Clear Objectives, Clear Path!

The scale of this batch of materials was far beyond anything before!

Hum!

The phantom image of the Gulp Gulp Fruit fluctuated violently, like a furnace instantly filled to the brim, emitting muffled roars and churning sounds of energy from within.

Chen Li felt his own Soul Power surge towards the Gulp Gulp Fruit like a dammed flood, supporting this massive refining process. In just a few breaths, his Innate Full Soul Power reserve, which was as high as level ten, was completely depleted!

A wave of intense weakness and exhaustion suddenly washed over him, and his vision blurred. Chen Li grunted, bracing his right hand firmly against the table, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force. He barely managed to steady his swaying body, preventing himself from collapsing onto the floor.

"Hoo... ha..." He panted heavily, fine beads of cold sweat trickling down his forehead, feeling utterly drained. Processing so many Soul Rings at once placed an immense burden on him and the Gulp Gulp Fruit at their current stage.

He gritted his teeth and persevered, closing his eyes and concentrating, striving to maintain contact with the Gulp Gulp Fruit. He could feel the core Thousand-year Soul Ring greedily absorbing and integrating the essence of the surrounding large quantities of low-quality Soul Rings, its internal structure and energy purity undergoing a slow but steady optimization.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the fluctuations of the Gulp Gulp Fruit gradually subsided.

A faint glow flashed, and a purple Soul Ring was slowly expelled, hovering in the air. Its emitted light seemed deeper and more stable than before.

Chen Li eagerly looked at the system information:

[Thousand-year Soul Ring (Quality: Normal, Progress 92/100)]

"92/100..." Chen Li endured his weakness, his mind racing. He had consumed 120 Ten-year Soul Rings and 80 Hundred Year Soul Rings, in addition to the original Thousand-year Soul Ring itself, to push its progress to 92 points.

A simple calculation suggested that approximately one Hundred Year Soul Ring provided 1 point of progress, while a Ten-year Soul Ring offered negligible progress, perhaps requiring ten to match the effect of one Hundred Year Soul Ring.

Therefore, to upgrade this Thousand-year Soul Ring's quality from [Normal] to [Good], he would need at least 8 more Hundred Year Soul Rings or an equivalent number of lower-tier Soul Rings as nourishment!

"The goal is clear, the path is defined!"

The fatigue in Chen Li's eyes was replaced by excitement. Although the consumption was enormous, nearly emptying all his reserves, verifying the fusion formula and clarifying the quantity of resources needed for the next step was the greatest gain.

Within the Martial Soul Hall, there were far more avenues to obtain Soul Rings than when wandering outside.

Whether it was completing tasks to earn contribution points for access to the enclosed Soul Beast forests, or applying to join hunting teams on expeditions, or even...

Chen Li looked at the sky outside the window, which was gradually turning white, and his mind began to sketch out a plan for efficiently and inconspicuously acquiring a large number of Soul Rings within the rules of the Martial Soul Hall.

The sky was bright, and the morning sun streamed into the room through the window lattice.

Chen Li sat cross-legged on the bed, his Soul Power largely recovered through meditation. Despite not sleeping all night, his spirit was exceptionally invigorated by finding a clear path forward.

Knock, knock, knock.

A rhythmic knocking sound echoed precisely on time.

Chen Li opened his eyes, suppressed all emotions, got out of bed, tidied his robes, and calmly opened the door.

Standing outside was a spirited old man, appearing to be around sixty years old. His hair was gray but meticulously combed, and he wore glasses with crystal lenses. He was dressed in the silver-gray robe unique to researchers of the Martial Soul Hall, his eyes sharp and filled with curiosity.

He also held a recording board and a pen in his hand.

"You are Chen Li, correct?" the old man asked, pushing his glasses up his nose and scrutinizing him. His tone was direct.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lor Diarra, a high-level researcher at the Martial Soul Research Institute, responsible for studying the special condition of your Martial Soul that prevents it from absorbing Soul Rings."

"Hello, Mr. Lor Diarra. I am Chen Li." Chen Li bowed slightly, his demeanor respectful yet composed. He needed this researcher's help as a cover and also to leverage his channels for acquiring resources.

"No need for pleasantries," Lor Diarra waved his hand, appearing impatient with formalities. His interest was clearly focused on the subject of his research. "I've read Elder Yue Guan's brief report: Innate Full Soul Power, a top-tier Lightning Variant Martial Soul, yet it repels Soul Ring energy...

Most interesting! I've been researching Martial Soul mutations and energy adaptation for over thirty years, and this is the first time I've heard of such an extreme case.

Come, let's go to the institute's testing room first. We need to collect detailed data on your Martial Soul, its Soul Power fluctuation spectrum, and observe your Martial Soul's reaction to simulated Soul Ring energy under different energy fields..."

As he spoke, he was already rapidly writing and sketching on the recording board, appearing eager.

"Alright," Chen Li nodded and followed behind the briskly walking Lor Diarra out of the room.

His gaze calmly swept across the Martial Soul Hall's early morning streets.

Passing through layers of guarded sentries and Soul Tool barriers, Chen Li followed Lor Diarra to a heavily guarded area within the Martial Soul Hall: the Martial Soul Research Institute's affiliated Soul Beast Ecology Observation and Material Supply Ground.

This was not a pure Soul Hunting Forest, but rather a vast and intricate living warehouse and experimental ground, housing a large number of Soul Beasts of all kinds and cultivation levels, specifically for research and specific needs.

The air was filled with a mixture of animal and vegetation scents, along with a faint smell of disinfectant. Huge transparent Soul Tool barriers divided different ecological zones, where the activities of the Soul Beasts were clearly visible.

"Here, we have Soul Beasts ranging from ten years to nearly ten thousand years old, with complete attributes and stable conditions – they are the best observation samples!" Lor Diarra spoke rapidly, his eyes shining with the almost fervent glow characteristic of a researcher. He had already tucked the recording board under his arm, holding a pen, eager to begin.

"Come, kid, don't waste time. Right now, pick one on the spot and try to absorb a Soul Ring for me to see! I need to record the most authentic, real-time data! Remember, hold nothing back, just like when you failed before!"

His attitude was less like that of someone assisting a Soul Master and more like urging a valuable experimental subject to proceed with testing as quickly as possible.

"Yes, sir." Chen Li nodded with a calm expression, his gaze quickly scanning an area where lightning-attribute Soul Beasts congregated. His target was clear: lightning attribute, around a hundred years, offering the best cost-effectiveness as raw material.

Soon, he locked onto a Lightning Pattern Vine Snake, about three meters long, winding on a simulated rock wall. It was purplish-blue all over, with a single horn on its head, and its cultivation was around three hundred and sixty years.

"Choose that one? A Lightning Pattern Vine Snake, around three hundred and sixty years, lightning attribute, speed-type, with paralysis on its attacks. It's a rather common choice for a lightning-element Soul Ring," Lor Diarra glanced at it and casually recited its information. Immediately, his entire demeanor shifted dramatically!