Wang Chen pondered deeply, trying to figure out what could have caused the Black Book to recover slightly.
The only major event that had happened yesterday was that he won first place in the family competition, greatly elevating his status within the family.
Aside from that, nothing else had occurred.
Touching his chin, Wang Chen thought to himself, Could it be that the rise in my status sped up the Black Book's recovery?
No, it couldn't be that simple. It must be that the improvement in status had affected something deeper, which in turn accelerated the restoration of the Black Book.
But what exactly was that deeper factor? Faith? Influence over the world? Or perhaps luck (fortune)?
For now, Wang Chen couldn't be certain.
However, the equation—increased status equals faster Black Book recovery—was most likely correct.
That meant, if he wanted the Black Book to recover more quickly, he would need to continuously elevate his position.
Within the Ying Marquis Mansion's Wang Family, the highest authority was Patriarch Wang Yan. In the Sun Moon Empire, the highest authority was the Emperor.
So—how could he quickly increase his own standing?
At that thought, Wang Chen's black eyes grew deep and contemplative.
If he wanted to climb to the peak of this world—reaching Rank 100 and becoming a God—the Black Book's help was indispensable.
Therefore, any method that could speed up the Black Book's recovery, he would pursue without hesitation.
Whether it meant seizing Wang Yan's position as patriarch, or taking the Xu family's imperial throne, he would do it.
Did he feel resistance toward that idea?
Wang Chen asked himself—and realized that he didn't.
Lying down on his bed, under the soft light of morning, he gazed calmly at the scenery outside the window.
For a long while, Wang Chen thought of many things.
He thought about how, because of Wang Yan's involvement in the imperial power struggle, he had been dragged into the royal conflict despite his unwillingness.
He thought of Meng Hongchen, and how he couldn't meet her because of various restrictions.
He thought of how he couldn't live freely—how he was always afraid of this and that.
Through the window, Wang Chen looked at the radiant golden sunrise and slowly stretched out his hand, grasping toward the sky—as if he could seize the sun of destiny itself and take his fate into his own hands.
That ordinary morning, Wang Chen underwent a transformation.
He would become strong. He would rise step by step to the pinnacle. He would fully restore the Black Book—and control his own destiny.
He wanted to live freely, to do whatever he wished—without anyone stopping him.
Anyone who tried to obstruct or interfere with him on that path, he wouldn't hesitate to eliminate.
With the Black Book in his possession, if he didn't climb to the top, wouldn't that waste such a heaven-sent opportunity?
In Wang Chen's eyes, a fiery light burned—small for now, but already capable of setting the world ablaze.
If before this moment he still lacked a clear goal, then now, he had found one.
Wang Chen sprang up from the bed, eyes bright and full of determination.
Clenching his fists, his gaze blazed with fighting spirit.
Becoming Emperor was too distant a goal—so he would start small.
First goal: become the Head of the Wang Family!
For this, Wang Chen already had a preliminary plan.
It would, however, require time and accumulation.
He would have to wait for Wang Yan to make a mistake, while he built up his own strength.
After all, Wang Yan's reputation in the Wang Family was extremely high. Having served as patriarch for decades, his prestige was nearly unshakable.
To dethrone him, Wang Chen would have to wait until Wang Yan made a grave error—one that caused the entire clan to feel disappointment and anger toward him.
Only then could he pull Wang Yan down from the patriarch's seat.
And had Wang Yan already made such a mistake?
Obviously, yes—though it hadn't yet surfaced.
Once the Second Prince failed to win the position of Crown Prince in a few years, the Wang Family would inevitably suffer retribution from Xu Tiannan.
The clansmen who were implicated would naturally resent Wang Yan—the very person who dragged them into the royal struggle for his own selfish gain.
At that time, as long as Wang Chen was strong enough and managed to save the Wang Family from crisis, he could easily remove Wang Yan and take the position for himself.
Once he became the patriarch, his status would soar—and perhaps, the Black Book would recover further and unlock a new function.
The mere thought of the Black Book's third ability filled Wang Chen with anticipation.
Its first function, Record, and its second function, Deduction and Perfection, were already heaven-defying. He could hardly imagine how terrifying the third would be.
After a moment's thought, Wang Chen composed himself. He had a goal now, and a plan.
All he needed to do was increase his strength as fast as possible.
His new cultivation technique, Meridian-Opening Art, was incredibly fast—its efficiency was twice that of his old method. With rare treasures or heavenly materials, his speed could increase even more.
Speaking of heavenly materials, Wang Chen thought of the auction that would take place one week later at the largest auction house in the Sun Moon Empire—the Sun Moon Auction Hall.
At that auction, a Soul-Eating Carving Knife made from Life Gold would be put up for sale.
Wang Chen was determined to obtain that Life Gold.
He thought to himself,
"In these seven days, I must gather as many gold soul coins as possible. If something unexpected happens and I don't have enough, I might not be able to buy the Life Gold."
As his mind wandered with countless thoughts, his stomach suddenly growled loudly.
Touching his abdomen, Wang Chen realized his "five viscera temple" was completely empty after a night of cultivation. He immediately got up and left his room to enjoy a hearty breakfast.
Moments later, in the dining hall—
As soon as Wang Chen arrived, an irresistible aroma filled the air—richer and more delicious than anything he had ever smelled before.
Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly noticed that Elder Wang Yuan was sitting in his home.
Wang Chen immediately bowed and said respectfully,
"Elder Wang Yuan, good morning!"
Seeing Wang Chen come down from the second floor, Wang Yuan smiled warmly.
"Chen'er, you must be hungry. Go ahead and eat first—it's nothing urgent. We'll talk after you finish."
Then he handed Wang Chen a soul tool lunchbox and said,
"Chen'er, eat. Everything inside was specially prepared by the family for you.
It's excellent for your cultivation and physical strength—and very expensive. From now on, all your meals will follow the highest standard.
Of course, this treatment is only for you—not your parents."
Sitting nearby, Father Wang and Mother Wang couldn't help but chuckle.
"Elder Wang Yuan, you didn't have to say that last part—we understand."
Hearing this, Wang Chen immediately understood: this was one of the benefits he had earned for winning the family competition and becoming the strongest genius of the younger generation.
The clan had begun investing resources into nurturing him.
Taking the soul tool lunchbox from Wang Yuan and opening it, Wang Chen was surprised by the exquisite meal inside.
Two dishes and one soup—though the portions were small, every ingredient was of the finest quality and extremely costly.
The soup alone was made from century-old purple ganoderma combined with Heavenly Spirit Grass. The cost of just that one bowl exceeded one hundred gold soul coins.
There was also braised tendon of a century-old Tiger Soul Beast—tiger-type soul beasts possessed both strength and speed.
A century-old tiger-type beast could rival an average three-hundred-year soul beast in combat power. Some exceptionally strong ones could even match a thousand-year beast.
Its tendon was extremely beneficial for strengthening human muscles and bones, especially for those still growing.
The last dish was century-old Earth Dragon Marrow—Earth Dragons had traces of true dragon bloodline, and eating it greatly benefited one's meridians and internal organs.
Altogether, the meal was worth around five hundred gold soul coins.
Three meals a day meant 1,500 coins daily—about 45,000 gold soul coins per month.
The nutrition provided to Wang Chen by the Wang Family even surpassed the care Shrek Academy gave to its core outer court students—truly the best possible treatment.
Of course, the other family members were not abandoned—just given fewer resources.
Wang Chen's meals used century-old soul beast and herb ingredients; other gifted children used decade-old ones; ordinary ones couldn't even afford that.
It was inevitable—resources were limited. Even a wealthy family like the Wangs couldn't train everyone equally.
Money wasn't the biggest problem—selling one high-level soul tool could fund Wang Chen's meals for a year. The issue was scarcity—top-grade materials were limited, and demand in Mingdu was high.
Even with money, one couldn't always buy them; suppliers had to consider other customers too.
Breathing in the delicious aroma, Wang Chen dug in with delight, eating until his mouth gleamed with oil.
Afterward, warmth spread through his body—his meridians, organs, and bones pulsing with energy. His entire body felt hot and relaxed.
He could feel that long-term consumption of such food would significantly enhance his physique, allowing him to absorb higher-year soul rings in the future.
And absorbing stronger rings meant greater boosts to his attributes—a perfect cycle of improvement.
This was why soul masters raised by major clans could so easily defeat or even surpass commoners of the same rank.
When Wang Chen finished, Wang Yuan waved for his parents to leave the room.
They understood immediately and stepped outside, leaving Wang Yuan alone with Wang Chen.
Smiling kindly, Wang Yuan said,
"Chen'er, your talent is outstanding. The family will focus on cultivating you. We hope you'll achieve great things and lead the Wang Family even further."
Wang Chen nodded seriously.
"Please rest assured, Elder. I will train diligently and reach Titled Douluo as soon as possible."
Wang Yuan stroked his beard and laughed.
"Good! That's the spirit. That's how a young master of the Wang Family should be!"
Wang Chen: Young master?
Then Wang Yuan handed him a red token, saying,
"Chen'er, this is the Young Master Token of the Wang Family. In a sense, it represents the entire Ying Marquis Wang Family.
In Mingdu, any force not hostile to our clan will show respect upon seeing it, and our allied factions may even offer assistance.
This token is both a symbol of identity and a mark of responsibility.
Moreover, it's also a Level 6 Trigger-Type Defensive Soul Tool.
When attacked, it activates automatically without user control, releasing a defensive barrier for ten seconds to protect its master.
The barrier's defense is formidable—no Soul Emperor could break it, and even a Soul Sage could only attack it three times before it collapses.
It's a rechargeable soul tool, usable by anyone once recharged.
I've already charged it for you—keep it with you at all times."
Wang Chen accepted the token with both hands. The moment he touched it, a gentle warmth spread through his palms, making him feel comfortable.
A Level 6 Defensive Soul Tool—it could literally save his life in critical moments.
Just as he was about to express his thanks, Wang Yuan spoke again:
"Chen'er, from now on, your monthly allowance will be increased to 100,000 gold soul coins, and all your privileges are raised to first-class treatment.
For your safety, the family has also assigned you a personal guard squad. That's all."
After patting Wang Chen's shoulder, Wang Yuan said,
"Chen'er, don't disappoint the family's expectations."
Wang Chen was momentarily stunned—this treatment far exceeded his expectations. The family had truly invested heavily in him.
The Young Master Token alone—ignoring its symbolic value—was a Level 6 trigger-type soul tool worth nearly as much as a Level 7 one.
Add in the 100,000-coin monthly stipend and the bodyguards—he was now basically an aristocrat's heir.
Taking a deep breath, Wang Chen looked solemnly at Wang Yuan.
"I will never fail the family's expectations…"
And in his heart, he vowed silently—
"In the future, the number one family in the Sun Moon Empire will bear the name Wang."
With a pleased smile, Wang Yuan left Wang Chen's home.
Over the next seven days, Wang Chen collected his 100,000 gold soul coins from the family, then went to Treasure Pavilion (Baibaolou) to send a letter to Meng Hongchen, borrowing an additional sum.
He then devoted himself to cultivation, quietly awaiting the arrival of the auction.