SoulLand:Ascending to Godhood through Science

You Chen had long explained to the Soul-Battle Beasts the paths to becoming a Beast Sovereign.

The first was simple yet formidable: possess combat power equivalent to at least a Soul Sage.

The second required having at least Soul King-level strength combined with a significant accomplishment.

There was also an indirect third method tied to the rules You Chen had established for Beast Sovereigns:

Among Beast martial spirits of the same type, only the strongest could hold the title of Beast Sovereign. For example, among dragon-type martial spirits, there could only be one Dragon Sovereign. To claim the position, a challenger must defeat the current Sovereign in direct combat.

Thus, the third path involved accumulating enough merit to exchange for the right to challenge the reigning Beast Sovereign. If the challenger won, they would ascend to the position.

The first path was essentially the "dream" You Chen had painted for the Soul-Battle Beasts.

By the time any of them grew strong enough to wield Soul Sage-level power, it would likely coincide with the outbreak of a full-scale war across the continent.

The second and third methods, however, were the more practical routes You Chen had deliberately designed.

The third method encouraged competition. It ensured that once someone attained the position of Beast Sovereign, they couldn't rest on their laurels. They would need to continually improve themselves to avoid being dethroned.

The second method—achieving the position through significant merit—was the main pathway. However, this route remained tightly controlled by You Chen, as the definition of "special accomplishments" was entirely his to decide.

What constituted special merit? That was up to You Chen's discretion. In essence, only those he deemed worthy could ascend.

Many Soul-Battle Beasts had undertaken missions as perilous as Ignis's current role as a test subject. Yet You Chen had never declared any of their achievements as "special."

The key wasn't the accomplishments themselves but rather when You Chen chose to assign the title.

In the past, before gaining his system, You Chen wouldn't have been so quick to confer such distinctions.

Given the immense potential of the Soul-Battle Beasts, surpassing even his own, he had to maintain tight control over them. Having already learned from the failure of Spirit Hall's "angel investments," he refused to loosen the reins, even if the Beasts were deeply grateful for his life-saving interventions.

Now, however, things had changed.

With his cultivation speed and potential far exceeding that of the Soul-Battle Beasts, You Chen no longer worried about them outpacing him. Instead, he focused on fostering their motivation to work harder and cultivate more diligently.

After all, if he became a Title Douluo one day, and they couldn't even handle minor tasks or challenges he found inconvenient, they'd be relegated to intelligence and logistics roles rather than warriors.

"Do not act rashly."

With a sweep of his gaze, You Chen quelled the restless emotions of the Soul-Battle Beasts, much like an orchestra conductor signaling for a pause.

"Impatience blinds you to your footing," he said calmly. "Those who recklessly charge ahead without awareness often end up battered and broken."

His words carried such weight that the Beasts seemed to experience the scenario firsthand, silencing themselves.

"This mission is merely a phase test of your cultivation over the years. No matter how well you perform—it's only what's expected."

—There would be no special merit granted.

Hearing this veiled message, many of the initially enthusiastic members lowered their heads in disappointment.

But You Chen immediately followed with another statement.

"Do not worry, for I will be watching over you."

His gentle tone reignited their spirits.

Satisfied with their renewed focus, You Chen nodded. "Now, move out. Unless an exceptional threat appears, I will not intervene."

As You Chen had explained during his fifth-ring hunt, the dangers of spirit ring acquisition went beyond the target beast itself. Chain reactions could attract stronger creatures.

While the Soul-Battle Beasts were now capable of organizing a successful hunt for a ten-thousand-year beast, they stood no chance against beasts in the 20,000 to 50,000-year range.

Thus, You Chen's primary role on this expedition was to manage potential disruptions.

This was not a waste of manpower or a matter of having ample time. Rather, it was the optimal arrangement, as You Chen saw it.

This mission wasn't solely about obtaining Ignis's fourth spirit ring. It was also a practical test of the Beasts' combat capabilities and an opportunity to evaluate You Chen's third major research project: firearms.

While a genius, You Chen was far from omniscient.

In his previous life, he had no experience with firearms research. In this world, the absence of gunpowder made the endeavor even more challenging. Starting from scratch was an arduous process.

A year ago, however, You Chen had acquired "Celebration Fireworks" during Tang San's second mission.

With a sample in hand and a clear objective, reverse-engineering gunpowder became feasible for someone of You Chen's intellect.

As for crafting the mechanism to utilize gunpowder, he turned to the hundred Zhuge Crossbows he had appropriated from Tang San.

This world lacked not only gunpowder but also a foundation of mechanical engineering.

After rekindling his ambitions, You Chen quickly recognized the potential of Tang San's mechanical concealed weapons.

Compared to creations like the Buddha Fury Tang Lotus, You Chen admired the mass-producible Zhuge Crossbow far more.

Drawing inspiration from its structure and combining it with his soul tool research and development experience, You Chen, along with assistants selected from the Beast Handlers, created the first firearm in this world.

Unlike conventional guns that fired bullets, the design incorporated elements of the Zhuge Crossbow.

Due to the current limitations in gunpowder production and development, You Chen modified the crossbow to use gunpowder as a supplementary force. The powder accelerated the speed of the bolts, resulting in power far beyond the original Zhuge Crossbow.

If the original could threaten four-ring Soul Elders, the modified version could endanger even Soul Emperors.

This creation was no longer just a Zhuge Crossbow.

Since gunpowder was one of his homeland's Four Great Inventions, You Chen named the weapon after it: Blackfire Weapon.

The first iteration was the Blackfire Crossbow.

It was this Blackfire Crossbow that gave You Chen confidence in their ability to hunt the tenthousand-year Earthfire Dragon, a beast with a top-tier bloodline.

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