Zhu Zhuqing, who had been quiet all along, couldn't help but ask
"Rongrong… do you have some kind of special cultivation method? Your own soul power seems..."
She trailed off, her face flushed bright red with embarrassment. But the pressure from her family weighed heavily on her—she had no choice but to consider how to improve her strength. After several days of observation, she was sure of one thing: Dai Mubai was unreliable. If she wanted to become stronger, she would have to rely on herself.
The brother Ning Rongrong kept mentioning—someone who had reached the Soul Emperor rank at only seventeen—had clearly mastered a unique cultivation path. And Rongrong's own soul power was also unusual. For an auxiliary-type soul master to reach Rank 32 Soul Elder before the age of twelve, with three overlimit soul rings (yellow-purple-purple), could only mean one thing: she had also practiced her brother's method and seen real results.
Rongrong blinked, her clever eyes reading Zhu Zhuqing's thoughts with ease. She realized she might've spoken a little too much, and smiled sheepishly.
"My brother does have a few special training methods… but they may not be suitable for you. Still, I can ask him for you next time!"
"I see…" Zhu Zhuqing's expression dimmed with disappointment.
Dai Mubai, meanwhile, clenched his fists tightly, his gaze full of menace. He'd already guessed from her Hell Spirit Cat Martial Soul that this voluptuous young woman was his fiancée. But now she didn't even trust him?
Seeing this, Rongrong hesitated for a moment, then raised her hand. Her ring flashed with a glimmer of blue-green light, and a jade-colored bracelet appeared in her palm. She handed it to Zhu Zhuqing.
"This gravity bracelet was made by me. It's only a Grade Two soul tool, but it can add one to three times gravitational pressure to your body. It should help with your physical training."
Zhu Zhuqing looked at the bracelet in confusion. How could this thing help her train?
Rongrong sighed lightly and demonstrated. She channeled soul power into the elegant bracelet on her right wrist. In an instant, everyone around her felt their bodies grow heavier—as if a massive weight were pressing down on their bones and organs. Several nearly collapsed from the pressure.
"Mine is a Grade Four soul tool," Rongrong explained calmly.
"It creates a gravity field within five meters around me, and the strength of the gravity depends on how much soul power I pour into it."
"And gravity is one of the best forces for building the body. According to my brother's research, the reason battle-type soul masters train faster than support-types is because their bodies are naturally stronger."
"Your bracelet might not generate a full field like mine, but it'll work on your own body. That means it can help you rapidly strengthen your physique. Just remember not to overdo it. Too much pressure can cause hidden injuries and limit your future cultivation."
Zhu Zhuqing gripped the bracelet tightly. She understood—this was a shortcut to becoming stronger.
"Got it," she said, nodding firmly.
Meanwhile, at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan…
"Who would've thought that the Shrek Academy Rongrong went to is hiding a hundred-thousand-year soul beast in human form?"
Ning Fengzhi gazed at the stack of reports in his hand, his eyes flashing with excitement. A soul beast of that age represented not just a hundred-thousand-year soul ring, but also a soul bone. Even if Xu Yang didn't need it, he himself was now a Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Soul Master approaching Rank 90—and that meant he did.
As for Tang Hao's warning? Ning Fengzhi barely spared it a thought before brushing it aside. Chen Xin had already reached Rank 98, a true Super Douluo, and few on the continent could match him. Add Gu Rong at Rank 97, and their duo, backed by his own top-tier support abilities, meant even Tang Hao was no threat to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
Still, Gu Rong voiced his concern.
"Tang Hao's a problem. Everyone here knows his temper—impulsive and furious. If we actually capture that hundred-thousand-year soul beast, there's a real chance he'll come swinging that hammer of his straight at our clan. We Titled Douluo can handle ourselves, but the disciples can't."
Although Tang Hao had been expelled from Clear Sky School, no one here believed they had truly abandoned a Titled Douluo with such power—especially one who had learned their most secret techniques. Right now, with the Spirit Hall growing in strength, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan still needed Clear Sky as an ally.
The so-called "closed mountain" policy of the Clear Sky School? Just a show for Spirit Hall. Once the Spirit Hall's power waned, the Clear Sky School would surely become the blade to strike the killing blow.
Which meant—they couldn't actually afford to kill Tang Hao.
"He is a headache," Ning Fengzhi admitted.
"Perhaps I should meet him in person and see what he really wants."
It wasn't a solution, but it was a move—one that bought time.
Ning Fengzhi turned his gaze to the stack of Shrek student profiles. At the top: Tang San.
"Blue Silver Grass. Innate full soul power… I'd bet he's a twin martial soul user. Tang Hao's son, no doubt about it. And that hundred-thousand-year Soft Bone Rabbit? Almost certainly meant for him."
Ever since they discovered that Xiao Wu was a soul beast in disguise, her entire life history had been traced. If even Yu Xiaogang had guessed Tang San's secret in the original story, how could Ning Fengzhi not? Tang Hao had been spotted near both Tang San and Xiao Wu on multiple occasions.
Everything pointed to Tang San being Tang Hao's son, and his second Martial Soul being the Clear Sky Hammer.
"So what if he has twin Martial Souls?" Chen Xin snorted, full of arrogance.
"That brat can't compare to that punk Xu Yang. Let's focus on what comes next."
Twin Martial Souls were rare, yes—but they weren't unbeatable. Before solving the conflict between Martial Souls, a twin-soul user could only cultivate one at a time. Otherwise, the result was death by internal collapse.
Ning Fengzhi mused aloud.
"Didn't Heaven Dou Imperial Academy send word recently? Apparently the nobles of Soto City are trying to turn a profit by sponsoring a tournament at the Great Spirit Arena, and invited the Emperor Battle Team to participate a month from now. I'm guessing Xu Yang will go with them."
"Let's accompany them. You and Uncle Sword can go with me. That Soft Bone Rabbit doesn't even know she's been exposed—there's no harm in waiting a little longer."
"Agreed," Chen Xin replied.
Meanwhile, back at Heaven Dou Academy…
Xu Yang was hard at work in his workshop, designing a new soul tool.
It was a single-lens eyepiece called the Hypnosis Lens, made specifically for Tang San.
To ensure its effectiveness, Xu Yang had even recruited a clan soul master who specialized in hypnosis-type soul skills. He'd had them repeatedly activate their skills so he could study the soul ring signatures and internal soul force pathways they used—information that would help him complete the tool.
This soul tool was his insurance policy—his way of securing the full contents of the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record without tipping off Tang San.
After all, Tang San came from a martial arts world in his previous life. There was no telling whether he had some mental resistance technique that could counter Xu Yang's half-baked spiritual hypnosis. That's why Xu Yang needed this tool—to amplify hypnosis-type abilities and deliver a stronger, more reliable effect.