Xie Yue asked curiously, "What was that final layer of golden light around you? Even my Moon Blades couldn't break through it?"
Gui Yuan smiled. "It's my fourth Soul Skill, Singular Velvet Golden Body Chrysanthemum."
"After consumption, it grants immunity to any form of attack for three seconds."
Xie Yue fell silent for a moment, then sighed. "Three seconds of invincibility... that Soul Skill of yours is a little ridiculous."
Gui Yuan scratched his head. "It's all right, it's all right. The storage time is just a little short-only two days."
Even the somewhat aloof Xie Yue couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from twitching when he heard that.
"If other Food System Soul Masters heard you say that, you'd probably get beaten up."
"Do you think two days is short? Your first three Soul Skills can all be stored for a month. That's what's strange."
Gui Yuan curled his lips. "It's fine. Let them hear it. They can't beat me anyway."
Xie Yue: "..."
That made so much sense that he couldn't refute it.
Yue Guan stood on the steps, watching the two shake hands and make peace in the square, the corners of his mouth rising uncontrollably.
"This kid really has something."
Gui Mei said evenly, "Xie Yue isn't bad either. He willingly gave up the first move, clashed head-on, and wasn't angry when he lost."
"Having such a temperament among the younger generation is a blessing for Spirit Hall."
Over the next few days.
Bibi Dong resumed her attempts to condense a Soul Core.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei assisted from the sidelines, taking turns standing guard over her.
Bibi Dong's foundation was far better than theirs.
Her Level 99 Soul Power reserves, with Level 98 strength, combined with her Twin Martial Souls constitution, gave her a natural advantage in compressing Soul Power.
Next came the most critical step-compressing the cyclone into a solid.
Neither Yue Guan nor Gui Mei dared attempt this step.
But Bibi Dong did.
Because her ninth Soul Skill was Immortal Body.
If she failed, at worst, she would start over.
Over a month of repeated attempts, Bibi Dong experienced dozens of failures.
Every time the Soul Power Cyclone exploded just as it was about to solidify, Immortal Body forcibly dragged her back.
An ordinary Titled Douluo would long since have lost the courage to try again in the face of that agonizing backlash.
But Bibi Dong expressionlessly repeated the cycle of compression, explosion, and starting over.
Watching from the side, Yue Guan and Gui Mei both felt a little unnerved.
Early one morning.
Inside the Pope's Palace.
Bibi Dong sat cross-legged in the center of the great hall, her eyes tightly shut.
She took a deep breath and guided the Soul Power Cyclone in her dantian to collapse inward.
One layer, two layers, three layers.
Her Soul Power was continually compressed, its density rising higher and higher.
The cyclone spun faster and faster, its edges gradually giving off a faint crystalline sheen.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei held their breath, guarding her on either side.
Suddenly.
An extremely faint hum came from within Bibi Dong's body.
It sounded like vibrating metal, yet also like the crisp chime of crystals striking one another.
Immediately afterward, the purplish-black light around her abruptly contracted, all of it surging into her lower dantian.
A moment later, the light shone out of her body again, but its color was deeper, with a crystal-like solidity.
Bibi Dong slowly opened her eyes and lowered her head to look at her lower abdomen.
She remained silent for a long time before the corners of her mouth curved up slightly.
"It worked."
She could feel the solidified purplish-black crystal core in her dantian slowly rotating.
The Soul Power within her circulated several times faster than before!
Moreover, the Soul Core was continuously cycling on its own, absorbing energy from the outside world to replenish her expended Soul Power.
"Soul Core of Poison..." Bibi Dong murmured.
Condensed upon the foundation of her two great Martial Souls, the Death Spider Emperor and Soul-Eating Spider Emperor, the Soul Core naturally possessed a deadly poison attribute.
The Soul Core's effects were indeed significant.
However, her strength remained at Level 98. It had not brought her into Level 99.
This was not a problem with the Soul Core.
Rather, because she had accepted the Rakshasa God Trial, her strength had been suppressed from Level 99 to Level 98.
"Your Holiness, how does it feel?" Yue Guan couldn't help asking.
Bibi Dong stood and flexed her wrists. "The effects are excellent."
"Both my Soul Power circulation and recovery speeds have increased severalfold."
Gui Mei looked thoughtful. "If Yue Guan and I can condense one too, the increase in our combat strength will be considerable."
Bibi Dong said evenly, "I'll compile what I've learned. Just follow it and avoid certain risks. With your strength, you should be able to condense one successfully with ease."
The next day.
Bibi Dong summoned Gui Yuan to the Pope's Palace.
Seated in the main seat, her expression was much gentler than usual. "I've successfully condensed the Soul Core."
Gui Yuan's eyes lit up. "Congratulations, Teacher!"
Bibi Dong nodded slightly. "This theory of yours is even more valuable than I initially imagined."
"Let me ask you again. Is there anything you want?"
She looked at Gui Yuan, her gaze earnest. "Anything, as long as it's within my power."
Gui Yuan did not answer immediately, lowering his head to think for a while.
Then he raised his head and said something Bibi Dong had not expected at all.
"Teacher, could you tell the people in the Worship Hall about the Soul Core Theory?"
Bibi Dong froze.
Gui Yuan continued, "I know there's some friction between the Pope's Palace and the Worship Hall. I'm not too clear on the specifics."
"But whether it's the Pope's Palace or the Worship Hall, they're both part of Spirit Hall."
"If those grandpas in the Worship Hall grow stronger, that will also provide some security for Spirit Hall as a whole."
He spoke calmly, without taking either side.
But Bibi Dong's brows still furrowed slightly.
In truth, she was deeply unwilling. Given a choice, she would never set foot in the Worship Hall again for the rest of her life.
There were people there she least wanted to face, and things she least wanted to remember.
She remained silent for a long time.
Gui Yuan watched her with that "sincere" expression, his eyes clear and without a trace of impurity.
Bibi Dong's lips moved. The words "Could you ask for something else?" reached her lips, but she simply could not bring herself to say them.
She could not possibly tell Gui Yuan the true grievances between the Pope's Palace and the Worship Hall.
She would never be able to speak of that matter.
Besides, the Soul Core Theory was an idea Gui Yuan had developed himself in the first place.
He had the right to decide whom to share the theory with.
Bibi Dong lowered her eyes, her fingers curling slightly.
"C-could you ask for something else?" In the end, she asked it anyway.
Her voice was a little quieter than usual.
Gui Yuan blinked, putting on a puzzled look. "Why, Teacher?"
"This is my only request."
"Teacher, you said earlier that I could ask for anything..."
He lowered his head slightly, a hint of grievance in his tone. Even the rims of his eyes faintly reddened, making him look just like a child whose grown-up had broken a promise.
Bibi Dong: "..."
Looking at Gui Yuan's pitiful appearance, she suddenly felt a surge of helplessness.
This disciple of hers was usually shrewder than anyone, yet at a time like this, he pretended to be a pitiful little thing.