"This pill can help your martial soul evolve."
As he spoke, Lin Mu slowly walked toward Ling Luochen and briefly explained the purpose of the pill resting in her palm.
With his current alchemical abilities, refining a pill capable of promoting the evolution of a martial soul was not particularly difficult. He no longer needed to rely on immortal herbs to achieve such an effect. This was especially true for pure elemental martial souls, which were naturally more receptive to concentrated elemental energy.
"Evolve my martial soul?"
Ling Luochen stared at the crystal-clear pill in her hand. Its smooth surface resembled polished glass, and faint wisps of cold energy circulated within it.
Shock and excitement flickered through her usually calm eyes.
As one of the most promising students in the inner courtyard, Ling Luochen possessed an exceptionally pure Ice Element martial soul. Combined with the self-created soul skills preserved by the Elemental Academy, her combat strength was already sufficient for her to challenge opponents several levels above her.
However, her Ice Element still had an obvious limitation.
It had not reached the level of Ultimate Ice.
Compared with Teacher Su Tong's Heavenly Snow Woman martial soul, Ling Luochen's martial soul remained inferior in both elemental purity and potential. No matter how skilled she became at controlling ice, there was still a fundamental difference between ordinary ice and Ultimate Ice.
Throughout the history of the Elemental Academy, there had been several recorded cases in which a soul master successfully transformed an ordinary element into its ultimate form.
However, every such transformation had required an extraordinary opportunity.
One method was to absorb soul rings from immensely powerful soul beasts that possessed an ultimate element. Another was to consume an extremely rare immortal herb compatible with the soul master's martial soul.
Neither method was easy.
Powerful soul beasts with Ultimate Ice were already exceedingly rare. Lin Mu had also taken both the Snow Empress and the Ice Empress away from the mortal realm ten thousand years ago, making it even more difficult for later generations to obtain such an opportunity.
Although Ice Jade Scorpions still lived within the Extreme North, most possessed insufficient cultivation and bloodline purity. Absorbing the soul ring of a 10,000-year-old Ice Jade Scorpion might strengthen an ice-attribute martial soul, but it was unlikely to transform that martial soul into Ultimate Ice.
The danger involved in attempting such an absorption was also considerable.
For those reasons, Lin Mu had decided to give Ling Luochen a small opportunity.
Her Ice Element martial soul was exceptionally pure. If it successfully transformed into Ultimate Ice, its overall quality would likely be no weaker than that of the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion.
In terms of large-scale control and area-of-effect attacks, it might even possess certain advantages.
Ling Luochen hesitated as she looked down at the pill.
She understood that consuming an unknown medicine from a stranger would normally be reckless. However, Yu Xiaoting's respectful attitude toward Lin Mu made it clear that this mysterious young man would not harm her.
More importantly, the possibility of obtaining Ultimate Ice was simply too tempting.
Every ice-attribute soul master dreamed of reaching that legendary level.
After a brief struggle, Ling Luochen raised the pill to her lips and swallowed it.
The pill dissolved almost immediately.
A stream of pure medicinal energy spread from her throat throughout her body, following her meridians before converging within her martial soul.
Ling Luochen's body trembled.
A terrifying wave of cold energy erupted from her without warning.
Frost rapidly spread across the floor beneath her feet. The temperature within the training hall plummeted, and a thin layer of ice began forming across the surrounding walls, equipment, and protective formations.
The cold was comparable to the environment found within the core region of the Extreme North.
Even an ordinary Titled Douluo would have needed to circulate soul power to remain comfortable under such extreme conditions. The young students in the training hall had nowhere near that level of cultivation.
Several students immediately turned pale.
Their breathing became strained, while frost began gathering on their hair and uniforms. Those with fire-attribute martial souls instinctively released their soul power, but even their flames weakened beneath the overwhelming cold.
Just as the students were about to retreat, Lin Mu casually snapped his fingers.
A brilliant golden-red flame appeared above the center of the training hall.
The flame did not release the violent heat of an ordinary fire. Instead, a gentle warmth spread throughout the room, precisely counteracting the cold emanating from Ling Luochen without interfering with her transformation.
The frost covering the other students gradually melted.
The warmth also entered their bodies and began circulating alongside their soul power. Rather than merely protecting them from the cold, it subtly refined their meridians and assisted their cultivation.
The students quickly noticed the change.
Although they were standing near a rapidly evolving Ultimate Ice martial soul, they no longer felt any discomfort. Their cultivation was even progressing more smoothly than before.
After ten thousand years of cultivation, Lin Mu's control over fire had long since reached an unimaginable level. He could adjust its power, temperature, and effects with absolute precision.
He had even developed a method of using divine flames to assist others with cultivation.
However, such a minor effect had little practical value in the God Realm, where almost every resident possessed a divine body or an extraordinarily powerful foundation.
For these mortal students, it was an opportunity they might never encounter again.
After stabilizing the training hall, Lin Mu raised one hand.
A pale light emerged from one of his soul rings and gathered beside him.
Within moments, a graceful figure appeared from the light.
The Snow Empress descended silently onto the training ground.
Compared with ten thousand years ago, her appearance had changed very little. Her long snow-white hair still fell behind her like a frozen waterfall, and her flawless features remained as beautiful as ever.
Her temperament, however, had undergone a complete transformation.
In the past, she had resembled an untouchable beauty formed from the purest ice and snow. She had been cold, proud, and seemingly disconnected from all mortal emotions.
Now, she carried the sacred majesty of a true goddess.
Merely standing there caused the surrounding ice elements to gather around her in reverence. Even Ling Luochen's newly transforming martial soul seemed to respond instinctively to her presence.
After condensing the Ice God's divine position, the Snow Empress's strength had surpassed even that of the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King. Among Lin Mu's nine soul spirits, she had become the most powerful.
"Snow Empress, help her guide and transform the ice energy within her body," Lin Mu instructed.
"Yes, Master."
The Snow Empress nodded gently.
Her body floated soundlessly through the air before stopping behind Ling Luochen. She placed one slender hand above the young woman's back without directly touching her.
Threads of pure white energy flowed from her palm and entered Ling Luochen's body.
The unstable cold energy surrounding Ling Luochen immediately became calmer.
Under the Snow Empress's guidance, the medicinal power stopped spreading chaotically and began circulating along a precise path. Every trace of ice energy was purified before being absorbed into Ling Luochen's martial soul.
The transformation became far smoother.
"The First Dean actually subdued the Snow Empress…"
Yu Xiaoting stared at the white-haired woman in complete disbelief.
As the Speaker of the Elemental Academy, he had naturally studied the ancient records concerning the Three Arctic Kings of the Extreme North.
He recognized the Snow Empress almost immediately.
She was a Heavenly Snow Woman born from the purest ice and snow energy in the Extreme North. She had once stood at the summit of all ice-attribute soul beasts and had ruled the Extreme North for countless years.
Yu Xiaoting had heard fragmented stories regarding Lin Mu's soul spirits, but the academy's surviving records did not contain the complete method used to create them.
He had certainly never seen a soul spirit this powerful.
The Snow Empress had clearly surpassed the limits of an ordinary soul beast. The pressure she released, despite deliberately restraining herself, was unquestionably divine.
Yu Xiaoting's thoughts quickly turned toward Su Tong.
Su Tong possessed the Heavenly Snow Woman martial soul and had already reached the Soul Douluo level at a relatively young age. She was one of the Elemental Academy's most promising teachers.
If Su Tong could receive personal guidance from the Snow Empress—or even from Lin Mu himself—her martial soul and cultivation might undergo a tremendous transformation.
She might eventually cross Level 100 and become a god.
If that happened, she would become the third god to emerge from the Elemental Academy.
Ling Luochen might possess the same possibility now that her martial soul was evolving toward Ultimate Ice.
The mere thought caused excitement to rise within Yu Xiaoting.
If the Elemental Academy gained another god, its influence would rise to an entirely different level. No organization or empire on the continent would dare oppose it.
At that moment, Lin Mu glanced at him.
It was only a brief look, yet Yu Xiaoting felt as though his heart had stopped beating.
A chill unrelated to the Snow Empress's power ran down his back.
Yu Xiaoting quickly lowered his gaze and suppressed his thoughts.
Although he had never personally met Lin Mu before today, countless legends about the First Dean had circulated throughout the continent for the past ten thousand years.
The details differed depending on who told the story, but one point remained consistent.
Lin Mu had never been merciful toward those who schemed against him or crossed his bottom line.
Yu Xiaoting's intentions were not malicious. He was merely thinking about the future prosperity of the academy.
Nevertheless, attempting to manipulate a god for the academy's benefit was still an exceedingly foolish idea.
Lin Mu could naturally understand what Yu Xiaoting had been considering.
Although those thoughts had arisen from loyalty toward the Elemental Academy, they were also a form of selfishness.
The academy was already powerful enough.
It possessed enormous influence, vast resources, advanced cultivation methods, countless talented students, and connections to divine beings. Allowing it to grow without restraint would not necessarily benefit the continent.
On the contrary, granting it even greater power might create additional problems.
The transformation continued for some time.
Gradually, the violent cold energy surrounding Ling Luochen began receding into her body. The frost covering the floor stopped spreading, and her previously tense expression relaxed.
A pale blue aura emerged around her.
The color appeared similar to her original Ice Element, but the quality of the energy had completely changed. It was denser, colder, and far purer than before.
Even the surrounding air seemed to freeze wherever the aura passed.
Ling Luochen slowly opened her eyes.
A faint blue light flashed within her pupils before disappearing.
"My martial soul…"
She carefully sensed the changes within her body. Her normally composed face filled with disbelief.
"My martial soul has evolved into Ultimate Ice."
She could barely believe what had happened.
The dream she had pursued for years had been achieved simply by consuming one pill and receiving a brief period of guidance.
Her original Ice Element martial soul had already been extremely powerful, but it could not be compared with true Ultimate Ice.
This was not a minor improvement.
It was a complete qualitative transformation.
Her ice could now suppress ordinary ice-attribute soul masters almost absolutely. Her resistance to cold had also increased dramatically, while every one of her existing soul skills had become substantially more powerful.
Combined with the self-created soul skills she had learned from the Elemental Academy, Ling Luochen was confident that she could now fight a Soul Saint despite still being a Soul King.
She might not necessarily defeat every Soul Saint, especially those with powerful martial souls or unusual abilities, but she now possessed the strength to contend with one directly.
Ling Luochen turned toward Lin Mu.
Curiosity appeared in her beautiful eyes as she studied the mysterious young man standing before her.
Who exactly was he?
Even the Elemental Academy, despite possessing the most advanced soul master research and alchemical techniques on the continent, could not casually transform an ordinary elemental martial soul into an ultimate element.
Yet this man had accomplished it with a single pill.
Furthermore, Yu Xiaoting treated him with greater respect than he showed anyone else.
A person connected to the Elemental Academy, powerful enough to summon the legendary Snow Empress, and important enough to make the Speaker personally accompany him could only be one of the legendary figures recorded in the academy's history.
Judging by his appearance and the way Yu Xiaoting addressed him, Ling Luochen quickly arrived at the most likely conclusion.
The young man before her was probably Lin Mu, the founder of the Elemental Academy.
He was also the person credited with establishing and perfecting many of the cultivation methods used by elemental soul masters.
Over the past ten thousand years, elemental soul masters had gradually become one of the dominant paths of cultivation.
When two soul masters possessed similar cultivation levels and martial souls of comparable quality, the one with superior elemental control often held a clear advantage.
The Elemental Academy's self-created soul skills and specialized meditation techniques further widened that difference.
Ling Luochen stepped forward after stabilizing her condition and bowed deeply to Lin Mu.
"Thank you for granting me this opportunity, Senior."
Her voice remained calm, but the gratitude within it was unmistakable.
She wanted to invite Lin Mu to remain and observe her new abilities. She also hoped to ask him several questions regarding the cultivation of Ultimate Ice.
However, Lin Mu politely declined.
He had already given her more than enough. Whether she could properly develop her evolved martial soul would depend on her own understanding and effort.
After leaving the training hall, Lin Mu continued touring the academy with Gu Yuena and Tang Wutong.
During the following two days, he conducted a thorough investigation of the Elemental Academy.
He examined its admission records, financial accounts, cultivation-resource distribution, disciplinary cases, council decisions, and relationships with the major powers of the continent.
In general, the academy had preserved the principles upon which it had been founded.
Students were not openly discriminated against because of their birth, and commoners with sufficient talent were still granted opportunities to study. The council also continued to prevent any single dean or influential family from completely controlling the academy.
Nevertheless, Lin Mu still discovered several individuals with selfish intentions.
None of them had committed an unforgivable crime. They had not murdered students, betrayed the academy, or secretly joined evil soul masters.
They had merely used the academy's influence for personal profit.
Some had accepted money or valuable resources in exchange for recommending unqualified students. Others had reserved admission places for descendants of influential families, depriving more deserving candidates of an opportunity.
To ordinary people, such actions might not have appeared particularly severe.
However, they directly crossed Lin Mu's bottom line.
A single place within the Elemental Academy was unbelievably valuable.
Admission granted a student access to advanced meditation methods, self-created soul skills, high-quality cultivation resources, experienced teachers, and carefully selected soul rings.
Giving such a place to an undeserving student did not merely enrich a corrupt official. It also took that opportunity away from someone whose entire future might have depended upon it.
When Lin Mu first founded the Elemental Academy, his main objective had been to establish his own godhood.
He had eventually abandoned that path, yet he had chosen not to dissolve the academy afterward.
Part of the reason was his dissatisfaction with how Shrek Academy had influenced the continent in the original timeline.
Shrek Academy had accumulated excessive resources and authority while presenting itself as the guardian of righteousness. Its monopoly over talented soul masters and rare resources had greatly affected the development of the continent—and not always in a positive direction.
From that perspective, allowing any academy to acquire power comparable to that of an empire was inherently dangerous.
The Elemental Academy was no exception.
If Lin Mu refused to intervene, it could eventually follow the same path as the original Shrek Academy. Tens of thousands of years later, the continent might still develop into the same unbalanced society he remembered.
The spread of the soul spirit technique was another problem.
Although the technique had originally been created to reduce the conflict between soul masters and soul beasts, its later development had not prevented the soul beast population from approaching extinction. Instead, greater numbers of increasingly powerful soul masters created a constant demand for stronger soul rings and soul spirits.
From Lin Mu's personal perspective, the eventual fate of the continent had little effect on him.
He was already a god, and his true home was no longer limited to the mortal realm.
However, he would not tolerate corruption and evil occurring directly beneath his gaze.
Nor would he allow evil soul masters to exploit the academy he had created.
In Lin Mu's judgment, the Star Dou Great Forest had survived for hundreds of thousands of years despite soul masters regularly hunting soul beasts for soul rings. Ordinary hunting alone would not immediately destroy such a vast ecosystem.
The greater danger came from the continuous increase in the number and cultivation level of soul masters.
Compared with ten thousand years ago, the average soul master of the current era possessed better cultivation methods, stronger bodies, and access to more resources. More people could reach high levels, and each of those people required increasingly powerful soul rings.
As the soul master population continued to grow, the demand for high-level soul beasts would rise with it.
One powerful soul master might require nine soul rings throughout a lifetime. If millions followed the same cultivation path across generations, even the vast soul beast forests would eventually be unable to sustain the demand.
For this reason, the unchecked growth of high-level soul masters needed to be regulated.
That was one of the true purposes the Elemental Academy could serve.
Its responsibility was not merely to produce as many powerful graduates as possible. It also needed to control the distribution of advanced cultivation resources, teach responsible soul ring acquisition, and prevent powerful soul masters from treating soul beasts and weaker humans as disposable resources.
Large numbers of low-level soul masters posed far less danger to the Star Dou Great Forest. Hundred-year and 1,000-year soul beasts remained comparatively numerous, and most weaker soul masters would never require soul rings from the forest's deepest regions.
The true pressure came from high-level soul masters seeking 10,000-year and 100,000-year soul rings.
That made every admission place within the Elemental Academy important.
Each student accepted by the academy received the potential to become one of the continent's future elites. That opportunity could not be sold, traded through personal connections, or casually handed to an unqualified descendant of an influential family.
Every candidate had to be treated fairly.
Only then could the Elemental Academy continue to justify the power and influence it had accumulated over the past ten thousand years.