Vast Sea City, Azure Lotus SectHanhai City.
The tide rises and falls, seagulls soar overhead. The imposing city walls stand by the sea, exuding a harmonious and serene aura under the golden sunset.
Along the coastline, Dai Yao sped along. The azure sea, white clouds, and verdant land receded into the distance. When the tiny city came into view, Dai Yao gradually slowed down, changed direction, and descended towards Hanhai City.
Hanhai City, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, who were chatting with Ning Fengzhi, looked up at the sky at the same time, then looked at each other, both of them speechless.
Ning Fengzhi looked at the two of them with some curiosity and asked:
"Uncle Jian, Uncle Gu, what's wrong with you?"
Sword Douluo smiled faintly and said, "Feng Zhi, someone you really want to see has arrived."
Ning Fengzhi was taken aback. He looked up and carefully sensed the person, then realized who it was and smiled, saying:
"The little guy has come at the perfect time; I was just about to meet him."
He slowly rose, led by two Title Douluos, and leaning on his jade staff, walked towards the Qinglian Sect's headquarters.
······
As he rapidly descended from the sky, the once tiny Hanhai City grew larger and larger in Dai Yao's vision, eventually filling his entire field of vision.
Looking down over the entire Hanhai City, countless ships were anchored in the harbor. Among the city's buildings, several stood out most prominently: the City Lord's Mansion, the Great Soul Arena, the Seven-Story Pagoda, and a blue lotus-shaped structure.
"This should be where the sect is located now."
Looking at the Qinglian Sect building, Dai Yao had a sudden realization.
With a flap of its eight wings, it slightly adjusted its direction and sped towards the Azure Lotus building.
As Dai Yao drew closer to the surface of Hanhai City, more and more Soul Masters sensed his presence. On the buildings of the Qinglian Sect, several patrolling Information Department disciples were alarmed when they saw the shadow rapidly approaching the Qinglian Sect in the sky. Their Sharp-Tailed Swift Martial Souls instantly activated, and with a flash of their Soul Rings, they soared into the sky.
"Stop immediately, or you will face the consequences!"
"A disciple from the Information Department shouted sternly."
"They spotted me so quickly. It seems the sect's patrolling disciples are quite diligent. I'd like to see just how strong the sect's security is."
Looking at the wary disciples from the Information Department, Dai Yao smiled slightly, a test forming in his mind. As the sect leader, he had been away from the Azure Lotus Sect for a long time, and his understanding of the sect was limited to the data on paper. Therefore, he wanted to see for himself what the sect's actual strength was.
Immediately, his soul power surged, and the eight wings of the white tiger behind him shone brightly, increasing his speed dramatically as he rapidly approached the disciples of the Information Department.
Upon seeing the approaching figure, the disciples from the Information Department were startled but immediately scattered, and the Zhuge Divine Crossbow was nocked.
With a hissing sound, several beams of cold light shot towards Dai Yao from the sky, the terrifying force accompanied by bursts of whistling sounds.
However, to their utter horror, the attacker wrapped his entire body in wings, creating an impenetrable wall that blocked the arrows. With clangs, the arrows snapped and fell to the ground.
It should be noted that even a Soul Master at the Soul Sect level would be injured by this hidden weapon if caught off guard, but this person was not only unharmed, but did not even use any Soul Skills.
Without stopping, Dai Yao continued his charge towards the Qinglian Sect.
Several disciples from the Information Department were stunned for a moment, then immediately gave chase. But they weren't worried, because the true defensive forces of the Azure Lotus Sect were on the ground.
On the ground, dozens of pairs of disciples, one from the Construction Department and one from the Medical Department, were on high alert, awaiting the enemy's arrival. The Construction Department disciples were responsible for defense, while the Medical Department disciples were responsible for offense and medical support, with several other disciples standing by behind them.
With the cooperation of the disciples of the Yu clan and the Po clan, even opponents one or two levels higher in the same class were not at a disadvantage.
As the opponent hurtled towards them, dozens of defensive forces stood ready. The Construction Department disciples summoned their Plate Armored Giant Rhinoceros Martial Souls in front, while the Medical Department disciples behind them held Soul-Breaking Spears, surrounded by various soul rings, their eyes fixed on the figure in the sky.
In just a moment, Dai Yao arrived inside the Qinglian Sect building, where a powerful wind pressure created a huge shockwave.
The instant Dai Yao landed, dozens of defensive forces immediately surrounded him. The powerful wind pressure was fiercely resisted by the disciples of the Yu Clan in front, while ten points of cold light attacked from all directions. Even at this moment, Dai Yao felt a slight stinging sensation on his skin from the sharpness of the Soul-Breaking Spear.
"Both the Yu Clan and the Po Clan are representatives of the ultimate style in the Soul Master world. Now that they are cooperating with each other, they can achieve a result greater than the sum of their parts. It's a great idea. I didn't expect that they could organize such a tight defense in such a short time after the relocation. It seems that Yan Yan and the others have not been complacent."
Dai Yao carefully considered the Qinglian Sect's defenses; he didn't take these attacks seriously.
In an instant, its eight wings flapped, and like lightning, it broke free from the encirclement of the crowd and swiftly attacked a group of defenders who were right in front of it.
He placed one hand on the martial spirit of the Ministry of Construction disciple and gave it a gentle push.
The disciple was horrified to find that he had been pushed away by the enemy. You must know that the disciples of the Yu clan are good at defense and are extremely heavy. Just how terrifying is this person's strength that he can be moved away with a simple push?
Even elders at the Soul Saint level in sects can only overwhelm you in terms of power after using their Martial Soul, but they cannot achieve the same effortless grace as this person.
The position of the Ministry of Construction disciple was breached, and the previously flawless encirclement was immediately torn open. Dai Yao immediately activated the White Tiger Eight Wings and escaped the encirclement.
However, before he could even relax for a moment, countless cold glints shot out from the cracks in the wall, and a greenish-purple poisonous mist quickly spread. In an instant, arrows were fired, and poisonous gas overflowed; this was yet another defensive fortification of the Azure Lotus Sect.
Throughout the Azure Lotus Sect, the Construction Department has ingeniously constructed various defensive measures while ensuring basic living functions. If someone unfamiliar with the sect is caught off guard, or if the sect faces imminent danger, these measures can be activated immediately, turning the entire sect's architecture into a meat grinder, shredding any enemies who attempt to enter.
Even Dai Yao couldn't easily ignore these hidden weapons. With various traps restricting movement, he had no choice but to use the White Tiger Eight Wings to withstand them head-on.
Anyone with slightly weaker defenses would be instantly shredded.
Just then, a huge siege crossbow gradually aimed at Dai Yao.
Dai Yao felt a chill run down his spine. This siege crossbow, after being improved by the Science and Technology Department (formerly the Blacksmiths' Association) through learning from the design concepts of concealed weapons, had undergone a qualitative leap. Even a Contra-level powerhouse now had the confidence to put up a fight.
Although he could withstand the siege crossbow bolt, he only wanted to test the sect's defensive fortifications and had no intention of actually fighting. Moreover, he had achieved his purpose of testing them; if he could feel a slight threat, how could ordinary soul masters possibly be a match for the sect?
Immediately, he took out the Sect Master's Token and addressed the sect disciples who were constantly surrounding him:
"We're on the same side, no need to be nervous."
Upon seeing the Azure Lotus Token in Dai Yao's hand, the disciples were startled and immediately knelt on one knee. The leading captain hurriedly said:
"Greetings, Sect Master. Please forgive us, as your identity is unknown. We have offended you greatly."
Some of the younger disciples, while kneeling, secretly glanced at Dai Yao. The current sect leader, Dugu Yan, was the offspring of the Azure Scale Douluo. Not only was she stunningly beautiful, but she was also incredibly powerful, having already won over all of them.
They had also heard that the true sect leader of the Qinglian Sect was someone else entirely—the husband of the acting sect leader, Dugu Yan, and the Minister of Finance, Ning Rongrong. Initially, some of the younger disciples were indignant. What kind of man could possibly win the hearts of two women of unparalleled beauty, Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong?
However, as they learned about Dai Yao's achievements and the admiration and self-deprecation shown by the top geniuses of their generation when discussing Dai Yao, their resentment gradually diminished and was replaced by curiosity.
Once, he was the number one among the younger generation of Dai Yao Continent. He led an unnamed team to defeat many veteran powerhouses and even defeated the Golden Generation of the Spirit Hall to win the final championship.
According to Niu Gao, Bai Chenxiang and other young geniuses, Dai Yaoquan, the elder of the Titan clan of the Zhenli clan, forced Titan to use his martial soul to avoid damage; he competed with Bai He, the patriarch of the Min clan, in speed and ended up in a draw; when he fought Yang Wudi, the patriarch of the Po clan, he used his fingers like a spear to subdue Yang Wudi, who had not yet used his martial soul true form.
These elders were all figures they revered, yet Dai Yao defeated them. One can imagine the shock Dai Yao caused them.
What just happened confirms the previous rumors.
Although Dai Yao didn't actually make a move, the detail of how a gentle push could scatter the Ministry of Construction disciples made them feel as if they had seen a ghost.
Looking at the disciples kneeling on the ground, Dai Yao helped the leading captain to his feet and addressed the surrounding disciples:
"Gentlemen, please rise. I did not reveal my identity when I came here. You were just carrying out your tasks diligently; what crime have you committed? Please rise."
The disciples exchanged glances, hesitated for a moment, and finally slowly rose. They were still somewhat unfamiliar with Dai Yao, the true sect leader.
Just then, a flurry of hurried footsteps came from behind.
Dai Yao turned around and saw Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong walking at the front, followed by Dugu Bo, Yang Wudi, Niu Gao, Bai He, Lou Gao, and many other elders. Beside them, Ning Fengzhi, leaning on his jade cane, was still wearing his elegant silver-white robe, smiling at him.
Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo behind him also had slight smiles on their faces.
Dai Yao clasped his hands together, bowed deeply, and said:
"Greetings to all the elders, greetings to Sect Master Ning, greetings to Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo and Poison Douluo."
Dai Yao performed this grand ceremony because he had been stationed in the Spirit Hall for a long time and had neglected his duties in the development of the sect. It was precisely because of the hard work of these people that the Azure Lotus Sect had achieved its current prosperity. Moreover, without the help of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, the Azure Lotus Sect, with only a Poison Douluo, would not have been able to deter those restless forces.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School abandoned the enormous benefits of Heaven Dou City and chose him. Both morally and logically, Dai Yao had to thank them.
"Sect Master, this is absolutely unacceptable..."
Niu Gao, Yang Wudi, and Bai He, along with several other straightforward old men, instinctively wanted to help Dai Yao up.
Beside them, Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong both looked at Dai Yao with smiles on their faces, their eyes full of affection.
Seeing Dai Yao's actions, Ning Fengzhi smiled slightly. He understood the meaning behind Dai Yao's grand gesture and said elegantly:
"Dai Yao, you don't need to be like this. With our relationship, there's no need to care about these formalities. We chose the Azure Lotus Sect not only for self-preservation, but also because we value you. We believe that your future achievements will exceed everyone's imagination."
Of course, he didn't mention the most important point: giving Ning Rongrong time to successfully become a god. And this was something he couldn't say in public.
"Alright, Dai Yao. Let's go back first. It's been so long since we've been back to the sect, so we'll give you a chance to introduce ourselves."
Dugu Yan, dressed in a bright green cheongsam, was elegant and alluring, and smiled faintly.
Dai Yao nodded.
Beside him, Lou Gao said somewhat anxiously, "Sect Master, I'll head back to the Science and Technology Department first. My mind is full of ideas, and I'm just waiting to verify them one by one! By the way, Sect Master, when is that girl Wutong coming? If she doesn't come, some top-grade ores won't be able to be refined, and I'll have a bellyful of ideas that I can't put into practice!"
After obtaining Tang San's hidden weapon blueprints, on Dai Yao's advice, he did not insist on forging those top-notch hidden weapons, but instead studied their structure and then combined the knowledge from them with soul tools to create a new path.
Therefore, Lou Gao would occasionally burst into inspiration, immersing himself in his research like a madman. If it weren't for the help of his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and Nine Heart Begonia martial souls, and the forced rest he received every so often, he would have been completely exhausted.
Even so, the inspirations he recorded and put into practice had already filled half a book.
It was only because of Dai Yao's arrival that he wouldn't leave his laboratory.
Hearing Lou Gao's words, Dai Yao felt somewhat ashamed. He hadn't fulfilled the promise he'd made to Lou Gao.
Firstly, not much time had passed, and secondly, the Spirit Hall didn't want to release her. Spirit Douluo and Azure Phoenix Douluo treated Feng Wutong like a treasure; when Dai Yao took her out and they encountered danger last time, they both severely reprimanded him, and now they were even less willing to let Feng Wutong out.
However, things will soon take a turn for the better. Dai Yao smiled:
"Don't worry, Minister Lou Gao, Wutong will definitely come within a month."
Hearing Dai Yao's promise, Lou Gao nodded in relief and turned to leave.
Ning Fengzhi, standing to the side, was somewhat puzzled. Although they were aware of the power of hidden weapons, they couldn't understand why Dai Yao valued these blacksmiths so much. This attitude made it seem as if he regarded Lou Gao as a Title Douluo.
For Dai Yao, Lou Gao was the pioneer who opened up a new era for soul tools, a monumental achievement that would benefit countless generations. In Dai Yao's heart, Lou Gao was far more important than any of the current Title Douluos. Therefore, Dai Yao specifically instructed Ning Rongrong to use the Ten Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul to restore Lou Gao's depleted vitality every so often.
In this way, the height of the building could extend lifespan, allowing the still rudimentary soul tools to be developed.
Although Lou Gao was only a Soul Douluo, he was able to benefit future generations. The current Title Douluos are indeed powerful and renowned, but there have always been a group of Title Douluos, haven't there? But how many research talents like Lou Gao are there?
These titled Douluo, in order to grow stronger, have seized a lot of resources, but have they ever benefited ordinary people?
While the development of soul tools will lead to the creation of many offensive soul tools, soul tool products will also improve the lives of ordinary people without them even realizing it.
At the beginning of his transmigration, Dai Yao was merely a down-on-his-luck prince, with no time to consider such matters. But now, he has established a powerful sect, allowing him to use his strength to benefit future generations. (End of Chapter)