Zhu Ziyang arrived at the Sea God Pavilion.
"Teacher, I'm back!" he called out.
As usual, Mu En was lying leisurely on his wooden chair, enjoying the sunlight streaming through the golden tree branches. Upon hearing Zhu Ziyang's voice, he replied casually, "Ah, you're back."
But when he opened his eyes and saw Zhu Ziyang, he immediately sat up, shock and confusion flashing across his aged face. "Your soul power?!"
"Yes, Teacher," Zhu Ziyang said with a smile. "I've reached Rank 60."
"So fast? Did you encounter another opportunity?" Mu En's shock faded quickly, as he had already grown somewhat used to this kind of surprise. With a sigh, he asked with mild resignation.
"That's exactly what I came to tell you," Zhu Ziyang replied. "But what I'm about to say might surprise you even more."
"Heh, don't worry about that. I've lived over two hundred years. There's nothing that can really surprise me anymore," Mu En said, waving it off.
Zhu Ziyang just smiled. Then, he released his Heavenly Frost Saint White Dragon martial soul. Five glowing red soul rings lit up in the hall of the Sea God Pavilion.
Mu En jumped up from his seat. Gone was the calm demeanor—he now stared at Zhu Ziyang with utter disbelief. His old face twitched as he struggled to speak.
"These soul rings… they carry the aura of that Ice Heavenly Snow Maiden from the Extreme North!" Mu En immediately recognized Snow Empress's presence. With a trembling voice, he asked, "Ziyang, you've left me utterly speechless. These four hundred-thousand-year soul rings—they're connected to that Snow Empress, aren't they? Tell me everything that happened while you were away. Don't leave anything out!"
"Of course," Zhu Ziyang nodded. He then told Mu En everything that had happened in the Extreme North—Snow Empress taking human form, the birth of soul spirits, Ice Empress, all of it. He did, however, intentionally leave out anything related to Huo Yuhao. That part, he decided, was for the academy to discover on its own.
"I see…" Mu En muttered, filled with disbelief, excitement, and awe. "Soul spirits… soul contracts… such miraculous things truly exist? Ziyang, I'm becoming more and more convinced—you are someone chosen by fate!"
"Heh… maybe," Zhu Ziyang said with a modest smile. Deep down, he knew he wasn't the true child of destiny. That title belonged to Huo Yuhao. He might just be the "missing one."
"Don't be so humble, Ziyang," Mu En said, eyes shining. "You understand what soul spirits mean for soul masters. There's no doubt in my mind—you are the one chosen by the heavens to change the world! For this old man to witness the birth of something that will reshape the continent before I die—well, I can pass on without regrets."
"Teacher!" Zhu Ziyang was touched. "Aren't you curious about how I obtained the soul contract?"
"That's your personal opportunity—your secret. I won't ask," Mu En said with a warm smile. "The fact that you told me about soul spirits is more than enough. When I decided to name you as the successor to the Sea God Pavilion, I knew you weren't ordinary. I expected you to shake the foundations of this world. And now, I see I was absolutely right!"
"Thank you for your trust, Teacher," Zhu Ziyang replied sincerely. A sense of relief filled his chest—he wouldn't have to reveal Electrolux's existence after all.
"Ziyang, about the soul spirits—until you become a Title Douluo, do not reveal their existence to others. And above all, never disclose the method of the soul contract!" Mu En warned seriously. "Soul spirits are too sensitive a topic. The soul beast tribes would never sit back and allow humanity to gain yet another power to suppress them. And within our own kind… well, human hearts are hard to predict."
"I understand, Teacher," Zhu Ziyang nodded. He fully grasped the weight of Mu En's words and wouldn't gamble with his own life.
"Hahaha, good! Very good! Heaven bless Shrek!" Mu En was overjoyed, laughing heartily.
Zhu Ziyang watched him and couldn't help but smile too.
After a while, Mu En finally calmed down. "Alright, Ziyang. Now, let's talk about your sixth soul ring."
Zhu Ziyang straightened his posture. "Teacher, you once told me to add a ring to my second martial soul to enhance my physical body. I assume you've already found a suitable soul beast for me?"
"Correct," Mu En said with a grin. "I was worried you might not meet my expectations. But clearly, I worried for nothing. You keep surprising me!"
"Hehe," Zhu Ziyang chuckled. "So what kind of soul beast is it?"
"When I was younger, I discovered several light-attribute soul beasts, three of which have now reached 100,000 years of cultivation. With your talent, a hundred-thousand-year sixth ring is well within your ability," Mu En said. "The three are: the Holy Light White Tiger, the Illusory Sky Amethyst Dragon, and the Platinum Xuanwind Eagle. I'll give you the night to think it over. Tell me your choice tomorrow, and I'll take you to find it."
Zhu Ziyang's eyes lit up the moment he heard one of the names. "No need to wait, Teacher. I choose the Illusory Sky Amethyst Dragon."
"Oh? That quickly? Seems like you already had this planned," Mu En said, raising an eyebrow. "Tell me—why did you choose the Amethyst Dragon?"
"Honestly, Teacher, I originally intended to look for a 100,000-year Evil-Eyed Tyrant for its death attribute," Zhu Ziyang replied. He had already mapped out his path long ago.
"Evil-Eyed Tyrant?" Mu En blinked and began calculating the connection between it and the Illusory Sky Amethyst Dragon. Then realization struck him. "You're planning to…"
Zhu Ziyang didn't deny it—he simply smiled and nodded.
"You really are fearless," Mu En sighed. "Or perhaps I'm just too old to keep up with you young people. Are you sure this is the path you want to take?"
"I'm sure!" Zhu Ziyang said firmly. "This decision wasn't made lightly. I truly believe this path will eventually replace the old ways and become a necessity for all future top-tier soul masters!"
Mu En let out a long sigh. "Since you've decided, I won't try to stop you. I believe you wouldn't make such a choice without being fully prepared. Alright, get some rest. Tomorrow, I'll take you to the Illusory Sky Amethyst Dragon."
"Understood, Teacher!" Zhu Ziyang responded happily and left the Sea God Pavilion.
After he left, Mu En remained seated on his wooden chair, his face a mixture of melancholy and deep hope. In a low voice, he murmured, "The Tri-Core Soul Nucleus Method… I failed in my attempt back then. I hope you can succeed."
Zhu Ziyang returned to his room, but his heart was far from calm. What he was about to do next was no less significant than the birth of soul spirits.
The soul core—also known as the soul power source nucleus—was formed when a soul master's energy reached a certain level of quality. Soul power would begin to solidify, then crystallize, eventually forming a nucleus. This core enhanced recovery speed, reduced soul power consumption, and expanded one's total soul power capacity.
According to soul core theory, forming a core wasn't dependent on rank. But in practice, most soul masters only attempted it after becoming Title Douluos. Only a few exceptionally talented ones condensed their first core at the Soul Sage or Soul Douluo stage.
Yes, first soul core.
The theory stated that a soul master could have multiple soul cores—as long as they could coexist stably and not interfere with each other. Among Title Douluos, the dominant theory was the Yin-Yang Dual-Core Method, where one core was formed in each dantian, creating dynamic balance. Nearly all Super Douluos were working toward condensing their second core, as it was a necessary step to reach the Limit Douluo level.
No one had ever become a Limit Douluo with only a single core.
But then there was the Tri-Core Convergent Method—a theory proposed by the previous Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion. No one had ever succeeded in practicing it. Mu En had tried and failed.
And yet… Zhu Ziyang felt drawn to it. From the moment he read about the method, he realized: it was perfectly tailored to his unique condition. His body contained many different energies, and this method would allow them to coexist harmoniously.
He had a premonition that once he succeeded in forming all three cores and achieving convergence, every type of energy in his body would finally become one—fluid, interchangeable, and limitless.