After seeing Ning Yi off, Chen Fu checked on Mo Ling's experimental field. Two months of study had finally allowed her to figure out a complete procedure.
Seeing her hopping around the field, Chen Fu did not disturb her. He returned to his laboratory, where Uncle Fu had already delivered a new batch of materials. Many precious materials with soul-like properties had been sent here through Shrek Academy.
In one month, Chen Fu's Soul Power cultivation had risen by one level, reaching level 48. His cultivation speed was much faster than before because he had discovered a new use for transparent Soul Rings.
As mentioned before, removing residual souls from Soul Rings would downgrade them, while absorbing the Soul Power within would cause their Soul Skills to disappear and their colors to grow increasingly pale.
Since Chen Fu had no Soul Skills, he directly chose to absorb the Soul Power in the Soul Rings that had already been assimilated into the same origin in order to advance. That was Melting Ring.
Normally, Chen Fu would also take time to inject Soul Power into the remaining three transparent Soul Rings before sealing them away. He let mental and soul power slowly seep in until they were infected into same-origin Soul Power, then took them out and absorbed them. Though it was slower, it was still far faster than cultivating by himself.
This was also proof that Energy Storage Rings and Melting Ring could coexist. Although this kind of dual cultivation meant neither would stand out, it suited someone like Chen Fu, whose cultivation talent was poor and who did not need Soul Skills.
As his understanding of souls deepened, Chen Fu seemed to have begun grasping some clues about the nature of Soul Power's upper limit increasing.
There were no years in research, and another month passed before he knew it.
Chen Fu only kept one month's worth of dry rations in the laboratory at a time, lest he become too immersed and lose track of time.
That month, Chen Fu happened to hear some news. Ma Xiaotao had asked Uncle Fu to tell him, so it was not really much of a coincidence.
The Soul Tool Academy had overcome the core technology of the first-generation [Ark] and had even produced an experimental model, [Blazing Sun].
Compared to the first-generation [Ark], which was fist-sized yet comparable to a Level Four Milk Bottle, [Blazing Sun] was as large as a water vat despite having the same storage capacity.
Although its size made it rather impractical for now, [Blazing Sun] represented storage and retrieval speeds far beyond those of Milk Bottles, as well as universal charging properties. It still greatly encouraged the Soul Tool Academy.
"They finally learned to use their brains and take a roundabout route. I thought they would keep stubbornly grinding away at circuit stacking for a while longer."
In his spare time, Chen Fu shook his head and smiled. He had achieved circuit stacking through the fine control of his martial soul; with the current precision of Soul Tools, it was difficult to accomplish manually.
"I heard that idea was proposed by that new student?"
"That junior who looks like a lump of charcoal? Was his name Caitou?"
Chen Fu thought this as he dismantled the sixteenth-generation Soul Resonance Induction Experimental Device he had built.
[All functional modules are complete]
Fortunately, his Spiritual Perception was exceptionally powerful. He increased the intensity bit by bit with every experiment; otherwise, he had no idea how many times he would have died.
Of course, what truly gave him the confidence to probe souls was the leaf on his chest.
A wheelchair-bound Douluo who occasionally slept in the hall downstairs had given it to him, saying it could pull him out of danger when necessary.
Otherwise, many experiments involving such leaps would not have dared to be carried out, and the research would have taken far longer.
Soon, the experimental machinery had been dismantled. Some of the materials could still be recycled and could not be wasted.
"List the materials and print them out for me."
The Technology Throne immediately began operating, consuming Soul Power as a sheet of paper gradually emerged from the ashes.
Walking downstairs, Chen Fu saw an old man in the hall filled with flowers and plants. The man had abandoned his wheelchair and was leisurely drinking tea in a grand chair.
"Mu En, all the functional module data has been settled. We only lack this batch of materials. I'm preparing to build something big."
Mu En set down his small teapot and took the list. Even his battle-hardened heart could not help but skip a beat.
"Do you think you're ordering dishes? Asking for whatever you want?"
"Not exactly. The academy's stock should be sufficient, and once this Soul Tool is made, we will not need to provide the later materials ourselves."
The old man gave Chen Fu a deep look. Part of this young man's ambition had already revealed itself.
"You'll have it in an hour."
After saying that, the old man lay back down and picked up the small teapot that the hamster girl had respectfully given him.
That extremely lucky Big Hamster had quite a few old treasures in her home.
It was rare for Chen Fu to rest, so he moved a recliner to the other side and leaned back with a teacup in hand, watching the crowds passing outside.
"Any Fierce Beast candidates?"
"I'll try my luck in Star Dou when the time comes."
"Why not go to the Extreme North? The Soul Beasts there seem weaker."
???
"It's easy not to come back from the Extreme North."
"Alright."
Chen Fu poured himself another cup of tea.
"Does sitting in a wheelchair affect your ability to exert force?"
???
If this old man hadn't spent these years cultivating his temperament, I'd crush you to death.
"Even the lowest-ranked Fierce Beasts can still be crushed to death with a casual squeeze."
Chen Fu roughly compared their strengths in his mind and felt that was a little exaggerated.
"Then can I ask, old sir, what level are you?"
Chen Fu only knew that these old men were powerful. Their exact levels were not something a small fry like him could sense.
"Not high. Just level ninety-nine."
The old man's tone was flat, revealing neither joy nor anger.
???
The young man fell silent for a long time.
The old man patiently waited for a while, then began to feel uncomfortable all over. He turned his head to look.
He saw that Chen Fu's eyes were filled with fervor as he stared directly at him.
"..."
"What do you want?"
According to the information in his hands, worship of the strong did not suit this young man's personality.
"Do Soul Skills have much effect on you?"
"Not much."
He had already broken free from the restrictions of Soul Skills. Every punch and palm strike contained his own understanding.
"Is your time almost up?"
Dragging a wheelchair around to bask in the sun every day did not look like the demeanor of someone at the peak of power.
Do you think this old man is easy to bully just because I'm in a wheelchair?
"Do you want to become a god?"
The young man lowered his voice, his entire body trembling slightly with excitement. This old man—no, this grandpa—was simply the perfect experimental subject heaven had delivered to him!
A faint ripple of Soul Power enveloped them both as the old man looked at the young man and asked:
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
"Did Ma Xiaotao tell you about the three expanded applications of Soul Rings?"
"She did."
"What do you think of Melting Ring?"
"You only explained the framework. You have no concrete results."
"I am the result!"
Chen Fu revealed his transparent Soul Rings. "After absorbing all four Soul Rings, I advanced five levels!"
Although a Peerless Douluo's Soul Power was of exceptionally high quality, Melting Ring could continue increasing the total amount within the body! Every trace of increased Soul Power was difficult for a Peerless Douluo, yet absorbing all Soul Rings could raise it by at least fifty percent!
His quiet heart seemed to grow hot as the old man began calculating in his mind.
At his level, Soul Rings and Soul Skills were, in a sense, merely amplifiers. He would draw upon a portion of his own Soul Power and combine it with the Soul Power within the Soul Rings to unleash an attack.
Moreover, as his mastery over his own combat principles deepened, the amplification provided by Soul Rings became increasingly insignificant. They served more as external sources of Soul Power.
But if he directly melted the rings and gathered all Soul Power into one... although the total amount would not change, he could at least wrestle with that black Dragon deep within Star Dou.
Compared to the traditional path of becoming a god, this method might allow one to... become a god through the physical body!
Following that line of reasoning, the second method would be... becoming a god through Soul Power!
He had to admit that the first method, Ring Detonation, was indeed crude!
Ah, the old man could feel his entire body trembling faintly. The result of a path lay right before him. According to his calculations, this path was viable!
"Do you think... the gods would permit the existence of Alien Souls?"
The old man felt as if his mind exploded. At that moment, the secret history of Shrek Academy spanning over ten thousand years gathered and reassembled in his mind. The intelligence he possessed instantly soared into the clouds from Chen Fu's shoulders.
"Soul Power is a means, but not the end." The words seemed to ring by his ear once more.
"Godheads are a means, but not the end."
The old man's voice trembled slightly. What he had pursued so bitterly had quietly appeared during the fading light of his life.
Looking at the excited young man before him, the old man let out a long sigh.
He admitted that the power Douluo took pride in, without wisdom, was tragic.
Before you continue