprehending it.
The amount of cultivation resources consumed every day is enormous.
Not only did he consume a lot of cultivation resources, but You Chen also subjected his body to almost torture-like training.
Every day, the people at the Beast Soul Alliance Headquarters could see You Chen carrying a stone mountain several meters high on his back and running and moving around in the energy-ravaged Calamity Mountain Range, relying solely on his physical strength without using Soul Power.
Witnessing this scene and feeling the earth tremble as You Chen moved, the members of the Beast Soul Alliance felt as if they had seen a god!
It's worth noting that the Super Divine Artifact Sea Cucumber Trident weighs only about 108,000 jin (50 tons).
The several-meter-high stone mountain that You Chen was carrying was even heavier than the Sea Cucumber Trident!
Of course, carrying a load and using it as a weapon are not the same thing.
Without the Sea God Divine Power to reduce the weight of the Sea Cucumber Trident to one-thousandth of its original weight, only a hundred pounds, it would be impossible for You Chen to use it as a weapon.
However, You Chen has temporarily stopped this exercise today.
There's no other reason than that today is a rare gathering of the Beast Soul Alliance.
Leaving the Starlight Avatar at the dungeon entrance to guard Tang Hao, You Chen led Ling Xian away from the dungeon.
Several months ago, You Chen officially stepped into the realm of the Heart of Clear Mirror Still Water.
While it's not yet possible to enter this state anytime, anywhere during battle, maintaining mental tranquility and meditating for a short period makes it not difficult to reach this spiritual realm.
This also means that You Chen now has a way to quickly restore his mental and physical strength.
In addition to his physical body, which is already incredibly close to its limit, You Chen can not only achieve a state of working tirelessly like an immortal, but also perform actions such as sending out clones for extended periods of time, which was previously impossible.
After all, You Chen had already solved the problem of the Starlight Avatar's continued existence. The biggest factor that previously restricted You Chen from having to recall the clone was that maintaining it for a long time would be exhausting, but now there was no such concern.
Although entering the state of clear mirror stillness is more difficult after separating the several hearts, it is not a battle and there is no time requirement. Taking a few more minutes to get into the state is not a big deal.
At this stage, if You Chen only releases three or four clones, he only needs to meditate once a day to recover.
Although Tang Hao's tendons and ligaments were severed, You Chen did not cut off his limbs or Soul Bone to reduce his Soul Power in order to maximize the mission rewards.
As Titled Douluo, he still possesses Soul Power, allowing him to forcibly use it to temporarily replace the function of his tendons and limbs to break free from restraints.
Even Dugu Bo, who is second only to You Chen in the Beast Soul Alliance, might not be able to keep Tang Hao, so You Chen still has to leave an avatar to personally guard him.
As the technological level of the Beast Soul Alliance gradually developed, the camps in the Cataclysm Mountain Range, which were initially similar to those of nomadic tribes, have gradually transformed into modern architectural styles.
Because in addition to modern technology, it also incorporates Soul Tool Technology, and even has a hint of futuristic technology in its style, which is more like the style of ten thousand years in the future.
The entire base camp has been transformed into a small steel fortress, possessing not only formidable defensive capabilities but also specialized camouflage techniques...
When You Chen entered the conference room of the headquarters building, all the other attendees were already in place.
In the center of the conference room was a long bronze table with twenty-two seats around it, eight of which were already occupied.
The three close friends invited by You Chen were also present and took their places as the Beast Head.
With Eagle-headed Di Wan, Lion-headed Kainegis, and Wolf-headed Oerg, three Soul Douluo powerhouses with Soul Core, plus Titled Douluo- headed Snake-headed Dugu Bo, and Ignis, despite being Soul Emperor, already possesses the Soul Sage, this lineup has gradually caught up with You Chen's initial requirements for the Beast Head.
The remaining Kui and Amona will soon break through to the Soul Emperor level. Once they do, they will be comparable to Soul Sage who do not use their Martial Soul Avatar.
These seven people, plus Ge Ruisi, who is actually the chief steward and serves as the ambassador, and Lin Zhi, who does not participate in the meeting but focuses on research and development, make up the current high-level members of the Beast Soul Alliance.
At this moment, apart from Kainegis, who was arrogantly crossing his arms, everyone else bowed slightly to You Chen.
You Chen smiled slightly and gracefully took his seat at the head of the table in a flash.
"Although I haven't interfered with the development of the Beast Soul Chamber of Commerce, I've seen everyone's hard work. Especially Brother Dugu, thank you for your hard work." You Chen first looked at Dugu Bo.
Dugu Bo stroked his long beard, clearly in a good mood. "Brother, you're too kind. This is all I should do."
The veteran employees were not surprised by this scene, but Di Wan and the other two, who already knew that Dugu Bo was a powerful Titled Douluo, still widened their eyes slightly when they saw Dugu Bo's slightly obsequious behavior.
Especially for Kainegis, seeing a Titled Douluo acting like a sycophant in front of You Chen, and recalling his own arrogant demeanor just now, made him feel a little uneasy.
Yes, people who read a lot of comics and anime might be familiar with this kind of reaction. It's probably a similar situation when a tsundere childhood friend finds that a beautiful girl who is better than her in every way and, most importantly, very gentle to her childhood friend has suddenly appeared by his side.
In response to Dugu Bo's modest refusal, You Chen shook his head slightly. "Our agreement is only that you help me with some tasks. How well you execute them, as well as the calculation of merits and rewards, are other matters."
"A reward?" Dugu Bo raised an eyebrow.
In Dugu Bo's eyes, You Chen's help in solving his and his granddaughter's problems was already a reward paid in advance. Working for You Chen was like paying off a debt, so he never thought about asking for any reward.
Without saying much, You Chen took out a jade bottle from his Storage Soul Tool and threw it to Dugu Bo.
He then explained, "Since you've taken over many affairs of the Beast Soul Chamber of Commerce, you should know that compared to the Beast Soul Pill sold to the public, our Beast Soul Alliance has an even rarer original version, which you can simply understand as the ultimate version of the Beast Soul Pill. And what's in this jade bottle is the Top-Grade Supreme Beast Soul Pill!"
"Top-Grade Supreme Beast Soul Pill?" Dugu Bo looked at the jade bottle in his hand, somewhat stunned by the barrage of technical terms.
What is this Top-Grade Supreme Beast Soul Pill? It's actually just a top-tier experience pill.
You Chen said calmly, "Simply put, this is a pill that can increase the Soul Power Level of Titled Douluo without any side effects."
The entire audience erupted in uproar; the meaning of those words needed no further explanation.
Even the elders of the Beast Soul Alliance showed surprise at this moment.
They knew that their leader could always come up with things that were ahead of their time and beyond their comprehension without anyone noticing, but they never imagined that You Chen could produce a pill that could directly increase the Soul Power Level of Titled Douluo!
"This, this, this—"
Dugu Bo held the ordinary jade bottle, but it felt like he was holding a hot potato. He was speechless for a moment, and finally managed to utter three words: "You mustn't!"
He shook his head repeatedly. "This is too valuable. What I've done doesn't deserve such a reward. Not to mention..."
Dugu Bo said with some shame, "I didn't handle the previous issues with the Seven Treasure Chamber of Commerce well, so it was you, brother, who came back and resolved them personally."
You Chen simply said, "This thing is no longer of any use to me. And the conflict with the Seven Treasure Chamber of Commerce might happen again. Not only do you need to improve your strength, but I also need you to take another step forward and reach the Super Douluo level as soon as possible! Judging from your Soul Power status, if you use it now, you can immediately break through to level 94. Are you really going to refuse?"
It's not unreasonable for Dugu Bo to be so conflicted about pills that can enhance the Soul Power of Titled Douluo.
You Chen, however, had already looked at the others and said, "Not just Dugu Bo, but all of you who perform well will also be rewarded."
Like a celestial maiden scattering flowers, jade bottles flew from You Chen's hands and landed in the hands of the crowd.
You Chen then openly announced, "Snake Head and Vice President of the Beast Soul Chamber of Commerce, Dugu Bo, made the greatest contribution to the establishment of the Beast Soul Chamber of Commerce, and is awarded First-Class Merit, receiving one Top-Grade Supreme Beast Soul Pill. Ambassador and Vice President of the Beast Soul Chamber of Commerce, Ge Ruisi, made the second greatest contribution, also receiving First-Class Merit. After deducting the merits advanced in advance, she is awarded one High-Grade Supreme Beast Soul Pill..."
Apart from these two, the contributions of others are significantly less significant.
However, over such a long period of time, Ignis and the others had dealt with problems that even the Soul Ancestor couldn't handle. You Chen also awarded them a third-class merit.
Although Di Wan and Oerg had only been with the company for about a month, they were responsible for resolving the problems of those forces that had previously taken advantage of the Beast Soul Chamber of Commerce's misfortune. Their necessity and contribution were clearly greater than those of Ignis and the others.
These forces dared to take advantage of the Beast Soul Chamber of Commerce's predicament, which was already quite large, so they must all have Soul Sage power to oversee it. To handle the situation efficiently, sending out Soul Douluo would be the safest course of action.
You Chen also awarded them a second-class merit and rewarded them with three high-level experience pills each. This reward was slightly higher than their merit, but You Chen also hoped that they could break through to the Titled Douluo as soon as possible. In addition, since his good brother joined the Beast Soul Alliance, he had the basic benefits and the power of the Beast Head, but he had not given any private gifts. So it was fine to do this.
High-level pills, corresponding to the Soul Emperor to Soul Douluo realms, can be fully absorbed.
However, the higher the level, the more experience you need to gain to level up.
Just like Dugu Bo using top-grade pills corresponding to his realm, not a single pill could increase his experience points by one level. He would only have a chance to break through to level 94 if he had already accumulated a lot of Soul Power.
But no matter what, three high-level experience pills are enough for Di Wan and Oerg to break through to the first Soul Power Level.
So, who was the only one present who didn't receive a reward?
The lively and fearless Amona glanced silently at the grim-faced Kainegis.
Kainegis's skin was originally brownish, and even though it was slightly flushed with embarrassment and anger, a normal person would not be able to tell the difference.
Fortunately, Amona was observant and possessed the eyesight of Soul King, so she was able to see that Kainegis's expression was not good.
You Chen didn't even glance at Kainegis and began the rest of his story.
"Regarding the handover of shops in the Star Luo Empire by the Seven Treasure Chamber of Commerce, the changes to the distributor agreements, and many other matters, Ge Ruisi has already compiled and distributed the relevant documents to everyone. Now that the situation in the Tiandou Empire has stabilized, the Beast Soul Merchants will officially enter the Star Luo Empire market. Unlike our situation in the Heaven Dou Empire, where we mainly competed with the Seven Treasure Chamber of Commerce Guild, this time we will most likely face many difficulties from the Star Luo Empire noble system. However, risk and opportunity coexist, and this applies to both me and everyone else. Those who perform exceptionally well and make outstanding contributions in the future strategy will receive the same, or even more, rewards as before..."
Assigning credit is just a preliminary step; the real topic of discussion at this meeting is, of course, the various arrangements for conquering the Star Luo Empire Market.
The Heaven Dou Empire, the various sea regions, and finally the Star Luo Empire...
There's a reason why this goal was placed last.
Before the Beast Soul Chamber of Commerce entered the market, the Heaven Dou Empire's market division was completely dominated by the Tian Dou Imperial Family and the Seven Treasure Chamber of Commerce Merchant Guild, while other nobles only got a small share and cooperated with some sectarian forces.
So the Star Luo Empire was basically divided up by various noble families, including the royal Star Luo Empire.
The core interests involved are larger and more numerous than those of the Heaven Dou Empire, forming a completely monopolistic network of interests.
This is why, even with the capabilities of the Seven Treasure Chamber of Commerce, they were unable to truly enter the market for so long.
Relationships based on shared interests are the most stable. The reason You Chen didn't immediately crush the Seven Treasure Chamber of Commerce was because he knew that if he did, the Tian Dou Imperial Family would have no choice but to follow suit. Even if Qian Renxue missed him as her teacher, she would not hesitate to act against him unless she was truly ready to quit.
The influence of a country's royal family on its people is self-evident. Even if the Beast Soul Chamber of Commerce's goods are truly of high quality and low price, if the empire forbids you from trading here and directly labels you a criminal, given the Beast Soul Chamber of Commerce's investment in the Heaven Dou Empire, the guild will quickly go bankrupt and disintegrate.
At this point, the only solution is to break the deadlock by force and directly destroy the Tian Dou Imperial Family.
But regardless of factors such as Qian Renxue, the Spirit Hall, or the popular support of the people of the Tiandou Empire, all these things make You Chen not intend to overturn the table in the Heaven Dou Empire so quickly.
That must be the option with the worst return.
The Star Luo Empire, however, was quite different...
The Beast Soul Alliance was essentially a one-man show run by You Chen, so the relevant meetings did not last long.
After the meeting, the top leaders of the Beast Soul Alliance quickly took action.
Di Wan deliberately stayed behind, and only walked up to You Chen after everyone else had quietly left.
"Uh, You Chen, aren't you being a little too harsh on Kainegis?"
Di Wan didn't open his mouth, but judging from his somewhat conflicted expression, You Chen knew what he was about to say.
And as expected, he noticed that Kainegis's mood was off, so he specifically sought out You Chen.
You Chen didn't bother with any brotherly courtesy, and said calmly, "Di Wan, do you think I've mistreated Kainegis?"
Di Wan remained silent, but his gaze conveyed roughly that meaning.
You Chen's tone remained unchanged as he said, "As the Beast Head, not only does he have far higher authority than others in the Beast Soul Alliance, but he also receives monthly bonuses based on his contributions, and the resources he can directly exchange for are at the highest level. You even have the authority to directly exchange for one copy of my Hidden Treasure Technique. You think I've treated Kainegis unfairly, but is it possible that the reason he didn't give him extra rewards and compensation wasn't because I was targeting him, but simply because... he didn't have any merit?"
Di Wan reminisced about the many benefits he had enjoyed since joining the Beast Soul Alliance, the dazzling list of resources, and most importantly, the many "Self-Created Soul Skill" he had never heard of or seen before.
I was too busy with work to think about it much before, but now I realize that its value cannot be simply measured by numbers.
'Those Self-Created Soul Skill and techniques were things I'd never even heard of before. It seems they're probably all You Chen's own hard work. He gave them to us without holding anything back, yet I'm questioning why he didn't give Kainegis more...'
Di Wan suddenly felt a little ashamed.
Just then, You Chen continued, "Besides, Di Wan, don't you think you're just Haozi in other people's business? Kainegis himself hasn't said anything, yet you're jumping in?"
A hint of contempt flashed in You Chen's eyes. "Di Wan, you're someone who's never actually held a position in the Spirit Hall, just a figurehead, you really don't understand anything!"
"Ah?"
"Kainegis was indeed angry, but he quickly came to his senses; it's you who's still stuck in the past. You might think that because I forcibly brought him here, he deserves slightly different treatment than the two of you. But do you think he's the type to care about that kind of thing? The treatment I give him won't be insufficient just because it's not significantly different from yours. He worked in the Spirit Hall's Enforcement Division for decades! He knows better than you how generous the benefits I offer are!"
Besides, he's not stupid. He wouldn't be unaware that the request for funds was left at the Spirit Hall, given my subsequent plans and actions, and how that crazy woman Bibi Dong, would target him. He knows I had to do this to save him! He just doesn't want to say it outright!
My purpose in rewarding him so generously is clearly to provoke him! But if he truly doesn't want to work, there's no loss; he'll still be the Beast Head, second only to the leader of the Beast Soul Alliance! However, if he wants more, if he doesn't want to fall behind you, then he should work hard for me! Instead of being a mere decoration, a doorkeeper, always wearing a stern face and doing nothing!
You Chen spoke, he finally revealed a slight smile, "Just you wait and see. After this meeting, he will definitely be different. As for you, Di Wan, don't just worry about others. You'll end up having your cultivation and achievements surpassed by them. I'm curious, when you three first came in, your cultivation ranking from highest to lowest was Kainegis, you, Oerg. In the end, who will be the last to break through to the Titled Douluo?"