"The authority of the Pope is not absolute," Qian Daoliu said sternly. "Since you cannot handle this matter properly, then leave it to me."
"The world will know exactly who this cultivation method comes from, and why it is being made public through the Spirit Hall. They will know it as the Pope's achievement and remember the names of those who contributed—but they will hear nothing about me or the other worship elders."
He let out a long sigh before continuing, his tone firm yet restrained. "In other matters, I can step back. I can tolerate a great deal. But in this… Pope, you would do well to think carefully about your actions."
In his entire life, aside from having fathered Qian Xunji, Qian Daoliu could hardly be said to have made any real mistakes. He was, if anything, rigid—almost the perfect embodiment of a principled gentleman, one who adhered strictly to what he believed was right.
Though he rarely involved himself in daily affairs, he was far from absent. On a matter of this magnitude, there was no way he could remain silent.
If the name of someone like Yu Xiaogang were to appear on such a work without justification—and he did nothing—Qian Daoliu felt it would leave a lasting stain on his heart. He might even develop a heart demon during cultivation. He half-joked to himself that if he returned to the Consecration Hall like this, even the statue of the Angel God might collapse and crush him.
If Bibi Dong wanted to claim credit for herself, that was at least understandable. Shameless, perhaps—but still within reason. One could attribute it to vanity.
Even adding her own name to it, though brazen, could still be argued—there was, at least, some justification.
But Yu Xiaogang… Yu Xiaogang…
That man, whose Martial Soul was nothing more than a useless, embarrassing existence—and she wanted to add his name simply because of past feelings?
If that spread, what would become of the Spirit Hall's reputation, built over thousands of years?
To put it bluntly, if both scandals were revealed to the world, it was hard to say which would deal a greater blow to the Spirit Hall's prestige: the truth about Qian Xunji forcing himself upon Bibi Dong and the resulting child, or the fact that the Pope had attached the name of a useless former lover to a cultivation method that could define a new era.
Bibi Dong was about to argue further when she felt the gazes of the assembled worship elders converge upon her. At the same time, a sacred aura began to emanate from Qian Daoliu—one that stirred an instinctive sense of disgust within her.
"Hmph." Closing her eyes, Bibi Dong let out a cold snort. In the end, she had no choice but to concede.
...
How strong was this new cultivation method?
If the efficiency of the most basic meditation technique was considered to be 1, and after generations of accumulated experience and refinements it could at best reach 1.2, then this new method began at a base efficiency of 1.3.
In other words, it surpassed the upper limits of traditional meditation techniques without requiring any prior accumulation—enough to render all conventional methods obsolete.
By relying on the circulation of energy through meridians rather than simply drawing power through the Martial Soul, its very foundation overturned the advantages that major sects had built over time through lineage and sheer numbers.
And as it continued to be developed, with more insights and refinements added over time, pushing its efficiency to 1.4 was not beyond the realm of possibility.
For the world of Spirit Masters, this was nothing short of a revolutionary upheaval.
Human talent had its limits. While this new meditation method could not directly break those limits, it could influence them indirectly.
By cultivating with this method, a Spirit Master could reach their natural ceiling at a much younger age. From there, with more time and accumulated effort, they would have greater opportunities to attempt breakthroughs in the years that followed.
In this way, their ultimate potential might rise to a higher level.
For already established Spirit Masters, the change would not be particularly dramatic. But for the younger generation, it was a transformation bordering on the unprecedented.
According to Chen Ming's own estimates, even the standard meditation methods of the era ten thousand years later—during the time of Peerless Tang Sect—would likely only reach this level of efficiency. The difference was that future Spirit Masters would possess the method of condensing a Spirit Core, making the transition from Level 89 to Level 90 significantly easier.
His method, however, did not include such techniques. Its impact would therefore be immense on the new generation, yet it would not directly threaten the established powerhouses of the current era.
This balance was intentional. Chen Ming had carefully calibrated the method's strength, ensuring it surpassed existing standards without creating a drastic, cliff-like leap in power.
The manual only contained records on circulating Spirit Power through the twelve primary meridians. As for deeper aspects—such as the extraordinary meridians or anything related to soul cores—not a single word was mentioned. Its strength was precisely controlled within a specific range.
Only by reducing all existing cultivation methods and accumulated experience to the equivalent of obsolete knowledge could Chen Ming gradually carve out his own advantages.
It was much like a game updating to a new version. The starting equipment of the new version wouldn't necessarily leap far beyond that of the previous one—perhaps only a slight improvement.
In fact, newly introduced characters and equipment might not even outperform those from the previous version who had already been honed and developed.
But if one refused to adapt to the new version, even the strongest players of the old era would eventually be left behind. To maintain their lead—and to ensure their outdated "equipment" remained relevant—these individuals would have no choice but to seek Chen Ming out to "upgrade" what they possessed.
Naturally, the people of the Douluo Continent had no concept of version updates, nor did they understand just how drastic power inflation could become, or how quickly such shifts might occur. The pace of this "inflation," and the method of upgrading, would remain entirely under Chen Ming's control.
If one had to describe it in another way, it was akin to artificially creating an economic shift—establishing new standards, generating pressure and competition, and subtly guiding certain groups toward actions that aligned with his long-term plans.
In theory, the leverage this created could be enormous—enough even to trigger continent-wide conflict. But Chen Ming had no intention of pushing things that far or that aggressively.
Though such a strategy carried risks, as long as he could align himself with powerful backers—ensuring that beings at the level of Titled Douluo would not directly intervene—then those below that level would be far easier to manage. This was precisely why he had drawn the Spirit Hall, along with Ye Renxin, into the fold.
Chen Ming wanted to profit—but not by taking from those who had nothing. His targets were those with wealth, with accumulated resources, those unwilling to fall behind at the starting line—those driven to compete, to improve, to push forward.
What appeared to be a free gift was, in reality, the opening offering of a new era—one that subtly compelled further investment.
Yet the Spirit Masters of the Douluo Continent could not perceive this. To them, this was simply a monumental reform that would shape the future of their world—an achievement destined to be recorded in history.
When Chrysanthemum Douluo presented the manual, Bibi Dong immediately recognized its significance. However, driven by personal feelings, her thoughts drifted to the man she cared for—to Yu Xiaogang and his reputation as a theoretical grandmaster. She intended to include his name when the book was published.
But the usually respectful Chrysanthemum Douluo reacted as if his tail had been stepped on, erupting in anger and openly expressing his dissatisfaction and disdain toward her suggestion.
From there, tensions escalated, and the matter within the Pope's Palace quickly grew beyond control. When Qian Daoliu learned of it, he began to pay attention—and what he discovered left him deeply shaken.
The sheer innovativeness of the technique astonished him. And when he realized that Bibi Dong intended to forcibly add the name of Yu Xiaogang—someone who had contributed nothing to this new method—his long-dormant anger resurfaced, hardening into an unyielding resolve.
Even if it meant openly opposing Bibi Dong, Qian Daoliu would never allow the Spirit Hall's long-established prestige, nor the hopes that young Spirit Master prodigies placed upon it, to be destroyed in such a manner.