"Huh? That fast?" Zhu Zhuqing blurted out. "Sect Master's… combat stamina is that bad?"
"Hah? What do you mean 'fast'? What 'combat stamina'?" Xiao Wu was completely confused. "Zhuqing, did you not sleep at all last night? You've got dark circles under your eyes."
Only then did Zhu Zhuqing realize—
She had lost sleep.
Because of a man.
That had never happened before.
She silently sat up, the blanket slipping off her shoulders, briefly revealing her flawless figure.
Xiao Wu's confusion instantly turned into jealous admiration—
"Damn… even as a woman, I'd fall for that body!"
After washing up, Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing walked out together—
Only to find Tang Lan waiting outside.
Upon seeing Zhu Zhuqing, he was slightly surprised.
"You, of all people, didn't sleep? That's rare for someone so disciplined."
Zhu Zhuqing met his gaze, and her mind instantly flashed to him and Xiao Wu in bed together…
She quickly averted her eyes.
Tang Lan raised an eyebrow.
Did she just… think of something inappropriate?
Must've been my imagination.
Without overthinking it, Tang Lan reached out and took Zhu Zhuqing's hand, channeling Nine Yang Divine Art into her body.
The energy circulated through her meridians, instantly clearing away her exhaustion.
Zhu Zhuqing remained completely still, neither resisting nor actively accepting—
But for someone like her, not resisting already meant a lot.
"A soul master skipping sleep occasionally isn't a problem," Tang Lan teased. "But you're a girl. If you stay up too much, you'll get wrinkles~"
Zhu Zhuqing stayed silent.
Now that she knew Xiao Wu went to 'dual cultivate' with Tang Lan every night…
Her mind was a mess.
If she wanted to surpass Xiao Wu…
Did that mean she also had to…?
Luckily, she was already naturally quiet and kept her usual cold, expressionless demeanor.
No one noticed anything out of place.
Morning Assembly
After breakfast, the group gathered at the training grounds.
Unexpectedly—
Chi Feng was there.
Behind him was a mountain of refined minerals and a team of muscular blacksmiths.
At the front, Tang San was directing them, categorizing the materials and explaining how to refine them properly.
Upon seeing Tang Lan, Chi Feng walked up with a smile.
"Sect Master Tang, I heard you're going on a soul hunt. I've got nothing urgent on hand—how about I come along?"
…This guy was volunteering to be a bodyguard.
Tang Lan glanced toward the Shrek teachers.
Flender (Seven Rings, Spirit Sage)Zhao Wuji (Seven Rings, Spirit Sage)Li Yusong (Six Rings, Spirit Emperor)
With three top-tier soul masters already, adding a Soul Douluo to the mix?
How was he supposed to carry out his plans with that much supervision?!
"No need." Tang Lan immediately declined. "It's just a third and fourth ring hunt. Two Spirit Sages and a Spirit Emperor are more than enough."
Chi Feng didn't insist.
"Then I'll stay behind at Shrek Academy to oversee the forge's construction and await your return."
Tang Lan nodded in approval.
Good. Stay out of the way.
However—
Ning Rongrong was having none of it!
"Sixth Grandpa!"
"You're waiting for them, but not for me?!"
Chi Feng shot Tang Lan a helpless glance before going to console the angry little princess.
Luckily, Ning Rongrong's temper had improved after recent events, and her tantrum was brief.
Once she was satisfied, Chi Feng suddenly remembered something.
He pulled out three pieces of Thousand-Year Whale Glue and handed them to Oscar.
"This is Thousand-Year Whale Glue.
Taking all three at once can increase a soul ring's age limit by around 1,100 years."
"Since you're about to absorb a new ring, use it well."
"More will be delivered for the others soon."
Then, Chi Feng smiled at Tang Lan.
"I have to say, Sect Master Tang, your knowledge is truly vast.
If not for your insight, we wouldn't have known about this resource's potential."
"In the past, nobles would just… waste it in decadent indulgences."
Hearing "increase soul ring age limit," Oscar was visibly tempted.
But he controlled himself and looked toward Tang San and Tang Lan.
After all—
A Soul Douluo wouldn't bother sucking up to a low-level soul master like him.
His restraint impressed Tang San.
Tang San nodded.
"Since Elder Chi has offered it, take it."
"Yes, Master!"
Oscar finally accepted the whale glue.
"Thank you, Elder Chi."
Chi Feng waved it off with a smile—
Acting as gentle as a kind-hearted grandfather.
Completely different from his previously proud and untouchable demeanor.
Surely, the past few days had been an eventful ride.
"Oh, right."
Tang Lan retrieved a thick, head-sized book and handed it to Chi Feng.
"Elder Chi, I'd like the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to help distribute this book across the entire continent at cost price as soon as possible."
Chi Feng didn't immediately agree.
Instead, he flipped through the pages—
If Tang Lan had written some smut novel, wouldn't he be making a fool of himself by endorsing it?
But once he started reading…
He couldn't stop.
"The Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls—Martial Soul Mimicry Theory is incomplete."
"Beast martial souls and plant-type soul rings can absorb mixed-type rings, but their enhancement is lower than same-type soul rings."
"Absorbing a same-type soul ring grants a natural 5% age boost, which can increase up to 20% depending on compatibility."
"Of course, choosing a mixed-type soul ring isn't necessarily a mistake. For instance, a Blue Silver Grass user absorbing a Mandala Snake ring can gain paralyzing poison effects. While this may reduce the overall ring age, it expands the martial soul's versatility."
"However, it also sacrifices the potential of cultivating an ultimate martial soul."
"Which path to take is up to the individual."
Chi Feng flipped another page—
"The third point of the Ten Core Competencies is also flawed. Soul ring bottlenecks do not prevent soul power from increasing, but they severely reduce cultivation efficiency and cap at ten levels."
"Meaning, at most, a person can hold back two soul rings before hitting a hard stop. You cannot stockpile soul power to become a Titled Douluo first and then hunt for rings."
"However, if one possesses spiritual treasures that enhance soul power without causing damage, they can delay acquiring rings while improving the previous ring's age. But beware—forcing progress prematurely will harm one's potential."
"Whale glue's aphrodisiac properties are merely a side effect. Its true function is to enhance physical fitness, thereby increasing the maximum age of soul rings."
"One piece of Thousand-Year Whale Glue raises the soul ring limit by 500 years. The effect diminishes with use—three pieces increase the limit by approximately 1,200 years. A fourth piece will only grant an extra 100 years but may clog meridians, causing more harm than good."
"There are no level restrictions on absorbing soul bones—even a 100,000-year soul bone can be absorbed upon martial soul awakening, significantly strengthening the body and increasing soul ring potential."
Chi Feng kept reading—unable to tear his eyes away!
The book was filled with rare knowledge, groundbreaking theories, and revolutionary insights.
The author was nothing short of a genius!
And then—
His eyes landed on a particular section.
"Innate Soul Power of Level 0 does not mean one cannot cultivate."
"In fact, before martial soul awakening, innate soul power can be altered through cultivation."
"The following two cultivation methods can achieve this."
"Those who master the first method may become outer disciples of Tang Sect."
"Those who master the second method may become inner disciples of Tang Sect."
The first method was simple—
Chi Feng wasn't impressed.
But for commoners without access to cultivation techniques, it was a ray of hope that broke through the knowledge barrier!
However, the second method…
It had a name.
—Nine Yang Divine Art, First Layer!
Chi Feng merely glanced at it—
And his eyes widened in shock!
Tang Sect's ultimate technique?!
Flipping back to the title page, he saw the author's signature—
"Tang Lan, Author."
His gaze snapped to Tang Lan in utter disbelief.
"Sect Master Tang… are you truly going to make Nine Yang Divine Art public?!"
"What?!"
Ning Rongrong and the others gasped!
They quickly rushed over.
When Tang San saw the familiar soul power cultivation method—
He was stunned.
"Brother! You're publishing this book continent-wide?!"
"Won't Nine Yang Divine Art become public knowledge?!"
Tang Lan simply shrugged and spread his hands.
"It's just the first layer. Not everyone can cultivate it."
"Those with poor talent won't be able to progress anyway."
"And those who do succeed? At minimum, their aptitude is above average."
"If they join our Tang Sect, great. If not, we will still have given them guidance."
"This way, Tang Sect disciples will have more allies across the continent."
Of course, that was just an excuse.
The real reason?
Nine Yang Divine Art, upon reaching Great Perfection, had a special ability—
—Absorbing energy from identical sources.
The internal energy generated from the first layer had Yang attributes—
Meaning, Tang Lan could absorb it without any loss.
At worst, he'd just have to refine it slightly.
Once this book spread across the continent…
It would mean that everyone cultivating Nine Yang Divine Art…
—Would become his personal "energy bank."
And with Blue Silver Grass creating a continent-wide soul tool communication network…
If he could synchronize both systems—
Even a god would be drained to death in a battle of endurance!
His ambition was unfathomable.
At that moment—
To Flender, Li Yusong, and the other commoner-born soul masters…
Tang Lan seemed to radiate with a divine glow.
His vision was beyond them.
If they had discovered such a treasure, they would've hidden it, or at most, shared it only with family.
To publicly distribute it across the entire continent?
Impossible!
As they were still processing—
Chi Feng continued flipping through the pages.
The more he read, the more shocked he became!
A Book That Makes Everyone a "Grandmaster"
The Tang Sect Encyclopedia contained everything—
Soul Master cultivation knowledgeA complete bestiary of soul beastsComprehensive analysis of soul ring selection
In short—
Anyone who fully understood this book…
Would instantly become a "Master"!
"PAH—"
Chi Feng slammed the book shut, his gaze landing on the bold title on the cover—
"Tang Sect Encyclopedia"
"Good! Good! GOOD!"
"What a magnificent Tang Sect Encyclopedia!"
"Sect Master Tang, your vision will reshape the entire continent!"
Tang Lan's True Intentions
Tang Lan felt quite pleased with himself.
This wasn't just any book—
It was the result of combining "Soul Master Training Manual," "Soul Beast Bestiary," "Martial Soul Development Guide," "Soul Ring Identification Manual"…
PLUS his foreknowledge as a transmigrator!
And that so-called "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls" by Yu Xiaogang?
Utter trash that should've been thrown out ages ago.
The only reason he hadn't published this earlier was due to lack of proper distribution channels.
And also—
To prevent "thesis thief" Yu Xiaogang from stealing credit.
If that had happened, it would've been a painful legal battle (or fistfight) to settle.
But now?
With Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect as a partner, he could confidently use their resources to spread his name far and wide.
Taking Yu Xiaogang down was secondary—
The real goal was to establish himself as the ultimate authority in Tang San's eyes and within Tang Sect.
That way, when he executed future plans, they would trust and follow his lead.
Easier control. Easier harvest.
At the same time—
This book would challenge the ruling power of the Spirit Hall and the two empires.
Why?
Because it won over the hearts and minds of the people.
The earliest gods in this world were those who rose through faith and devotion.
While Tang Lan had Sea God's inheritance as a backup, there was no harm in being prepared.
Even if he became a god, faith-based power would still be useful.
And then there was the unexpected invention—
The Blue Silver Grass Signal-Conversion Soul Tool.
If combined with Nine Yang Divine Art's absorption ability, could he link all practitioners together?
If successful—
He'd be literally unstoppable!
If not?
At least he'd spread his influence across the world.
No downside.
Chi Feng's Commitment
"Three years!" Chi Feng declared with confidence.
"Within three years, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will make sure this book reaches every corner of the continent!"
His eyes gleamed with ambition as he held the book tightly.
He could already see the future—
A world where every household owned a copy of the Tang Sect Encyclopedia!
Even commoner families would buy it—
After all, it contained a method to break past innate soul power Level 0!
Although the book wasn't written by Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, they still benefited enormously from distributing it.
Tang Lan's Printing Revelation
However—
Tang Lan's brows furrowed slightly.
"Three years?" He was puzzled. "Why so long? Does it need approval?"
"Sect Master Tang, you may not know this," Chi Feng explained patiently.
"Your book is massive, containing countless pages and illustrations. It requires full-block engraving, which is extremely labor-intensive. Even with our best efforts, three years is the fastest we can do it."
Tang Lan immediately sensed something was wrong.
Wait… don't tell me…
These people are still using block printing?!
"Elder Chi, can you describe exactly how this engraving process works?"
Chi Feng provided a detailed explanation.
Tang Lan was speechless.
They really were using ancient woodblock printing.
No wonder it was so damn slow!
Introducing "Movable Type Printing"
Tang Lan pretended to have a sudden realization and said—
"What if, instead of carving full pages, we created individual, reusable letter blocks? We could arrange them according to the manuscript, then rearrange and reuse them for different pages."
Chi Feng froze.
Wait…
Just thinking about it, he immediately saw the incredible efficiency boost!
This alone could cut printing time by over 90%!
Block engraving had a huge flaw—
One mistake, and the entire block was ruined.
Only highly skilled craftsmen could work on it, and even then, errors were costly.
But with movable type, they could just carve all the characters separately, then simply select and rearrange them as needed!
Why had no one thought of this before?!
Chi Feng stared at Tang Lan in absolute admiration.
"This young mind… truly brilliant."
"As expected of Sect Master Tang," Chi Feng praised.
"Just one small change, yet it revolutionizes the process!"
Then, he hesitated and asked—
"Would it be possible for Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to use this printing method for other books as well?"
Tang Lan casually waved his hand.
"I've already included the details in the encyclopedia under 'Practical Knowledge.' Let it benefit the world."
This kind of vision!
Chi Feng couldn't help but give him a big thumbs-up.
"Sect Master Tang, you are truly magnanimous!"
The Rise of Tang Sect?
"With you at the helm, Tang Sect will surely stand above all others!"
"Even the hidden Clear Sky Clan—once the mightiest among the Upper Three Sects—may one day be replaced by Tang Sect!"
Chi Feng's excitement peaked as he spoke.
But—
"Sixth Grandpa!" Ning Rongrong suddenly interrupted loudly.
"Something's happening at the forge! You should go check it out."
Chi Feng paused mid-sentence—
And his face instantly changed!
Shit.
This kid was Tang Hao's son.
The true heir of the Clear Sky Clan!
He had gotten too carried away and spoke recklessly.
Immediately, he bowed apologetically.
"Sect Master Tang, please don't take offense! That was a slip of the tongue!"
"I personally guarantee that the Tang Sect Encyclopedia will be distributed across the entire continent within… half a month!"
Now that they had movable type printing, the process was lightning-fast.
Tang Lan smiled politely.
"Then I'll trouble Elder Chi with this task."
As for replacing the Clear Sky Clan?
Not interested.
If he was going to build something, it wouldn't be some Upper Three Sect nonsense.
His Tang Sect would produce at least seven gods!
The so-called Upper Three Sects?
Did they even qualify to stand alongside his future Tang Sect?!
The Aftermath
As soon as Chi Feng left—
The group erupted into chaos!
"Brother, when did you even learn all this?" Xiao Wu asked, confused.
"I skimmed through the book earlier. Some of these theories completely overturn what we were taught! Is this real, Brother?" Tang San's entire worldview was shaking.
"As expected of our Sect Master! Even his knowledge is vast beyond measure!" Oscar jumped in, praising loudly.
Zhu Zhuqing remained silent—
But her once chaotic thoughts were now gradually clearing up.
It seemed like she had finally figured something out.
Meanwhile—
Ma Hongjun's expression was deeply conflicted.
The more outstanding Tang Lan became, the harder it was for him to accept reality.
Accept that he had missed his chance.
Ning Rongrong's Suspicion
Only Ning Rongrong stood there, frowning.
Tang Lan was only twelve years old—
Yet, he excelled at everything.
Unparalleled talent.
Unbreakable physique.
Devastating good looks.
Sharp intellect.
Unrivaled combat prowess.
And now—
He was also a walking library of ancient and modern knowledge.
…How?!
She had glanced at the Tang Sect Encyclopedia earlier.
Even she, a princess of Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, had never even heard of half the information inside!
Where did Tang Lan learn all of this?!
It was too unnatural!
Something wasn't right.
Curiosity—The First Step to Falling
Ning Rongrong's eyes gleamed mischievously as she looked at Tang Lan.
She was now seriously interested in him.
She had no idea…
That for a woman—
Curiosity was the first step toward falling for someone.
The Inevitable Irony
But the saddest part?
So far—
Tang Lan had absolutely no interest in her.
And she didn't even realize it yet.
(End of Chapter)