Domain Child

Right now, Ling Chen had to consider how to obtain the Martial Soul Origin.

Having left a treasure trove like Slaughter City, and with Chen Xin forbidding him from leaving the sect, trying to find a corpse within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was nothing short of a pipe dream.

"Aha!"

Ling Chen pointed his index finger toward the sky as a bold and extremely insane idea popped into his head.

After returning to the sect, Chen Xin gave him a few words of instruction before leaving. Ling Chen, meanwhile, headed to the sect's library to rummage through the books.

While the other disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect were painstakingly studying the Distraction Control Method, Ling Chen was busy reading one book after another concerning funeral rites.

These were ancient texts that had been sealed away in the corners of the bookshelves, and the area became a cloud of dust and grime the moment Ling Chen pulled them out.

"Cough, cough, cough! Who is cleaning in here again? Are people not allowed to cultivate anymore!"

A series of angry curses rang out, and Ling Chen dared not linger, grabbing the books and fleeing the scene. Now that they were being spurred on by Ning Rongrong, the people in the sect had begun to work diligently.

Ling Chen did not want to be the nail that stuck out, and he had no intention of staying in the Seven Kill Sword Pavilion for this period of time.

If he wanted to improve his strength in a short time without killing people or hunting Soul Beasts, then grave robbing was actually a decent choice.

Ling Chen was only going to "touch" the corpses; after all, in Slaughter City, even the skeleton of a Soul Beast retained its Martial Soul Origin and Soul Ring, so why not those in a graveyard?

Perhaps they still held residual Martial Soul Origin, as they hadn't physically vanished yet. If it were the type whose ashes had already been scattered, Ling Chen wouldn't force it.

However, this would be condemned on moral and ethical grounds, and Ling Chen could not do it himself. With Chen Xin and the reputation of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect at stake, Ling Chen couldn't act recklessly as he had in Slaughter City.

This was where the importance of a clone came in; he could leave the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's graveyard alone, but he could target the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's.

He wasn't famous enough to be known by everyone yet, so he didn't need to panic about doing such shady things—just throwing on a black robe would suffice.

Still, before taking action, Ling Chen needed to properly study the funeral customs and the like of this Douluo Continent.

Shrek Academy, Dean Flender's office.

The six members of Huo Wu recounted their encounter with Ling Chen at the Great Soul Arena in Heaven Dou City, and Flender, who had been happily counting his Gold Soul Coins, suddenly couldn't sit still.

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

"Don't tell me you lot just didn't want to fight in the Great Soul Arena and teamed up to swindle this old, dim-sighted, and hard-of-hearing dean..."

Flender continued counting his Gold Soul Coins, not taking what Huo Wu and the others said to heart at all.

Liu Erlong walked in carrying tea at this moment, having heard some of their conversation just now.

"Sword Douluo? He and Bone Douluo are both guarding the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Never mind looking for disciples, if they were to appear in Heaven Dou City, they should be with Sect Master Ning."

As soon as Liu Erlong said this, Flender leaned back in his chair and began to gesture dismissively.

"See? Even us old fogeys who don't leave the academy know that. To think you would use such a pathetic method to try and fob me off—it's truly disappointing!"

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

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

"Do I not know your little schemes? I at least walked through your stage of life once, too. Zhao Wuji will give you all some extra training later!"

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

As it happened, Yu Xiaogang walked in, and the six of them swarmed toward him as if he were a life-saving straw.

"Uncle, come help us out, we really aren't lying!"

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

"Tianxin, don't be in such a rush! Tell me slowly whatever is the matter."

Yu Xiaogang had Yu Tianxin and the others take a seat before he began to listen intently. Yu Tianxin recounted the events once more, even refining some details in an attempt to change Flender's attitude.

After hearing this absurd story, Yu Xiaogang did not rush to a conclusion, but instead asked Feng Xiaotian.

"How did you discover him? Why did you want to make a move on him?"

Feng Xiaotian pondered for a moment, his expression serious.

"Since he was following us, he must have had ulterior motives. Master, if you were being followed, wouldn't you make a move on that person? Besides, he isn't old, and his tracking methods were mediocre; it was only natural to discover him."

Feng Xiaotian spoke with sound logic, but the Master remained calm.

"Then have you considered what a child who has mastered a domain and has the backing of Sword Douluo would be plotting against you for?"

This question stumped everyone present. As a child, he lacked nothing; what could he be plotting by following them? Huo Wu's beauty?

That was clearly impossible. Given Chen Xin's aloof character, his disciple naturally wouldn't track them for the sake of beauty; on the contrary, he would likely stay further and further away from women.

"I don't know, but it seems he started following Huo Wu and me at the Suotuo Great Soul Arena. Could it be because Huo Wu killed someone..."

Feng Xiaotian didn't continue, as he couldn't be certain of such a guess.

"No matter. Tell the people in the academy to be careful as well. I'll ask Rongrong later and should know what the situation is."

"Alright, Master, then we shall take our leave!"

Yu Tianxin and the others rose to leave. They were already satisfied with this result; the conversation just now made it clear that Yu Xiaogang believed them.

Once they had left, Flender leaned in a little closer.

"Tell me, Xiaogang, do you really believe them when they say there's a seven-year-old who has mastered a domain?"

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

"I cannot guarantee this either; they can be considered monsters in their own right. Although they don't compare to Xiao San and the others, they are still prodigies among their peers. Figures capable of shocking them are few and far between."

Liu Erlong nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

"True, they have all reached the level of Soul King now. Even without a domain, they have no rivals in the Great Soul Arena."

Flender chuckled; he believed in monsters, but he certainly did not believe in monsters of that caliber.

"Give it a rest. Aside from the Slaughter God's Domain which can be obtained through the Hell Road, can you find any other way to acquire a domain? This is a power that even most Title Douluo do not possess!"

Yu Xiaogang remained silent. Without a definitive answer from Ning Rongrong, he also refused to believe such a monster could exist.

"Let's leave it at this for now. Once Xiao San and Rongrong return, we will know the truth with a single question. If it is real, I only hope Sword Douluo can bear to part with his treasure."

Flender shrugged nonchalantly. He was living quite comfortably, so this had little impact on him.