"Mm!" Ning Fengzhi nodded and then glanced at the books and notes on the table. Smiling, he asked, "I saw you were reading about soul beasts. Are you choosing one for your martial spirit?"
The lady beside him, along with Chen Xin and Gu Rong, also turned their eyes toward Xu Yang, curious to hear what insights this child had.
"Yes, I'm selecting a soul beast for my martial spirit."
"My martial spirit is the Sun, with both fire and light attributes. That's why I chose the Sunflower as my first soul ring. Not only does it match my martial spirit's attributes, but the soul skill it provides is also very useful."
Xu Yang nodded without hesitation. He looked calmly at the five people in front of him and confidently stated his choice for his first soul ring.
Hearing Xu Yang's decision, the five of them couldn't help but frown. As the top auxiliary sect on the continent, they knew all about the Sunflower. The soul skill it granted was typically a healing skill called "Morning Light," which summoned a beam of light from the sky to heal injuries and restore stamina—a common first soul skill among healing soul masters.
However, Xu Yang's martial spirit was clearly of the Power Attack type. Choosing a support-type soul skill seemed absurd!
"Xu Yang, right? What type of martial spirit do you think you have?" Ning Fengzhi asked seriously, squatting down so that his face was level with Xu Yang's.
"I know! It's a Power Attack type, and it can only follow the path of a Power Attack soul master!"
"Since you know that, why would you choose the Sunflower? Haven't you read that its soul skill is supportive and completely incompatible with your martial spirit? A soul master only has nine soul skills in their lifetime. Every single one matters and cannot be wasted!"
Ning Fengzhi seemed a bit angry. He had finally found a genius and couldn't bear to see him waste his potential.
Xu Yang was startled by Ning Fengzhi's sudden anger, but quickly understood—it was because Ning Fengzhi recognized his talent and wanted to recruit him. Not understanding the unique nature of Xu Yang's martial spirit, Ning Fengzhi was simply disappointed and worried that Xu Yang would waste his soul rings. It was a classic case of "hating iron for not becoming steel."
Typically, Power Attack-type martial spirits focus on offensive, amplification, defensive, and speed-based soul skills. Choosing a support skill could be seen as a waste, especially since most soul masters only get nine skills.
However, while the Sunflower might not be suitable for other Power Attack martial spirits, it was the ideal choice for Xu Yang, who possessed the Sun martial spirit. The lack of offensive power in the early stages could easily be made up for later.
Besides, once a soul master became a Titled Douluo, the first three skills often became obsolete.
Moreover, "Morning Light" wasn't useless—it allowed him to heal quickly, supporting intense training during the early stages. That alone was very beneficial.
More importantly, it could gather and channel the power of the sun, and that function alone made it worth choosing.
He immediately explained, "Sect Master, you may not fully understand my martial spirit. It's the Sun. During the day, I can absorb solar energy to accelerate my cultivation. The Sunflower can help me gather and channel sunlight, making it the best choice for my first soul ring."
Xu Yang didn't hide the nature of his martial spirit, instead revealing it completely. At this moment, the more Ning Fengzhi saw his potential and value, the more resources Xu Yang could expect to receive from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. Just having help to hunt suitable soul beasts was worth the risk.
Ning Fengzhi was shocked. "You… is what you're saying true?!"
Xu Yang nodded. "It's true! Truer than a pearl!"
"Fantastic!" Ning Fengzhi shouted excitedly, completely unlike his usual calm, elegant self. If everything Xu Yang said was true, then the Sunflower was indeed the perfect first ring for him.
Even if it only increased his cultivation speed by 5%, over time that would create a significant gap between him and his peers.
For soul masters, cultivation before the age of twenty is crucial. Their achievements by twenty often determine their future accomplishments.
With this choice, Xu Yang could widen the gap before twenty. If he truly gained a 5% boost, he might be ten soul levels ahead of his peers by then.
Don't underestimate those ten levels—they could be the key difference that allowed Xu Yang to definitely become a Titled Douluo.
"Good! Good! Good!" Ning Fengzhi looked at Xu Yang with increasing satisfaction. Not only did he have a top-tier martial spirit, but he also understood how to choose soul rings wisely based on his unique traits. A true genius. With a serious expression, he asked, "Xu Yang, are you willing to become my disciple?"
"Disciple Xu Yang greets Teacher, Mistress, and the two Elders!"
Xu Yang immediately accepted and bowed respectfully. Only a fool would act coy at a moment like this.
As one of the top three sects, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had incredible resources, second only to the Spirit Hall. The knowledge and support available here were exactly what Xu Yang needed. Besides, the sect had raised him in this life—so long as they remained loyal to him, he would remain loyal in return.
As for the future, when the sect would fall to a second-tier status due to the battle between Tang San and the Spirit Hall, Xu Yang believed that with careful planning, that outcome could be avoided.
He didn't like Tang San—in fact, he felt a bit of disgust—but he wouldn't go out of his way to target him. They had no conflict or hatred.
Still, many opportunities were his to seize. The celestial herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well in the Sunset Forest were a must. With their help, he believed he could lay the foundation for becoming a god.
"Yang'er, do you need to pack anything?… If not, let's return to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect right away."
"Okay, Teacher, please wait a moment—I do need to pack a few things."
Xu Yang didn't object to Ning Fengzhi's suggestion. He quickly packed his notes from the table and ran toward his dormitory.
He didn't have much to pack, but there was one thing—along with his notes—that he absolutely had to take with him.
Once back in the dorm, Xu Yang first packed the notes in his cabinet, then knelt down and pulled out a box from under the bed.
Opening it, he saw two lumps of yellow-black jelly-like material, hardened from age. If a hedonistic noble had been present, they would have recognized it immediately—whale glue.
Whale glue was a special substance from the brains of whale-type soul beasts. It was an extremely potent tonic, known for its aphrodisiac and invigorating effects. Consuming it could enhance a soul master's physique, allowing them to absorb higher-year soul rings.
(End of Chapter)