"Not bad. Your Soul Power Cultivation already ranks among the best of your peers, and your Spirit Sea Realm mental strength has reached the minimum standard of a Title Douluo. You're both still young; your future achievements are limitless."
Leng Yaozhu encouraged the two with a pleased expression, then turned her gaze to Na'er and said,
"Phantom Brain sent a Soul Guidance Communication asking you to go see him. It seems to be about some Mecha Repair exam paper?"
The moment those words left her mouth, the curve of Na'er's lips instantly drooped. She shot Zhao Xuanzhen an indignant look. "You're not human. You're even making me compete!"
Phantom Brain Douluo had conducted a Mecha Repair assessment last night. Upholding the principle of combining theory and practice, the assessment had been divided into two parts: a written test and hands-on work.
The final major question on the test had been somewhat beyond the standard, involving Three-Word Battle Armor repair knowledge. The day before the test, Han Tianyi had given the two of them a book on Mecha Repair case studies, and the exact answer had been written inside.
Zhao Xuanzhen had felt that Han Tianyi would not act without reason and suggested that Na'er skim through it. Na'er had clearly not taken it seriously. As a result, she had gone to the Real Illusion to be tortured, chased all over the arena by Snake Emperor Medusa with her head in her hands.
"Alas..."
Na'er let out a long sigh, carrying the sorrow of someone young in years but old at heart.
"Hurry up. Medusa's getting impatient." Zhao Xuanzhen patted her shoulder and openly twisted the knife. "Remember to memorize the answers next time."
Na'er said indignantly, "What's the difference between putting the answers in my head and cheating? Dare to compete fair and square!"
With that, she wore a bitter little face and marched off with tragic determination to face Medusa's gaze.
After Na'er left, Leng Yaozhu turned toward Zhao Xuanzhen. "Since Phantom Brain is assessing Mecha Repair, I should assess your Mecha Design and Mecha Manufacturing as well."
"No problem, Teacher." Zhao Xuanzhen readily agreed.
The master and disciple arrived at the Deputy Tower Master's private Battle Armor Room. Leng Yaozhu lightly tapped the metal table, and a time display appeared as the countdown began.
"Xuanzhen, make a Soul Tool at the limit of your ability within two hours."
Zhao Xuanzhen nodded. After four years of study, this was not his first timed assessment. His eyes swept over the dozens of metals on the table, and he immediately made his choice, picking up a piece of silvery-white metal.
A rare metal: Sinking Silver.
Soul Tools differed from Battle Armor and mechas. They did not need to undergo particularly strict forging, especially low- and mid-level Soul Tools below the seventh rank. Tempering was enough.
After quickly completing the preliminary work, the cube of Sinking Silver became several small pieces of metal. Zhao Xuanzhen held Sinking Silver in his left hand and a blue Engraving Knife in his right.
An Engraving Knife was the key tool used by Soul Engineers to inscribe Core Formations. This one resembled crystal-clear water crystal from end to end. Its handle was deep blue, gradually fading along the blade until its sharp tip became transparent.
After briefly examining the Sinking Silver, Zhao Xuanzhen got to work. His engraving movements were incredibly swift. Once he made a cut, he never paused. In Leng Yaozhu's eyes, the Engraving Knife spun endlessly between Zhao Xuanzhen's fingers like a dancing ice flower.
A nascent style... Leng Yaozhu thought.
Soul Engineers inscribed Core Formations into rare metals, while Mecha Manufacturers likewise inscribed Core Formations that amplified martial souls onto forged metal. The two had much in common.
To break through to the seventh rank or beyond, a Mecha Manufacturer had to comprehend a style of his own. As an eighth-rank Mecha Manufacturer, Leng Yaozhu could clearly see that Zhao Xuanzhen was currently exploring his style, yet its outline was gradually taking shape. He had set foot on the necessary path toward becoming a high-rank Mecha Manufacturer.
Time slowly passed. Dense, complex patterns were engraved across the surface of the Sinking Silver. Leng Yaozhu's brows furrowed slightly as she said in confusion, "Energy Accumulation, Energy Accumulation, Energy Accumulation, Energy Accumulation, detonation, detonation...
"Sinking Silver's Soul Power conductivity is certainly excellent, and its texture is harder than ordinary rare metals, but there's no way it can withstand the burden of four rounds of Soul Power accumulation. Are you making a one-use Soul Tool?"
Leng Yaozhu had not deliberately lowered her voice, but Zhao Xuanzhen had no intention of explaining things to his teacher. Deaf to everything beyond his work, he focused solely on the Soul Tool as fine Sinking Silver powder drifted down.
"You engraved an Acceleration Formation too. Looks like it's a one-use explosive type." Leng Yaozhu suddenly understood.
"Teacher, you're not deliberately trying to interfere with me, are you?" Zhao Xuanzhen could not help asking.
The soul of a Soul Tool was its Core Formation. The manufacturing process could not tolerate the slightest error; a tiny difference could lead to a vast deviation. Leng Yaozhu's voice kept sounding from time to time, and he seriously suspected she was doing it on purpose!
"An ability assessment should contain challenges."
Leng Yaozhu smiled somewhat slyly and admitted without hesitation, "I'm one of the challenges you're facing.
"A friendly reminder: there's a reward for passing the assessment."
"Could you give me some specifics?"
Leng Yaozhu said with a smile, "For the past four years, you and Na'er have been cultivating at the Spirit Pagoda. You've rarely gone out and only rested for half a day each week. Tomorrow, I'll take you two on a trip to enjoy some beautiful natural scenery and relax."
"That's quite tempting."
Zhao Xuanzhen's hands remained steady as he asked curiously, "Which city are you planning to visit, Teacher?
"Heaven Dou City, Star Luo City, Lingdou City, Dragon City?"
Leng Yaozhu smiled. "You guessed none of them.
"Eastsea City, one of the cities where the Spirit Pagoda's Eighteen Heavenly Pillars are located.
"As a coastal city, Eastsea City has abundant tourism resources and is the source of much of the Federation's seafood. You two can sunbathe and eat seafood while I inspect a genius. Then we'll take a short vacation together."
"Inspect a genius?"
A strange glint flashed through Zhao Xuanzhen's eyes. He kept his expression calm as he asked, "What kind of genius is worth Teacher personally making the trip?"
Leng Yaozhu smiled. "A first grade student at Eastsea Academy. She's about your age, a very gifted little girl named Gu Yue."
Just as Zhao Xuanzhen had expected, the genius who had drawn Leng Yaozhu to Eastsea City was Gu Yue!
Gu Yue's appearance in Eastsea City meant she had found Tang Wulin and set her sights on the Golden Dragon King God Core within him!
Unaware of Zhao Xuanzhen's thoughts, Leng Yaozhu continued, "Gu Yue's martial soul is called Elementalist. Like your True Self and Na'er's Silver Dragon Spear, it possesses uniqueness.
"Elements are an immensely powerful ability. A martial soul with even a single element would be enough to make Great Powers scramble to recruit its owner, while Elementalist not only controls multiple elements, but can combine them as well!
"The Eastsea City Spirit Transferring Tower Master is my former subordinate. According to him, Gu Yue displayed six major elements within the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform: earth, water, wind, fire, light, and space. He strongly urged me to take her under my wing, and she has also expressed her willingness to join the Spirit Pagoda."
"Am I getting another junior sister?"
"No. Never."
Leng Yaozhu's tone was exceptionally serious. "If not for you, I might have accepted Gu Yue as my disciple. But now, you are Teacher's only disciple.
"This trip to Eastsea City is indeed to bring Gu Yue into the Spirit Pagoda and grant her the status of a Core Disciple. More importantly, it is to have her join the Phoenix Family faction and stand on our side. After all, the Spirit Pagoda is filled with clans and families. We are not of one mind.
"Now, the main Leng Family branch is dwindling. Xiao Ling comes from the collateral Spirit Phoenix branch. You are her son and my Direct Disciple, so you are destined to take over my position.
"Na'er, Gu Yue, even Big White and Little White—they are all indispensable helpers for you.
"Oh, and Gu Yue has a reclusive power behind her. Her mother once discussed joining the Spirit Pagoda face-to-face with the East Sea Tower Master, hoping that Gu Yue could skip training at the branch and directly take up a position at headquarters.
"She calls herself Title Purple Dragon. The East Sea Tower Master believes she is at least a Super Douluo, which shows that Gu Yue's background is extraordinary."
Gu Yue had a mother? Purple Dragon Douluo?
Zhao Xuanzhen did not believe it in the slightest. A name suddenly surfaced in his mind.
The continent's ninth most fearsome beast, Hell Demon Dragon King Ziji!
With Dragon Clan blood and as a True Dragon Soul Beast, she could not be more suitable to play Gu Yue's mother.
It seemed Gu Yue had still chosen that path: seize the Golden Dragon King God Core, join the Spirit Pagoda, reveal her talent and background to gain the Spirit Pagoda high-level's attention, then establish the Ten Thousand Beast Platform to control Human Soul Masters and complete the soul beasts' revenge against humanity!
"Why are you chatting with me the whole time? Focus on engraving the Core Formation. Your speed has even dropped!" Leng Yaozhu knocked on the table.
"Teacher, you started the topic..."
"I'm an obstacle for you to overcome, not something for you to climb along." Leng Yaozhu watched Zhao Xuanzhen with composed leisure, vividly demonstrating what it meant to be right from every angle.
The Soul Tool had reached a crucial stage. If Leng Yaozhu kept interfering, he might truly fail. After a brief moment of thought, a blueprint flew out from his Storage Soul Tool and landed before Leng Yaozhu.
"Teacher, could you take a look at a blueprint for me?"
"Sure."
Leng Yaozhu took the bait and shifted her gaze to the drawing. Then her delicate body subconsciously trembled, and brilliance flashed in her phoenix eyes.
The drawing depicted a One-Word Battle Armor design drawing, one that was even close to complete. Even with her eyes as a Ninth Rank Mecha Designer, she could not find any major flaws.
Normally, one could begin researching One-Word Battle Armor after reaching the third rank in a Second Profession, while perfecting One-Word Battle Armor required fourth-rank ability. Based on this design drawing alone, Zhao Xuanzhen was already a Fourth Rank Mecha Designer!
"Genius..."
Leng Yaozhu was deeply shaken and began analyzing and breaking down Zhao Xuanzhen's design concepts bit by bit.
Having dealt with the teacher who only added interference, Zhao Xuanzhen accelerated once more. The Engraving Knife was like a light breeze, leaving the instant it touched down and never lingering. Its smooth, flowing movements looked as though it were gently brushing the Sinking Silver's surface.
One master and disciple quietly studied while the other focused on engraving. Outside, the sky gradually darkened, and the soft lights in the Battle Armor Room automatically came on, keeping the room bright. Neither Zhao Xuanzhen nor Leng Yaozhu paid attention to the change, both immersed in their own worlds.
The countdown ended. The Sinking Silver had become a conical Soul Tool covered in hollow engravings, its shell marked with twisting, winding patterns that gave it a powerful three-dimensional feel.
An alloy wall rose from the floor. Zhao Xuanzhen injected Soul Power into it and threw it out. After a series of piercing explosions, metal powder flew everywhere.
Leng Yaozhu affirmed, "A modified Charged High-Explosive Bullet, mixed with Fixed Soul Tool technology. Its power is slightly weaker than an ordinary fourth-rank Fixed Soul Tool Cannonball, but its production cost is far lower. Economical and practical.
"Congratulations. At ten years old, you are a Fourth Rank Mecha Manufacturer and a Fourth Rank Mecha Designer."
"Not just that," Zhao Xuanzhen said. "Old Han certified that Na'er and I are both Fourth Rank Mecha Repairers."
Leng Yaozhu recalled that nearly impossible agreement. Break through to the fourth rank in all Three Major Professions within five years—Zhao Xuanzhen had done it in only four.
"One generation pushes the next onward..." she sighed. "From now on, I will no longer stop you from cultivating all Three Major Professions at once."
"Thank you, Teacher."
"There's no need for thanks between master and disciple..."
A jade hand lightly rested against Zhao Xuanzhen's cheek. Leng Yaozhu's crimson eyes seemed to gather a surging storm as she murmured softly,
"Xuanzhen, don't blame Teacher for being strict with you these past few years. You are all of my spiritual support. Teacher wants to see you rise above everyone else and become invincible among your peers..."
Scorching warmth spread from her palm. Ripples rose in Zhao Xuanzhen's black eyes, still as a quiet lake, as he said,
"Invincible among my peers? Is that all?"
Hearing this, Leng Yaozhu seemed to smile in relief. "If you can go even further, that would be best. Teacher has a selfish desire—to raise you step by step, until you uphold the heavens above and probe the netherworld below!
"For that, Teacher can give... everything!"
"I will. Teacher, I'm going back to cultivate."
Zhao Xuanzhen's expression was unexpectedly cold and detached. After bidding Leng Yaozhu farewell, he boarded the high-level elevator leading to the Ninety-ninth Floor.
No one saw that his eyes were no longer naturally black, nor were they the deep blue of Earthly Dao Technique. They had become dazzling gold, filled with terrifying majesty!
Na'er had not yet finished her training. Zhao Xuanzhen was alone on the Ninety-ninth Floor.
"Four Plates and Harmony."
Bagua Qimen instantly sealed off the entire floor, ensuring not a trace of aura could leak out.
"Wanwan Looks Like Qing, good beginnings, bitter endings..."
Zhao Xuanzhen saw his own reflection in Leng Yaozhu's eyes. Though her gaze had fallen upon him, it was as though she had not been looking at him at all.
"I alone, Best in the World. I want to become the greatest, greatest Zhao... Wait, I really am surnamed Zhao!"
Forget it. That sort of thing could not be done recklessly!
"Uphold the heavens above and probe the netherworld below... Teacher, I won't become the Second Qingtian Douluo. I'll replace him and ascend to the top of the continent, as well as... the place in your heart!
"Bagua Qimen, Divine Plate!"
The heaven, earth, human, and divine plates of Bagua Qimen respectively corresponded to Heaven's Timing, Geographical Advantage, Human Harmony, and Divine Aid.
Zhao Xuanzhen often used the Earthly Dao Technique representing Geographical Advantage, but the strongest of the Four Plates was undoubtedly the Divine Plate Dao Art, which housed eight mighty powers of the world!
His brilliant gold eyes burned silently. Zhao Xuanzhen observed the stars at night. Two nights later, the Heavenly Opportunity would be once in a thousand years, with countless stars shining brilliantly.
To fulfill his long-held wish, he would inevitably need a world free from divine interference. That was the only chance for human power to surpass gods.
However, Zhao Xuanzhen was merely a two-ring Soul Grandmaster and lacked the ability to bear that Heavenly Opportunity. He needed a medium.
The Divine Plate, the Eight Deceitful Gods!
Bagua Qimen cast a golden shadow, and the Qimen Array slowly turned in accordance with the laws of heaven and earth.
The Divine Plate Eight Deceit Gods were incarnations of Heaven and Earth Power, eight mysterious forces corresponding to all things in the world. From the moment they were born, each was the limit of a realm of heaven and earth. Their formation required a vast amount of time to absorb the energy of heaven and earth, but the Master of Qimen could use Heaven's Timing, Geographical Advantage, and Human Harmony to accelerate the Eight Deceitful Gods!
Possessing Heaven's Timing, Geographical Advantage, and Human Harmony would grant one an exceptionally important position on Douluo Continent. For example, the superpowers standing at the continent's peak: the Spirit Pagoda, Shrek Academy, Tang Sect, War God Hall...
The stronger the light, the darker the shadow.
The Holy Spirit Cult, the Abyss, Demon Hell... Evil forces also possessed profound Heaven's Timing, Geographical Advantage, and Human Harmony.
Within those places, the Eight Deceitful Gods could grow at the fastest speed and become the pinnacle life forms of this era on Douluo Continent: Quasi-Gods.
Spirits of heaven and earth were naturally bound by heaven and earth. If the Eight Deceitful Gods wished to become gods, there were only two paths: the world plane could ascend, or the Master of Qimen could transcend the world!
"Southern Fire, take your place."
Absolute silence that devoured everything descended. A black Abyss split open at the center of Bagua Qimen, like a shadow capable of swallowing even light. Having absorbed the energy of heaven and earth from the Spirit Pagoda for years, the first Eight Deceitful God slowly awakened.
The sound of scales scraping together was like two iron mountains colliding. A Scarlet Vertical Pupil emerged from the Abyss, followed by a massive head and a body like an iron tower. Crimson lines glowed between the gaps in its black scales like lava that had yet to cool.
A Giant Serpent of absurd size appeared. The ceiling of the Ninety-ninth Floor was far too small for it, allowing it to reveal only its head and part of its body. Its breath was incomparably scorching, and every exhale tore web-like red cracks through the air.
The Giant Serpent looked down at Zhao Xuanzhen. Dark clouds like a volcanic eruption swirled in the depths of its scarlet pupils. The next moment, it slowly lowered its head and spoke in human language:
"Eight Deceitful God Soaring Serpent greets the Master of Qimen."
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