Planning for the White Armored Earth Dragon

Jin Yan stepped onto a carpet of Ten Thousand Year Snow Bear hide. Before his table, several slender maids brought over platter after platter of exquisite dishes.

Thousand Year Snow Toad, Thousand Year Dragon Carp, and honey from the Ten Thousand Year Heavenly Spirit Bee.

When it came to taste, Jin Yan had never shortchanged himself.

Golden Crocodile rarely returned home, so Jin Yan did not wait for him. He merely had Uncle Zhang go to Worship Hall to notify his grandfather that he wished to see him, then began eating on his own.

While Jin Yan was having dinner, servants had already prepared his medicinal bath. By the time he finished, the water temperature was just right.

Jin Yan did not take medicinal baths every day, usually only once a week. He often consumed Whale Rubber, and given his physical constitution, ordinary medicinal baths did little to improve his body. On the contrary, accumulated medicinal residue could even harm him.

After dinner, attended by several maids, Jin Yan crossed the Ten Thousand Year Snow Bear hide carpet and passed through a long corridor to his private bathroom.

Two maids were inside adjusting the water temperature. Upon seeing Jin Yan arrive, one of them hurried forward with light steps and gently removed his somewhat damaged and soiled golden robe from the battle.

The other maid brought over a bath towel and draped it over Jin Yan.

A few years ago, Jin Yan had still felt somewhat uncomfortable with such meticulous care. But as the saying went, it was easy to go from frugality to luxury. After several years, he had peacefully begun enjoying this life of decadent nobility, much like in his previous life.

With the two maids attending him, Jin Yan lowered himself stiffly into the tub. The fragrant emerald-green medicinal liquid submerged his entire body, leaving only the area above his shoulders exposed.

The two maids knelt beside the tub. One gently massaged Jin Yan's shoulders, while the other brought over various flower-fruit pastries and drinks, slowly feeding them to his lips.

Though he enjoyed their gentle service, Jin Yan's thoughts had already drifted far away.

In the great war Spirit Hall would launch in the future, all of the Lower Four Sects would stand on Spirit Hall's side. Whether Jin Yan recruited them or not, they would become Spirit Hall's vassals in the future. But the relationship between the Pope's Palace and Worship Hall was currently delicate. Since Jin Yan had decided to contend for influence within Spirit Hall, he could not allow the Lower Four Sects to defect to Bibi Dong's side.

Since he had encountered people from the White Armored Earth Dragon Sect today, Jin Yan decided to strike first and at least bring this sect under his command.

The White Armored Earth Dragon Sect was not weak. Its sect master had already reached level eighty-nine, but was unable to break through due to limited talent. They also had several Spirit Douluo-level consecrated elders. Their overall strength was already considerable across the continent.

What Jin Yan valued most was Tuoba Ye's talent. He possessed innate level-nine Soul Power and the mutated White Armored Sacred Dragon martial soul. At thirteen, he had already reached level thirty-two, and when fighting at full strength, he could even exchange a few moves with a Soul Ancestor. Such talent was no worse than that of the Golden Generation.

With his talent, if someone could plan his cultivation path and provide him with a renowned teacher, he might even have a chance of breaking through to level ninety-seven or ninety-eight.

Only when the water in the bath had turned clear did Jin Yan emerge, allowing the two maids to dry him and help him change clothes.

By the time he arrived in the sitting room, Uncle Zhang had already returned from Worship Mountain. He stepped forward and said, "Young Master, the old master has returned and is waiting for you in the study."

"Alright, Uncle Zhang."

In the study, misty steam drifted from the teacup. Golden Crocodile sat behind the desk, deep in thought. After hearing Jin Yan's plan, he had remained in that posture.

A wisp of smoke curled up from the burning sandalwood incense, drifting gracefully throughout the room.

Golden Crocodile leaned back in his reclining chair, his right index finger rhythmically tapping the armrest.

He understood his grandson's thoughts. Or rather, ever since awakening his martial soul, Jin Yan had never concealed his ambitions. Whether it was subduing Li Kai and the others or recruiting Spirit Hall's Titled Douluo, Jin Yan's intentions had always been plainly displayed before Golden Crocodile.

But now Jin Yan's hand was reaching beyond Spirit Hall itself, forcing Golden Crocodile to consider the matter deeply. It seemed his grandson had even more far-reaching plans.

After a long while, Golden Crocodile finally made up his mind.

"Very well. I'll handle this matter. I truly have no idea what goes on in that brat's head!"

In the end, Golden Crocodile agreed.

Jin Yan breathed a sigh of relief. He had truly worried that Golden Crocodile would refuse.

He could not help it. Although he had recruited several Titled Douluo from the Elder Hall, they had merely given him verbal support. Without sufficient benefits, it was impossible to command them.

As for the consecrated elders, he could not ask them to act every time something happened.

Since he had no Titled powerhouse at his disposal, Jin Yan simply decided to create one himself.

Things went smoothly. After Golden Crocodile discussed it with several consecrated elders, Qian Daoliu readily agreed.

In Qian Daoliu's eyes, Jin Yan already counted as one of their own. As Qian Daoliu's son-in-law, what was wrong with having a power base of his own? In the end, it would still belong to Spirit Hall.

Golden Crocodile and the others did not need to act personally. Jin Yan merely had Tuoba Ye bring his elder to Jin Mansion, where he casually mentioned his intentions in passing, yet made them believe it was Golden Crocodile Douluo's idea.

Then, the next day, the clan leader of the White Armored Earth Dragon Clan personally came to visit.

"Younger Tuoba Xi pays respects to Your Eminence Golden Crocodile.

Greetings, Young Master Yan."

Though Tuoba Xi was not as towering as those from the Elephant Armored Sect, he was still exceptionally burly. Yet he knew perfectly well what kind of strength the man before him possessed, so he immediately lowered his own status, even placing himself beneath Jin Yan.

This left Golden Crocodile and Jin Yan somewhat stunned. They had planned to give him a warning or two after he arrived, yet they had not expected him to be so tactful.

How could they have known that Tuoba Xi had still carried a trace of pride when he entered? Although he intended to submit to Golden Crocodile Douluo, he was still a peak Spirit Douluo. At the very least, his treatment could not be too poor. But when he arrived and saw Zhang Yan, half his heart turned cold.

The Soul Power fluctuations within Zhang Yan's body felt no weaker than his own. That was why he had lowered his position.

Even the butler at their door possessed Soul Power comparable to his own. Did they truly lack the assistance of a Spirit Douluo like him? They merely valued the White Armored Earth Dragon Sect's status on the continent.

He had thought Golden Crocodile would be the one to speak with him, but unexpectedly, it was Jin Yan, a youth about the same age as his grandson, who opened his mouth.

Jin Yan directly threw out a fatal temptation for him.

"Senior Tuoba, do you wish to break through to Titled Douluo?"

Tuoba Xi's eyes abruptly widened. He truly had not expected Jin Yan to say such a thing.