Four-Aperture Constant Heart
The night was deep, and the quiet cultivation room in Spirit City was isolated from all the noise of the outside world. Ning Buhui sat cross-legged in the bamboo house, his Soul Power flowing slowly around him, his aura calm and long.
Ordinary people practice Heart Separation Control mostly to stabilize their minds and eliminate distracting thoughts, but the core of this Nine Orifices Heart Control is never to cultivate the mind, but to control the soul.
It is an extremely precise allocation of Soul Power, a unique method for the simultaneous operation of multiple Soul Skill, and the fundamental means to help Soul Master sustain themselves.
For the previous year, his Heart Separation Control had remained firmly locked at the first level of the Three-Aperture Control Heart.
With his extraordinary innate spiritual power, he had already mastered the art of multitasking. Simultaneously enhancing three different Soul Skill, maintaining his own defense, observing changes in the battle situation, and fine-tuning his Soul Power output were all routine for him. However, there is always a limit to the three acupoints. When circulating Soul Power in three lines, there will still be slight losses. At the connection points where multiple Soul Skill are released simultaneously, there will always be a few bits of Soul Power spilling out, making it difficult to achieve 100% precise utilization.
This is also the biggest drawback of low-level Heart Separation Control.
The release of Soul Power relies on rough control, and multi-line operation is barely feasible, but it cannot achieve the ultimate precision. In terms of endurance, accuracy, and continuous combat capability, there are shortcomings that are difficult to perceive with the naked eye but fatal in actual combat.
The obstacle to breaking through is never the level of proficiency in the technique, but rather the threshold of mental strength.
With the foundation of a level 42 Soul Ancestor, combined with the physique and sea of consciousness tempered by the Fourth Soul Ring of 30,000 years, and the spiritual nourishment of the Soul Suppressing Pagoda, his spiritual power finally crossed the first threshold, enough to support the operation of the second level of cultivation.
Ning Buhui suppressed all distracting thoughts and completely immersed his mind in the sea of consciousness.
Unlike ordinary meditation that absorbs the Soul Power of heaven and earth, what he was mobilizing at this moment was his own long-accumulated Spiritual Origin.
The first level Three-Aperture Control Heart, divides spiritual power into three, opening up three independent Soul Power channels, each with its own function and without interfering with the others. The second level Four-Aperture Constant Heart, forcibly opens a fourth stable Soul Skill control channel based on the three apertures.
This process involved no earth-shattering phenomena, nor even the slightest leakage of Soul Power; it was the ultimate exploitation and reshaping of spiritual power.
Within the sea of consciousness, the invisible spiritual barrier slowly unfolded, and the three originally clear and condensed Soul Power circulation tracks continued to widen and stabilize under the scouring of spiritual power. Immediately afterwards, a brand new, delicate yet resilient meridian slowly took shape in the blank sea of consciousness.
At first, this meridian was somewhat unstable, swaying slightly when circulating Soul Power, and was at risk of collapsing at any time.
Ning Buhui, being impatient, or being impetuous, one should repeatedly refine, solidify, and nourish oneself with pure spiritual energy.
Once, ten times, a hundred times...
After an unknown period of time, the fourth Soul Power control meridian completely solidified, running parallel to the first three meridians and stably connecting all the meridians in the body.
With perseverance, the four orifices will take shape!
In an instant, the flow of Soul Power around Ning Buhui underwent a subtle but qualitative change.
If the previous flow of Soul Power was like a babbling brook, smooth but with occasional spills, then the Soul Power at this moment is like four perfectly ordered, orderly streams, precisely flowing along four independent meridians. Every output, pause, and conversion of Soul Power is firmly locked by mental power, without the slightest waste.
The Four-Aperture Constant Heart, one mind uses four functions, four lines are controlled simultaneously, and it remains constant and orderly!
Ning Buhui slowly opened his eyes, a subtle realization flashing across them. He raised his hand and waved it lightly, quietly activating his Soul Power. Without releasing any external Soul Skill, he displayed a completely different level of control simply by subtly manipulating his Soul Power.
The first meridian stabilizes and maintains the body's basic Soul Power circulation, strengthening its foundation and providing a safety net. The second meridian quietly cultivates the enhancement of the First Soul Skill, condensing Soul Power without releasing it, ready to strengthen the body at any time. The third meridian lays the groundwork for the defensive barrier of the Second Soul Skill, silently enveloping the body. The fourth meridian reserves the power of the Third Soul Skill, Thunder Prison Imprisons Wind, ready to be activated for control and imprisonment at any time.
Four sets of Soul Skill Soul Power, four completely different operating rhythms, proceed simultaneously without conflict or disorder.
Before his breakthrough, he could only maintain three sets of Soul Skill states at the same time. The operation of a fourth set of Soul Power would inevitably disrupt the rhythm, causing Soul Power disorder and massive consumption.
Now, the Four-Aperture Constant Heart have completely solved this problem.
With multiple Soul Skill running in parallel, there is no longer a need to consume extra mental energy to maintain stability. Soul Power utilization is maximized, and endurance increases several times over. In the past, releasing Soul Skill three to five times would deplete Soul Power. Now, relying on precise control of the four soul lines, the same amount of Soul Power can support twice the combat time, and the control precision has reached a whole new level.
Moreover, he could clearly sense that his own aura had completely settled down.
Previously released Soul Power and fluctuations are now completely controlled and contained within the body. It appears ordinary, even more restrained and weak than before, but the inner Soul Power and mental foundation have quietly undergone a transformation.
This is the true power of the second level of Heart Separation Control —subtle restraint, ultimate control of the soul, and overcoming force with skill.
Ning Buhui exhaled a breath of turbid air, understanding dawning on his mind. In the short term, his Soul Power Level could not quickly break through to level 43, but the advancement of this technique would bring him a combat power boost that was no less than a breakthrough in Soul Power.
In the upcoming mission in the Jade Pool Hidden Valley, facing a 20,000-year-old Jasper Flood Dragon with dual water and poison attributes, his ultimate control over Soul Power and ability to fight on multiple fronts will become his greatest trump card.
Ning Buhui left the tower, lay down on the bed, closed her eyes, and waited for tomorrow's departure.
He slept soundly through the night, and before he knew it, dawn had broken. The morning light pierced through the clouds and fell upon the bluestone streets of Spirit City. The martial arts arena was already bustling with activity, as Spirit Hall disciples who had risen early to cultivate moved back and forth, the sounds of clashing weapons and booming Soul Power rising and falling.
Ning Buhui arrived on time at the low wall where they had met the day before, where Xie Yue, Yan, and Hu Liena were already waiting.
Yan was still dressed in a smart and capable outfit, his body still carrying the heat of early morning training. He stood tall and imposing. Xie Yue stood with his hands behind his back, the sharp edge of his Moon Blade Martial Soul subtly concealed, his composure unchanged. Hu Liena, in a light purple dress, with a cool and aloof expression, stood quietly to the side, waiting to join them.
The three of them looked over as soon as they saw Ning Buhui walking slowly towards them. But upon seeing her, all three of them paused slightly, unable to pinpoint exactly what had changed, yet something different was evident in their expressions.
Yesterday, Ning Buhui, though possessing a profound aura and formidable strength, still exuded the sharpness of a young man, and his Soul Power fluctuations were clearly perceptible.
But today, he was like a bottomless, icy pool. He stood there unremarkable, without any leakage of Soul Power or display of sharpness. His aura was gentle and restrained, as ordinary as a low-level Soul Master. But the closer they looked, the more surprised they became. This ordinariness was not weakness, but extreme restraint.
It was as if the vast Soul Power and powerful Soul Skill within him were firmly locked and gathered by an invisible force, without leaking out even a trace. Even his spiritual aura became increasingly ethereal and profound, making it impossible for anyone to fathom its depth.
"Junior brother, you..." Yan frowned, and subconsciously opened his mouth, but the words caught in his throat.
He scrutinized Ning Buhui several times. Her Soul Power Level hadn't changed, and her appearance was exactly the same, but her overall temperament and aura control were completely different from yesterday, making her seem inexplicably strange and profound.
Hu Liena's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as she carefully sensed Ning Buhui's state, a hint of inquiry flashing in her eyes. Her mental strength far surpassed that of ordinary people, and she was most sensitive to fluctuations in aura and Soul Power.
Yesterday, Ning Buhui's control over the control of her Soul Power was still quite immature, but Ning Buhui, her Soul Power was so stable that there wasn't a single ripple.
It was as if all power was perfectly under his control, effortlessly controlled and flawless.
"Your aura has become much more refined overnight," Hu Liena said softly, her tone tinged with doubt. "Your Soul Power hasn't broken through, but I sense that your foundation is much more solid."
Xie Yue stared intently at Ning Buhui for several seconds before slowly speaking, "Your spiritual power and control over Soul Power have changed."
He excels at close combat and the integration of Soul Skill, and has a profound understanding of the use of Soul Power. He can clearly perceive that Ning Buhui's control over his own power at this moment has transcended the scope of ordinary Soul Master, reaching an extremely subtle and precise level.
Ordinary Soul Master experience slight stagnation and loss when circulating their Soul Power, even geniuses. But Ning Buhui's movements are perfectly natural and flawless.
Faced with the three probing gazes, Ning Buhui calm, a faint smile playing on her lips, offering neither explanation nor concealment.
Breaking through the second layer of Heart Separation Control was his secret method for enhancing combat power, so there was no need to publicize it. Others could sense the change, but couldn't figure out the root cause, which was precisely the best state.
"Perhaps he gained new insights from yesterday's life-or-death battle during his cultivation, and has had some time to reflect," Ning Buhui brushed it off.
This reason is reasonable. Life-and-death experiences are the easiest way to hone one's control over Soul Power and refine one's aura. Although the three of them still felt that it was not entirely true, they could not find any flaws in it.
Yan scratched his head, no longer delving into the matter, and laughed heartily, "No matter what, the stronger the better! Today we're going to venture into the Jade Pool Hidden Valley to face the Jasper Flood Dragon, which is at the 20,000-year level. The stronger you are, Junior Brother, the greater our chances of winning!"
Xie Yue nodded slightly, withdrawing his probing gaze, his expression returning to composure. "Rest is complete, let's set off. The journey to the Jade Pool Hidden Valley is long, we need to get going as soon as possible and strive to arrive early to seize the initiative."
"Um."
Without another word, the four stepped out of the training ground side by side and headed towards where the Spirit Hall's carriages were parked.
Along the way, the disciples and deacons of the Spirit Hall all turned their heads to look. The Spirit Hall's core trio, along with Ning Buhui, who had recently risen to fame and possessed monstrous talent, formed a formidable group, and no one dared to approach them casually.
The target of this mission is the Jasper Flood Dragon, a 20,000-year-old water-poison dual-attribute Soul Beast, Jade Pool Hidden Valley in the northern part of the Heaven Dou Empire.
The road ahead is unknown and fraught with danger.
But at this moment, all four of them were calm and composed, their fighting spirit undiminished.