"This is... what’s happening?" Hua Luoxuan’s grim expression instantly went slack as he muttered to himself, "Such dense Soul Power fluctuations... This is a Martial Soul’s origin... What’s going on? Wasn’t Lin Xiong’s Martial Soul completely shattered? How can it be fusing back together?"
It took Zhou Huarong a long moment to come to his senses. He asked in shock, "Once a Martial Soul shatters, it’s supposed to dissolve into Soul Power and dissipate completely. Why does it seem like the Soul Power from Lin Xiong’s Martial Soul is still present? In fact, it seems much stronger than before it broke."
"A bunch of idiots! Shut your mouths and watch. Don’t piss me off again!"
Ye Xuan’s voice rang out in the refinement chamber. "What do you know? This is called breaking something down to build it back up. Lin Xiong’s saber Martial Soul was only One-Star. Its structure was loose, its Soul Power uneven—it was utter trash. I took this opportunity to shatter his Martial Soul, then used a soul-preserving essence to protect its origin. Finally, I fused it with the Soul Crystal True Source to rebuild it from its broken state, elevating it to a whole new level. So stop acting like idiots and freaking out over nothing."
"My heavens, so that’s what he was doing!"
"’Break it down to build it back up’... can a shattered Martial Soul really be rebuilt?"
"His skill is simply divine... Is this even possible?"
Their previous despair vanished in an instant. They stood with jaws agape, their faces masks of utter shock and disbelief, rendered speechless for a long moment.
Although there were aspects of Ye Xuan’s methods they didn’t fully comprehend, his explanation sent them into a state of extreme excitement. They trembled uncontrollably, their eyes fixed on the scene before them, unwilling to miss a single moment.
They had a gut feeling that what they were witnessing today was a refinement that would go down as a miracle in the annals of both Soul Refiners and Alchemists.
A sense of profound enlightenment washed over them. It was as if a ray of sunlight had broken through the endless darkness of their path in Alchemy, illuminating the way forward.
"You may find it hard to believe that a Martial Soul can be refined like a Pill, but it’s actually quite simple once you dig deeper. The core of a Martial Soul is Soul Power, while the core of a Pill is Profound Qi and medicinal potency. These two may seem entirely different, but their essence is the same—both are forms of energy. If medicinal herbs can be refined, so can a Martial Soul. Only the refinement techniques differ. Now, watch carefully. I’m going to re-condense his Martial Soul."
"Rise!"
In the middle of his explanation, Ye Xuan suddenly shouted. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes as a potent surge of Soul Power shot forth from them. HUMMM. As if stimulated, the black Martial Soul origin, which was enveloped by a vast cloud of essence, began to slowly stretch out. Forged by Ye Xuan’s Soul Power, the embryonic form of a saber Martial Soul, identical to the original, gradually took shape. It was then slowly polished by the Array’s refinement, growing increasingly exquisite and brilliant.
"My god!"
Under their shocked gazes, Lin Xiong’s shattered Martial Soul reformed at an astonishing speed.
"Retract!"
With a low cry, the sky-filling essence dissipated. A saber Martial Soul exuding a potent aura materialized above Lin Xiong’s head, like a king among sabers.
"My Martial Soul... it’s restored! Hahaha! My Martial Soul is really back! This is wonderful! It’s absolutely wonderful!"
Lin Xiong stared at the Martial Soul above his head and burst into ecstatic laughter. His face was flushed, his entire body trembled violently, and his fists were clenched tight. His eyes and expression were those of a man driven to a joyous madness.
From heaven to hell, and from hell back to heaven again—Lin Xiong had experienced setbacks and suffering few could imagine. At this moment, the sheer ecstasy in his heart overwhelmed everything else.
"Slash!"
In his excitement, he roared, bringing his hands together and raising them high. The saber Martial Soul above his head began to tremble rapidly. Propelled by the Martial Soul, his hands chopped down swiftly, and a brilliant arc of saber qi shot out from between his palms, slashing violently toward a corner of the refinement chamber.
"Damn it, the guy’s lost his mind." Seeing this, Hua Luoxuan roared, his figure instantly flashing in front of the saber qi as he met it with a palm strike.
BANG!
The potent palm energy collided with the saber qi, and the resulting shockwave tore through the entire refinement chamber, instantly shattering countless bottles and jars.
"Lin Xiong, you bastard! How dare you wreck my refinement chamber!" Hua Luoxuan was so furious his hair was standing on end. He leaped forward, striking at Lin Xiong with his palm.
BOOM!
Lin Xiong was forced back a step, but he was completely unharmed. Hua Luoxuan raised his hand again, looking as if he wanted nothing more than to smash Lin Xiong to pieces.
"Bring it on," Lin Xiong growled, his eyes glinting. His aura was unrestrained and domineering, and he stood majestically, completely unfazed by Hua Luoxuan’s attack.
Just as Hua Luoxuan’s palm was about to fall, he abruptly froze in mid-air. He exclaimed in shock, "Wait. How did you just block my palm strike?"
Hua Luoxuan was a Third Layer Earth Martial Artist, one of the most powerful experts in Blue Moon City, a full two minor realms above Lin Xiong. Even though he hadn’t used his full power in that strike, it was by no means something a mere First Layer Earth Martial Artist like Lin Xiong should have been able to withstand so easily.
"Huh?" Lin Xiong also realized something was off. Observing himself more closely, he discovered the reason lay with his Martial Soul.
"Your saber Martial Soul... it broke through from One-Star to Two-Stars?" Hua Luoxuan’s eyes suddenly went wide as saucers as he gasped in shock.
There, above Lin Xiong’s head, the saber Martial Soul radiated a dense aura of Soul Power. It was domineering and majestic, carrying the presence of one that could sweep away a thousand troops. Two hazy halos of light flickered on its sides, pulsating rhythmically. Encircled by two rings—it was the unmistakable sign of a saber Martial Soul that had reached the Two-Star Realm.
"A Two-Star saber Martial Soul." Lin Xiong’s expression instantly froze.
’The very thing I’ve dreamed of for so long... it was achieved this easily?’ For a moment, Lin Xiong’s mind simply blanked.
Just then, an angry voice cursed, "Damn it all, who told you two to start a fight in here and turn my refinement chamber into a damn mess?" Ye Xuan grumbled, "If I’d known you were such a hothead, I wouldn’t have bothered fixing your Martial Soul. What a pain."
THUD!
Ye Xuan had just finished cursing when Lin Xiong abruptly dropped to his knees before him.
"Master, please accept this bow from Lin Xiong. Thank you, Master, for elevating my Martial Soul."
Lin Xiong’s eyes swam with unspeakable excitement as he prostrated himself deeply.
Ye Xuan rubbed his nose and muttered, "Get up, quickly. I only helped you get from One-Star to Two-Stars. It’s not like I raised it to Seven-Stars or Eight-Stars. Is there any need to be so dramatic?"
But Lin Xiong paid him no mind. His eyes welled with tears of gratitude. After his bow, he kowtowed again, his forehead hitting the floor with several loud thuds. "I, Lin Xiong, will never forget the debt I owe Master for giving me this new life. From this day forward, I will follow Master and serve you with the loyalty of a dog or a horse."
At that moment, Lin Xiong was completely won over by Ye Xuan. He had thoroughly and truly accepted him as his master.
’He completely healed my Martial Soul, pulling me back from the brink of despair. The grace Master Ye Xuan has shown me is greater than the heavens and the earth. And on top of that, he even raised my Martial Soul from One-Star to Two-Stars!’
’It might just seem like a single step from One-Star to Two-Stars, but I know better than anyone how difficult it is. I risked my life entering Black Wind Ridge just for a chance to upgrade my Martial Soul, and it ended up getting damaged, leaving me in a state worse than death.’
’But now, I’m standing tall once more. If not for Ye Xuan, I’d be a complete waste of a man right now.’
"Alright, get up. You’re a Vice Commander of the City Guard, after all. It’s unbecoming for you to be kneeling here. As long as you follow me from now on, the benefits you’ll receive will be endless," Ye Xuan said lightly. "Your Martial Soul just broke through to Two-Stars. A Martial Soul breakthrough naturally triggers the circulation of Profound Qi. Go and cultivate at once to solidify your new realm. It will be of immense help for breaking through to the Second Layer of the Earth Martial Artist realm."
"Yes, sir." Lin Xiong stood up, thrilled. "Young Master Xuan, I’ll go and cultivate now."
Lin Xiong bowed and took his leave.
Leaving Hua Luoxuan’s refinement chamber, Lin Xiong clenched his fists, inwardly ecstatic. ’Young Master Xuan is simply astonishing. I never imagined my Martial Soul would not only be restored but even break through to Two-Stars! Young Master Xuan, from this day forward, I, Lin Xiong, swear to follow you with unwavering loyalty. I will stand by my word.’
Lin Xiong was no fool. He was willing to become Ye Xuan’s subordinate not merely because he had been saved, but because he saw the incredible future that following Ye Xuan promised.
The ability to repair a shattered Martial Soul, and even cause it to break through to a higher level—Lin Xiong had never seen, let alone heard of, such power.
’Chairman Jiang Xun of the Soul Master Tower is supposed to be formidable, right? But even he couldn’t heal my Martial Soul. Compared to Young Master Xuan, he’s not even in the same league—he’s a pile of shit. To be able to follow a master like this... I must have accumulated incredible karma, and my ancestors’ graves must be burning incense for me.’
’If I didn’t seize an opportunity like this with both hands, I never would have climbed from a mere commoner to the position of Vice Commander.’
With these thoughts in mind, Lin Xiong hurried away. His Martial Soul had just broken through, and he felt a surge of power coursing through his veins, making him eager to start cultivating immediately.
Back in the refinement chamber, Ye Xuan nodded slightly.
’With my insight, I can naturally tell that Lin Xiong’s submission is genuine.’ The effort he’d expended recently had not been in vain.
Of course, if Lin Xiong turned out to be an ungrateful backstabber, just as Ye Xuan could heal him, he could just as easily turn him back into a cripple.
"Chairman Hua, my apologies for the damage to your refinement chamber," Ye Xuan said with a small smile.
"Not at all, not at all! For my refinement chamber to be graced by Master Ye Xuan’s presence, that is its honor." Chairman Hua Luoxuan was still reeling from watching Lin Xiong pledge his loyalty, and in his dumbfounded state, he was talking nonsense, even using a word like "graced." He felt that all the shocks he’d experienced in the first half of his life didn’t add up to what he’d gone through today alone.
"Oh, right! Master Ye Xuan, I have a bold favor to ask, if I may. I wonder if you would be willing to grant it?" Hua Luoxuan seemed to have thought of something and hurriedly spoke.
Ye Xuan was in a fairly good mood. "A bold favor? Let’s hear it."
"Heh heh, I would like to invite Master Ye Xuan to become a Guest Minister of our Blue Moon City Alchemist Association. What do you say, Master?"
Ye Xuan’s brow furrowed. "Guest Minister?"
"Ahem, Master, please don’t misunderstand," Hua Luoxuan said hurriedly. "The Guest Minister position is merely a title. It represents your esteemed status within the Alchemist Association but doesn’t require you to perform any duties for us. On the contrary, you’ll be able to enjoy numerous privileges, such as a fifty-percent discount on all materials and potions. When the Alchemists of Blue Moon City see the Guest Minister token, they will treat you with the same respect they show me. You’ll also have your own private refinement chamber at the Association, among many other benefits."