In the Elder Hall's exclusive training ground, moonlight streamed through the high windows, illuminating Marco who sat cross-legged. His eyes were lightly closed, with Soul Power flowing like a gentle stream throughout his body, while Azure Flames flickered faintly across his skin. After days of arduous cultivation, he had gained initial insights into merging Soul Power with Mental Power, but was still far from achieving perfect harmony.
"Observation Haki can be extended outward to probe the surroundings, but can it be turned inward to examine oneself?" A thought suddenly crossed Marco's mind. He remembered his father Li Zhaoyan mentioning that true experts must have complete awareness of every ounce of their power. While external detection was important, if he could use internal vision to observe the flow of Soul Power, muscle contractions, and even mental fluctuations within his body, he might find the key to merging Soul Power and Mental Power more quickly.
He acted on this idea immediately. Marco retracted his Observation Haki, no longer spreading it outward, but instead attempting to penetrate inward. Initially, it was extremely difficult—his Mental Power darted around chaotically inside him like a headless fly, unable to focus. Internal vision was completely different from external extension: when extended outward, Mental Power spread out like a net covering a vast area; but internal vision required highly condensed Mental Power, piercing into the minute details of his body like a needle.
He repeatedly adjusted the frequency and intensity of his Mental Power, starting with attempts to sense the main Meridians, then moving to smaller branch Meridians, and finally trying to penetrate to the level of muscle fibers. This process consumed immense Mental Power, often leaving him dizzy and disoriented after just half an hour of attempts. But he didn't give up. Relying on the Mental Power advantage granted by his Double Pupil Eye, he persisted with daily practice.
After several days of attempts, he finally achieved a breakthrough. When his Mental Power was highly concentrated, he faintly "saw" the Soul Power within his body surging through his Meridians like an azure stream, his muscle fibers tightening like bowstrings when exerting force, and he could even perceive the powerful beating of his heart. Although the imagery remained blurry, as if viewed through frosted glass, it was a good start.
"Six Forms Ultimate Skill 'Life Return'..." Marco recalled another crucial element. Life Return was the highest secret of the Six Styles, enabling perfect conscious control over every part of the body—even hair and internal organs. If he could master this skill, his control over his body would reach a whole new level, and the fusion of Soul Power and Mental Power would become twice as effective with half the effort.
He shared his thoughts with Elders Qianjun and Xiangmo, hoping they could help him temper his body. Upon hearing this, both elders showed appreciation in their eyes.
"Good lad, reaching this level of thinking shows you're truly contemplating how to become stronger," Xiangmo Douluo clapped Marco's shoulder with his large hand. "Body tempering, you say? Leave it to us! But this process won't be pleasant—you need to be mentally prepared."
Qianjun Douluo also nodded. "The combination of internal vision and Life Return is indeed the right path. Only by first understanding your own body can you better control it."
In the following days, Marco's training intensity doubled. Qianjun Douluo used refined Soul Power to clear his Meridians and temper his muscles and bones. The process felt like thousands of fine needles simultaneously piercing his body, causing excruciating pain, but after each session, Marco could feel his Meridians becoming more unobstructed and his Soul Power flowing more smoothly.
Xiangmo Douluo used the vibrating force of his Coiling Dragon Staff to stimulate the deep layers of Marco's muscles. The tremors struck like heavy hammers, each impact shaking Marco's entire body, yet it truly helped him perceive the subtle changes in muscle exertion more clearly. The two elders took turns—one meticulous and precise, the other bold and sweeping—allowing Marco's body to continuously transform amidst extreme agony.
Simultaneously, Marco persistently attempted to integrate the essence of "Life Return" into his training. Starting with controlling the slight movements of his fingertips, he sat in the training ground, fully focused on trying to bend his right index finger independently. This seemingly simple action required precise control over a specific muscle without excessively involving other parts. He failed over a hundred times before finally grasping that delicate sensation.
Next was making his hair sway without wind. This required refining his Mental Power to the extent of controlling hair follicles. Marco sat in meditation for an entire day, sweat beading on his forehead, before managing to make a few strands of hair flutter slightly. Though progress was slow, he could feel his mastery over his body gradually improving.
The most challenging part was attempting to guide the flow of Soul Power with his consciousness while in a state of internal vision. This demanded maintaining both the internal vision state and the precise control of Life Return simultaneously, consuming immense Mental Power. Often, after just fifteen minutes of effort, he would grow dizzy and have to stop to regulate his breathing. But Marco persevered, and after ten days, he could, in a state of internal vision, make a wisp of Soul Power complete an additional minor cycle through specific Meridians according to his will.
Late one Night, when all was silent, Marco remained seated in the training ground, fully activating his Observation Haki to observe his internal state. His Mental Power spread through his body like fine threads, perceiving every minute change in his Soul Power. He was immersed in a mysterious state, his awareness of the external world reduced to a minimum.
Just then, through his internal perception, he "saw" a vague figure behind him—one that had merged almost completely with the shadows, appearing at some unknown time! The figure stood silently, as if it had been there for a long while, quietly "observing" the circulation of Soul Power within him!
Instantly, Marco was terrified, breaking out in a cold sweat all over. He abruptly ended his cultivation, opened his eyes, and turned around, moving as fast as lightning. Under the moonlight, he saw a figure shrouded in black robes standing silently about ten feet away, its face hidden in the shadows of the hood, its aura obscure and elusive as if it didn't exist in this space. It was Ghost Douluo Guimei!
Suppressing his shock, Marco quickly rose and bowed respectfully. "Your junior Marco pays respects to Lord Ghost Douluo." His tone remained calm, but his back was already drenched in cold sweat. The other party had managed to infiltrate the Elder Hall's restricted area undetected and approach him from behind during his internal vision state—their strength was unfathomable.
From the shadows, Guimei seemed to let out a faint, elusive chuckle. "Oh? How did you know it was me?" He was curious how this youth, while fully immersed in internal vision, had detected his presence and accurately addressed him by his title.
Marco's mind raced as he respectfully replied, "Your junior once heard Elders Qianjun and Xiangmo speak of Lord Ghost Douluo's demeanor, describing your movements as ghostly, formless and traceless. Witnessing it today, I realize their words were not exaggerated." His response both explained the reason and highlighted his relationship with the two elders, subtly implying a warning.
The gaze beneath the ghostly hood flickered slightly, naturally grasping the underlying meaning in Marco's words. He ceased dwelling on the matter and directly stated his purpose: "Her Holiness the Pope wishes to see you. Come with me."
Pope Bibi Dong wanted to see him? Marco's heart jolted, knowing what was inevitable had finally arrived. Maintaining a calm expression, he replied, "It is an honor for this junior to receive Her Holiness's summons. However... should I first inform Elders Qianjun and Xiangmo? To avoid causing them concern."
"Unnecessary." The ghostly voice remained ethereal yet carried an undeniable firmness. "Come with me to see Her Holiness first. I will inform them afterward."
Before the words faded, a chilling aura enveloped Marco. The ghostly figure dissipated like smoke, reappearing the next moment at the training ground's entrance as if never having moved. "Let's go," he said without turning back.
Marco knew refusal was not an option at this moment. He took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and followed. In the night, the two figures moved silently one after another, leaving the Elder Hall area and heading toward the Papal Hall. Marco could sense that this meeting would likely determine the future course of his path within Spirit Hall.