Yang Xiong felt a flicker of helplessness at his father's words. Within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, this was simply the way of the world; children were bound by a rigid framework of rules and regulations, and those who displayed talent were subjected to even tighter scrutiny.
Recently, Yang Xiong had pored over various records to better understand the landscape of the Spirit Master world. Statistics suggested that there were approximately one hundred thousand Spirit Masters in existence, with over seventy percent languishing below the level of Spirit King. It was a brutal pyramid of power.
The lower tiers—Spirit Master, Spirit Grandmaster, and Spirit Elder—were populated in nearly equal proportions. So long as a child awakened with any degree of Innate Soul Power—barring those with a pitiful "half-rank"—reaching the Spirit Elder realm was considered a certainty. It was merely a question of how many years one was willing to grind.
However, once a practitioner aimed for the Spirit Ancestor rank, the numbers plummeted. With every subsequent rank, the population of masters dropped several-fold. The higher one climbed, the thinner the air became, and the more precious each individual became to their faction.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was a prime example. While it boasted five thousand Spirit Masters, it claimed only two Titled Douluo, roughly twenty Spirit Douluo, and perhaps a hundred or so Spirit Saints.
One could not afford to underestimate his father's status as a Spirit King. Though he was "only" an Outer Sect Deacon, he enjoyed a life of relative leisure. Unless a specific mission was assigned, half of his time was his own. If a man of his rank chose to leave the Sect, he could easily command a small city or lead an Advanced Spirit Master Academy as its dean.
Furthermore, within the annual Awakening pool of the entire Sect, fewer than five children usually reached Rank 7 Innate Soul Power. Those who exceeded that mark were as rare as phoenix feathers.
Interrupting his thoughts, Yang Lin continued, "Little Xiong, I have more news. The Sect's Young Miss has awakened with Rank 9 Innate Soul Power. She is one of the most gifted individuals in the history of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Spirit."
Yang Xiong blinked, his expression neutral. "What does that have to do with us? The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Spirit is a supreme support, but it has a fatal innate flaw: their power is hard-capped at Rank 79."
Yang Lin let out a heavy sigh. "Indeed. That is the greatest shackle upon our School. If not for that limitation, our support would have allowed us to eclipse even the Clear Sky Sect long ago."
Yang Xiong remained silent, his mind already moving past the Sect's politics.
That afternoon, under his father's watchful eye, Yang Xiong sat for his first official Meditation.
The act of Meditation required one to hollow out the mind, allowing the Innate Soul Power to circulate through the body's vessels, drawing in energy of a matching attribute from the surrounding atmosphere.
Throughout the Douluo Continent, these methods were largely uniform, differing only in the specific pathways the energy traveled. Over time, due to variations in a person's Spirit and unique physique, every master eventually carved out their own personalized rhythm of circulation.
The engine for this process was Innate Soul Power. The higher the starting rank, the faster the energy could churn through the system. Likewise, a high-quality Spirit acted as a wider conduit for the meridians. In most masters, the quality of the Spirit and the rank of Innate Soul Power were naturally synchronized.
This was why the great Sects only grew stronger. They possessed not only refined cultivation systems but also the methods to breed the strongest Spirits through stable bloodline inheritance.
In contrast, a Body Martial Spirit was an anomaly. It possessed no specific elemental attribute, meaning it could theoretically absorb any energy in the air. However, this versatility was a double-edged sword. The ambient energy in the world was chaotic and noisy, making it incredibly difficult for a Body Spirit Master to filter and refine power in the early stages of their journey.
There was another glaring disadvantage: a Body Spirit could not be "summoned."
On the Douluo Continent, whether one possessed a Tool Spirit or a Beast Spirit, the entity could be manifested externally. During meditation, the master could synchronize their rhythm with the physical form of the Spirit. By the time a master reached Rank 99, the body and Spirit would achieve a state of perfect fusion.
But the Body Spirit was different. Because it was already the physical self, it could not be manifested or projected. Early cultivation was a slog that could only be overcome through relentless Body Refining. The current era's methods were primitive compared to the refined techniques that would exist ten thousand years later—especially since specialized methods for spiritual or mental cultivation were virtually non-existent on the continent today.
After an entire afternoon of motionless sitting, Yang Xiong felt his spirit power grow by only a microscopic margin. It was a pathetic increase, completely at odds with the expectations for a Rank 6 genius.
At the dinner table, Yang Lin leaned in, curious. "Little Xiong, today was your first true session. How did the energy feel?"
Yang Xiong recalled the sluggish flow of the afternoon. "Father, the effect was poor. My spirit power barely moved. I suspect this is the inherent flaw of having a body-type Spirit."
His mother, Sun Yu, offered a sympathetic smile. "I felt the same when I began, Little Xiong. It feels as though the body and the Spirit are struggling to find a perfect match. It will improve as you adapt to the rhythm."
Yang Xiong smiled back, though his eyes remained sharp. "Mom, I've decided. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to prioritize Body Refining. I'll spend my days studying and training my physique, and I'll save Meditation for the night hours."
Yang Lin frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion. "While we Spirit Masters must value our physique, spirit power is the true foundation. Physical training has its benefits, but it cannot compare to the gains of focused Meditation—especially with your Rank 6 talent."
"Father, I have a specific method in mind," Yang Xiong insisted. "I believe I'll adapt faster this way. Also, I recall the Sect provides medicinal baths for its members, right? Could you help me register for a regular supply?"
Yang Lin's confusion deepened. "The School is wealthy, and we do provide medicinal baths to all disciples. However, they are typically reserved for those who have reached twelve years of age or the Rank of Spirit Grandmaster. While they accelerate cultivation, a six-year-old's body is still too soft. The medicinal potency could have side effects, perhaps even stunting your future growth."
"My Spirit is unique," Yang Xiong replied quickly. "I need to stimulate its growth early. I believe the baths are the key to unlocking its potential."
Yang Lin hesitated, then nodded. "Very well. If you have confidence in your plan, I won't stand in your way. The materials are precious to outsiders, but to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, they are nothing. We are, after all, the greatest herbal merchants on the continent."
The family didn't push further. Since his infancy, Yang Xiong had been an anomaly—self-sufficient, quiet, and possessed of a maturity that made him feel more like a peer than a child.
Yang Lin seemed to remember one more thing. "Oh, by the way, the son of the woman who helps us, Li, is now twenty. He used to serve on the patrol team. I've spoken with her; I'd like her son to act as your personal attendant from now on. You'll be commuting to the academy every day, and six is still quite young."
"If you insist on this 'Body Refining' routine," his father added, "you'll need someone watching over you to ensure you don't overstrain yourself. I know you prefer your privacy, but for your safety, you need someone by your side."
Yang Xiong nodded, accepting the inevitable.
In truth, Yang Xiong's starting point in this life was enviable. With two Spirit Master parents holding deacon-level status in a wealthy Sect, the family enjoyed a substantial salary and numerous subsidies.
A woman named Li had long been employed as their nanny, handling the cooking, laundry, and cleaning. In a Spirit Master household, such chores were seen as a waste of time—time that was better spent in deep meditation or training.