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*****
Su Yu couldn't say with absolute certainty that the technology behind virtual soul cores could never be refined to allow for multiple virtual soul cores.
After all, the method of soul core condensation itself was still an incomplete area of research for soul masters.
Not to mention the Sun-Moon Empire—even Shrek Academy could only provide the most basic theoretical guidance. Actual hands-on experience with soul core condensation remained extremely limited.
In fact, their so-called experience could barely be considered refined—it was more a matter of trial and error rather than specialized techniques.
Perhaps there were simply too few examples to precisely identify the key mechanisms or auxiliary nodes required for successful condensation.
After all, in past eras, any soul master capable of condensing a second soul core was already at Rank 98, a Super Douluo. Such a powerhouse was enough to keep an entire faction at the pinnacle of the Douluo Continent for over a century.
With such individuals having a real chance to break through and become Limit Douluos, no one dared to risk their lives experimenting with new techniques.
The only time new techniques were explored was when a soul master was already facing near-certain death, leaving them with no other choice.
"It all comes down to development issues."
In ten thousand years, the so-called progress in the soul master world had been minimal. The only real advancements were that Soul Saints had learned to harness their power for flight and that nearly all Titled Douluos had mastered the art of soul core condensation.
That's it?
In fact, even the ability for Soul Saints to fly might not have been due to actual progress in the soul master world—it could have simply been a result of the Douluo Continent's declining spatial strength. With space becoming weaker, the threshold for flight had naturally lowered.
Su Yu planned to use virtual soul core technology to help himself condense a second soul core—a decision that signified his intent to adopt the Yin-Yang complementary method for this process.
After all, the experience gained from virtual soul cores primarily applied to tuning a second soul core in the Yin-Yang complementary format.
Of course, this didn't mean that virtual soul core technology could only assist in condensing a second soul core.
Rather, he wanted this technology to serve as a stepping stone for his personal advancement while ensuring that it remained useful even after he successfully condensed his second soul core. Therefore, Yin-Yang complementarity was the only viable path.
The resonance method could also assist soul masters, allowing them to experience the process of second soul core condensation in advance. However, this tuning process was significantly longer. While it worked as an auxiliary method, it was entirely impractical for combat.
In battle, a soul master would be unable to instantly condense a virtual soul core through resonance. Instead, they would be forced to divert their focus to maintain the core's operation, using up precious energy to sustain its accumulation.
"Yin-Yang complementarity..."
Su Yu had long been puzzled by the question of how three soul cores could achieve Yin-Yang complementarity.
Ultimately, he had developed two of the most plausible theories.
The first involved forcibly distorting the spatial relationship between two of the soul cores using spatial power, allowing them to rotate in the same direction while still achieving Yin-Yang complementarity.
The second theory proposed that two of the soul cores could achieve resonance while simultaneously forming a Yin-Yang complementary relationship with the third.
Regardless of the approach, both methods were extremely difficult to execute.
This dilemma had long been a source of frustration for Su Yu.
However, after gaining enlightenment within the Ancient Golden Tree, he discovered a new direction.
This led him to reconsider the entire concept of soul core condensation.
Both resonance and Yin-Yang complementarity had traditionally been viewed as relationships between multiple soul cores on a two-dimensional plane.
Yet, the actual condensation of soul cores occurred within the soul master's dantian, making it a three-dimensional phenomenon!
In resonance, the soul cores were aligned along a single central axis, rotating perpendicular to it. In Yin-Yang complementarity, the soul cores rotated within the same plane in opposite directions.
Even Su Yu's earlier conclusions had failed to take this three-dimensional dynamic into account. If he factored in the rotational planes of the soul core vortexes, the probability of success would shift entirely.
The first method—spatial distortion—would become more feasible, as it would lower the reliance on precise spatial power manipulation.
However, the second method—Yin-Yang complementarity—would become even more difficult, requiring a greater degree of spatial power control.
"Now, there is a third method: achieving mutual complementarity in three distinct directions among the three soul cores."
Each pair of soul cores would complement each other along a different spatial axis.
However, this approach would necessitate changes in the method of soul core condensation.
Rather than forming a simple vortex-like planar rotation, the soul cores would have to evolve into a three-dimensional, structured movement pattern.
"The reason for using a vortex rotation method is to maximize the benefits of soul cores—using their solidified soul power as a pump, drawing energy into a swirling motion that enhances both explosive power and recovery speed."
If the rotational structure of soul cores were altered, forming vortexes along three mutually perpendicular axes in a three-dimensional system, the theoretical framework would still hold.
But in practice, implementing such a complex system would be an entirely different challenge.
However, this was still only theoretical.
While it perfectly resolved the issue of Yin-Yang complementarity among the three soul cores, it also introduced a new paradox.
How would the infusion and distribution of soul power be handled?
Once the rotations along three different axes were combined, the soul cores would still follow a structured, cyclic movement. However, their orientation would change entirely—they would no longer align with or be perpendicular to the central axis of the dantian.
With dual soul cores, such a rotational pattern would actually become unstable.
"Sigh... In the end, I really do need to build a model."
Rather than relying on abstract thinking, Su Yu constructed a model and began injecting soul power into it, simulating the various soul core structures he had theorized.
"Damn… The difference between mental visualization and actual model testing is enormous."
Though Su Yu had a strong spatial imagination, he still found himself unconsciously falling into conceptual traps.
Only by using a tangible three-dimensional model could he truly refine his final blueprint for a complementary three-core system.
"The complementarity along the x, y, and z axes—Soul Core 1 and Soul Core 2 complement each other along the x-axis, Soul Core 1 and Soul Core 3 along the y-axis, and Soul Core 2 and Soul Core 3 along the z-axis. In the end, all three cores form a mutually complementary system!"
However, due to the constraints imposed by Soul Cores 2 and 3, the vortex of Soul Core 1 would not simply have a projection on the x-axis—it would also project onto the y- and z-axes. The resulting vortex would no longer be strictly perpendicular or parallel to any single axis; instead, it would follow a diagonal trajectory.
At first glance, the three diagonal vortexes seemed to form a triangle, but that was a misconception.
It was an instinctive mistake—misinterpreting the synthesized vortex planes as being perpendicular to a single unified plane.
"Sigh… This is getting way too complicated. I still need to consider how to align the core of all three soul cores along a single straight line while integrating the surrounding meridians of the three dantians."
For a moment, Su Yu felt the urge to abandon the entire concept.
"Still, no matter how complicated things get, a dual-soul-core system must first establish a proper Yin-Yang complementarity."
At this point, he was almost certain that a three-core complementary system was achievable. The real challenge lay in choosing the right approach and handling its complexity.
"First, I need to condense my second soul core."
He began constructing the internal soul power circulation within his battle armor, preparing for his first attempt at tuning a Yin-Yang complementary soul core.
"Let's hope it succeeds on the first try."
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
Su Yu had barely managed to establish the foundational array within his battle armor before he was forced to pause further refinements.
"It's time."
At that moment, tens of thousands of people had gathered in Sun-Moon Square.
Xu Tiannan stood on the podium, with a soul-powered amplifier in front of him, projecting his voice across the entire square.
"The Sun-Moon Empire will prevail!"
"The Starfall Empire is nothing!"
Emerging from the halls of Sun-Moon Academy, Su Yu arrived at the square and listened to Xu Tiannan's speech.
Internally, he could only sigh in exasperation.
If he hadn't known the full story, even he might have believed it.
Xu Tiannan was undeniably ambitious and possessed remarkable courage.
However, the true key to his success lay in the immense foundation of the Sun-Moon Empire—its vast territory and deep reserves of power.
Without such backing, his methods would have either collapsed the empire or drained its resources so heavily in the process of unifying the continent that it would have ultimately served as a stepping stone for the Holy Spirit Cult's ambitions.
At best, he had simply made good use of his resources to achieve his goals.
"The previous emperor actually had the capability to unify the Douluo Continent. But the older one gets, the more inclined they are to maintain stability. He feared that if he lost, his failure would become an eternal stain on the Sun-Moon Empire's legacy."
"Poison-Immortal should already be here."
Su Yu carefully extended his senses but detected nothing unusual.
Still, he was certain that Poison-Immortal and his people were already concealed within Sun-Moon Square.
The reason? While Poison-Immortal's concealment was impeccable, the disguised Titled Douluos from the Star Luo Empire had flaws in their deception.
With just a sweep of his spiritual sense, Su Yu could pick up subtle fluctuations of unfamiliar energy. Not to mention, the square was outfitted with numerous energy-detection soul devices, ensuring any abnormality would be swiftly identified.
"Hmph, the Star Luo Empire just won't give up!"
A captain from the Royal Soul Engineer Legion let out a cold snort.
His sharp gaze scanned the crowd before him, pausing at several locations as he cross-referenced his handheld energy detection device. One by one, he marked the suspicious individuals.
"Send two men to the east sector to secure the area. Equip them with linked soul-guided ray guns. Three others will provide support from the perimeter—make sure our defenses are in place the moment anything happens."
"You, move to that position."
Despite being dressed in civilian attire, the captain and his soul engineers moved with swift precision, clearly well-trained soldiers.
Just as Su Yu had predicted, the Titled Douluos from the Star Luo Empire couldn't completely avoid detection.
In truth, even if they hadn't been exposed, Xu Tiannan had already accounted for such an eventuality.
It was obvious to anyone that an attack was possible, so naturally, Xu Tiannan had taken the necessary precautions.
Looking at it from another perspective, perhaps the plan all along was for the Star Luo Empire's Titled Douluos to deliberately expose themselves. Their purpose might have been to mislead the Sun-Moon Empire's Royal Soul Engineer Legion and divert their defenses—creating the perfect opportunity for Poison-Immortal to strike.
"His concealment techniques are truly remarkable… Even I can't sense him."
Su Yu's spiritual power had already reached a tangible, materialized state. He had completed the process of solidifying it into a spiritual domain.
Even though he wasn't actively expanding his spiritual energy to blanket the entire square, his sensitivity alone placed him at the pinnacle of perception.
Not even Huo Yuhao, without activating his Spirit Detection, could match Su Yu's awareness. And if Huo Yuhao did activate it, Su Yu could still counter with his own self-developed spiritual detection, covering the entire field with minimal effort.
Simply put, Su Yu's detection capabilities were among the best in the world.
However, many of the Royal Soul Engineer Legion members present were already on the verge of deploying their soul-guided weapons. At this moment, releasing his spiritual power openly was not an option.
So instead, Su Yu turned to the power of fate.
Within his perception, a mysterious ripple emanated from a particular direction.
Turning his gaze toward it, he spotted a child staring right back at him.
That child… was none other than Poison-Immortal.
However, his attire and appearance had been carefully altered, disguising him as a mere child.
And to be fair, he blended in perfectly with the surrounding crowd.
"Even his vital energy fluctuations feel just like those of an ordinary person."
Having identified his target, Su Yu focused his senses, quickly gaining insight into Poison-Immortal's current state.
"This must be the secret art of the Body Sect."
Su Yu withdrew his gaze, choosing not to probe further into Poison-Immortal's condition.
"Move!"
As if following a prearranged signal, several Titled Douluos from the Star Luo Empire erupted into action.
Powerful soul force waves surged outward, forcefully pushing the surrounding civilians aside. The elite fighters charged toward the podium in a frenzied assault.
While advancing, layers of soul power barriers unfurled around them—protective measures designed to shield them from incoming attacks.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The moment they made their move, the stationed Soul Engineer Legion and several rank-nine soul engineers immediately responded.
The soul devices placed around the plaza roared to life, forming an invisible barrier that separated the ordinary citizens from the battlefield.
A tremendous surge of energy radiated from numerous defensive soul devices, poised to intercept any soul skills that might endanger the crowd.
On either side of Xu Tiannan, two imposing figures erupted with power. The fluctuations of their soul force alone made it clear—they were both Titled Douluos.
In an instant, each of them activated a rank-nine soul device.
Boom!
The battlefield descended into chaos.
Su Yu's eyes scanned the scene.
A total of five Titled Douluos were converging on the podium from different directions.
Among them, he recognized three.
One was from the Star Luo Empire, another from the Heavenly Soul Empire, and the third had once belonged to a sect within the former Dou Ling Empire.
As for the remaining two, judging by their presence, they were likely high-ranking figures secretly cultivated within a nation's inner sanctum—probably from the Star Luo Empire's offering halls.
"The Star Luo Empire's strength isn't to be underestimated."
After all, it was a nation that had stood united for over ten thousand years without fracturing, maintaining a centralized authority and a strong national identity.
Aside from some flaws in its governing system, the empire's overall culture and values remained intact.
It was a society that revered martial prowess, and its long-standing conflicts with the Sun-Moon Empire could even be seen as a refining process, tempering its elites. As a result, the Star Luo Empire had produced no shortage of Titled Douluos.
"But in the end, there are still fundamental issues."
The empire's highly centralized monarchy had long fostered a political system that largely disregarded the well-being of the common people.
Perhaps the emperor himself had good intentions, but he had no real grasp of the actual struggles faced by his subjects.
No matter how concentrated authority became, it wouldn't change that reality.
(End of Chapter)