First Soul Skill: Stride to Deliverance, Action Shall Arrive!

Boom!!

Golden flames erupted from his palm!

The light was even more blazing than it had been in the mental space, as though a miniature sun were pulsing in his hand.

Two utterly opposing auras—Destruction and vitality—twined together, and the room's temperature surged as even the air began to warp.

The Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff's eyes lit up.

With a low growl, its enormous Soul Spirit phantom lunged toward the Core Flame, wanting to merge with that power.

Then—

"Bang!"

The Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff's phantom seemed to collide with an invisible wall and was sent flying by a terrifying force!

It rolled through the air several times before crashing heavily onto the floor, its golden fur standing on end.

"Awroo?!"

It lay sprawled on the ground, eyes wide, utterly bewildered.

What was going on?

It was the Unyielding Soul Spirit!

It had an ancient bloodline!

Hadn't it already acknowledged him as its master? Why had it been blasted away?

Bai Yuan was also stunned for a moment. He lowered his head to look at the Core Flame in his palm.

The Core Flame continued to burn quietly, its radiance brilliant yet profound.

But Bai Yuan could feel it rejecting the Soul Spirit.

This Core Flame bore the power of the Twelve Laws.

The Path of Destruction would ultimately become an Aeon.

That was not just empty talk.

The Worldbearing Coreflame's level of power far surpassed any Soul Spirit in this world.

It was so powerful that it resembled a lofty king, disdaining to keep company with mortals.

Though the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff was powerful, before the Core Flame, it was like an ant trying to cling to a dragon.

It was not that it was inadequate. The difference in their levels was simply too vast.

The Core Flame was unwilling to merge with it.

The Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff seemed to sense something as well. It lay on the floor, looking aggrieved, its golden vertical pupils filled with unwillingness.

It was the mighty Unyielding Soul Spirit, yet it had been rejected?

The corner of Bai Yuan's mouth twitched as he watched this.

This was troublesome.

If the Core Flame was unwilling, he could not exactly force it to merge, could he?

Besides, given the Core Flame's level, he could not hold it down even if he tried.

He turned to look at his other hand.

Then he could only try this.

"Dawnmaker."

He raised his right hand, and a sword blade condensed from the void.

It was thin as a cicada's wing, with pale golden patterns flowing over it like ripples on water.

It lacked the Core Flame's violent intensity. There was only a pure, ultimate sharpness.

It seemed capable of cutting through everything in the world.

The Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff's body abruptly stiffened.

It sensed it.

The aura on that sword was entirely different from the Core Flame's.

It was not a lofty rejection, but rather—scrutiny.

Dawnmaker was assessing it.

The blade trembled faintly, emitting a clear hum, as though resonating with the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff's Soul Spirit.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

The hum suddenly became piercing, and the pale golden patterns on the blade flared with light.

The Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff's eyes lit up.

It felt it!

That was acceptance.

Dawnmaker had accepted it!

"Awroo!!!"

The Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff let out an excited howl.

Its enormous Soul Spirit phantom charged toward Bai Yuan's right hand and merged with Dawnmaker!

Boom—

A terrifying aura erupted in an instant!

Golden light burst from Bai Yuan's body, becoming a pillar of radiance that shot straight into the ceiling!

That light was incomparably sharp, as though an invisible colossal sword had split heaven and earth apart!

The entire room trembled.

The Soul Guidance Screens on the walls flickered wildly.

Several staff members were forced back again and again by the pressure, their faces deathly pale.

Leng Yaozhu raised a hand, and an invisible barrier shielded the people behind her.

Her gaze remained fixed on Bai Yuan, a trace of shock flashing through her amber eyes.

This child...

Bai Yuan sat cross-legged on the floor, Dawnmaker floating before him as golden patterns flowed across its blade.

Those patterns looked remarkably like the pattern of the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff's fur.

Sword and Soul Spirit had become one.

Sharpness and strength had combined perfectly.

Bai Yuan slowly opened his eyes.

A streak of golden sharpness flashed deep within his pupils.

Even his entire bearing had changed.

If he had previously been nothing more than an uncut jade, then now, he had begun to reveal his edge.

That edge was so sharp that no one dared look directly at it.

The Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff's phantom appeared at his side and affectionately rubbed against his shoulder.

But unlike before—

A faint golden connection now linked it to Dawnmaker.

That was proof of their fusion.

Bai Yuan lowered his head to look at Dawnmaker in his hand. Feeling the vast power emanating from the blade, the corners of his lips slowly rose.

First Soul Ring.

A thousand years.

Unyielding Soul Spirit, Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff.

Fusion successful.

As the Soul Spirit entered his body, Bai Yuan's Soul Power fluctuations rose steadily. He directly jumped five levels, reaching level fifteen!

He raised his head, looked at Leng Yaozhu, and grinned.

"Teacher, it worked."

Leng Yaozhu looked at him in silence for two seconds.

Then she smiled.

"Not bad."

She spoke calmly, but her voice carried absolute certainty.

"Even better than I imagined."

"Teacher, something happened during the fusion." He looked up at Leng Yaozhu, carefully considering his words.

Leng Yaozhu raised a brow. "What happened?"

Bai Yuan held out his left hand, and the Worldbearing Coreflame appeared once more.

Golden flames danced in his palm. Their light was more restrained than before, yet deeper.

"I can feel that the Worldbearing Coreflame does not need a Soul Spirit."

Leng Yaozhu's gaze narrowed slightly.

"What it needs is for my spiritual power to keep increasing." Bai Yuan spoke seriously. "As my spiritual power grows, the Core Flame will naturally condense a Soul Spirit of its own.

"Or rather, it is a Soul Spirit itself."

The room fell silent for a moment.

Leng Yaozhu stared at him for several seconds without speaking.

Bai Yuan felt somewhat uneasy.

He had worked out this explanation himself.

The Worldbearing Coreflame carried the power of laws and stood at too high a level. No Soul Spirit in this world was worthy of it.

Rather than forcibly merging it with a Soul Spirit that would hold it back, it would be better to let it grow on its own.

He just did not know whether Leng Yaozhu would believe him.

After a moment of silence, Leng Yaozhu slowly spoke. "Condense a Soul Spirit by itself?"

There was no doubt in her tone, only contemplation.

"This is the first time I've heard of it." She stood and walked over to Bai Yuan, lowering her head to look at the Core Flame in his palm. "But..."

She suddenly chuckled and shook her head.

"In ten thousand years, what Martial Souls have not appeared? Martial Souls that can condense their own Soul Spirits are rare, but they are not entirely impossible."

She straightened, her tone returning to calm. "Some Martial Souls are of such high quality that ordinary Soul Spirits truly are unworthy of them. Rather than force them to merge with an incompatible Soul Spirit, it is better to let them grow on their own."

Bai Yuan froze.

Wasn't that exactly what he had just been thinking?

Leng Yaozhu watched his stunned expression, the corner of her lips lifting slightly. "What, did you think your teacher wouldn't believe you?"

"No, no..." Bai Yuan hurriedly shook his head.

"The Spirit Pagoda's records mention similar Martial Souls."

Leng Yaozhu said evenly, "There are not many, but they do exist.

"There are usually two possibilities for Martial Souls of this kind.

"Either their quality is exceptionally high, and ordinary Soul Spirits cannot bear them; or their attributes are unique, and no matching Soul Spirit exists in the world."

She looked at the Core Flame in Bai Yuan's hand, her gaze profound. "Your Core Flame likely has both."

Bai Yuan nodded thoughtfully.

Leng Yaozhu turned and walked toward the door. After taking two steps, she stopped and spoke without looking back. "Since the Core Flame does not need a Soul Spirit, then let it be.

She tilted her head and glanced at Bai Yuan. "However, when it comes to spiritual power, you must keep a close handle on it yourself."

Warmth filled Bai Yuan's heart, and he nodded forcefully. "Understood! Thank you, Teacher!"

"Come, let's test your Soul Skill." Leng Yaozhu came back to herself and said expectantly.

"My first Soul Skill—Stride to Deliverance!"