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Flame Mountain Range.
"In the depths of this mountain range, there is an 80,000-year Flame Sovereign. It is a mutant among the Flame Lords. I've had my eye on it for a long time." Xiao Zhan's goal this time was very clear.
Flame Sovereign?
Named as a "Sovereign," perhaps this mutated Flame Lord wasn't the strongest being in the entire mountain range, but it was certainly the most outstanding individual of its species.
At the very least, no other Flame Lord of the same level would be stronger than it.
Su Wen hadn't expected Xiao Zhan to have a target selected so early on.
80,000 years...
"Normally, the limit a Soul Master can withstand for their eighth soul ring is between 50,000 and 70,000 years. Uncle Zhan, you practice the Fire Demon Style, your soul power is solidified, and with the addition of my Soul Ascension Method, absorbing this 80,000-year Flame Sovereign is quite appropriate," Su Wen said.
Even without the Soul Ascension Method, Xiao Zhan could probably absorb soul beasts slightly over 80,000 years.
With the Soul Ascension Method, absorbing this 80,000-plus-year Flame Sovereign shouldn't be too dangerous.
Xiao Zhan possessed vast soul power and was a scholar himself; he was capable of figuring out the techniques for active soul power compression on his own. His mastery over the meridians in his body also far exceeded that of ordinary Soul Masters, so the speed at which he learned the Soul Ascension Method far surpassed Dugu Yan and the others.
However, once at the ten-thousand-year level, the difficulty of absorbing beyond one's limit is mostly concentrated in mental strength. While the body can relatively easily withstand the soul power impact of an 80,000-year soul ring thanks to the Soul Ascension Method, the soul vibration brought by such a ring is not something an average Soul Douluo candidate can endure.
Xiao Zhan, obviously, was no average person.
His mental strength was higher than that of general Soul Masters.
In fact, most Soul Masters with book-type Martial Souls possess mental strength exceeding that of ordinary Soul Masters of the same rank.
However, Xiao Zhan was particularly outstanding in this regard.
It wasn't that his Martial Soul had undergone a transformation in its mental attribute, but rather his cultivation of the fusion between himself and his Martial Soul.
Under the buff of two great secret techniques—the Soul Fusion Method and the Ring Fusion Method—Xiao Zhan's degree of fusion with his Martial Soul was nearly reaching the Title Douluo level.
According to Su Wen's theory, the Martial Soul is the bridge between a Soul Master's soul and their physical body.
One non-negligible way ordinary Soul Masters increase their mental strength is through the feedback of physical strengthening. The higher the degree of fusion, the stronger the mental feedback received as the Soul Master's soul power increases. With this breakthrough and the solidification of his soul power, the feedback Xiao Zhan's mental strength received was very substantial.
Moreover, a large amount of research and frequent use of his brain were in themselves a form of mental training.
Most importantly, soul vibration targets the Sea of Consciousness, but at the same time, it doesn't only target the Sea of Consciousness.
Generally speaking, Soul Kings and Soul Emperors have not opened a Sea of Consciousness. The soul vibration they experience causes turbulence in the mental realm, but a large portion of the aftershocks is absorbed by the Martial Soul and the Soul Master's physical body.
If the physical body has surplus capacity to bear the pressure, then the pressure on the mental strength will be lower.
"The Flame Mountain Range has a total of five branch ranges extending in five directions, each inhabited by different types of fire-attribute soul beasts. We are heading toward the branch that extends south."
Upon arriving at the Flame Mountain Range, Xiao Zhan seemed to have returned home, leading the group forward.
"Dad, how are you so familiar with the Flame Mountain Range?" Xiao Huo couldn't help but wonder.
For as long as she could remember, Xiao Zhan had already been the famous "Fire Demon Xiao Zhan" for many years, having become a Soul Saint.
Clearly, Xiao Zhan's familiarity with this place came from his past experiences while obtaining soul rings.
"Uncle Zhan's soul skill combinations are strictly selected to facilitate his development of the Fire Demon Style and his cultivation. Therefore, he is very picky when it comes to obtaining soul rings," Su Wen explained.
Being picky about soul rings meant, in other words, wasting a vast amount of time and energy when searching for soul beasts.
Su Wen remembered that Xiao Zhan had been a teacher at Blazing Academy. He estimated that during that time, whenever Xiao Zhan broke through, he came to the Flame Mountain Range to hunt soul beasts.
Coupled with his friendship with Huo Tianyang, it was likely that he didn't just come for his own rings; he probably accompanied Huo Tianyang when he needed them as well.
The Flame Mountain Range was even vaster than the Sunset Forest, but the density of soul beast distribution was far lower, making the progress of exploration much more efficient.
If one could visit four or five times, staying for two or three months each time, it would be equivalent to exploring the Flame Mountain Range for a whole year.
In a year's time, for someone like Xiao Zhan—who was at least at the Soul King level back then—it was truly possible to have mapped out the entire Flame Mountain Range.
The group followed Xiao Zhan's guidance deeper into the mountains.
"It should be nearby. I remember Tianyang and I once discovered a Jade-Fire Spirit Beast that was just over ten thousand years old. Because the age was too low for us at the time, we didn't choose it. Thinking back now, this Jade-Fire Spirit Beast should be very suitable for Huo'er," Xiao Zhan said.
However, he wasn't certain if this Jade-Fire Spirit Beast had been found by other soul beasts over the years.
"Uncle Zhan, over there!" Su Wen's expression shifted as he looked in a certain direction.
A hazy, illusory power flickered in his eyes as Su Wen looked into the distance.
There was a massive rock scorched by flames, and atop it, jade-green fire was still burning.
"It seems the Jade-Fire Spirit Beast is still nearby." Xiao Zhan breathed a sigh of relief.
"Since it's still around, we will definitely find it," Dugu Bo said.
With their current lineup, finding a Jade-Fire Spirit Beast confirmed to be living in the vicinity wouldn't be difficult.
Three days later.
Jade-green and deep-red flames collided. Two figures burst out from the fire. Xiao Zhan looked like a flame giant, violently and continuously swinging flaming fists, beating the giant spirit beast surrounded by jade-green fire into the ground.
This method of fighting wasn't for venting; it was a technique chosen by most high-level Soul Masters when facing a target soul beast that must be hunted.
After all, the drop rate for soul bones is very low. Only two situations can increase this probability: one is if the soul beast is extremely cooperative, and the other is if the soul beast is filled with resentment.
Brutal beating is the method most Soul Masters use to make a soul beast hate them before death.
Furthermore, while it stimulates the soul beast's resentment, when the Soul Master who actually needs the soul ring delivers the final blow, there is a chance the soul beast might feel a sense of gratitude or relief.
"Huo'er!" Xiao Zhan called out a reminder.
Xiao Huo had already dashed out, a lotus flower formed of jade-green flames in her hand, radiating scorching heat.
Suddenly, she threw the jade-fire lotus.
Xiao Zhan lunged backward.
Rumble!
The jade-fire lotus landed on the Jade-Fire Spirit Beast, and flames completely engulfed it.
By the time the jade-green flames dissipated, a pitch-black soul ring was hovering in the air.
Xiao Huo stepped forward and sat cross-legged beneath the black soul ring, drawing it outside her body to begin the absorption.
"Sister Huo'er's soul ring is settled. Next is Uncle Zhan's soul ring, and our final objective—the 80,000-year Flame Sovereign."
(End of Chapter)