A Method for Forming a Soul Core-and an 18,000-Year Ironclad Tyrannosaurus?

Yin Yu smiled and waved a hand. "Father, you have plenty of Sect business to handle. Stay and take it easy there.

I've got nothing pressing to do, so Ting Xue and I can take Changqing to the Star Dou Great Forest for Soul Hunting."

Tuoba Xi stroked his beard and nodded with a smile. "True. A level 94 Titled Douluo and a level 86 Soul Douluo can go wherever they please, so long as they don't enter the forest's very heart.

I'll leave it to you two."

Yin Changqing looked at his father and grandfather, his mind already turning.

He knew the method for forming a Soul Core.

In an age when Titled Douluo generally advanced by accumulating Soul Power, a Soul Core would give any soul master an overwhelming advantage.

If his father and grandfather could form Soul Cores ahead of time, the Sect's strongest fighters would rise to another level.

But the method was too profound. Revealing it outright would invite suspicion.

He needed a convincing opening—perhaps an insight from the meeting of his Twin Martial Souls' Soul Power, or from the changes Whale Rubber had wrought in his body.

The next morning.

Yin Changqing finished a full night of meditation and slowly opened his eyes, breathing out a faint trace of stale air.

His Soul Power had broken through the bottleneck and now flowed freely through his body.

Level 40!

He stood and loosened his joints. "Finally. Now I need to hunt a ten-thousand-year soul beast for my fourth soul ring—and find a chance to bring up the Soul Core."

After breakfast, he went straight to Yin Yu and Tuoba Tingxue.

"Father, Mother, I've broken through the bottleneck. I've reached level 40."

Approval flashed in Yin Yu's eyes. "That's my boy. A twelve-year-old Soul Ancestor is unheard of across the continent.

Since you've broken through, let's go!"

Black light surged around Yin Yu.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red—Nine soul rings rose around him!

Roar!

With a deep, commanding Dragon Roar, the phantom of a huge dragon took shape, black baleful energy curling around it.

It was Yin Yu's Martial Soul: the Dark Demon Dragon.

Yin Yu pulled Tuoba Tingxue onto the dragon's head, while Yin Changqing leaped onto its back.

The dragon beat its wings, whipping up a gale as it shot into the sky. Like a streak of black lightning, it raced toward the Star Dou Great Forest.

The wind howled at that height, but the Dark Demon Dragon's Soul Power barrier kept it at bay.

Tuoba Tingxue ruffled Yin Changqing's hair, her eyes warm with amusement. "Changqing, what kind of ten-thousand-year soul beast do you want for your fourth soul ring?"

After a moment's thought, he answered, "Mother, ideally a Sub-Dragon with exceptional strength or defense. Somewhere between ten and twenty thousand years would be safest.

My third soul ring is already five thousand years old, and Whale Rubber has strengthened my body. A soul ring of around fifteen thousand years shouldn't be a problem."

Standing near the dragon's head, Yin Yu turned back. "Its age isn't the greatest hurdle. Your body can take it.

What matters is the Soul Shock a ten-thousand-year soul beast releases when it dies. You'll have to withstand that."

"Father, I have the Twin Saint Dragon Martial Soul. My spiritual foundation is far steadier than that of other soul masters at my level. Soul Shock won't stop me."

Yin Changqing smiled and steered the conversation further. "But Father, while meditating these past few days, I noticed something. Once enough Soul Power gathers in the body, letting it circulate aimlessly through the meridians isn't very efficient.

What if we found a center within the body and compressed the Soul Power there, concentrating it further and further...

Could that greatly improve both recovery and explosive output?"

Yin Yu's expression shifted. He studied his son. "Compressing and concentrating Soul Power?

It's a novel idea.

But Soul Power is extremely volatile. Compress it blindly inside the body, and it could easily turn on you and collapse."

Tuoba Tingxue looked surprised too. "Changqing, what made you think of that?"

"Something I realized while pushing through the level 40 bottleneck."

Yin Changqing kept his tone even. "At higher levels, what matters is control and endurance.

If we could compress liquid Soul Power into a solid core...

It would be like placing a constantly replenished vortex of Soul Power inside the body. The benefits could be enormous."

Yin Yu's eyes gleamed with thought. "A solid core... compressing Soul Power into a solid?

It sounds extremely difficult. But if it can be done, it might transform the speed of cultivation after reaching Titled Douluo.

Once you've absorbed your fourth soul ring, we can return to the Sect and study it together."

The corner of Yin Changqing's mouth lifted. "All right, Father."

He still remembered the formula and procedure for forming a Soul Core from the original story.

When they returned to the Sect, he would tell Yin Yu.

Once they had the method working, Yin Yu's talent would likely carry him to level 95 before long.

The Dark Demon Dragon flew swiftly. After they crossed broad plains and towns, a lush, dense forest appeared on the horizon, stretching beyond sight.

"That's the Star Dou Great Forest ahead."

Yin Yu grew serious and guided the dragon downward. "We're landing. Prepare to enter!"

The three drifted to the ground. Yin Yu dismissed his Martial Soul with a wave, and the wind it had stirred died away.

"Changqing, most ten-thousand-year soul beasts gather deep in the mixed zone."

Yin Yu surveyed the towering trees around them. "We're looking for a Sub-Dragon around fifteen thousand years old, so we'll head straight in."

Tuoba Tingxue smiled and flexed her wrists. "With your father, a Titled Douluo, here to keep them in check, ordinary ten-thousand-year soul beasts won't dare come near us.

Changqing, just choose the one that suits you best."

"Father, Mother, I'd prefer a Sub-Dragon geared toward explosive physical power or formidable defense for my fourth soul ring."

Yin Changqing spoke as he hurried deeper into the forest with them. "The Light Saint Dragon already combines light and strength. A ring granting pure offensive power or defense would make the most of the boosts from my first three soul rings."

Yin Yu nodded approvingly. "You know what you're after.

Better to push one strength to its limit than chase a jumble of unrelated abilities."

About twenty minutes into the mixed zone, Yin Yu stopped. His powerful spiritual senses swept across several kilometers.

"Found one!"

His gaze sharpened toward the northwest. "There's an Ironclad Tyrannosaurus in a valley about eight kilometers ahead. Roughly eighteen thousand years old.

It's a top-tier earth-attribute Sub-Dragon. For physical defense and charging power, few Sub-Dragons its age can match it."

"An eighteen-thousand-year Ironclad Tyrannosaurus?"