"Don't just stand there."
Qing Linyun handed her the water glass.
"I'll take you to see the Soul Spirit production line."
He led Gu Yue out of the office and walked along a long corridor.
The corridor is lined with tempered glass on both sides, through which you can see busy researchers and various instruments. Some people are typing on control panels, some are inspecting cylindrical cabins, and some are discussing data in front of holographic projections.
Reaching the end of the corridor, Qing Linyun pushed open a door.
Two Eight-Ring Soul Douluo stood guard at the door, and when they saw Qing Linyun, they both raised their hands in salute.
"Boss."
"Um."
Qing Linyun nodded and pushed open the door to go inside.
This is a huge research lab.
It's about half the size of a basketball court.
Gu Yue was stunned by the sight before her as soon as she entered the room.
The surrounding walls were covered with embedded technology panels, with pale blue light flowing across them, displaying streams of data and genetic maps.
At the very center was a huge circular control panel, above which floated a semi-transparent holographic projection displaying densely packed gene sequence maps, like strings of colorful beads arranged in the air.
Next to the control panel were rows of silver-white cylindrical pods, each illuminated by indicator lights of different colors: red, blue, green, and yellow, like rows of quiet breathing lights.
There's a wall at the very back.
Embedded in that wall were countless small storage compartments, each containing a Soul Spirit of a different attribute, arranged neatly like specimens.
There were fiery red ones, ice blue ones, earthy yellow ones, and emerald green ones; they were so densely packed that you couldn't see the end of them.
Gene bank.
Gu Yue's breathing became a little heavier.
Although she already knew that the Soul Spirit Technology of the Heaven-Supporting Pillar was very powerful, she was still shocked when she saw this scene with her own eyes.
'This isn't a company, for crying out loud!'
'This is clearly a factory for Soul Spirit.'
The number of Soul Spirit on this wall is greater than the entire Spirit Pagoda's inventory.
"Everyone, get out."
Qing Linyun said to several researchers in the research lab.
Without a word, the men packed their things and left. They were clearly used to their boss's habit, and even closed the door behind them as they left.
Once the door closed, only the two of them remained in the research room.
"Come."
Qing Linyun pulled Gu Yue to the central control panel.
"I'll demonstrate to you how a Soul Spirit is created. The whole process has four steps; watch carefully."
Gu Yue stood obediently beside him. She unconsciously moved closer, her eyes fixed on the holographic projection, not blinking.
Qing Linyun reached out and tapped a few times on the control panel.
The gene sequence map on the holographic projection began to change. Strings of colorful code flowed like ribbons being blown by the wind.
"The first step is gene extraction."
He pointed to a string of flowing, colored code on the projector.
"We extract gene fragments from suitable Soul Beast and then input them into this system for deduction."
"Gene fragments determine what attributes, form, and strength this Soul Spirit will ultimately possess."
"Look at this red code; that's the gene template for fire. This blue code is for ice."
Gu Yue stared at the projection.
She couldn't understand the colorful code, but she could sense the vast amount of information it contained. Behind each string of code was a complete genetic map of a Soul Beast.
"The second step is to infuse Soul Power."
Qing Linyun pressed a button on the control panel.
A cylindrical cabin beside them slowly opened, revealing a ball of pure, ice-blue Soul Power inside. The Soul Power swirled slowly within the cabin like liquid, emanating a faint chill.
"The corresponding elemental Soul Power is injected here. Ice-type Soul Spirit use ice-attribute Soul Power, and fire-type soul spirits use fire-attribute soul power. After the Soul Power is injected, the soul guidance array is activated for fusion."
He pressed another button.
A ring of pale gold patterns lit up the bottom of the cabin. These patterns seemed to be alive, climbing up the cabin wall and lighting up in concentric circles, like weaving a golden net.
"See that? This is a fusion formation. Gene fragments and Soul Power are compressed, fused, and reshaped within the formation, ultimately solidifying into a complete Soul Spirit. This process takes about three hours, but for Soul Spirit over ten thousand years old, it will take even longer."
He reached out and made a swipe on the control panel.
The gene sequence and Soul Power orb on the holographic projection began to merge, Entanglement like two snakes, shrinking tighter and tighter. Finally, all the light converged to a single point, condensing into a small sphere of light.
The sphere of light spun twice in mid-air, its surface shimmering with a dark purple glow. Then it slowly descended onto the control panel, landing in a small recess.
Gu Yue looked down.
It was a small, dark purple bird, about the size of a palm, with a metallic sheen in its feathers. Its eyes were closed, and its chest rose and fell slightly. Its wings were folded to its sides, and its tiny claws were curled under its belly.
The Soul Spirit the Dark Demon Bird, Ten Thousand Years Old.
"Pick it up and feel it."
Qing Linyun said.
Gu Yue hesitated for a moment, then reached out and tucked the little bird into her palm.
The little bird's body was slightly cool, like a piece of warm, smooth jade. She probed it with a wisp of her Soul Power.
Her brow furrowed.
The fluctuations of this Soul Spirit's Soul Power.
It looks almost exactly like a real Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.
No, it was even more solid than any Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring she had ever encountered before. The dark demonic power flowed slowly within the little bird's body, like a quiet underground river.
And the little bird moved slightly in her palm, nuzzling her fingers with its little head.
That spirituality.
It's like a living thing.
Gu Yue raised her head and looked at Qing Linyun.
Her eyes were filled with shock.
"This, this is what you've made."
"What else?"
Qing Linyun leaned over, his hands resting on the edge of the control panel, to look at the little bird in her hand. The two were very close; his shoulder was almost touching hers.
"It looks just like the real thing, doesn't it? The Soul Spirit we create have the same Soul Ring strength as real Soul Beast, and even the same spirituality. You felt it just now; it rubbed against your hand."
Gu Yue remained silent.
She quickly calculated in her mind.
The Soul Spirit Technology of the Heaven-Supporting Pillar was even more terrifying than she had imagined.
If this technology is widely adopted, the entire Soul Master landscape of the Douluo Continent will be rewritten. Soul Master will no longer need to hunt Soul Beast to obtain Soul Ring, and the relationship between Soul Beast and Soul Master will be completely overturned.
Those people at the Spirit Pagoda probably never dreamed that something they had painstakingly researched for decades would be accomplished by a Heaven-Supporting Pillar fifteen-year-old boy.
'If I could get my hands on this technology...'
Gu Yue's heart skipped a beat.
Then my plan, Lord Silver Dragon King, can proceed ahead of schedule. No need to wait decades, no need to swallow my anger any longer. If I channel my spiritual power into it and control it, then...