"Who is that? Is he the young master of Spirit Hall?"
Some of the older members of Spirit Hall seemed to recall a long-forgotten rumor—something about a figure who had once stayed close to the former Pope, Qian Xunji. For reasons unknown, that person had later vanished without a trace.
Once one person brought it up, whispers quickly spread through the crowd, each adding more detail than the last.
Meanwhile, hidden within the crowd, Qian Renxue—disguised as Xue Qinghe—stood there in a daze.
If Chen Ming was the young master of Spirit Hall… then who was she? Was she still the Crown Prince Xue Qinghe?
Walking along the golden bridge of light, the seven Worships and Chen Ming arrived at the center of the plaza.
In terms of strength and status, Qian Daoliu should undoubtedly have taken the lead. But since Chen Ming was the focus of this gathering, and Qian Daoliu was the one presiding over the coronation, it was at his insistence that the two walked side by side.
The other six Worships fell in behind them, each standing half a pace—or even a full pace—back according to their cultivation levels, subtly emphasizing the prominence of the two at the front.
Bibi Dong kept her expression composed, but the overwhelming holy aura stirred something deep within her. Painful memories from her darkest past surged to the surface, and for a moment, she nearly lost control, seized by the urge to confront Qian Daoliu then and there.
But she knew very well—if she dared to make a move, Qian Daoliu would not show mercy. He would kill her without hesitation.
Unless she fully cultivated both of her Martial Souls to their limits, acquired complete Spirit Rings, and completed her divine trials to ascend to godhood, she would remain completely suppressed by Qian Daoliu's Martial Soul and his identity as the high priest of the Angel God.
Against him, she would be swiftly cut down.
"Friends of the Spirit Master world, I, Qian Daoliu, am deeply gratified that you have all gathered here today at the invitation of Spirit Hall. As the Pope has said, the purpose of this assembly is to share a new cultivation method."
"Share?"
That single word shocked the crowd just as much as Qian Daoliu's appearance.
After all, in the Spirit Master world, whether it was Spirit Rings, Spirit Bones, knowledge, or resources—everything had always been monopolized. The idea of "sharing" was almost unheard of.
"Grand Worship, do you mean to exchange this knowledge with us?" Ning Fengzhi stepped forward respectfully, cupping his hands as he addressed Qian Daoliu.
Though he remained wary of Spirit Hall, he still deeply respected—and trusted—the strength of Qian Daoliu.
"Free. Completely free," Qian Daoliu replied. "This knowledge will not only be shared with everyone present, but with every Spirit Master across the entire world."
As he spoke, he stepped back and placed a hand on Chen Ming's shoulder, introducing him to the crowd under countless watchful gazes.
"The source of this breakthrough in cultivation comes from a young genius. It is precisely because of his innovation and his willingness to share selflessly that all of you have gathered here today."
"Chen Ming—go ahead and speak to everyone."
With that, Qian Daoliu handed the stage over to him.
Countless powerful figures and influential leaders from across the Douluo Continent fixed their eyes on Chen Ming, as if trying to discern what was so extraordinary about him.
At that moment, Chen Ming fully activated his AI-like thought process.
Calm to the extreme, his analytical mind operating at full capacity, he stepped forward and introduced himself to the world:
"Greetings, esteemed seniors. My name is Chen Ming. I come from a small place within the Heaven Dou Empire. Some of you may have heard my name, and some of you may not. But I ask that you all take a moment to listen to what I have to say."
"When I was very, very young, I was curious about everything. From the moment I became aware of the world, I was filled with curiosity toward it. As an orphan, I was especially fascinated by those lofty Spirit Masters."
"Thanks to Spirit Hall's Martial Soul awakening service, I, a mere child, successfully awakened my Martial Soul. By sheer luck, I also possessed innate Spirit Power, which allowed me to step into the world of Spirit Masters. Carrying that curiosity, I wanted to dive headfirst into the ocean of knowledge about Spirit Masters—but I found myself stranded on the shore."
"The meditation method is simply too crude. I felt that way from the very first day I obtained it. At first, I thought it might just be the version I received, but later, when I studied at the academy, I realized that all meditation methods are fundamentally the same."
"As I used my Spirit Power, I could feel it flowing through my meridians. I also noticed that after intense physical activity, my cultivation speed would increase. That made me wonder—if Spirit Power flows through the meridians, why are the meridians not directly involved in cultivation?"
"Fortunately, my thinking was correct. After repeated experiments, I gradually formed a new prototype—a cultivation system centered on using the meridians to gather and circulate energy."
"Along the way, I received help and recognition from many seniors. The headmaster of my Junior Spirit Master Academy recommended me to Heaven Dou Emperial Academy, where I gained support from the academy's leadership and access to a wide range of knowledge in the library."
"Later, after gaining the attention of Senior Dugu Bo, I was able to deepen my understanding of the human body with his help, further refining this system. In the end, with the assistance of Senior Dugu Bo, Senior Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan, and Senior Ye Renxin of the Nine Heart Begonia Clan, I was finally able to perfect this new method."
"Because I have received so much care, recognition, and help from so many people along the way, I want to share this new cultivation method with every corner of the world—so that all Spirit Masters can break through their original limits."
As Chen Ming finished speaking, Spirit Hall attendants who had long been prepared rushed out from the shadows and began distributing copies of the Douluo Heart Method.
Already filled with curiosity, the crowd immediately opened the thin booklets in their hands. In an instant, they were captivated by the rigorous cultivation system Chen Ming had constructed, their emotions surging with excitement.
"So Spirit Power can be used like this? No… this is how it should have been all along. It's not even difficult. It makes perfect sense. I've experienced similar things before—so why didn't I ever think of this?"
An elderly Spirit Douluo stared at the section describing how Spirit Power flowed through the meridians, his expression bordering on madness.
He wasn't the only one. Those who had been stuck at their current level for years were all stirred by this new method. Their expressions shifted rapidly, unable to contain their agitation.
None of it was truly complicated. It was how things should have been. And yet, they had never realized it—never even thought about it.
Though this was only the earliest version, its cultivation speed already surpassed any traditional meditation method. And everyone could see that this system was still immature—a young sprout with enormous potential.
With continuous refinement and accumulated experience, its efficiency would only improve further. One day, it would grow into a towering tree, leaving the old meditation methods far behind.
If they had cultivated using such a method during their golden years, accumulating Spirit Power more efficiently instead of relying on outdated techniques…
Would their current level be higher? Would their achievements be greater?
The answer was obvious.
Everyone present understood just how significant even a ten or twenty percent difference in cultivation speed could be.
It was no different from the gap created by innate Spirit Power itself.