Self-Condensed Soul Ring

"Self-Condensed Soul Ring!"

Yu Xiaogang's words rang out with force. The formulas and theoretical framework beneath his pen advanced layer by layer, forcibly tearing open an unprecedented ray of hope through the deadlock that had plagued the entire Soul Master world.

The decadence and despair that had weighed on him for days completely vanished, replaced by near-fanatical determination and confidence.

The life's work of half a lifetime had turned to dust with the extinction of the Soul Beasts, yet rather than sink into despair after finding life in desperation, he had broken free of the Soul Master shackles unchanged for ten thousand years and glimpsed the true origin of cultivation.

Tang San stood frozen in place, his pupils suddenly contracting as the confusion and terror in his heart were utterly shattered.

As expected of the teacher he had chosen and acknowledged.

"Teacher... th-this can really work?" Tang San's voice trembled with incredulous excitement. "Without relying on Soul Beasts, one can condense Soul Rings and break through realms using only one's own Soul Power?"

"Why not?"

Yu Xiaogang's eyes shone brilliantly, brighter than they had been in days.

"Little San, remember this: rules are dead, but people are alive."

"In the past, Soul Beasts were everywhere and served as the most convenient vessels. People grew too lazy to investigate further. They only knew to hunt and seize rings, yet no one ever explored the essential structure of Soul Rings! Now that Soul Beasts are extinct, it may seem like a dead end, but in truth, it is an opportunity Heaven has given the Soul Master world to rebuild after destruction!"

As Yu Xiaogang spoke, he was also filled with regret. Why had he never thought of this before?

Perhaps the shackles on him could also be broken through this method.

"This disciple has learned!" Tang San bowed deeply, his eyes filled with the utmost reverence. "Teacher, your talent is unparalleled, unmatched in the world!"

At this moment, the admiration in his heart reached its peak.

The grievance of lost love, the uncertainty of the future, and the fear brought by the extinction of Soul Beasts were all washed away by this earthshaking hope.

He felt incomparably fortunate to have taken such an extraordinary teacher as his master, one who could defy fate in the face of despair.

Yu Xiaogang nodded slightly, his gaze sharp and resolute. "From today onward, Little San, you need only cultivate diligently. Your teacher will research the path of Self-Condensed Soul Rings for you and create a Soul Master cultivation method for the new era!"

As Yu Xiaogang said this, his heart was filled with passion and anticipation.

He believed that once he successfully developed it, he would surely bring a world-shaking change to this world.

At the thought of being able to change the world, Yu Xiaogang's heart began pounding wildly.

He would definitely succeed in researching Self-Condensed Soul Rings.

Even if others had also thought of this path, the first person to successfully research it—

Would still be him!

He was the true Grandmaster.

Meanwhile, outside Nuoding City, atop a small mountain.

Soul Power swirled around Su Mo's body. Pale-white Soul Power flowed around him like water, circulating through the meridians of his body in a complete cycle.

Several times more pure than before, the Soul Power of heaven and earth was rapidly absorbed, tempered, and purified by the Soul Power Cultivation Technique he had created.

Then it was stored within him.

Beside Su Mo, Xiao Wu stared intently at him, her expression full of anticipation.

Because Su Mo was currently condensing a Soul Ring himself.

Su Mo knew nothing of the research led by Spirit Hall, nor did he know that Yu Xiaogang was preparing to research Self-Condensed Soul Rings.

But even if he had known, Su Mo would not have cared.

He would only say that they were overthinking it. How could Self-Condensed Soul Rings be so simple?

It was like trying to develop Douluo Continent's Meditation Method into the Internal Energy Method from Tang San's previous life. It was not something that could be created overnight.

Without eighty to a hundred years, it would be nearly impossible.

Unless they could find another Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast that had taken human form and learn the method of Self-Condensed Soul Rings from it.

In that case, they might be able to avoid half the detours.

Buzz—

As Su Mo operated the Ring Condensation Technique he had created, his Martial Soul appeared before him, and then a white ring of energy gradually took shape.

The white ring of energy began as a scattered, shapeless mass, but gradually became solid and rounded, its color slowly deepening as well.

In the end, the white ring of energy became a yellow Soul Ring and completely stabilized.

While Su Mo condensed his Soul Ring, Xiao Wu watched from the side the entire time.

She was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in human form, and her perception of Soul Power and Soul Rings far surpassed that of every human Soul Master on the continent.

She could clearly sense that Su Mo's method of condensing a Soul Ring differed somewhat from her own. It was even more profound than hers!

Her Self-Condensed Soul Rings relied on the foundation of her own hundred-thousand-year origin. It was an innate advantage bestowed by nature, something humans could not replicate.

But Su Mo's Ring Condensation Technique truly belonged to humanity. It was a brand-new method founded upon the great principles of heaven and earth, one that could be replicated and improved upon!

"He really succeeded!"

Seeing that Su Mo had truly succeeded in the end, Xiao Wu was so excited that she nearly jumped up.

She truly had not expected Su Mo to actually accomplish it.

He had not been boasting.

This meant that—

Human Soul Masters had gained another path of cultivation. They could obtain Soul Rings without needing to hunt Soul Beasts.

Although the Soul Beast race had now disappeared, Xiao Wu believed that they would return someday.

Xiao Wu did not know that the Soul Beast race had already gone extinct.

Otherwise, upon seeing Su Mo successfully condense his own Soul Ring, she would not have been happy. She would have been furious.

The Soul Beast race had already gone extinct, so why should human Soul Masters still be able to cultivate?

Human Soul Masters should have been unable to absorb Soul Rings for the rest of their lives, unable to break through their realms.

Unfortunately, Xiao Wu did not know that for the time being.

Right now, she was simply happy.

[ Ding~ Congratulations to the host for successfully condensing a self-created Soul Ring of hundred-year quality!]

[ Ding~ It has been detected that the host has successfully broken through a realm amid a great change in heaven and earth. A reward has been triggered. Based on the host's current abilities, the system will create one self-created Soul Skill most suitable for the host.]

As the system notification fell silent, Su Mo's mind became clear, and a brand-new power instantly swept through every limb and bone in his body.

He had officially broken through to level ten and become a true One-Ring Soul Master!

Moreover, the system had issued a reward.

[ Ding~ Creating a self-created Soul Skill for the host...]

In a daze, Su Mo saw another version of himself in a parallel time and space—or perhaps himself in the future.

That version of himself held the Broken Sword Martial Soul in his hand, sword intent condensed within his heart. Countless basic sword techniques had fused into one, while endless inspiration erupted wildly in his mind.

In the end, based on basic swordsmanship and combined with the insights into Teleportation he had heard from Xiao Wu, he created a sword technique.

A sword technique that discarded all flashy moves and pursued only ultimate speed, ultimate sharpness, and ultimate armor-piercing power.

Broken Sword Instant Kill: Activate Soul Power to condense sword momentum, instantly unleashing extreme speed and armor-piercing sharpness. It could be launched instantly for a surprise assault and a close-range killing strike.

After Su Mo opened his eyes, he discovered that he had completely mastered Broken Sword Instant Kill.

This Soul Skill suited both his Martial Soul and his personality perfectly, as though he had created it himself.

No... it should be said that he had created it himself.

The system's reward had merely allowed him to create it ahead of time.

"Su Mo, how did it go?"

"Did you break through your realm now?"

At that moment, Xiao Wu's voice sounded beside him.