Chapter 15 – The Library Pavilion
After becoming a Soul Master, Yang Xiong's training plan underwent a complete change—or rather, he added many new routines.
Although only eight years old, his height had already reached 1.4 meters due to years of physical training, making him even taller than some children with Beast Martial Souls.
Yang Xiong went directly to a blacksmith shop in Qibao City to have a number of tools made for himself—weights totaling around thirty jin. This included four wrist guards weighing five jin each and a ten-jin chest plate. He also ordered sandbags filled with iron beads and an iron wooden dummy.
The so-called wooden dummy was not a complicated construct. It was something ancient martial artists from Blue Star often used. The base was a large platform with an iron pillar over one and a half meters long as the trunk, full of holes. The pillar could rotate on the base depending on the force applied.
Each hole could hold different iron arms of various shapes, allowing customization according to personal training needs.
The wooden dummy was the culmination of martial training in ancient Huaguo of Blue Star—a practice tool combining attack forms, hand techniques, footwork, and leg strikes into one. It perfectly embodied the combat awareness and striking methods of ancient martial arts.
However, while the wooden dummies of Blue Star's past were made of hardwood, Yang Xiong's version was forged entirely of pure iron. Each arm could be replaced, making it more practical, more adaptable—and much tougher.
After all, the Douluo Continent was a fantasy world. Since becoming a Soul Master, Yang Xiong felt his strength and physical abilities had improved drastically. Despite being only eight, he was likely far stronger than most adults back on Blue Star.
Every morning, in addition to his regular exercises, Yang Xiong spent more time striking the wooden dummy and sandbags—his true combat simulation training.
When training with the wooden dummy, the slightest delay in reaction meant being struck by one of the iron arms. The stronger and faster his movements, the greater the risk of being hit. But since Yang Xiong's Body Martial Soul grew stronger through physical impact, this was exactly what he needed.
As for the sandbag—it might look simple, but it represented the essence of boxing training.
The sandbag was filled entirely with fine iron sand and wrapped in the hide of a soul beast. Even with all his strength, Yang Xiong couldn't break it. Every morning, he gave it everything he had, pushing his punches and kicks to their absolute limits.
After striking the iron sandbag with full force, his skin and muscles throbbed with pain, but this was when his Body Martial Soul's recovery ability truly shone. Its terrifying regeneration rate even astonished Yang Xiong himself.
In the mornings, Yang Xiong seldom attended class anymore. Instead, he planned to visit the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Library Pavilion, which contained countless valuable books.
Afternoons were dedicated purely to physical conditioning—running, swimming, and carrying even heavier loads, pushing his endurance to its limits.
Though his days seemed simple, Yang Xiong could clearly feel himself growing stronger.
Every few days, he sparred with his father. Though he was beaten badly each time, he gained valuable combat experience from it.
What surprised Yang Xiong most was the collection within the Library Pavilion itself.
The Pavilion had seven floors, each filled with all sorts of books, and the higher the floor, the more secretive the knowledge became.
As expected of the wealthiest sect on the entire Douluo Continent, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had clearly invested heavily in collecting books. Its archives were vast and diverse—training notes from Title Douluo, self-created soul skills from high-level masters, and even knowledge on poisonous flowers and spirit herbs—making it one of the most extensive libraries in the entire continent.
The higher the floor, the more valuable the texts—some were even rare, one-of-a-kind works that revealed hidden secrets of Soul Master history.
When Yang Xiong reached the sixth floor, he was astonished to find martial techniques from the Clear Sky Sect—the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique and Nine Absolute Haotian Arts—as well as the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan'sDragon Transformation Technique. These seemed to be partial or reconstructed notes compiled by past masters based on battle observations.
Access to the seventh floor, however, required a token from the Sect Master or either of the two Grand Protectors. Luckily, Yang Xiong possessed the token Ning Fengzhi had once given him, allowing him unrestricted access.
If the first six floors were known for their richness and rarity, then the seventh floor was the opposite—fewer books, but of astonishing value.
When Yang Xiong entered for the first time, his eyes widened in disbelief. Inside were manuals such as Split-Mind Control and the Seven Kill Sword Technique, as well as the Bone Douluo's cultivation method—though only the lower levels of it, likely because the highest layers required personal oral instruction.
Split-Mind Control was said to be a secret art of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. While not entirely unique to them, it allowed one to push the amplification ability of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda to its limits, even boosting multiple people at once.
The Seven Kill Sword Technique, on the other hand, was considered one of the strongest sword arts in existence—an ultimate form of swordsmanship.
What fascinated Yang Xiong most was Bone Douluo's cultivation method. His Martial Soul, the Bone Dragon, made him one of the most mysterious Soul Masters in the world, though he was, in fact, a defense specialist.
In pure defensive capability, Bone Douluo even surpassed Hu Yanzhen and Niu Gao of the Defense Clan—not just because of his unique Martial Soul, but also due to his secret cultivation method.
Yang Xiong also found many defensive cultivation manuals from other clans—methods involving both physical training and the use of medicinal stimulants to enhance durability.
Immersed in the Library Pavilion, Yang Xiong felt as if he were swimming in an ocean of knowledge. Many of these teachings could benefit his future—especially the self-created soul skill notes, which might inspire his own future creations.
He even discovered numerous medicinal bath formulas—each originating from different clans. Though not the most powerful in the world, each recipe had its own unique traits and was tailored for specific types of Martial Souls.
Lin Gong, the homeroom teacher of Class One, valued discipline highly, but when it came to Yang Xiong, he was somewhat helpless.
After all, everyone in the class was only eight years old and still studying basic Soul Master theory with no real combat experience.
Yang Xiong used to attend class only to read quietly, not to listen. Now, he didn't even show up—he just took leave and spent his days in the Library Pavilion. It left the old man rather frustrated.
Still, Lin Gong couldn't do much. Over the years, Yang Xiong had read far too many books and developed unique insights into Martial Soul cultivation. He could even identify others' Martial Souls at a glance—his knowledge likely surpassed that of many teachers.
Even so, Lin Gong insisted that Yang Xiong attend school at least once a week. Otherwise, he might become too detached from his peers. Besides, the homeroom teacher needed to understand his student's situation in order to report properly to the Sect.
(End of Chapter)