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*****
The Scholar Realm.
Ning Rongrong manifested within a private study. Almost simultaneously, Su Wen's phantom projection slowly began to coalesce before her.
"Brother Wen! Where have you been all this time?" Seeing his figure take shape, Ning Rongrong threw herself forward, her virtual avatar embracing the projection.
"I... well, for various reasons, I had to leave the Douluo Plane. I've been cultivating in another dimension," Su Wen explained simply, patting her head. "I couldn't reach you before, but I've finally managed to establish a stable connection."
"Another dimension? Another plane?" Ning Rongrong pulled back, her face filled with confusion.
"Think of it this way: Douluo Dalu and the Sun Moon Continent are just two landmasses on a single planet floating in the universe. The rules of Soul Master cultivation exist throughout Douluo Star, but they stop at the edge of the atmosphere. Douluo Star is an independent life-bearing planet—an entire plane of existence. In the vast universe, there are other such planets with entirely different cultivation systems. Those are what I call other planes."
Su Wen explained the concept of planes and planetary bodies in simple terms. Ning Rongrong's expression shifted from shock to fascination as she processed the idea of the universe, planets, and multiple planes.
"Then... if a cultivation system occupies many different life-bearing planets, what do we call that?" she asked.
Su Wen hadn't expected her to jump to interstellar civilizations so quickly. He smiled and explained, "In that case, the 'plane' would refer to the vast territory occupied by that system rather than a single planet. Such civilizations are quite rare in the cosmos."
"Oh~" Ning Rongrong nodded thoughtfully. "So, does that mean our Douluo Star is actually quite weak?"
"Haha, it's... doing alright." Su Wen didn't give her a direct answer.
In truth, "weak" was an understatement. In the cosmic scale, Douluo Star was essentially an isolated, indigenous planet. Without a concept of the universe or communication with other civilizations, it was the definition of provincial. Even its power system was capped below the God-level; the "Rank 100 Godhood" theory only existed because of external Divine Positions that allowed masters to ascend. The planet's own laws weren't sufficient to support growth beyond that threshold naturally.
"Rongrong, has anything major changed on the continent lately?" Su Wen asked, returning to the heart of the matter. While he could look up the data logs in the Scholar Realm himself, he wanted to spend this time interacting with her.
Through their conversation, Su Wen gained a comprehensive understanding of the current state of Douluo Dalu. What surprised him most was the rapid progress of the Academy's various research projects.
Under the collaboration of numerous scholars, several breakthroughs of major significance to the Soul Master world had moved into the practical application phase. But the most impressive feat belonged to Xiao Zhan.
It had been two years since Xiao Zhan reached Rank 89. During that time, he had been obsessively mapping soul power circulation routes, searching for a way to condense a Second Soul Core. Now, his efforts had finally borne fruit.
During the six months Su Wen had been on the Boundless Continent, Xiao Zhan had perfected the theory of "Soul Core Compatibility Points." He had constructed a complete circulation map and established a set of logical frameworks for the process, effectively turning "Second Soul Core Pathing" into a new branch of academic study.
Currently, many factions on the continent had stopped using the generic cultivation methods Su Wen originally published. Instead, they had used the Academy's open-source data to create "adapted" versions. For example, fire-attribute sects had modified the paths to better suit their specific elemental traits.
This was no easy task, but with each faction having its own resident scholars and access to the Academy's vast library of experience, they were successfully evolving their heritage.
Xiao Zhan's decision to treat the Second Soul Core as a discipline of study was a game-changer for the entire Soul Master world. True to the influence Su Wen had on him, he hadn't hidden his results for personal gain. Instead, he summarized his techniques and prepared them as a theoretical framework for other scholars to study and refine.
However, Xiao Zhan was now at a critical juncture—the moment of the actual breakthrough. Su Wen's contact came at the perfect time.
"Uncle Zhan."
"Xiao Wen?"
When Xiao Zhan saw Su Wen in the Realm, he let out a massive sigh of relief. He had been waiting. Though he could have proceeded with the breakthrough as soon as he was ready, he had delayed it specifically to hear from Su Wen. After months of silence, he was just about to attempt it alone when Su Wen reappeared.
"Uncle Zhan, I've reviewed your soul power circulation routes. They are solid," Su Wen said, stopping him before he could start. "But I suggest you hold off on the breakthrough for a moment. I have something new for you to see."
Xiao Zhan wasn't annoyed; he knew Su Wen wouldn't stop his progress without a very good reason.
"What is it?"
"Absorb this first." Su Wen pointed a finger, sending a streak of golden light into Xiao Zhan's avatar. A massive influx of information flooded the older man's mind.
The data Su Wen shared was none other than his insights into the Heavenly Jewel Master system.
"To think... there are other planes in this world, with entirely different ways of power." Xiao Zhan opened his eyes, his face alight with awe. As a scholar, the news of a non-Soul Master system was more intoxicating than any treasure.
Su Wen had specifically "highlighted" certain memories to ensure they left a deep impression. Specifically, the process of opening Acupoints—a concept Douluo Soul Masters lacked entirely. Heavenly Jewel Masters used their power to link internal points with their Jewels, creating a specialized internal space.
Xiao Zhan took a deep breath, the inspiration striking him immediately. "You want me to treat my Dantian as if I were opening an Acupoint?"
Su Wen nodded. "Exactly. Open the Dantian as a spatial point. My idea is to treat the Upper, Middle, and Lower Dantians as three distinct spaces, linking them together into a unified system."
(End of Chapter)