With the hard-won spirit illusion grass tucked close, Ye Lingyun carefully left the Misty Forest. Along the way, he endured his exhaustion and injuries, his heart brimming with hope for the future. After returning to the Ye Family, he went straight to his quarters, shut the door tightly, and began studying how to use the spirit illusion grass to guide martial soul mutation.
He placed the spirit illusion grass on the table and examined it closely. About the length of his palm, it shimmered with a dreamlike blend of purple and green. Crystalline light flickered at its tip, as though it held endless mysterious power. Ye Lingyun knew that ancient texts contained very few accounts of using spirit illusion grass to induce martial soul mutation, and most were vague. He would have to find his own way.
Ye Lingyun first sifted repeatedly through the knowledge of martial soul mutation he had gained from the Library Pavilion's ancient texts, trying to find a method that suited the properties of spirit illusion grass. He recalled a passage stating that martial souls were closely connected to Spiritual Power, and that special ways of circulating Spiritual Power might be the key to triggering martial soul mutation. He decided to begin by adjusting its circulation route.
Ye Lingyun sat cross-legged, took a deep breath, and slowly closed his eyes, entering a meditative state. He guided the Spiritual Power within his body along a route he had never tried before. The process was like groping forward in darkness, every step filled with uncertainty and danger. One careless move could send his Spiritual Power out of control and irreversibly damage his meridians. Yet with unwavering will, Ye Lingyun remained focused on controlling its flow.
Once his Spiritual Power had circulated to a certain point, he slowly opened his eyes and picked up the spirit illusion grass. He brought it close to his nose, gently inhaling its strange fragrance while drawing his Spiritual Power toward it. In an instant, the spirit illusion grass trembled faintly, as though tugged by some unseen force, and released wisps of gentle light.
At the sight, Ye Lingyun swiftly circulated his Spiritual Power, enveloping the light and guiding it into his meridians. Yet the moment the light merged with his Spiritual Power, a powerful, unfamiliar force erupted inside him. Like a wild horse that had broken its reins, it charged wildly through his body. His meridians felt as though they were burning in fierce flames, the pain excruciating.
But he gritted his teeth, forcing his mind to remain clear as he struggled to guide that force into harmony with his own Spiritual Power. Time crawled by in agony. Beads of sweat covered Ye Lingyun's forehead, and his entire body shook from the pain. After an unknown stretch of time, the raging force finally began to settle, merging with his Spiritual Power.
Ye Lingyun breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to check whether his martial soul had mutated, he suddenly felt another disturbance in his Spiritual Power. This time, as though answering some summons, it surged madly toward the sea of consciousness where his martial soul resided. His heart tightened. He hurriedly focused his mind, guiding the Spiritual Power steadily into his sea of consciousness.
When the Spiritual Power entered his sea of consciousness, Ye Lingyun saw his martial soul. Once dim and nearly dissipated, it now slowly released a faint glimmer under the nourishment of his Spiritual Power. As that glimmer flickered, its outline seemed to grow clearer. Ye Lingyun was overjoyed. His experiment had worked.
Yet the changes in his martial soul did not stop there. As Spiritual Power continued pouring in, strange patterns began appearing around it. Resembling ancient runes, they radiated a mysterious aura. Ye Lingyun studied them closely, trying to decipher the information they contained.
Just then, Ye Lingyun suddenly felt a powerful surge of mental energy emerge from his martial soul and resonate intensely with his consciousness. Within that resonance, he seemed to glimpse an entirely new world, one filled with the mysteries of Spiritual Power and the true essence of martial souls.
Immersed in that wondrous sensation, his understanding of martial souls rose to an entirely new level without his noticing. He realized that a martial soul was not merely a vessel for power, but an existence intimately bound to a cultivator's soul and will. Only when soul, will, and Spiritual Power merged perfectly could its formidable power truly be unleashed.
When Ye Lingyun emerged from that wondrous state, he was delighted to discover that his martial soul had not been damaged by his earlier experiment. Instead, it had become more stable, and its faint glimmer had grown brighter. Though it had yet to undergo any substantial mutation, he knew he had found the right direction.
In the days that followed, Ye Lingyun continued delving into methods of martial soul mutation. Aside from cultivating, he spent each day searching the Library Pavilion for more ancient texts on martial souls. He discovered that different martial souls possessed different traits, which were often closely tied to a cultivator's personality, experiences, and cultivation methods.
Ye Lingyun began considering what direction his martial soul should take if it were to mutate. Combining his experiences as a scientist in his previous life with everything he had seen and heard on the Lingxi Continent, he gradually formed a bold idea: he wanted his martial soul to unite wisdom and strength, possessing not only formidable offensive power but also unique analytical and adaptive abilities.
To achieve this goal, Ye Lingyun began placing greater emphasis on training his mental energy outside his regular cultivation. Through meditation, perception training, and other methods, he steadily increased its strength. At the same time, he tried incorporating the scientific thinking of his previous life into his understanding and control of his martial soul.
During one cultivation session, inspiration suddenly struck Ye Lingyun. He wondered whether he could use mathematical models to calculate the exact paths of Spiritual Power within his martial soul, allowing him to guide its mutation more effectively. He began constructing complex mathematical models in his mind, incorporating the martial soul's structure, the properties of Spiritual Power, and every factor that might influence them.
After countless calculations and adjustments, Ye Lingyun finally found a theoretically viable model for circulating Spiritual Power. Eager to test it, he began guiding Spiritual Power through his martial soul according to the model. This time, although it did not provoke a reaction as intense as before, he could clearly sense his martial soul undergoing subtle changes in the direction he desired.
As time passed, Ye Lingyun's control over his martial soul became increasingly adept. He discovered that applying the scientific thinking of his previous life allowed him to perceive the subtle connections between his martial soul and Spiritual Power more keenly, and thus adjust his cultivation methods with greater precision. This distinctive approach gradually brought him to prominence among the Ye Family's younger generation.
During a gathering where the Ye Family's younger disciples exchanged insights and sparred, Ye Lingyun easily defeated several capable disciples through his unique understanding and control of his martial soul. His performance drew the attention of several elders in the Ye Family. One elder, named Ye Xuanfeng, took a particular interest in him.
Elder Ye Xuanfeng approached Ye Lingyun and asked about his cultivation insights. Ye Lingyun was wary, but he also knew this was a rare opportunity. After a little thought, he selected some insights he could safely disclose and shared them with Elder Ye Xuanfeng. The elder praised him highly, believing his understanding of martial souls had already surpassed that of many of the Ye Family's core disciples.
To encourage Ye Lingyun, Elder Ye Xuanfeng decided to grant him special privileges. He permitted him to enter the second floor of the Ye Family Library, where many intermediate martial skill manuals and records of martial soul cultivation insights were kept. Ye Lingyun was overjoyed. This would undoubtedly be an enormous help.
Upon entering the Library Pavilion's second floor, Ye Lingyun felt as though he had stepped into a treasure vault of knowledge. He devoured every manual with ravenous hunger, absorbing the knowledge within. Among the many manuals, an ancient text titled the Martial Soul Spiritual Intelligence Enlightenment Record caught his attention.
The book explained in detail how special cultivation methods could endow a martial soul with a degree of spiritual intelligence, allowing it to interact more closely with its cultivator and thus unleash greater power. Ye Lingyun realized this was precisely the crucial knowledge he had been seeking.
He spent a great deal of time studying the ancient text, combining its cultivation methods with his earlier insights. After repeated deliberation and experimentation, Ye Lingyun finally devised a martial soul cultivation regimen suited to himself.
After following this regimen for some time, Ye Lingyun was delighted to discover more pronounced changes in his martial soul. The strange patterns on its surface grew clearer, and its light shone ever more brightly. Moreover, whenever he circulated his Spiritual Power, he could distinctly sense that his martial soul seemed to possess a consciousness of its own, working with him in greater harmony.
Ye Lingyun knew he had taken another step toward his goal of martial soul mutation. But he also understood that the road ahead remained full of challenges. To increase his strength further, he decided to begin practicing a new martial skill while continuing to cultivate his martial soul.
On the Library Pavilion's second floor, he selected an intermediate martial skill called the Star-Splitting Void Sword Technique. Renowned for its fierce sword moves and powerful bursts of Spiritual Power, it could draw upon Star Power and tear through the void when cultivated to an advanced level. Attracted by its tremendous might, Ye Lingyun resolved to master it.
However, cultivating the Star-Splitting Void Sword Technique was no easy task. It demanded extremely precise control of Spiritual Power, as well as a strong physique and formidable willpower. Ye Lingyun understood the difficulties, but he never considered backing down.
He first spent a great deal of time familiarizing himself with the sword moves, practicing each one repeatedly until he could execute it with flawless precision. Meanwhile, he used supplementary cultivation methods to strengthen his physique and Spiritual Power. He encountered numerous difficulties during his training. Unstable Spiritual Power, physical exhaustion, and mental strain all made him consider giving up at times.
But whenever he thought of his goal and those who had once looked down on him, his fighting spirit blazed anew. He continually adjusted his cultivation methods, seeking ways to break through his difficulties. After countless attempts and failures, Ye Lingyun finally began to grasp the essence of the Star-Splitting Void Sword Technique.
As his proficiency with the sword technique grew, Ye Lingyun's strength increased dramatically. His standing among the Ye Family's younger generation also rose, and many disciples began seeing him in a new light. Yet he did not grow arrogant or complacent. He knew that on the Lingxi Continent, he was still an insignificant figure.
To test his strength, Ye Lingyun decided to participate in a small martial tournament the Ye Family would soon hold. The event would bring together many outstanding members of the family's younger generation, offering an excellent opportunity to display his abilities and forge connections. Through the tournament, he hoped to assess the results of his recent cultivation while gathering more resources for his future cultivation path.
While preparations for the tournament were underway, Ye Lingyun continued training diligently. He not only refined the Star-Splitting Void Sword Technique but also kept strengthening his martial soul. He knew this tournament would be an important step toward greater heights, and he had to give it his all...
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