Mastering the Scorpion Tail, Seven Luminaries Team

Three days later, Xiao Family training room.

Morning sunlight streamed through the high windows, casting mottled patterns of light across the floor. A faint scent of sandalwood lingered in the air, the remnant fragrance of specially made calming incense.

Xiao Cheng sat cross-legged in the center of the training room, his eyes lightly closed and his breathing long and steady.

After three days of rest and recovery, his spiritual strength had mostly recovered.

"Phew—"

He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air and opened his eyes.

"It's time."

With a thought, a cold, razor-sharp power stirred awake from the base of his spine like a sleeping venomous snake startled from its slumber. The power spread down along his spine before finally gathering at his tailbone—a dark purple, scorpion-tail-shaped spirit bone slowly emerged!

External Soul Bone—Dark Demon Scorpion Tail!

The scorpion tail was about one foot and two inches long, deep dark purple throughout, its surface covered in fine natural patterns like ancient runes. A chilly gleam flickered from the tail hook, as though it had been steeped in deadly poison. Once it fully appeared, the temperature in the training room seemed to drop by several degrees, and a faint aura of killing intent permeated the air.

"What powerful darkness elemental energy..." Xiao Cheng murmured. He could sense that the power contained within this spirit bone was far greater than it appeared on the surface. After all, it had come from a ten-thousand-year soul beast.

He tried to control the spirit bone with his mind.

At first, there was no response. The Scorpion Tail Spirit Bone was like an inanimate object, quietly attached to the end of his spine and utterly ignoring his commands.

"Hm? Not listening?" Xiao Cheng raised a brow and increased his spiritual output.

Finally, the Scorpion Tail Spirit Bone trembled slightly. Its hook slowly lifted, like a newly awakened scorpion tentatively moving its body. Yet the movement was incredibly stiff, like a puppet controlled by a novice—clumsy to the point of being laughable.

"Tch, looks like this thing has quite the personality." Xiao Cheng did not grow discouraged. He knew that External Soul Bones differed from ordinary spirit bones and required far more adjustment and adaptation before they could truly be controlled. He closed his eyes again, calmed himself, and repeatedly used his spiritual power to communicate with and tame this unruly spirit bone.

Time passed second by second.

The only sounds in the training room were Xiao Cheng's steady breathing and the occasional faint tremor of the Scorpion Tail Spirit Bone.

Finally—

"Whoosh!"

The dark purple scorpion tail shot out like a spirit serpent leaving its burrow, striking a testing target three meters away at an extremely tricky angle!

"Pfft!"

A soft sound rang out as a tiny but extremely deep hole appeared in the target. Threads of dark purple energy remained around the edge, slowly corroding the surrounding material.

"It worked!" Xiao Cheng was delighted, but he immediately frowned again.

Although that strike had succeeded, he could tell that his control over the spirit bone was still far from sufficient. His exertion of force was not smooth enough, the angle was not precise enough, and even the strike's speed was nowhere near the spirit bone's limit.

"I still need a lot more practice." Xiao Cheng muttered as he withdrew the Scorpion Tail Spirit Bone.

He could sense that this spirit bone had granted him at least two abilities. One was the scorpion tail's physical attack, which could serve as an unexpected close-range weapon. The other was the darkness energy and poison within the tail, which could inflict additional damage and weakening effects on enemies.

"Still, both abilities need plenty of real combat to refine them." Xiao Cheng clenched his fist. "And this spirit bone seems to be hiding even deeper abilities, but I can't activate them yet..."

Besides, Xiao Cheng felt that having a scorpion tail growing from his tailbone was not particularly cool. Strength was only temporary, but being cool was forever. Still, an External Soul Bone was essential equipment for any transmigrator. Without one, how could he even call himself a transmigrator to Douluo Continent?

But Xiao Cheng also remembered that Tang Buddha Ancestor's External Soul Bone, the Eight Spider Lances, had become the Sea God's Eight Wings when he ascended to godhood. Perhaps in the future, he could give the Dark Demon Scorpion Tail a cooler form as well.

With that thought, Xiao Cheng stopped dwelling on it. Just as he was about to continue training, someone knocked on the door.

"Cheng'er, come out for a moment. I need to talk to you." Xiao Ran's voice came from outside.

Xiao Cheng put away the Scorpion Tail Spirit Bone, straightened his clothes, and walked out of the training room.

In the living room, Xiao Ran sat on the sofa with a steaming cup of tea before him. Seeing Xiao Cheng emerge, he waved him over, signaling for his son to sit.

"Dad, what is it?" Xiao Cheng sat across from him and asked curiously. Xiao Ran rarely interrupted his training unless it was truly something important.

Xiao Ran lifted his teacup, took a light sip, then slowly said, "Cheng'er, what do you think of Tower Master Qiangu?"

Xiao Cheng froze for a moment, not expecting his father to suddenly ask such a question. After thinking it over, he answered honestly, "Tower Master Qiangu... in my opinion, he's a very capable leader of Spirit Pagoda. He handles matters flawlessly and is skilled at making use of the resources in his hands. While he does favor his own family to some extent, that's only human nature, and he has not been excessively biased. Overall, he is still able to treat people fairly."

That was indeed the truth. Xiao Cheng refused to believe that Spirit Pagoda had developed so well by the beginning of the original story solely because of the petty Qiangu Dongfeng and the love-addled Leng Yaozhu. Qiangu Dieting must have laid a solid foundation during his tenure.

Moreover, Qiangu Dieting had yet to be defeated by Yun Ming, a member of the younger generation, and suffer damage to his state of mind. He was currently in a driven, upward-looking phase, as ambitious and fearless as the prime emperors in certain novels from Xiao Cheng's memories of his first life. He could still be considered a good leader.

"Not bad." Xiao Ran nodded approvingly. "The fact that you can see that means you are no longer thinking like a child. You are looking at matters from the perspective of Spirit Pagoda's upper ranks."

He set down his teacup, his expression turning solemn. "A few days ago, Tower Master Qiangu spoke with me. He said that he intends to form a seven-person team belonging to Spirit Pagoda, with the goal of surpassing Shrek Academy and Tang Sect at the All-Federation Youth Soul Master Competition seven years from now."

"A seven-person team?" Xiao Cheng was slightly startled, then immediately understood. "Sister Yaozhu and the others, along with me..."

"That's right." Xiao Ran nodded. "You, the two girls from the Leng Family, and the two boys from the Qiangu Family are all on the list. Tower Master Qiangu thinks very highly of the five of you and believes you have the potential to become the leading figures of Spirit Pagoda's new generation."

Xiao Cheng fell into thought. Perhaps Qiangu Dieting had made a similar plan in the original timeline, only to have Shrek produce someone like Yun Ming. In the end, Spirit Pagoda suffered a crushing defeat, and its prestige was instead thoroughly eclipsed by Shrek and Tang Sect.

"Who are the other two?" Xiao Cheng asked.

"Tower Master Qiangu has already chosen the other two candidates." Xiao Ran said, "One is Zhang Geyang, the son of Spirit Pagoda's other vice tower master—Zhang Hongwen, the rank-98 Nether Flame Douluo. His martial soul is the Nether Flame Beast. He is the same age as Qiangu Dongfeng and Leng Yaozhu, and his cultivation has already reached rank 23."

"Zhang Geyang?" Xiao Cheng was somewhat surprised. He had not expected Zhang Geyang to be involved. In the original story, this man became one of Spirit Pagoda's two vice tower masters and the chief person in charge of the Spirit Pagoda Star Luo Branch. Worth mentioning was that in the future, he tricked a ten-thousand-year Thunderclap Hell Vine soul spirit into submitting to him, promising to help it break through to one hundred thousand years before going back on his word. In the end, Tang Fifty dealt with him.

The Zhang Family of the Nether Flame Beast ranked among Spirit Pagoda's top three families in strength, second only to the Qiangu Family of the Coiling Dragon Staff and the Leng Family of the Heavenly Phoenix. Zhang Geyang had been carefully groomed by the Zhang Family since childhood and received enormous resources, so this level of cultivation was not surprising.

Xiao Cheng nodded and continued asking, "What about the other one?"

"The other is called Xia Zhengleng. Her martial soul is the Cold Rhyme Zither, and she is also one year older than you." Xiao Ran said. "She comes from a family affiliated with Spirit Pagoda. While her family is not among the strongest, its background is sound. She has considerable talent and a calm personality, making her suited to serve as the team's support and control member."

After hearing that, Xiao Cheng had a general picture in mind.

This seven-person team's lineup could be called exceptionally luxurious. The Qiangu Brothers would handle frontal assaults, the Leng sisters would provide ranged firepower and aerial support, Zhang Geyang would likely be an assault-type as well, and Xia Zhengleng would handle support and control. As for him... he could use the unpredictable flexibility of his space and wind attributes to catch enemies off guard, acting as the team's spearhead and surprise weapon. If necessary, he could rely on his Body Martial Soul and powerful physical strength to temporarily serve as an assault fighter. He was capable of both assault and agility combat.

"Dad, when will this team begin centralized training?" Xiao Cheng asked.

"At the beginning of next month, Spirit Pagoda will devise a specialized training program for the seven of you." Xiao Ran said. "By then, dedicated instructors will guide you in Soul Power cultivation, practical coordination, tactical drills, and more. The seven of you will be trained as a single unit."

He paused, and his tone became meaningful. "Tower Master Qiangu has high hopes for this plan. He hopes that the seven of you will become Spirit Pagoda's future Seven Luminaries—seven rising stars illuminating the entire Douluo Continent."

"Seven Luminaries..." Xiao Cheng repeated softly. A surge of heroic ambition rose within him for no apparent reason. He knew that the Seven Luminaries Team would most likely face Shrek Academy and Tang Sect in the future.

Seven years later, the All-Federation Youth Soul Master Competition.

Shrek Academy, Tang Sect, Spirit Pagoda, War God Temple.

Geniuses from all the major factions would gather together to compete for the highest honor.

And he, Xiao Cheng, would stand on that stage and compete with geniuses from all over!

"I understand, Dad." Xiao Cheng looked up, determination gleaming in his eyes. "I won't let you down."

Xiao Ran looked at his son's fighting spirit-filled eyes and smiled with satisfaction.

He patted Xiao Cheng on the shoulder and said, "I believe in you. However, before the centralized training begins, there is something even more important you need to do."

"What is it?"

"Completely master that Scorpion Tail Spirit Bone." Xiao Ran's gaze sharpened. "An External Soul Bone has tremendous potential, but if you cannot fully control it, it will instead become a burden. Over the next half month, I will personally train with you and help you become familiar with this spirit bone as quickly as possible."

Warmth filled Xiao Cheng's heart, and he nodded firmly. "All right!"

Half a month later.

Spirit Pagoda headquarters, inside a spacious training room.

Seven figures stood apart from one another.

Xiao Cheng stood on the left, with Leng Yaozhu and Leng Yulai beside him. Across from them, Qiangu Qingfeng and Qiangu Dongfeng still wore their respective expressions of keeping strangers at a distance and humble courtesy. In the center stood two unfamiliar faces.

One was a youth who looked about the same age as Qiangu Dongfeng. He was tall and upright, with bright, piercing eyes that carried an air of fierceness. Faint ghostly blue flames curled around his body, radiating a cold and dangerous aura—he was Zhang Geyang, whose martial soul was the Nether Flame Beast. He stood somewhat closer to Qiangu Dongfeng.

The other was a girl slightly taller than Xiao Cheng, with delicate features and a gentle temperament. Her pale hands were slender and long, as though they had been made to play the zither. She wore a light blue long dress and stood quietly there like an orchid blooming in silence—she was Xia Zhengleng, whose martial soul was the Cold Rhyme Zither. She stood somewhat closer to Qiangu Qingfeng.

All seven had gathered. The Spirit Pagoda Seven Luminaries Team had officially assembled!