On the border of the Heaven Dou Empire, a snow-capped mountain range rose skyward.
The climate here was bitterly cold, the terrain steep, and the air filled with a biting chill.
This was where the Body Sect was based.
After several days of arduous travel, Ning Feng and his party finally reached the foot of the mountain.
The Body Sect's entrance was not as magnificent as Ning Feng had imagined. It was built from several enormous blocks of granite, without a single unnecessary embellishment, and gave off a rough, imposing air.
Two disciples in gray martial outfits stood before the gate, their hands clasped behind their backs and their gazes sharp as torches.
At that moment, Vina led Ning Feng forward.
When the gatekeeping disciples saw Vina, they immediately cupped their fists in greeting. "Your Highness, Princess."
Vina nodded, then pointed at Ning Feng behind her and said directly:
"This is a new disciple I recruited on my recent trip. His name is Ning Feng. Get acquainted with him. I'll take him to meet the Sect Master in a little while."
The two disciples had initially regarded Ning Feng with some indifference...
But as soon as they heard the words "new disciple," their gazes changed instantly.
A sense of kinship as fellow possessors of Body Martial Souls welled up between them.
Their attitude immediately warmed. One of them even came over and patted Ning Feng on the shoulder, smiling as he said, "So you're Junior Brother Ning Feng. Welcome to the Body Sect."
Ning Feng nodded slightly and returned the smile. "I'll be counting on you two senior brothers to look after me from now on."
They briefly introduced themselves to one another.
Only then did Ning Feng follow Vina onward.
Beyond the gate, the buildings still maintained that same simple, sturdy style.
Each structure had been built against the mountainside and reinforced using the mountain's natural shape, making them look impregnable.
Vina led Ning Feng through a maze of corridors until they finally arrived outside a grand hall.
"This is the Sect Master Hall,"
Vina said softly.
"The Sect Master is inside."
She took a deep breath, then informed the guards stationed outside the hall of their arrival.
Before long, the hall's heavy doors slowly swung open.
The hall's interior was spacious and dimly lit, but the thick stone pillars around it gave the place a majestic air.
At the center of the hall, a figure sat cross-legged.
He was a tall old man, his hair hanging loose around him. His eyes were half-closed, yet he still gave off an intense aura.
This was Du Busi, the current Sect Master of the Body Sect.
Sensing someone enter, Du Busi slowly opened his eyes.
He glanced at Vina, a hint of delight flashing in his eyes, then shifted his gaze to Ning Feng.
He rose to his feet with remarkable agility, showing none of the sluggishness one might expect from an old man.
Although Du Busi was the Sect Master, he made no attempt to put on airs. He strode up to Vina and asked in a gruff voice, "Is this the new disciple with a Body Martial Soul you told me about?"
Vina smiled and nodded, then began her introduction. "Sect Master, this is Ning Feng."
"He's the son of Ning Shan, the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. His Martial Soul underwent a mutation, giving it the characteristics of a Body Martial Soul. He came to the Heaven Dou Empire specifically to seek us out."
"His father originally wanted him to go to Shrek, but Ning Feng insisted on coming to our Body Sect."
Hearing this, Du Busi let out a hearty laugh. The sound made the stone pillars in the hall tremble slightly. "Good lad! You made the right choice! You've got good judgment! You were right not to seek out those useless people at Shrek!"
He was extremely pleased with Ning Feng's decision.
Then Du Busi asked Vina, "Since he has a Body Martial Soul, which part of his body is it?"
Vina smiled. "Sect Master, you can see for yourself."
Du Busi fixed his gaze on Ning Feng.
Ning Feng took a deep breath.
He knew this was the crucial moment.
So, without wasting any words, he triggered his Martial Soul with a thought. His Three Heads and Six Arms Martial Soul instantly activated.
As Soul Power surged, the muscles on either side of Ning Feng's shoulders bulged. Two brand-new heads pushed out from either side of his neck and opened their eyes.
Next, four arms extended from beneath his armpits. Including his original pair, six arms now hung at his sides.
???
Silence fell over the hall.
Even Du Busi, who had seen and heard it all, was stunned by the sight.
In all his years, he had seen every kind of Body Martial Soul.
There had been eyes, arms, legs, hearts, and even hair.
But this was the first time he had ever seen a Martial Soul like Ning Feng's, which gave him two extra heads and four extra arms.
You couldn't say it wasn't a Body Martial Soul—it had grown from flesh and blood, and was undeniably made up of actual body parts.
But if you called it a Body Martial Soul, then a normal human being with three heads and six arms completely defied the usual rules of biology.
Du Busi circled Ning Feng twice, clicking his tongue in amazement as he looked him over. "Unbelievable. Truly unbelievable. I've never seen a Martial Soul with a structure like this. But... these are certainly pure Body Martial Soul traits."
The more he looked, the more pleased he became. He nodded again and again. "Good. Excellent. Ning Feng, from today onward, you're a disciple of my Body Sect."
Ning Feng bowed. "Thank you, Sect Master."
"Don't thank me just yet." Du Busi waved a hand, his expression turning serious.
"Before you join the Body Sect, I need to tell you our rules."
"You only have one duty."
"Our Body Sect is the guardian of the Heaven Dou Empire. When the sect needs you to carry out a mission, you must go."
"If the empire needs you, you must step in."
"Other than that, the sect won't interfere in any of your personal affairs."
After finishing this, he continued, "As for the benefits, the Body Sect never treats its own disciples poorly."
"We'll provide you with the best Soul Beast meat for three meals a day. It's extremely important for strengthening your body."
"You'll also have guidance from high-ranking Soul Masters. We have plenty of Titled Douluo in the Body Sect. If you want, you can seek their guidance at any time."
"You can come to me or to the other elders. As long as we're free, we'll tell you everything we know."
"As for combat techniques, you can read and learn whatever you like in the Scripture Pavilion."
"Everything is there. If you can learn it, then it's yours."
"And then there's..."
"If you carry out enough missions, the Heavenly Soul Royal Family will reward you accordingly. Titles, money—it'll all be provided."
"The Body Sect has always paid you according to the work you do. We'll never send you to risk your life without compensation."
Ning Feng nodded inwardly.
These terms were very practical.
This was exactly the kind of efficient, straightforward environment with clearly defined rewards he wanted.
After finishing, Du Busi asked Ning Feng again, "You don't have any objections, do you?"
Ning Tian cupped her hands. "Greetings, Sect Master!"
Du Busi burst into laughter. "You're a quick one, aren't you?"
Then he looked at Vina. "Take him around first and help him get familiar with the sect. Arrange a place for him to stay, too."
Vina agreed and led Ning Feng out of the hall.
As they walked along the corridor toward the living quarters, Vina said to Ning Feng, "You heard what the Sect Master said. If you're interested in the combat techniques in the Scripture Pavilion, I can take you there now."
Ning Feng nodded. "That's exactly what I had in mind."
On the way to the Scripture Pavilion, they had to pass through the Body Sect's Martial Arts Arena.
The arena was enormous. Dozens of disciples were sparring there.
Their sparring was completely different from the practice sessions at ordinary academies. There were no flashy moves; every strike was aimed at an opponent's weak points, and the clashes were purely between physical strength and Soul Skills.
Ning Feng stopped and watched from the edge of the arena.
In the middle of the arena, one disciple's eyes gave off an eerie glow.
His opponent seemed dazed, his movements becoming slow and stiff.
"That's the 'Mental Distortion Field,'" Vina explained.
"He has an eye-based Martial Soul and disrupts his opponent's senses with mental waves. In the Body Sect's combat technique collection, it's considered an intermediate-level technique."
Ning Feng kept his eyes fixed on the disciple's movements. He felt that this was indeed far superior to Shrek's teaching methods. After all, based on what he knew about Shrek, they might be running laps around a field in iron clothes right now.
Elsewhere, another disciple was fighting his opponent.
His arm-based Martial Soul looked unremarkable, but the moment he charged, his normally proportioned arms stretched out like rubber, extending nearly two meters. Before his opponent could react, his fist had already slammed into the man's abdomen.
That ability to stretch completely changed the range and rhythm of his attacks.
Ning Feng watched, fascinated.
He realized that his previous fighting style had relied mainly on his explosive power and control over his strength. But the Body Sect's combat techniques seemed to have opened up a new way of thinking for him: how to maximize the special abilities of his Body Martial Soul's parts.
What if his six arms weren't just for increasing the number of strikes? What if each arm could be given a specialized ability, like the disciple's just now?
A flicker of excitement passed through Ning Feng's eyes.
"This is what the Body Sect is all about."
Every combat technique here was about exploring the limits of the human body, not simply releasing Soul Power.
It perfectly matched his own philosophy.
He felt sure he had come to the right place!
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