Chapter 190: The Heavenly Soul Empire's Rise and a Hundred-Thousand-Year Core
Heavenly Soul Empire, Imperial City.
Spring had finally broken through the lingering winter chill, washing the entire capital in a vibrant, unmatched vitality.
In stark contrast to the oppressive gloom currently suffocating Shrek Academy, the Heavenly Soul Empire was basking in its most glorious era in centuries. On the wide, sunlit avenues of the Imperial City, groups of young Soul Masters could be seen at every corner, their faces flushed with excitement and ambition. These youths were not solely native to the Heavenly Soul Empire; a massive influx of prodigies had crossed the borders from the Star Luo and Douling Empires, drawn entirely by the nation's soaring reputation.
This massive migration of talent stemmed from two devastating events. First, during the recent All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, Liu Yuan and Long Aotian had led the Heavenly Soul Royal Team to an absolute sweep, violently ending Shrek Academy's ten-thousand-year monopoly on glory.
Second, the news of Du Busi's tyrannical display outside the Imperial City had spread across the continent like wildfire. The Body Sect Master had fought a three-on-one battle against Shrek's top brass, suppressing their elders head-on and ruthlessly extorting three hundred-thousand-year soul bones from their bleeding hands.
This was no simple display of martial might; it was a towering manifestation of national prestige. It broadcasted a clear, obvious message to the entire world: Shrek was no longer an untouchable god, and the Heavenly Soul Empire possessed the absolute strength to shelter geniuses and crush hegemony.
Naturally, as the new enrollment cycle for the Heavenly Soul Imperial Academy began, the response was explosive.
At the academy's registration office, a sea of eager youths surged forward. The line stretched out the main gates, winding through several adjacent streets.
"Have you heard the reports? Among the students enrolled this term alone, we've already secured three with innate full soul power. As for geniuses with innate soul power above rank six, there are too many to count!" The official in charge of registration wiped a thick layer of sweat from his forehead, though a deeply gratified smile stretched across his face.
"Our Heavenly Soul Imperial Academy is truly entering a golden age..."
Simultaneously, the empire's soul tool division was undergoing a terrifyingly rapid qualitative leap.
Fan Yu's defection to the Heavenly Soul Empire had acted like a massive boulder thrown into a stagnant lake. The several Class 7 and Class 8 Soul Engineers who had previously been sitting on the fence, watching the political tides, completely discarded their hesitation after verifying the authenticity of the advanced theories Fan Yu brought with him.
Within a mere seven days, two more Class 8 Soul Engineers packed up their entire research teams and secretly pledged their absolute loyalty to the Heavenly Soul Imperial Family. Overnight, the number of high-level Soul Engineers under the empire's banner rocketed to first place among the three original Douluo nations.
Fueled by the fragmented "Sun Moon Empire Class 9 Soul Tool Insights" that Liu Yuan had provided, the empire's top researchers were working in a frenzy. It was now a widely accepted certainty that the Heavenly Soul Empire would produce its own genuine Class 9 Soul Engineer in the near future.
Because of this unmatched prosperity, a grand victory celebration lunch was held today within the Heavenly Soul Imperial Palace.
The Emperor sat at the head of the grand table, his face radiant with health and vigor. As his gaze shifted down to Liu Yuan and Du Busi seated in the seats of honor, the sheer gratitude and immense respect in his eyes reached an absolute peak.
"Liu Yuan, Sect Master Du," the Emperor began, his voice thick with emotion. "I have governed this empire for many long years, and I have never felt as deeply gratified as I do today."
He raised his ornate golden cup, gesturing deeply to the two men before draining the fine wine in a single gulp.
"Right now, the empire's academies are overflowing with unmatched talent, and our soul tool laboratories burn their forge lights late into the night. Those petty border kingdoms that once feigned compliance while secretly defying my edicts are now scrambling to send envoys bearing heavy tributes to make amends."
The Emperor set his cup down, leaning forward. "All of these miraculous changes are because of you two! You are the true pillars supporting the very heavens of this empire."
Princess Weina sat elegantly beside her father. Having shed the stern, commanding aura she usually maintained in front of the Imperial Guard, she now wore a gorgeous, flowing court dress. She looked toward Liu Yuan, a sweet, genuine smile gracing her lips.
"Father has indeed been in incredibly high spirits these past few days," Weina chimed in, her eyes sparkling. "Even his speed in reviewing the daily memorials has doubled. You might not know this, Liu Yuan, but he has been saying in private that your arrival has blessed our Heavenly Soul Empire with tremendous karmic luck!"
Liu Yuan calmly set down his bamboo chopsticks. His expression remained placid, completely devoid of the arrogance or complacency that usually infected youths who received an emperor's direct praise.
"Your Majesty is too generous," Liu Yuan replied, his tone measured and grounded. "The Heavenly Soul Empire already possessed a deep, sturdy foundation. My master and I merely provided the necessary push., Shrek's hypocritical and overbearing actions caused them to lose the hearts of the people long ago. Their fall from grace was only a matter of time; we simply acted in accordance with the shifting tides."
The Emperor threw his head back and laughed heartily at the pragmatic response. He then turned his gaze to the towering figure of Du Busi, offering a sincere proposition. "Sect Master Du, since the empire's development has stabilized so beautifully, why don't you and Liu Yuan remain in the Imperial City for a longer duration? I have already ordered the royal architects to expand the grand mansion adjacent to Qingfeng Court. Its specifications have been elevated to match the rank of a Prince. If Liu Yuan requires any rare medicinal herbs or precious mineral resources, I will instantly command my forces to scour the entire country to provide them."
However, Du Busi merely waved his massive hand. A distinct look of boredom regarding worldly wealth and political fame settled over his rugged, battle-scarred features.
"I accept your kindness, Your Majesty," Du Busi rumbled, his voice like grinding stones. "But the stagnant air of this Imperial City simply doesn't flow as smoothly as the biting mountain winds of my Body Sect." He jerked a thumb toward the youth sitting beside him. "Besides, this kid is already at rank fifty-seven. He's currently suppressing the surging energy in his meridians, holding back a major breakthrough. For Soul Masters like us, absolute strength is the only foundation that matters. All these tedious political formalities are useless to us."
Liu Yuan nodded in agreement, his dark eyes sharp. "Your Majesty, I do intend to return to the sect and enter closed-door cultivation for a period of time. Although Shrek has suffered a severe setback, Elder Xuan will undoubtedly scour the continent like a mad dog, looking for any opportunity to break through his current limits. I must elevate my strength before he has the chance to react."
Seeing the unyielding determination in both their eyes, the Emperor knew better than to insist. He sighed, a hint of regret softening his regal features. "Since your minds are made up, it would be foolish of me to hinder your path." He turned to his daughter. "Weina, after you return to the sect with Liu Yuan and Sect Master Du, ensure you take excellent care of him. If he requires any resources for his cultivation, you have my full authority to mobilize the Imperial Family's private channels. You do not need to report to me first."
A faint blush dusted Weina's cheeks, but she nodded solemnly. "Please rest assured, Father. I understand."
The following morning, Liu Yuan, Du Busi, and Weina departed the bustling Imperial City.
Because there was no urgent need to conserve energy like during their arrival, Du Busi simply enveloped the two youths in his vast, emerald-green soul power. Like a soaring meteor, he carried them rapidly through the sea of clouds, tearing across the sky.
In a very short time, the steep, imposing mountain gates of the Body Sect pierced through the mist, appearing in their line of sight.
As Liu Yuan's boots touched the solid earth of the sect grounds, he felt the familiar, biting mountain breeze brush against his face. He took a deep, grounding breath, then turned to the towering sect master. "Master, I will head directly to the Secret Realm in the back mountain to begin my seclusion. I intend to shatter the bottleneck and reach rank sixty as quickly as possible."
Before he could take a step, Du Busi reached out, his massive hand clamping down on Liu Yuan's shoulder to stop him. A mysterious, deep light flickered within the old monster's emerald double pupils.
"Seclusion is a fine thing, boy, but before you lock yourself away, there is one crucial matter to handle." Du Busi raised his voice, his tone echoing across the training grounds. "Long Aotian! Get over here!"
Following the booming call, Long Aotian, who had been meditating nearby in anticipation of their return, quickly strode forward, his posture straight as a spear.
Du Busi swiped a hand across his waist. In a flash of brilliant light, three pristine white jade boxes materialized, hovering in the air before the group.
Even though heavy soul power seals locked the boxes tight, the sheer density of the energy contained within was terrifying. The moment they appeared, the natural flow of soul power in the surrounding air violently accelerated, swirling around the jade containers like a vortex.
"These are the goods I violently extracted from Yan Shaozhe's hands that day," Du Busi announced, lining the three boxes up in a neat row. "I've spent the past few days carefully inspecting and identifying them. As much as I despise Shrek's sickening hypocrisy, I have to admit their treasury is deep. These three soul bones are the absolute best of the best."
He pointed a thick finger at the box on the far left. A faint, captivating purple-gold mist was physically seeping through the jade lid. "This one is a hundred-thousand-year spiritual-type trunk bone. Its innate aura contains a deep connection to the Void Realm, making it the ultimate core for spiritual-type and control-system Soul Masters."
Du Busi shifted his gaze to his youngest disciple. "Liu Yuan, your Double Pupils are heaven-defying, but your physical body's carrying capacity still has its limits. This trunk bone will violently expand your Spiritual Sea and fortify your core. It belongs to you."
Next, he pointed to the middle box. Unlike the ethereal mist of the first, this box radiated a heavy, suffocating pressure, glowing with a blinding golden light. "This is a hundred-thousand-year power-type left arm bone. The explosive, unreasonable physical force it provides isn't suitable for you, Liu Yuan. Your combat style relies on absolute balance and precision, and enhancing your spiritual attributes provides the highest return on investment."
Du Busi looked at his eldest disciple. "Aotian, you walk the path of extreme, overbearing attack. Fusing with this arm bone will shatter your current limits and elevate your destructive power to an entirely new realm."
He casually tapped the final box. "As for the remaining support-system bone, I'll toss it into the sect's treasury for now."
Long Aotian stared at the golden jade box hovering before him. A blistering, unmatched heat ignited in his usually calm eyes. The sheer physical pressure radiating from the bone made his own blood boil in resonance. He dropped heavily to one knee, his voice steady but thick with raw emotion. "Thank you, Master, for this supreme gift!"
Liu Yuan's gaze was locked onto the purple-gold mist of the spiritual-type trunk bone. Even through the seal, he could feel his Double Pupils throbbing, connecting wildly with the ancient aura trapped inside. This was exactly the foundation he needed. The trunk bone was the absolute core of the human skeleton; its role in expanding soul power capacity and fortifying the body was unmatched.
"Thank you, Master," Liu Yuan said, cupping his fists respectfully.
"Thank my ass," Du Busi snorted, waving them off as he heavily seated himself on a massive boulder nearby. His rugged face quickly shifted into an expression of absolute seriousness. "This is our rightful loot, snatched back from those hypocrites. It was always meant to pave the way for you juniors."
He crossed his arms, his emerald eyes narrowing. "Absorb them right here, right now. This is the absolute hinterland of the Body Sect, and I will personally act as your protector. Liu Yuan, Aotian—listen to me carefully. The energy impact of a hundred-thousand-year bone is no joke. The residual soul of the beast within will fight back. You must use your absolute willpower to crush its primitive beast nature. Do not let it overwhelm your mind."
Liu Yuan and Long Aotian exchanged a single, resolute glance. Without another word, both youths sat cross-legged on the hard earth, each pulling their respective white jade box into their laps.
Liu Yuan reached out, his fingers gripping the golden seal binding the purple-gold box. With a sharp tug, he tore it away.
Buzz—!
A strange, ear-piercing hum erupted into the air. A crystal-clear skeletal structure, looking as though it had been flawlessly carved from pure amethyst, slowly floated upward. It was perfectly round and smooth, every single vertebra crafted like a divine work of art. It pulsed in the air, emitting wave after wave of intoxicating, terrifyingly dense spiritual fluctuations.
Liu Yuan took a deep, steadying breath. His eyes snapped open, his Double Pupils flaring to life. A brilliant purple-gold light shot from his eyes, instantly locking onto the matching radiance of the soul bone.
He slowly closed his eyes, his hands weaving rapidly as he channeled his soul power. He guided the heavy, floating trunk bone directly toward his chest.
The moment the bone made contact with his flesh, an extremely violent, ancient energy—like a massive dam suddenly bursting open—roared directly into Liu Yuan's meridians.
'Come on, then,' Liu Yuan growled in his heart.
Deep within his Spiritual Sea, the towering, majestic phantom of his martial soul sat perfectly still, radiating an unyielding, suppressive might, ready to crush any resistance.
At that exact moment, deep within the hidden mountains of the Body Sect, two towering pillars of life aura violently pierced the sky, signaling to the heavens that two terrifying geniuses were about to undergo a world-shaking transformation.
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