When Feng Qingxuan and his group returned to the Godwind Academy, it was already evening of the fifth day.
Li Ji bid farewell to everyone at the city gate and returned to the logistics department to catch up on sleep. Dugu Bo went straight to the herb garden behind the academy as soon as he got off the carriage, muttering that he wanted to see if his precious poisonous herbs had been picked clean by that brat Feng Lingtian.
Chen Xin paused for a moment at the academy gate, then nodded slightly to Feng Qingxuan: "Now that things are settled, I should head back. The sect leader needs someone with him."
Feng Qingxuan clasped his hands in thanks. "Many thanks to Sword Douluo for his assistance. Please convey to Sect Master Ning Godwind Academy will remember this kindness."
Chen Xin nodded slightly, then turned and drifted away. He was the Guardian Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect Douluo, whose core duty was to protect Ning Fengzhi's safety. The fact that he could take these few days to come to the Star Dou Great Forest to help was already an exception made out of respect for Ning Fengzhi.
Feng Qingxuan stood at the academy gate, watching Chen Xin's figure disappear into the twilight. He straightened his blood-stained clothes and stepped into the academy.
News of his return spread quickly. In less than half an hour, the brothers Feng Xiaotian Feng Lingtian arrived at his study one after the other.
"Father, did it work?" Feng Xiaotian asked as soon as he entered the door.
Feng Qingxuan nodded. "Level 93. Title: Azure Wind."
Feng Xiaotian clenched his fist tightly. Feng Lingtian also breathed a sigh of relief.
"However, there was indeed an unexpected incident in the middle," Feng Qingxuan said. "The backlash from the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring was much more ferocious than expected. The two Yang-Restoring Pill protected my heart meridian, but my meridians were almost ruptured. In the end, Senior Dugu used his own natal toxin to stabilize my meridians, which allowed me to survive the absorption."
Feng Xiaotian frowned. Feng Lingtian also raised his head.
" The Yang-Restoring Pill not the meridians," Feng Lingtian pondered for a moment, "It's not very effective in this kind of situation; the Yang-Restoring Pill be used to save lives."
"The problem isn't with the pills," Feng Xiaotian continued, "But with the different capacities of each person's meridians. Pills are external forces, while meridians are one's own."
"That's right." Feng Qingxuan nodded. "Medicines can provide temporary relief, but the ability of the meridians to withstand the effects is fundamental."
Dugu Bo walked in from outside, holding a freshly picked purple herb in his hand.
He overheard the conversation between the father and sons at the door, and as he walked in, he chimed in, "Well said. If it were Yang-Restoring Pill and my bloodletting this time, the consequences might have been very different."
But what if next time, it's an ordinary Soul Master without any Immortal Herb herbs or Titled Douluo protectors? How would he cope? How would he resolve the conflict of Soul Power?
The atmosphere became heavy. Neither Feng Xiaotian Feng Lingtian spoke—they had considered this question before, but had never found an answer.
Dugu Bo casually placed the purple herbs on the table, then suddenly remembered something and turned to Feng Lingtian: "Hey, Lingtian, that Soul Core you made before, wasn't it specifically for strengthening the dantian and meridians? Can we use it here?"
Feng Lingtian was slightly taken aback, then began to think seriously. He hadn't thought about it from this perspective before—the original purpose of the Soul Core was to improve the endurance and explosive power of Soul Power, and nourishing the meridians was just a side effect.
But Dugu Bo's words also make sense; if nourishing the meridians is the core value of the Soul Core, then what?
"We can give it a try." Feng Lingtian raised his head, his tone extremely excited. "The principle of the Soul Core is to compress Soul Power into the dantian to form a rotating core."
This core continuously nourishes the meridians during its rotation, making them more resilient. If Soul Core is condensed before attempting to obtain a high-level Soul Ring, the meridians' capacity can be increased by at least 30%.
Feng Lingtian paused for a moment, then continued, "Moreover, according to my theoretical deductions, after the Soul Core is successfully condensed, the Soul Power Level will be significantly improved."
The Soul Power in the dantian is compressed into a core, and the Soul Power that was originally scattered in the meridians will be concentrated and utilized. This process itself is a breakthrough.
More importantly, once the Soul Core is formed, it will slowly rotate on its own, even in an unconscious state, such as during sleep or daily walking, absorbing the surrounding Soul Power of heaven and earth and continuously nourishing the meridians.
In other words, after condensing the Soul Core, one can cultivate even while sleeping.
Upon hearing this, Feng Xiaotian raised an eyebrow—cultivating even while sleeping meant a qualitative leap in overall cultivation efficiency.
Dugu Bo put down his crossed legs and spat out the grass stems from his mouth.
" Qingxuan, I can testify for Lingtian on this matter." He raised his right hand, palm facing up, and a dark green light condensed in his palm, which in a moment transformed into a thumb-sized, rapidly spinning dark green sphere.
The surface of the sphere was covered with fine, poisonous patterns, emanating a chilling sense of oppression, but that power was firmly contained within the sphere, without leaking out in the slightest.
"See? This is what Lingtian helped me sort out using that Soul Core theory. The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor's toxins were originally running rampant throughout my body. He used the Soul Core method to help me compress, gather, and rotate the toxins—now the toxins are no longer chaotic, and my control over them is at least 30% stronger than before."
"The reason I can accurately use poison to seal your throats without harming you in the Star Dou Great Forest is because of this." Dugu Bo clenched his five fingers, and the dark green sphere dissipated into the air. "This is called Soul Poison Pill, and it's the same as the Soul Core."
Therefore, Lingtian's claim that the Soul Core can strengthen meridians and increase endurance is absolutely true; I've personally experienced it."
Feng Qingxuan watched the dark green light dissipate from Dugu Bo's palm and remained silent for a moment. He had witnessed firsthand how potent Dugu Bo's poison was in the Star Dou Great Forest.
If Dugu Bo's poison used to be like an overwhelming fog, wide in range but lacking precision, then his current poison is wide in range, spreads faster, is more precise, and is more deadly.
Feng Xiaotian stared at Dugu Bo's hand for a while, then turned to Feng Lingtian: "Brother, can we also condense this?"
"Yes." Feng Lingtian answered without hesitation, but after a pause, he added frankly, "However, to be honest, currently only Senior Dugu has tried using Soul Core in practice, and his situation was special."
He is Titled Douluo, and his control over Soul Power far surpasses that of ordinary people. But theoretically speaking, the method of condensing the Soul Core in the dantian and compressing Soul Power to form a core is one that I am over 90% confident of succeeding on anyone.
Feng Qingxuan looked at his son and slowly asked, "You mean, you want all the core members of the inner courtyard to condense their Soul Core?"
"Yes. After taking the Heart-Sealing Pill, teach them one by one. If all goes well, it can be completed within half a month. While each person condenses their Soul Core, their Soul Power Level should see a significant breakthrough—the exact breakthrough will vary from person to person, but theoretically it will not be less than two levels."
" Heart-Sealing Pill?" Dugu Bo raised an eyebrow. "The secret pill you mentioned last time? It means you can't tell anyone after taking it?"
"Yes. The Soul Core is the academy's top secret, Heart-Sealing Pill ensures it won't be leaked."
Dugu Bo nodded and didn't ask any further questions.
Feng Qingxuan did not make a decision immediately. He walked to the window and looked at the sky outside, which was gradually darkening.
On the training ground, several figures were still practicing in the darkness. Shi Yan stood in the center of the training ground, repeatedly honing his Martial Soul, sweat dripping from his forehead and hitting the stone slabs beneath his feet.
Beside him, Bai Yu sat on the veranda, gently Wind Chime chime. The crisp sound of the chime echoed in circles in the night, as if keeping time for him. The other core members did not return to their dormitories either. They were scattered around the training ground in twos and threes. Some were rehearsing tactics, while others were quietly adjusting their breathing. No one spoke, but no one left either. They were all silently keeping Shi Yan.
The one-year agreement has been set, and although there seems to be plenty of time, Shi Yan needs to make the leap from being "questioned" to "silencing everyone with his strength" within this period, and not a single day can be wasted.
Feng Qingxuan turned around, his eyes filled with determination.
" Xiaotian," Feng Qingxuan looked at Feng Xiaotian, "You are the captain of the inner courtyard, so you will be in charge of organizing this matter. All core members of the inner courtyard will take the Heart-Sealing Pill, and Lingtian will teach them the method of Soul Core condensation."
Feng Xiaotian straightened up. "Yes."
Outside the window, the sound of bells from the training ground still echoed softly in the night.