Hidden Dragon

"Alright, I agree."

Han Tao's request was not harsh. As the Sect Master, Ning Fengzhi could raise someone's salary and status with ease.

Seeing the Sect Master agree, Han Tao no longer held anything back and openly began explaining the method for increasing Meridians and Soul Power Compatibility.

Why had he not chosen the method of widening the Meridians? Because once that solution was revealed, Xiao Yuan's value would increase dramatically, and all sorts of troublesome incidents would arise afterward.

Soul Power Suppression could widen the Meridians, but in terms of effectiveness, it was far inferior to the synergy between Gravity Pressure and Soul Power Suppression.

"When Soul Power flows through the Meridians, it slightly increases the Meridians and Soul Power Compatibility."

Ning Fengzhi recorded Han Tao's words, preparing to find someone to verify them. Just before they parted, he suddenly told Han Tao something less than pleasant.

"The Hall Guardian Elder once gave you a Supplementary Study Book List. Since learning inevitably comes with examinations, starting next year, the Hall Guardian Elder will test you every two months according to your learning progress."

"The tests aren't meant to make things difficult for you. You can freely choose any field of study from the list."

Han Tao breathed a sigh of relief. The tests started next year, so there was no rush. There was still plenty of time.

Wait, no. Han Tao's heart suddenly jolted. Tomorrow was next year.

Ning Rongrong had never been so kind. At that moment, the little demoness finally revealed her claws.

"If you fail, you'll be locked in the Little Black Room and forced to study. That's how we all got through it!"

Ning Fengzhi returned to the top of the tower and stopped where he was, gazing out from the heights as though the entire Star Dou City lay within his sight. "Manager Ning!"

Hearing the Sect Master call him, Manager Ning strode in.

"This is Han Tao's latest research. Find several newly awakened Soul Masters and verify whether there are any errors or omissions."

It was not that Ning Fengzhi did not believe Han Tao. In his eyes, any theory that seemed perfect and appropriate—even those that were universally accepted—had to be verified and checked before it could be enshrined as truth.

There were so many Soul Masters on the Douluo Continent. Why had no one discovered a way to increase Soul Power Compatibility? Because to discover a phenomenon, one first needed a definition, then observation, and only afterward could one reach a conclusion.

How had Han Tao obtained the definition of Soul Power Compatibility?

Because his research journal contained dozens of conjectured definitions. The one that passed verification through Data Comparison became Han Tao's Research Findings.

From then on, Han Tao became extremely busy. Extremely busy.

The Distraction Control Method required training. Ning Fengzhi had given him three months, and Han Tao also wanted to see what the so-called surprise from the Sect Master would be.

The Supplementary Study Book List required reading, with an examination every two months. Failing meant being locked in the Little Black Room. That definitely wouldn't do.

His Physique and Soul Power needed cultivation, and cultivation required Xiao Yuan's assistance.

"In the third month, I won't study the Supplementary Study Book List. I'll go all-out on the Distraction Control Method and get the Sect Master's 'surprise' first."

"If I can't pass the fourth-month exam, the worst that can happen is getting locked in the Little Black Room. Hmph, I'm not afraid!"

When Xiao Yuan learned that his salary and status had been raised because of this little brat he had always looked down on, a sense of guilt inevitably welled up inside him.

"I really am a bastard!" Every time he thought of it, he wished he could slap himself.

"Han Tao, as the saying goes, great kindness needs no thanks. If you ever run into any trouble, Big Brother will definitely do everything in his power to help."

Xiao Yuan was very, very confident. He knew Han Tao would soon need his help.

Han Tao smiled and did not take his pledge seriously.

He was a selfish person. He helped Xiao Yuan not to repay a debt of gratitude, but to ensure that his subsequent training could proceed effectively.

Deep Treatment and Gravity Pressure formed a perfect complementary combination in the early stages. Together, they gave Han Tao a cultivation speed like he had a cheat activated.

After two months, Han Tao's Soul Power broke through another level, reaching Level 15.

The joy of his breakthrough did not last long, because the Hall Guardian Elder found Han Tao. Only then did he remember that the test Ning Fengzhi had mentioned—one every two months—had arrived.

This test was presided over solely by the Hall Guardian Elder. If he said you failed, you failed. If he said you were being locked in the Little Black Room, then into the Little Black Room you went.

"Hee hee hee. Heh heh heh."

Ning Rongrong had been waiting here for a long time, occasionally making all sorts of strange noises.

She was not deliberately targeting Han Tao. She bullied every Sect Disciple equally. Whenever this time came around, a group of unlucky fools would have to face the Hall Guardian Elder's examination.

"I wonder what Father was thinking. With such a bizarre and harsh test, can anyone really pass?"

"Or maybe Father deliberately came up with it for entertainment. Yes, that must be it. I actually figured it out—I really am a genius!"

"Sword Grandpa, Bone Grandpa, from now on, please call me Genius Invincible Beauty—Ning Rongrong!"

Most of the direct members of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect belonged to the support-type Soul Master class, and they came one after another to the Book Collection Pavilion.

"Ning Tian, choose your theoretical field of study!"

Han Tao had seen this young talent from the Sect at the year-end examination assembly, and the impression had been very deep.

When Manager Ning had introduced the annual examination to him, he had explained the relevant procedures. One item was theoretical knowledge, but there had been no theoretical examination at the year-end meeting.

Now he understood. The theoretical knowledge score came from the Hall Guardian Elder's examination.

"Han Tao, did you know? Our Sect didn't used to have a rule where failing meant being locked in the Little Black Room. It was added later."

The disciples nearby passed on this bit of Sect common knowledge to Han Tao.

"Oh? Why?"

Han Tao's confusion had clearly struck the right note. The disciple hurriedly began telling him the "legendary experience" that had led to the rule being changed.

"It all started with a pair of Hidden Dragon and Young Phoenixes in our Sect."

Before long, Han Tao met the legendary Hidden Dragon Mister.

"Ning Tian," the veteran member of Foot Washing City, the genius who had been cursed out by Ning Fengzhi at the year-end meeting.

He possessed an extraordinary talent for theoretical knowledge. Among all the Sect members, he was the only prodigy who had written "Essential Oil" as the property of "Soul Power."

The refined version of Affairs of the Empire had come from this genius's hand.

"Impressive, impressive. Your little brother bows in admiration!"

Amid the flattery of the many disciples, Ning Tian took first place in this theoretical test with a score of 24 points.

With his head held high and an air of arrogance, he was taken away by the Elder as expected and locked in the Little Black Room, like a warrior marching generously to his death.

However, once Ning Tian reached a corner hidden from everyone's view, he immediately shed his disguise.

"Elder Ning, Elder Ning, you're the one who raised me from childhood!"

Ning Tian suddenly wrapped both arms around the Hall Guardian Elder's arm, hugged it to his chest, and shook it while desperately playing the emotional card.

"You know me. I'm not good at this theoretical stuff. I don't want to be locked in the Little Black Room!"

The Hall Guardian Elder ignored his pleas. His tone was flat, and his attitude cold.

"This is the rule. Even I cannot defy it."

"If I let you off this time, what happens when everyone else follows your example? The authority of the Sect's rules will be undermined."