Chapter 7: Innate Soul Power Enhancement
It wasn't until the next morning that Dugu Han finally woke up from his practice.
As soon as he opened his eyes, he was greeted by a pungent, fishy smell!
It came from the black dirt that had formed scabs on his body— the impurities discharged from his body after washing his marrow and bones.
"This should be the impurities expelled during the cleansing process," Dugu Han deduced, inspecting the dirt on his skin.
He immediately got up to take a bath.
After washing away the dirt, he took out a round soul power detector—a device developed by the Sun Moon Empire.
Compared to the ancient crystal ball soul power testing method used in the Douluo Three Kingdoms era and still employed today in some places, this instrument was far more advanced.
Not only could it accurately measure his soul power, but it could also provide data on bone age, innate soul power level, physical strength, and other vital attributes.
Especially noteworthy was his soul power detector, which was reserved for the royal family of the Sun Moon Empire. It could even assess the maximum age his body could sustain a soul ring.
Dugu Han turned on the device and stepped onto it.
In the next instant, a faint light swept across his body from bottom to top.
A mechanical voice then announced the results.
"Bone age: six years and one month."
"Soul power: level three."
"Innate soul power: level two."
"Physical strength: level four."
"Physical toughness: level five."
"Soul bone attachment: none."
"Maximum years the body can bear a soul ring: 124 years."
Dugu Han listened to the data readout from the device, feeling very satisfied.
His innate soul power had increased by one level as expected.
However, he was surprised to discover that his soul power had increased by two levels.
Reflecting carefully, he realized that the Mystic Water Pill's abundant medicinal power had a significant effect.
In the original story, Huo Yuhao's use of the pill increased his soul power by about one and a half levels.
It was reasonable that, as a soul warrior starting at level one, Dugu Han could now elevate his soul power by two levels.
But it wasn't just two levels—
Dugu Han could sense that a large amount of medicinal power from the Mystic Water Pill remained in his body, unrefined.
He estimated that once he fully absorbed and refined this residual medicinal energy, his soul power could increase by another half a level.
After confirming his new soul power level, Dugu Han ate some medicinal food and prepared to start practicing again—to test how quickly his soul power was growing.
When he entered a meditative state to stimulate his soul power, he immediately noticed a stark difference from before taking the pill.
Previously, his soul power during meditation was as slow as a snail.
Now, after the Mystic Water Pill, it was like a spider— at least three to five times faster.
The entire process was running smoothly, with no more feelings of blockage.
During this practice, Dugu Han felt an unprecedented sense of power throughout his body— as if all his meridians had been fully opened, and his limbs and bones were tingling with a pleasant sensation of regeneration.
"It's so comfortable," he thought.
About ten minutes later, he opened his eyes.
Compared to before taking the Mystic Water Pill— when it took nearly an hour to cycle through his entire soul power flow— now it only took more than ten minutes.
His cultivation speed had increased at least fourfold.
The growth of his soul power was no longer subtle; it was now clearly increasing, bit by bit.
Simultaneously, he observed that his meridians had become smoother than ever before.
Previously blocked and thin, they now appeared widened and thickened, with a soft elasticity that allowed them to withstand the impact of soul power longer.
This discovery calmed Dugu Han even further.
He immediately resumed practicing.
With his current training pace, combined with medicinal food and baths, he was confident he could fully refine the medicinal power of the Mystic Water Pill within half a month.
At that point, he believed his soul power would increase by another half a level.
He also planned to take the second Mystic Water Pill afterward, further boosting his innate soul power and accelerating his cultivation.
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Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
One morning, Dugu Han woke up from his training, opened his eyes, and first checked his major meridians— confirming there was no residual medicinal power remaining from the Mystic Water Pill— before getting up and stretching stiff limbs.
He then left the ice house and wandered nearby, relaxing his mind after half a month of intense focus.
By evening, he took out the second Mystic Water Pill and consumed it.
Just like half a month ago, a strong fluctuation of soul power immediately radiated from his body.
A faint blue light flickered around him, with layers of water mist swirling on the surface.
Time flew by.
Within fourteen days, Dugu Han had refined the medicinal power of the second Mystic Water Pill even faster than before— a full day quicker.
The results:
"Bone age: six years and two months."
"Soul power: level five."
"Innate soul power: level three."
"Physical strength: level five."
"Physical toughness: level six."
"Soul bone attachment: none."
"Maximum years the body can bear a soul ring: 214 years."
Dugu Han tested himself again on the soul power detector.
Although only a month had passed since the last test, his improvement was remarkable.
His innate soul power had risen to level three, and his overall cultivation speed had significantly increased.
His soul power now reached level five, just two and a half months after starting this process.
The rapid progress was impressive.
But Dugu Han remained calm.
He knew that much of this progress was due to the medicinal effects of the Mystic Water Pills— the first directly boosted his soul power by two levels, while the remaining medicinal power helped increase it by half a level.
The second pill, while improving innate level one soul power, had limited additional effects on his cultivation.
In total, the two pills contributed to about three and a half levels of his current soul power.
His two and a half months of diligent training, combined with medicinal food and baths, only increased his soul power by half a level.
Dugu Han accepted this.
With his innate first-level soul power, such improvements were already difficult.
Now, with innate level three, his cultivation speed would further accelerate.
Moreover, with Elder Xue's return bringing the essence and blood of a top ice-attributed dragon soul beast, his growth might surge again— especially if Elder Xue managed to find Xue Di.
"It's been two months," he thought, gazing toward the Extreme North with some concern. "I wonder what Elder Xue is up to."
Suddenly, he noticed a dark shadow approaching rapidly from the distance.
His eyes lit up, and he exclaimed, "Elder Xue!"
(End of this chapter)