Soul Ascension Pill

In the blink of an eye, another three months had passed.

"This level-thirty bottleneck is truly troublesome. At the normal pace of cultivation, I'll need at least another three months to break through."

Chen Ming sat cross-legged at the bottom of the spring within a hundred meters of Yang Spring, sensing his Soul Power as he considered the progress of his cultivation.

Before a bottleneck, he gained one level every two months. But when reaching a bottleneck at a multiple of ten, provided one had the aptitude to break through, it generally took twice as long as usual—four months—to advance.

This was the experience Chen Ming had accumulated over his previous eight lives.

At least, that was how it worked for him.

Though this level appeared to be a rise from level twenty-nine to level thirty, it was actually an increase in Soul Power from level twenty-nine to level thirty-one. Upon reaching level thirty, even if one absorbed a ten-year soul ring that provided very little Soul Power, they could still break through to level thirty-one. That was the reason.

"With this Soul Ascension Pill, plus several thousand years added to my second soul ring and the Life Force feedback from absorbing Life Gold, it should be enough for me to break through."

Normally, Chen Ming had no need to rush, but Long Aotian had broken through just two days ago. Du Busi had therefore found a Soul Ascension Pill for Chen Ming.

The medicinal potency of the Soul Ascension Pill was meant for cultivating Soul Power. It might not have been suitable when supplementing other soul rings, but Chen Ming's second soul ring possessed the Life attribute and was based on Life Gold. Mixing in the potency of the Soul Ascension Pill to stimulate potential was reasonable enough.

Chen Ming's method of supplementing soul rings was, in truth, to filter each absorption of Heavenly Treasures through his soul rings. It strengthened the soul rings while also feeding back into himself, making it a theoretically near-perfect process.

Meditation Space.

Threads of Life Force began flowing into this space, then gathered around the Soul Martial Soul, forming an emerald-green halo.

Once the halo's energy reached a certain limit, no more Life Force emerged within this space.

"That should be about enough. This Life Force is roughly equivalent to five thousand years for a soul ring. Together with the medicinal potency of the Soul Ascension Pill, raising my twenty-one-thousand-year second soul ring to thirty thousand years should be enough to drive my Soul Power up another level."

After calculating the amount, Chen Ming began the integration process.

The third day.

A surge of Soul Power erupted from the bottom of Yang Spring.

The surrounding disciples all stopped cultivating and looked toward the source of the disturbance.

This hundred-meter area was already close to Yang Spring's spring eye. Though there were fewer disciples here than in the outer regions, they were packed more densely together. Any breakthrough often drew the attention of others.

"This Soul Power fluctuation... did someone break through?"

"Didn't Little Ming reach level twenty-nine a month ago?"

"I think he took a Soul Ascension Pill."

"Even with a Soul Ascension Pill, that's outrageous. An eight-year-old Soul Elder!"

"Yeah, an eight-year-old Soul Elder!"

"..."

Those nearby were all sect stewards and elders. Comparing themselves to him at the same age, they were immediately left disheartened.

News of Chen Ming's breakthrough soon reached Du Busi. He swiftly ended his cultivation and came to Yang Spring.

"So fast."

He sighed and fished Chen Ming out.

"Since you've broken through, I'll notify your senior disciple brother. We'll set out tomorrow."

The next day.

After making thorough preparations, the master and his two disciples left the Body Sect and headed for the Extreme North.

"Aotian, I originally planned for you to obtain your third ring in the Star Dou Great Forest, preferably from a Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, or at the very least a soul beast with that bloodline. But now we're changing our strategy. We'll search in the Extreme North. Both Titan Snow Demons and Ice Bears suit you."

Compared to their remaining numbers across the continent, Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bears might not be fewer than Titan Snow Demons. However, all Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bears lived in the Star Dou Great Forest, where the terrain was already complex and soul beasts were numerous, making them difficult to find.

The Extreme North, on the other hand, had relatively few soul beasts. Among the soul beasts in its core region, there were only a few major clans in total, making Titan Snow Demons and Ice Bears easier to locate.

All things considered, Long Aotian's third soul ring might end up being even stronger than originally expected.

"Senior Disciple Brother, what's your current endurance limit?" Chen Ming asked curiously.

Long Aotian looked somewhat ashamed.

"Five thousand two hundred years."

This answer already placed him among the best of his peers, especially since his Body Martial Soul had yet to reach its period of explosive growth.

However, Chen Ming's achievements were simply too extraordinary.

He was two years younger, yet his endurance limit was already ten times greater!

This left Long Aotian, as the senior disciple brother, feeling deeply frustrated.

Chen Ming wanted to offer Long Aotian some comforting words, but swallowed them before they left his mouth.

He truly had not cheated. Everything he possessed now was the result of his own efforts.

But saying that would only hurt him more.

In truth, Long Aotian's aptitude was already among the best of his generation. If events developed normally as in the original work, he could reach Soul Sage cultivation by the age of twenty, which showed just how monstrous he was.

His only regret was that his martial soul was not his body itself, but his skin.

"As for Little Ming..." Du Busi took a deep breath and said, "Your endurance limit has already reached fifty thousand years. When searching for a soul ring, it would be best to keep it within sixty thousand years. If it's Extreme Ice..."

Du Busi paused and did not continue, merely looking at Chen Ming.

An ultimate attribute brought with it an immense trial as well.

"As long as the age is suitable, an ultimate attribute won't affect me either," Chen Ming said.

This was the confidence brought by Martial Soul fusion.

During the absorption of a soul ring, his two Martial Souls could enter the Martial Soul Fusion Skill state at any time. With the strength of Chen Ming's Soul Martial Soul, absorbing a soul ring with the Extreme Ice attribute would be quite easy.

"Good!" Du Busi believed Chen Ming.

A vast expanse of white stretched as far as the eye could see.

Throughout the entire Extreme North, there was nothing but ice and snow.

Even the air was mixed with shards of ice.

Suddenly, a gust of wind swept over, carrying ice shards that pierced straight to the bone marrow.

Even wrapped in thick layers of cotton clothing, Long Aotian and Chen Ming, the two martial brothers, could not withstand the assault of wind and snow. From time to time, biting gusts slipped in through gaps they had no idea existed.

If this continued, they would not last long no matter how thickly they dressed.

Fortunately, they had brought Soul Tools for warmth. They only needed to consume a tiny amount of Soul Power to produce sufficient heat for a long time, and even using them around the clock would not leave them short on Soul Power.

Soul Tools had indeed changed the Soul Master World.

"We've already entered the true Extreme North. The environment here is harsh, but in some ways, it is also very suitable for us." Du Busi did not fear the cold. Though he was not bare-chested at the moment, he wore only the dark green long robe he had worn back at the sect.

"The icy cold aura here is highly permeative. If you actively draw in and circulate that icy cold aura throughout your bodies, its body-tempering effects will be very apparent in the early stages."

He glanced at his two disciples, bundled beneath thick coats together with their warming Soul Tools, and sighed.

"Soul Tools really do bring many conveniences. With these warming devices, you can temper your bodies with this icy cold aura to the limit without worrying about freezing to death afterward."

"There are only so many methods of tempering the body, and each has limited effectiveness. At your current levels, this is precisely the stage when the icy cold aura can produce the best results. Since you've come to the Extreme North, you should experience it properly."

As he spoke, Du Busi walked up to the two martial brothers, pulled open their thick coats, and snatched away their warming devices.

There was still one more chapter.