Three years later.
Mingdu, Mingde Hall.
Beneath a massive metal dome, dozens of Soul Tool workbenches stood in neat rows, intricate Soul Power circuits crisscrossing their gold-and-white metal surfaces.
Soul Power glowed in various colors as it flowed slowly along the circuits. Whenever a light suddenly flared, a deep mechanical rumble followed.
A youth in red-and-white robes stood before a workbench, a slender carving knife in his hand as he concentrated on working a piece of rare metal.
He looked no older than fifteen or so, with a tall, sturdy build, yet his expression held a composure beyond his years.
As his knife descended, fine lines appeared across the metal's surface.
When he finished the final stroke, the previously dim Soul Power circuit suddenly lit up. More than a hundred nodes connected in sequence, ultimately forming a stable closed loop.
"Seventeenth attempt, success."
Xiao Yan felt a weight lift from his heart. He put away the carving knife and set the metal component aside.
He glanced at the experiment record board beside him, where the results of his latest experiment were recorded.
Before he knew it, three years had passed.
Three years were enough for everything to undergo earth-shaking changes.
Xiao Yan had now become the personal disciple of Kong Deming, master of Mingde Hall, as well as a Level 6 Soul Engineer.
Such a rate of growth was without equal across the entire continent.
Of course, that did not mean Xiao Yan had mastered all the knowledge a Level 6 Soul Engineer needed.
The Soul Tool system was vast and complex. Advancing in rank required not only sufficient Soul Power, but also a solid theoretical foundation, extensive crafting experience, and an understanding of Soul Power circuits and core principles. For now, he could only make a single defensive Level 6 Soul Tool.
Kong Deming's demands of him were far stricter than those he placed on ordinary Soul Engineers.
From processing metal materials at the beginning, to designing core arrays later on, and finally to researching energy conduction and stability in high-level Soul Tools, Xiao Yan had spent three years conducting experiment after experiment.
Fortunately, it had all been worthwhile.
The inspiration he had gained from Soul Power circuits back then had now taken shape as his own Ring Fusion Soul Skill.
His strength, too, was no longer what it had been.
"Xiao Yan."
An aged yet steady voice came from the laboratory doorway.
Xiao Yan turned and saw an old man in dark robes standing there.
Hearing this, Xiao Yan turned around and saw his teacher standing there in dark robes.
Kong Deming's hair and beard were white, and his figure was somewhat thin. His face bore the marks of the years, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's and still often showed their edge.
"Master, what brings you here?"
Xiao Yan put down what he was holding and stepped forward to pay his respects.
"Researching circuit combinations?"
Kong Deming needed only one glance at the metal component on the workbench to know what Xiao Yan was doing.
"Yes. I'm trying to combine Soul Power circuits of different attributes to see if they can produce other effects. I readjusted some of the nodes, but so far, it seems difficult to make different combinations."
"Give me the experimental data." Kong Deming took the record board Xiao Yan handed him.
He studied it carefully for a moment, his expression gradually growing serious.
After reading it, he did not immediately offer an assessment. Instead, he walked over to the workbench and personally examined the metal component.
"Not bad. At least you haven't wasted your time on meaningless attempts."
That was already considerable praise.
In Kong Deming's eyes, Xiao Yan's most valuable quality was that he never grew arrogant or complacent. Despite his talent, he remained diligent, taking each step with his feet firmly on the ground.
Taking Xiao Yan as his personal disciple had been an excellent decision.
"Put your research aside for now. Weren't you preparing to advance?"
As Kong Deming spoke, he returned the record board to him.
"Mingdu hasn't been very peaceful lately. You've probably heard about it."
Xiao Yan's eyes flickered. "Master, did you help me apply for that thing?"
"That's right."
Kong Deming nodded.
The Snow Empress Embryo!
At the thought, Xiao Yan's gaze sharpened slightly.
Three years ago, when he had first entered the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, his Soul Power had been only level forty-seven.
Since then, he had studied Soul Tools while cultivating the Flame Mantra. With the help of the Bone Spirit Cold Flame and his own accumulated cultivation, his Soul Power had gradually risen.
His Soul Power had now reached level seventy. He needed only one more Soul Ring to formally enter the Soul Saint realm.
For him, the Seventh Soul Ring was the most important step before him.
The Seventh Soul Ring meant a Martial Soul Avatar, and it also meant that his overall strength would undergo a qualitative transformation.
The Snow Empress Embryo was a target he had long had his eye on.
The Snow Empress was foremost among the Three Great Heavenly Kings of the Far North. With a cultivation nearing seven hundred thousand years, she was one of the foremost Ultimate Ice attribute Soul Beasts.
According to the original story's timeline, Jin Hongchen of Mingde Hall had bought the Snow Empress Embryo at auction more than three years ago, and it had been kept in the core research lab deep within Mingde Hall ever since.
After becoming Kong Deming's personal disciple, he naturally had permission to enter and leave that place.
No one else knew how to use the Snow Empress Embryo; only Xiao Yan did.
Although he had designs on the Snow Empress Embryo, he would not say so outright.
After breaking through to level seventy, he had told his master, Kong Deming, what he had in mind a month ago: he wanted to try absorbing the embryo and see whether it could help him advance.
Given Xiao Yan's status, obtaining the embryo was merely a matter of going through the formalities.
After all, the embryo had been studied for three whole years without any discoveries, and now Xiao Yan was willing to experiment with it.
Both sentiment and reason called for his proposal to be given careful consideration.
Besides, it might not be long before the Body Sect came to attack Mingde Hall.
Of course, all that lay in the future. He could hardly treat himself as a prophet and reveal everything.
"Since you've already broken through to level seventy, this matter can't be delayed any longer."
Kong Deming's gaze fell on Xiao Yan.
This disciple not only made him proud, but also made him feel he could entrust his legacy to him and let him continue down the path he himself had yet to finish.
"However, before we begin in earnest, I have a few questions for you."
"Please go ahead, Master."
"You should know that the hundred-thousand-year embryo is no ordinary Soul Beast embryo. Mingde Hall has studied it for three years and invested a great deal of resources, yet we still haven't found a stable way to handle it."
"Although we can keep the embryo alive, the power it contains is extremely unstable. If it's mishandled, the consequences could be irreparable."
At this point, Kong Deming's expression grew more serious.
"I know you want your Seventh Soul Ring to be a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring. I can understand that. But you must tell me: just how confident are you?"
Xiao Yan fell silent for a moment.
Besides the help of the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and the Ice Empress, he had the Bone Spirit Cold Flame and the Flame Mantra. He was seventy to eighty percent confident.
"Master, if you're asking whether I'm absolutely certain, then no, I'm not."