Douluo Continent: The Eternal Dawn

Chapter 137 On the Eve of the Competition
Amidst the surge of intense light, the Light-Breaking Demon's right arm bone rapidly fused with Tang Wutong's body. She felt only warmth and comfort in her right arm, without any pain whatsoever.

This situation only occurs when the attributes of the soul bone and the soul master's martial soul reach a certain level of compatibility.

For Tang Wutong, absorbing such a perfectly suited soul bone was pure enjoyment.

Ye Xixuan possessed the pure constitution of a Child of Light. Standing beside Tang Wutong, he was not only unaffected by the aura of light, but his body also resonated with it in a strange way. With every gesture he made, the aura of light emanating from Tang Wutong was drawn to him.

In layman's terms, this Light-Breaking Demon Right Arm Bone also fit him perfectly.

Combined with what Elder Mu had said earlier, Ye Xixuan couldn't help but feel a slight stirring in his heart.

"Elder Mu, you've been talking about harmonizing Yin and Yang. Once my martial spirit and physique are completely balanced, will I be able to absorb both light and dark attribute spirit rings and spirit bones at the same time?"

"That's how it is in theory," said Old Mu, nodding with satisfaction.

"However, achieving a complete balance between these two is not easy. It requires not only talent and comprehension, but also a certain amount of opportunity. According to my plan for your future cultivation, you will only be allowed to attempt to control the attribute switching between adversity and prosperity after your cultivation breaks through to the Soul Saint realm. Therefore, you must be extremely cautious when fusing soul bones in the future, especially in the selection of the soul bones for your upper body, such as the arms, torso, and head."

"The leg soul bones may not be that important yet, but the attributes of the soul bones in your upper body must be balanced. For example, your arm soul bones should ideally be fused together from two soul bones with opposite attributes and infinitely similar quality. The torso soul bones are more in line with your Light Child physique, so you must choose soul bones with sufficiently strong light attributes. As for the head soul bone, it should naturally be the opposite dark attribute."

"If these issues weren't taken into account, letting you absorb this Light-Breaking Demon Right Arm Soul Bone would be a good choice."

"Elder Mu, as far as I know, there shouldn't be a single Soul Master in the history of our Soul Master world who has ever managed to turn adversity into fortune," Ye Xixuan asked thoughtfully, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

The smile on Old Mu's face grew even wider.

"You're right, but among all the sages of our Soul Master world, who has been as blessed as you? The Child of Light physique inherently symbolizes the ultimate light attribute, meaning you actually possess both the ultimate light and darkness attributes. Moreover, the age of your Soul Rings can be continuously increased through your innate abilities, a talent that far surpasses that of twin Martial Souls. After all, truly powerful top-tier Soul Masters don't necessarily need complex Soul Skills; they are more likely to reach the pinnacle in a particular area. And your path is to reach the ultimate in the ultimate light and darkness attributes. If you can fuse the power of ultimate light and ultimate darkness in the future, you might even be able to touch upon the power of chaos."

"Chaotic attribute?" Ye Xixuan was slightly taken aback, and looked at Elder Mu with a slight frown.

Elder Mu nodded, a hint of reminiscence appearing in his deep, dim eyes. He continued with a smile, "Xi Xuan, there's something I haven't told you yet. Back then, although Xiao Yao and I had completely opposite martial soul attributes, we were drawn together by the dragon bloodline within us and unexpectedly used a martial soul fusion technique. However, because we were two independent individuals, the fusion degree of that martial soul fusion technique was only fifty percent. But you are different. You possess both the attributes of ultimate light and ultimate darkness, which will surely allow you to go further than us. As for the true chaotic attribute, that already transcends this plane of existence."

Upon hearing this, Ye Xixuan's expression turned solemn. Although Elder Mu hadn't said it explicitly, he understood Elder Mu's meaning perfectly.

That is the power of the gods.

He gained a lot from this conversation with Elder Mu, and now has a more detailed plan for his future cultivation direction.

For some unknown reason, Ye Xixuan's gaze unconsciously fell on Tang Wutong, or more precisely, on the center of her fair and smooth forehead.

Noticing the subtle change in Ye Xixuan's eyes, Elder Mu lowered his eyelids meaningfully, then suddenly changed the subject.

"Xi Xuan, now that you've reached the state of oneness with heaven and man, you must have already experienced the advantages of your original martial soul."

"Yes, Elder Mu." Ye Xixuan composed himself and replied solemnly.

"I can sense that the physical spirit has a greater advantage than other spirits in the fusion of spiritual power and soul power. And based on this, it is relatively easier to comprehend the state of unity between heaven and man. This is probably because the physical spirit is itself a part of the spirit master."

"The original martial soul truly deserves to be called a divine favor." Elder Mu closed his eyes and sincerely sighed.

"When I first saw you use the Heart Demon Pattern talent, I actually had a vague premonition. Your talent actually has the characteristics of the fusion of spiritual power and soul power to a certain extent. So I wasn't surprised at all that you were able to take control of the world ahead of time. But I really didn't expect that you, who had just comprehended the unity of heaven and man, would directly enter the second stage of Qi Condensation and successfully use the Dragon Emperor Evil-Breaking Rift that I taught you."

"Elder Mu, the biggest hurdle to the Unity of Heaven and Man realm should be the third stage, right?" Ye Xixuan was not complacent at all because of Elder Mu's praise. It was hard for him to feel a sense of accomplishment for something he could do so easily.

If other Soul Masters heard this, they would probably be so angry that they would vomit blood on the spot.

Although this wasn't Ye Xixuan's intention, to others, his matter-of-fact attitude only made him seem more arrogant. Or rather, his very existence was a form of arrogance.

Elder Mu said with an appreciative tone, "The third stage of the Unity of Heaven and Man realm is called Qiankun Zhuan, which means to completely control the power of heaven and earth for one's own use, thereby turning the tide. Only by comprehending the third stage of the Unity of Heaven and Man realm, Qiankun Zhuan, can one be considered to have truly achieved great success. Xi Xuan, you should sit down and try to comprehend it yourself first, and I will guide you from the side."

Under Elder Mu's guidance, Ye Xixuan also sat cross-legged and began to cultivate and meditate, directly entering a state of deep meditation.

Soul Masters typically cultivate in two ways: ordinary meditation and deep meditation.

Ordinary meditation will automatically end if disturbed by external stimuli or if the practitioner senses changes in the external environment, and is generally unaffected and risk-free. Therefore, this type of cultivation is also known as shallow cultivation. The vast majority of Soul Masters cultivate in this shallow state.

Deep meditation, on the other hand, is a state that can only be encountered by chance and cannot be sought. It is an insight gained during ordinary meditation. The whole person enters a state of complete concentration, the mind is immersed in it, and one can no longer feel changes in the external environment, only waking up on their own.

During deep meditation, the soul power within a soul master circulates automatically, and at a faster speed than during ordinary meditation. One session of deep meditation is even more effective than ten sessions of ordinary meditation. If one is about to break through a bottleneck, there is almost an 80% or higher probability of success.

As time passed, night gradually fell.

In the end, Tang Wutong woke up before Ye Xixuan. Seeing that Ye Xixuan had entered a deep meditative state, she naturally didn't want to disturb him. Although her heart was full of longing for Ye Xixuan, she could only bid farewell to Elder Mu alone and return to her dormitory in the outer courtyard.

Spurred by the upgrade assessment, Xiao Xiao has been cultivating exceptionally hard lately. After eating dinner early, she sat cross-legged on her bed in the dormitory and began her cultivation.

She was in a state of light meditation at the moment, and when she heard the sound of the dormitory door opening, she immediately opened her eyes alertly.

Seeing Tang Wutong's arrogant face, Xiao Xiao didn't hide her little emotions at all, and deliberately turned her body to show her dislike for Tang Wutong.

"Humph!"

"What are you humming about?" In a great mood, Tang Wutong was too lazy to argue with Xiao Xiao. She lay on her bed, looking radiant, and just casually made a comment.

Among the students at Shrek Academy, Xiao Xiao's family background is considered quite good. However, in terms of the luxury of her food, clothing, and daily necessities, she still can't compare to our Princess Tang.

Tang Wutong's bedding was made of high-quality soul beast fur, which was not only soft and fluffy with excellent warmth retention, but also embroidered with various magnificent and luxurious blue and gold patterns, making it obviously very valuable.

Having just been baptized by the Light-Slaying Demon-Slaying Right Arm Soul Bone, she didn't need to wash up anymore and comfortably snuggled into bed. As soon as she closed her eyes, the subtle sensations from her intimate contact with Ye Xixuan seemed to still envelop her, sending a tingling sensation through her body.

Xiao Xiao was still too naive. In the end, she couldn't suppress her curiosity and doubts and took the initiative to start a conversation with Tang Wutong.

"Hey, how did it go with you and the class monitor at the selection competition for core disciples of the outer academy? Why are you only coming back now?"

"First of all, I didn't call you 'Hey,' and secondly, do I have any obligation to answer your questions?" Tang Wutong opened her eyes again in annoyance after Xiao Xiao interrupted her daydream, but today she was different from usual and instead showed a smug smile.

"But I'm in a good mood today, so I might as well tell you. Of course, it's because I've been dating Ye Xixuan until now, hehe."

"Bullshit!" Xiao Xiao curled her lip, clearly not believing what Tang Wutong was saying.

"It's not like I can't see it. You've been pursuing the class monitor for almost a year, and he's never given you any positive response."

"Believe it or not." Tang Wutong couldn't help but roll her eyes, then turned her back to Xiao Xiao and pulled the blanket tighter around her. Although Xiao Xiao said that, her mind was in turmoil. The white sock incident on the first day of school had given her a huge sense of crisis, and after hearing Tang Wutong's words, she instantly lost all interest in cultivating.

Unable to calm her anxiety no matter how much she tossed and turned, she simply wrapped herself in the blanket and lay down, silently watching Tang Wutong on the opposite bed.

From Xiao Xiao's perspective, Tang Wutong's cheeks flushed an unnatural red, and her moist, smooth lips gently held the index and middle fingers of her right hand, completely immersed in savoring the intimate moments she had shared with Ye Xixuan.

Overwhelmed with emotion, her right hand slowly slid down and slipped under the covers.

Some things are learned naturally without a teacher, especially since this Tang princess had specifically studied this subject.

Xiao Xiao wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she noticed that Tang Wutong's delicate body seemed to be trembling slightly inside the blanket, and she was also making soft, charming moans.

"What are you doing?" The innocent little girl asked a question that was both naive and profoundly insightful.

Tang Wutong froze, realizing her actions, her pretty face instantly turning bright red with embarrassment. But unlike her inner shyness, she felt more annoyed and frustrated at being interrupted by Xiao Xiao again.

"What's it to you?!"

"Who cares about you!" Xiao Xiao also had her own temper. After snorting, she turned around and stuck out her little bottom in front of Tang Wutong.

Tang Wutong turned her head and tentatively glanced at Xiao Xiao, then simply turned over as well, letting herself watch Xiao Xiao's back instead. Her long, light blue hair was draped around the pillow, a few strands tucking between her lips, and her flawless face looked radiant and beautiful.

That feeling of being stuck in the middle returned, and Tang Wutong continued her unfinished mission.

Just then, Xiao Xiao suddenly turned around, and the two stared at each other, wide-eyed. The air around them seemed to freeze instantly, and the dormitory fell silent.

"What are you doing?!"

"What on earth are you going to do?!"

The two questions rang out almost simultaneously, but compared to Xiao Xiao, Tang Wutong's tone was clearly several levels higher, filled with embarrassment and anger.

That night, two more people were destined to suffer from insomnia.

Xiao Xiao spent the whole night pondering Tang Wutong's behavior. Although she had been exposed to many things since childhood as a Soul Master, her knowledge of that kind of thing was still a complete blank.

Tang Wutong, on the other hand, was filled with anger and could not calm down for a long time.

Meanwhile, Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan in the fifth-grade girls' dormitory were not resting either.

After learning from Jiang Nannan about Ye Xixuan's participation in the outer academy's core disciple selection competition, Tang Ya kept pestering Jiang Nannan to ask about Ye Xixuan's performance, and they even snuggled up in bed together intimately.

Jiang Nannan, filled with shame and indignation, reached out to stop Tang Ya's mischievous hands, letting out a gasp of surprise.

“Xiaoya?!”

"I just wanted to see what it felt like to touch someone else," Tang Ya said with an embarrassed laugh, looking every bit the female hooligan.

"That's just how Xi Xuan is—"

"You still dare to talk! You're going to die!" Before Tang Ya could finish speaking, Jiang Nannan blushed and quickly stopped her.

Tang Ya knew that Jiang Nannan was shy, so she finally behaved herself a little, turned to face Jiang Nannan, and said with a charming smile.

“I heard Xi Xuan mention before that this outer academy’s core disciple selection competition was supposed to select reserve team members to accompany the inner academy’s regular team to Star Luo City to participate in this year’s All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Battle Competition. I didn’t expect the requirements to be so strict this year, that even you, Nan Nan, were not selected. It seems that this year’s outer academy’s reserve team will only consist of Xi Xuan, Xu Sanshi, and Bei Bei.”

"So Xiaoya, you really don't need to put so much pressure on yourself."

Jiang Nannan had another candidate in mind for the reserve team, but she was much more emotionally intelligent than Tang Ya. She didn't say it to Tang Ya's face, but instead comforted her.

What pressure could I possibly have?

Tang Ya chuckled and said, "Besides, I never thought about having Xi Xuan all to myself in the future. Ever since Senior Sister came to me, I've already let go of that idea."

"How can you share your feelings for someone with others?" Jiang Nannan frowned slightly, as Tang Ya's views clashed greatly with her own understanding.

Tang Ya smiled and asked in return, "Why not? There aren't many perfect things in this world. As long as Xi Xuan and I can spend our lives happily together, I will be very satisfied. This is my purest desire. Just recognize this."

"If it were you, Nan Nan, I'd be happy to share it with you too." Tang Ya said, half-seriously and half-jokingly.

"Xiaoya, what are you saying?!"

After a whole night of deep meditation, Ye Xixuan's soul power cultivation naturally broke through to level forty-four.

However, among the four in the reserve team, the one with the highest soul power cultivation was not him, but Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi. Unlike in the original story, the two had already completed the evolution of their martial souls. Bei Bei's soul power cultivation had now reached level 47, and Xu Sanshi also had level 46 soul power.

After fusing with the Light-Slaying Demon-Breaking Right Arm Bone, Tang Wutong's soul power cultivation reached level 43. After all, during her vacation, she had also added a ten-thousand-year-level first soul ring to her second martial soul, the Clear Sky Hammer.

This is the advantage of having twin martial souls: you can accelerate your cultivation progress by adding a soul ring to the second martial soul.

After today, starting from the second day, the four members of the reserve team, including Ye Xixuan, would go to the martial arts arena on Seagod Island every afternoon to train with Elder Xuan, in addition to their regular classes.

Master Xuan's teaching method was simple and direct: practical combat, without any reservations.

Excluding Ma Xiaotao, who possessed the cultivation level of a Soul Saint, the remaining nine were randomly divided into different teams to fight against each other. The team assignments were different every day, in order to cultivate everyone's ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

Two weeks have passed in the blink of an eye amidst this intense study and practice.

It was another morning, but this time everyone didn't gather in the inner courtyard's martial arts arena. Instead, they stood in neat rows at the main gate of Shrek Academy.

Old Master Xuan still looked as disheveled as ever, holding a chicken leg in one hand and a wine gourd in the other, swaying unsteadily in front of everyone.

Besides Elder Xuan, there was another gentle woman dressed in a pure white dress. She was none other than Zhang Lexuan, the senior sister of the inner court and now the vice dean of the outer court of the Martial Soul Department.

Even Ye Xixuan only found out today that Zhang Lexuan was the leader of the Shrek Academy team this time.

(End of this chapter)