"Qianjun Douluo?!"
The moment those words reached his ears, Yang Chang'an's eyes narrowed. Although he had guessed that the man might be an Enshrined, hearing his actual identity still left Yang Chang'an shaken.
It came back to the same thing: before he had truly arrived on the Douluo Continent, he had only read novels. He had never grasped just how rare Titled Douluos were.
Only after he had set foot in this world, become a Soul Master, and climbed his way up step by step had he truly understood-Titled Douluos stood at the very summit of the entire Soul Master World! There were only a handful across the whole continent, and every one of them was a formidable figure whose stomp could send an entire power trembling!
And the man before him was no ordinary Titled Douluo. He was the Sixth Enshrined of the Worship Hall, a rank ninety-six Peak Douluo!
A Peak Douluo!
On the entire Douluo Continent as it stood now, aside from Spirit Hall and Sea God Island far beyond the horizon, not a single other power could produce a Peak Douluo!
Ever since Tang Chen had disappeared, no one in the Upper Three Sects had even reached that threshold.
As for Sword Douluo Chen Xin of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? He was probably still struggling within the ranks of ordinary Titled Douluos, unable even to brush the edge of the Peak Douluo realm! Compared with a veteran peak powerhouse like Qianjun Douluo, the gap was far more than a sliver!
After standing stunned for quite some time, Yang Chang'an finally forced down the shock in his heart and offered Qianjun Douluo a perfectly proper junior's bow.
"This junior, Yang Chang'an, pays his respects to Lord Enshrined!"
A trace of satisfaction appeared on Qianjun Douluo's face as he watched Yang Chang'an. He nodded slightly and slowly asked, his tone as calm as ever:
"Aren't you curious why I came looking specifically for you today?"
Hearing this, Yang Chang'an immediately raised his head and met Qianjun Douluo's gaze steadily, without the slightest evasion.
"This junior does not know. Please enlighten me, Lord Enshrined!"
Qianjun Douluo studied him for a while before speaking unhurriedly, cutting straight to the point:
"Boy, I've watched every bout you've had with Qingyu and those other youngsters in the Training Camp these past few days. Have you ever wondered why, with your talent and Martial Soul, they always seem to hold a slight edge over you in every fight?"
The moment he heard those words, Yang Chang'an's brows knitted.
In truth, this was the very thing that had puzzled him most lately, the one thing he simply could not figure out!
His Martial Soul was the Soul Breaking Spear, with its tremendous offensive power, and his innate soul power was rank nine. No matter how he looked at it, he should not have been falling behind the others.
Yet whenever he fought Qingyu, Jin Li'er, and the others, he always felt as though he could not bring his strength to bear. His strength clearly was not lacking, yet his opponents kept him on the back foot. No matter what adjustments he made, he could not break through that bottleneck.
He had always assumed that he lacked combat experience or that his techniques were not polished enough. But the moment Qianjun Douluo spoke, he understood that this Peak Douluo must have seen through to the true cause!
At that thought, an earnest expression immediately appeared on Yang Chang'an's face. He bowed deeply to Qianjun Douluo. "This junior is slow-witted and has never been able to grasp the key to it. Please teach me, Lord Enshrined!"
Looking at Yang Chang'an's face, still carrying a little baby fat yet filled with earnest curiosity, Qianjun Douluo could not help chuckling softly. His tone softened somewhat as well:
"Your Soul Breaking Spear is one of the few Martial Souls on the entire Douluo Continent devoted to the absolute extreme of offense. Its advantages are obvious in the early stages. As long as you don't encounter a Martial Soul whose attributes counter yours, you're practically invincible among those of the same rank."
"Take that boy from the Defense Clan. His Martial Soul is the armored giant rhinoceros, with its invincible defense. Aside from the four of you, he can remain undefeated against anyone in the entire Training Camp. That's the terrifying advantage of a single-attribute Martial Soul."
Yang Chang'an listened quietly and nodded to himself. He understood all these principles.
According to Qianjun Douluo, his Soul Breaking Spear should, in theory, have few rivals at the same rank. His strength should definitely amount to more than what he could display now. Since there was nothing wrong with his Martial Soul, the problem could only lie with him.
As though he had seen straight through Yang Chang'an's thoughts, Qianjun Douluo spoke with a somewhat baffling undertone. "The problem does lie with you, but not entirely with you."
Hearing that contradictory statement, Yang Chang'an furrowed his brows even more tightly, his face full of confusion.
What was that supposed to mean? How could the problem lie with him and yet not lie with him?
Seeing his bewildered expression, Qianjun Douluo stopped deliberately keeping him in suspense and laid bare the heart of the matter in a single sentence. "The real problem lies with your grandfather-Yang Wushuang."
"Impossible!"
The instant Qianjun Douluo finished speaking, Yang Chang'an blurted out a denial without even thinking, his voice rising despite himself.
Yang Wushuang was the elder he respected most, the family member who had personally taught him cultivation and spear techniques since childhood. How could he possibly harm him? How could he possibly be the root of the problem with his cultivation?
Besides, Qianjun Douluo's Martial Soul was the Coiling Dragon Staff. Could a staff wielder really understand the Soul Breaking Spear better than Yang Wushuang, who had cultivated it since childhood and devoted his entire life to studying spear techniques?
Who could possibly accept such a claim?
Qianjun Douluo was not surprised in the slightest by Yang Chang'an's fierce reaction. Anyone who was told at their first meeting that the problem lay with the family member they respected most would immediately protest. It was perfectly normal.
Only after Yang Chang'an's emotions had settled a little did Qianjun Douluo continue unhurriedly. "Don't be so quick to argue. Facts are facts. You're far more mature than others your age, so let me ask you a fundamental question-what do you think a Martial Soul actually is?"
What was a Martial Soul?
Yang Chang'an instinctively clenched his right hand, quietly sensing the Soul Breaking Spear lying dormant within him. After a long silence, he said seriously, "My Martial Soul... is me."
At that answer, a clear flicker of surprise passed through Qianjun Douluo's eyes.
He had not expected Yang Chang'an to comprehend that level of meaning at such a young age! This was not something an ordinary young Soul Master could understand! After his surprise passed, Qianjun Douluo's smile deepened, and his tone gained a measure of appreciation.
"Since you understand that, let me ask you another question-what sort of person should the wielder of the Soul Breaking Spear be?"
Yang Chang'an answered almost without thinking, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "One who presses forward without retreat, who forgets himself the moment his spear strikes!"
The instant he finished speaking, Yang Chang'an shuddered violently and froze on the spot, as though a bolt of lightning had struck him!
He understood completely!
He understood exactly where the problem Qianjun Douluo had mentioned lay!
Back then, to preserve his clansmen's lives, Yang Wushuang had ultimately chosen to bow his head and surrender his allegiance. He had abandoned the drive and sharpness the Soul Breaking Spear ought to possess, becoming someone who endured, yielded, and sought safety to stay alive.
How could a man who had lost his edge, who no longer dared to advance without retreat, possibly teach a true successor to the Soul Breaking Spear?
There was nothing wrong with the spear techniques Yang Wushuang had taught him, nothing wrong with his cultivation path, and certainly nothing wrong with the love he had shown him.
The mistake lay in the fact that Yang Chang'an had learned the Soul Breaking Spear from his grandfather since childhood. Through that constant exposure, his grandfather had unknowingly influenced his state of mind, slowly drawing his temperament closer to Yang Wushuang's.
Forbearance, caution, concern for the greater good... these were fine qualities in ordinary circumstances. But for a Martial Soul devoted to the absolute extreme of offense like the Soul Breaking Spear, they were fatal flaws!
The Soul Breaking Spear demanded an edge laid bare, a fight that ended only in death! It demanded the resolve to shatter as jade rather than survive as a common tile!
With his state of mind running completely counter to his Martial Soul, how could he possibly unleash the Soul Breaking Spear's true power?
Watching Yang Chang'an's face alternate between pale and flushed, Qianjun Douluo continued, his tone growing more serious:
"Surely you understand now? Your state of mind is the complete opposite of the will the Soul Breaking Spear should possess. They're utterly incompatible!"
"Right now, you can hold your own against others only because of your exceptional innate rank-nine talent. The higher your cultivation rises, the more obvious this flaw will become. In the later stages, others will inevitably leave you far behind. You won't touch the threshold of the peak in your entire life!"
Yang Chang'an's expression was grave, and he could not utter a word, because every word Qianjun Douluo had said was true!
The Douluo Continent of the present was not like it would be ten thousand years later. In this era, once someone became a Titled Douluo, they had to begin comprehending their Martial Soul Origin and aligning themselves with their Martial Soul's will.
The path he was walking was wrong at its very root. In the early stages, he could still force his way along through talent alone. But once he reached the Titled Douluo level, the time and effort required to correct it would be unimaginable. He might not even manage it in his entire lifetime!
At that thought, Yang Chang'an abruptly raised his head and looked at the composed Qianjun Douluo before him. A bright gleam flashed through his eyes.
This Lord Enshrined had called him out alone late at night and exposed his greatest hidden flaw. There was no way it was as simple as a kindly warning!
An exalted rank ninety-six Peak Douluo had nothing better to do than come specifically to guide a junior like him out of his confusion? Who would believe that?
Yang Chang'an drew a deep breath and asked directly, "Lord Enshrined, you came looking specifically for me tonight. Surely it wasn't merely to tell this junior about this matter?"
At his words, Qianjun Douluo's lips immediately curved into a smile. Speaking with clever people saved so much trouble. A single hint was enough; there was no need to waste words.
He cleared his throat, rested his gaze on Yang Chang'an, and said, emphasizing every word:
"I can help you-reforge your Spear Soul!"