"Yay!"
Hearing that she could learn the latest version of the internal cultivation method she had always wanted, Xiao Wu cheered and bounced with delight.
Dugu Yan was only fourteen, yet she was already a Level 39 Soul Master. Xiao Wu was younger, but her soul power was only at Level 17.
And that was with the boost from the original Basic Cultivation Method.
She had none of the newer versions Gu Ping'an had developed afterward.
The original Basic Cultivation Method was estimated to increase cultivation speed by ten percent.
Dugu Yan had told her that the latest cultivation method increased cultivation speed by forty percent.
That was almost a fifty-percent boost.
"Come on! I'll teach you the latest cultivation method."
Gu Ping'an led Xiao Wu toward the Cultivation Cottage where he cultivated every day.
Then he casually created a few clones to carry out their daily research.
Over the past year, the most refined result had been the cultivation method he had developed by improving Yu Xiaogang's flawed Meditation Method.
Aside from that, there was a technique that directed soul power through the meridians in the legs to provide a modest increase in speed.
It felt considerably inferior to both Tang San's Mysterious Heaven Skill and Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track.
In about half an hour, Gu Ping'an explained all the meridians used by the latest cultivation method and every precaution to Xiao Wu.
Just then, somewhat crazed laughter drifted in from outside.
"Stinky Ping'an, is that one of your clones?"
Xiao Wu's rabbit ears stood upright and twitched as she gave Gu Ping'an a strange look.
"Has your clone gone mad?"
Gu Ping'an's face darkened. Mad, my ass.
"Hahaha!"
"Hahaha! It worked! I've done it!"
Crazed laughter identical to Gu Ping'an's rang out continuously through the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
What worked?
Gu Ping'an stood and peered out the door.
He saw several clones surrounding another clone, their expressions filled with shock and bewilderment.
The clone in the middle was wreathed in flowing, five-colored radiance, his aura far surpassing Gu Ping'an's at his peak.
Since he had not recalled the clone, their memories could not synchronize, so Gu Ping'an had no way of knowing what had happened to him.
"Traditional Chinese medicine says that our bodies are miniature worlds.
Heaven and earth have birth in spring, growth in summer, harvest in autumn, and storage in winter.
Our bodies likewise have birth, growth, harvest, and storage.
The five elements of heaven and earth correspond to our five viscera.
The rivers and seas of the world correspond to the meridians of the human body."
Shrouded in five-colored radiance, the clone stood among the others and spoke with easy confidence.
"The five elements! The five viscera!" Gu Ping'an gazed thoughtfully at the clone in the middle.
Previously, he had used exhaustive trial and error to develop cultivation methods, having the clones test one meridian and one acupoint at a time.
He had never thought to understand the body's meridians and acupoints through the fundamental principles of heaven and earth or the way rivers were channeled.
"Stinky Ping'an, aren't you going out to take a look?" Xiao Wu poked her little head out the doorway and looked outside.
"No need!"
From the looks of it, the clone in the middle was teaching the others the theory he had been the first to conceive.
Going outside would only interrupt them and accomplish nothing.
"Hahaha!"
Another burst of laughter rang out.
Dugu Bo?
Gu Ping'an turned and saw Dugu Bo stride out of his room like a dragon pacing and a tiger prowling, making no attempt to restrain his aura.
Dugu Bo turned his head, spotted Gu Ping'an standing by the doorway, and immediately burst into laughter again.
"Gu brat, I've reached Level 94. Once I've consolidated my cultivation a little more, Level 95 will be within reach."
Those from Level 95 to Level 98 were known as Super Douluo.
Once someone entered the ranks of Super Douluo, their strength would far surpass that of an ordinary Douluo.
No wonder Dugu Bo was so delighted.
The nine-grade purple ganoderma had strengthened his body's foundation and replenished the vitality lost to poison, allowing him to break through to Level 93.
After absorbing a Seven-Ten-Thousand-Year Left Leg Bone, breaking through to the peak of Level 94 was perfectly reasonable.
He looked toward Dugu Yan and She Long. One had a low cultivation level, while the other had two soul bones to absorb, so both were still in the process.
"Hm?" Seeing the clone covered in multicolored light, Dugu Bo could not help letting out a soft exclamation.
"Gu brat, what's this?"
Dugu Bo cautiously refrained from approaching. He remembered getting too close once, only for a clone to explode and splatter him all over the face.
"It should be a pretty good new cultivation method."
Gu Ping'an's gaze settled on the clone at the center of the group.
Five Elements Cycle-he had high hopes for this cultivation method.
Its underlying concept was lofty enough that it might surpass Mysterious Heaven Skill.
Mysterious Heaven Skill was merely a cultivation method from a martial arts world.
In the original story, Tang San had been shocked by some battles between Titled Douluo.
That showed that the combat strength of Tang San's previous world generally fell short of that of Douluo Continent.
Could an unimpressive martial arts world produce a cultivation method that transcended its own world?
Mysterious Heaven Skill had contributed to Tang San attaining innate full soul power, but it could not be said to have made him a God King.
The meditation methods of Douluo Continent did not even involve meridians, yet they could still produce gods. That showed that Mysterious Heaven Skill was powerful, but only to a limited extent.
Another two hours passed.
A powerful aura erupted from She Long.
"This fellow..." Dugu Bo inwardly clicked his tongue as he looked at She Long. He realized that even after his breakthrough, he probably still could not defeat this subordinate of Gu Ping'an's.
"Gu brat, when are you going to develop some self-created soul skills that I can use too?"
Self-created soul skills that Dugu Bo could use too?
Gu Ping'an lowered his eyes to the blue silver grass on the ground, gently rubbing the ring on his finger.
Dugu Bo's combat strength was indeed low.
Aside from using poison to overwhelm lower-level Soul Masters, he struggled to mount effective attacks against Soul Masters of his own level.
Moreover, Dugu Bo repaid kindness. His willingness to ask Gu Ping'an for self-created soul skills meant that he truly regarded him as one of his own.
If Gu Ping'an ran into trouble, Dugu Bo would certainly not back down.
With that thought, Gu Ping'an turned toward Dugu Bo and pulled his lips into a smile.
"No need to develop anything. I'll teach you Rasengan."
"Rasengan? Great! Gu brat, I've been craving that soul skill of yours for ages." Grinning broadly, Dugu Bo slapped a large hand firmly onto Gu Ping'an's shoulder.
After participating in the Worship Hall's hunt for Tang Hao, he had truly come to understand his own weakness.
In the past, he had simply brushed aside the rumors that he was the weakest Titled Douluo. After all, he had never made a real comparison.
After seeing the people of the Worship Hall, he realized there was not a single one he could defeat.
Now he might not even be able to beat the subordinate Gu Ping'an had taken in. He simply could not take it anymore.
"Oh, right. Have Yanyan get ready. She'll be coming away with me for a while."
"Hm? Going away? What for?" Dugu Bo stared strangely at Gu Ping'an.
The last time Gu Ping'an had brought him along, he had picked up several soul bones.
This time, he wanted to bring Yanyan?
Could this be another fortunate opportunity?
"Should I come along too?"
It was not that Dugu Bo was greedy for opportunities. Gu Ping'an was simply too reckless. He had dared drag him along to divide soul bones with Qian Daoliu-what else would he not dare do?
Did he have any idea how badly Dugu Bo's calves had been trembling back then?
"Sure!" Gu Ping'an nodded.
"But once we're out there, you have to listen to me."
He understood Dugu Bo's concern for his granddaughter.
But Sea God Island's forces were far too terrifying. If the person he sent in could not obtain the Sea God's Nine Trials, he absolutely would not enter.
"All right!" Dugu Bo agreed.
"I'll do whatever you say when the time comes."
Gu Ping'an nodded and soon explained the method for cultivating Rasengan to Dugu Bo in detail.
"My lord, I've reached Level 94."
Having finished absorbing his soul bones, She Long respectfully walked over to Gu Ping'an.
Dugu Bo: "..."
"Not bad." Gu Ping'an patted She Long's shoulder. "Once Yanyan finishes absorbing her soul bone, we'll take her to hunt for a soul ring. After that, accompany me on a visit to the Speed Clan."
"Yes, my lord!"
She Long then stood to one side.
A seventy-thousand-year soul bone was still far too powerful for Dugu Yan.
The next day, the blazing sun hung high overhead.
Only then did Dugu Yan finally finish absorbing her soul bone.
"Hahaha! I've reached Level 40!"
Dugu Yan threw her head back and laughed. Level 40 at fourteen-she was an unquestionable genius. No one at Heaven Dou Royal Academy could compare to her.
Gu Ping'an was speechless. Wasn't it just a breakthrough to Level 40?
But... hadn't Tang San only been in the forties at fourteen too?
Before you continue