Tuoba Yan had possessed the Chicken Charm for too short a time. After his battle with Xie Yue, he felt there was still room to improve the Mental Force Cage.
In Jackie Chan Adventures, the Chicken Charm had appeared very rarely and was practically useless.
After some exploration and research, Tuoba Yan felt that the Chicken Charm's abilities held limitless potential.
If used and developed properly, the power it unleashed might not even be inferior to the other eleven charms.
Inside Xie Yue's room, Xie Yue slowly opened his eyes.
The teacher responsible for treating Xie Yue instructed him to rest properly before leaving Zero Dormitory.
Xie Yue looked at Hu Liena by the bedside and said guiltily, "Little sister, I'm sorry. I failed to avenge you!"
Hu Liena reached out and held Xie Yue's hand, comforting him. "Big brother, don't take it to heart. You already did your best. Tuoba Yan is smart and talented. We've run into a formidable opponent."
Xie Yue recalled his battle with Tuoba Yan, paused, and asked, "Are you sure he's human?"
Whether it was Tuoba Yan's Soul Power Level or his adaptability, both far exceeded what a seven-year-old child should possess.
Xie Yue was a genius himself and refused to yield to anyone his own age.
Only after meeting Tuoba Yan did he learn that even a brat could be this powerful.
It truly proved the old saying: never judge a person by appearances.
Xie Yue clenched his hands slightly, his gaze resolute. "Little sister, don't worry. Once I recover, I'll avenge you again. I already know the effects of his soul skill. If we fight again, I'll definitely defeat him!"
Meanwhile, Ghost Douluo, who had been secretly protecting Xie Yue, stood beneath the steps of the Pontiff's Hall and reported everything to Bibi Dong in detail.
Upon hearing Ghost Douluo's account, Bibi Dong asked with slight surprise, "Tuoba Yan defeated Xie Yue?"
"Yes, Your Holiness."
"His second soul skill controls objects and makes them float?"
"Yes, Your Holiness. I saw it with my own eyes. Tuoba Yan can make objects levitate. His soul skill is the Floating Technique."
"His First Soul Skill is healing, and his second soul skill is the Floating Technique. Tuoba Yan is following a path of evolution that combines the support and control systems."
As she spoke, Bibi Dong asked curiously, "Then what soul skill did he use to defeat Xie Yue?"
Ghost Douluo guessed uncertainly, "It may have been a soul skill from a soul bone."
"A soul bone?"
Bibi Dong fell into thought.
The Tuoba Clan was a family of soul masters with deep foundations. They had the means to obtain a suitable soul bone for Tuoba Yan.
Seated upon the Pontiff's throne, Bibi Dong leaned back against it, her fingers continuously tapping the armrest as she asked, "Anything else?"
Ghost Douluo's tone suddenly turned grave. "Your Holiness, I observed the back of Tuoba Yan's head and found it unusual. He has a rebel's bone."
Bibi Dong's tapping hand paused. "You're saying he may rebel in the future?"
"Your Holiness, Tuoba Xi oversees the Soul Hunting Squad. Tuoba Yan became a two-ring Soul Grandmaster at six and defeated Xie Yue, a three-ring Soul Elder. He will certainly become a Title Douluo in the future. We must guard against him!"
"Enough. I understand."
Inside the empty Pontiff's Hall, only Bibi Dong remained seated upon the Pontiff's throne.
Bibi Dong's fingers resting on the throne's armrest lightly tapped it again and again.
A moment later, her eyelashes narrowed slightly, and a sinister light flickered in her bright eyes. A faint, wicked curve touched her lips.
A smug, cold laugh that seemed to come from hell echoed in her heart.
"A born rebel, huh?"
Fifty days later, Tuoba Yan walked out of the Simulated Training Grounds.
"My Soul Power has increased by another level. Level twenty-six now."
By coincidence, just as he left the training grounds, Hu Liena also emerged.
Hu Liena treated Tuoba Yan as if he were air, passing by him and heading straight back to Zero Dormitory.
Ever since Xie Yue had lost to Tuoba Yan, he seemed possessed. Other than eating and drinking, he even stayed in the Simulated Training Grounds to sleep.
Hu Liena had also suffered a blow. She had almost no private life, traveling between only two places every day: Zero Dormitory and the Simulated Training Grounds.
Watching Hu Liena's retreating figure, Tuoba Yan felt that her aura had changed again.
After cultivating for some time, Hu Liena's Soul Power Level had surely risen even higher.
Whether it was Xie Yue or Hu Liena, both seemed as though they had been injected with stimulants, throwing themselves wholeheartedly into cultivation.
When Tuoba Yan returned to the dormitory, he saw Tuoba Xi, who had been waiting for a long time.
Tuoba Xi stretched out his hand and gave Tuoba Yan three dark gray chunks of solid wax-like substance.
"Yan'er, these are three pieces of Dragon Secretion that the clan recently acquired."
Dragon Secretion was the excrement of Sperm Whales, also known as Dragon Saliva Incense.
It possessed the miraculous effects of nourishing the soul and increasing mental power.
Tuoba Yan accepted the Dragon Saliva Incense and placed it into his ring Storage Soul Guide Device.
Noticing that Tuoba Xi's expression was unusual, he asked with concern, "Grandfather, have you run into something troubling?"
"You can't help Grandfather with this. Our clan has been targeted."
"Targeted by others?"
"Yes."
"Who has targeted our clan?"
"Many people. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and the Heaven Dou royal family. I suspect some of them belong to Spirit Hall."
"Only a suspicion?"
"Fine. After my investigation, the Pontiff, the Grand Elder, and the family members of several other elders have all sent people to watch us. I have a very strong feeling that the entire world is watching our Tuoba Clan."
"Because of the clan's recent activities?"
"Yan'er, you're very smart. Clan members have been buying Dragon Saliva Incense everywhere. With the previous Whale Rubber incident as an example, this time our actions have drawn other people's attention. Although we had the advantage in information and purchased a large batch of Dragon Saliva Incense along the coast in advance, other clans have already joined the rush to buy it."
"Do they know Dragon Saliva Incense's true purpose?"
"If they knew, they wouldn't be watching our clan members. Dragon Saliva Incense is even rarer than Whale Rubber. Only a small number of clan members are qualified to use it. You're my grandson, and I'm worried that you may also be targeted."
"They already have."
Tuoba Xi glanced at the attendant cleaning Zero Dormitory.
Every so often, the attendant's eyes would secretly dart in their direction.
Although she hid it well, Tuoba Yan still noticed it. His mental power had already reached the peak of the Spirit Yuan Realm.
No one would refuse money.
As long as they were paid, these attendants would gladly help others eavesdrop on and spy upon the conversations and actions of Zero Dormitory's students.
Tuoba Xi took a step toward the attendant, but Tuoba Yan promptly reached out and grabbed his arm.
"Grandfather, what are you doing?"
"These attendants can't stay. I'll drive them all away!"
"They're just trying to make a living. It isn't easy for them. They haven't harmed me. If the attendants are replaced, the new ones may not be any better than the current ones. Besides, if others are watching us and racking their brains to obtain something, then we might as well give them something!"
"Really give it to them?"
"Do you think I'm stupid? Tell me, what does our clan have the most of? It must be something that looks somewhat useful but is actually worthless."
"We do have some things like that. What are you planning?"
"As long as we have them, that's enough. Grandfather, issue a task. Have the clan members purchase the things you mentioned."
"Are you crazy? Those things are only somewhat useful. They don't have much cultivation value at all."
"I haven't finished speaking yet. Why are adults always so impatient when children speak? Pick one item from among those things that appears somewhat useful, and make sure you find a way to hype it up to an astronomical price. During this time, I'll cooperate with you and work hard to improve my cultivation."
Hearing this, Tuoba Xi blinked. A glint of understanding flashed in his eyes, and he instantly understood what his grandson meant.
"You want to trick them?"
Once an item was hyped to an astronomical price despite originally having little use, its price would certainly far exceed its actual value.
Tuoba Xi knew that driving up the item's price was not Tuoba Yan's true purpose. Tuoba Yan's real goal was to sell everything they held at a high price once the item had been inflated to astronomical levels, making a massive windfall.
In the near future, those ill-intentioned people watching the Tuoba Clan's every move would surely suffer a huge financial loss because of this.
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