Upon hearing this, Kong Xuan was taken aback, as if he couldn't react immediately.
After all, this matter was raised several years ago, and like a stone thrown into the ocean, it has remained unanswered for Jiujiu.
Especially recently, amidst the hustle and bustle of matters such as the Spirit Pagoda, he had almost forgotten about it.
But then, a tremendous surge of joy coursed through his body like an electric current, and he immediately realized what was happening!
Several years ago, at Kong Xuan's request, Kong Deming mobilized the power of the Sun Moon Empire and dispatched its most elite ocean-going fleet to search for the "New World".
This "new continent" is the new homeland that the Star Luo Empire finally found a century later when it was forced to set sail across the sea under the overwhelming pressure of the Sun Moon Empire!
I never expected that the huge surprise Grandpa brought him today would be this!
Watching Kong Xuan go from being stunned to realizing something, and then to his eyes bursting with uncontrollable excitement, Kong Deming's smile became even brighter.
He continued, "According to the report from the fleet commander who returned safely, that continent is quite vast, with a unique ecosystem and many plants and animals never seen on the Douluo Continent. Of course..."
He abruptly changed the subject, his eyes gleaming with fervor. "Most excitingly, preliminary explorations show that the continent is extremely rich in mineral veins, containing many rare metals not even recorded in the Imperial database! Their unique properties might lead to a new breakthrough in Soul Tool Technology!"
For Kong Deming, Level 10 Soul Engineer standing at the pinnacle of Soul Tool, the allure of a new continent filled with unknown rare metals was undoubtedly fatal.
However, after his initial ecstasy, Kong Xuan's thoughts were completely different from his grandfather's.
Rare metals are certainly valuable, but for him, the most important thing on that new continent is Dragon Valley!
This is the ultimate reason why he wants to find that continent.
Even with the general location given by Yun Ming, Kong Xuan never expected that he would actually find it in just a few short years!
After a moment of initial shock and elation, Kong Xuan quickly calmed down. He pondered for a moment, then said seriously to Kong Deming, "Grandpa, I would like to see the fleet commander first."
Kong Deming was not surprised at all and nodded. "No problem, the main leaders of the fleet and the nautical log have been brought back and can be summoned at any time."
However, looking at his grandson, he couldn't help but ask again, " Xuan'er, are you... planning to go to that continent yourself?"
Nowadays, Kong Xuan has fewer and fewer secrets between himself and Kong Deming, so there is naturally no need to hide many things anymore.
Therefore, Kong Xuan nodded directly and admitted, "I must go and take a look."
He didn't elaborate on the matter of Dragon Valley, then changed the subject. "However, not now."
The route has been explored, so there's not much difference between going early or late.
The Spirit Pagoda has just been established and its foundation is not yet stable. Various forces are vying for power, so the Pagoda Master still needs to personally oversee the situation.
On the edge of the Sun Moon Imperial Palace, in the top-secret underground training room of the Kong Clan, reinforced by layers of Soul Guidance Array.
Kong Xuan's eyes were closed, but his breathing was long and steady, as if he had fallen into the deepest sleep.
However, the Soul Power surging around him seemed to be brewing a storm!
A vast and boundless Soul Power surged forth from his body, growing ever stronger, surging and swirling within the sealed cultivation room, ultimately forming a Soul Power storm!
However, Kong Xuan, who was at the very center of the storm, remained unmoved, like an eternal stillness in the eye of the storm.
His entire being was focused on the torrent of Soul Power within his body that was about to breach the final barrier.
In an instant, this momentum, which had reached its peak, seemed to encounter an invisible barrier and momentarily stalled.
The energy storm within the entire training room froze, as if time itself had stood still.
But the next moment...
"Boom!!!"
An even more powerful and terrifying force exploded outwards from Kong Xuan's center!
The violent shockwave of Soul Power slammed into the surrounding protective array, creating a blinding light and violent ripples!
At the same time, dazzling Soul Ring appeared and pulsed around Kong Xuan's body!
The First Soul Ring is a deep black!
The Second Soul Ring a deep, rich black!
The Third Soul Ring is a thick, dark black!
The Fourth Soul Ring is still a somber black!
Starting from the very first ring, it's a process that takes tens of thousands of years—a feat rarely seen in the world!
As Kong Xuan continued to cultivate, and as his physical strength and Divine Power improved, the lifespan of the Soul Ring he could bear naturally increased as well.
His first four Soul Ring have now all reached the ten-thousand-year level.
Starting with the fifth Soul Ring, it becomes a blinding crimson.
Four black and three red spirit rings, seven Soul Ring shining brightly, illuminated the entire secret room with a bizarre and dazzling light, emitting a terrifying aura that would make even Titled Douluo tremble!
And this... is not over yet!
The instant the seven Soul Ring appeared stably, a blazing red light suddenly condensed like a volcanic eruption at the location of the eighth Soul Ring on their periphery!
A brand new, molten lava-like Eighth Soul Ring, 100,000 years old, has been fully formed!
The eighth ring, 100,000 years!
This signifies that Kong Xuan has officially entered the realm of Eight-Ring Soul Douluo!
This year, Kong Xuan is only eighteen years old!
An eighteen-year-old Soul Douluo, possessing four Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring... Such an achievement, not to mention in the present world, is unprecedented in the entire ten-thousand-year history of the Douluo Continent!
"Call...!"
Kong Xuan let out a long breath and slowly opened his eyes. His eyes shone brightly, even more profound and restrained than before.
The chilling fluctuations of Soul Power around him had completely subsided, and he had perfect control over it.
His Soul Ring came from Yun Ming and formed on their own, without the need to hunt Soul Beast. Therefore, there were no risks such as backlash, conflict, or Soul Shock when absorbing Soul Ring.
The entire breakthrough process was nothing more than the result of years of hard work accumulating knowledge and experience, a natural progression.
Having successfully entered the Soul Douluo realm, even with Kong Xuan's usual composure, a genuine smile couldn't help but appear on his face.
However, he did not leave the cultivation room immediately, but closed his eyes again and entered his own Sea of Consciousness.
Within the Sea of Consciousness, two figures were already waiting there; they were his two teachers, Yun Ming and Electrolux.
Seeing Kong Xuan's spiritual projection materialize and appear, both of them showed undisguised relief.
Yun Ming stepped forward and patted Kong Xuan's shoulder forcefully, praising him without reservation. "Good lad! Your cultivation progress is much faster than mine was back then!"
Electrolux, standing to the side, chuckled, "Hehe, if Xuan'er didn't get distracted by studying magic with me, perhaps her Soul Power cultivation would improve even faster."
After saying that, he looked at Yun Ming, his tone slightly teasing. "So, how does it feel to be surpassed by your own student?"
Yun Ming laughed heartily, "I'm not a jealous person, so naturally I feel that there's a successor!"
Faced with the praise from the two teachers, Kong Xuan felt a little embarrassed and scratched his head, saying, "Teachers, please don't praise me too much, otherwise I'll become arrogant."
Yun Ming looked at Kong Xuan with a solemn expression and said, "You should have had the right to be proud long ago. I think you're too mature now. Young people should act like young people..."
Before he could finish speaking, Kong Xuan couldn't help but say, "Like the teacher? Beating up all the younger generation?"
Yun Ming's expression froze for a moment upon hearing this, then he laughed and said, "I've forgotten what you did when I was young and impetuous."
Electrolux suddenly glanced at the depths of the Sea of Consciousness shrouded in white mist and interjected, "Alright, enough chit-chat, let's get down to business."