The Child with a Domain

At the moment, Ling Chen had to figure out how to obtain a Martial Soul Origin.

He had left a treasure trove like Slaughter City, and Chen Xin wouldn't let him leave the sect. Finding a corpse in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was practically an impossibility.

"Ah!"

Ling Chen pointed his index finger toward the sky, and a bold, utterly crazy idea popped into his head.

After returning to the sect, Chen Xin gave him a few instructions and then left. Ling Chen went to the sect's library and began searching through the books.

While the other disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect were hard at work studying the Distraction Control Method, Ling Chen was poring over one book after another about funerary customs.

Those books were ancient volumes that had been gathering dust in the corners of the shelves. When Ling Chen pulled them out, he stirred up clouds of dust all around him.

"Cough, cough, cough! Who's cleaning in here again? How's anyone supposed to cultivate with all this going on?"

A series of angry shouts rang out. Ling Chen didn't dare linger. He grabbed the books and left. With Ning Rongrong setting an example, the people in the sect had all begun working hard, too.

Ling Chen didn't want to be the one who stuck his neck out. Besides, he wouldn't be staying at the Seven Kill Sword Pavilion during this time.

If he wanted to grow stronger in a short time, and killing people or hunting Soul Beasts wasn't an option, then robbing tombs was another good choice.

Ling Chen was only going to loot the bodies. After all, even the bones of Soul Beasts in Slaughter City retained their Martial Soul Origins and Soul Rings. What about the ones in tombs?

Might they still contain traces of Martial Soul Origin, since they hadn't physically vanished? If the bones had already been ground to dust and scattered, Ling Chen wouldn't insist.

Of course, people would condemn him for it on moral grounds. Ling Chen couldn't do it himself. Chen Xin and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's reputation were at stake, and Ling Chen couldn't just run wild like he had in Slaughter City.

That was where the importance of his clone came in. He could leave the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's tombs alone and target the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's instead.

He wasn't famous enough for everyone to recognize him, so he didn't have to worry about getting caught doing something shady. He could just throw on a black cloak.

Still, before setting out, Ling Chen needed to do some proper research into the funerary customs of Douluo Continent.

Shrek Academy, Dean Flender's office.

Huo Wu and the others recounted their encounter with Ling Chen at the Great Soul Arena in Heaven Dou City. Flender, who had been leisurely counting his Gold Soul Coins, nearly fell out of his chair.

"Wait, say that again! What do you mean, a seven-year-old child with a domain? And he's Sword Douluo's disciple?"

"You're not trying to trick me, a doddering old dean with failing eyesight and hearing, so you can get out of competing at the Great Soul Arena, are you...?"

Flender went back to counting his Gold Soul Coins, clearly not taking Huo Wu and the others seriously.

Liu Erlong entered with a cup of tea. She'd overheard some of their conversation.

"Sword Douluo? He and Bone Douluo are guarding the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. If they were looking for a disciple, they wouldn't be in Heaven Dou City. And if they did show up there, they'd surely be with Sect Master Ning."

At Liu Erlong's words, Flender leaned back in his chair and began wagging his finger at them.

"See? Even us old fogies who never leave the academy know that. You tried to fob me off with such a despicable trick? I'm very disappointed!"

"Dean, we really aren't lying to you!"

Yu Tianxin tried to explain, but Flender wouldn't give him the chance.

"You think I don't know what you're up to? I went through the same stage you're at now. I'll have Zhao Wuji give you extra training later!"

The six of them looked at one another. They had no proof, and it was clearly impossible to convince Flender with words alone.

Just then, Yu Xiaogang came in. The six of them rushed over to him as if he were their lifeline.

"Uncle, please help us explain. We really aren't lying!"

Yu Tianxin grabbed Yu Xiaogang's arm, looking anxious.

"Tianxin, don't rush. Whatever it is, take your time and explain."

Yu Xiaogang had Yu Tianxin and the others sit down before listening to their story. Yu Tianxin recounted everything once more, adding even more detail in an attempt to change Flender's mind.

After hearing the outrageous story, Yu Xiaogang didn't rush to a conclusion. Instead, he turned to Feng Xiaotian and asked,

"How did you discover him? Why did you want to attack him?"

Feng Xiaotian thought it over for a moment, his expression grave.

"If he was following us, he must have had some ulterior motive. Grandmaster, if someone were following you, wouldn't you attack them? Besides, he was young and his tracking skills were mediocre. It was only natural that we noticed him."

Feng Xiaotian's reasoning sounded airtight, but Grandmaster remained calm.

"Did you ever consider what a child who had mastered a domain and had Sword Douluo backing him could possibly want from you?"

That question left everyone present stumped. The child had everything he needed. What could he want by following them? Huo Wu and the other girls' beauty?

Obviously not. Given Chen Xin's aloof nature, his disciple wouldn't follow them because of their looks. If anything, he'd stay farther and farther away from women.

"I don't know, but he seems to have started following me and Huo Wu at the Great Soul Arena in Suotuo. Could it have something to do with Huo Wu killing someone...?"

Feng Xiaotian didn't finish. He wasn't sure his guess was right.

"Never mind. Tell the others among the students to be on their guard, too. I'll ask Rongrong about it later. Then we should know what's going on."

"Understood, Grandmaster. We'll take our leave!"

Yu Tianxin and the others rose to leave. They were already quite satisfied with this outcome. It was clear from the conversation that Yu Xiaogang believed them.

Once they had left, Flender moved closer.

"I say, Xiaogang, do you really believe them about a seven-year-old child mastering a domain?"

Yu Xiaogang took a sip of tea and shook his head.

"I can't be sure either. They're monsters in their own right. They may not be as exceptional as Xiao San and the others, but they're still prodigies among their peers. There are very few people who could shock them like this."

Liu Erlong nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

"True. They've all reached the Soul King level by now. Even without domains, they'd have no rivals at the Great Soul Arena."

Flender chuckled. He believed that monsters existed, but he absolutely didn't believe in a monster like this.

"Come on. Aside from the Divine Slaughter's Domain, which you can acquire by traveling the Hell Road, can you think of any other way to obtain a domain? It's a power most Titled Douluo don't even possess!"

Yu Xiaogang said nothing. Without confirmation from Ning Rongrong, he wouldn't believe a monster like that existed either.

"Let's leave it at that for now. Once Xiao San and Rongrong get back, we can ask them whether it's true. If it is, we can only hope Sword Douluo is willing to part with his disciple."

Flender shrugged indifferently. His life was going quite smoothly, so this wouldn't affect him much.