A Brand-New Eight-Part Light Wheel

My Chovy! Wasn't this a Soul Core?

Although Mu En had never told Lu Yuan about Soul Cores, Lu Yuan had read the script!

After listening to Mu En's guidance, Lu Yuan immediately grasped the crux of the matter and understood Mu En's true intention.

Mental guidance, Soul Power compressed and spun—wasn't that basically a youth mini-version of a Soul Core?

Granted, whether in Soul Power or spiritual power, Lu Yuan was still far from forming a true Soul Core. But once he followed this line of thought to reshape and master the Eight-Part Light Wheel Soul Skill, it would be equivalent to gaining countless opportunities to simulate a Soul Core outside his body in advance!

Moreover, if Lu Yuan truly reconstructed this Soul Skill in this manner, it would mean that the upper limit of the Eight-Part Light Wheel had been raised by a considerable margin.

In Lu Yuan's vision, the reconstructed light wheel could be released directly to attack enemies, or it could be charged in his hand like a Rasengan. The longer it charged, the greater its power. After all, a Soul Core absorbed the ambient external Soul Power drifting through heaven and earth. Naturally, an Eight-Part Light Wheel modeled after a Soul Core could possess the same function. Of course, the difficulty of controlling it would also be much higher.

Inspired, Lu Yuan no longer hesitated. With Mu En standing guard beside him, there would be no danger or accidents. He immediately focused his mind and began experimenting on the spot.

The first attempt: condensed spiritual power, guided Soul Power, failed. The second attempt: while using Soul Power to envelop the core of spiritual power, his control became unstable, failed. The third attempt... the fourth attempt...

Lu Yuan became completely immersed in his own world, undisturbed by anything outside it and oblivious to the passage of time.

As Lu Yuan immersed himself in his burst of inspiration, Mu En waved a hand and completely shut out all outside interference. Then he said calmly, "Xuan Zi, there's no need to hide there. Come out."

"Elder Mu!" Xuan Zi answered solemnly. Though he was still somewhat drunk, he had already put away the roasted chicken and wine gourd in his hands. Before this highly respected martial uncle, Xuan Zi displayed a seriousness rarely seen in him.

Unable to find Mu En at Sea God's Pavilion, Xuan Zi had guessed from Mu En's usual habits that he would likely be sunning himself in the Outer Court dormitory area. So he had come here and witnessed the scene before him.

"This is— a Self-Created Soul Skill? It even has the rudiments of a Soul Core?" Looking at the Soul Power vortex in Lu Yuan's hand, which constantly condensed and dispersed, Xuan Zi's discerning eye as a Rank 98 powerhouse immediately spotted the key issue. "Elder Mu, did you tell him about Soul Cores?"

"No. This is a Self-Created Soul Skill he comprehended on his own. I merely offered a few pointers based on his foundational framework." Hearing Xuan Zi's astonishment, Mu En smiled as he praised Lu Yuan's talent, then asked, "Xuan Zi, what brings you to me?"

"Elder Mu, if nothing unexpected has happened, it should be about this child." Lu Yuan's pure aura of light and Soul Elder cultivation could not be faked. If there was anyone in the Outer Court whom Mu En would value so highly, it should be him.

Then, Xuan Zi briefly told Mu En how Wang Yan had come to him and how he had learned that Lu Yuan was suspected of possessing Ultimate Light.

"That's right. Lu Yuan truly possesses Ultimate Light." After learning Xuan Zi's purpose, Mu En replied, "Compared with my Radiant Saint Dragon and Shaozhe's Radiant Phoenix, the Elemental Envoy Martial Soul is innately purer and naturally closer to Ultimate Light. Coupled with his exceptional talent, attaining Ultimate Light was never particularly difficult."

"Then, since this child has Ultimate Light and has already reached the cultivation of a Soul Elder, Elder Mu, have you..." Watching Mu En's expression, Xuan Zi gave him a probing look.

One had to know that the last time Shrek had produced a Soul Master with an ultimate attribute was during wartime. It was precisely that Ultimate Fire Soul Master who had led Shrek through the encirclement and preserved its legacy.

Now, the continent was in turmoil. The Sun Moon Empire watched with covetous eyes, and Soul Tools developed at a breathtaking pace. Who knew whether it was fate that a child of Ultimate Light had appeared once more at Shrek Academy—and that within the academy stood Mu En, a Limit Douluo whose attribute was so perfectly compatible and who could guide this child along the path of cultivation.

However, taking a master was always one of the most important matters on the Douluo Continent. Once a master-disciple bond was established, the relationship between the two would be even closer than that of biological father and son. Mu En's status was also exceptional. As the current master of Sea God's Pavilion and the strongest person in Shrek Academy, no one could force him to make any decision, much less one as significant as accepting a disciple. If it were someone else—if Yan Shaozhe were here—Xuan Zi would not care whether he was willing. Even if he had to beat him, he would make Yan Shaozhe agree wholeheartedly and ensure he taught Lu Yuan properly with absolute dedication, even unto death.

Of course, if Mu En was unwilling to take another disciple, Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe could still teach him. But they knew their own limitations. In terms of Martial Soul attributes, Xuan Zi could not teach Lu Yuan much. If he became Lu Yuan's teacher, he would be more of a protector than a guide. As for Yan Shaozhe, setting aside his own issues, he also had Ma Xiaotao, his somewhat—well, somewhat unhinged eldest disciple, who was deeply troubled by Evil Fire. If one day her Evil Fire overwhelmed her mind and she lost control, causing some tragedy of fellow disciples turning on one another, it would be far too late for regrets.

So no matter how one looked at it, the best choice of master was still Mu En.

Xuan Zi's probing caused Mu En to fall silent for a while.

Today's Shrek could be said to be in the awkward position of having no one to carry on from the older generation. The elders, such as himself, had little lifespan remaining. Meanwhile, people like Xuan Zi and Shaozhe all had problems with their state of mind. As long as they could not escape the confines of their own hearts, their cultivation would not advance. Looking across Shrek's senior ranks, the one who seemed most normal was actually Song Lao, Song Yun Zhi, the Rank 97 Divine Eagle Douluo whose Martial Soul was the Azure Eagle Divine Eagle.

(PS: The novel never mentioned Song Lao's name, and her title was "Divine Eagle." In the anime, she was called Song Yun Zhi and her title was "Azure Shadow.")

However, Song Lao's seventh, eighth, and ninth Soul Rings were all Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings. Reaching Rank 97 was already no easy feat for her; in this lifetime, reaching the limit was basically impossible.

Among the younger generation, Yan Shaozhe's disciple Ma Xiaotao suffered greatly from Evil Fire. Though her talent was outstanding and her attribute had already approached Ultimate Fire, if she continued cultivating without regard for Evil Fire's influence, it was highly likely that it would backfire on her. She might even be corrupted by evil energy and fall into becoming an Evil Soul Master.

There was even less need to mention people like his great-grandson Beibei, who were still in the Outer Court suffering through the trials of love.

Looking around, among Shrek's younger generation, only Zhang Lexuan was truly extraordinarily gifted and stood above the rest, fully deserving of her title as the eldest senior sister of the inner courtyard.