Determining the Timeline: Lin Hao's Bold Idea!

Rumble!

The thunderous roar of surging waves, like ten thousand horses galloping, filled Lin Hao's ears as he and Bo Saixi arrived at a valley recessed into Sea God Island.

Inside the valley, hundred-meter waves rose one after another, carrying the might of nature as they battered the surrounding rocks.

This was where the Tidal Body Tempering portion of the Sea God Trial took place, and where Lin Hao had tempered his body for the past year.

Bo Saixi raised a hand. Blue light spread across the valley, and the waves that had been raging to the heavens suddenly fell calm.

She pointed to the enormous pillar in the middle of the sea and spoke evenly.

"Deep Sea Silver. Take as much as you want from here."

The Sea God certainly has deep pockets. If I melt down these Deep Sea Silver pillars and extract their Silver Mother, how many Pear Blossom Rainstorm Needles could I make?

Killing every powerful fighter on Douluo Continent wouldn't be difficult, would it?

Lin Hao marveled inwardly. Though he had seen the pillars before, the Sea God's wealth still stunned him.

The Pear Blossom Rainstorm Needles ranked second among the Tang Sect's mechanical Hidden Weapons and had the greatest power to pierce a single target's defenses.

The only mechanical weapon ranked above them was the Buddha's Fury Tang Lotus, which could instantly kill dozens of Soul Saints and Soul Douluos from Spirit Hall in one strike.

Though the Pear Blossom Rainstorm Needles lacked the Buddha's Fury Tang Lotus's overall might, they surpassed it against a single target.

With Bo Saixi's help, Lin Hao knocked a section off a pillar. It weighed over a thousand jin, enough to refine the Silver Mother needed to make Pear Blossom Rainstorm Needles.

Once he had what he needed, Lin Hao returned to Sea Dragon City and entered a huge, bustling smithy.

The moment he stepped inside, a wave of heat swept over him, and the clang of hammering rang ceaselessly in his ears.

"Young Master!"

A burly man hurried forward when he saw Lin Hao.

This was Gray, Kyle's assistant and a Purple-Robed Soul Saint himself.

"Has Kyle returned?"

"Young Master, that fellow Kyle is upstairs."

Lin Hao nodded and followed Gray to the second floor, where it was much quieter.

They turned into a spacious room. Kyle was bent over something he was studying and did not notice their arrival at all.

"Kyle, the Young Master is here!"

Gray could not help calling out.

Kyle flinched instinctively. When he turned and saw Lin Hao, his eyes lit up with delight. He rose and came over, revealing the intricate components spread across the table.

"Young Master, you're finally here! Tell me how these fit together, and how they work!"

The items on the table were components of the Peacock Plume, ranked third among the Tang Sect's mechanical Hidden Weapons.

The finished Peacock Plume was a cylinder about a foot long, patterned with subtle peacock markings. When activated, however, it could fire 365 different Hidden Weapons, easily pierce a Soul Saint's Martial Soul Avatar, and wound a Titled Douluo.

Lin Hao stepped forward and inspected the components one by one.

Naturally, Kyle and Gray had not made all of them themselves. Lin Hao had personally crafted some of the harder-to-make parts.

After confirming that every component was sound, Lin Hao used the Mysterious Jade Hand and began assembling them one by one before Kyle and Gray.

With God King Tang San's legacy, Lin Hao handled Hidden Weapons with practiced ease. He soon finished assembling the Peacock Plume.

"Excellent! Excellent!"

When the completed Peacock Plume lay before them, Kyle and Gray could barely contain their excitement.

They gazed at it as though it were some rare treasure.

"Kyle, Gray, I've brought enough Deep Sea Silver this time. You can begin forging the Pear Blossom Rainstorm Needles."

"As you command, Young Master!"

Kyle and Gray nodded furiously, thrilled. What could appeal more to blacksmiths than crafting powerful weapons, one after another?

"Kyle, what did you learn about the matter I asked you to look into?"

After handing the Deep Sea Silver over to them, Lin Hao kept Kyle behind and asked him privately.

Since the Sea God Crossbow had become available, the Sea Soul Masters living beyond Sea God Island had felt a much stronger sense of belonging to the island. Trade between Sea God Island and fleets from Douluo Continent had also grown closer.

Lin Hao had previously told Kyle to gather intelligence on Douluo Continent so he could judge how events were unfolding.

"Young Master, nothing major has happened on Douluo Continent recently. There have been only two major events in the past ten years."

"First, the current Clear Sky Douluo, heir to the once-greatest sect under heaven, killed Spirit Hall's Supreme Pontiff. Spirit Hall then forced the Clear Sky Sect to seal its gates and withdraw from the world."

"Second, Spirit Hall's new Supreme Pontiff is a woman. She also built Spirit City, a new Soul Master Holy Land, at the border between the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire."

It seems Tang San and I aren't far apart in age.

Lin Hao nodded, drawing his conclusion from the information at hand.

"Keep gathering intelligence on Douluo Continent. I want to know the exact situation of every major faction and every city in both empires."

"If you need funds, go to the Sea Horse Sacred Pillar. He'll support you."

"As you command!"

Kyle cupped his hands excitedly. The peaceful life on Sea God Island was pleasant, but some people preferred a busier one.

Kyle was undoubtedly among the latter. Lin Hao had rekindled his desire to build something of his own.

With the timeline settled, Lin Hao's life returned to its usual rhythm.

He cultivated, guided Kyle and the others in making Tang Sect Hidden Weapons, and armed Sea God Island.

One day, Lin Hao finished his training with the Sea Witch, but instead of getting up, he sat there frowning in thought.

The Sea Witch noticed something was on his mind. She swam closer, bringing her upper body near him as she asked curiously,

"Let me see. Is something troubling my little Young Master?"

"How annoying. Lord Sea God won't let me read your thoughts, or I wouldn't have to ask."

Lin Hao looked up at the Sea Witch. "Sea Witch, Soul Beasts can cultivate from birth. Why do humans need Innate Soul Power to cultivate after awakening their Martial Souls?"

The Sea Witch froze. She had not expected Lin Hao to ask such a question.

Was that not something everyone had known for centuries?

Even so, she thought it over carefully, then frowned, blinked, and said innocently,

"I don't know!"

"Grandfather says my talent is exceptional, something seen only once in ten thousand years among the Mermaid Clan. I could cultivate from the moment I was born. But it's not just me—everyone in the Mermaid Clan can."

Lin Hao shook his head. He had no intention of discussing the question with the Sea Witch, who was a special case, half human and half beast.

A bold idea had recently taken root in his mind.

The Mysterious Heaven Skill could cultivate Soul Power from nothing. If everyone on Douluo Continent practiced it, would anyone still be unable to cultivate? Could everyone become a Soul Master?

Could everyone on Douluo Continent rise like dragons?