As Mu En's guidance delved deeper and deeper, the surprise and delight in his heart grew ever stronger.
The secrets Xu Tianyao carried were far more astonishing than he had initially imagined.
At such a young age, Xu Tianyao had already condensed a special Soul Core within his body.
Although that Soul Core was not a traditional one used to store Soul Power, but was more like a central hub sustaining the cycle of the sun and moon.
Even so, it was still a Soul Core.
A realm that normally only Titled Douluo, or even high-ranking Titled Douluo, were qualified to touch.
Beyond that, what Mu En found even more unbelievable was the pair of Sunlight Martial Soul and Bright Moon Martial Soul.
After several months of observation.
He had finally begun to grasp the true essence of these two Martial Souls.
The Sunlight Martial Soul contained Ultimate Fire.
The Bright Moon Martial Soul, meanwhile, nurtured Ultimate Ice.
And deep within these two entirely opposing powers, there was also a trace of nearly imperceptible destructive and spatial power.
These four supreme attributes could actually coexist perfectly within one body.
Even with Mu En's centuries of experience, he had never seen such heaven-defying Martial Souls.
He even had a vague feeling.
If their cultivation levels were equal.
Even himself at his peak, perhaps even together with Long Xiaoyao, might not have been able to suppress this youth possessing dual ultimate attributes and Twin Sun Moon Martial Souls.
Of course.
Mu En's wholehearted guidance of Xu Tianyao was not merely to nurture him.
He was also conducting research.
Researching Xu Tianyao's unprecedented cultivation system.
Twin Martial Souls... could actually be cultivated simultaneously.
They cycled through one another, complementing and supporting each other.
Their cultivation efficiency far surpassed that of ordinary soul masters, more than merely doubling it.
This had completely overturned the cultivation understanding of Douluo Continent for tens of thousands of years.
If he could derive a cultivation method suitable for soul masters with Twin Martial Souls from it.
Then the cultivation speed of all Twin Martial Soul users would undergo a qualitative leap.
And Shrek Academy's greatest abundance was precisely genius.
In the future, once someone with Twin Martial Souls joined the academy.
They would have the chance to replicate Xu Tianyao's cultivation path.
In that way, Shrek's overall foundation would rise to an entirely new height.
For this very reason.
Mu En's regard for Xu Tianyao had long since gone beyond the cooperation they had agreed upon.
More importantly, he saw something he wanted in this youth.
For Xu Tianyao, exchanging only a few promises for a Limit Douluo's personal cultivation guidance.
No matter how one looked at it, this was a guaranteed profit.
Even though he knew perfectly well that Mu En also intended to make use of him.
So what?
Mu En was already a dying man with little lifespan remaining. As long as their interests aligned, there was no need for him to fuss over such matters.
Not to mention that he knew how the future would unfold. Upon careful thought, everything seemed to be under his control.
However, what truly impressed Xu Tianyao was Mu En's attainments in the path of Martial Souls.
Especially his understanding of Soul Power circulation, Martial Soul origins, and cultivation techniques, which had almost reached the pinnacle.
Compared to the Sun Moon Empire's development system centered around Soul Tools, Shrek Academy's foundation in Martial Soul cultivation indeed possessed irreplaceable advantages.
Over these past few months, Mu En had conducted countless deductions regarding his Twin Sun Moon Martial Souls and ultimately helped him refine an entirely new method of Soul Power circulation.
Building upon that, Xu Tianyao thoroughly integrated his understanding of Yin Yang Duality into it.
Drawing upon the mutually generating and complementing nature of solar and lunar qi, as well as the circulation of yin and yang, he reorganized the Soul Power pathways within his body, greatly improving both his cultivation speed and combat techniques.
Yet it was precisely because of Mu En's theoretical proposal that a bold concept gradually took shape in Xu Tianyao's mind.
It was still about Soul Cores.
More precisely, two completely different Soul Core development paths.
The Solar Soul Core and the Lunar Soul Core.
Although he now possessed the Sun Moon Twin Soul Core, it was not used to enhance or store Soul Power. It merely served as an aid, so its overall amplification was not particularly strong.
According to his plan, he would focus on cultivating the Sunlight Martial Soul for now. Once he reached the Soul Sage realm in the future, he would first condense his first Soul Core, using Solar Soul Power as its core and making it the central hub for storing and circulating his Soul Power.
After breaking through to Titled Douluo, he would begin completing all the Soul Rings for the Bright Moon Martial Soul.
At that time, as the Bright Moon Martial Soul became fully perfected, the Lunar Soul Core corresponding to the Solar Soul Core would naturally condense as well.
One yin and one yang, the two Soul Cores would correspond to one another, each independent yet cycling through each other.
And the third Soul Core...
Xu Tianyao already had an idea for it as well.
If he truly succeeded, he intended to use the principle of the mutual generation of the two polarities to attempt condensing a true Yin-Yang Complementary Twin Soul Core.
It was simply that such a step was still far too distant from where he stood now.
One had to eat one bite at a time and walk one step at a time.
It was still too early to consider such things.
As a powerful wave of Soul Power slowly spread from within his body.
With the support of the Golden Ancient Tree's dense life energy, Xu Tianyao finally broke through to level forty in his third month after arriving at Shrek Academy.
This signified that he had officially entered the Soul Ancestor realm.
Now, he only lacked the final Soul Ring before becoming a true four-ringed Soul Ancestor.
However, before acquiring his fourth Soul Ring, there was one matter that needed to be fulfilled.
It was part of the deal he had reached with Mu En back then.
Xu Tianyao slowly withdrew his Martial Souls, adjusted the Soul Power within his body, then walked before Mu En and cupped his hands slightly.
"Your Excellency Dragon God."
"According to our original agreement, once I broke through to Soul Ancestor, I could begin resolving that matter for your academy."
"Now, it is time for me to fulfill my promise."
"Please have Your Excellency Dragon God send someone to bring that person here."
Even now, Xu Tianyao still insisted on addressing Mu En as "Your Excellency Dragon God."
It was a reminder for both of them.
He was constantly reminding himself.
From beginning to end, the relationship between himself and Mu En was nothing but a transaction.
Each took what he needed. Nothing more.
He absolutely could not allow Mu En's influence over these past few months to gradually sway his mindset, or even make him develop a sense of belonging toward Shrek without realizing it.
After all...
In his view, Shrek's most heaven-defying and incomprehensible quality was its ability to brainwash people.
Namely, their ideology of Shrek glory.
Over these past few months, Xu Tianyao had personally witnessed how the elders, deans, and even teachers gradually instilled the academy's ideals into every student.
Even he had to admit that method, subtle as spring rain soaking silently into the earth, was extraordinarily brilliant.
Sometimes, he would even stand nearby and observe carefully, analyzing the techniques involved and quietly learning from them.
After all, controlling hearts and minds was itself a profound discipline.
For someone destined to hold a high position in the future, such an ability was, in some respects, hardly inferior to cultivation talent.
Douluo Continent did not consist solely of love-struck fools.
What was truly frightening were those whose thoughts had been completely molded, yet who still believed every choice they made came from their own heart.
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