The next day, afternoon.
Within the Ice and fire spring, at the junction of the yang spring and the yin spring, Chu Chengzhou was once again stabilizing the third soul core in the upper dantian between his brows.
The reason it was once again was that this was not his first attempt to integrate the third soul core, which had been condensed outside his body, back into himself.
Fortunately his control over soul power was strong. The previous times, when he could not bear it, he removed it in time and did not get himself killed.
If it had been another spirit master, they might have died on the spot.
Do not be fooled by how, in later generations, the masters of the continent's spirit master world all possess soul cores. It is foreseeable that the number of geniuses or masters who died while condensing soul cores would by no means be few.
A muffled groan.
Suddenly cracks spread densely across Chu Chengzhou's skin. Fresh red blood oozed out, then under the heat of the yang spring and the cold of the yin spring it dried into reddish-brown stains or froze into blood-red shards of ice.
But as golden light spread over his body, the cracked skin healed at once. If not for the dried blood and clinging blood-ice, there would be no sign of injury.
Chu Chengzhou had to admit he had overreached.
In theory, for an eight-ring Soul Douluo who had strengthened physique, spiritual power, and soul power control to his current level, condensing a yin-yang complementary triple-core should not be a problem.
But he had miscalculated one point. While his physique and spiritual power were strong, his soul power was not weak either. It was only that his soul power rank looked low compared to his body and spirit.
A low rank did not mean poor quality.
The upgraded Nine Breaths Qi was a transcendent-level meditation method. The soul power cultivated with it far surpassed that of ordinary eight-ring Soul Douluo, especially in quality. Even if inferior to a Rank 95 Super Douluo, it was not far off.
In other words, aside from containing less energy, the cores he condensed were stronger than those of most Titled Douluo.
A yin-yang complementary triple-core of nine-ring Titled Douluo strength was still a bit much for his current physique.
It was not that his physique could not bear the triple-core running stably inside his body. The problem was the instant after the third core entered his body and before it found a stable balance point. The tearing force generated among the three cores at that moment was something he could not endure unscathed.
Fortunately the soul bone skill Fountain of Life was extraordinary. With a year count as high as one hundred thousand, it allowed him to rapidly recover bodily injuries and greatly increased his margin for error.
Injuries were not a concern. Soul power could be rapidly restored by running Nine Breaths to devour the fire and water power of the Icefire Yin Yang Well. His physique was not poor either. He would not ascend on the spot the moment the third core integrated. This gave Chu Chengzhou real hope of achieving the yin-yang complement triple-core. Otherwise he would have given up for the time being.
Time passed. His skin kept cracking and healing. After more than half an hour and countless attempts, Chu Chengzhou finally found the balance point at which the third soul core in the upper dantian between his brows could run stably together with the other two.
Yin-yang complement triple-core, achieved.
In an instant the massive pressure and tearing force vanished. A powerful aura burst from Chu Chengzhou, and his whole body felt indescribably comfortable.
Looking inward, seeing the Four Symbols soul core formed by earth, water, fire, and wind in the lower dantian, the silver space soul core covered with red lines in the middle dantian, and the gray time soul core covered with gold lines in the upper dantian between his brows, Chu Chengzhou nodded in satisfaction, a slight smile on his lips.
The moment he achieved the yin-yang complement triple-core, he sensed the quality of his internal soul power rise again.
Because not much time had passed, the increase was not large. But as time went on, with the triple-core compressing, purifying, and tempering his soul power over the long term, the improvement would be considerable.
Unlike before, with a single core, now that he had achieved the triple-core, the soul power vortexes on his body were no longer just one. Large and small vortexes spread throughout his entire body.
Their positions were no longer fixed either. They shifted like whirlpools in a rushing river.
Leaving everything else aside, in terms of recovery efficiency alone, the gap between a single core and the triple-core was not merely threefold. It was at least several times that.
With recovery efficiency rising sharply again, Chu Chengzhou now had the capacity to supply Xiong Da, Xiao Ming, Xiao Hei, and Xiao Yin, four 100,000-year Summoned Spirits, for prolonged intense battles at the same time.
He ran Nine Breaths Qi. Soon Chu Chengzhou's state returned to its peak.
Feeling his fully restored soul power, silver light flashed over him. With a faint spatial ripple, his figure appeared directly on the bank of the spring.
"Tsk, it feels much smoother."
Picking up the storage soul tool on the bank as he dressed, Chu Chengzhou sighed to himself.
This time the teleport was not thanks to the space-attribute Space Sacred Dragon Summoned Spirit Xiao Yin, nor did he borrow a teleport-type soul bone skill. He teleported on his own through his comprehension of space law.
He had not specifically studied the space law. But the gold-grade Creation Hammer had granted him perception of the basic elemental laws, including space. Though this level of perception was far from enough to master the space law, even a bit of superficial comprehension was enough to perform spatial teleportation.
Moreover, Chu Chengzhou found that after condensing the triple-core, his spatial teleportation was smoother to use. Barring surprises, this should be due to the second core, the space core.
Glancing at the Icefire spring whose contained energy was immeasurable, Chu Chengzhou rose into the air and left the Ice and fire Yin Yang Well.
After he left the day before yesterday, Fang Quan, the fourth elder of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, went back to take the whale brain. By his count, even if he had not broken through yet, it would be at most tomorrow.
Since he had already agreed, he would settle Fang Quan's matter first. Then he would return to the Iceand fire Yin Yang Well to devour the water and fire energy and rocket his soul power rank.
With the vast energy of water and fire contained in the Ice and fire Yin Yang Well, once devoured through Nine Breaths Qi, it would be more than enough up to the point of becoming a god.
T/N: For 40 chapters ahead on my translations, become a p@tron at [email protected]/LordHipposApostle