......
"Now that you've reached Level 95, it is time for you to be introduced to things at that level."
"Come with me."
......
Sunset Forest, Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
Luo Nan stood at the edge of the spring, his hands clasped behind his back; he turned around and fixed a piercing gaze upon Dugu Bo. "Old Poison-monger, what I am about to teach you is of the utmost importance—so much so that it could overturn the entire existing cultivation system for Spirit Masters across the Douluo Continent!"
Luo Nan's tone was grave—more so than ever before—and carried a hint of chilling murderous intent:
"Aside from the two of us, not a single other soul must ever learn of this."
"If word of it were to leak, it would not only incite the frenzied covetousness of every powerhouse on the continent, but it would also spell the immediate end for you—Dugu Bo—and indeed, for your entire Dugu clan."
"Do you understand?"
Faced with that undisguised, terrifying pressure from Luo Nan, Dugu Bo felt a jolt of alarm and instantly realized the gravity of the situation.
Without a moment's hesitation, he raised his right hand and swore an oath to the heavens:
"Rest assured, Your Excellency!"
"My life belongs to you; even if it costs me my life, I will never breathe a single word of this!"
"Should I break this oath, may I, Dugu Bo, be pierced by a thousand arrows and have my soul cast into the abyss of the netherworld forever!"
Observing the unwavering resolve in Dugu Bo's eyes, Luo Nan nodded slowly.
He knew that Dugu Bo was a clever man who valued his word above all else; he was someone who could be absolutely trusted to keep a secret.
"Good."
Luo Nan took a deep breath. "What I am about to impart to you is a revolutionary secret technique: the method for condensing a Soul Core!"
"Soul Core... condensation method?" Dugu Bo was stunned; the term was completely alien to him—he had never even heard of it before.
"Precisely."
"Rank 95 marks the starting point of a Super Douluo and is the critical juncture where one's soul power undergoes a qualitative transformation."
"For an ordinary Titled Douluo, the soul power within their body is like a pool of stagnant water—vast, yet loose and unstructured."
"But for a Titled Douluo who possesses a Soul Core, that internal soul power becomes like an active volcano, ready to erupt at any moment!"
"Although both are Titled Douluos, the difference between having a Soul Core and not having one is immense."
"At the same rank, it represents an insurmountable chasm!"
"An insurmountable chasm..."
Dugu Bo murmured to himself, his mind reeling with shock.
He recalled the sense of powerlessness he had felt when facing Super Douluos in the past. Could this be the truth behind the closely guarded secrets of those legendary, top-tier powerhouses?
Ignoring Dugu Bo's astonishment, Luo Nan continued:
"Now, I shall teach you the method for condensing a Soul Core."
"Listen carefully. You must engrave every single word in your heart; the slightest error could lead to utter ruin!"
Dugu Bo immediately composed himself, holding his breath and focusing intently. Like the most devout of apprentices, he strained to listen, terrified of missing even half a word. "First, you must mobilize all the liquid soul power within your Dantian and make it spin at a terrifying speed, forming a massive vortex of soul power."
"During this process, you need to constantly apply inward pressure, continuously compressing that liquid soul power."
"When the vortex's rotational speed and pressure reach a critical point, you must frantically absorb the ambient energy of heaven and earth, using it as both fuel and a binding agent."
"Layer by layer, you must solidify the soul power at the vortex's center until it undergoes a qualitative change—transforming completely from a liquid state into a solid crystal core!"
"Remember, this process is extremely perilous!"
"The high-speed rotation and compression of soul power will generate a terrifying backlash."
"You must maintain a high level of mental concentration throughout the entire process, using your powerful mental energy to stabilize the vortex's form and resist the soul power's tendency to run wild."
"If your mental focus wavers even slightly, causing the soul power vortex to collapse, that violent energy will instantly tear your Dantian apart."
"At best, your cultivation base will be completely destroyed; at worst, your body will explode and you will die on the spot!"
Upon hearing Luo Nan's explanation, a fine layer of cold sweat had already beaded on Dugu Bo's forehead.
Although he hadn't attempted it himself, merely listening to this insane theory allowed him to imagine the terrifying risks involved.
Creating an energy collapse inside one's own Dantian?
That was practically dancing on the edge of the grave!
However, Dugu Bo was the battle-hardened Poison Douluo, after all; a look of determination soon flashed in his eyes.
"Rest assured, Your Excellency. This old man's life was a gift to begin with; if I dare not take even this risk, what right do I have to follow you?"
Dugu Bo gritted his teeth and spoke in a deep, resolute voice.
"Very good. That kind of mettle is exactly what's needed."
"Begin!" Luo Nan commanded in a low voice. Dugu Bo's mind jolted; he immediately began to mobilize the vast spirit power within his body—which had just broken through to the ninety-fifth rank—following the technique Luo Nan had taught him.
*Rumble...*
A sound like low, rolling thunder emanated from within Dugu Bo's body.
The green, poison-aspected spirit power in his dantian, previously calm, began to rotate slowly under his forceful drive.
At first, the rotation was sluggish, but as Dugu Bo continuously channeled his spiritual power to guide and spur it on, the vortex of spirit power spun faster and faster, becoming increasingly frenzied.
"Compress!"
Dugu Bo roared internally; his immense spiritual power, acting like an invisible net, tightened fiercely around the spirit power vortex in his dantian.
*Hiss...*
Agonizing pain instantly swept through Dugu Bo's entire body.
It felt as though countless steel blades were frantically slicing into his internal organs.
The rapidly spinning spirit power was like an untamable, raging dragon, struggling desperately to break free from the constraints of his spiritual power and expand outward.
Dugu Bo's face turned deathly pale; his body trembled violently, and beads of sweat the size of soybeans rolled down his cheeks.
Before they could even hit the ground, the surrounding violent energy vaporized them into nothingness.
"Steady your mind! Do not resist the pain—guide it!"
Luo Nan's cold voice rang out in Dugu Bo's ears at just the right moment.
At that instant, the energy surrounding the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well began to play a crucial role.
As the spirit power vortex within Dugu Bo spun madly, a powerful suction force erupted from his body.
Energies of extreme cold and extreme heat rampaged through Dugu Bo's meridians, eventually converging in his dantian and slamming violently against the green spirit power vortex.
"Aaaargh!"
Dugu Bo couldn't help but let out a roar of agony.
The influx of ice and fire energies caused the turbulence of the spirit power vortex to intensify several-fold in an instant.
Yet, at the same time, it acted as the catalyst for a qualitative transformation! Under the immense pressure of Dugu Bo's all-out mental energy and the continuous infusion of the vast elemental energy from the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well...
A subtle yet crucial change finally occurred at the center of that green vortex of spirit power.
The spirit power, originally in a liquid state, began to thicken under the extreme pressure and rotation; its color shifted from emerald green to a deep, profound ink-green.
"Now—condense!"
A sharp gleam flashed in Luo Nan's eyes as he shouted the command.
......
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