Qian Daoliu

A month later, the soul power assessor in charge of records stood in the Papal Hall with a ledger in his hands, which trembled slightly.

"Your Holiness, the thirty members of the Elite Camp exceeded the planned average soul power increase by forty percent."

"Six of them broke through their current bottlenecks."

"Nine showed a noticeable improvement in soul power recovery speed."

"Eleven increased their combat endurance and physical tolerance by over thirty percent."

Bibi Dong flipped through the records.

Every person's soul power changes, physical data, number of soul skill releases, and injury recovery speed had all been clearly documented.

Martial God Body Refinement Art hadn't allowed anyone to ascend to the heavens in a single step.

But it had loosened the shackles of those who had been stuck, solidified formerly unstable soul power, and made many young soul masters understand for the first time that cultivation wasn't just sitting down to meditate.

Su Chen sat beside them, eating fruit.

"The data's correct, right?"

The assessor immediately lowered his head.

"This subordinate checked it repeatedly. There is absolutely no mistake."

Yue Guan held his orchid fingers up and smiled brightly.

"Your Highness, you've made those little brats in the Elite Camp completely obedient."

"I didn't make them do anything."

"They wanted to train themselves."

Hu Liena sat nearby and gave a soft snort.

"Who would dare say they don't want to now?"

Yue Guan blinked.

"Oh?"

Hu Liena took out a sheet of paper from her robes.

It was an application jointly written by all thirty members of the Elite Camp.

Its contents were simple.

They hoped the Martial God Body Refinement Art would continue to be promoted.

They hoped the Holy Son would teach them regularly.

They hoped young soul masters from Spirit Hall's other branch halls could also learn this method.

Every one of them had left a handprint.

Zhao Yan's handprint was the largest, and the ink had smeared across a whole patch.

Bibi Dong looked at the paper and fell silent for a moment.

"Su Chen."

"Teacher."

"How do you want to arrange this?"

Su Chen thought for a moment.

"The Elite Camp will keep training."

"First, choose ten of the best performers and have them help teach."

"They won't teach the art itself. They'll teach the rules."

"What rules?"

"First, no keeping it to yourselves."

"Second, no using the art to harm others."

"Third, ask if you don't understand. Don't force yourself to practice."

"Fourth, as long as grassroots soul masters under Spirit Hall are willing to learn, they should all have the chance."

The smile on Yue Guan's face faded slightly.

"Your Highness, then the ones benefiting won't just be the Elite Camp."

"It was never supposed to be only for the Elite Camp."

Su Chen looked at Bibi Dong.

"Teacher, what Spirit Hall lacks most isn't a few more geniuses."

"No matter how many geniuses there are, they can't support such a massive foundation."

"The people truly holding Spirit Hall up are the deacons of every branch hall, those who risk their lives while hunting soul beasts, and those who awakened ordinary martial souls yet still grit their teeth and keep moving forward."

"As long as they have a path forward, Spirit Hall will have roots."

Bibi Dong held the joint application, and a faint change passed through her eyes.

"Convey my order."

Yue Guan and the red-robed deacon bowed at once.

"Starting today, the Martial God Hall will be established in the Elite Camp."

"Su Chen will serve as chief instructor."

"The Martial God Body Refinement Art will first be tested in the academies and training camps under Wuhun City."

"Records will be compiled monthly and revised as needed."

"No one may alter it without authorization or use it for personal gain."

"Those who violate this order will be dealt with according to Hall regulations."

"Yes!"

When the news reached the Elite Camp, all thirty young soul masters erupted in excitement.

Zhao Yan held the notice and read it several times.

"Martial God Hall?"

Lin Shuang stood beside him with a short blade in her arms.

"What, not satisfied?"

"No."

Zhao Yan scratched his head.

"I used to think the Holy Son was far away from us."

"The Pope's direct disciple, Spirit Hall's Holy Son—someone born to stand in the heavens."

"And now?"

Zhao Yan looked toward the center of the training ground.

Thirty worn wooden posts stood there, along with the footprints left behind by countless people training.

"Now I think the Holy Son really wants us to become stronger."

Xu An held Azure Lamp and spoke quietly.

"My mother used to say that if an ordinary person awakened an ordinary martial soul, getting into Spirit Hall and receiving a stipend was already good enough."

"But now, I think I might be able to go farther too."

Zhao Yan patted Xu An on the shoulder.

"Then train hard."

"Next time someone says the Azure Lamp martial soul is useless, restore their soul power a few more times and see if their face hurts."

Xu An smiled.

"Mm."

Hall of Consecrated Elders.

Within the golden hall, a white-haired elder sat in the seat of honor.

A report delivered by the Hall of Consecrated Elders' spies lay at Qian Daoliu's side.

The report wasn't long.

The first half recorded the results of Su Chen's self-created Body Refining Art after a month of testing in the Elite Camp.

The latter half stated that Bibi Dong had ordered the establishment of Martial God Hall and was preparing to promote it among Spirit Hall's grassroots members.

Golden Crocodile Douluo stood below, his expression somewhat complicated.

"Big Brother, can a method written by a six-year-old child really have such a great effect?"

Qian Daoliu didn't answer immediately.

"Have the Elite Camp's records been checked?"

"They have."

"Is there any sign that the Papal Hall falsified them?"

"None."

Golden Crocodile Douluo fell silent.

Qian Daoliu turned to the last page.

A single sentence was written there.

"Soul power shouldn't merely be stockpiled within the body, and a soul master's strength shouldn't be judged solely by innate talent."

The sentence was ordinary.

Yet it made Qian Daoliu recall how the child had stood perfectly straight beneath the Hall of Consecrated Elders' pressure not long ago.

Enduring that pressure could be called talent.

Creating his own cultivation art could be called insight.

But now, Su Chen hadn't hidden his ability away, nor had he used it solely to cultivate the Papal Hall's loyalists.

Instead, he wanted even the most ordinary soul masters to have a path upward.

That intent was more worthy of caution than a cultivation art.

And more worthy of attention.

Golden Crocodile Douluo asked in a low voice.

"Big Brother, should we suppress it?"

Qian Daoliu raised his eyes.

"Suppress what?"

"The Papal Hall is using Martial God Hall to win people's hearts. The Holy Son's reputation rises every day. If this continues, I'm afraid no one will be willing to listen to the Hall of Consecrated Elders anymore."

Qian Daoliu was silent for a long time.

"If this method can truly make Spirit Hall stronger, suppressing it means suppressing Spirit Hall's future."

Golden Crocodile Douluo's expression changed slightly.

"Big Brother means..."

"Send word to the Papal Hall."

Qian Daoliu set the report down.

"Have Su Chen come to the Hall of Consecrated Elders tomorrow."

The next day.

"Teacher, the Hall of Consecrated Elders is looking for me?"

Su Chen stood beneath the Papal Hall's steps, holding a plate of freshly cut fruit.

Bibi Dong sat above, reviewing Martial God Hall's monthly summary records.

Golden Crocodile Douluo had personally come to relay the message just now. His attitude had been polite, but the meaning was clear: the Grand Consecrator wanted to see him.

"Qian Daoliu sent word for you to go over today."

"Because of Martial God Hall?"

"Martial God Hall has been in operation for a month. Everyone in the Elite Camp is completely devoted to you, and even the deacons from Wuhun City's branch halls have been asking about the cultivation art these past few days. You created a cultivation art and won people's hearts. Naturally, the Hall of Consecrated Elders can't sit still."

Su Chen picked up a piece of fruit.

"Practicing the art gives people a few more chances to survive. If everyone thinks it's good, they can't blame me for that."

Bibi Dong looked at him.

"Qian Daoliu is a Peerless Douluo. No one can match his status in Spirit Hall, and his temper is nothing like Yue Guan's or Gui Mei's. When you reach the Hall of Consecrated Elders, put away that attitude of not caring about anything."

"I'll try."

Su Chen set the plate on the table beside him.

"Save some meat for lunch. I'll be back soon."

Bibi Dong didn't reply, merely giving a light wave of her hand.

Hu Liena happened to walk in just as Su Chen headed out, and she couldn't help asking.

"Where are you going? Didn't you say you'd guide my spiritual control this afternoon?"

"I'm going to the Hall of Consecrated Elders."

"The Hall of Consecrated Elders?"

Hu Liena's expression changed slightly.

"The Grand Consecrator wants to see you? Should Teacher go with you?"

"No need."

Su Chen waved his hand.

"I'm just paying a visit. I'll be back in no time."

Watching Su Chen's receding figure, Hu Liena turned to Bibi Dong.

"Teacher, the Grand Consecrator won't attack Su Chen, will he?"

"Qian Daoliu values his status too much to lower himself to attack a six-year-old child. At most, he'll give him a warning."

Bibi Dong's gaze sharpened slightly.

"That depends on whether Su Chen can withstand that warning."

Hall of Consecrated Elders.

The hall doors stood wide open.

There were no guards, nor were there any other consecrated elders.

Su Chen stepped across the threshold.

At the far end of the great hall, seated upon the foremost steps, was only a white-haired old man.

Qian Daoliu.

Su Chen didn't bow. He merely stopped beneath the steps and sized the other man up.

Qian Daoliu likewise examined Su Chen.

After a long while, Qian Daoliu finally spoke.

"Why do you not bow upon seeing this old man?"