Chapter 16: [Soulforce]

Wu Yuntian looked at his son, who stared back with a puzzled expression, and didn't quite know how to respond. After a moment of thought, he sighed and said, "Xiangwu, you are a genius, the likes of which I've never seen before. But unfortunately, you were born in the wrong place. If only..."

He stopped mid-sentence and shook his head, chuckling self-deprecatingly. "Why am I even telling you this?"

To his surprise, Su Hao replied, "Father, being born here is my blessing. We should go with the flow and accept things as they are."

Wu Yuntian smiled wryly, "You don't understand. But someday, you will."

"So, what should I do next?" Su Hao asked.

"I originally thought it would take you about a year to start sensing your Blood Qi. By that time, your physical strength would have greatly improved, and you'd be at the right age to begin refining and converting Blood Qi. But it turns out you've progressed much faster than I expected. You're not even four years old yet..." Wu Yuntian trailed off, a helpless expression on his face. Indeed, comparing oneself to others was painful—he always seemed to end up on the losing side of such comparisons.

"Xiangwu, don't be in such a rush. For now, just focus on training your body. A year from now, I'll begin teaching you how to refine Blood Qi."

"Why wait? Can't I start now?" Su Hao pressed. He was unwilling to wait any longer because he knew that, during this vulnerable period of childhood, a single accident could mean death. Without his father constantly by his side, Su Hao felt exposed to danger. He had no sense of security until he could at least protect himself.

One small accident could end his life prematurely, forcing him into another long slumber, waiting perhaps millions of years before having the chance to reincarnate again. The only way out of this cycle was to gain the ability to protect himself as soon as possible, even if it meant sacrificing some physical potential.

Wu Yuntian explained, "It's not that I don't want to teach you. It's that your body is still too fragile to handle powerful energy. For example, even if you had the strength to lift a large stone, your arm might not be strong enough to withstand the weight and would break. The prerequisite to wielding Blood Qi is, a strong body capable of supporting it. Do you understand?"

Su Hao nodded. "I understand, Father."

However, he wasn't ready to give up. "But can you at least teach me how to refine Blood Qi? I just want to understand the method and the thought process behind it."

Wu Yuntian shook his head firmly. "No, Xiangwu. I know you're very smart, and that's precisely why I'm worried. You might try adding your own ideas into the process, and that could be dangerous. Refining Blood Qi is extremely risky for someone who hasn't been properly initiated."

"Then initiate me!" Su Hao urged.

"You're still too young!"

"I'm not that young anymore, Father! I'm not just a three-year-old child!" Su Hao protested.

Wu Yuntian looked at his son, speechless. Not a three-year-old? So, what, you're a three-and-a-half-year-old?

Su Hao hurriedly promised, "Father, if you guide me, I swear I won't harm my body. I promise that I'll only refine Blood Qi when you're right beside me, and I won't act rashly."

Wu Yuntian's expression softened as he asked, "Xiangwu, why are you in such a hurry to learn this now?"

He didn't think his son was acting out of childish impatience. There had to be a deeper reason behind his persistence.

After a moment of hesitation, Su Hao spoke the truth. "I'm scared, Father. You're out on patrols every day, and when you're not here, I'm left alone. I can't even beat those snot-nosed kids like Tuo or Xiaopang. If something unexpected happens, I don't even have the ability to protect myself."

Wu Yuntian fell silent for a long while. Seeing the anticipation in Su Hao's eyes, he finally said, "Alright."

Su Hao let out a breath of relief.

"But," Wu Yuntian added, "Don't tell anyone about this."

Su Hao nodded enthusiastically. "Got it! So, will you teach me today?"

"Tomorrow," Wu Yuntian sighed. "Xiangwu, from now on, if you want something, just come to me directly. I won't hold you back anymore."

As his father left, Su Hao couldn't help but pump his fist in excitement. Having a good dad really makes all the difference!

....

The next day, Wu Yuntian introduced Su Hao to the concept of 'Soulforce'.

"A Person's consciousness can control the body's movements. Whether you walk or run, it's all directed by your mind. But the mind's control over the body doesn't stop there. Through training, one can even control their heartbeat, the movement of their internal organs, or the strength of their digestive system. This mental control is what we call 'Soulforce'."

That's right. It was the [Soulforce] that he'd been so desperately searching for in his previous life. It was the power of the soul.

Concerned that Su Hao might misunderstand the concept and start experimenting with his own interpretations, Wu Yuntian took extra care to explain it clearly. He was determined to make sure Su Hao understood exactly what was required.

Su Hao didn't need to become a master of [Soulforce] or comprehend its philosophical depths. All he needed was to learn how to refine Blood Qi through specific mental exercises.

Wu Yuntian had learned the hard way that if he didn't explain things clearly, Su Hao would likely surprise him—or worse, scare him—with unexpected results. The fact that Su Hao had already delved into the theory of Blood Qi more deeply than anticipated was a sign that Wu Yuntian needed to lay out clear expectations this time around.

Once everything was made clear, Su Hao was ready for his first attempt.

Sitting cross-legged on the mat, Su Hao glanced over at Wu Yuntian to confirm that everything was in order. When he got the nod, he slowly closed his eyes.

He quickly entered a meditative state, focusing his mind, casting away all distractions.

He then followed the visualization techniques described in the ≤Nine Palaces Blood Qi Manual≥.

Moments later…

"Did he really succeed on his first try?"

Wu Yuntian kept his face impassive, but inside, he was utterly shaken. This level of talent was beyond extraordinary. Among the warriors of his generation, even the most gifted needed at least ten attempts to succeed. As for himself, well, the less said about that, the better. Could it be that his son had some powerful, latent bloodline?

The reason Su Hao succeeded so easily on his first attempt was twofold: first, he had the mental discipline of an adult, giving him strong self-control. Second, he had thoroughly reviewed the visualization exercises in the ≤Nine Palaces Blood Qi Manual≥ many times before, ensuring there would be no missteps. Success was simply the natural outcome.

An hour later, when his body began giving off signs of fatigue, Su Hao woke up from his meditation.

Wu Yuntian was already waiting with a bowl of vegetable-egg soup, which Su Hao drank down eagerly, feeling much better afterward.

He flexed his arms and found no dramatic increase in strength. Confused, he asked, "Father, I can feel that my Blood Qi has grown, but why hasn't my strength noticeably improved?"

Wu Yuntian smiled faintly and said, "Martial arts aren't that simple. It takes time. You need to refine your Blood Qi bit by bit every day, allowing your body to gradually adapt to the increasing energy. After approximately six months, you'll start to see obvious improvements."

"Six months!" Su Hao's eyes widened. "Can I keep refining right now?"

Wu Yuntian shook his head. "That's enough for today. Your body has already reached its limit. Rest well, and we'll continue tomorrow."

Su Hao nodded. Once his father left, he immediately entered his mental Marble Space and issued a command to [Cosmic Light], requesting a full analysis of the past hour's physical data.

After reviewing the data, he found that the food he consumed had been broken down into nutrients and absorbed by his body. But after practicing the visualization techniques from the ≤Nine Palaces Blood Qi Manual≥, a small portion of the nutrients had been diverted and converted into Blood Qi. Although it was only a small amount, the increase in Blood Qi was real.

Su Hao rubbed his chin, muttering to himself, "Now, how can I speed up this process?"