"Aura Concealment Art", Eagle King Di Wan

People in this world also regarded forcibly unleashed Self-Created Soul Skills like that as ten-thousand-year soul skills, but You Chen did not see it that way.

As a scientific researcher, he maintained a rigorous scientific attitude even in his research into soul skills.

Whatever level his "Soul Shocking Tactic" was, that was the level it was.

Otherwise, if power alone determined it, would a hundred-year soul skill unleashed by a Titled Douluo have to be called a ten-thousand-year soul skill? Wouldn't that be ridiculous!?

You Chen's spiritual power had long reached the state of being tangible yet immaterial, also known as the Spirit Abyss Realm.

Even though it was merely a thousand-year soul skill, with spiritual power far surpassing that of Soul Masters of the same level in this era, he could use this soul skill—whose primary effect was to make opponents "lose focus"—to directly cause a Soul Ancestor of the same level to suffer a mental collapse.

Even against a Soul Sage, it could still make them lose focus for an instant.

If others judged solely by You Chen's level and the skill's effect, it would not be strange for them to rate it as a hundred-thousand-year soul skill.

The effects of the Soul Shocking Tactic delighted You Chen, but what he valued most was still the "Aura Concealment Art."

He had not given up on pursuing that wonderful premonition he felt regarding this technique.

As its name implied, the "Aura Concealment Art" was a secret technique for concealing one's own aura.

One could conceal one's own aura and even fluctuations of Soul Power while using the Aura Concealment Art.

After being adapted to this world, it could even perfectly conceal one's Soul Rings when releasing one's martial soul.

However, this could only be done once the technique had reached Great Accomplishment.

Once this secret technique was perfected, one could even use Soul Ring soul skills without activating one's Soul Rings.

Whether for preserving one's life, ambushing others, or exploring secrets, it was an absolute trump card.

Given You Chen's cautious nature, he naturally loved this "Aura Concealment Art" dearly.

He planned to focus on researching it first and push it to Great Accomplishment, so he could hide his Soul Rings and level while releasing his martial soul.

Even if it had no hidden properties, You Chen did not intend to let it go.

Regrettably, even though he had spent this period researching the "Aura Concealment Art," You Chen had yet to discover any other hidden uses it might possess.

Yet the time had come when he had no choice but to leave Spirit City.

"Teacher, I've made the same decision."

Inside the reception room of You Chen's residence.

Following You Chen's instructions, Yan came here after receiving an invitation from one of You Chen's household servants.

Looking at the resolute young man, who had clearly steeled himself, You Chen nodded. "Since this is a decision you reached after thinking it through yourself, I naturally won't interfere. As for persuading the relevant Spirit Hall administrators to permit you to enter Death Canyon, consider that a test of your ability to handle affairs. I will not give you any special guidance; it will all depend on your own fortune. Still, the matters before entering Death Canyon are not major issues in principle."

As he spoke, he took out a Storage Bag and pushed it before Yan. "The real concern is the danger after you enter Death Canyon. No one can guarantee that you will return unscathed. As the one who proposed this, and as your teacher, there is not much I can do. Consider this the last bit of help I can give you."

Yan did not put on airs or refuse. He accepted it solemnly, then abruptly kowtowed to You Chen. "Thank you, Teacher!"

You Chen smiled. "Mm. I hope that when I see you again, you will already be a powerhouse capable of standing on your own."

With that, master and disciple stopped exchanging pointless pleasantries. Having understood his teacher's intentions, Yan immediately rose and departed.

"A fine disciple. As expected of a lad you taught. In a few decades, he'll probably be able to defeat an outdated old fossil like me with ease."

A middle-aged man leaning against the wall teased him. He wore a green open-front robe, had messy medium-length hair, a red headband across his head, and a steady dark-brown face that nonetheless carried a hint of carefree charm.

It was as though he had been standing there from the beginning, yet Yan had never noticed his presence.

(Di Wan.jpg)

"Di Wan, if even you, the man known as the Eagle King, count as an outdated old fossil, then there probably aren't any young people on this continent worth praising."

You Chen rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Hahaha!"

The man called Di Wan burst into laughter. You Chen, infected by that unrestrained laugh, also smiled.

Their casual exchange alone showed that they shared an excellent relationship.

The relationship between You Chen and Di Wan was simple. In a word, it was the relationship between a benefactor and the one he had supported.

Since You Chen had conceived the idea of creating Soul Arena Beasts after his vitality began to decline, there was no reason he would not have considered borrowing the strength of others much earlier.

Perhaps young people were all somewhat overly ambitious, but the target of the teenage You Chen had not been children as blank as sheets of paper. Instead, he had set his sights on young adults and even middle-aged people.

After all, the material costs of raising children until they could help him were manageable, but the time cost would be at least a dozen years.

And for him to rely on their martial strength to preserve himself before the future Bibi Dong, it would likely take at least forty or fifty years.

You Chen, who was in the prime of his youthful spirit at the time, clearly could not wait that long.

So he had thought of relying on his theoretical expertise to help Soul Ancestors and Soul Kings who were in their rising years plan their cultivation paths and choose their Soul Rings, thereby earning their "gratitude."

In particular, he sought out those who had vaguely strayed down the wrong path, or whose cultivation speed had slowed for one reason or another and who felt frustrated by their lack of success.

Wasn't that how novels always went? The protagonist helped those Soul Masters choose the cultivation routes and Soul Rings best suited to them, allowing them to achieve far more than they otherwise could have. Such immense grace in helping them attain the Dao would make them regard the protagonist as their savior and willingly serve at his command.

Reality, however, was that once these Soul Masters turned their futures around, they quickly returned to Spirit Hall's embrace. Though they were grateful to him, it was only gratitude.

Moreover, that gratitude lasted only a few years.

After Bibi Dong took power and word spread that she was targeting You Chen, they severed contact with him one after another.

You Chen had overlooked a crucial issue. The protagonists of those fan novels were not merely theoretical masters; they were cultivation geniuses themselves.

In a world where rank was supreme, wisdom alone was not enough to inspire submission. They saw the possibility that the protagonist would become a peak powerhouse in the future, and only with gratitude added to that were they willing to serve him.

It was a two-way investment.

As the saying went, a small favor earned gratitude, while a great favor bred resentment. You Chen had been a rising star in the theoretical world at the time, so these Soul Masters did not go so far as to resent him.

They had no way to repay him, yet were unwilling to offer loyalty to a mere theorist.

Thus, little by little, they naturally downplayed the role You Chen had played in their lives, attributing more of it to coincidence and their own efforts.

And so their gratitude gradually faded.

Only a very small number were willing to remember You Chen's kindness from back then. Even though the current Pope disliked You Chen, they were still willing to keep in contact with him.

You Chen also understood his foolishness back then. He no longer entertained idiotic notions of "loyalty," instead treating them as friends and interacting with them as equals.

Di Wan was one of them, and the "investee" closest to You Chen.

An eighty-second-rank Battle Soul Master, with the top-tier martial soul Eagle King.

Not even Spirit Hall could easily control this man who was as free as the wind.