The next morning, the atmosphere in the Papal Hall was heavy. Bibi Dong sat high upon her throne, her fingertips lightly tapping the armrest. Below, Xie Yue and Yan stood with bowed heads, their faces still bruised and swollen, expressions filled with shame. Hu Liena waited nearby, not daring to make a sound.
"So," Bibi Dong's voice was calm and even, "the two outstanding members of the Golden Generation, working together, were completely overwhelmed by a youth who didn't even release his Spirit Rings?"
Xie Yue gritted his teeth. "Your Holiness, this subordinate is incompetent. That Marco's movement technique is bizarre, extremely fast, and he seemed able to predict all our actions."
Yan added gloomily, "His attacks specifically targeted our faces, clearly meant to humiliate us!"
Bibi Dong's gaze swept over their swollen cheeks, a flicker of coldness in her eyes. Chrysanthemum Douluo Yueguan, standing attendance nearby, couldn't help covering his mouth with a light laugh, only stopping when Ghost Douluo Guimei glared at him.
"Disgraceful," Bibi Dong said coldly. "Starting today, you two are confined to quarters for one month, with double the training load. Yueguan, Guimei, you will personally 'drill' them."
Yueguan chuckled delicately. "This subordinate obeys. We will certainly take good 'care' of our two little geniuses from the Golden Generation." Guimei remained silent but nodded in acknowledgment.
After the two retreated, Bibi Dong dismissed her attendants and sat alone in the empty hall. Her fingers unconsciously rubbed the gem on her scepter as her gaze grew distant.
"Twelve years old, level forty-seven, ten-thousand-year fourth Spirit Ring, External Spirit Bone..." she murmured to herself. "Li Zhaoyan... you certainly raised a remarkable son. If Xiaogang had possessed such talent back then..."
Bitterness, resentment, love, and hatred churned within her. Had Yu Xiaogang possessed such world-shaking talent, would their destinies have been completely different?
"Hmph!" Bibi Dong suddenly gripped her scepter tightly, her eyes instantly filling with gloom and madness. "Talent... talent again! Qian Xunji! It was all you! You destroyed everything!"
A terrifying aura erupted from her, causing the entire Papal Hall to tremble slightly. It took quite some time before she forcibly suppressed her killing intent and resentment, restoring her cold exterior. This sudden variable might bring some unexpected amusement.
Meanwhile, in the Elder Hall's training ground, morning practice had just concluded. Qianjun Douluo looked at Marco, who was regulating his breathing, and rarely showed a trace of a smile. "I heard you gave Xie Yue and that little Yan quite the 'guidance' in the Soul Arena yesterday?"
Xiangmo Douluo laughed heartily beside him, slapping Marco's shoulder forcefully. "Well done! Those two brats, relying on their bit of talent, have been looking down on everyone among the younger generation. Someone needed to knock them down a peg long ago! Black and blue faces? Specifically targeting faces? Hahaha, beautifully done!"
Marco bowed slightly. "This junior acted impulsively. I beg your forgiveness, seniors."
"What fault is there to forgive?" Qianjun Douluo waved his hand. "Sparring among peers only needs to be to the appropriate extent. You didn't seriously injure them, only damaged their pride - that was already showing mercy. In the path of cultivation, one must guard against arrogance and impatience. Suffering some setbacks might not be a bad thing for them."
Xiangmo Douluo leaned closer, asking curiously, "Speaking of which, your movement technique is truly exquisite. It doesn't seem to be purely a Spirit Ability? And that predictive ability - is it related to your External Spirit Bone?"
Marco considered his words carefully. "The movement technique is a minor skill passed down in my family, used in coordination with Soul Power. The predictive ability does indeed benefit from the perception enhancement provided by my External Spirit Bone."
Qianjun Douluo nodded, then shifted the topic with a serious expression: "Though your attacks are fierce, after observing for many days, I've noticed your Spirit Ability attacks and mental energy application aren't tightly integrated. You possess an External Spirit Bone that enhances mental power - this is a tremendous advantage. If you can better incorporate it into your attacks, the destructive power will surely increase dramatically."
Xiangmo Douluo continued: "Old Qianjun observes carefully. Soul Power is the source of strength, while mental energy is the key to controlling that power. Only when the two are skillfully combined can one unleash power beyond their level. Take our brothers' Unyielding Staff Technique for example..."
His eyes revealed nostalgia and pride: "Your Coiling Dragon Staff lineage has an inherited self-created staff technique called Unyielding, comprising nine forms. The first five forms - 'Fighting Heaven and Earth, Shaking Heaven and Earth, Standing Tall Between Heaven and Earth, Overwhelming the Sky and Covering the Earth, Obscuring the Sky and Covering the Earth' - form the foundation, focusing on extreme application of power and technique. When mastered to perfection, a single staff strike carries overwhelming momentum."
Qianjun Douluo added: "Starting from the sixth form 'Overturning Heaven and Earth', one must integrate spiritual will into the staff technique. Each strike not only carries immense force but also contains unyielding battle intent that can directly impact the opponent's mind, doubling its power. The seventh form 'Destroying Heaven and Extinguishing Earth' requires exceptionally high mental cultivation, condensing unyielding will through Soul Power, possessing the might to break all techniques."
At this point, he sighed with a somber expression: "Unfortunately, the cultivation methods for the eighth form 'Creating Heaven and Earth' and the ultimate ninth form 'Changing Heaven and Earth' have been lost. According to ancestral records, those two forms require perfect fusion of Soul Power and mental energy, capable of moving heaven and earth's laws with the power to recreate the universe. Lost for ages, they've become extinct legends."
Marco felt deeply shaken. Previously, when using his Double Pupil Eye and Observation Haki, he mainly focused on auxiliary prediction and insight, never deeply considering how to directly integrate mental power into attacks. The philosophy behind this Unyielding Staff Technique opened a new door for him.
"Thank you for your guidance, seniors!" Marco expressed sincere gratitude. "This junior had indeed overlooked this aspect before. I will definitely devote myself to comprehension and attempt to better integrate spiritual power into my attacks."
Qianjun Douluo nodded with satisfaction: "You possess exceptional comprehension ability, solid foundation, and the assistance of an External Spirit Bone. As long as you find the right direction, your future prospects are limitless. Remember, powerful strength requires equally powerful will to control it."
During subsequent training, Marco consciously began attempting deeper integration between the Double Pupil Eye's mental power and Azure Flame Spirit Power. Initially extremely difficult, Soul Power and mental energy resisted blending like oil and water, even causing several instances of Soul Power disruption due to improper control.
But he didn't lose heart. Under the two deities' patient guidance, he tried repeatedly, making slight adjustments each time. Gradually, his Azure Flame punches began carrying faint mental intimidation, while his Tempest Kick slashes started emitting mind-disturbing fluctuations through the air.
During breaks from cultivation, Marco still visited the library to consult texts, paying special attention to records about mental energy application and self-created Spirit Abilities. He also faintly sensed that the gaze from the Papal Hall seemed to carry deeper meaning, and when Hu Liena occasionally came to observe his training, her eyes held more complexity.
The wind sweeping through the tower heralds an approaching storm. Marco knew that his peaceful cultivation days in the Spirit Hall would likely not last much longer. He must seize every moment to enhance his strength as quickly as possible, preparing for the potential turmoil that lay ahead.
--Enjoying the story? Want more chapters? Check out my Patreon and support me for 40+ advance chapters.
Just search for "QueenTL" on Patreon!"
Thanks!