"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul is the number one support martial soul in the world, not something for you to use to surf the internet. Go cultivate properly." A white-haired man who looked about fifty-three walked over. Hearing his son's words, he immediately grew angry.
"Dad, where did you imprint the Network Card mark?" Ning Fengzhi asked timidly.
"On the tip of the pagoda, the most dazzling spot." The white-haired man wore a smug grin.
Ning Fengzhi: "..."
There were still many people who resisted having marks imprinted on their martial souls. A martial soul was the foundation of all a soul master's power. If it was imprinted there, could anyone guarantee that the God of the Network would not tamper with it? Just hearing the title Network God made it obvious something was fishy.
Yu Yuanzhen, the sect master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, had decreed that direct descendants of his clan were forbidden from imprinting Network Card marks. Anyone who did so would be expelled from the clan.
Nan Xuan was aware of these rumors. There were always people in the world who thought they were clever, who believed everything others did was meant to take advantage of them. Of course, there were benefits to be gained, but weren't they built on a foundation of equality and mutual profit?
Nan Xuan chose not to pay attention to them for now. Sooner or later, they would be begging him to imprint them.
Heaven Dou Empire, imperial capital.
The bold words "Network World Reality Service Portal" were written atop a building. Rather than being built in a crowded central district, it had been constructed in the suburbs according to Nan Xuan's suggestion.
After several years of development here, Chen Gao had gathered quite a few soul masters under him. He could be considered the CEO of a regional company.
What had once been an ordinary stretch of suburbs had become a plaza, a plaza belonging to his Network World.
"Viscount Jier, are you here to get a Network Card mark today too?"
"Yes, but I don't have Soul Power, so I can only choose a customized casing. You're not buying one of those wholesale versions, are you, Viscount Yang Xin?"
"Of course not. I'm even going to have them set a few gemstones into it."
"You make it sound like anyone cares about that little bit of Gold Soul Coin."
The two men, dressed extravagantly and impeccably groomed, began competing with each other in the plaza.
The Heaven Dou Empire's market had already been fully opened up. With its bold and unrestrained culture, the Star Luo Empire naturally would not fall behind.
"Brother, with so many orders, can Brother Xuan really handle them all?" Yang Tian looked at the tens of thousands of customization orders in his hands and asked worriedly.
"He should be able to. Last time, I heard him mention big data statistics, normalized Soul Skill activation, and automated production chains." Yang Fei repeated a string of terms Nan Xuan had used before. He did not understand them himself, but judging from the sound of it, the card-making work should not be a problem.
Over at Holy Soul Village, Nan Xuan used the Blue Silver Grass on the little hill opposite him. After modifying it, he began production.
Through the characteristics of his martial soul, he transmitted digitized information into specially cultivated Blue Silver Grass. Just like fruiting, it produced casings bearing the customers' imprinted patterns. As for gemstone settings and the like, those were rare. Nan Xuan only needed to use his spiritual power to control the Blue Silver Grass leaves.
Nan Xuan lay on the small hill with a blade of Blue Silver Grass between his lips, thinking of Bibi Dong.
"Dong'er has been gone for two weeks already. I wonder how she's doing. If that place weren't so tightly controlled by the Asura God, I would have opened the Network World over there long ago." The more Nan Xuan thought about that Asura God, the angrier he became. Why did he have to keep watching the lower realm when he had nothing better to do?
"In a few more months, that Blue Silver Emperor will be pregnant. When Qian Xunji goes to capture her, I should be able to find a way to get the Seed of Life and make the Blue Silver Emperor work for me." Watching the timeline unfold, Nan Xuan gave a sinister grin.
To make it easier to view his Soul Skills and level, Nan Xuan created a data template. At the same time, he gave this ability to the vast number of netizens for free.
"Name: Nan Xuan." "Martial Soul/Traits/Level: Wireless Router; Detection and Concealment, Spirit Amplification, Spatial Storage, Digitization, Materialization; Level 70, six-ringed Soul Emperor." "Spirit Rings/Soul Skills: First Soul Skill (430-year Ice Silkworm, yellow), Network Interconnection. Releases spiritual power outward in a circular radius centered on the user, connecting with others' minds to detect and extract information. Currently always active." "Second Soul Skill (800-year Blue Silver Grass, yellow), Data Coverage. Uses modified Blue Silver Grass carrying the caster's spiritual power, life force, and common traits as a medium to establish nodes and expand Network Interconnection coverage. Currently always active." "Third soul skill (2,000-year Space Meow, purple), Network Space. Creates a spiritual space through nodes established by Blue Silver Grass. Currently always active." "Fourth soul skill (5,500-year Seal Eagle, purple), Data Seal. Creates Seal Cards (Network Cards), seals spiritual power and Soul Power, verifies identity, and reinforces the spiritual space. Currently always active." "Fifth Soul Skill (12,000-year Sucking Demon Vine, black), Data Transmission. Extracts and transmits Soul Power and spiritual power from anyone through Network Cards. Currently always active." "Sixth Soul Skill (35,000-year Mirror Beast, black), Network Mirror. Mirrors and simulates extracted information, such as martial souls. Currently inactive." "External Soul Bone: Seal Wings (5,500-year Seal Eagle). Can deploy sealing arrays to seal Soul Power and spiritual power." "Note: Your first, second, third, and fifth Soul Skills each receive a 15% increase for every 10 levels of Soul Power gained. Your current increase is 85%. It is recommended that you obtain your seventh spirit ring soon to reach 100%."
Looking over his long list of Soul Skills, Nan Xuan saw that aside from his inactive Sixth Soul Skill, all the others were constantly active. If not for the fact that the Soul Power and spiritual power came from others, along with his Spirit Amplification trait, he would have been drained dry long ago.
"Once the Network Card skin casing design set event has fermented for a while longer, it'll be time for the next event. I wonder how many people still haven't forgotten their first love." Thinking of his ignorant youth in his previous life, when seeing someone pretty made him want to be with them, Nan Xuan felt rather embarrassed.
"In another year, I'll have to move the Network Card skin production base somewhere else. Otherwise, when Tang Hao comes, Little San won't have a hill to climb." Nan Xuan grinned. Some things were better kept low-key. Everyone who came out of Holy Soul Village was a big shot.
Meanwhile, the question of where a Network Card mark could be imprinted most discreetly was pushed to the top of the Network World's trending searches.
"One netizen commented: My martial soul is the Mighty Vajra Bear. Once I use Martial Soul Avatar, my whole body grows huge, so naturally I have to imprint it in the least noticeable place down below."
"Where's the most hidden place? Naturally, it's this old lady's bosom."
"..."
Nan Xuan could only say, he gave them the authority. They could stick it wherever they wanted. He was just scrolling through posts as usual.
In Slaughter City, Bibi Dong had already been there for over two months.
She had won thirty-eight matches in the Slaughter Hell Arena. Under normal circumstances, she could easily have fought one match a day. With the reserves of Soul Power and spiritual power Nan Xuan had left for her, she did not need to worry about excessive depletion. Furthermore, the mark had been carved onto her martial soul, preventing the corrosive effects of slaughter aura. She could practically walk sideways through the place.
However, Bibi Dong did not want to attract attention, especially from the King of Slaughter, so she chose to enter the Slaughter Hell Arena at random intervals.
"It's the Killing God. This is her thirty-ninth match. I wonder if she can keep it up. It would be a pity for a body like that to die." The speaker licked his lips greedily, his lewd eyes fixed on Bibi Dong.
Bibi Dong turned and glanced at him.
"Heh, heh, you're done for. Rumor has it that anyone the Killing God looks at will die, especially after you just lusted after her body. New here? Why not die by my hand instead? At least you can contribute a cup of Bloody Mary." The person beside him waved a hooked blade and approached him step by step.
"The Killing God? Hmph, she'd better behave herself." The King of Slaughter glanced down from the stage and spoke disdainfully.
Back in Holy Soul Village, Nan Xuan had released a new event. Its slogan was: "Does your first love, your goddess, or your dream man still belong to you?"
"Can't let them go? Can't forget them?"
"Then choose a Face-Nudging Event and create the person you love for yourself."
As soon as the advertisement was released, its clicks surpassed ten million.
"How many people are reminiscing about their youth?" Nan Xuan sighed as he watched the numbers continue to rise, reclining in an old rocking chair.
Nan Xuan suddenly remembered that Chen Gao and those two guys were still single, weren't they? Should he arrange a paper wife for them?
"Chen Gao, Chen Gao, do you want a wife? Say the word, and I'll arrange one for you immediately." Nan Xuan sent Chen Gao a message.
Chen Gao spent most of his time maintaining security in the Network World, so his reply came quickly.
"Thank you for thinking of me, Brother Xuan, but I don't need one. A few days ago, that girl from the Martial Soul Primary Soul Master Academy came to tour the Heaven Dou Empire, and we happened to run into each other. After graduating, she didn't choose to work at Spirit Hall and became a free agent instead, so I recruited her as my secretary." Chen Gao said with a grin.
"But don't worry, she doesn't know any core secrets, and I haven't told her anything." Afraid Nan Xuan would worry about confidentiality, Chen Gao hurriedly added.
"It's fine, I trust you. I was just here to deliver a wife, but it looks like you don't need one. Ask those other two for me and see whether they do." Nan Xuan had originally planned to customize a wife for him, but since Chen Gao did not need one, he could only look to the brothers.
"Uh, Brother Xuan, didn't they tell you? The two of them happened to meet a pair of twin sisters in the Star Luo Empire. They fell for each other, and then..." Chen Gao said awkwardly.
Nan Xuan was dumbfounded when he heard that. Every last one of them had kept it from him. Furious, he immediately entered the Network World.
The three sat in a Network World security patrol vehicle, chatting.
The Network World was recreated at a one-to-one scale with reality. Anyone inside could fly, but Nan Xuan had prohibited it. To go elsewhere, they had to take the Data Teleportation Array. Since it was free anyway, everyone accepted it. Besides, the place was filled with strange things unseen in the outside world. Who cared whether they could fly?
Suddenly, a figure appeared before the three of them, startling them badly. They hurriedly summoned their martial souls.
"What's this? You got into relationships and didn't tell me, fine. Now that I found out, you want to silence me?" Nan Xuan glared at the three with a dark expression.
Seeing that it was Nan Xuan, the three quickly put away their martial souls.
"Brother Xuan, it was you. I thought some fool had come looking to die." Yang Tian said with a fawning smile.
Nan Xuan's expression darkened even further. Looking to die? Good. Their guts had really grown.
Chen Gao hurriedly covered Yang Tian's mouth and said with a smile, "Brother Xuan, you have to hear our explanation."
"Yes, yes, Brother Xuan, hear us out," Yang Fei echoed guiltily.
With a casual wave, Nan Xuan created a chair and sat down. Smiling, he said, "Alright, go on. I'm listening."
"Brother Xuan, I only met her a few days ago, so I didn't have time to tell you." Chen Gao rushed to explain first.
After hearing him out, Nan Xuan turned his gaze to the Yang Fei brothers.
"Brother Xuan, you're usually too busy, so we didn't want to disturb you. We've only been dating for a little over two months." Yang Fei said with a miserable expression and lowered voice.
Yang Tian: "+1."
Nan Xuan: "..."
With a wave of Nan Xuan's hand, the three men's Soul Power vanished, and their martial souls disappeared. Nan Xuan clenched his fist and walked toward them.
A few minutes later, Nan Xuan returned to his chair and sat down. Looking at the three, he said, "Since you're so good at dating, give me an idea. How can we make this Face-Nudging Event popular again?"
Covering their faces, the three stammered, "We can hold a face-nudging competition, the kind where people have to do it on-site."
"Yes, yes. Face-nudging is free, but we can charge for clothes and things like that."
"I think we can also make a face-nudging ranking board. Of course, we can add some requirements for getting onto the rankings."
The three spoke one after another, giving their suggestions.
"Good. Then I'll let you organize this event. Yang Fei, you'll be responsible for matters in the Spirit City network zone. Since it's all within the Network World, no one there is your opponent anyway." Nan Xuan thought it was a decent idea, especially since there was room to operate in Spirit City.
"Understood." ×3
After the three settled the major details of the event, they set the competition date for one month after the Face-Nudging Event opened.
Before you continue