After parting with Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu, Yu Yuanchen did not linger long in Stone Spring Town. He purchased some necessary supplies, disposed of some of the difficult-to-store Soul Beast materials he had obtained from the Savage Beast Hills, exchanged them for Gold Soul Coins and practical herbs, then set out alone once more.
His destination was clear: a hidden place deep within the towering mountain ranges along the northwestern border of the Star Luo Empire, where it bordered the Heaven Dou Empire. According to ancient maps and notes left behind by his family's ancestors, there was a natural treasure land known as Thunderclap Ravine. One ancestor had discovered it after being pursued by enemies and, in his panic, accidentally falling into a crack in a deep valley. The place was extraordinarily well hidden, concealed by jagged rocks and dense ancient forests. Its entrance was only wide enough for one person to squeeze through sideways, and some natural magnetic field seemed to interfere with perception. Without an extraordinary stroke of luck, it would be nearly impossible to find.
Within the ravine was an exceptionally pure and dense concentration of lightning-attributed Heaven and Earth Origin Qi. For a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul Master, it was a top-tier Simulated Training Ground. Yet this treasure land had its limits. The energy it gathered was not inexhaustible. According to that ancestor's estimate, its total reserves would only be enough for a Soul Sage-level lightning-attributed Soul Master to cultivate at full capacity for three years. Once the energy was depleted, the place would fall silent and would need to slowly gather Heaven and Earth Origin Qi through its unique terrain. The entire process would take roughly twenty years.
The journey was long, nearly spanning half the Star Luo Empire. Yu Yuanchen was in no hurry. He remained low-profile, dressed in gray with a bamboo hat concealing his face, like an ordinary lone wanderer. He traveled by day and rested by night, avoiding bustling towns and areas frequented by Soul Masters, choosing only deserted trails and routes through the mountains and forests.
More than a month later, he had entered a vast, undulating mountain range. The terrain here was not as precipitous and perilous as the Thunder Mountain Range, nor was it shrouded in thunderclouds all year round. Instead, it felt older and more tranquil. Towering ancient trees blocked out the sky, while the forest was filled with the damp scent of decaying leaves and a faint fragrance of plants. Creepers coiled around thick trunks like horned dragons, and the ground was blanketed in thick moss and unfamiliar ferns.
Just as the family records had stated, Soul Beasts were scarce in these mountains, and most were only ten-year or hundred-year Soul Beasts. Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were already local overlords, much less Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts. Occasionally, Soul Beasts such as Shadow Wolves and Sharp-Clawed Lynxes darted through the woods. Sensing the faint but ever-present pressure emanating from Yu Yuanchen despite his restraint, they fled in panic from afar. This place was indeed rarely visited by humans. Aside from the occasional traces of ancient hunter trails, nearly worn away by wind and rain, there was virtually no sign of human habitation.
He walked alone through the silent mountains and forests, accompanied only by his footsteps, the wind, and the occasional calls of birds and insects. Yu Yuanchen's heart gradually calmed, and he began systematically sorting through everything he had learned and contemplating the road ahead.
His battle with Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu had allowed him to clearly see both his strengths and shortcomings. His strengths lay in the superior nature of Thunder God Power and his flexible use of Soul Skills and domains. His shortcomings lay in the absolute gap in Soul Power Level, as well as the fact that his body still seemed somewhat lacking when faced with the impact of ultimate power like the Clear Sky Hammer.
The core of my current cultivation, ultimately, lies in strengthening the three aspects of essence, energy, and spirit. As Yu Yuanchen moved nimbly through the forest, he silently deduced in his heart. Energy is Soul Power, the foundation of this world. I have never neglected it, and I have built a solid foundation through Level-Crossing Soul Ring absorption. I only need to accumulate it step by step. Spirit is Spiritual Power. Though it is innately powerful due to my two lifetimes, has been tempered by Thunder God Power and nourished by Spiritual Materials, and has even produced a spiritually infused move like Thunder Dragon Shatters Void, how to actively and efficiently cultivate and strengthen it remains a problem.
He recalled the common knowledge of the Soul Master World and the records in his family's library, only to find that Soul Masters' understanding of Spiritual Power was indeed shallow. The vast majority relied entirely on the passive enhancement brought by increases in Soul Power Level, as well as the minor tempering and improvement gained by enduring Soul Shock while Absorbing Soul Rings. A few exceptionally gifted Soul Masters, or those possessing special spiritual Martial Souls, might have unique Meditation Methods. But such methods were all incomparably precious, closely guarded, and rarely passed down. At present, he had no systematic direction for Spiritual Power cultivation to reference.
Spiritual Power cultivation can only be set aside for now, until an opportunity arises—or until my Cultivation Level is deep enough and my knowledge broad enough to explore it further. Yu Yuanchen made a rational judgment. Since it could not be forced, it was better to put it aside for the time being.
Then the only thing I can actively and rapidly improve right now is essence—Qi and Blood, the foundation of this body! His gaze sharpened.
Powerful Qi and Blood could not only bring greater strength, speed, defense, and recovery power, but also support the use of high-burden Soul Skills and withstand the impact of Level-Crossing Soul Rings. It was also a vital part of his fusion with Thunder God Power. His battle with Tang Chen had made him deeply realize that if his Qi and Blood had not been sufficiently vigorous, he could never have endured clashes of that level.
The most direct methods of strengthening Qi and Blood are nothing more than replenishing and refining. Yu Yuanchen's thoughts were clear. Replenishing means consuming high-energy food, especially Soul Beast meat.
He touched the Storage Soul Tool on his finger. Inside was a large quantity of Soul Beast meat collected from the Savage Beast Hills, most of it from Thousand-Year Soul Beasts and even a small number of Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts. It had undergone simple processing, and its energy had been preserved intact. This high-quality flesh and blood would last him half a year even if he ate Soul Beast meat at every meal. If he rationed it, it would last well over half a year. Thus, he had no immediate worries when it came to replenishment.
Then the key lies in refining! How can I use this energy more efficiently to temper my body and stimulate the potential of my Qi and Blood?
Scattered fragments of memories from his previous life surfaced once again, especially the descriptions of the Qi and Blood Cultivation System in a novel called XX High Martial Arts. Though the details were blurry, its general early-stage method of cultivation—first tempering the bones, then the internal organs, then reshaping the body by tempering the flesh and meridians throughout the body outside the skull, and finally tempering the skull to forge a Golden Body—gave him tremendous inspiration.
Considering the circumstances of this world, perhaps I can attempt a path of Body Tempering. Thoughtful light flickered in Yu Yuanchen's eyes. No, I cannot copy it blindly. Tempering the bones first is far too dangerous. I have no inheritance from predecessors, so the safest method should proceed from the outside inward, step by step. First, temper the skin and flesh to enhance external defense and explosive power. Then temper the sinews and bones to support greater strength and connect the entire body. Next, temper the internal organs to strengthen Life Force and endurance, allowing them to bear more violent energy circulation. If I can reach the bone marrow and achieve Blood Replacement Rebirth, I can transform from the root, making my Qi and Blood surge like a rainbow, endless and inexhaustible. Finally, temper the skull, open the Qi and Blood throughout the body, let Life Force travel through the entire body, and forge a Golden Body. This Golden Body is not the Golden Body from XX High Martial Arts, but a term for a perfected state of body refinement. Perhaps Spiritual Power will also improve through the tempering of the skull.
It was a grand concept, far more proactive and systematic than simply relying on Soul Power nourishment and Soul Ring enhancement. Yet precisely because it was merely a concept, it was filled with unknowns and risks. The mysteries of the human body were endless; the slightest misstep could damage his foundation.
Yu Yuanchen did not rashly attempt it. While traveling, he devoted most of his attention to deducing this path of Body Tempering.
He recalled the stimulation and strengthening of his body by Thunder Power when cultivating the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul. He recalled the feeling of violent energy washing through his meridians, tearing apart and rebuilding his muscles when he absorbed high-year Soul Rings. He recalled the subtle yet profound cleansing of his flesh and blood cells whenever Thunder God Power circulated through his body.
He compared these personal experiences with the vague theory, constantly adjusting and refining his ideas for Body Tempering.
For skin and flesh tempering, perhaps I can use Soul Power to simulate vibrations, combined with the circulation of Qi and Blood, repeatedly hammering from the surface inward? I can also draw in trace amounts of lightning to stimulate vitality, but I must control the intensity. Too much is as bad as too little...
Tempering the sinews and bones requires deeper penetration of power. Perhaps it can be combined with the penetrating properties of Thunder God Power? But bones are hard. How can I guide power to permeate them evenly without damaging their foundation?
The internal organs are the most fragile and must be tempered with the utmost caution. Perhaps I should wait until the skin, flesh, sinews, and bones have taken initial form and my Qi and Blood is vigorous enough. Then I can focus on nourishment, supplemented by special breathing techniques or internal Soul Power circulation, proceeding gradually...
The bone marrow and skull... those two steps are even more distant. They concern Life Origin and the brain, so they require long-term planning.
He traveled and thought at the same time. Whenever he found a suitable open space, he stopped to conduct simple experiments. For instance, he tried controlling Soul Power to form high-frequency micro-vibrations beneath the surface of his skin, simulating the process of Skin Quenching. At first, he could only feel his skin grow slightly numb and warm. He found it difficult to precisely control the intensity and range; sometimes it had no effect, while other times he overdid it and caused his skin to redden and swell.
But he was not discouraged. He adjusted again and again, gradually finding the right approach through his powerful Spiritual Power and precise control over his Soul Power. At the same time, he began consciously guiding that thin strand of Thunder God Power within him, extremely carefully blending in a trace of it while his Qi and Blood circulated and observing its effect on the vitality of his Qi and Blood. He discovered that this higher power truly had a powerful stimulating effect on Qi and Blood. Yet its domineering nature could just as easily cause damage, so it had to be used with caution.
During the day, he traveled, experimented, and thought. At night, he sought out safe places to meditate and cultivate his Soul Power, consuming Soul Beast meat to replenish his Qi and Blood expenditure. His life became extraordinarily regular and fulfilling.
The Soul Beast meat in his Storage Soul Tool was slowly being consumed, while his conception of a Body Tempering method gradually evolved from a vague notion into a relatively clear and initially viable framework through continuous practice and deduction. It was still rough and filled with points that needed to be tested and corrected, but at the very least, the direction was clear.
He knew this was not something that could be accomplished overnight. It required ample time, resources, and... a safe, stable environment where he could cultivate and experiment in depth.
And Thunderclap Ravine was precisely such an ideal place.
Following the map's guidance, he was drawing ever closer to the treasure land discovered by his family's ancestor. Feeling the lightning element in the air gradually becoming more active, even carrying a faint numbing sensation, Yu Yuanchen knew he was not far from his destination.
He took a deep breath. The familiar scent of thunder in the air refreshed his spirit. Raising his head toward the depths of the mountains, his gaze seemed to pierce through layer upon layer of peaks and see that lightning-element-rich place hidden within the ravine.
There, he would not only use that precious lightning-element energy to break through the Soul Emperor bottleneck, but also use those two years of peace and stability to put his initially conceived Body Tempering method into practice and take a crucial step toward consolidating his foundation and surpassing his limits!
He quickened his pace. His figure flickered several times through the verdant mountain forest before vanishing into the thick mist and the end of the winding mountain path. Ahead, Thunderclap Ravine would be the next stop on his path of Secluded Cultivation and transformation.
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