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--- Chapter 508 ---
"Xiao Yuan... Xiao Xi, greet the Dean of Tianxing Academy, Nebula Douluo, Xing Lan," Han Tianyi said, gesturing toward the woman beside him. "You can consider her an old acquaintance of your Grandpa."
"Nice to meet you, Senior Nebula Douluo!" Han Yuan and Mu Xi greeted politely, bowing slightly in unison.
Xing Lan gave Han Tianyi an amused glance. "The way you say it makes me sound far older than I actually am, Tianyi."
"Though considering our long friendship, I suppose I'll let it slide this time."
She turned back toward the two children, her gaze softening. "Besides, kids... there's no need to be so formal with me. You can call me Dean Lan, or simply Aunt Xing."
"After all, I'm really not that old."
"In that case... nice to meet you, Aunt Xing!" Han Yuan greeted cheerfully, followed closely by Mu Xi.
Xing Lan giggled softly, giving Han Yuan's head a gentle pat. "What polite children. You're certainly much more pleasing to talk to than your grumpy grandfather."
Then, her expression turned slightly serious as she crossed her slender arms, studying both Han Yuan and Mu Xi. "But I heard you're planning to evolve this little girl's Shining Sun Martial Soul to accommodate a much higher tier of Stellar Attribute?"
"Your grandfather gave me a brief overview, but I'd like to hear the details directly from you."
Han Yuan glanced at Han Tianyi, receiving a calm, encouraging nod from the older man before stepping forward. "Very well, Aunt Xing. My plan is actually quite straightforward, and it is divided into three main phases."
"First, I will use my Martial Soul to directly summon a strong celestial phenomenon, establishing a foundational bridge to link Sister Mu Xi's Shining Sun Martial Soul with my own."
"Second, I will guide her through the Baptism of Stars, cleansing the impurities from her physical body and spirit pathways with the purest stellar essence available."
"This will bring changes to her Martial Soul and Spirit Soul."
"And finally, the most crucial step..."
"We will execute a mutual exchange of origin energy, completing the true Symbiotic Mutual Evolution."
Xing Lan listened quietly, her deep eyes narrowing as she analyzed every word. "To achieve such a degree of resonance... your Martial Soul cannot merely be compatible with her Shining Sun. It needs to possess absolute, higher dominance to command the vast domain of stars and compress that level of stellar energy without harming her."
She looked straight into Han Yuan's silver eyes. "Do you truly possess that kind of control and authority?"
Han Yuan smiled, his expression calm, fearless, and overflowing with an unyielding confidence. "Aunt Xing... if I were to claim that my Martial Soul is only the second most powerful Star-Attribute in this entire world..."
He paused, a faint starlight swirling deep within his silver pupils. "...then there isn't a single soul alive on the Douluo Star who would dare claim the first!"
"Hoh..." Xing Lan certainly didn't expect this young boy to utter such an overbearing statement. "Then let's see whether you're boasting or speaking the truth."
"It's a bet, then," Han Yuan replied simply.
Everyone waited quietly for the night to settle over the outlook. Mu Chen pulled Mu Xi aside and told her to prepare her mind and body through short meditation.
"How confident are you truly?" Han Tianyi asked out of consideration. He trusted his grandson, but the sheer scope of the process still deserved the question.
Han Yuan gazed at the meditating Mu Xi, smiling. "One thousand percent, Grandpa."
"Although the ultimate upper limit depends on Sister Mu Xi's performance tonight. The better her vessel withstands the baptism, the greater her talent transformation and awakened potential will be."
Mu Ye leaned in, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Kid, do you think this method of yours could work on a Spirit Master with a Body Spirit?"
"That... I can't say for certain," Han Yuan shook his head unsurely. "We would need to test whether a Body Spirit can actively integrate and compress Stellar Energy."
"If it's a True Body Martial Soul, as in an entire physical body spirit, then it's definitely possible. But if it's restricted to a single limb or non-vital organ, the success rate drops drastically."
Mu Ye's eyes lit up instantly. "In that case, I'll contact my main disciple later! His Martial Soul happens to be the True Spirit Body!"
"Granduncle... you're getting a bit too excited," Han Yuan gave him an exasperated look. "We haven't even finished this first trial yet."
Mu Ye chuckled heartily, clapping him on the shoulder. "Haha! You'll succeed without a doubt. I have complete faith in your ability."
"..."
Han Yuan stared at Mu Ye blankly, wondering if his background role as a "savior" figure was starting to affect his granduncle's vision. Ultimately, he shook his head and focused back on the task at hand.
At the exact peak of midnight, the mechanical ceiling of the Heavenly Star Observation Platform split apart, revealing the moonlit night sky. Several high-definition scopes appeared as high-resolution screens flickered to life along the perimeter, mapping out complex constellations across the dark expanse.
Han Yuan and Mu Xi stood side by side at the center of the platform, facing each other.
"Sister Mu Xi... I need you to trust me completely with everything you have," Han Yuan said softly, his silver eyes searching hers. "Can you do that?"
"Mhm! I trust Xiao Yuan with my whole heart!" Mu Xi replied without a moment's hesitation, her smile radiating warmth.
"Alright then... follow my guidance."
Under Han Yuan's detailed instructions, Mu Xi consumed some pills to shield her spirit pathways before seating herself cross-legged on the smooth metallic platform floor.
Above her head, her Shining Sun Martial Soul materialized, burning like a miniature star under the clear moonlight. Beside it, her Spirit Soul—the Fire Raging Lion—manifested, letting out a small, fierce roar directly at Han Yuan.
Han Yuan reached out, gently patting the young lion's head. "You're going to share a significant portion of Sister Mu Xi's burden tonight. Do your best to protect her while I perform the ritual."
Though it was merely a hundred-year-tier Spirit Soul, the little Fire Raging Lion seemed to comprehend the weight of his words, nodding with utmost seriousness before stepping in front of Mu Xi.
Watching from the side, the Dean of Tianxing Academy's eyes flickered with astonishment. Interesting... a hundred-year Spirit Soul showing such clear spiritual understanding?'
'Brother Xu, how are the preparations on your end?' Han Yuan inquired telepathically, looking up into the sea of stars.
A subtle vibration echoed from the ring on Han Yuan's index finger as Xu Deming's calm voice resonated directly inside his mind.
'Everything is set up perfectly here. I am ready to initiate the Spiritual Handshake at your command.'
'Then, let's do this!' Han Yuan closed his eyes tightly.
When Han Yuan reopened his silver eyes, he seemed to become a totally different person. His aura shifted instantaneously—cold, indifferent, and absolute, possessing a hyper-rational composure that felt detached from mortality.
"This is..." Han Tianyi noticed the shift immediately. He knew his grandson was still himself, but this terrifying, godlike demeanor was something Han Yuan rarely revealed.
Swoosh!
"Liberation, manifest..." Han Yuan spoke impassively.
The Star Liberation Crown coalesced atop his head, radiating boundless divine pressure as two utterly unique Spirit Rings began to orbit around his figure.
Both Mu Chen and Xing Lan suffocated at the sight of these abnormal, transcendent Spirit Rings. Yet seeing how composed Han Tianyi and Mu Ye remained, they quickly realized the two elders had long known about this secret.
Han Yuan looked up into the infinite void. "Gate of Stars..."
"Open!"
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
As if a floodgate to a starry sky had been forcefully unlocked, a celestial portal materialized directly above the platform ceiling, overlapping the night sky with a hyper-dense sea of starlight.
Wave upon wave of gaseous stellar energy fell, crushing the observatory in an overwhelming, suffocating pressure.
Xing Lan fell to her knees, her body trembling uncontrollably as she gazed at the silver-haired child standing at the center of the storm. "G-God..."
"He actually... commands the Ultimate Law of Stars!"
Before her shocked voice could even fade, Han Yuan stepped forward, resting his right palm against Mu Xi's temple. His voice echoed like a divine decree.
"Purify, purify, purify..."
Deep within his palm, the Sky Poison Pearl unleashed its power. A soft, emerald-silver light washed over Mu Xi, radically purifying not only her very vessel and spirit pathways, but her spiritual sea, core origins, and even the Fire Raging Lion beside her, reconstructing her foundation to sustain stellar energy.
The Cosmos Eye Lord manifested in thin air beside them, its pupil dilating in pure astonishment. 'Star Prince... you... you can actually bestow an Acquired Pure Star Body?!'
Han Yuan let out a soft, cold chuckle, his silver eyes flashing with divine radiance.
"That's not... all."
"We are just getting started..."
'Divine Art: Myriad Covenant of Existence!'