Jin Jiuxiao had been able to start compressing and refining his soul power so early largely because of his powerful physique.
Ordinary soul masters had frail bodies in the early stages, with limited endurance.
Their total reserves of soul power were also exceedingly small, making it difficult to withstand the pressure brought on by compressing and refining it.
Once their soul power had been refined to the critical threshold, they could begin attempting to condense a soul core.
They would use spiritual power to control it within their dantian, creating a soul power vortex and steadily increasing its rotational speed.
They would continually pour fresh soul power into it, compressing it further and further.
Eventually, it would form a stable energy core that sank into the dantian-a soul core.
A soul core could automatically absorb soul power from the surroundings and supply it to the soul master.
This was equivalent to carrying a Charge Bank wherever they went, leaving them with almost no need to worry about running out of soul power.
And with higher-quality soul power, every move they unleashed would become more powerful.
A Titled Douluo with a soul core and one without were simply on different levels of strength.
If Jin Jiuxiao could condense his first soul core at level fifty, it would greatly benefit his future cultivation.
His strength would also grow even greater.
"I understand, Uncle Di Tian."
"That's what I was planning, too." Jin Jiuxiao's thoughts were actually the same as Di Tian's.
Di Tian nodded. "Good. As long as you have a plan."
"Oh, Uncle Di Tian, I'm planning to take Uncle Xiong and the others out for a while."
"We're going to look for a treasure land. Uncle Xiong may need to guard it for some time."
Jin Jiuxiao took the opportunity to tell Di Tian about this as well.
He still needed to let Di Tian know before borrowing a ferocious beast.
Although, even if he simply asked Xiong Jun to come, Di Tian would not stop him.
"Stay safe." Di Tian said little else, merely reminding Jin Jiuxiao to be careful.
He did not care where Jin Jiuxiao had obtained the information.
Since Jin Jiuxiao wanted to seek it out, it had to be an opportunity that would help him.
The need to bring Xiong Jun suggested that the treasure land had most likely been occupied by a powerful human.
If soul beasts occupied it, Jin Jiuxiao would only need to tell him, and he could settle the matter.
There would be no need to go to such extra trouble.
"All right."
After bidding Di Tian farewell, Jin Jiuxiao returned to the lake's surface.
He called Xiong Jun and the others over. "Uncle Xiong, Sister Bi Ji, Sister Zi JI, we're heading out for a while."
Zi JI immediately realized that they were going to the "treasure land" he had mentioned before.
She still remembered it.
Jin Jiuxiao had said that after she went there, she might be able to double her cultivation.
Aside from his powerful true form, the reason Xiong Jun was stronger than her was that his cultivation was much higher.
Hell Demon Dragons were not the slightest bit weaker than dark gold terrorclaw bears.
Xiong Jun was the king of the dark gold terrorclaw bears, but wasn't she, Zi JI, also the queen of the Hell Demon Dragons?
With equal cultivation, she was confident she would be no weaker than Xiong Jun.
At that thought, Zi JI could hardly wait.
"What are we waiting for? Let's get going." Zi JI immediately transformed into her true form as the Hell Demon Dragon King. "Get on my back. We'll fly there."
With a single step, Jin Jiuxiao flew onto Zi JI's back and sat down, patting the dragon's body beneath him. "Sister Zi JI, don't rush. You can't eat piping-hot tofu in a hurry."
"We'll still have to search once we get there."
Xiong Jun and Bi Ji also took their places behind Jin Jiuxiao, one after the other.
"Look how excited Zi JI is. What kind of wonderful place are we going to?" Xiong Jun's curiosity was thoroughly piqued.
Bi Ji also looked at Jin Jiuxiao curiously.
"Uncle Xiong, Sister Bi Ji, do you know about immortal herbs?"
Bi Ji nodded gently. "I do."
"The Myriad Demon King once devoured an immortal herb."
"Immortal herbs are naturally attuned to the spirit. From the moment they sprout, they possess intelligence nearly equal to that of ordinary soul beasts."
"They also contain extremely rich nutrients, making them tremendously nourishing for all soul beasts and human soul masters."
"That herb was one variety of immortal herb."
When the Myriad Demon King was "young," he had merely been a high-ranking plant soul beast.
Then, by chance, an immortal herb had sprouted beside him.
After he completely devoured and refined it, his constitution, attributes, and potential had all been strengthened and enhanced, catapulting him into the ranks of top-tier plant-type soul beasts.
Only then had he eventually become one of the ferocious beast kings.
It could be said that without that immortal herb, there would be no Myriad Demon King as he was today.
"Such supreme immortal herbs, nurtured by heaven and earth, can only be encountered by chance, never sought at will."
"As long as an immortal herb's attributes don't clash with ours and its effects don't run counter to what we need..."
"It's a rare and tremendously nourishing treasure even for ferocious beasts like us."
Bi Ji quickly realized why Zi JI was so eager. "Could our destination have something to do with immortal herbs?"
Immortal herbs were not useful only to humans.
They were equally useful to soul beasts.
Even though they were already ferocious beasts, consuming and refining an immortal herb would still nourish them greatly.
If it was an immortal herb suited to Zi JI, her excitement would be no surprise.
"It does have something to do with immortal herbs. As for the details, you'll find out once we get there, Sister Bi Ji."
Claiming the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was not merely about snatching Tang San's opportunity out from under him.
The Myriad Demon King's example had already proven that immortal herbs offered unparalleled opportunities to soul beasts as well.
Again, he knew those opportunities and threats existed.
If he, Jin Jiuxiao, still did nothing, he would truly be no different from a stupid dog.
As for disrupting the original plot, causing it to diverge, and losing the advantage of knowing what would happen?
Jin Jiuxiao did not care about that at all.
From the moment he arrived on the Douluo Continent, the plot had already begun to deviate from the original.
Anyone who worried about such things was simply weak!
Strength was the only truth!
When you were strong enough, even the world would bow before you.
Under Jin Jiuxiao's guidance.
Zi JI carried the three of them through the air above the heart of the Sunset Forest.
Jin Jiuxiao gazed down at the scenery below. "Sister Zi JI, let's descend. It should be somewhere nearby."
"Let's look around."
"No problem." Zi JI plunged straight down, instantly slowing as she neared the ground and landing smoothly.
Once all three had climbed off her back, Zi JI returned to human form.
Jin Jiuxiao looked around. "Let's search the central area for a mountain hollow shrouded in poisonous miasma."
"Our destination is called the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well."
"Once you see what it looks like, you'll definitely recognize it."
The other three all nodded and began searching the surrounding area.
In the end, Bi Ji was the one who called the other three over.
Pointing at a mountain hollow filled with the smell of sulfur and swirling hot mist, she said, "The poisonous miasma here didn't form naturally."
"We'll know whether this is the place once we go inside."
At those words, Bi Ji spread a soul power barrier, keeping the poisonous mist outside.
They headed deeper in together.
When Xiong Jun pushed aside the last clump of brambles, the view suddenly opened up.
Within this mountain hollow lay an entirely different world.
The surrounding rock walls sloped inward, and an oval pool lay quietly at their center.
Jin Jiuxiao's eyes lit up. "This is it."
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