Soul Method

"Nie Zhengxu, since you want to elevate this matter into a family dispute, then by shielding outsiders, are you trying to betray the Liu Clan?" Liu Ding turned the tables on him. Want to make this a matter of principle? Then he would slap the traitor label on him.

"Nonsense! I'm trying to stop you from making trouble!" Nie Zhengxu was startled. "If you think this is just your own personal fight, fine. Don't use the clan guards. Go up yourself."

Hearing this, Shi Zhongyu curled his lips. "If this Four-Vessel Martial Apprentice has the guts, then I'll play with you."

The atmosphere around them turned strange. Everyone on Shi Zhongyu's side wore mocking smiles, waiting to see how Liu Ding would play the hero.

"So what if you're in the Law Soul Realm? Look at that pathetic face of yours. You're already in your twenties and only a One-Vessel Fighter. You're probably a useless piece of trash pumped full of hormones." Rather than getting angry, Liu Ding laughed and fired back.

"Damn it, you're courting death!" Shi Zhongyu roared in fury. Liu Ding had struck right at his sore spot. Because his Stone Heart Eyes ability had been discovered when he was young, the Shi Clan Estate had treated him like a priceless treasure, using every kind of pill and elixir to force his advancement into the Law Soul Realm before sending him to train at the Hai Po Sect in Chixian.

The Hai Po Sect was a giant power in Chixian. The four great families of Chixian—the Liu, Shi, Ximen, and Murong families—were merely local tyrants and, in many ways, had to serve the Hai Po Sect.

When Shi Zhongyu arrived at the Hai Po Sect, they discovered that he had taken improper medication and that his potential had nearly been exhausted. They refused to accept him.

Today was the day he had been driven back.

Seeing Shi Zhongyu erupt, Liu Chengwen stepped forward and stood in front of Liu Ding. "If you want to touch a disciple of the Liu Clan, you'll have to get past me first."

"Kid, if you've got guts, don't hide behind someone like a turtle!" Shi Zhongyu shouted. He was deeply wary of Liu Chengwen's terrifying Primordial Power aura.

"Uncle Cheng Wen, please give me a Black Tortoise Soul Forging Pill." Liu Ding raised his head. One Soul Forging Pill could raise his potential by up to three levels. He could basically reach the Seven Soul-Forging Cauldrons. He refused to believe he could not withstand this hormone-pumped "One-Vessel Fighter."

"Brother Liu Ding, don't!" Seeing Liu Ding stubbornly step forward, Zhi'er threw her arms around him and refused to let go.

At that moment, Zhi'er's delicate body was practically pressed against Liu Ding's. Liu Ji, standing beside Shi Zhongyu, turned red-eyed and said resentfully, "Little hooligan, if you don't have the ability, stay away from Zhi'er."

"Is Zhi'er a name you're allowed to call?" Liu Ding shot him a sidelong glance. "Zhi'er was humiliated today. If you have the ability, fight this hormone fighter. Maybe then you'll be qualified to call her that."

"I..." Under everyone's gaze, Liu Ji stared at Shi Zhongyu and slowly clenched his fists.

"Liu Ji, you want to fight me?" Shi Zhongyu looked at Liu Ji darkly, somewhat surprised.

"Zhi... Liu Zhi is promised to me..." Liu Ji mumbled, but before he could finish, Nie Zhengxu bellowed and cut him off. "You stupid fool! Has your brain short-circuited?"

He stepped forward and said to Shi Zhongyu, "Young Master Shi, my grandson Liu Ji was disrespectful. I apologize to you."

"Hmph." Shi Zhongyu snorted. "That's it?"

"How about this? Young Master Shi has just returned, so why not go to the Drunken Flower Pavilion and catch up? We can welcome you back and wash away the dust of your journey." Nie Zhengxu grabbed Shi Zhongyu's hand and led him away. Though Shi Zhongyu had been rejected by the Hai Po Sect, in a small place like Bleser City, he was still the only One-Vessel Fighter to have broken into the Law Soul Realm. Nie Zhengxu could just ask him for advice on breaking through a major realm.

"Are we just letting them leave like that?" Liu Ding's anger had reached its limit. Yet with Zhi'er holding him and the guards surrounding him, even if he were willing to fight to the death, he could only swallow the humiliation and remain still.

"Young Master Ding, only by becoming strong enough can you truly protect Miss Zhi. Otherwise, if you die in battle, Miss Zhi's fate will be extremely tragic." Liu Chengwen tried to persuade him tactfully.

"Yes. I must become strong." Liu Ding looked at the frail Zhi'er, and his fury gradually subsided. He slowly loosened his clenched fists, took Zhi'er's little hand, and walked away step by step. His mind grew stronger and more mature once again.

After returning to his room, Liu Ding impatiently shut the door and took out the small oil-paper packet. Unfolding it revealed a tiny jade bottle, its surface engraved with black runes.

Just as he was about to open the cap, General Jiang's voice drifted over. "Don't. What's inside the bottle may be a Soul Method. Once opened, if you can't activate it, it'll be wasted."

"A Soul Method?" Liu Ding's eyes lit up, and he urgently asked, "How can I activate it?"

A Soul Method differed from martial skills and Soul Forging Pills. It was like an add-on for the soul. Different Soul Methods had different effects. Some could allow a person to unleash limits far beyond their own Soul Power in battle, while others could expand one's mental state and awaken some unknown potential.

"This Soul Method requires you to at least break into the Qilin Five Cauldrons and stabilize your Soul Power before you can refine and activate it." General Jiang took the jade bottle and sensed it for a moment.

Liu Ding was speechless. Qilin Five Cauldrons? He refused to believe he could not break through.

Bang! Bang! Bang! In the combat skill room, drumlike impacts mingled with intermittent pained groans, muffled by the door.

This had continued for more than three months, leaving the young bulls in the training hall too shaken to focus.

Thump! Another flying kick shot out, its toe striking straight at Liu Ding's Shanzhong Meridian Court on his chest. It was ordinarily an extremely vulnerable part of the human body, but though Liu Ding swayed unsteadily, he endured it.

"Not bad, little wild bull. You can really take a beating now." Liu Tao panted, sweat beading on the tip of her nose. Yet the more Liu Ding was beaten, the more spirited he became. She had even changed his nickname directly from little hooligan to little wild bull.

"It's because your fancy moves have no strength. I think you skipped breakfast today." Liu Ding curled his lip.

Over the past few days, Liu Ding had sensed that Liu Tao's attacks on his Meridian Court were gradually losing force. Taking her blows felt like merely loosening his muscles and brought him no progress at all, which disappointed him greatly.

Seeing Liu Ding's disappointed expression, Liu Tao felt a burst of inexplicable anger. Don't think I don't know you're using me. Every time I'm prepared, the place I intend to kick somehow becomes impossible to hit. And whenever I did hit him, another wave of powerful soul energy would rebound and enter her body.

Yet that rebounding soul energy was clearly greatly beneficial to her cultivation. That was why she had not exposed him, and it was also one of the main reasons she kept coming every day.

"Let's call it a day. Remember to eat breakfast before you come tomorrow." Shaking his head, Liu Ding turned around and bent over to pick up the robe he had taken off, presenting his round buttocks directly to Liu Tao.

The longer Liu Tao looked at that butt, the angrier she became. Biting her lip, she thought, No, I can't let you end things so happily every day. Just as Liu Ding straightened up, she suddenly attacked and planted the sole of her foot against him.

Caught completely off guard, Liu Ding had no time to dodge. He hurriedly gathered his strength and took the kick head-on.

Smack!

Liu Tao's foot finally landed where she wanted, producing an extremely suggestive sound of intimate contact.

Knowing that every time she kicked Liu Ding, soul energy would enter her body and benefit her, Liu Tao had come barehanded and barefoot.

The solid kick landed directly on Changqiang and Yaoshu, the two Meridian Courts at the starting point of Liu Ding's Governing Vessel. A savage wave of soul energy surged and erupted from the point where they touched.

Liu Ding let out a miserable cry and fell face-first to the ground, finally striking the dog-eating-shit pose Liu Tao had imagined countless times. She giggled sweetly.

But suddenly, her laughter stopped. She felt a powerful wave of soul energy surge upward from the Yongquan point on the sole of her foot, and a strange sensation spread throughout her body.

Was this a sign that she was about to break through to the Five Soulforging Cauldrons?

Liu Tao was overjoyed. No longer caring to admire Liu Ding's miserable state, she sat cross-legged and began her breakthrough.