Heart Separation Control

Heart Separation Control

Night had fallen. Bright moonlight streamed through the lattice windows, scattering mottled shadows across the floor of the Mimicry Training Ground. Feng Yao pushed open the door as usual, only to find that it was not Xue Qinghe waiting inside as expected—Qian Renxue had come to meet him in her true form.

Her gilded hair cascaded to her waist, flowing with a soft radiance beneath the moonlight. With her back to the door, she emanated a faint holy aura. This sudden change caught Feng Yao's breath, leaving his hand suspended in midair as he forgot to move for a moment.

This was Feng Yao's first time seeing Qian Renxue beneath the moonlight.

"What are you standing in the doorway for?" Qian Renxue turned her head and looked back. Her golden eyes shone especially brightly in the darkness, yet they carried an indifference entirely at odds with her holiness.

Feng Yao came back to himself and hurriedly shut the door. "Your Highness should still be more careful." He tried to make his tone sound natural, but he could not hide that trace of unusual delight.

Qian Renxue turned away without a trace. Moonlight plated her flawless profile in silver, but it could not conceal the doubt in her voice. "What exactly did you do at the arena today? Ning Fengzhi has already secretly sent people to investigate your background."

Feng Yao lightly stroked Fuxi in his arms and smiled. "I merely devised a few little tricks up in the VIP Seats."

"You used them during the first match as well?" A glimmer flashed through Qian Renxue's eyes.

When Feng Yao nodded in confirmation, she fell thoughtful. "No wonder that old fellow Gu Rong was there today. With his sensitivity to space, he must have noticed something."

"Gu Rong is known as the most elusive among Title Douluo. The vibration of strings is inherently connected to space, so his formidable spatial abilities could indeed have detected it." Feng Yao shrugged unconcernedly, then suddenly smiled teasingly and said with deliberate ambiguity, "Besides, everyone knows I belong to His Highness the Crown Prince now. Ning Fengzhi surely wouldn't—"

Qian Renxue's gilded eyes narrowed slightly, and a chilling aura abruptly surged from her body. The shadow of an Angel flickered behind her, and the temperature throughout the training ground seemed to drop several degrees. "It seems I've indulged you too much lately?"

Feng Yao hurriedly waved his hands, putting on a placating smile. "I was only joking." He paused, and his expression suddenly turned serious. "However, regarding Ning Fengzhi, there is indeed something I would like to ask."

The coldness around Qian Renxue receded somewhat, and her expression returned to calm. "Speak." Just one word, yet it carried an unquestionable authority.

"Can you get me the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Heart Separation Control technique?" Feng Yao asked directly, without ceremony.

Qian Renxue frowned slightly. "What do you need that technique for?" Her fingertip tapped lightly against her temple. "Ordinary Spirit Masters fight step by step—testing, finding openings, then deciding the battle. Heart Separation Control may allow one to use several soul skills at once, but it is not suited to normal Spirit Masters."

She suddenly raised her hand, and two beams of golden light shot out simultaneously. One shattered a distant vase, while the other dissipated halfway there. "Did you see that?" Qian Renxue sneered. "Not only does it double Soul Power consumption, but if you strike hastily and cannot control it properly, missing with even one move will merely waste your own Soul Power."

"Against the weak, one move is enough to decide victory or defeat. Against evenly matched opponents, dividing your attention instead becomes a flaw. The difference between true experts often lies in that single instant. Against the strong, you would probably wish you had more legs to run with. Where would you find time to split your focus?"

Feng Yao gently stroked Fuxi in his arms, its strings trembling faintly beneath his fingertips. "My Martial Soul uses melody as a blade, and every string requires precise control. Heart Separation Control may be useless to ordinary Spirit Masters, but it would give me more possibilities with self-created soul skills. Together with the special nature of my Spirit Rings, I could unleash layered power in an instant."

Qian Renxue's gaze shifted slightly, and she nodded thoughtfully. "I'll have someone deliver it tomorrow."

"You'll send it directly?" Feng Yao raised his brows in surprise. "You don't need to ask Ning Fengzhi?"

A trace of disdain appeared on Qian Renxue's face. Spirit Hall was not called the sacred land of Spirit Masters for nothing. Heart Separation Control was merely a special method of using Spiritual Power. When it came to the number of high-level Spirit Masters, no force could compare to Spirit Hall, and that had laid the foundation for the emergence of countless theories, techniques, and even secret arts.

Qian Renxue curved her lips into a mysterious smile and said solemnly, "Don't overthink it. There are some things that would do you no good to know right now."

Feng Yao shrugged and made a gesture of surrender. "I humbly accept Your Highness's guidance."

The two sat cross-legged facing each other in tacit understanding and quickly entered the rhythm of cultivation. Two harmonious breathing patterns gradually filled the room, their inhales and exhales perfectly synchronized, as though they were performing some mysterious duet.

Moonlight flowed like water between them. Every breath Feng Yao took caused Fuxi's strings to quiver faintly, while the golden glow surrounding Qian Renxue flickered in time with her breathing. Two entirely different fields of energy achieved a delicate balance within this small space.

In a daze, Feng Yao felt as if he had returned to that mysterious state of soul fusion from yesterday. He could clearly sense that Qian Renxue's Light Power was gentler than before, like the sun of early spring—no longer dazzling, yet all the more precious.

Meanwhile, at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. The discussion hall.

On the north side of the hall, the Main Seat facing south was a large carved rosewood chair, with an enormous piece of jade embedded in its backrest. The jade was emerald green and exuded a faint, gentle aura. It was a piece of supreme warm jade.

A man sat upright in the carved rosewood chair. His face was as handsome as polished jade, with a straight nose and square mouth, and his features were refined and gentle. His spotless white robe was immaculate. He looked to be around forty, with soft eyes, and in every way appeared to be an ordinary man. His smooth black hair draped down his back, and everything about him seemed casual and unpretentious. This man was Ning Fengzhi, who had been seated in the VIP Seats earlier that day.

Before long, a disciple wearing the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's standard robe respectfully entered the hall. Ning Fengzhi did not even look up. His slender fingers continued turning through the documents in his hands as he asked in a voice as placid as water, "What did you find?"

The disciple looked troubled. He dropped to one knee and clasped his fists. "Reporting to Sect Leader, the information has been found, but this subordinate cannot determine whether it is genuine."

"Hm?" Ning Fengzhi's hands paused, and he slowly raised his head. His mild gaze fell upon the disciple, carrying authority without anger.

"Present it."

The disciple hurriedly took out a scroll from his Soul Tool and offered it with both hands. Ning Fengzhi accepted the scroll, and as it slowly unfurled, his brows gradually furrowed—Feng Yao's file was clearly marked with the words "Innate Soul Power Rank Four." It even listed the source of the information and included Nuoding Academy's official seal, along with a handwritten certification from the Spirit Master who had awakened Feng Yao's Martial Soul that year.

"I understand. You may leave." Ning Fengzhi closed the scroll, his voice still calm.

"Yes, Sect Leader." The young man quickly backed away.

After the disciple had left the hall, Ning Fengzhi tapped the armrest lightly with his fingertips and spoke softly to the empty hall. "Uncle Gu, there is something I would like to ask."

The instant Ning Fengzhi finished speaking, the space beside him suddenly twisted like rippling water. Bone Douluo Gu Rong's tall figure slowly stepped out of the void. "What is it?"

"Did you investigate Feng Yao's Soul Power rank that day?" Ning Fengzhi's voice remained gentle.

Gu Rong shook his head. "I did not. But if Xue Qinghe values him enough to make him captain of the Imperial Team, then he should at least be a Soul Ancestor."

Ning Fengzhi fell silent before slowly asking, "Do you know how old he is?"

Gu Rong raised a brow and looked at Ning Fengzhi in surprise. "Surely he isn't younger than Tang San?"

Ning Fengzhi slowly shook his head. "Uncle Gu, in the eyes of a Title Douluo like you, do you think someone with Innate Soul Power Rank Four could become a Soul Ancestor or a high-level Soul Elder by the age of thirteen?"

"What kind of joke is that?" Gu Rong looked as if he had heard the most absurd thing in the world. "Tang San has Innate Full Soul Power and Twin Martial Souls, which is why he could reach such a level at this age—" His voice cut off abruptly as he suddenly realized something. His expression changed drastically. "You mean..."

"You also think it's impossible?" Ning Fengzhi's gaze was deep.

Gu Rong's expression grew grave. "Without the aid of heavenly treasures or a top-grade Spirit Bone, it is absolutely impossible." He took the scroll and examined it closely, while ripples gradually appeared in his calm eyes.

"This boy is skilled with the zither and has even become famous throughout the entire city. Even your cousin took a liking to his talent and gave him a recommendation letter for Moon Xuan. I think you ought to ask that dead bastard about this. Beast Martial Soul Masters differ from Tool Martial Soul Masters. Compared to Beast Martial Soul Masters, Tool Martial Soul Masters place greater demands on one's understanding of their Martial Soul. If this child achieved what he has today through that, then he may well become someone capable of founding a sect in the future," Gu Rong said slowly.

Ning Fengzhi nodded and sighed. "Yes."

Ning Fengzhi let out a long sigh, unable to help recalling the praise he had given Tang San that day. Looking back now, the Haotian heir's achievements today owed much to Haotian's legacy. But Feng Yao...

As his teacher, I truly misjudged him, Ning Fengzhi thought to himself.

"Fengzhi, some things are already fated by heaven. If you want to change heaven's decision, the price you must pay will certainly not be small. Even if everything that has happened to this young man is true, it is still an irreproducible miracle," Gu Rong said to Ning Fengzhi.

Ning Fengzhi looked at the night deepening outside the hall and said softly, "I understand."

Ning Fengzhi gently stroked the scepter beside him, an indescribable loneliness flashing through his eyes. Breaking through the limitations of his Martial Soul and leading his sect to greater heights—this long-cherished wish had haunted him like a nightmare for most of his life.

The flame within the gilded lamp flickered gently, casting his thin figure against the pillars of the hall. He had exhausted his heart and soul studying every possibility, yet he had never been able to break the shackles he had been born with.

"Uncle Gu..." His voice was so soft it was nearly inaudible. "Sometimes, I truly envy those battle Spirit Masters."

Gu Rong silently watched Ning Fengzhi. He knew that what Ning Fengzhi was touching was not merely a scepter, but a chain of fate he would never be able to escape.

In the blink of an eye, a week passed like flowing water. The Preliminary Tournament of the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament had successfully completed six rounds of intense competition. Only three academies remained undefeated, and Shrek Academy was among them.

Since their hard-fought second match against Elephant Armored Academy, the Shrek Team had swept through their opponents, crushing them in each of the next four matches. What was even more astonishing was that in these four matches, the Shrek Seven Devils had sent out only Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Xiao Wu, yet they had easily swept aside every opponent. More notably, not one of those opponents had reached the Soul Ancestor realm.

Like Shrek, Thunder Academy and Divine Wind Academy had also maintained six consecutive victories. The three-way struggle for supremacy had begun to take shape.

On the eighth day of the Preliminary Tournament, the seventh round was about to begin. Shrek Academy's opponent was Aoseluo Academy, a team with an unremarkable record that had won only two matches in the first six rounds. Due to the vast disparity in strength, this match had not been arranged in the Central Main Arena.

Today's focal point was undoubtedly the clash between two powerhouses on the Central Main Arena stage: Elephant Armored Academy against Thunder Academy. A contest between the Diamond Mammoth and Raging Thunder was enough to set one's blood boiling just by imagining it.

In the VIP Seats, Feng Yao had already shifted his attention away from the matches. Since he had mentioned it to Qian Renxue that day, she had sent someone to deliver the cultivation method for Heart Separation Control the very next day—such efficiency once again showed him the profound foundation of Spirit Hall.

At this moment, he sat upright with Fuxi resting quietly across his knees. His long, slender fingers danced gracefully through the air. Though they did not truly touch the strings, his mind was simultaneously performing two entirely different melodies. Playing different tunes with both hands—this was the essence of Heart Separation Control.

If a Spirit Master had observed carefully, they would have noticed faint ripples in the air where Feng Yao's fingertips passed. They were traces of Soul Power stirring invisible strings, as well as signs that he had achieved minor success in Heart Separation Control.

Feng Yao's brows furrowed slightly, and fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead. Simultaneously controlling two pieces with entirely different styles, even if he was only playing them in his mind, consumed far more Spiritual Power than he had imagined. He felt as though his consciousness had been forcibly split in two, each half struggling to maintain a different rhythm and melody.

At that moment, a clear and melodious voice suddenly reached his ears. "Are you practicing Heart Separation Control?"

Feng Yao's fingers paused. Looking up, he saw that Ning Rongrong had somehow appeared gracefully at his side. The young woman wore a pale pink dress, and her glass-like eyes were filled with surprise.

"Miss Ning has sharp eyes." Feng Yao withdrew his hands with a smile, brushing his fingertips lightly over the strings. "I am indeed attempting to play different melodies with both hands."

The surprise in Ning Rongrong's eyes deepened, then she broke into a smile. "The essence of Heart Separation Control lies in 'Spirit Unity, Form Division,' not simply drawing a circle with one hand and a square with the other." As she spoke, she suddenly realized she had misspoken and playfully stuck out her tongue. "Sorry, I have a habit of talking too much."

Feng Yao did not take offense. Instead, he smiled. "Miss Ning's words have awakened me from a dream. I wonder why you are here today—"

"Our opponents withdrew at the last minute." Ning Rongrong pointed toward the front row of the VIP Seats. "I came to discuss something with my father." She gave him an elegant nod. "I won't disturb your cultivation any longer."

Watching her graceful figure leave, Feng Yao thoughtfully stroked the strings. He closed his eyes and focused once more. This time, he no longer forced the two melodies to remain complete, but instead tried to let them merge naturally—just as harmoniously as their Soul Power resonance that night.

Strangely enough, once his fixation faded, the two melodies gradually found balance instead. They began to complement each other, playing an unprecedented harmony within his sea of consciousness.