The three-month Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament had finally concluded with Heaven Dou Royal Academy's victory.
The tournament was over, yet its ripples continued to spread.
Everyone knew the victory belonged entirely to one person—Lin Yang.
A single man wielding a single sword had slain six Soul Masters in one strike, granting them no opportunity to retaliate.
He had used his own cultivation method to battle a Soul King and had even forced the captain of the Spirit Hall team to admit defeat.
The record was terrifying.
These were merely the publicly known facts.
In private circles, well-informed individuals already understood that Lin Yang was actually the captain of the next reserve team; his participation had been an emergency measure.
The news caused an uproar.
As captain of the next reserve team, Lin Yang was undoubtedly under twenty—or even younger.
He was already a level-48 Soul Master. What would he become in five years? A Soul King? A Soul Emperor?
At that point, who could possibly stop him?
Furthermore, those who investigated his background discovered more than just his status as a Heaven Dou Royal Academy student.
He enjoyed the protection of Poison Douluo Dugu Bo, and Dugu Bo's granddaughter Dugu Yan was said to remain constantly by his side.
The Ye family also appeared to have close ties with him.
At this moment the invisible web of connections centered on Lin Yang began to exert its influence.
Only a Title Douluo like Dugu Bo could shield him from countless overt and covert assaults.
Some sought to befriend him. Some coveted the secrets hidden within his soul. Some simply wanted to uncover those secrets.
Yet before a Title Douluo, all such schemes amounted to nothing more than empty words and wishful thinking.
Meanwhile, after the tournament Lin Yang vanished completely from the public eye. He lived an extremely low-key life.
He rarely appeared in public and seldom attended classes or training sessions.
Whenever he did appear, people stared at him as though he were a giant panda—which was genuinely annoying.
Just because Lin Yang did not seek others out, however, did not mean others would not come looking for him.
The first invitation came from Xue Qinghe, Crown Prince of Heaven Dou.
Heaven Dou City—Qiong Yue Tower.
Behind the Qiong Yue Tower lay the Heaven Dou royal residence, normally reserved for receiving royalty and nobility.
By choosing this venue Xue Qinghe demonstrated exactly how highly he valued Lin Yang.
Guided by attendants, Lin Yang reached the private room on the top floor. The moment he opened the door he saw Crown Prince Xue Qinghe standing by the window.
Time seemed to have left no mark upon him. The gentle smile still graced his lips, yet his majestic presence had grown far more imposing than before.
Besides the two of them, three people sat in the living room.
One was a man in his forties clad in a moon-white brocade robe cinched with a black-patterned jade belt. His features were handsome, a gentle smile lingering between his brows. He exuded a naturally approachable aura that drew people in.
Of the two seated beside him, one was tall and handsome yet sat with the bearing of an ordinary person. The other possessed a wrinkled face and atrophied muscles, presenting a somewhat terrifying appearance, yet his physique was astonishingly large—as though his entire body were supported solely by bone.
The instant Lin Yang laid eyes on the three men he understood.
Xue Qinghe had merely been a pretext. The person who truly wished to meet him was Ning Fengzhi, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
The two guardians beside him were Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong.
"Greetings, Your Highness!" Lin Yang bowed lightly.
"Brother Yang, how have you been?"
Xue Qinghe smiled upon seeing him.
"I only just returned from the lower realms and missed the chance to congratulate you on your victory. My apologies, brother."
Lin Yang returned a light smile. "Brother Xue is occupied with state affairs and naturally places national governance first. Compared to that, my small achievement is hardly worth mentioning."
"Haha, Brother Yang remains as witty as ever."
While speaking, Xue Qinghe took Lin Yang's arm and led him to Ning Fengzhi.
"Let me introduce you. This is my teacher, Ning Fengzhi—Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Beside him are Senior Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Senior Bone Douluo Gu Rong."
Lin Yang had glimpsed them from afar during the tournament, but this was their first formal meeting.
His eyes brightened. He bowed.
"Greetings, Sect Master Ning, Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo."
"Enough with the formalities," Ning Fengzhi waved a hand lightly.
"Since you and Qinghe address each other as brothers, we are family. If you have no objection, you may call me Uncle Ning."
You really enjoy being someone's elder, don't you?
Lin Yang sneered inwardly yet still addressed him respectfully. "Uncle Ning."
"Haha, good." Ning Fengzhi laughed, then continued.
"Xiao Yang, to be frank, this invitation was my idea—I merely asked Qinghe to arrange it. The purpose is you."
"Oh?" Lin Yang's eyes showed a trace of doubt.
Ning Fengzhi chuckled. "Don't overthink it, Xiao Yang. I simply wished to meet this promising young genius with my own eyes."
"The reason my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has been able to establish itself on this continent is not solely due to the support of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. More importantly, it is because of the wide network of good relationships we have cultivated."
"When my sect faces crisis I have no intention of asking others for help. I merely hope that when they encounter my disciples, they will show a measure of mercy."
Ning Fengzhi spoke these words without the slightest hesitation, like a universally beloved figure who cultivated goodwill with everyone.
Yet the words also revealed the helplessness behind them.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was fabulously wealthy! As one of the three great sects they possessed caravans and trading companies across the entire continent, amassing enormous wealth daily—it was no exaggeration.
Countless people, openly or in secret, coveted the sect's treasures.
However, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda itself was a support-type martial soul lacking offensive power. The sect could only expand its influence through recruitment and marriage alliances.
The principle of skillfully navigating social currents and being shrewdly adaptable might appear despicable, yet it had been the sect's long-standing survival strategy.
This was precisely why Ning Fengzhi had come to see Lin Yang.
He was seeking an opportunity to draw Lin Yang into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—even if it meant arranging a marriage between his daughter Rongrong and Lin Yang.
A genius whose martial soul quality rivaled the Seven Kill Sword and who would undoubtedly reach Title Douluo rank in the future was an extremely valuable asset to the sect.
Lin Yang, however, appeared not to grasp the deeper meaning. He merely chuckled.
"The name of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is known throughout the continent."
"I wonder how many people are connected to it. It is truly an honor that Uncle Ning came personally."
Ning Fengzhi shook his head, smiling.
"You are far too modest. Step outside and ask anyone—everyone knows your name by now."
"All of this is merely a fleeting moment."
Lin Yang viewed matters with great calm and was not dazzled by momentary fame or wealth. Moreover, he did not consider winning the tournament to be anything extraordinary.
Losing, on the other hand, would have been a serious problem.
At that moment Ning Fengzhi spoke again. "By the way, I also heard that Xiao Yang is a doctor?"
Lin Yang was inwardly surprised but kept his expression neutral.
"I do not call myself a doctor. I possess some medical knowledge, but I am no expert."
"Oh—?" Ning Fengzhi drew the word out, his smile carrying hidden meaning.
"A physician capable of developing both Soul Returning Pills and Soul Burning Pills, yet you claim you are not skilled?"
...