Wang Chen pondered deeply over what had caused the Black Book to partially recover.
The only major event yesterday was his winning first place in the family competition, which greatly elevated his standing within the Wang Clan.
Aside from that, nothing else had happened.
He rubbed his chin, thinking: Could it be that my rise in status accelerated the Black Book's recovery?
No… it shouldn't be that simple. More likely, his elevated status had influenced something deeper, something hidden—perhaps faith, influence over the world, or even fate itself?
For now, Wang Chen couldn't be certain.
But one equation seemed clear: status elevation = faster Black Book recovery.
If he wanted the Black Book to restore itself more quickly, he would need to continually climb higher in status.
Within the Wang Clan, the highest seat belonged to Wang Yan, the clan head. In the Sun Moon Empire, the pinnacle was the Emperor himself.
So how could he rapidly climb the ladder of power?
His black eyes grew deep and sharp.
If he wished to stand at the very peak of this world—to reach level 100 and become a God—then the Black Book's support was indispensable.
That meant any method that could hasten the Book's recovery, he would pursue without hesitation.
Whether it was seizing Wang Yan's position as clan head or even usurping the Xu family's imperial throne, he would do it.
Did he feel any resistance in his heart?
He asked himself seriously, and the answer was clear: No, I don't.
That morning, sunlight poured into his bedroom. Wang Chen lay quietly on the bed, gazing out the window.
His thoughts wandered—To how Wang Yan had dragged the Wang Clan into the dangerous royal succession struggle, forcing even him, unwilling as he was, into this whirlpool.To Meng Hongchen, whom he could not freely meet due to layers of concern and caution.To his constrained life—never able to act as he wished, always worrying about this or that.Looking through the window at the brilliant golden sunrise, Wang Chen slowly stretched out his hand, grasping at the sky as though he could seize the very sun of destiny itself—determined to hold his own fate.
In this ordinary morning, Wang Chen transformed.
He would grow stronger. He would climb step by step toward supremacy. He would see the Black Book restored in full and master his own destiny.
He would live unrestrained, doing whatever he wished, without anyone to obstruct him.
And whoever dared to stand in his way, he would remove, one by one.
With the Black Book, if he didn't strive for the peak, wouldn't that squander this once-in-a-lifetime gift?
In his gaze, faint flames flickered—still small, but destined to spread like wildfire.
If before Wang Chen's heart had lacked a clear and definite goal, now he had found it.
With a sudden flip, he sat upright on the bed, his eyes glowing brilliantly.
Clenching his fists tightly, his expression burned with determination.
Becoming Emperor was a long road away… so he would set a small goal first: become head of the Wang Family!
Wang Chen already had a rough plan for taking the clan head's position.
It required both time to wait and strength to accumulate.
He would need to wait for Wang Yan to commit a grave mistake—serious enough that the entire clan turned against him.
As for accumulation, that meant Wang Chen had to continuously strengthen himself.
After all, Wang Yan's prestige was formidable. He had led the Wang Clan for decades, and his authority was deeply entrenched. To topple him outright was nearly impossible—unless he brought disaster upon the clan.
And indeed, Wang Yan had already erred.
By involving the Wang Clan in the dangerous game of supporting the Second Prince Xu Tianyu, Wang Yan had sown the seeds of calamity.
Once Xu Tianyu lost the struggle for the Crown Prince in the coming years, the clan would inevitably be targeted by Xu Tiannan, the First Prince, in retaliation.
At that time, resentment and anger would flood the clan, blaming Wang Yan for dragging them into peril.
Then—if Wang Chen was strong enough—he could step in, resolve the clan's crisis, and claim the seat of Clan Head for himself.
At that point, his status would rise sharply again. Perhaps the Black Book would further recover, unlocking a third ability.
Just thinking of it stirred his anticipation.
The first ability—Record.
The second ability—Deduce and Perfect.
Both were already heaven-defying.
So what terrifying power would the third ability hold?
After considering it, Wang Chen steadied his mind. He had his goal, he had his plan. Now, all he needed was rapid growth.
His Tongmai Gong meditation method doubled his training speed compared to the old techniques. With heavenly treasures to aid him, he could progress even faster.
Thinking of treasures, Wang Chen immediately recalled the auction to be held in one week at the Sun Moon Auction House—the grandest in the empire.
At that auction, a weapon forged from Gold of Life—the Soul-Devouring Engraving Blade—would be put up for bid.
The Gold of Life was something Wang Chen had to obtain.
In these seven days, I must prepare enough gold soul coins, he thought, so that no unexpected shortage prevents me from securing it.
As his mind turned, his stomach suddenly growled loudly.
Laughing to himself, he stood and left the bedroom, heading for breakfast.
Moments later, in the dining hall—
An enticing aroma filled the air. The fragrance was even richer and more intoxicating than the fine dishes he usually ate.
But before he could speak, Wang Chen noticed that Elder Wang Yuan was present.
Immediately, he cupped his hands and greeted,
"Elder Wang Yuan, good morning!"
The elder beamed at him.
"Chen'er, you must be hungry. Go ahead and eat first—it's nothing urgent. We'll talk after."
He handed Wang Chen a soul tool food box.
"Here, this meal was specially prepared by the clan. It's extremely nourishing for your cultivation and physique. From now on, your daily three meals will all be prepared at the highest standard."
Then he chuckled, adding,
"Of course, this is only for you. Your parents won't be receiving this treatment."
Wang Chen's father and mother, sitting nearby, couldn't help but laugh.
"Elder Wang Yuan, you didn't need to add that last part—we understand well enough."
Wang Chen instantly realized—this was one of the benefits of his victory in the clan competition. The clan had begun heavily investing resources into him.
Opening the food box, he was surprised to see the quality.
Two dishes and one soup. Small portions, but every ingredient was top-tier and extremely costly.
The soup alone was brewed with a hundred-year Purple Ganoderma and Heavenly Spirit Grass—worth at least 100 gold soul coins.
One dish was braised tendon from a hundred-year tiger-type soul beast, excellent for strengthening muscles and bones, especially for youths.
The last was a hundred-year Earth Dragon marrow, which carried a trace of dragon bloodline—greatly nourishing the meridians and internal organs.
Altogether, the meal was worth around 500 gold soul coins. Three meals a day meant 1,500 coins daily, nearly 45,000 coins a month.
It was no exaggeration—Wang Chen's treatment now surpassed even the core disciples of Shrek Academy in the original timeline.
Smelling the rich aroma, Wang Chen devoured the food, eating until oil stained his lips.
As the food digested, waves of heat spread through his meridians, organs, and bones. His body grew warm, comfortable, and brimming with strength.
Long-term consumption will definitely enhance my physique, he thought. When absorbing spirit rings, I'll be able to handle higher ages than others. That will make me grow even stronger—a virtuous cycle.
This was precisely why clans and great powers produced prodigies capable of surpassing their peers and fighting across realms.
After the meal, Wang Yuan gestured for Wang Chen's parents to leave the room, leaving them alone.
The elder spoke kindly:
"Chen'er, your talent is extraordinary. The clan will spare no effort to nurture you. We hope you will achieve greatness and lead the clan to new heights."
Wang Chen nodded firmly.
"Please rest assured, Elder. I will cultivate diligently and break through to Titled Douluo as soon as possible."
The elder stroked his beard, smiling.
"Good. That's the spirit of my Wang Family's young master."
Wang Chen blinked. Young master?
Wang Yuan handed him a red token.
"Chen'er, this is the Wang Clan Young Master Token. It represents the clan's authority.
In Mingdu, as long as it isn't a hostile force, all will give you respect upon seeing this token. Allies will even lend aid if needed.
It symbolizes both status and responsibility.
Moreover, this token is also a sixth-grade defensive soul tool. It passively activates when you are attacked, forming a shield for ten seconds.
Its defense is formidable—unbreakable by Soul Kings, capable of blocking three attacks from a Soul Sage.
And since it's a charge-type tool, anyone can use it once recharged. I've already charged it for you. Keep it on your person."
Wang Chen took the token reverently. The warmth radiating from it was soothing, but the thought of it being a lifesaving defense made him all the more serious.
Just as he was about to express his gratitude, Wang Yuan continued:
"From now on, you will receive 100,000 gold soul coins monthly. Your treatment is raised to first class.
For your safety, a squad of guards will be assigned to you. That's all."
Patting his shoulder, he added:
"Don't disappoint the clan's expectations."
Wang Chen was stunned. This exceeded even his boldest guesses. The clan was truly investing heavily in him.
The Young Master Token alone, as a defensive soul tool, was worth as much as a seventh-grade tool.
Combined with the stipend and guards, he was now truly a second-generation elite.
Taking a deep breath, Wang Chen solemnly declared:
"I will not fail the clan's expectations…"
But in his heart, he whispered another vow:
In the future, the number one family of the Sun Moon Empire will bear the surname Wang.
Wang Yuan, pleased, left soon after.
Over the next seven days, Wang Chen collected his monthly 100,000 gold soul coins and also borrowed more from Meng Hongchen via a letter through Baibao Tower.All the while, he trained diligently, waiting quietly for the day of the auction.