Gu Xuan spent his days practicing the sword with Chen Xin. Although he did not possess a sword Martial Soul, his swordsmanship improved rapidly by relying on the Sword Dragon Eight Wings. Simultaneously, Gu Xuan's mental state reached new heights of clarity.
Dugu Yan experienced a similar transformation. Studying under Ning Fengzhi, she assisted in managing many of the clan's affairs. At only twenty-two years old, she gained a profound understanding of human nature and the complexities of the world.
Notably, Gu Jian's cultivation speed within the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was incredibly swift. Over the past year and a half, she gained an average of a hundred years of cultivation per month. Her cultivation had risen from five thousand years to twenty thousand years. This rate of growth was nothing short of terrifying; one could say Gu Jian was the Gu Xuan of the soul beast world—perhaps even faster, as she benefited from the legacy of the two Great Dragon Kings while soaking in the well's essence daily. It was estimated that within a few years, Gu Jian would reach the hundred-thousand-year realm and become a true guardian beast of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
Of course, since breaking through the twenty-thousand-year mark, her speed had tapered slightly as she needed more time to stabilize her foundation. Fortunately, Zhang Jinyuan and Dugu Bo were stationed at the well and could spar with her, helping her familiarize herself with her rising power.
Amusingly, Gu Jian once went out to play and provoked a fifty-thousand-year soul beast. Unable to win, she ran back to the well to find Yang Wudi. Yang Wudi promptly set out and gave the bully a thorough thrashing. Consequently, Gu Jian gained a new underling and effectively unified most of the Sunset Forest, as that fifty-thousand-year beast was one of the forest's great overlords.
Because of this, the perimeter of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was now guarded by countless soul beasts, all of whom were Gu Jian's subordinates. Gu Xuan couldn't help but chuckle when, upon returning to the forest once, Gu Jian clung to her "Papa" to complain because her underling actually wanted to "mate" with her. Gu Jian was only a few years old in actual time—how could she understand such things? After Gu Xuan explained the "ill intentions" of that Golden Armored Earth Dragon, Gu Jian gave the dragon a beating. With Yang Wudi and Dugu Bo backing her, the Golden Armored Earth Dragon didn't dare utter a word of protest and never dared to show affection to the "Big Sister" again, fearing he'd be beaten to death.
Time flew, and soon a year had passed. During this year, besides thoroughly cleansing his heart and mastering the Death God Domain, Gu Xuan performed a world-shaking feat. It started with Gu Jian's subordinates. Gu Xuan used the Golden Armored Earth Dragon to subdue many soul beasts, but this presented a dilemma for the disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, who needed to hunt for rings in the Sunset Forest. If they killed Gu Jian's followers, the Golden Armored Earth Dragon and the others would no longer serve her loyally.
However, not all soul beasts can grow indefinitely. Some were nearing the end of their lifespans due to injuries or old age. Gu Xuan used Gu Jian as a bridge, allowing these soul beasts to sacrifice themselves to clan members who needed to break through. This spark of an idea led Gu Xuan to see the feasibility of the "Soul Spirit" method.
In the current era, soul beasts were still plentiful, and Soul Masters rarely faced a shortage of rings. But Gu Xuan knew that tens of thousands of years later, humanity would grow too strong, the soul beast race would decline, and rings would become scarce. This would eventually lead to a desperate conflict between the two races. By addressing the issue now, Gu Xuan could prevent that future.
A Soul Spirit was not a simple hunt. It was a contract of mutual benefit. A soul beast nearing the end of its life could choose to merge its consciousness with a Soul Master. Instead of the soul being shattered to form a ring, it remained intact, living on within the Soul Master's spiritual sea. The Soul Master gained a soul ring and a companion, while the soul beast gained a chance at a longer existence and even a path to eventual divinity.
After six months of trial and error, the first Soul Spirit appeared. The recipient was closely related to Gu Xuan: Chen Yuan, the son of Chen Xin's younger brother. Though his talent was average, the fifty-year-old Chen Yuan had finally reached Rank 70. He became the first person to successfully integrate a Soul Spirit.
The success of the first Soul Spirit gave hope to the intelligent beasts of the Sunset Forest. The Golden Armored Earth Dragon, having participated in the experiments, realized that becoming a Soul Spirit offered a form of "eternal life." Even if they couldn't reach the hundred-thousand-year level, they could persist in a different form and continue to grow.
The only remaining issue was the tether. If a Soul Master died, a Soul Spirit could currently only survive for one year without a new host before dissipating. Gu Xuan knew he needed a vessel to house them—like the Spirit Pagoda from the stories—but creating such a thing was incredibly difficult with his current power. Even Huo Yuhao only established the Spirit Pagoda after becoming a God.
Gu Xuan wasn't in a hurry. He had time. Moreover, if he failed to unify the continent, this dream would never be realized. His priority remained unification. Only then could he use the Soul Spirit method to unite with the soul beast race and truly pacify the Douluo Continent.
Gu Xuan looked out the window toward the north. The sun was setting, casting long, bloody shadows across the land. The peace was fragile. His seventh soul ring was the final piece of the puzzle he needed before the coming war. And for that, he would have to face the forest's most terrifying resident.
(End of Chapter)
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