Sun Moon Royal Academy, resource exchange.
As the Sun Moon Empire's most elite Soul Engineer academy, it not only provided students with materials for making all kinds of Soul Tools, but also sold pills and potions that aided cultivation.
The most popular among the students was the Soul Ascension Pill.
Developed by the Sun Moon Empire to aid Soul Power cultivation, this pill promoted the growth of Soul Power after consumption, helping Soul Masters shorten the time they needed to cultivate.
However, pills were ultimately an external aid. Taking too many would affect the body and reduce one's potential. Even so, they remained highly sought after among Soul Masters in the Sun Moon Empire.
"I'd like to buy ten Soul Ascension Pills," Xiao Yan said to the staff member at the counter.
"Ten?" the staff member asked in confusion. "Are you sure you understand what Soul Ascension Pills do?"
"Yes, I've learned about them in detail," Xiao Yan replied.
"All right. Since you understand, let me remind you of a few precautions. If you take Soul Ascension Pills consecutively, you must pay attention to how your body absorbs their medicinal power. If your Soul Power stops circulating smoothly or you feel unwell, stop immediately."
"I understand." Xiao Yan nodded.
Naturally, he understood that all medicine was poison to some degree. Pills could provide an additional boost to cultivation, but they couldn't replace a Soul Master's own accumulation. If he disregarded what his body could bear in pursuit of a short-term breakthrough, the loss would outweigh the gain.
But since he dared to exchange for ten Soul Ascension Pills, he naturally had something to rely on.
Heavenly Flames!
Bone Spirit Cold Flame.
As the Bone Spirit Cold Flame continued to merge with his body, it would be no exaggeration to say that his body had now taken the form of a Heavenly Flame.
So, no matter what pill he took, it was impossible for any residual toxins to remain in his body. They would all be burned away by the flames, leaving only the purest part.
A moment later, the staff member handed Xiao Yan a medicinal bottle containing ten Soul Ascension Pills.
Xiao Yan paid 100,000 Gold Soul Coins by card and took the pills.
For the time to come, Xiao Yan planned to make an all-out push for level 50.
Intermediate cultivation room.
The academy also provided students with various cultivation rooms: low-grade, intermediate, high-grade, and special-grade. Each had a Soul Gathering formation of a different level, which could gather Soul Power and help Soul Masters absorb it.
The intermediate cultivation room was equipped with a level 4 Soul Gathering formation. Given Xiao Yan's current status, it was the best cultivation space he could rent.
As for high-grade cultivation rooms and above, an instructor's permission was required.
Inside the cultivation room, Xiao Yan took out a Soul Ascension Pill and examined it in his palm.
The Soul Ascension Pill was pale gold all over, with fine markings on its surface and a mild medicinal fragrance.
Still, Xiao Yan estimated that he should be able to completely refine the pill within three days of cultivation.
After sitting down cross-legged, Xiao Yan cleared his mind of distracting thoughts and swallowed a Soul Ascension Pill.
The pill melted in his mouth, rapidly turning into a stream of heat filled with pure energy that flowed slowly through his meridians.
He then circulated the Flame Mantra, and white flames emerged from his body.
Compared with the efficiency of his usual seated cultivation, the Soul Power supplied by the pill was more concentrated and abundant, greatly accelerating his accumulation of Soul Power.
However, the pill did not contain only pure energy. Many invisible impurities were also burned out in the Gu Ling Dragon Flame, rising in wisps of black smoke.
The flames surrounded Xiao Yan without spreading. At the same time, each time the flames circulated, his presence grew a little stronger.
Time passed slowly as he cultivated.
On the second day of his secluded cultivation, Xiao Yan had already completely absorbed and refined one Soul Ascension Pill.
That single Soul Ascension Pill had increased his Soul Power by roughly thirty percent!
After leaving seclusion, Xiao Yan continued attending his Soul Tool studies classes.
The days passed as he went back and forth between the classroom and the cultivation room.
The Soul Ascension Pills dwindled one by one.
By the time he took the fourth Soul Ascension Pill, Xiao Yan's Soul Power was infinitely close to level 49.
However, as he continued taking the pills, their medicinal effect also diminished.
In the Sea of Consciousness, Tian Meng couldn't help speaking up.
"Xiao Yan, haven't you been pushing yourself too hard lately? You attend classes during the day and cultivate at night. You even cultivate during your breaks. Is there really such a rush?"
Without opening his eyes, Xiao Yan replied in the Sea of Consciousness, "I need to make use of every advantage I have to improve my strength."
"Come on, brother, you can't keep this up forever! Even though the medicinal power of the Soul Ascension Pills has been thoroughly dealt with, Soul Power still needs to be accumulated over time. You can't expect to pile it all the way up to Titled Douluo just by eating pills, can you?"
"I'd love to eat pills and pile my way up to Titled Douluo..."
Xiao Yan joked, lightening the serious subject a little.
"I just want to reach level 50 as soon as possible."
Hearing this, Tian Meng said no more.
The Ice Empress asked, "Xiao Yan, have you made any progress with fusion lately?"
"Some, I suppose." Xiao Yan nodded slightly. "I've found that when a Soul Skill is activated, the way Soul Power is used isn't completely fixed. The deeper a Soul Master's understanding of a Soul Skill and the finer their control over Soul Power, the greater the power of the Soul Skill they can unleash."
"It seems that mastering Soul Skills is also a prerequisite for Ring Fusion..."
The twenty-fourth day.
"I finally broke through..."
In the intermediate cultivation room, Xiao Yan stopped circulating the Flame Mantra, and the Bone Spirit Cold Flame immediately withdrew into his body.
His handsome, dashing face was full of a relaxed smile after his hard cultivation had borne fruit.
For nearly a month, he had left early and returned late every day, spending all his time outside of class cultivating in the intermediate cultivation room.
Even so, it had taken him almost three weeks to break through to level 49.
Besides his progress in Soul Power, Xiao Yan had also made tremendous progress in making Soul Tools. It was all thanks to his photographic memory and the absolutely calm thinking his Ultimate Ice Martial Soul gave him.
These allowed him to inscribe Soul Power circuits with ease. His current skill at inscribing them had already reached the level of a Level 1 Soul Engineer.
And all this had taken less than two months; he had already achieved what took an ordinary person one or two years.
In the original story, Huo Yuhao had also taken nearly half a year to become a Level 1 Soul Engineer, while He Caitou had taken eight months.
Of course, this only showed that he had a talent for making Soul Tools. After all, becoming a Level 1 Soul Engineer was a process of accumulation.
Only Soul Engineers above level 3 needed a greater understanding of Soul Tool production and a mind for research and development to reach that level.
"I've already mastered all the basic theory of Soul Tools. It's time to ask Teacher Wang to help me skip a grade..."
Xiao Yan had made his plans.
Since he had mastered it all, he certainly couldn't keep wasting time on the basic courses.