Based on his many years of experience—both from his past life and his current one—Li Chang'an could tell with absolute certainty that what he just saw was a piece of lingerie. More specifically, it was a strapless demi-cup, complete with delicate lace trim…
Although Bibi Dong reacted swiftly, her reflexes couldn't match Li Chang'an's sharp eyes. Before she could store the lingerie back into her soul tool, Li Chang'an had already gotten quite a few good looks at it—and his mind had filled in plenty of extra details on its own.
"Ahem, Chang'an," Bibi Dong's cheeks flushed slightly as she said, "when condensing your soul core, the soul power in your body will fluctuate violently. Most of your clothing will be destroyed in the process, so… you'll need to take them off. If you're embarrassed, then Teacher can—"
But before she could finish her sentence, Li Chang'an had already stripped down—completely. Not even a pair of boxers remained.
"Teacher, I'm not embarrassed at all! I'll follow your instructions!" Li Chang'an said cheerfully, standing at attention with full confidence—completely unashamed, his dick swaying in the wind.
Despite his young age, Li Chang'an had to admit—his physique wasn't bad at all. Fair skin, toned with just the right amount of muscle, and his lines carried a certain smooth elegance.
Bibi Dong nearly facepalmed on the spot, but she forced herself to stay calm. 'He's just a kid… He's my student. My student… my student…' she chanted silently in her mind, trying to steady her flustered thoughts.
"Get on my bed. Sit cross-legged," Bibi Dong said, a little awkwardly.
"Okay, Teacher!" Li Chang'an responded with innocent enthusiasm, hopping onto her bed in three bounces. The moment he landed, he felt the soft plushiness of the mattress and took in the faint, lingering fragrance on the sheets...
Though Bibi Dong had been doing her best to keep calm, a soft blush crept across her cheeks. However, she hid it well—Li Chang'an didn't notice a thing.
After Li Chang'an got into bed, Bibi Dong removed her shoes and climbed up after him, adjusting her robes before sitting cross-legged behind him.
"Begin meditating. Focus on your body's inner state. I'll inject a stream of soul power into you—try to accept it and absorb it."
Bibi Dong's serious voice sounded in his ears, prompting Li Chang'an to straighten up and focus.
He quieted his mind and cleared away all distracting thoughts. Using his weak spiritual sense, he began to examine his body from within, entering a meditative state.
Behind him, Bibi Dong also took a deep breath. She raised her right hand, and a ball of white light appeared in her palm. Strangely, the light flowed in a cyclical rhythm, radiating a sense of perpetual regeneration.
Carefully, she guided this soul power—extracted from her own soul core—into Li Chang'an's back. At the same time, her left hand quickly moved along his meridians, directing the energy flow precisely.
Li Chang'an felt a soft, delicate palm gently sliding across his back. The searing soul power entering his body followed the path her hand charted and began to circulate slowly in his abdomen—like a black hole the size of a bean, gradually spinning…
"Good. Now try to take control of this energy. Draw in soul power from the air around you and begin a continuous cycle!"
Bibi Dong continued to speak behind him, her hands guiding his meridians with practiced precision.
Li Chang'an didn't dare waste time. He immediately focused on that bean-sized core and began drawing in soul energy from the surrounding air to nourish it.
With his continued efforts, the core swelled rapidly in size. Before long, it had taken on a substantial form within his body and started rotating on its own.
"Keep expanding it—go as far as your body will allow. The larger your soul core, the faster your soul power will recover. The deeper your reserves, the stronger you'll become."
Bibi Dong's tone remained gentle, and her soft hands never stopped moving, continuing to clear any potential blockages in his energy channels.
"Yes, Teacher!"
Li Chang'an nodded and continued carefully expanding the soul core, drawing in more and more soul power. As he did, his body grew increasingly warm…
At that moment, Bibi Dong was genuinely surprised by his physical endurance. The current level of intensity in his body was something that only Soul Sages or higher could typically withstand. Saying his body was just "good" was a gross understatement!
And yet, Li Chang'an continued to grit his teeth and push through. Every time he approached his limit, the donghuang Bell inside him would give a subtle tremor, providing him with just enough relief to continue.
Finally, after ten full minutes of intense focus, Li Chang'an stopped expanding the core. By now, the soul core inside his body had grown to the size of a large peach—from its original bean size! This was the absolute limit of what he could manage for now.
As Li Chang'an came to a stop, Bibi Dong also ceased guiding his energy. Her hands—lifted from his back. The high-level control and effort she'd maintained throughout left her slightly flushed. Whether from exertion or something else, even she wasn't sure…
Li Chang'an took a moment to assess his current condition. Simply put, even if he stopped training altogether, the presence of his soul core meant that he would now passively absorb the ambient energy surrounding him. The pace was slow, but the long-term benefit was enormous.
Moreover, he noticed something odd: the soul power required to level up had doubled. Previously, going from level 24 to 25 required 4,000 soul power points. Now, it required 8,000!
Don't underestimate that doubling. Right now, the impact wasn't too noticeable, but once he reached higher tiers like Titled Douluo, that exponential increase would become a serious bottleneck. Still, the benefits were undeniable.
And this was only with one soul core. If he managed to form additional ones in the future, who knows how much more demanding his advancement would become?
On the flip side, the gains were staggering. Now, even if he drained all his soul power in battle, he wouldn't have to collapse and rely on the donghuang Bell to protect him. He could replenish a portion of his soul power in a short time—enough to keep fighting. His enemies wouldn't even get the chance to approach him.
Not to mention, the depth of his soul power now far surpassed that of an ordinary level-24 spirit Grandmaster. He could probably even go toe-to-toe in a battle of attrition with a spirit King and not necessarily come out worse for wear.
"You've done well, Chang'an. The strength of your soul core is on par with some newly ascended Titled Douluo. Your potential is limitless!"
Bibi Dong's voice behind him was filled with admiration. She hadn't expected Li Chang'an to form such a massive core—it truly opened her eyes. But as a teacher, more than anything else, she felt proud.
After all, this was her disciple!
"Now that you have your soul core, there's something I can finally tell you. I had originally thought… you didn't have what it takes."
"No, Teacher! I've always had what it takes!"
Li Chang'an immediately cut in, refusing to accept that kind of doubt. What kind of man admits he's not capable?!
_____
T/N:
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