Su Ming wasn't that thrilled about his spirit power breakthrough.
Condensing the third Spirit Core was proving more difficult than he had imagined. The more he theorized, the more helpless he felt.
Most Quasi-Gods in the Douluo 3 era had three Spirit Cores, but they condensed theirs at the ninety-eighth level. His was at the seventieth level.
The gap in the sheer quantity of spirit power between them was at least tenfold.
Distributing his current spirit power among three Spirit Cores requires extreme precision in spirit power control to maintain the normal operation of each core.
Even if condensation succeeded, he would have to expend effort maintaining the balance and operation of the three cores.
This was also the reason Tang San in the Douluo 2 era never rushed to violate the rules and take action.
Su Ming's Spirit Power Martial Soul was powerful, granting him the advantages of a Body-type Martial Soul, but he also had to bear the troubles brought by overly potent spirit power.
"It's not that there's no solution."
Su Ming stood up, took a deep breath, and showed not a trace of dejection, but rather brimming with confidence.
If he were a ninety-eighth-level Super Douluo, he would have undoubtedly started condensing the third Spirit Core on the spot.
The theory was established; Su Ming was confident he could handle the practical operation as well. For him, the biggest predicament was that he couldn't afford to have all his energy focused on maintaining the balance of three Spirit Cores after condensation, leaving him unable to cultivate normally.
Dismissing the onlooking disciples, Du Busi flew over to Su Ming alone.
"How is it? Found a way to solve it?"
Su Ming nodded.
"Yes."
Du Busi's eyes instantly lit up.
As expected of his disciple! No problem could stump him!
Du Busi had once doubted Su Ming's upper limits. But ever since Su Ming easily condensed his second Spirit Core and later developed forging realms like Heaven Refinement, he had grown to trust his disciple more and more.
Over the past year, he had even tried forging himself.
Surprisingly, he showed quite a talent. Relying on his Limit Douluo-level spirit power and forging non-stop, he had actually become a Spirit Refinement Grandmaster.
Of course, the materials he forged were purchased—those blacksmiths who possessed spirit souls, mastered the Spirit Infusion Technique but hadn't yet grasped Thousand Refinements, Spirit Awakened, and were raising funds to attempt it.
Precisely because he had tried forging himself, Du Busi marveled at how incredible Su Ming's subsequent developments of Soul Refinement and Heaven Refinement were based on these foundations.
This was akin to creating life.
How was this different from a God of Creation?
Therefore, regarding the condensation of the third Spirit Core, he had always been confident in Su Ming.
His only worry was how Su Ming would proceed with his cultivation afterward.
Although he believed his disciple could find a way, how long would it take?
He couldn't be sure.
Mainly, although Su Ming appeared confident in front of him, this confidence felt different from the kind he displayed when pioneering the forging system.
It felt a bit hollow.
"How will you solve it?" Du Busi asked curiously.
Su Ming smiled. "Directly. Just get past this stage once the Spirit Ring is condensed."
Du Busi blinked.
He was puzzled, reaching out to scratch his head.
What did that mean?
"As long as I condense the third Spirit Core and my spirit power directly reaches the eighth rank, it will alleviate this situation."
Su Ming's explanation was also simple and crude.
Du Busi was dumbfounded.
"You mean stay at the seventhtieth rank for a few more years? Accumulate enough spirit power before breaking through?"
Su Ming shook his head, a sharp, enterprising glint flashing in his eyes.
"Of course not. The cultivation speed at the seventhtieth rank can't possibly be the same as at the seventhty-first or later ranks like the seventhy-eighth, especially with a third Spirit Core in between. I definitely wouldn't waste time like that."
Du Busi became even more curious upon hearing this.
"Then how do you directly get past it?"
Absorb a high-year seventh Spirit Ring?
That was one method, but it couldn't possibly fill up ten whole levels.
"Simple. Just swallow a bit more when condensing the Spirit Core. As for the target to swallow, I already have a lead."
Du Busi raised an eyebrow.
"You've killed so many Evil Spirit Masters... you didn't have your eye on their abilities, did you?"
He couldn't help but suspect that Su Ming had long been preparing for this problem with the third Spirit Core.
"It's different from ordinary devouring," Su Ming said.
He stopped the idle chat and turned to the main topic.
"Master, I need a battlefield, a suitable battlefield for a war between two planes."
A brilliant light flashed in Du Busi's eyes.
Devouring another plane?
That did ease the psychological burden considerably.
"If we're talking about the most suitable place on the continent to serve as a battlefield..."
As he spoke, Du Busi's expression turned strange, then he smiled wryly and looked down at the mountain range below.
"The Mingdou Mountain Range seems to fit the bill."
Su Ming nodded.
Compared to Douluo 1, this era had clearly made a qualitative leap in resource utilization, leaving few empty lands. Compared to Douluo 3, there weren't many deserts with abundant, under-exploited resources either. So, finding an area that wouldn't destroy the ecosystem after serving as a battlefield was difficult.
Not to say there weren't any.
The Mingdou Mountain Range, having seen constant warfare for years, had little ecosystem to begin with.
"Should the sect relocate?" Du Busi asked.
Su Ming shook his head.
"That won't be necessary. This will also be an opportunity for the sect."
"You've pinpointed another plane? When will you make your move?"
"Anytime. But this involves a war between two planes; our manpower isn't sufficient yet."
Douluo 1 had the Shura God's Slaughter City holding the line for a century. Douluo 3 had over twenty Limit Douluos guarding it. Douluo 2 lacked these conditions.
The Shura God?
He'd be doing them a favor if he didn't cause trouble.
Limit Douluos?
Originally there were four. Now only one remained.
"What needs to be done?" Du Busi asked directly.
"Master, please lead the Body Sect disciples in clearing out a core battlefield area here first. As for the allies we need, I will go find them one by one."
"Understood."
After giving his instructions, Su Ming directly transformed into a streak of light and vanished above the Mingdou Mountain Range.
His first destination was the Sun Moon Imperial Capital.
Mingde Hall.
"What a rare guest. What brings Sect Master Su to my Mingde Hall?" Jing Hongchen personally greeted him.
Su Ming asked, "How far has the development of the core formations for Battle Armor progressed?"
Hearing that he was here to check on the research progress, Jing Hongchen's expression turned bitter.
The current Mingde Hall was essentially no longer under the control of the Sun Moon. It was more like another institution supported by the Blacksmith Association, one related to Battle Armor production.
Research on spirit tools for warfare had long been thoroughly exploring. Taking advantage of Su Ming's forging system being in its early stages, Mingde Hall's current research focus was entirely on Battle Armor. Out of ten researchers, eight were studying how to maximize the characteristics of spirit to construct core formations and create Battle Armor. The other two were conducting supplementary experiments: one researching spirit compatibility, the other calculating the benefits of Battle Armor for Spirit Masters and Spirit Engineers.
"One-Word Battle Armor can already elevate a Spirit King to the level of a Spirit Sage. Two-Word Battle Armor can elevate a Spirit Emperor to the level of a Spirit Douluo. However, if a Spirit Sage wears Two-Word Battle Armor, they cannot attain the strength of a Titled Douluo."
Su Ming nodded, unsurprised by this.
"And Three-Word?"
"Soul Refined metal is too scarce. Currently, the limit we can achieve is elevating a Titled Douluo to the strength of a ninety-sixth level."
Su Ming frowned slightly.
That amplification was a bit low.
"We are still researching further. We already have one set of research-purpose Battle Armor, custom-made for Xuan Ziwen. It can bring him to a ninety-sixth-level standard. Using the power of the ninety-sixth level, we can then research and produce Battle Armor in reverse."
"Can it be mass-produced?"
Jing Hongchen froze, looking at Su Ming as if he hadn't heard.
"What did you say?"
"Custom-made in large batches for Spirit Masters."
***
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(Chapter End)