C41 Condensing the Martial Soul

While Yu Kun had gauged the capabilities of Wu Baishun and Bai Qingfeng, he remained vigilant. They hadn't shown their full potential, hinting at hidden strengths yet to be revealed.

Beyond Bai Qingfeng and Wu Baishun, the ranks of Elite Disciples boasted other formidable figures. Yu Kun vividly recalled Guu Yuan from King Pingjiang's Mansion and Hu Zhengye, the undefeated disciple from the Outer Sect of the Flying Cloud Sect. To be on the safe side, Yu Kun understood the importance of gathering more intelligence.

"I could wait until next year to become an Inner Sect disciple, but why wait if the opportunity is here now? Especially in a world that places such high value on one's status..."

Having spent considerable time in this world, Yu Kun had come to realize the critical importance of status. Without demonstrating his strength, he would have been overlooked and friendless. The social hierarchy was rigid, with a vast, nearly impassable chasm between the Humble and Aristocratic Classes.

"If I have the chance to become an Inner Sect disciple, I must elevate my status! We may not all aspire to greatness, but settling for mediocrity is out of the question. I must seize this opportunity at all costs!"

With these thoughts, Yu Kun once again focused inwardly on the baby Leviathan within his Qi Sea before commencing his cultivation.

This time, however, Yu Kun wasn't practicing Martial Arts or absorbing Spiritual Energy; he was concentrating on forging his Martial Soul!

Yu Kun's power had already surged to more than ten times that of the High Rank Qi Refining Stage, qualifying him to advance to the Soul Refining Stage and forge a formidable Martial Soul!

The system had it on record: once Yu Kun reached the Qi Refining Stage, he would unlock the Leviathan-roc Astral Energy. Upon reaching the Martial Soul Stage, he could then manifest the Leviathan-roc Martial Soul!

Yu Kun might not have known the exact tier of the Leviathan-roc Martial Soul in this world, but there was no question that it was leagues beyond the paltry Soldier Martial Spirit.

"The system indicates that I can manifest the Leviathan-roc Martial Soul's shadow, greatly enhancing the power of my Martial Arts! Furthermore, the annihilative force of the Leviathan-roc Astral Energy will be amplified. I could even neutralize an opponent's Astral Energy before it's unleashed, akin to a silencing ability in a game!"

Yu Kun pondered deeply, then set the Astral Energy within him in motion, attempting to coalesce his Martial Soul. Lined up neatly before him was a row of Spirit Stones, at the ready for whenever they might be needed.

As the energy cycled through him, Yu Kun could feel the Astral Energy beginning to cluster into a sphere, almost as if it were on the verge of becoming a sentient being.

Yet, a Martial Soul is lifeless. The current gathering of Astral Energy was merely a preparatory step for its formation.

Simultaneously, Yu Kun noticed his Astral Energy rapidly depleting, slipping beyond his control.

"Of course! The Astral Energy will disperse swiftly as I work to condense the Martial Soul. I need to replenish it without delay!"

With this realization, Yu Kun swiftly seized a Spirit Stone from the array before him, crushing it to consume the Qi within.

Thanks to the baby Leviathan's presence, the Spirit Stone's Qi was instantly absorbed by Yu Kun. Others would need time to refine the Qi from the stones, but Yu Kun was spared that inconvenience.

Reinvigorated by the Qi, his Astral Energy was swiftly restored.

Yet, almost immediately, as the Leviathan-roc Martial Soul took shape, his Astral Energy was exhausted once more.

Unfazed, Yu Kun reached for another Spirit Stone and resumed absorption.

This cycle continued, and Yu Kun lost count of how many Spirit Stones he had shattered. All he knew was that the consumption of the stones no longer concerned him.

Still, his body's Martial Soul remained unformed.

"This Leviathan-roc Martial Soul must be incredibly potent, but it's proving exceedingly challenging to condense! How many Spirit Stones have I gone through? Roughly two hundred! Not even the scions of great families could produce so many at once!"

Despite the fact that the Spirit Stones were a gift from a mysterious benefactor, Yu Kun couldn't help but feel disheartened by their rapid depletion.

To his astonishment, even after exhausting his supply of Spirit Stones, the Leviathan-roc Martial Soul had yet to take shape!

With the last of the Spirit Stones consumed, Yu Kun's Astral Energy was drained in an instant. The nascent Leviathan-roc Martial Soul had devoured every last trace of the Qi.

After exhausting all available auras to devour, the Leviathan-roc Martial Soul withered away, ultimately dissolving into the void. Yu Kun's investment of hundreds of Spirit Stones had been for naught.

Displeased, Yu Kun shook his head.

"No, this isn't a total loss. It's taught me that forming the Leviathan-roc Martial Soul demands an immense amount of Spiritual Energy—perhaps thousands of Spirit Stones! I'll need to tap into the reserves of the Cultivation Room," he resolved.

With this in mind, Yu Kun set his sights on the Cultivation Room's energy.

"With the Inner Sect disciple trial half a month away, I can seize this chance to undertake some Sect Missions and earn my way into the Cultivation Room," he strategized. But as he was making plans, a prompt from the system caught his attention.

"To enhance your chances of successfully condensing the Leviathan-roc Martial Soul, you must acquire the following treasures: Soul Fixing Fragrance, an incomplete Martial Soul Core, and a Space Ring. Possessing any one of these will boost your success rate. If you have all three, you're guaranteed to not only form the Leviathan-roc Martial Soul but also to amplify its powers."

Yu Kun was momentarily taken aback, then cursed under his breath.

"Why didn't you inform me sooner? I wouldn't have attempted to form the Leviathan-roc Martial Soul had I known! Well, no point dwelling on it—I need to figure out how to acquire these items."

After some thought, Yu Kun grimly realized he only possessed a Space Ring, a gift from a mysterious Inner Sect disciple.

"The Soul Fixing Fragrance is out of reach; it's so rare that even scions of noble families might not possess it. And an incomplete Martial Soul Core is even more elusive, only obtainable by stripping it from deceased warriors of the Soul Refining Stage. Thankfully, these are merely ways to improve my odds, not absolute necessities."

Yu Kun took solace in this thought. With sufficient Spiritual Energy and fulfilling at least one of these three conditions, he was confident he could successfully condense the Leviathan-roc Martial Soul.

After pondering for a moment, Yu Kun formulated his action plan. Should fortune smile upon him and he find the three materials, he would then be able to condense an advanced Leviathan-roc Martial Soul. However, if they eluded him, it was of no consequence; the Leviathan-roc Martial Soul in its current form was already formidable.

Deep into the night, Yu Kun felt no urgency to make his way to the Mission Hall. Instead, he lay in bed and surrendered to a deep slumber.

Only when the morning light crept in did Yu Kun set out for the Mission Hall. He was ready to undertake a sect mission in exchange for access to the Cultivation Room.