This was the reason why Wang Chen's Ring Explosion Secret Technique had a cooldown time of only twelve days, while the Clear Sky Sect's Ring Explosion Secret Technique required thirty-six days.
Therefore, Wang Chen's direction of deduction should not be to simply reduce the cooldown time of the Ring Explosion Secret Technique,
but rather to determine how to minimize the damage to the soul rings during use, and under the condition of minimal damage, release all the energy contained within the soul rings.
Only in this way could he greatly shorten the interval between each use of the Ring Explosion Secret Technique.
Once Wang Chen understood the key point, he immediately used the second crystal mark again to carry out a targeted deduction on the Ring Explosion Secret Technique.
After a long while, Wang Chen slowly opened his eyes. The corners of his mouth lifted into a faint smile—this time, the targeted deduction had been extremely successful.
After the deduction, the damage to the soul rings when using the technique was greatly reduced.
If the previous version of the Ring Explosion Secret Technique was like tearing huge holes in the soul rings,
then now it was like opening a valve on the rings, using a special method to squeeze out all the energy stored inside.
In this way, the damage to the rings was minimal, allowing them to recover much faster.
The cooldown time of the Ring Explosion Secret Technique was directly shortened from twelve days to one day.
And the most wonderful part was that, because the damage to the soul rings was so small, the use of soul skills was not affected.
That's right—from now on, after using the Ring Explosion Secret Technique, Wang Chen would still be able to use his soul skills.
Unlike before, when the damage to the rings after use had been so severe that even his soul skills became unusable.
Feeling in excellent spirits, Wang Chen got up from his bed, stretched lazily as the bright sunlight shone through the window, and then went downstairs to eat breakfast.
Just as Wang Chen was feeling great, the Great Elder arrived and said respectfully to Wang Chen, "Clan Leader, Wang Yan has awakened."
Hearing the Great Elder's words, Wang Chen immediately stood up, preparing to go meet Wang Yan.
Wang Chen's father and mother, who had been about to greet the Great Elder upon seeing him, froze in shock when they heard how he addressed their son.
Wait—what did the Great Elder just call their son? Clan Leader?
Wasn't the Wang Family's Clan Leader Wang Yan? Since when had their son become the Clan Leader? Were they hearing things?
But when they saw how respectfully the Great Elder was treating their son, both Wang's father and mother realized they probably hadn't misheard.
Still, what on earth had happened? How had their son become the Clan Leader?
Wang Chen noticed the curiosity in his parents' eyes and smiled. "Dad, Mom, I'll explain everything in detail when I get back."
The fact that Wang Chen had become the Clan Leader was something he planned to keep within the twelve elders of the Wang Family—the higher-ups only.
He didn't intend to make it public among the ordinary clansmen.
However, there was no reason to hide it from his parents.
He just needed to tell them not to spread it.
Of course, now that he was Clan Leader, Wang Chen would definitely bring his parents into the core territory of the Wang Family and assign powerful protectors to guard them.
Wang's father and mother looked at their son—his tall, straight posture, handsome appearance, refined temperament, and the powerful aura unique to a true expert in his every move.
They felt that their son had truly grown up—like an eagle soaring high into the sky, far beyond their reach as parents.
For a moment, they felt both proud and gratified, yet also a bit helpless—because they could no longer protect him, nor help him in any way.
Seeing the proud yet wistful expressions on his parents' faces, Wang Chen hugged them each in turn before walking out the door.
Before leaving, Wang Chen gave the Great Elder a meaningful look, and the Great Elder instantly understood.
Smiling warmly, the Great Elder turned to Wang Chen's parents, dropping all traces of his usual lofty demeanor. He looked extremely kind and gentle.
Seeing this, Wang's father and mother immediately felt a bit nervous.
After all, the Great Elder held a very high position in the Wang Family. Whenever they saw him, they would normally have to bow and greet him respectfully.
Now, however, the Great Elder was being so kind and polite to them—it was only natural that they felt uneasy.
Wang's mother said politely, "Great Elder, please sit. I'll go pour you some tea."
The Great Elder hurriedly waved his hands. There was no way he would dare let the Clan Leader's parents pour him tea—that would cut short his own blessings!
Yesterday, Wang Chen had defeated Wang Yan in just three shots, and that overwhelming strength had already completely conquered the hearts of all twelve elders of the Wang Family.
If someone said that Wang Chen could even defeat a Titled Douluo-level powerhouse, the Great Elder would believe it.
Those final three strikes yesterday were so powerful that the Great Elder hadn't even had the courage to resist.
In his opinion, if Wang Chen hadn't held back on that final blow, Wang Yan would have been utterly dead—beyond saving.
Thus, the Great Elder felt nothing but deep respect for Wang Chen.
Of course, in truth, the idea that Wang Chen could defeat a Titled Douluo was an exaggeration on the Great Elder's part.
Wang Chen could unleash such terrifying attacks only through his Ring Explosion Secret Technique.
Relying on the explosive power of that technique, even a Titled Douluo would have to avoid his edge—but after three blows, Wang Chen would become utterly exhausted.
Seeing how polite Wang Chen's parents were, the Great Elder said quickly, "No need, no need, please sit. There's no need for tea—I just ate before I came."
Wang's father and mother followed his lead, not insisting further.
By now, they had realized that their son was no longer who he once was, and as his parents, they couldn't embarrass him.
The Great Elder said, "You are the Wang Family's benefactors. Without you, there would be no Clan Leader Wang Chen, and without him, there would be no prosperity for our Wang Family…"
After a round of flattering words that made Wang Chen's parents blush in embarrassment, the Great Elder finally got to the point.
He began explaining in detail how Wang Chen had become the Clan Leader and how he had defeated Wang Yan.
When Wang Chen's parents heard that their son had actually defeated the Clan Leader Wang Yan, they were so shocked they nearly fainted—and even forgot to breathe for a while.
Wang Yan had been the Clan Leader since before they were born, his authority so deeply ingrained that it seemed part of the Wang Family's very bloodline.
To hear that their own son had overthrown him—this was, in their minds, like tearing a hole in the heavens.
After listening, Wang's father sat dumbfounded on the sofa for a long moment before finally coming back to his senses. Looking up at the ceiling, he muttered,
"My son… is f*cking amazing!"
When Wang's mother heard her husband swear, she immediately snapped out of her shock and slapped his shoulder. "What did you just say?"
He raised both hands and chuckled. "Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue."
Wang's mother said tearfully, "Our good son—so young, yet with such strength. Who knows how much hardship he's endured behind the scenes… sob sob sob sob."
The Great Elder couldn't help twitching at the corner of his mouth as he watched Wang Chen's mother crying out of pity for her "poor hardworking son."
If he himself could have the kind of talent that allowed one to reach the Soul Emperor level before fifteen, and even defeat a Peak Soul Douluo, he'd be willing to cultivate twenty-four hours a day without sleep or rest.
Looking at the two utterly ordinary, unremarkable people before him—both merely Soul Kings—the Great Elder silently thought,
"How could two such ordinary people give birth to a monster like Wang Chen? Could it be… two negatives make a positive?"
If Wang Chen didn't bear such a striking resemblance to both of them—half his features from each—the Great Elder would never have believed he was really their child.
To him, it was like a ground dragon giving birth to a true dragon, or a sparrow hatching a phoenix—in short, utterly absurd.
After letting Wang Chen's parents process the news, the Great Elder spoke solemnly.
"Wang Chen is now the Clan Leader of our Wang Family, but his talent is far too shocking. If word spreads, it could bring disaster as easily as fortune.
Therefore, I hope you can keep this a secret."
Wang Chen's parents immediately nodded.
As parents, they didn't want their son to suffer even the slightest harm.
Even the smallest possibility of danger was unacceptable.
They promised to keep their mouths tightly shut and never let anyone know.
Satisfied, the Great Elder chatted a bit more to strengthen their relationship before happily taking his leave.
Building good ties with Wang Chen's parents could only bring benefits, never harm.
The Great Elder believed firmly that the Wang Family was not Wang Chen's final destination.
The vast Sun Moon Empire, and even the entire world, would be the true stage for Wang Chen!
Meanwhile, in the grand hall where Wang Yan lay.
Wang Chen looked around at the rare, life-filled flowers and plants decorating the hall, his expression calm.
His gaze shifted to the end of the hall, to the pale-faced Wang Yan, who lay weakly on the bed, gravely injured.
At that moment, Wang Yan also turned his head to look at Wang Chen.
The two—one old, one young—locked eyes.
For a moment, time seemed to freeze.
Looking at Wang Yan lying on the bed, Wang Chen seemed to see himself from three years ago—standing in this very place, cautious and trembling.
But now, the situation had reversed.
He was the stronger one.
The one who needed to be cautious was no longer him.
Standing beside Wang Yan's bed was a tall, burly man over two meters in height, built like an iron tower.
This man was Wang Shan, Wang Yan's trusted subordinate and personal guard—a Rank 7 Soul Engineer and Soul Sage powerhouse.
However, although Wang Shan was a Soul Sage, he wasn't an elder of the Wang Family, since he had no Wang bloodline.
He was an orphan adopted by Wang Yan, who had granted him the surname "Wang" and raised him step by step to his current position.
Wang Shan looked at Wang Chen with astonishment.
Just three years ago, Wang Chen had been like a fragile chick in front of him—someone he could easily lift with one hand.
But now, Wang Yan, the Clan Leader himself, had been defeated and gravely injured by Wang Chen.
The sheer reversal, the earth-shaking change, was simply beyond belief.
Wang Yan looked at Wang Chen, a trace of complicated emotion flickering in his eyes—but it vanished in an instant.
He had never expected that the one to dethrone him would be a youth not yet fifteen.
By relation, Wang Chen was even his great-grandson.
Although there wasn't much emotional connection between them—after all, he had far too many descendants—he still remembered Wang Chen for his exceptional talent.
When Wang Chen entered, Wang Yan said to Wang Shan, "Wang Shan, you may leave."
Wang Shan hesitated, worried that Wang Chen might harm Wang Yan.
But Wang Yan said calmly, "If Wang Chen wanted to kill me, I would've died yesterday. Why wait until today?"
Wang Shan found that reasonable, so he responded and strode out of the hall.
Wang Chen didn't even glance at him. After a day of recovery, he could now use his soul rings again to a certain extent.
To him, a Soul Sage like Wang Shan was nothing more than a minor character.
Even without using the Ring Explosion Secret Technique, Wang Chen could kill him in two moves at most.
Once Wang Shan left, silence returned to the hall—only Wang Chen and Wang Yan remained.
Wang Yan spoke first, his tone filled with emotion.
"I didn't expect you to possess such power.
With Soul Emperor cultivation, you defeated me—a Peak Soul Douluo and Rank 8 peak Soul Engineer.
You've won. From now on, you are the Clan Leader of the Wang Family.
But as the former Clan Leader, I have one thing to remind you.
I know the Great Elder and the others have always avoided involving the Wang Family in imperial succession struggles.
However, right now, we absolutely cannot sever ties with the Second Prince.
Over the years, I've helped the Second Prince Xu Tianyu with too many things—our hands are already stained with the blood of the other princes' followers.
If we withdraw from the Second Prince's faction now, the Wang Family will suffer heavy retaliation."
Wang Chen's expression remained calm, but his voice carried great weight.
"I didn't come here to show off, and I don't intend to break ties with the Second Prince for now.
However, I'm not interested in factional struggles or political intrigue. I don't want to waste my time and energy on that.
With my strength and talent, I just need to focus on cultivation. In a few years, I'll stand at the very peak of the Sun Moon Empire.
So, I want you to continue handling communication with the Second Prince.
But one thing—you must report to me whenever there's any major action or important information.
Once I'm strong enough, even if the Second Prince fails, I'll be able to protect the Wang Family.
Even without great merit, our family will still become one of the Sun Moon Empire's top clans because of me."
Wang Yan looked surprised.
He had thought Wang Chen had come to humiliate him as the former Clan Leader,
but instead, he wanted him to continue liaising with the Second Prince.
When he saw the calm and deep black eyes of Wang Chen and realized that the family now had someone capable of shielding it,
he felt a sense of relief and immediately nodded. "I will obey the Clan Leader's orders."
Although being defeated by a boy under fifteen and serving him as Clan Leader seemed humiliating,
to an old fox like Wang Yan, his face had long been thicker than a city wall.
If it was beneficial, what was face worth? He could throw it away without hesitation.
Seeing Wang Yan's good sense, Wang Chen nodded and said before leaving, "Recover well."
When it came to Wang Yan's injuries, no one understood them better than Wang Chen himself.
His last two soul rings had been the highest in age—one thirty thousand years, one fifty thousand years.
The energy released from those rings when they exploded was terrifying.
If he hadn't held back, Wang Yan would have been reduced to ashes on the spot.
Even with Wang Chen's restraint and the help of healing-type Soul Masters and medicines, Wang Yan would need at least a week to recover enough to get out of bed.
At the same time, Juzi looked at the Wang Family's recruitment notice, and her eyes instantly lit up.