At that moment, Kong Xuan, the central figure in all this and the one about to break through, was not particularly nervous.
Having condensed a Soul Ring once before, he knew there was no danger whatsoever in the process.
The entire process was simple enough: Yun Ming would condense a Soul Ring based on his body's current limits.
The Soul Ring's age would not exceed what Kong Xuan's body could withstand, nor would there be any Soul Shock or anything of the sort.
Thus, all Kong Xuan needed to do next was close his eyes and put on a show. Everything would be accomplished under Yun Ming's control within his Sea of Consciousness.
Through his perception, Kong Deming could clearly sense Soul Power spreading out from within Kong Xuan's body. Rather than dissipating, however, it gathered together.
Then, this Soul Power seemed to undergo a change in form, turning from intangible to tangible and becoming a ring that encircled Kong Xuan.
Kong Deming's breathing grew noticeably heavier. Even with all his experience, he had never seen anything like this.
Had he not carefully investigated Kong Xuan's background and physical condition, he would have suspected that Kong Xuan was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast that had taken human form to cultivate anew.
The Soul Ring surrounding Kong Xuan was almost transparent at first, but its color gradually deepened as time passed.
It turned from transparent to white, then pale yellow.
After the yellow deepened, the Soul Ring's color gradually shifted further, becoming a faint purple.
Kong Xuan, who appeared to Kong Deming to be striving for a breakthrough, actually still had the leisure to chat with Yun Ming within his Sea of Consciousness.
"Teacher, release a little Divine Sense in a moment and put some pressure on my grandfather. That way, he'll fully believe the story about the God-Given Soul Ring."
While controlling the Soul Power that had originally belonged to him to help Kong Xuan condense his Soul Ring, Yun Ming could not help casting a glance at this "filial grandson" who was asking his teacher to act against his grandfather.
Outside, the Soul Ring surrounding Kong Xuan had turned completely purple.
Sensing the fluctuations of Soul Power disappear, Kong Deming guessed that Kong Xuan's breakthrough was nearing its end.
Yet just as he let out a breath of relief amid his shock, his expression abruptly changed.
Just now, Kong Deming had suddenly sensed a powerful soul fluctuation.
Although it had merely swept past, it left Kong Deming trembling with fear.
It felt like a gaze looking down from a higher dimension, leaving even a Titled Douluo like him unable to muster the slightest thought of resistance.
As Kong Deming stood there with a wary expression, the Soul Ring around Kong Xuan vanished, and he opened his eyes.
"Grandpa, I broke through! I'm a rank-twenty-two Soul Grandmaster now!"
Kong Xuan's voice brought Kong Deming back from his thoughts, and an idea suddenly surfaced in his mind.
Could that terrifying soul fluctuation just now have come from the deity who bestowed the God-Given Soul Ring on Kong Xuan?
Given his strength, presumably only a deity could make him feel such pressure.
There were many things one might not believe when told by others.
Yet what one filled in with one's own imagination was easily accepted.
Suppressing the urge to question Kong Xuan, Kong Deming gave him a satisfied smile. "Excellent! Becoming a Soul Grandmaster at eight-even Shrek Academy's most gifted students could do no better!"
For the Sun Moon Empire, Shrek Academy was a power that could not be avoided.
Thus, whenever it came to the Sun Moon Empire's geniuses, their teachers and elders could never resist comparing them with Shrek Academy's gifted students.
Kong Xuan said confidently, "I'll be stronger than them!"
With instruction from the Sea God Pavilion Master of ten thousand years in the future, Kong Xuan believed his strength would not fall short of anyone his age.
Growing stronger had also always been his goal. His opponent had never been anyone else, only himself!
This was not merely blind confidence on Kong Xuan's part; it stemmed even more from Yun Ming's teachings.
To wield the Atlas Spear, one needed this spirit of charging forward without hesitation!
In Yun Ming's words, if he lacked even this much confidence, he might as well stop cultivating with the Atlas Spear, for he would probably be unable to comprehend even spear intent in the future.
Seeing Kong Xuan's confident expression, Kong Deming laughed heartily. "Exactly! My grandson will definitely be stronger than those people from Shrek Academy!"
Then Kong Deming put away his smile and said seriously, "Since you've broken through, you two siblings should go enroll in school in a couple of days."
Enroll in school?
Hearing those words, both Kong Xuan and Kong Ling widened their eyes and looked at Kong Deming as though they had no idea what their grandfather was talking about.
Meeting their puzzled gazes, Kong Deming could not help slapping his forehead. He laughed and said, "Look at me, I've been so busy I forgot. I forgot to tell you earlier."
Kong Deming had indeed been rather busy over the past two years. Originally, he had merely been engrossed in researching Soul Tools, but now he had truly racked his brains over Kong Xuan's and Kong Ling's education, which had added considerably to his work.
The three left the underground cultivation chamber. Once they returned to the room, Kong Deming explained, "At your age, you naturally can't stay home all the time. You need to interact with others your age!"
"I've already made the arrangements. In a couple of days, you'll go to the Royal Soul Engineer Academy and become the first batch of students in its Soul Master class!"
Although Kong Xuan had been engrossed in cultivation over the past two years, he had also learned of some changes in the outside world through Kong Deming's scattered remarks.
He knew that his and Kong Ling's appearance had led Kong Deming to intervene in the Sun Moon Empire's education.
Without anyone noticing, the butterfly effect had already taken shape.
But at least for now, it seemed to be a good thing.
On the night of his breakthrough, Kong Xuan appeared to be meditating and cultivating in his room, but he was actually wholly immersed in his Sea of Consciousness.
Over the past two years, he had seemingly cultivated under Kong Deming, but his true teacher was Yun Ming within his Sea of Consciousness!
The moment he appeared within his Sea of Consciousness, Kong Xuan sensed that something was different from before, though he could not immediately say what it was.
"It seems you've noticed the changes in your Sea of Consciousness too."
Yun Ming's voice reached Kong Xuan's ears. A figure then appeared before him out of thin air-his teacher, Yun Ming.
Kong Xuan asked directly, "Teacher, do you know what's going on?"
After more than two years together, the two had grown much closer.
Although Kong Xuan held quite a few secrets in his heart, he had already acknowledged their relationship as master and disciple.
Though he sometimes spoke without a filter, deep down he greatly respected Yun Ming, the teacher who devoted himself to teaching him.
"It's a good thing!" With his hands clasped behind his back, Yun Ming smiled and said, "Your spiritual power was already stronger than that of ordinary people. Even I never expected your spiritual power to break through to the Spirit Abyss Realm when your Soul Power broke through rank twenty."
Naturally, Kong Xuan knew how spiritual power was ranked ten thousand years in the future.
Spirit Origin Realm, Spirit Connection Realm, Spirit Sea Realm, Spirit Abyss Realm, Spirit Domain Realm, Divine Origin Realm.
To be honest, even Kong Xuan himself was somewhat surprised to have entered the Spirit Abyss Realm at rank twenty-two.
Suppressing his excitement, Kong Xuan asked again, "Teacher, does breaking through to the Spirit Abyss Realm cause any special changes in the Sea of Consciousness?"
"First, naturally, is the increase in your spiritual power. Second, your Sea of Consciousness has become much larger."
Hearing this, Kong Xuan scanned his surroundings and found that it was indeed so. Even the white mist spreading in the distance seemed considerably thinner.
Seeing Kong Xuan's delighted expression, Yun Ming continued, "But as for the greatest change, you should go see it for yourself."
As soon as Yun Ming finished speaking, Kong Xuan felt himself lose control of his body.
Even though this was Kong Xuan's Sea of Consciousness, he was carried away without the slightest ability to resist Yun Ming's Divine Origin Realm spiritual power.