Soul Resonance

In this era on the Douluo Continent, there were no pills that could aid Soul Masters in their cultivation.

The most they made of medicinal ingredients was through medicinal meals and baths.

Thus, Qian Renxue was also curious about what was special about the pills Jiang Li refined.

"Pills, especially low-grade ones, can increase cultivation speed to some extent, but once you take enough of them, not only will you develop resistance, they will also clog your meridians and reduce your potential."

"So when the ingredients aren't of a high enough grade, even if you have to choose medicinal baths, whose absorption efficiency isn't particularly good, to aid your cultivation, don't take large quantities of pills."

"This Paradise Light Flower you gave me counts as a relatively high-grade ingredient. It already contains some planar laws. Once its impurities are removed and it's combined with the appropriate supporting medicinal ingredients, the pills refined from it won't affect a person's potential."

Since Qian Renxue was interested, Jiang Li explained the details to her.

It was not that he had never considered using external means to improve his innate talent before, but the ingredients he had encountered were all of ordinary grades. Thus, during this period, he had devoted more effort to researching medicinal baths and potions.

Even when he occasionally refined pills, he sold them for gold coins.

With the ten-thousand-year Paradise Light Flower Qian Renxue had brought, this would count as his first time truly refining high-quality pills.

"Want to try your hand at it?"

After setting up a magic array with sacred light power to guide fire elemental power into helping him refine a batch of relatively simple pills that replenished internal spiritual power, Jiang Li turned his gaze toward Qian Renxue beside him.

Since Qian Renxue was interested, he would let her help with the refining.

Most importantly, Qian Renxue's Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul inherently possessed the fire attribute, her mental power far exceeded his, and she had the Angel Head Soul Bone to assist her. Having her help would make things easier.

He only needed to stay beside her and keep the rhythm under control at all times.

Still, he had to let Qian Renxue practice first. Even if she was only going to assist him, it would be best for her to gain some experience.

"May I?"

Seeing Jiang Li refine pills just like that immediately piqued Qian Renxue's interest.

It looked quite simple. Wasn't it that difficult?

But once she tried it herself, she discovered that things did not seem so simple.

Even though she was only assisting and Jiang Li was taking the lead, she still botched things many times. Controlling the flames alone was a major challenge for Qian Renxue.

If Jiang Li had not taken her through two and a half months of training before this, things might have been even worse.

Of course, this was not solely a problem with Qian Renxue herself. It was also a problem with the Martial Soul cultivation system.

Cultivation on the Douluo Continent was, in fact, quite simple and straightforward: pile up resources.

Once their soul power reached a certain level, they could acquire Soul Skills simply by seizing Soul Rings from Soul Beasts. There was no need to study or comprehend them; they gained mastery directly.

In battle, they merely had to activate their Soul Skills, using their own soul power to guide and release the predetermined Soul Skills stored within their Soul Rings.

Whether it was Feng Xiaotian's Self-Created Soul Skills or the so-called secret arts of the Clear Sky Sect, to some extent, they were all secondary developments of Soul Skills and Martial Souls, not truly Self-Created Soul Skills.

There were two reasons for this. The first was the convenience of the Soul Master cultivation system. With an easy, swift path available, why rack their brains researching other things?

The other, most crucial reason was the restriction imposed by planar rules.

On the Douluo Continent, bound by planar rules, truly mastering Self-Created Soul Skills was very difficult, unless they were products of another world.

This was also why Qian Renxue had been able to learn Holy Light Flash so quickly.

However, the rules of the Douluo Plane only restricted the path of Soul Masters.

But they were now on the Holy Demon Continent, and besides being a Soul King, Qian Renxue was also a Fourth Order Knight.

Thus, under Jiang Li's guidance, Qian Renxue soon mastered the degree of control needed over the flames, as well as the timing of various steps.

"It really worked..."

Looking at the pill glowing faintly in her hand, Qian Renxue was very happy.

That sense of accomplishment radiated from within.

At this moment, Qian Renxue was a little less cold, a little less inclined to hold others a thousand miles away, and showed a little more of the natural emotion a girl her age should have.

"Get a little more familiar with it, then we'll try refining the pills we need."

Seeing this, Jiang Li merely smiled calmly, then guided Qian Renxue through refining pills as though coaxing a child.

Every time she succeeded, Jiang Li gave her ample emotional encouragement.

Seven days later, once everything was ready, Jiang Li and Qian Renxue finally began refining pills from that ten-thousand-year Paradise Light Flower.

Rather than saying Qian Renxue took the lead, it would be more accurate to call her a fire-tending attendant, while Jiang Li was the one directing everything.

There was no helping it. They only had one ten-thousand-year Paradise Light Flower. If they wasted it, it would truly be gone.

Everything that followed proceeded steadily. After all, they had already discussed every step, and all preparations were in place.

As long as nothing unexpected happened, they would successfully refine the pills.

What they feared came to pass, and something unexpected soon happened.

Over these seven days of refining pills together, the two had spent every day together, their spiritual power intertwining. Without realizing it, they had fallen into an indescribably profound resonance.

Their spiritual power blended, and their minds resonated.

The two entered a state of sudden enlightenment, which could be considered an initial stage of Heaven-Man Unity.

In this state, whatever they did was done on instinct.

Their consciousness sank into it, and they could no longer control themselves.

During cultivation, entering such a state would count as a considerable opportunity. The same held true in battle: their strength could double, and their coordination could become as seamless as a heavenly robe.

But right now, they were refining pills. Even Jiang Li himself did not know how that would turn out.

After an unknown amount of time, when Jiang Li regained some clarity, his internal spiritual power had increased by a full sixty points, reaching one thousand seven hundred and eighty, which counted as a breakthrough to the Fourth Order Ninth Level.

"Was it because of the blood pact?"

Jiang Li glanced at Qian Renxue, who had likewise regained consciousness.

"Partly because of the blood pact, and partly because our spiritual power fused. On the continent I come from, this state is called a Martial Soul Fusion Skill."

"I can clearly sense that once our cultivation advances further and our connection grows a little closer, we'll be able to control that state of resonance whenever we wish, and do so while fully conscious."

Qian Renxue thought for a moment before giving her conclusion.

Her strength had also improved this time. Most importantly, she could feel that her mind was exceptionally clear now. This was the sensation of a dramatic increase in mental power.

"Oh no, my pills..."

Jiang Li was just about to examine his own condition when something suddenly occurred to him, and he immediately grew anxious.

He hurriedly inspected the pill furnace.

Although improving his strength was a good thing, if his pills were ruined, that would truly be a loss.

After all, that was a Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Medicine.

"This..."

Opening the pill furnace and seeing six pills lying inside, radiating a rich aura of light, Jiang Li froze.

Perfect. Utterly perfect.

The pills had formed even more perfectly than he had anticipated.

"Heaven-Man Unity?"

After a moment's thought and a careful examination of his current state, Jiang Li understood.

In that state just now, although they had temporarily lost conscious control, they had inadvertently achieved perfect coordination.

That did make sense.

Their spiritual power blended and their souls resonated, allowing them to unleash greater power in battle. Working together during pill refinement had likewise produced a result where one plus one was greater than two.

"Let's call it the Light Spirit-Nurturing Pill!"

Taking out the six pills, Jiang Li gave Qian Renxue two.

He planned to keep two for himself. With their help, these two pills would be enough to help him break through to the Fifth Order before the Demon Hunt Squad selection.

Of the remaining two, one would go to his teacher, Ye Hua, and the other to his junior fellow disciple, Long Haochen.

Qian Renxue did not refuse. She could clearly sense that these pills would be enough to restore what she had previously expended and allow her to advance even further.