Lightfire: Peak Level 91! Tuoba Xi Attempts to Form a Soul Core

Three days later, in the Secret Chamber behind the Holy Dragon Sect.

Tuoba Xi strode out.

The air around him radiated faint heat. A pale golden dragon pattern shimmered along his right arm, and he looked invigorated, unable to hide the delight in his eyes.

Yin Changqing and Yin Yu had been waiting in a pavilion outside the Secret Chamber.

When Tuoba Xi emerged, they rose to greet him.

"Grandfather, judging by how you look, refining the Spirit Bone went quite smoothly?"

Yin Changqing studied Tuoba Xi with a smile.

"Haha!

Better than smoothly!"

Tuoba Xi laughed heartily and raised his right hand. At a thought, golden-white flames surged from his palm.

A scorching wave spread at once, distorting the surrounding air with its heat. A majestic, sacred aura emanated from the flames.

"The twenty-thousand-year Golden Earth Dragon King Right Arm Bone didn't just boost my Soul Power by nearly a full level. It also came with an exceptionally powerful Spirit Skill:

Lightfire!"

Tuoba Xi's Soul Power Level had reached the peak of level 91.

He was not far from level 92.

Tuoba Xi withdrew his Soul Power, and the flames in his palm gradually died out. His voice brimmed with admiration.

"This Lightfire is extraordinary.

It isn't simply fire. It contains the Golden Earth Dragon King's pure light and draconic might.

When added to my White-Armored Earth Dragon's defenses, it strongly counters anything sinister, poisonous, or dark.

And in close combat, I can drive its blazing light into an enemy's body, burning their meridians and Soul Power!"

Yin Yu nodded slightly and offered his assessment.

"Your White-Armored Earth Dragon favors physical defense and strength, Father-in-law. With Lightfire, your combat power has risen by at least thirty percent.

Against Titled Douluo who specialize in insidious techniques, it will be especially devastating."

Appreciation showed in Yin Changqing's eyes as well.

"The Golden Earth Dragon King possesses both the earth dragon's ferocity and the sanctity of light.

With this spirit skill, Grandfather, you'll have no weakness in either attack or defense, even against assault-type Titled Douluo."

Tuoba Xi turned to Yin Yu, his eyes burning with anticipation.

"Yin Yu, I've fully mastered the Spirit Bone.

Now it's time to talk about that Soul Core."

"Come with me, Father-in-law."

Without another word, Yin Yu gestured for them to follow. The three returned to the most heavily guarded Secret Chamber behind the mountain.

The Secret Chamber door closed heavily once more, and its soundproofing and perception-blocking soul-tool arrays were fully activated.

Yin Yu sat cross-legged on the stone bed, with Tuoba Xi opposite him. Yin Changqing stood quietly to one side, ready to protect them and add anything needed.

"Father-in-law, you're now a level 91 Titled Douluo. All your Soul Power has long since turned liquid."

Yin Yu's expression grew solemn as he came straight to the point.

"The first and most dangerous step in forming a Soul Core is disrupting the sea of Soul Power that normally flows peacefully within you.

You must force your immense spiritual power into motion and create a rapidly spinning Soul Power vortex in your Dantian."

Tuoba Xi listened intently and nodded several times.

"Changqing mentioned the idea before.

But there's an enormous amount of liquid Soul Power. If I force it to spin that fast and lose control, won't it explode inside me and shatter my Meridians?"

"That's precisely the danger."

Yin Yu held out two fingers, black light gathering at their tips.

"Most people fail because they rush, trying to pull all their Soul Power into the vortex at once.

What I learned was this: use the Layered Guidance Method.

First, use your spiritual power to separate a small amount of pure liquid Soul Power and form a tiny central vortex.

It must spin fast enough to generate a pull toward its center!

Once that miniature vortex develops a stable pull, draw in the surrounding liquid Soul Power layer by layer, like peeling an onion in reverse, and compress it.

Throughout the process, your spiritual power must act like a floodgate, holding down the violent turbulence at the vortex's edge."

Tuoba Xi looked thoughtful.

"Draw it in layer by layer, starting small and building outward... I see!

I kept thinking it was too dangerous to set all my Soul Power moving at once. I can establish a core first!"

Yin Changqing added from the side.

"Grandfather, there's one more crucial point.

When liquid Soul Power is compressed into a solid, it resists with terrifying force.

You can't simply crush it with brute force. You have to find the balance between the inward and outward forces of its rotation.

The instant it reaches the critical point, drive your spiritual power sharply into it and make it crystallize!

Once the first thread of Solid-State Soul Power appears, the rest will follow naturally."

Tuoba Xi's eyes shone as he listened, and he slapped his thigh in admiration.

"Between the two of you, you've explained this profound, dangerous breakthrough so clearly!

With your experience to guide me, I'd have wasted all these years if I still didn't dare try!"

"I'll stay here and protect you, Father-in-law."

Yin Yu spoke gravely.

"I've already formed a Soul Core, so I know exactly how its Soul Power fluctuations change.

If the vortex inside you shows any sign of going out of control, I'll immediately pour in my level 95 Soul Power to suppress it."

"Good!"

Tuoba Xi hesitated no longer. He closed his eyes, clasped his hands before his Dantian, and slowly began circulating his Soul Power.

The atmosphere in the Secret Chamber turned tense.

Dense white light enveloped Tuoba Xi, and the phantom of a White-Armored Earth Dragon flickered behind him.

Following the Layered Guidance Method Yin Yu had taught him, Tuoba Xi carefully drew a thread of pure liquid Soul Power from the sea of energy in his Dantian.

He unleashed the full force of his spiritual power!

Under Tuoba Xi's vast mental control, that thread of Soul Power began spinning rapidly at the center of his Dantian.

Whoosh—whoosh—

Even inside the Secret Chamber, they could hear a faint howl of wind coming from within Tuoba Xi.

The miniature vortex quickly took shape and began pulling inward!

A bead of sweat appeared on Tuoba Xi's forehead, but he remained focused and steady. He began drawing the vast liquid Soul Power around him into the vortex, ring by ring.

Compress!

Compress it further!

Two hours passed.

The Soul Power around Tuoba Xi began to surge wildly. The once-calm air turned violent, and a low hum rose from the stone walls throughout the Secret Chamber.

"It's reached the critical point."

Yin Changqing's gaze sharpened as he spoke softly.

Black light stirred around Yin Yu. He was ready to intervene at any moment.

Tuoba Xi's face suddenly flushed. He clenched his teeth, and the meridians throughout his body bulged!

In his Dantian, the vast vortex of liquid Soul Power had been compressed to its limit. Like a sun on the verge of exploding, it fought against the final step of solidification.

*Now!

Gather for me!*

Tuoba Xi roared inwardly. He focused all his spiritual power into an invisible hammer and slammed it down upon the very center of the vortex!

Boom—!

A muffled vibration erupted from within Tuoba Xi.

The violent fluctuations of Soul Power stopped dead in that instant!