Pushing open the door, Dai Chengfeng indeed saw Hu Liena and Zhu Zhuqing sitting in the hall.
Hu Liena was idly playing with the tips of her hair, while Zhu Zhuqing sat quietly nearby, seemingly meditating. However, the moment Dai Chengfeng entered, she opened her eyes as if sensing his presence.
"Back already?"
Hu Liena was the first to speak, her beautiful eyes scanning Dai Chengfeng.
Dai Chengfeng nodded, glancing at the two women. Thinking about the soul fusion technique...
The matter concerning the Rakshasa divine power was too significant and one of his greatest secrets, something he could not reveal lightly.
Thus, Dai Chengfeng first walked over to the table, sat down, poured himself a glass of water, and after organizing his thoughts, turned to Zhu Zhuqing and began:
"By the way, Zhuqing..."
"Today, I asked Liu Erlong about the reason why our Netherworld White Tiger soul fusion technique failed yesterday."
"I must say, Liu Erlong truly lives up to her reputation. Her insights into soul fusion techniques are incredibly unique, and she helped us pinpoint the core issue."
"The core issue?"
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes instantly lit up with anticipation. "What was the reason for the failure?"
Hu Liena also looked at Dai Chengfeng, curiosity evident in her gaze.
Dai Chengfeng paused, meeting their focused gazes before continuing: "The problem may lie in the nature of my soul power."
"Your soul power?"
Hu Liena frowned slightly. "Although the White Tiger spirit is domineering, isn't it perfectly compatible with Zhuqing's Netherworld Spirit Cat? After all, historically, the fusion between your Star Luo Dai family and the Zhu family has never encountered problems."
Zhu Zhuqing also nodded gently in agreement.
"It's not simply a matter of spirit attributes."
Dai Chengfeng shook his head, carefully choosing his words. "Senior Liu speculated that perhaps due to recent progress in my cultivation or some stroke of fate, a trace of... extremely special and exclusive primordial energy might have merged into my soul power."
He glossed over the impact of the Rakshasa divine power, making it sound more ambiguous: "This energy is harmless under normal circumstances and might even enhance aggression."
"But during a soul fusion technique that requires deep integration and complete openness, it is perceived as an 'intrusion,' triggering a strong repulsion to maintain its own 'purity.'"
"This repulsion is not directed at Zhuqing but at any outsider attempting to deeply fuse with my power."
He restated Liu Erlong's analysis in his own words, omitting the crucial detail about divine power.
After listening, both Hu Liena and Zhu Zhuqing fell into deep thought.
"So that's how it is..."
Zhu Zhuqing murmured softly, a flicker of realization flashing in her clear, cold eyes, followed quickly by concern. "Then... does this mean our soul fusion technique..."
Hu Liena also looked at Dai Chengfeng, her tone serious: "If the root cause lies in the nature of your power, doesn't that make it almost unsolvable?"
"Unless you can change this aspect of your power?"
Dai Chengfeng sighed, a hint of helplessness crossing his face. "Changing the essence of one's power is no easy feat."
"Senior Liu also said that unless I can fully control or purify that trace of xenophobic energy, mastering the soul fusion technique will be exceptionally difficult."
"What should we three do?"
Hu Liena sounded worried. After all, the essence of their trio's purpose was to grow stronger through soul fusion techniques. Now, with Dai Chengfeng unable to fuse his soul power with others, was there still a point to their team?
Upon hearing this, Dai Chengfeng glanced at the two concerned women and smiled. "What should we three do?"
"Everything continues as usual."
"After all, even if my soul power currently cannot fuse with yours, it doesn't mean we can do nothing and just give up."
"Building tacit cooperation is not something achieved overnight, so we absolutely cannot stop."
Dai Chengfeng was well aware that the foundation of soul fusion techniques was cooperation. Even if they couldn't achieve the perfect fusion for now, every bit of rapport they honed now was laying the groundwork for the future.
Thinking this, Dai Chengfeng waved his hand decisively: "So, don't worry!"
"I believe there's always a solution to a problem. Perhaps when I become stronger, or find some opportunity. It's far too early to give up now!"
His tone was steady and confident, carrying a reassuring strength.
Hu Liena and Zhu Zhuqing exchanged glances, seeing the same determination in each other's eyes.
Neither of them were quick to give up, and Dai Chengfeng's analysis made sense.
Moreover, the soul fusion technique was a crucial means for their trio to become stronger. How could they abandon it because of temporary difficulties?
"You're right."
Hu Liena was the first to express her agreement, her charming face regaining some vitality. "Tacit cooperation is the foundation; let's focus on training for now."
"Who knows, maybe while we train, you'll figure out how to control that troublesome primordial energy."
Zhu Zhuqing also softly responded with an "Mm," indicating her agreement.
"Alright, no time to waste. Let's rest for a bit, then head to the Great Spirit Battle Arena." Seeing their unified decision, Dai Chengfeng finalized the plan.
For the next half day, the three continued immersing themselves in the high-intensity practical combat training at the Great Spirit Battle Arena.
They continuously challenged stronger teams, honed their cooperation, and experimented with various tactics.
The tacit cooperation between the three visibly improved at a rapid pace. Often, a single glance or subtle movement was enough to convey intentions, with seamless transitions between offense and defense.
However, as night fell and they ended a day of training, dragging their slightly weary bodies back to their residence, the atmosphere turned somewhat somber.
Walking along the streets illuminated by the evening lights, Hu Liena broke the silence first. She exhaled softly, her tone tinged with an unnoticeable trace of irritation:
"I feel like... we've hit a bottleneck."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing also nodded slightly, her clear, cold voice chiming in: "Mm."
"Our combat cooperation has reached a limit where it's hard to see further significant improvements."
Hu Liena took over, her delicate brows furrowed: "Yes, our current cooperation is less about 'mind-to-mind connection' and more about 'practice makes perfect.'"
"We rely on conditioned reflexes and tactical predictions formed through extensive practice."
"We're still far from the true realm of being able to act seamlessly and as one in an instant without any hesitation."
She looked at Dai Chengfeng: "Dai Chengfeng, do you feel the same way?"
"It feels like no matter how much we fight, we're merely repeating and optimizing existing patterns, lacking a... breakthrough."
Dai Chengfeng listened silently, understanding dawning within him.
He had long noticed this issue.
There was no helping it—the battles in the spirit arena, though risky, were ultimately competitions with rules protecting participants, lacking the extreme pressure and potential explosiveness of life-and-death struggles.
In such an environment, refining tacit cooperation to a "refined" level might be possible, but reaching the realm of "soul resonance" was as difficult as ascending to the heavens.
True peak tacit cooperation often required the baptism of blood and fire, forged under the brink-of-death crises.
He stopped walking and looked at his two companions, their breathtaking beauty and distinct charm standing beside him.
"Perhaps, it's time to change our training method!"
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