Time ticked by.
Outside the window, the deepest night gradually softened to indigo. A sliver of light appeared on the horizon.
Stars faded. The east blushed with dawn's first pale glow.
As the sun's first ray neared the horizon, Dai Chengfeng had already "marked" seventeen fragile nodes on his first soul ring with soul power.
"Good enough."
He took a deep breath, eyes flashing with resolve.
With a thought, he stimulated all seventeen nodes at once!
Crack—
A faint sound—like glass fracturing—echoed in his soul.
The yellow ring's glow flickered violently, unstable.
But unlike before, it didn't tremble. Instead… it expanded.
Yes—expanded.
The ring slowly "lifted" from the White Tiger martial soul's surface, like a sticker carefully peeled away.
"Now!"
Dai Chengfeng's eyes blazed. His right hand clenched sharply.
"Detonate!"
Pop!
A near-silent shatter. The floating ring exploded.
But unlike Tang Hao's violent blast, this explosion was "gentle." The ring shattered into golden motes—not scattering, but drawn by invisible force, hovering obediently as a luminous sphere.
Dai Chengfeng felt a faint tether to the motes—maintained by stretched-but-unbroken connecting threads.
"Guide…"
Focusing, he willed the motes to move.
The sphere flowed like liquid gold, tracing the threads into his right arm, fully merging with the White Tiger martial soul.
The moment fusion completed—
A gentle yet immense power erupted from his arm, flooding his body like a breached dam!
His soul power surged by at least thirty percent—denser than mercury, flowing through his meridians.
Every muscle, every bone thrummed with explosive strength. His senses sharpened—he could hear dewdrops sliding off leaves in the courtyard.
He raised his right hand, palm closing loosely.
Hiss—
Air tore. No soul skill used—just a casual grip created a micro-explosion in his palm.
"This is… the power of Ring Detonation."
Dai Chengfeng murmured, eyes alight with triumph.
Just a hundred-year ring. Only thirty percent power boost. The detonated ring needed three days to re-coalesce.
But—he'd succeeded!
In one night, he'd not only grasped Ring Detonation's threshold but recreated the Hao Tian Sect's secret in his own way!
And his method differed from Tang Hao's.
Tang Hao's technique was violent, direct—ripping rings off before detonation.
Dai Chengfeng's was precise, gentle—using resonance to "naturally peel" rings for controlled absorption.
Which was better?
He analyzed the changes within.
Energy absorption rate… about seventy percent.
Seventy percent of the explosion's energy converted; thirty percent lost.
Not high—but astonishing for a first attempt.
Martial soul strain… minimal.
The White Tiger showed no damage—only "fatigued" connecting threads needing rest.
Ring recovery time… roughly three days.
The critical flaw.
Losing a ring for three days in battle? Too costly and risky.
"Not enough."
His joy faded, replaced by cold analysis.
"Too much energy was lost. Recovery is too slow."
"And the process took nearly five seconds—from resonating nodes to full absorption."
"No enemy gives you five seconds in real combat."
Dai Chengfeng dispersed the power. The motes seeped from his martial soul, reassembling into a yellow ring.
Its glow was dimmer, runes blurred—needing time to heal.
"But it proves the path is right."
"My method is theoretically safer, less damaging to the martial soul than Tang Hao's."
"Now, relentless practice. Refinement."
He stood, stretching stiff limbs.
No sleep all night—yet his spirit burned bright, eyes clear and sharp.
Morning light flooded the room.
He stepped into the courtyard.
Cool air, scented with grass and dew, invigorated him.
He didn't cultivate immediately. Standing center-yard, eyes closed, he replayed every detail.
Each energy flow. Every node shift…
"Resonating nodes can be faster. If I stimulate all simultaneously, not sequentially…"
"Energy guidance can improve. Perhaps build a 'channel' with soul power before detonation—orderly flow into the martial soul…"
"Can the recovery time shorten?"
"What if I don't fully shatter the ring? Attempt a partial disassembly—release some energy, preserve the core structure. Would that heal faster?"
Ideas cascaded.
After a long pause—
"Test the second approach."
He summoned his martial soul again, selecting the second purple ring.
With first-attempt experience, he moved faster.
Spiritual sense plunged into the ring, swiftly locating all fragile nodes—then—
Simultaneous resonance!
Seventeen nodes vibrated in harmony, detaching the ring from his martial soul almost instantly.
"Build the channel."
Splitting focus, he maintained resonance while weaving a complex soul power network between ring and martial soul.
"Detonate!"
The ring shattered into motes.
This time, they followed pre-set paths—rivers to the sea—surging into the White Tiger.
The entire process: two seconds.
Energy flooded in. Dai Chengfeng analyzed.
"Absorption rate… eighty percent! It's improved!"
Less strain on the martial soul—orderly flow gentler on connecting threads.
"Recovery time?"
The reformed ring glowed brighter than the first attempt.
"Perhaps two and a half days. It works!"
Dai Chengfeng's eyes blazed brighter.
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