After Ning Chuan and Sword Douluo returned to the sect, they first passed the Creation Spirit Seal and the intermediate Soul Cultivation Formula on to Ning Fengzhi.
To their delight, once Ning Fengzhi comprehended the intermediate Soul Cultivation Formula, his martial soul completed its first evolution, changing from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda into the Eight Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
Over the past five months, Ning Fengzhi had benefited from the intermediate soul power cultivation method and visited the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well several times to cultivate. He had long been only one final step away from breaking through his martial soul's shackles, and the intermediate Soul Cultivation Formula proved to be the key.
After breaking through to level eighty, Ning Fengzhi did not rush to hunt for his eighth soul ring. Instead, he gathered the sect's senior elders, the administrators responsible for coordinating its affairs, and some of its more outstanding disciples.
The dean and vice dean of the Glazed Azure Academy were also summoned.
With Sword Douluo concealing his aura, Ning Chuan could secretly use the Creation Exquisite Pagoda to absorb their spirit thoughts and return Creation Spirit Seals to them, provided they did not resist.
Everyone Ning Fengzhi summoned was trustworthy. Most had already comprehended Swordsmanship Fundamentals and learned the Sword Manipulation Technique.
Sword Douluo had already begun teaching those with greater talent the Star River Sword Art and Sword Across the Void.
Under Sword Douluo's guidance, everyone released their spiritual power at once. Hidden from view, Ning Chuan used the Creation Exquisite Pagoda to collect their spirit thoughts, then sent Creation Spirit Seals back to them.
Everyone who received a Creation Spirit Seal was astonished.
Ning Fengzhi announced that these spirit seals were a means of communication passed down by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's ancestors, which he had only recently comprehended. Naturally, no one in the sect suspected anything.
"Remember, these spirit seals are a closely guarded secret of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. You must never share them with outsiders!" Ning Fengzhi solemnly warned.
"Understood!" everyone answered in unison.
After leaving traces of their souls' auras in one another's spirit seals, everyone departed.
Anyone who received a spirit seal could communicate directly with Ning Chuan. Of course, Ning Chuan could also shut off his own signal at will, preventing others from sensing his soul's aura.
Once everyone had left, Sword Douluo gathered Xiao Yun, Shui Bing'er, Xue Wu, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Dugu Yan.
The six of them had frequently exchanged cultivation insights within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect lately, so they were already very familiar with one another.
Of the six, only Dugu Yan had seen Ning Chuan's Creation Exquisite Pagoda. She was the one who knew the most about his secrets.
This time, they had been summoned together so that some of Ning Chuan's secrets could be revealed to them.
Ning Chuan had decided to represent the Glazed Azure Academy in the next Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, so naturally, he needed to practice tactics with his teammates.
Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu had already joined the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Their backgrounds were clean, and their temperaments and character had passed Ning Fengzhi's scrutiny, so Ning Chuan would also teach them the two intermediate cultivation methods this time.
As soon as Ning Rongrong saw Ning Chuan, she ran over and linked her arm through his. "Fifth Brother, where have you been lately? I haven't seen you any of the times I've come back to the sect!"
"Cultivating, of course!" Ning Chuan said with a smile.
"So, Fifth Brother, what level are you now? Why do I keep feeling that your aura is stronger than mine? Am I imagining things?" Ning Rongrong gazed at him, repeatedly sweeping her soul force over him in an attempt to see through him.
Ning Chuan put on a regretful expression. "Rongrong, your Fifth Brother isn't as impressive as you. I'm still two levels behind you."
"Two levels?" Ning Rongrong froze, then asked, "Fifth Brother, do you mean two major ranks or two individual levels?"
Before Ning Chuan could answer, Dugu Yan cut in from the side. "Two individual levels, of course!" She could already tell that he intended to reveal his soul power level to everyone, so she answered first.
"How do you know?" Ning Rongrong asked in confusion.
"Because I've visited Ning Chuan's Seclusion Grounds a few times lately!" Dugu Yan replied.
"Fifth Brother, is that true?" Ning Rongrong immediately turned to Ning Chuan.
"Yes!" Ning Chuan nodded, then released his soul power aura.
Upon sensing Ning Chuan's soul power aura, all six girls except Xiao Yun and Dugu Yan wore expressions of disbelief.
Of the six, Ning Rongrong had the highest soul power level, having already reached level forty-seven.
Next came Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan. Like Ning Chuan, both were level forty-five.
Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu were level forty-one and level forty respectively, while Xiao Yun's soul power level had also reached thirty-six.
To make it easier for them to accept, Ning Chuan explained with a smile, "Actually, the story about my martial soul undergoing a malignant mutation back then was false all along. This is my martial soul's true appearance!"
As he spoke, Ning Chuan released the Creation Exquisite Pagoda.
"Thirteen floors!" Ning Rongrong exclaimed, but she soon noticed that his martial soul was very different from hers.
"Fifth Brother, what martial soul is that?" Ning Rongrong asked.
"The Creation Exquisite Pagoda!" Ning Chuan did not conceal its name.
Upon hearing this, Ning Rongrong immediately turned to Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo, then feigned anger. "Father, Sword Grandpa, Bone Grandpa, did you all know long ago? You kept it from me all this time!"
Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo had no desire whatsoever to take the blame. They all firmly insisted that it had been Ning Chuan's idea.
Ning Chuan felt helpless. He had woven the lie himself, so he could only bear the consequences himself.
"Fifth Brother, you've kept this hidden for so many years. Why tell us now?" Ning Rongrong asked in confusion.
"Because your Fifth Brother also plans to enter the next Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament!" Ning Chuan replied. Now that he had Dugu Bo and the Creation Spirit Seal, he had the confidence to reveal his strength.
"Huh?" Ning Rongrong froze. "Then won't Zhu Zhuqing and I become your opponents, Fifth Brother?"
"Yes!" Ning Chuan gave a slight nod. "Don't hold back when the time comes. Your Fifth Brother is very strong!"
Hearing this, Shui Bing'er immediately asked, "Ning Chuan, are you going to team up with us for the tournament?"
"Of course!" Ning Chuan replied with a nod.
"That's wonderful." Shui Bing'er was delighted. Although she did not know precisely how strong Ning Chuan was, she could tell from the Creation Exquisite Pagoda's aura that his martial soul was of exceptionally high quality.
"There isn't much time left before the tournament qualifiers. Train with us before they begin, so we can get familiar with each other's soul skills and practice our tactical coordination!" Shui Bing'er continued.
"That's exactly why I came clean with you today!" Ning Chuan said with a smile.
Dugu Yan shook her head helplessly. "Looks like the Heaven Dou Royal Academy won't even make the top three in this tournament!"
Although she looked disappointed, she could not hide the anticipation in her eyes. Of the six girls, only she knew Ning Chuan's soul ring configuration and his first two soul skills.
At the thought of Ning Chuan releasing two purple and two black soul rings in the arena, she could practically picture the horrified expressions of countless soul masters in the spectator stands.
"There's one more reason we called you here today!" Sword Douluo spoke at just the right moment, then had Ning Chuan pass the Creation Spirit Seal on to them.
Passing on the spirit seals required him to activate his fourth soul skill. When they saw that Ning Chuan's fourth soul ring was black, they were stunned once again.
Dugu Yan and Xiao Yun were, of course, the exceptions.
Dugu Yan knew that Ning Chuan's third soul ring was black, so she was not surprised at all. Xiao Yun, meanwhile, simply idolized him blindly. To her, it was only natural for Ning Chuan to possess exceptional talent.
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