Chapter 249 Liu Yuan, Three Evolutions of Double Pupils?
Meanwhile, within the Body Sect...
The door to the secret room had been closed for a long time.
Liu Yuan sat cross-legged on the futon, and the surrounding air was very quiet.
The soul-guiding lamps on the walls emitted a steady glow, illuminating every corner of the secret room.
Several empty jade boxes lay scattered on the ground; they contained the immortal herbs he had brought back from the Yin-Yang Well of Ice and Fire, most of which he had already used.
He took the Dew of Longing Autumn Water, the Miraculous Chrysanthemum, and several auxiliary medicinal herbs in a methodical manner.
The jade box was open, and the immortal herb inside had disappeared, leaving only some small fragments of leaves.
The soul power within his body was much stronger than before he went into seclusion.
The six-level advancement from level sixty-two to level sixty-eight allowed the flow of soul power in his meridians to become smoother.
The soul core slowly rotated in the dantian. With each rotation, a layer of fine soul power would seep out from the core and flow through the meridians to the whole body.
The feeling wasn't a sudden surge, but a solid, inner fulfillment.
But Liu Yuan didn't care much about these things.
His attention was not on his soul power level.
The three pupils were closed, but the pupils below the eyelids were slowly moving.
That feeling is back, very similar to the feeling before my second awakening of my martial soul.
It wasn't pain, nor pressure, but an inexplicable restlessness, as if something was brewing deep within my pupils, waiting for the right moment to break free.
The arrangement of the three pupils is subtly changing, not through deliberate adjustment, but through a spontaneous and slow reorganization.
Liu Yuan did not force it to happen.
Having learned from his previous experience, he knew that this kind of evolution could not be driven by brute force.
All he needed to do was maintain a stable flow of soul power, keep his body in optimal condition, and then wait.
He opened his eyes and glanced at the hourglass in the corner.
Another day has passed.
He closed his eyes and continued to circulate his soul power.
Days passed one by one. In the secret room, there was no day or night, only the rhythm of soul power circulating and the sound of fine sand falling in the hourglass.
Liu Yuan didn't know how much longer he would have to wait, but he wasn't in a hurry.
The feeling of restlessness became more and more pronounced, indicating that we were on the right track.
He just needs to keep waiting.
Two months later.
The main gate of the Body Sect has returned to its former bustling state.
On the training ground, disciples practiced in groups of three or five, the sounds of fists and feet clashing and the explosions of soul power colliding intertwined.
Compared to a few months ago, everyone's aura has changed noticeably.
Some people saw their soul power increase, some became physically stronger, and some experienced smoother martial soul circulation. The immortal herbs that Liu Yuan distributed all had an effect on everyone.
Chen Lu walked down the back mountain with light steps. His left arm was completely healed, and his soul power had increased by more than three levels compared to before his seclusion.
He walked to the edge of the training ground, stood against a tree, crossed his arms, and watched his disciples sparring in the arena.
Wang Yanfeng walked over from the direction of the cafeteria, holding a piece of bread in his hand and eating it.
He walked over to Chen Lu, finished his meal in a few bites, and patted the crumbs off his hands.
"You've emerged from seclusion?" Wang Yanfeng asked.
"It came out a couple of days ago." Chen Lu nodded. "My soul power increased by three and a half levels, and my physical strength also improved. How's the effect of your immortal herb?"
"More or less." Wang Yanfeng stretched his shoulders. "My soul power has increased by a little over three levels, but the purity of my soul power is much higher than before. It's circulating much more smoothly now."
Gu Tong walked from the direction of the library, holding a book in her hand.
He walked up to the two of them, closed the book, and put it into the storage bag at his waist.
His movements were a little faster than before, not intentionally, but rather a natural bodily reaction.
"I used it too," Gu Tong said. "My mental strength increased by about 30%, and my perception range also expanded. This improvement is very useful for an eye-type martial soul."
Chen Lu nodded, shifting his gaze from the training ground to the direction of the main hall.
The main hall's doors were tightly shut, and there were no disciples on duty at the entrance. Only two elders, who were guarding the hall, were sitting in the side hall drinking tea.
"The sect leader hasn't emerged from seclusion yet," Chen Lu said.
Wang Yanfeng followed his gaze and looked towards the main hall.
"Reaching level 99? That's not going to happen anytime soon. The sect leader has only been in seclusion for a few months; it's a long way off."
Gu Tong nodded.
At this moment, Long Aotian walked over from the other side of the martial arts arena.
His steps were steady, each step firm and solid. His aura was more restrained than before his seclusion; it wasn't the outward sharpness of his earlier self, but rather a heavy, weighty presence.
He walked up to the group and stopped.
Chen Lu looked him up and down and asked a question.
"Senior brother, you've improved quite a bit this time, haven't you?"
Long Aotian neither denied nor elaborated, simply responding, "It's alright."
Chen Lu pursed his lips and didn't ask any further questions.
Vina walked out from the side door. She was wearing a light-colored, close-fitting outfit, and her hair was tied back with a hairpin.
She walked over to the group, glanced around, and then her gaze settled on the hillside.
The bamboo grove rustled in the wind, its green leaves layered upon each other, obscuring the buildings behind it.
Chen Lu followed her gaze and said something.
"Senior Brother Liu Yuan didn't come out either."
Wang Yanfeng nodded.
"The sect leader has been in seclusion for a long time because he's trying to break through to the Limit Douluo level. Senior Brother Liu Yuan... he's been in seclusion for several months now, why is there still no progress?"
Gu Tong pushed up her glasses and said something.
"When Senior Brother Liu Yuan came out of seclusion last time, he had condensed his first soul core. This time, his seclusion will last even longer than last time, so he might have made another major breakthrough."
Long Aotian was silent for a moment, then spoke.
"He will come out when he wants to. There's no use in us guessing."
Vina didn't reply; her gaze remained fixed on the hillside.
Chen Lu changed the subject.
"In any case, everyone's strength has improved significantly this time. Our performance should be pretty good during the Soul Master Competition."
Wang Yanfeng nodded.
"We were champions last year. This year, the pressure to defend our title is immense. Shrek Academy is definitely eager for revenge."
Long Aotian spoke, his voice not loud, but very steady.
"We're not afraid of their revenge. We're stronger than before."
The group paused for a moment, then nodded in unison.
Chen Lu glanced at the sky, then at the training ground, stood up, and dusted off his clothes.
"Alright, stop sitting here. Go stretch your legs, it's been a while since you've done anything, your hands are itching."
Wang Yanfeng stood up and stretched his shoulders. "Okay, I'll practice with you."
Gu Tong stood up, neither offering to practice together nor leaving. Long Aotian rose from the stone steps, glanced towards the mountainside, then looked away and strode towards the training ground.
Vina stood still, without moving.
Chen Lu walked a short distance, then turned back to look at her. "Vina, aren't you coming?"
Vina shook her head. "You guys go ahead. I'll stay a little longer."
Chen Lu glanced at her, then at the direction of the mountainside, understood what was going on, and without asking any further questions, turned around and followed Long Aotian and the others.
The sounds of sparring resumed on the training ground.
The muffled thuds of fists and feet colliding, the explosive sounds of soul colliding, and the occasional cheers intertwined, restoring the open space to its former liveliness.
Vina stood in the shade of a tree by the field, her gaze fixed on the hillside.
The wind blows down from the mountain, carrying the fresh scent of bamboo leaves.
The bamboo forest rustled in the wind, and the green ocean rose and fell.
The stone door remained closed, without any movement. Vina stood there for a long time, then lowered her head, looking at her hands. Her fingers were still clutching the hem of her dress. She slowly loosened them, took a deep breath, and then exhaled.
She turned around, ready to leave.
Then she stopped.
It wasn't that she wanted to stop; her body stopped instinctively.
An aura surged from the direction of the mountainside, not suddenly erupting, but slowly but steadily rising, as if something deep within was awakening and releasing itself outward.
Vina turned her head sharply and looked at the bamboo forest.
On the training ground, the disciples who were sparring also stopped their movements.
Chen Lu's fist remained suspended in mid-air, not falling.
Wang Yanfeng turned to the side, his gaze passing through the training ground and looking towards the direction of the mountain peak.
Long Aotian turned around, his brows furrowed, his gaze fixed on the mountainside.
That aura was still rising.
It is not an aggressive outward expression, but a natural, uncontrolled spillover.
It's like a container that's full, with excess liquid overflowing.
However, the texture of that aura was very special; it was not a simple fluctuation of soul power, but something deeper, originating from the very essence of the martial soul.
Everyone present could feel the oppressive atmosphere; it wasn't directed at any one person, but rather it permeated the entire training ground and affected everyone present.
Chen Lu lowered his fist, swallowed, and said something.
"This is... Senior Brother Liu Yuan?"
(End of chapter)