Having browsed through countless ancient records, Zhao Liuyun was no stranger to the concept of "Ring Fusion." Someone had even once cataloged it in a book as one of the most prestigious techniques in the world, distinct from standard soul skills.
However, not a single one of those texts had ever truly revealed the actual knack for it! Those writings were either intentionally vague or bypassed the cultivation details entirely, describing only the magnificent power displayed after Ring Fusion or the hard-fought victories achieved.
Zhao Liuyun only needed to flip through a few pages to see that the content of The Secret of Ring Fusion brought by Ning Fengzhi was authentic and substantive. Every word was a gem, and every sentence rang true; it was by no means empty talk.
Ning Fengzhi—it didn't matter what kind of person he was or whether he was a "smiling tiger"; anyone capable of gifting such a genuine and practical Ring Fusion method was a good person.
A Ring Fusion technique that could be used immediately upon acquisition was truly difficult to weigh against the dozen or so rare volumes given by Qian Renxue—which, though currently unusable, concerned his long-term foundation. Both were generous souls.
"Senior, this—" Zhao Liuyun showed a slight hesitation.
"Accept it. This is a meeting gift I'm giving you because I admire your talent," Ning Fengzhi said with a wave of his hand and a smile, his tone gentle but brooking no refusal. "As the esteemed disciple of the Jade Phosphor Douluo, though you are not yet famous, you are destined to be no ordinary person in the future."
"You are the chosen son-in-law of the Ye family, so you should understand the principle of Support-system powers forging good relations everywhere. My Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan is willing to place a bet of expectation on you."
Ning Fengzhi wanted to recruit him, but he wasn't so foolish as to say it directly. It was difficult to poach someone; it was even harder to poach someone who had been carefully screened and proven trustworthy. If a person could be swayed so easily, it would conversely prove that they were unreliable. It was better to seek out solitary experts with no strings attached, such as the Sword Douluo, Chen Xin, who had joined the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan much later.
Zhao Liuyun marveled at Ning Fengzhi's keen insight. He thought to himself, Well, your judgment is certainly accurate.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan possessed deep foundations and usually operated by casting a wide net to gather many fish. Snaring even one talented individual made for a profitable venture, let alone a high-quality seedling who had already been vetted by others.
This trip was a dedicated visit to deliver a gift. As if it truly were a chance encounter, Ning Fengzhi saw that the boy had accepted the records and felt a slight surge of joy. He offered only a few words of encouragement before turning to leave.
Before departing, he looked back with a smile. "Work hard on your cultivation, nephew. The library of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan collects records from across the world and encompasses everything. You are welcome to visit Seven Treasure City as a guest at any time."
A clear trace of longing flickered in his eyes as Zhao Liuyun bowed slightly. "Safe travels, Sect Master Ning, Bone Senior."
This invitation was indeed tempting. Not for the sake of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan itself, but for their collection of books.
Zhao Liuyun realized that Ning Fengzhi had arrived at the perfect time. Though it was merely a polite invitation, the prestige of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan—one of the Upper Three Sects—was enough to instill a sense of urgency in Qian Renxue. After all, when the clam and the snipe struggle, the fisherman reaps the rewards! And Zhao Liuyun was that fisherman.
"Big Brother Xue?" Zhao Liuyun placed The Secret of Ring Fusion into his soul tool and followed Xue Qinghe to see the two out of the manor gates. In the Crown Prince's manor, even a Title Douluo had to maintain proper decorum.
"What a coincidence today," Xue Qinghe sighed softly.
Damn it! While he smiled on the surface, his heart twitched. Truly precious secret transmissions in the world of Soul Masters were few and far between. Ring Fusion was extremely demanding regarding talent and energy control. The Spirit Hall possessed the method as well, but could they satisfy a person all at once? If they didn't proceed step by step, how could they use it to cultivate friendship in the future? Ning Fengzhi's trip had forced the Spirit Hall to provide double the amount of treasures.
"Brother." Back inside the study, Xue Qinghe pulled a golden token from his robes. Though the design appeared simple, it contained a profound aura. At its center was the character "Tian" (Heaven), symbolizing the Seraphim's divine authority.
In the eyes of the Spirit Hall's elite, this 'Heaven' was synonymous with the God of Angels.
"Big Brother Xue, what is this?" Zhao Liuyun took the token forced upon him, his heart stirring. He wondered just how many such tokens Qian Renxue had given out. But he quickly dismissed the thought. Given her innate Rank 20 power, there were likely very few people who could catch her eye.
Xue Qinghe said, "The records stored in the manor are imperial property. I am not as wealthy as the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and cannot gift them away at will. However, besides what you saw just now, there are many other rare volumes in the Crown Prince's manor."
The other records hadn't arrived yet, but he planned to have people rush them over.
"Holding my token, you may enter the manor at any time to browse them yourself."
"Big Brother Xue—"
Hearing that the books would be replenished as he finished them, Zhao Liuyun couldn't help but feel a spark of warmth. Qian Renxue really was a good person.
"Brother Liuyun can treat this place as his own home." Xue Qinghe chatted with Zhao Liuyun for a while longer. After telling him to make himself comfortable, he began to handle official business.
Zhao Liuyun did not disturb him. He took a book and sat in the garden outside the study to read in silence. At Xue Qinghe's request, he summoned the Moon Gloom Begonia, allowing the quiet floral fragrance to drift with the wind.
While he was deeply absorbed in his reading, a gaze startled him awake. Zhao Liuyun abruptly turned his head. Qian Renxue was looking at him, her eyes somewhat vacant as if lost in thought.
Zhao Liuyun felt that there was a high possibility she was also drawn to his martial soul. Though the fragrance wasn't intoxicating, it could soothe the heart and provide peace. Such a tranquil feeling was most addictive to those who labored all day.
But let her look; it wouldn't hurt. Offering Qian Renxue a smile, Zhao Liuyun buried his head back into his scrolls.
At noon, after finishing lunch and agreeing on a time for his next visit, he finally left the Crown Prince's manor.
After emerging from the manor, Zhao Liuyun recounted the events of the visit in their entirety to his teacher, Dugu Bo. Then, he presented the two volumes of The Secret of Ring Fusion gifted by Ning Fengzhi.
Dugu Bo said, "The Crown Prince did not press you on the spot because he wants to take things slowly. When he eventually asks, you can inform him about consuming the Strange Velvet Sky-Reach Chrysanthemum." After a brief check of the books, he added, "Ning Fengzhi's trip was merely to get a familiar face. You may keep this meeting gift, my disciple."
Zhao Liuyun followed his instructions in everything.
Since April, his life had been disciplined. He woke early to cultivate the Purple Demon Eye in the morning light. During the morning, he remained immersed in the sea of books at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy's library, occasionally visiting the Crown Prince's manor. In the afternoon, he sat at the medical clinic, diligently accumulating professional experience as a [Physician].
Level 2 [Focus] could double his cultivation speed; he couldn't imagine what Level 3 [Focus] would look like.
He cultivated tirelessly every night. Finally, shortly after turning twelve, he broke through the Rank 40 bottleneck. There were still more than five months until Tang San's graduation.
[Soul Power: Rank 40 (64/22200)]
"Teacher." At noon the day after his breakthrough, Zhao Liuyun found Dugu Bo. He could now obtain his soul ring.
Dugu Bo had already scouted a perfectly compatible ten-thousand-year soul beast in the depths of the Sunset Forest according to his requirements. At high noon, the master and disciple glided over layers of the sea of trees and landed beside a quiet lakeshore.
With the blazing sun directly overhead, one couldn't see anything unusual yet. However, as the evening sun began to sink in the west, the area became thick with moisture. Milky-white mist swirled through the forest like light gauze, making it look like a fairyland.
Beneath the hazy beauty lay hidden danger. The mist was mixed with a distorted mental fog that not only obscured vision but also interfered with perception. Staying in it for long would result in severe mental erosion, and one's resistance to mental-type soul skills would plummet. This was not a natural phenomenon; it originated from a soul beast.
Activating his Purple Demon Eye, Zhao Liuyun's violet-gold eyes gazed at the flickering brown thorns within the mist. Taking a deep breath, a look of joy appeared on his face. "It's out—the ten-thousand-year soul beast, Mist Thorns."
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