Golden Crocodile Arrives, Preparing to Break Through!

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, Jin Yan was studying the Soul Core Cultivation Method within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

The ice and fire energy within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was at its densest, making it the ideal place to experiment with Soul Cores.

At the moment, only he and Zhang Yan were here. Ye Lingling had already returned to Heaven Dou City with Dugu and his granddaughter.

Just then, Zhang Yan sensed the poisonous mist outside churning. At first, he thought a soul beast had wandered in by mistake. It was not as though that had only happened once or twice.

But when he sensed a fierce aura rapidly approaching, he realized something was wrong.

Before he could even turn around, Golden Crocodile's deep, weathered voice reached him.

"What is Yan'er doing?"

Golden Crocodile looked curiously at Jin Yan, who was holding a whirlwind in his hand within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Even without approaching, he could sense the terrifying intent of ice and fire within the well. Yet his grandson was perfectly at ease inside it. How could that not pique his curiosity?

"The young master said he is conducting an experiment, trying to derive some kind of Soul Core Cultivation Method."

"Soul Core Cultivation Method..."

Golden Crocodile frowned at the name.

He had lived for an entire lifetime, yet he had never heard of any Soul Core Cultivation Method.

However, his frown quickly eased.

A faintly amused look appeared on his face.

He was just a child, full of ambition. There was no harm in letting him try. Once he failed, he would naturally understand.

How many years had the continent's martial soul system existed? No one even knew how many Rank 99 powerhouses had appeared, yet no Soul Core Cultivation Method had ever emerged. It had always been the same cultivation system.

In his eyes, his grandson's desire to create an entirely new cultivation method was not quite a pipe dream, but it was still a fantastical notion.

This time, Golden Crocodile had come alone.

After absorbing the Immortal Herbs, the other old fellows had all decided to enter seclusion in Worship Hall for a while, though it was not solely for the sake of breaking through.

At their level, once they had reached Rank 96, advancing further could no longer be achieved through Soul Power accumulation alone. Opportunity, comprehension, and even luck were all indispensable.

Take Bone Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, for example. He had been trapped at Rank 95 for who knew how many years. His Soul Power accumulation had long since been sufficient, but his temperament and comprehension were somewhat lacking, leaving him unable to break through.

Just like Yan Shaozhe in Douluo Dalu II, he too had a flaw in his temperament that kept him from breaking through.

Of course, breaking through Rank 96 also meant, to a certain extent, that a soul master no longer had much of an issue with temperament. Beyond that point, it was about gaining a deeper understanding of one's own martial soul.

Of the seven members of Worship Hall, Qian Daoliu had not consumed an Immortal Herb. He had remained behind because his cultivation had already reached the pinnacle of the mortal world. Even if he consumed one, it could not help him ascend to the God Realm, and it would not even have the slightest effect on him.

Even so, Jin Yan knew Qian Daoliu would certainly not consume an Immortal Herb, but he had still prepared one for him. After all, he could not play favorites.

As for the Immortal Herb Qian Daoliu had not eaten, he could do with it as he pleased.

With the members of Worship Hall entering seclusion, Golden Crocodile Douluo predicted that the Qiangu brothers had the greatest chance of breaking through. Their cultivation had been the lowest among the Worship Hall members to begin with, so they were comparatively the easiest to advance. Moreover, both had already sensed an opportunity for a breakthrough. The Immortal Herbs Jin Yan had sent over would only speed up the process.

While Jin Yan experimented with Soul Cores in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Golden Crocodile Douluo sat on the shore, deep in thought.

He even reached into the spring to test its temperature. Something ordinary Titled Douluo avoided like the plague was still tolerable to him.

When Jin Yan saw Golden Crocodile arrive, he hurriedly stopped his Soul Core experiment and swam toward the shore.

"It seems Yan'er has gained quite a few benefits from this Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. I just tested the ice and fire spring water, and even I would not dare stay in it for long."

Golden Crocodile said with a smile.

After leading Golden Crocodile to sit in an open area, Jin Yan smiled. "Grandpa, sit down first and prepare to break through, hahaha."

Golden Crocodile shook his head with slight helplessness. He had remained at Rank 98 for so many years, and after failing multiple times, he had long since lost the drive to break through. He had only come this time because he did not want to disappoint his grandson.

Taking out the Immortal Herb Jin Yan had sent someone to deliver to him, Golden Crocodile said with a chuckle, "This one Immortal Herb is not enough for your grandfather to break through."

It was an Immortal Herb shaped like a sweet potato, with golden skin etched in intricate patterns.

"Hehe." Jin Yan grinned. "Since I told you that, I must have some confidence."

After several days of research, Jin Yan had more or less worked out the Soul Core Cultivation Method. Claiming it was completely perfected would be unrealistic, but it was close enough.

In any case, with Golden Crocodile's powerful Rank 98 Soul Power, even failure would not cause any major problems.

He immediately explained the principles behind Soul Core cultivation, the method of condensing one, and even the benefits it offered.

"Anyway, that is how it works. Grandpa, whether you break through using the original method or mine is up to you."

Golden Crocodile fell into thought.

He had initially paid little attention to his grandson's research, but after hearing Jin Yan's explanation, he had to admit that Jin Yan's idea was correct.

The Soul Core Cultivation Method was indeed feasible.

As a Rank 98 Titled Douluo who had lived for many years, he knew far more than Jin Yan.

Why did soul masters shift the focus of their cultivation from accumulating Soul Power to comprehending their martial souls after becoming Super Douluo?

Why was the gap between martial souls displayed so vividly even among those with the same Soul Power?

Why were increasingly powerful soul masters increasingly cautious when choosing Soul Rings?

Because most of the Soul Power cultivated by soul masters was stored within their bodies. Only a small portion naturally flowed into their martial souls, where it was stored.

The stronger the martial soul, the more Soul Power it absorbed, whether during cultivation or when acquiring Soul Rings. When fighting others, even at the same rank, the quality of Soul Power possessed by a powerful martial soul was far greater.

Once a soul master reached Rank 95 or 96, however, their body no longer had space to store additional Soul Power, while their martial soul still could. Naturally, the focus of cultivation shifted from cultivating Soul Power to studying and comprehending the martial soul.

How to make the martial soul store more Soul Power and fit one's body more closely became the primary subject of study for soul masters above the Super Douluo level.

The most profound example of this among weapon martial souls was Sword Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Or rather, the entire Chen Clan!

They possessed an inherited Self-Created Soul Skill: Unity of Man and Sword!

Others only began comprehending their martial souls after entering the Titled Douluo realm, searching for ways to become more compatible with them.

The Chen Clan, on the other hand, had its members cultivate Unity of Man and Sword from childhood, subtly strengthening their understanding of their own martial souls. On that foundation, they had even created the Seven Kill Sword Art!

It brought the killing power of their martial souls to its absolute limit!

That was precisely why, as long as members of the Seven Kill clan had decent talent and truly mastered Unity of Man and Sword, breaking through to Rank 96 was somewhat easier for them than for other soul masters.

After all, while others only began doing it after becoming Titled Douluo, they had started while they were still ordinary soul masters.