Creating a new soul skill that belongs solely to oneself is no overnight task.
Not to mention,
Dai Chengfeng's standards for the soul skill he wished to create were exceptionally high.
If it wasn't top-tier, it held no meaning.
Thus, over the next month, Dai Chengfeng spent his days traveling and his evenings, after setting up camp and eating dinner, hurriedly retreating to his tent. He would meticulously reread the Disorderly Wind Splitting Hammer Technique and the Record of the Great Sumeru Hammer Technique from start to finish…
Searching for inspiration.
After all, to create a soul skill comparable to the Great Sumeru Hammer, one must first fully understand its core principle: the Exploding Rings technique!
However, even with relatively detailed records and his memories of the Great Sumeru Hammer from his past life, Dai Chengfeng still hadn't made any progress.
The Exploding Rings technique sounded simple in theory, but putting it into practice was fraught with challenges.
How could one channel their soul power to trigger the soul rings?
How could one make the soul rings "brilliantly sublimate" without completely shattering them?
How…
Countless problems plagued him, one after another.
"No wonder our ancestors failed in their research—it truly isn't as simple as it seems."
Dai Chengfeng shook his head and turned his attention to the Disorderly Wind Splitting Hammer Technique.
This technique was relatively basic, and the original story had described its cultivation methods in great detail. Using the Disorderly Wind Splitting Hammer Technique created by his ancestor as a foundation…
He began making modifications.
An hour later
"Hoo!"
Satisfied, Dai Chengfeng set the Disorderly Wind Splitting Hammer Technique aside. "Unless something unexpected happens, my simulated version of the Disorderly Wind Splitting Hammer Technique should now be about 80-90% similar to the original."
"Eighty to ninety percent!"
"That's… enough!"
"From this point onward, I don't need to focus on replicating it anymore. Instead, I'll build upon this foundation, see if I can connect it to the principles of the Great Sumeru Hammer, and incorporate my own understanding of martial techniques to create a top-tier soul skill that belongs solely to me!"
With that thought in mind—
Dai Chengfeng slowly crossed his legs, aligning his five energies, and began circulating the Innate Qi Technique.
While working on creating his soul skill, he wouldn't neglect cultivating his soul power.
Otherwise, Feng Xiao Tian's fate would serve as a cautionary tale.
---
The next morning
Zhu Fan excitedly surveyed their surroundings, then glanced at the map in his hands, comparing the two.
Soon, he pointed toward the northwest. "Chengfeng, if we continue heading in that direction, we'll be out of the Great Star Forest in just a few more days and fully enter the Tian Dou Empire!"
"Really?"
After over a month of constant travel through the forest—dealing with swarms of mosquitoes, eating only dry rations or roasted soul beasts—Dai Chengfeng's eyes lit up at the news that they were finally nearing the end.
"Mm!"
Zhu Fan grinned excitedly and nodded.
"Then let's get moving as soon as possible!"
With that, the two quickly resumed their journey.
The dense foliage above blocked out the sunlight, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
The wind howled loudly through the forest, rushing past their ears.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, Dai Chengfeng gradually furrowed his brows, his expression filled with doubt and vigilance.
Thanks to his heightened awareness, he noticed that today's journey was unusually quiet.
On previous days, even while traveling through the outer regions of the Great Star Forest, fierce or cunning soul beasts would occasionally attack or ambush them.
Though these encounters were always swiftly dealt with by Zhu Fan, the powerful Soul Ancestor…
It shouldn't have been this quiet today. There were no signs of soul beasts anywhere.
Something felt off.
"Uncle, do you feel like it's been unusually quiet today?"
Dai Chengfeng finally voiced his thoughts.
Zhu Fan didn't stop walking but nodded slightly. "Indeed."
He slowly turned his body, carefully examining their surroundings.
"Normally, soul beasts can't resist charging out to harass us during our travels, but today there hasn't been a single sound. It's highly unusual."
"Could it be that a powerful soul beast is nearby, causing the weaker ones to hide?"
As Zhu Fan spoke, a hint of caution appeared in his eyes.
After all, this was the Great Star Forest, home to ten-thousand-year soul beasts. Even in the outer regions, one couldn't rule out the possibility of encountering a powerful soul beast passing through.
If he were alone, Zhu Fan wouldn't be too worried.
After all, if he couldn't fight, he could always run.
But with Dai Chengfeng in tow, he had no choice but to remain vigilant.
Upon hearing this, Dai Chengfeng shook his head and looked at the faint traces on the fallen leaves, his eyes thoughtful.
"Not necessarily."
"But I'm more inclined to think that someone has passed through here, either luring the soul beasts away or dealing with them."
As he spoke, Dai Chengfeng pointed to a footprint on the ground.
"This… looks like a human footprint…"
"If it's humans, we'll need to be even more cautious. Soul beasts are straightforward, but humans might use poison, ambushes, or underhanded tactics…"
Dai Chengfeng nodded, and the two stopped dwelling on the matter, continuing their journey.
They walked for an unknown amount of time.
The sun sank low in the west, casting a dim, golden glow. The sky within the Great Star Forest had grown darker.
Yet Dai Chengfeng and Zhu Fan still hadn't encountered the group whose tracks they had seen earlier.
Until they began setting up camp.
Dai Chengfeng had just set down his pack and was about to start a fire when suddenly, faint shouts and sounds of battle drifted from nearby.
Dai Chengfeng and Zhu Fan exchanged a glance.
"Someone's fighting?" Dai Chengfeng asked.
Zhu Fan nodded, his expression turning serious. "Sounds like the battle is intense. Shall we take a look?"
"We might be able to gain something from it."
"And it'll also help us determine whether they pose a threat to us."
Dai Chengfeng nodded. "Let's go!"
With that, the two quickly moved toward the source of the sounds.
Under the cover of night, the Great Star Forest was filled with an oppressive tension, as if countless unseen eyes were watching them.
After advancing for about half an incense stick's time, Zhu Fan and Dai Chengfeng came to a halt.
In the distance, they could vaguely see a massive demonic wolf locked in combat with a woman who bore five soul rings and wielded an iron sword.
Behind the woman stood a young girl dressed in an elegant silver-white uniform.
At this moment, the girl was holding a pink begonia flower in her hands, continuously using her soul skill to heal the wounds of the woman battling the demonic wolf.
As her soul skill took effect, the wounds on the woman's body visibly began to heal at a rapid pace.
Seeing this, a flicker of surprise appeared in Dai Chengfeng's eyes.
He vaguely remembered that the girl's uniform resembled the student attire of the Tian Dou Imperial Academy from his past life.
"A student of the Tian Dou Imperial Academy, and her martial soul is a pink begonia flower…"
"Despite only being at the second ring, her healing soul skill is already this powerful?"
Connecting all these details together, Dai Chengfeng's eyes instantly lit up. "Could it be this much of a coincidence?"
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