Terrifying Cultivation Talent

Early morning.

The sky was just beginning to brighten, and Ling Xiao had already risen.

In the courtyard of Qinghui Hall, he was practicing a set of breathing and body-tempering fist techniques.

He had learned this from a Daoist priest in his previous life, who claimed it could strengthen the body and hone the sinews and bones.

His fist movements were as fluid as flowing water, and when he finished, he remained calm and composed, without a single bead of sweat on his brow.

For six years, he had never once interrupted this regimen of physical training.

Long-term practice had begun to show results; his physical constitution was significantly stronger than that of his peers.

Just as he finished wiping his hands, the voice of a maidservant came from outside the hall gate:

"Lord Ling Xiao, His Holiness the Pope has sent word, requesting that you and the Saintess proceed to the side hall's meditation room. His Holiness wishes to instruct you both personally."

"Understood."

Ling Xiao replied, straightened his attire, and walked out of Qinghui Hall.

No sooner had he stepped out of the courtyard gate than he bumped into Hu Liena, who was waiting not far away.

Today, she had changed into a white martial outfit, her chestnut hair tied high into a ponytail.

She looked less like the delicate and gentle Saintess, and more like a spirited and heroic warrior.

Seeing Ling Xiao emerge, she immediately stepped forward:

"Little tattletale, let's go. You aren't allowed to report me anymore, got it?"

Ling Xiao didn't stop walking; he glanced at her sideways and said indifferently:

"If Senior Sister followed the rules, I naturally wouldn't need to trouble Master."

"Oh, using Master to pressure me now?"

Hu Liena huffed and reached out to pinch his cheek, but Ling Xiao dodged by turning his body aside.

"Besides, Master only talks tough; she can't bear to actually punish me."

"Today is the first time Master is teaching you; if you can't even sense the Origin Power of heaven and earth, it'll be quite embarrassing."

She continued, still acting tough.

Ling Xiao didn't respond, merely nodding slightly.

Having lived two lifetimes, his mental strength far exceeded that of an ordinary person.

The intensity of his spiritual power had long since surpassed that of a typical Soul Master.

Sensing the Origin Power of heaven and earth—a task for beginners—was, to him, not difficult in the slightest.

The two chatted as they walked, soon arriving at the meditation room in the side hall of the Pope Palace.

The meditation room was built atop a spiritual vein behind the Pope Palace, with a Gathering Origin Array laid out all around it.

The concentration of Origin Power between heaven and earth was several times higher than outside, and the air was thick with spiritual energy.

The room was sparsely furnished, with three prayer mats placed in the center.

Bibi Dong was already sitting upright on the uppermost mat.

She had traded her elaborate Pope robes for a simple purple casual gown, yet it could not hide her majesty and stunning beauty.

Seeing them enter, she said calmly:

"You're here? Sit."

"Yes, Master."

Ling Xiao and Hu Liena bowed in unison and took their seats on the left and right mats, respectively.

"Nana, you have been cultivating for four years and are now a level 25 Soul Grand Master."

Bibi Dong's voice was cold and steady.

"In your daily cultivation, just pay more attention to the details; avoid being overly eager for success."

Bibi Dong gave this instruction before turning her gaze to Ling Xiao.

"Ling Xiao, you have just awakened your Martial Soul and have yet to enter the path."

"Today, I will teach you the methods of Soul Master cultivation. Listen carefully."

Ling Xiao sat up straight and nodded slightly:

"This disciple will listen with full attention."

"The core of Soul Master cultivation is to absorb the Origin Power of heaven and earth, convert it into your own soul power, and store it in your Dantian and sea of qi to nourish your Martial Soul."

Bibi Dong's voice was stern, and her theoretical knowledge was explained thoroughly.

"The purer and more abundant your soul power, the greater the might of your Martial Soul."

"Ordinary Soul Masters, after awakening their Martial Soul, must first sense the free-roaming Origin Power of heaven and earth, guide it into their bodies, circulate it through their meridians, and finally converge it into the Dantian to complete the first conversion. Only then can they truly be considered to have stepped onto the path of a Soul Master."

"The vast majority of Soul Masters require several days, or even months, after awakening before they can sense this Origin Power."

"Even for a genius, it takes several hours."

"You need not rush for success; just keep your mind at ease."

With a flick of her finger, a golden orb of light flew into the center of Ling Xiao's brow.

A massive surge of information flooded into Ling Xiao's mind.

It was the Heaven Origin Soul Art, the core top-tier cultivation technique of Martial Soul Hall.

This technique was a supreme art passed down through Martial Soul Hall for hundreds of years, far more profound than ordinary cultivation methods.

"This Heaven Origin Soul Art is the core technique of our Martial Soul Hall; it is balanced, upright, and possesses immense inclusivity."

Bibi Dong said in a deep voice.

"It is perfectly suited for your plant-type martial soul."

"I have already imprinted the detailed execution of the technique into your mind. Study it carefully, circulate your spirit according to the method, and attempt to sense the origin power of heaven and earth."

"Thank you, Master."

Ling Xiao bowed, his tone filled with gratitude.

Hu Liena sat to the side, secretly sticking her tongue out at Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao ignored her little antics, closed his eyes, and cast aside all distracting thoughts.

Following the mental cultivation method of the Heaven Origin Soul Art, he mobilized his spiritual power, letting it flow slowly along his meridians to sense the free-roaming origin power between heaven and earth.

The moment Ling Xiao's consciousness sank into his spiritual world, he felt as if he had entered another realm.

Because of the Gathering Origin Array, the quiet room was filled with dense, pale golden specks of light.

Every speck of light was pure origin power of heaven and earth.

The Demon Fruit Tree within his sea of consciousness trembled slightly, like a shark that had caught the scent of blood.

Its gnarled branches swayed gently, emitting a suction force.

The origin power of heaven and earth outside seemed to have found an outlet, surging madly toward his body!

There was no need for him to guide it deliberately at all.

Those origin powers followed the meridian paths of the Heaven Origin Soul Art, circulating at high speed.

Wherever they passed, his meridians were slowly nourished and widened by the gentle origin power.

Finally, they converged into his dantian sea, transforming into pure soul power.

All of this took no more than a quarter of an hour.

Bibi Dong, sitting at the head of the room, suddenly sat up straight.

A flash of shock crossed her eyes.

She discovered that Ling Xiao had already officially entered a state of meditative cultivation.

The surrounding origin power of heaven and earth was surging into his body like a tide, transforming into his own soul power!

A mere quarter of an hour!

Back in her own day, with her Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power, she had been hailed as a peerless genius, the likes of which Martial Soul Hall had not seen in a century.

Yet, it had still taken her an hour to successfully convert the origin power of heaven and earth for the first time.

Ling Xiao had completed in a quarter of an hour what took others days, or even months, to achieve!

"This... how is this possible?"

Beside her, Hu Liena was also dumbstruck.

She had been thinking just moments ago that even if Ling Xiao were a genius, it would take him half a day to get started.

Reality had slapped her hard in the face.

Mastering the basics in a quarter of an hour—what kind of monster-level talent was this?!

Under their shocked gazes, Ling Xiao slowly opened his eyes.

His eyes were clear and bright, and the soul power around his body slowly receded.

He bowed to Bibi Dong.

"Master, this disciple has not failed your expectations; I have sensed the origin power of heaven and earth and completed my soul power cultivation."

Bibi Dong took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions in her heart.

She looked at the six-year-old boy before her, feeling immensely satisfied.

She had originally thought that Ling Xiao, with his Innate Full Soul Power and top-tier plant-type martial soul, was a rare genius.

Now, she realized she had still underestimated this disciple.

Such powerful spiritual energy, such heaven-defying comprehension.

"Good! Good! Good!"

"Ling Xiao, you truly have not disappointed me!"

Hu Liena couldn't help but lean in, poking Ling Xiao's arm as she complained:

"Junior Brother, aren't you a bit too monstrous? Have you been secretly practicing this for a long time?"

Ling Xiao cast a faint glance at her:

"This is the first time I have practiced the cultivation technique passed down by Master."

Bibi Dong tapped Hu Liena on the forehead, chiding her irritably:

"Look at your junior brother, then look at yourself!"

"Do you finally understand what it means to have someone beyond yourself?"

Hu Liena stuck out her tongue and shrank her neck, not daring to speak.

This aloof junior brother of hers was actually quite impressive!