Inside Ning Fengzhi's study at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Bone Douluo and Ning Fengzhi were already so stunned that they had no idea what to say.
Taking in so much information that defied common sense in such a short time had nearly turned their delight into fright.
"All right, I won't keep you in suspense any longer!" Sword Douluo said with a smile. "The third surprise is the reason Xiao Chuan cultivates so quickly!"
Sword Douluo paused briefly before continuing, "Since ancient times, meditation has been the most basic method of cultivating soul power in the soul master world. Although the meditation methods held by major powers and great clans are a little better than those circulating elsewhere, the overall difference really isn't that large!"
"After Xiao Chuan added his first soul ring to the Creation Exquisite Pagoda, however, the pagoda granted him an Illustrated Manual. By following its method of meditation, he can increase his cultivation speed to as much as ten times his original rate!" Sword Douluo said.
"Ten times?" Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo had prepared themselves this time, yet the tenfold cultivation speed still gave them a fright.
"Exactly. Xiao Chuan has now thoroughly mastered the Illustrated Manual's cultivation method, so his cultivation speed has reached the tenfold limit. That is why I dared to say with certainty that he could break through to rank twenty within two or three months!" Sword Douluo said.
"If it really is ten times faster, he might well manage it!" Bone Douluo said.
Ning Fengzhi nodded as well. "In that case, we truly won't have to worry about Xiao Chuan's cultivation talent!"
"Hey!" Sword Douluo interrupted their exclamations. "Have you two still not realized where the real surprise lies?"
"What do you mean?" Bone Douluo asked in confusion.
Ning Fengzhi, however, seemed to think of something. His expression changed, and he exclaimed, "Uncle Jian, don't tell me you mean the Illustrated Manual Xiao Chuan received can be passed on to others?"
"Huh?" Bone Douluo was utterly astonished. That possibility had never even occurred to him.
The two stared at Sword Douluo and Ning Chuan in unison. When they saw both of them nod, they immediately clutched their chests.
Sword Douluo ignored their reaction and continued, "After comprehending the method in the Illustrated Manual, my cultivation speed is now nearly five times what it was! Rongrong studied it for two days, and her cultivation speed has already reached more than three times her original rate!"
Before Sword Douluo had even finished speaking, Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo were beside themselves with excitement.
The first two surprises belonged to Ning Chuan alone. They would certainly bring enormous benefits to the sect, but those benefits would need time to accumulate before they could gradually be realized.
The Illustrated Manual's cultivation method, however, could bring tremendous benefits to the sect immediately. The sheer extent of its impact was impossible to measure.
"Father, Bone Grandpa, open your minds. I'll pass the Illustrated Manual on to you now!" Ning Chuan spoke at just the right moment.
"All right!" Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo answered together. Both were brimming with anticipation and excitement. They already believed Sword Douluo, but without experiencing it themselves, they could not completely set their doubts to rest.
Ning Chuan immediately used the Creation Exquisite Pagoda to transmit the Cultivation Manual to them. After receiving the cultivation method and trying it briefly, they confirmed that Sword Douluo had indeed told them the truth.
A short while later, Bone Douluo could not help exclaiming, "I never imagined soul power could be cultivated like this. This method is nothing short of a blessing bestowed by heaven upon the soul master world!"
Beside him, Ning Fengzhi nodded. "Indeed. If I hadn't experienced it myself, I would never have believed there could actually be a shortcut to cultivating soul power!"
After experiencing it firsthand, both felt that all their previous cultivation had been nothing but fumbling in the dark.
"From the looks of it, the grade of the Creation Exquisite Pagoda martial soul is far beyond anything we can imagine!" Ning Fengzhi exclaimed.
"Indeed!" Bone Douluo nodded slightly. "To grant such a divine art, it may possess abilities even the gods of the Divine Realm lack!"
It was perfectly natural for Bone Douluo to think this way. In his view, if the gods could create such a divine art, it should have been passed down long ago.
Ning Chuan, however, knew very well that it was not that the gods could not create one. They had simply never considered it.
Or rather, the gods of the Divine Realm did not care about the ordinary living beings of the Douluo World at all. They cared only about those qualified to become gods.
After all, the Divine Realm was "too small," and its resources were "too few." They could not even bring all their family members with them, so why would they create a cultivation method that would leave the Divine Realm overcrowded?
Sword Douluo deeply agreed with Bone Douluo's assessment. Though they had never seen a god, the surprises Ning Chuan had given them already went beyond anything that could be described as a miracle!
"This Illustrated Manual will have far too great an impact on the soul master world. If it spreads, it will inevitably change the balance of power across the entire continent!" Ning Fengzhi said.
"That is why we must exercise the utmost caution in passing it on."
Sword Douluo spoke solemnly. "At present, only Xiao Chuan, Rongrong, and the three of us have comprehended this Illustrated Manual. Therefore, I suggest that, apart from the five of us, we do not pass it on to anyone for now!"
"Agreed! This Illustrated Manual is of tremendous importance. If outsiders learn that it originated from our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, it will inevitably arouse enormous suspicion and could even bring disaster upon us, wiping out the sect!" Bone Douluo nodded in agreement.
He knew very well that while this Illustrated Manual could benefit the entire soul master world, it could also unleash tremendous turmoil within it.
Ning Fengzhi also nodded in agreement. As the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, he naturally understood the gravity of the matter.
Then he turned to Ning Chuan and said, "Xiao Chuan, you've always been sensible, so there's no need for your father to remind you of anything. From this moment on, you are the future of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. If you need anything, just ask me. The sect will spare nothing to support your cultivation!"
Ning Chuan nodded. "Then I'm sorry for the trouble, Father, but please arrange a relatively quiet place for me to cultivate!"
"That's easy!" Sword Douluo immediately chimed in. "Xiao Chuan, you can go straight to the place where Old Bones and I cultivate in seclusion. It has everything you need, and the sect's disciples won't go near it. Only Fengzhi can come and go freely!"
"All right!" Ning Chuan nodded in agreement. Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo already knew his secrets anyway, so cultivating under their watch would also give him greater peace of mind.
"Then I'll take Xiao Chuan over first. You two can take your time digesting all this!" Sword Douluo said with a smile. He knew very well that even though he had learned of these surprises gradually, each had left him utterly astonished. Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo had received them all in one overwhelming rush. Without some time to digest everything, they certainly would not recover.
Under Sword Douluo's guidance, the two headed straight to the mountain behind the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Deep within the mountain was a natural cavern with a spacious interior. Even low-ranking soul masters could spar inside without any difficulty.
"Xiao Chuan, those two chambers at the back of the cavern are where your Sword Grandpa and Old Bones live while cultivating in seclusion. You can stay in mine for now. I'll carve out another one later!" Sword Douluo said, pointing at one of the chambers.
"All right!" Ning Chuan nodded and walked inside.
Ning Chuan had gained a great deal from this trip.
But he knew very well that he did not have much time left.
Ning Chuan was confident that he could make the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect draw a clear line between itself and Tang San. However, he also knew that unless the sect submitted to Spirit Hall, it still could not avoid being destroyed seven or eight years later.
Thus, he had to cultivate faster and obtain more system rewards, doing everything possible to change the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's tragic fate.
Before you continue