Yin-Yang Complementary Twin Soul Cores

He immediately picked up the second jade vial.

This jade vial was slightly larger than the previous one, containing a drop of golden liquid. The liquid was as thick as honey but not sticky, flowing slowly within the vial and radiating a warm, majestic aura.

Radiant Primordial Chaos Grass.

This thing had almost vanished from the outside world. Only a single stalk remained at the Icefire Yin Yang Well. Its essence neither increased soul power nor strengthened the body; it had only one effect—enhancing the strength of one's martial soul.

Yan Jingzhe poured that drop of golden liquid into his palm.

The moment the liquid seeped into his skin, he felt his heart thump violently. Then, his entire body seemed to ignite, every cell emitting golden radiance. The Light Phoenix martial soul awakened within him—not because he had summoned it, but because that energy had activated it. It eagerly and greedily began absorbing the golden liquid of its own accord.

He could feel his martial soul undergoing some sort of transformation.

It was like sharpening a dull blade anew, or placing a saddle on a fine steed. The Radiant Phoenix Martial Soul had always been his most fundamental power, and now it was being "reinforced"—the Phoenix's wings grew more solid, the power of light steadily rose, and the majesty belonging to a top-tier divine beast multiplied severalfold.

This process lasted a long time.

So long that Yan Jingzhe had no idea how many hours had passed outside, so long that fine beads of sweat formed on his forehead, so long that he could feel every inch of bone in his body trembling faintly.

But it was worth it.

When he opened his eyes again, he discovered that the light power within him had become at least fifty percent denser than before. That fifty percent was not to be underestimated. Yan Jingzhe's light power had already been at the highest level, and this increase had directly transformed it into Ultimate Light.

His martial soul was now an Ultimate Light Phoenix. How could he not be delighted?

He took a deep breath, steadied his mind, suppressed the last remnants of energy, and opened his eyes again.

The light within the tree hollow had completely dimmed. Only the flowing golden glow on the wooden walls provided faint illumination. Yan Jingzhe did not know whether it was deep night or dawn, but he could feel that his condition had been adjusted to its peak.

His spiritual sense was abundant, his martial soul had evolved, his soul power was full, and his vitality was ample.

He closed his eyes and focused all his attention inward.

What came next was the true core of this secluded cultivation.

Condensing Yin-Yang Complementary Twin Soul Cores.

The normal cultivation method for a Titled Douluo was to condense a Soul Core at the dantian, then use it as the center to circulate soul power and increase cultivation. But Limit Douluos were different. One Soul Core was no longer enough. Truly top-tier experts would condense two Soul Cores within their bodies, forming a Soul Core system that balanced and supplemented each other.

His teacher, Mu En, had taken the In-Phase Resonant Soul Core Path. Though that path was decent, it was not the strongest or best.

But Yan Jingzhe did not want to take that path. He possessed the Ultimate Light attribute of the Light Phoenix, and his body had also absorbed the Ultimate Life force of Life Gold.

Therefore, Yin-Yang Complementary Twin Soul Cores were imperative.

He had already planned it out. One Soul Core would govern Ultimate Light, while the other would govern Ultimate Life, allowing them to rotate around each other like a Taoist taiji diagram and reach a state of endless regeneration.

If he succeeded, then after breaking through to Limit Douluo, his combat strength would surpass his teacher Mu En's and reach the same level as the Beast God, Di Tian.

If he failed...

Yan Jingzhe did not think about failure.

He took a deep breath and began circulating his soul power.

Golden light power gathered from every corner of his body, slowly converging toward his dantian. It felt like countless streams flowing into the sea—slow at first, then faster and faster, increasingly turbulent.

His dantian seemed to become a bottomless pit, greedily devouring all the soul power. More than half the energy in his meridians was drained away. His body began to grow cold, and his hands and feet went slightly numb, but Yan Jingzhe did not stop.

He knew this was normal.

The process of condensing a Soul Core was one of "compression." It required gathering the soul power originally scattered throughout the body into a single point, compressing it again and again until its density became high enough for quantitative change to produce qualitative change.

He gritted his teeth and desperately drove his soul power toward his dantian.

The time it took to drink a cup of tea passed.

The time it took for an incense stick to burn passed.

He did not know how much time had passed. It seemed to vanish altogether.

As for Yan Jingzhe, all his attention was fixed on his dantian. Intense swelling pain came from there, as if something was about to break free from its shell. He did not dare relax. He continued driving his soul power, forcefully suppressing that increasingly condensed mass of energy at the center of his dantian.

Then, he "heard" it.

Crack.

A faint, crisp sound, like an eggshell splitting open.

Immediately afterward, a force of Ultimate Light erupted from his dantian and swept through his entire body in an instant. Golden radiance burst from within him, illuminating the entire tree hollow as brightly as day. The phantom of the Light Phoenix appeared behind him uncontrollably, crying out toward the heavens with its wings spread wide.

The corners of Yan Jingzhe's lips curved upward.

He had succeeded.

The first Soul Core had fully transformed into Ultimate Light power.

At the center of his dantian, a thumb-sized golden sphere of light slowly rotated, radiating warm and majestic light power. That Soul Core seemed alive. With every rotation, it absorbed the surrounding particles of soul power, converted them into golden energy, and sent it through the meridians throughout his body.

Yan Jingzhe could feel his body changing.

It was not an increase in power, but an all-around leap. The barrier between Rank 98 and Rank 99 had once been a thick wall. Now, a crack had appeared in that wall, and it was slowly widening bit by bit.

Seizing the momentum, he began condensing the second Soul Core.

This time, he did not use light power. Instead, he mobilized another force within his body.

This was the Ultimate Life energy brought by Life Gold.

After he had absorbed it, a portion of its essence had not yet completely fused with him.

Now, Yan Jingzhe slowly drew out that power and infused it into the second Soul Core.

Making it rotate in tandem with the first Soul Core.

The light power seemed to encounter its natural companion and began moving toward that force of its own accord. The two energies spiraled, entwined, and merged within his dantian, like two fish biting each other's tails, forming a perfect cycle.

Yan Jingzhe's spiritual power operated at full force as he carefully guided the process.

It could not be too fast. Too fast, and it would lose control.

It could not be too slow. Too slow, and all his previous efforts would be wasted.

Again and again, he adjusted the proportions and flow rates of the two energies, like finely tuning a precision instrument. With every adjustment, that cycle became more balanced and smoother.

Gradually, the prototype of the second Soul Core began to emerge.

It was a point of light the same size as the first Soul Core, pale cyan in color and radiating a gentle yet cold aura. It slowly revolved with the first Soul Core, like a planet orbiting a star. With each revolution, the two energies merged a little more, becoming increasingly harmonious and attuned.

Yan Jingzhe's forehead was already covered in sweat.

He did not know how long he had held on, but he knew he had reached the most crucial stage. The prototype of the second Soul Core had already condensed, but if he could not make it fully take shape, it would soon dissipate, and all his previous efforts would come to nothing.

He clenched his teeth and poured all his spiritual power into his dantian.

Then, he heard the second sound.

Crack.

The second Soul Core had taken shape.