Chapter 221: Master and Apprentice
After his conversation with Ning Fengzhi, Yang Xiong left alone.
Suddenly, two figures appeared beside Ning Fengzhi. It was the Sword Bone Douluo.
Bone Douluo, somewhat puzzled, spoke, "Fengzhi, I think if you tried a bit more, Xiao Xiong might still stay in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. That would be better for both the sect and Rongrong."
Ning Fengzhi shook his head. "His heart is no longer with us, so why force it?"
"Moreover, Xiao Xiong has contributed greatly to the sect over the years. Without his contributions, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School might have already perished. Rather than forcing him to stay, it might be better to let him go and let the birds fly high. This could be better for our sect."
As Ning Fengzhi said, if Yang Xiong stayed in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, he would at most be a protective Title Douluo. However, if he went to Thunderclap Canyon, he would become the founder of the Body Sect, and the Body Sect and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School could support each other, which might be better for the sects.
In fact, Ning Fengzhi had long suspected that Yang Xiong was secretly establishing the Body Sect, but Yang Xiong had contributed so much to the sect that Ning Fengzhi didn't want to interfere. Since Yang Wudi and the others came to Yunwu Mountain, Yang Xiong's power had grown, and Ning Fengzhi couldn't suppress him.
Bone Douluo said, "I'm just a little concerned about Rongrong. If Yang Xiong stays in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, he won't be separated from Rongrong."
...
After walking around the sect, Yang Xiong first went to visit Sword Douluo.
In recent years, especially after becoming Sword Bone Douluo's disciple, both of them had been of tremendous help to him, helping him understand the path of cultivation more clearly.
When Yang Xiong arrived at Sword Douluo's residence, Sword Douluo appeared calm, as though he didn't care about anything.
Yang Xiong bowed. "Master, I plan to leave the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and I hope you will approve."
Sword Douluo slightly nodded. "I have already heard about your decision. Everyone has their own path to walk, just like a sword. A sword must undergo many refinements before it can become a true treasure. Since you have decided to leave, walk this path seriously. Don't disappoint yourself, and don't tarnish my reputation."
Yang Xiong quickly spoke, "No matter what, I will continue to diligently practice the way of the sword. I will not disappoint you."
Sword Douluo said, "You have always had your own thoughts and your own methods of cultivation. Today, I will teach you your final lesson. Since you have learned my Seven Killing Sword technique, you must treat yourself as a true sword. When facing any challenges, you must be as unyielding as a sword, moving forward without hesitation. Don't think about detours."
After Sword Douluo finished speaking, an immense killing intent emanated from him. His Seven Killing Sword descended from the sky. Even with Yang Xiong's current strength, he felt completely suppressed, and his heart trembled.
When the massive Seven Killing Sword landed before him, Yang Xiong felt a chill run down his spine, unable to resist. The sword was filled with endless killing intent, and it seemed to embody the very essence of Sword Douluo himself—proud, defiant, and transcendent.
Sword Douluo continued, "Yang Xiong, your talent and combat ability are unparalleled in my lifetime. You also have your own cultivation path. Though in terms of innate talent, you may not be as strong as Qian Renxue or Tang San, your combat experience is stronger than theirs, and you have worked harder in cultivation."
"However, in both cultivation and swordsmanship, there are still deficiencies. Soul masters ultimately rely on soul power, and only true powerhouses can suppress their enemies through soul power. When you reach the limit of cultivation, the difference between levels becomes as vast as the gap between heaven and earth."
At this point, Sword Douluo displayed his peak 97th-level soul power, showcasing his terrifying sword intent. Even though Yang Xiong was strong, he could feel the vast gap between them.
Sword Douluo continued, "Over the years, I've had many insights and opportunities, but I'm still stuck at the peak of level 97. There's still some distance from level 98."
"But do you know that the true peak of the soul master world is Qian Daoliu, a great elder hidden by Spirit Hall? My father's soul power reached level 98, but even he couldn't harm Qian Daoliu. Qian Daoliu, with the perfect fusion of his martial soul and body, blocked my father's nine killing moves and then used his angelic soul power to crush my father's internal organs, leading to his death. That is the power of a 99th-level Title Douluo, also known as the Extreme Douluo."
"Your strength is good, but your swordsmanship and soul power are still far too weak, and that gap cannot be made up by a few extra soul bones."
Yang Xiong was stunned. Although his strength had greatly improved recently, he realized that he was still far from the truly powerful experts.
Especially after his soul power reached level 70, his cultivation speed began to slow down. Once he reached Title Douluo, his speed would probably decrease even further, and his current advantages would soon be overshadowed by Tang San and Qian Renxue.
Yang Xiong quickly bowed. "Thank you for your guidance, Master. I will continue to work hard on my soul power cultivation."
...
After visiting Sword Douluo, Yang Xiong went to meet his other master, Bone Douluo.
Compared to Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo seemed more reserved, but he had actually helped Yang Xiong more, especially since Yang Xiong had been cultivating his body from a young age, and Bone Douluo had always secretly supported him.
When Yang Xiong met Bone Douluo, he bowed again. "Master, I plan to leave the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. I hope you will approve."
Bone Douluo spoke indifferently, "It's right for you to have your own plan. Leaving the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School might be better for your development, but have you considered that establishing a sect is not an easy task?"
Yang Xiong quickly replied, "Please guide me, Master."
Bone Douluo shook his head. "This is not about soul master cultivation; it's about the sect."
"Any sect's development requires not only a legacy but also goals, revenue, and the ability to manage many complicated situations."
"Your idea of founding the Body Sect is good. You've already gathered many powerful experts, and the basic framework for your sect is built, but have you considered how the Body Sect will be inherited in the future? Will it remain in your control?"
"Also, your subordinates are complicated. You may be able to suppress them now, but will your descendants have your cultivation talent? Will they be able to suppress the complex factions? Will they be able to manage the ambitions of everyone?"
Yang Xiong was taken aback. He had planned the Body Sect well, ensuring it had ample resources and cultivation methods, but he had not thought much about how to maintain control in the future.
Yang Xiong knew very well that the Body Martial Soul was extremely rare in the soul master world and difficult to cultivate. The biggest problem was that it was hard to pass down stably.
In the original story, the Tang Sect's decline after ten thousand years was also due to the lack of a true martial soul inheritance.
The entire Tang Sect, in pursuit of what they called "orthodoxy," had chosen a Blue Silver Grass soul master as their sect leader, and despite being called the "Blue Silver Grass Royal Family," it was still just ordinary Blue Silver Grass.
No matter how you looked at it, Blue Silver Grass was far too common, lacking both offensive and defensive capabilities. It had no potential for inheritance.
Had the Tang Sect retained Title Douluos after ten thousand years, even if soul tools replaced hidden weapons, they would still be a significant force. At least they wouldn't have come close to losing their inheritance.
As for the so-called second awakening of the Body Martial Soul, after many years of research, Yang Xiong had some ideas, but he could not stabilize the inheritance or eliminate the risks. Not everyone could cultivate like him, using both ice and fire for body refinement, and not everyone had the protection of a 100,000-year Blue Silver Emperor soul bone.
Yang Xiong thought for a moment and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Master. I understand what I need to do next."
Bone Douluo shouted, "No, you don't understand. A sect's true growth and strength doesn't depend on just one person, nor on a single martial soul."
"Take the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, for example. While the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Tower is said to be the best auxiliary martial soul, there are other martial souls that can compete with it, like the Cang Jin Scepter and the Nine Heart Sea-Dandelion. They are not much weaker than the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Tower."
"But only the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is the true Upper Three Sect. Only the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School can dominate the world. It's not just about the martial soul; it's about the methods. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has Title Douluos in every generation, and these Title Douluos are dedicated to the sect. This is something that can't be explained in just a few words."
"Not only is it filled with bloodshed, but it's also full of schemes. Do you think an ordinary disciple can access so many resources, or have a Title Douluo protecting them at all times? That's because you are special, and you've contributed greatly to the sect."
"But even so, you still want to leave the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. Do you think with my strength and Sword Douluo's strength, we cannot leave? Do you think we cannot start our own sect?"
Yang Xiong felt a chill run down his spine and was struck by the force of Bone Douluo's words.
Although in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, everyone thought Sword Douluo was the true anchor of the sect, Bone Douluo was the one who truly held the foundation together.
Sword Douluo didn't need to handle any of the sect's internal affairs, allowing him to focus solely on cultivation. The sect had provided him with the best environment, something even Spirit Hall couldn't replicate.
In contrast, Bone Douluo had to protect the sect leader's safety and deal with all the internal affairs, including the dark and bloody tasks. In a sense, Bone Douluo was the true pillar of the sect.
Bone Douluo looked at Yang Xiong's pale face and continued, "Every sect is filled with complex factions, and every individual has their own thoughts. Even the Blue Electric Tyrannosaurus Rex Clan and Haotian Sect, which are tied together by martial souls and bloodlines, have internal conflicts."
"Take the Blue Electric Tyrannosaurus Rex Clan, for example. Even though Yu Luomian and Yu Yuan Zhen are brothers, they support different heirs to the sect. Similarly, there are differences between Tang Xiao and the elders of Haotian Sect."
"And your Body Sect has no such bloodline connections. This problem will only get worse in the future. How will you prevent your sect from splitting or collapsing?"
"Also, every normal person has selfish desires. Do you really think about your own children and family? But why should your children and family inherit everything from you?"
(END CHAPTER)
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