Preparations

In the Liu Family courtyard, the lingering light of the setting sun filtered through gaps in the branches and leaves, scattering patches of Dappled Light and Shadow across the ground.

A gentle breeze swept through, bringing a trace of evening coolness. Several Osmanthus Trees in the courtyard swayed with the wind, releasing waves of rich fragrance.

Beside the Stone Table, Liu Qing, Liu Feng, Zhang Ma, and Zhang Niu sat together. Several cups of clear tea rested on the table, wisps of Tea Fragrance rising into the air and perfectly complementing the peaceful atmosphere around them.

Liu Feng sat on a Stone Stool, his body slightly Leaned Forward, his Hands folded over his knees, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

He gave a light cough and was the first to break the silence. "Uncle Niu, Uncle Ma, I've been thinking about Soul Skills. I think we should prioritize analyzing Amplifying Soul Skills, especially those that act directly on the body."

"Like Uncle Ma's 'Mountain Charging Qi' and Uncle Zhang Niu's 'Galloping Horse.' The first step is to figure out the path Soul Power takes through the body after a Soul Skill is cast. And when the same Soul Skill is used by different people, its effects and manifestations will definitely differ. That's something we need to focus on."

Hearing this, Zhang Ma nodded slightly. He lifted his Teacup and took a small sip before speaking slowly after a moment of thought. "Liu Feng's idea is good. Take my 'Mountain Charging Qi,' for example. Every time I cast it, I feel Soul Power gathering in my abdomen like a stream of heat, surging up along my spine before finally concentrating in my arms. The strength in my arms instantly skyrockets, and it feels like I could split a mountain with one punch."

"But I'm curious too. If someone else used this Soul Skill, would their Soul Power follow the same path?" As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves and revealed his sturdy arms, as though he were ready to Cast Again at any moment.

Zhang Niu grew interested as well. He slapped his thigh hard and said in a booming voice, "My 'Galloping Horse' is the same. Once I activate the Soul Skill, Soul Power flows rapidly through my body like a Surging Tide. My legs especially become full of strength. When I run, I'm like a crazed galloping horse, so fast that even I can barely control myself."

"But I've never really thought about the exact route Soul Power takes, much less studied it." As he spoke, he stood up and mimicked a running motion, drawing a burst of Light Laughter from the others.

Liu Feng continued, "Besides studying how Soul Power works when we cast Soul Skills ourselves, it would also help greatly if we could find the Soul Beasts that those skills came from and figure out how the Soul Power Inside the Body circulates when they use their Soul Skills."

Liu Qing frowned slightly, a trace of concern in his eyes. "That won't be easy. Most Soul Beasts live deep in the forests, and they're wild and difficult to tame, with strong aggression. Getting close enough to observe them casting Soul Skills would be far too risky."

Liu Feng smiled and said confidently, "Dad, I know it'll be difficult, but there are always more solutions than problems. We can start at the edge of the forest and look for some Low-level Soul Beasts. They're relatively tame and less dangerous. Or we can post a task at the Mercenary Guild in the city. Soul Beasts like cattle and horses shouldn't be too dangerous if they're low-level."

Zhang Ma and Zhang Niu exchanged a glance, both of their eyes shining with approval. Zhang Ma nodded. "Liu Feng's idea is workable. It may be challenging, but it's worth trying. Maybe we'll discover the secrets hidden behind Soul Skills and raise our strength to another level."

Liu Feng continued, "If observing Soul Beasts isn't enough, we can also try dissecting them to understand their body structure and see whether there's anything special related to how they cast Soul Skills."

Hearing this, Zhang Niu said, "Dissecting Soul Beasts... not a bad idea."

Liu Feng paused. A trace of hesitation crossed his face, but he still said firmly, "If dissecting Soul Beasts still can't fully reveal the principles behind Soul Skills, then in the end... we can try dissecting people."

The moment he said that, everyone froze. The courtyard instantly fell silent, with only the Rustling Sound of the breeze passing through the leaves.

Zhang Ma's eyes widened as he said in shock, "Dissecting people? This isn't a small matter. Can we really do that? Wouldn't it violate some taboo?"

Liu Feng quickly explained, "I'm not saying we should dissect people at random. We could look for condemned prisoners or opportunities at the Mass Grave. Those people have already lost their lives. We'd only be using their bodies to study Soul Skills. Maybe we could find crucial clues and advance our understanding of Soul Skills."

Liu Qing frowned and fell into deep thought.

After a while, he slowly said, "It is indeed a bold idea, but we need to consider it carefully. Dissecting people not only involves ethical issues, but it may also cause unnecessary trouble. It would be best if we could ensure everything is legal and proper. We can't bring danger to ourselves or our families."

The others began discussing heatedly again, each holding a different opinion.

Some supported Liu Feng's idea, believing it was an important path toward exploring Soul Skills.

Others expressed concern, afraid it would bring unpredictable consequences. Everyone spoke over one another, and the discussion grew increasingly animated.

As Liu Feng listened, he quietly pondered to himself and occasionally raised a few questions.

He understood that analyzing Soul Skills was a difficult process full of challenges. It would require a great deal of time and effort, and he might face countless failures.

But he was not afraid in the least. His passion for exploring Soul Skills was boundless, and his desire to become a powerful Soul Master grew ever stronger. That desire was like a blazing fire, burning fiercely within his heart and never going out.

Before they knew it, the sun gradually sank westward, and orange-red Sunset Glow spread across the horizon like a magnificent painting.

Their discussion continued passionately, and everyone was immersed in their hopes for analyzing Soul Skills.

Liu Feng looked at the family and friends before him. He firmly believed that, through everyone's joint efforts, they would surely achieve a breakthrough on the path of analyzing Soul Skills and help advance his Cultivation Path.

The sky gradually darkened, and the brilliant orange-red Sunset Glow slowly turned Deep Purple before finally blending into the night.

The clear tea on the Stone Table had long since gone cold, but the discussion remained lively.

After discussing for quite some time, Zhang Ma looked at the sky, stood up, and stretched. "It's getting late, and it's completely dark now. Let's stop here for today. Zhang Niu and I need to go home and discuss this with our families. This is an important matter, so we need to decide carefully."

Zhang Niu stood up as well and nodded. "That's right. We should go home and talk it over with our families. After all, this concerns our future cultivation and development."

Liu Feng and Liu Qing got up and escorted Zhang Ma and Zhang Niu to the courtyard gate.

Just as Zhang Ma stepped out of the courtyard, he suddenly stopped. He had noticed something unusual about the Blue Silver Grass near Liu Family Village.

The Blue Silver Grass here grew exceptionally lush, its leaves broad and emerald-green. They swayed gently in the breeze, as though displaying their uniqueness.

Zhang Ma asked curiously, "Liu Qing, the Blue Silver Grass in your village looks different from the kind elsewhere. What's going on?"

Liu Qing smiled and told him in detail about how Liu Feng had previously constructed the Blue Silver Grass Network.

He described everything vividly, from Liu Feng's initial discovery of the hidden connections between Blue Silver Grass to how he had cast his Soul Skill and connected the Blue Silver Grass in the village, beside the Waterfall, and along the forest's edge into a vast and wondrous network.

Zhang Ma and Zhang Niu were dumbfounded. They exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with shock and delight.

Zhang Ma could not help exclaiming, "I never expected Liu Feng to have such ability! This Blue Silver Grass Network is incredible! With this, maybe we really can analyze Soul Skills!"

Zhang Niu nodded repeatedly and said excitedly, "That's right! It looks like our chances of successfully analyzing Soul Skills with Liu Feng are very high! This Blue Silver Grass Network is proof enough!"

After Zhang Ma and Zhang Niu left, Liu Feng and Liu Qing returned to the courtyard.

Liu Qing walked over to Liu Feng, patted him on the shoulder, and encouraged him. "Xiao Feng, your ideas today were all very insightful. Although the process of analyzing Soul Skills may be difficult, I believe you can do it."

Liu Feng turned his head, looked into his father's resolute eyes, and nodded firmly. "Dad, I'll definitely work hard! I want to become a powerful Soul Master and live up to your and Grandpa's expectations!"

After saying that, Liu Feng took a deep breath and felt the cool night breeze. In his heart, he swore that he would successfully complete the analysis.