Chapter 141: Ning Fengzhi

After everything was arranged, Yang Xiong and Lin Gong finally left Cloud Mist Mountain.

Along the way Lin Gong seemed a bit puzzled: "Xiao Xiong, your concept for the Body Sect is indeed very good; even we of this generation already have the potential to become a powerful sect. Purely in terms of strength, we are certainly not weaker than the lower four sects, and even after ten years we could be no weaker than the upper three sects."

"But compared to that, we still lack the kind of inheritance the upper three sects have, especially the inheritance of martial souls."

Yang Xiong's face showed a faint smile: "Teacher Lin, I understand your point, but the inheritance of our Body Sect differs from that of the upper three sects. The upper three sects inherit through family martial souls; our Body Sect will in the future base its inheritance on Body martial souls, passing it down in a master‑apprentice manner."

Lin Gong's face showed a hint of doubt: "Master‑apprentice? Can inheritance work that way?"

Yang Xiong smiled: "Families inevitably have limits; a single martial soul is still insufficient. What I want is to gather all Body martial souls from across the Douluo Continent together. They may not be valued elsewhere, but in this Body Sect they will receive the best education, and our Body Sect will master the finest inheritance of Body martial souls."

Soon the two returned to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, and Yang Xiong went straight to find Sect Leader Ning Fengzhi.

Ning Fengzhi was quite pleased that Yang Xiong came to see him alone; now their relationship had become much more relaxed, and the two could interact without any Title Douluo, Jian Shu and Gu Shu, nearby.

"Xiao Xiong, I heard from Jian Shu and Gu Shu that your recent cultivation has been decent. Are you coming to see me because of the Single Attribute Three Great Families matter?"

Yang Xiong shook his head: "Sect Leader, I have a matter I'd like you to help handle."

Ning Fengzhi said: "Feel free to speak; I have long said that all sect resources are at your disposal."

After thinking carefully, Yang Xiong spoke: "Sect Leader, I would like you to issue an order to gather all children with Body martial souls from across the continent; I will arrange their training later."

Ning Fengzhi nodded: "That's not a big deal. The Body martial soul personnel you mention are not valued by ordinary Soul Grandmaster families; as long as we give them relatively good treatment, these children should be very satisfied."

"However, judging by your demeanor, you seem to have found a suitable cultivation method for Body martial souls. Unfortunately, the inheritance of Body martial souls is quite difficult; its occurrence in the Soul Master World is extremely rare. The entire Douluo Continent probably has only a few hundred such individuals, and they generally possess weak Innate Soul Power. You need to take that into account."

Yang Xiong nodded: "Thank you for the guidance, Sect Leader. I will arrange for these individuals to train separately on Cloud Mist Mountain, and I may personally instruct them."

……

The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect is the richest sect on the continent, possessing the most comprehensive network, especially with influence spreading throughout the Heaven Dou Empire; even the Star Luo Empire feels its sway. Gathering students with Body martial souls is therefore not too difficult, and one could say the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and the Body Sect are an excellent match.

Just as Yang Xiong was preparing to leave, Ning Fengzhi suddenly became unusually solemn.

"Xiao Xiong, regarding your so‑called Body martial soul inheritance, and even your invitation to the Single Attribute Three Great Families to the Heaven Dou Empire, no matter what small moves you make behind the scenes, you must remember your position."

Yang Xiong was startled by this; it seemed to be the first time Ning Fengzhi had spoken to him seriously, which was completely at odds with his previously refined demeanor.

"Sect Leader, I have always been a disciple of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and will never betray the sect."

Ning Fengzhi laughed: "Don't be so nervous; it's normal to have a bit of scheming, but in this Soul Master World, besides strength, methods are equally important."

"You should be aware of the situation of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect; the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda is merely an auxiliary martial soul, yet it can become the core of the entire sect, naturally possessing a complete sect management system."

"I don't know how you got the Single Attribute Three Great Families to follow you, but remember, to become a true leader you need not only strength but also methods."

Yang Xiong, hearing this, felt a cold sweat on his body; he had pondered this issue over the years but never studied it deeply, and from Ning Fengzhi's words it seemed he had already seen through his little schemes.

"Sect Leader, I…"

Ning Fengzhi shook his head: "I don't care about such petty squabbles; if I were unaware of something this big, I would be a worthless Sect Leader."

Yang Xiong swallowed: "Thank you for your favor, Sect Leader."

Ning Fengzhi said: "Xiao Xiong, perhaps you can bribe some personnel with short‑term benefits, but remember, as a manager you must be meticulous; you must wield both kindness and authority over subordinates, otherwise you will lose control over everything."

"When you deal with Yang Wudi and the others, besides giving them certain benefits, you must also impose certain restraints; human hearts are the hardest thing to control, otherwise troublemakers will arise."

Yang Xiong quickly replied: "Thank you for the guidance, Sect Leader."

Ning Fengzhi shook his head: "It's nothing. Our Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect has passed down for many years, and people find it strange. Every generation of our sect has a Title Douluo, yet the Sect Leader is usually just a Soul Saint. Haven't those Title Douluo elites ever thought of turning the tables?"

"Such phenomena have occurred in history, but they relate to the current Sect Leader's methods and to various other minor issues."

"Title Douluo are undoubtedly the sect's greatest pillar, but they are not necessarily the decision‑makers; this involves matters of hearts and emotions."

"I have known Jian Shu and Gu Shu for countless years; in my eyes they are seniors, Elders of the sect, and also comrades who have fought side by side for years. Your relationship with the Single Attribute families will likely become even more complicated in the future, because people are ambitious, and within their families there are many eyes and ears, which may cause hearts to sway."

Yang Xiong fell silent upon hearing this; he realized his thoughts had been overly simplistic, and that establishing a sect inevitably brings countless unforeseen matters.

"Please give your guidance, Sect Leader."

Ning Fengzhi smiled: "It's not that complicated. It all comes down to methods, interests, and hearts. The sect's internal affairs are intricate; you need to balance various interests, keep mutual checks, and earn their absolute emotional trust. As long as you achieve these three aspects, there should be no major troublemakers."

"Of course you're still young; your exposure to these three aspects is shallow, and you may be overly presumptuous at times, but with your intelligence you should eventually adapt."

"You should be familiar with the Golden Iron Triangle. Among the three, Yu Xiaogang is the weakest in strength, far weaker than the others, yet he is the absolute core of the Golden Iron Triangle. Besides his martial soul being the core of the combination, the close daily bond among the three is also crucial, as Yu Xiaogang's decisions in his youth influenced the others. You could learn a bit from that."

……

After Yang Xiong left Ning Fengzhi, his back was slightly drenched.

This was a candid one‑on‑one conversation between the two; although Ning Fengzhi's words were calm, they carried an undeniable edge.

Yang Xiong had always somewhat underestimated Ning Fengzhi, thinking the Sect Leader of the upper three sects seemed more like a businessman than a brilliant strategist.

Today Yang Xiong finally understood that Ning Fengzhi might be the most cunning and smartest person on the Douluo Continent; even the much‑criticized all‑out investment in Tang San could be one of his most successful moves.

One should note that after Yi Wan Nian, the Clear Sky Sect had vanished, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan no longer held its former power, yet this Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, the most distant from Tang San, retained the inheritance of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda and even became a considerable force, far surpassing the other two major sects.

Moreover, Ning Fengzhi's control over the sect was unfathomably deep; not only did he secure the full support of two Title Douluo, but the entire sect was united, and he forged the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect into something like an iron barrel—an approach worthy of admiration.

Especially within the sect, everything thrived; virtually all disciples trained with extraordinary diligence, treating the sect as their own home and willing to sacrifice their lives for it.

Furthermore, the sect's internal management was exceptionally strict; even ordinary mountain‑patrolling disciples acted with great caution and never slacked, unlike the aloof upper three sects.

Ning Fengzhi couldn't help but sigh: "Someone like Yang Xiong is truly rare—thoughtful, ambitious, talented, and fortunate. How could Rong Rong choose such a person?"

At that moment, the Title Douluo, Jian Shu and Gu Shu, suddenly appeared in the room, watching the two as they continued to discuss the previous conversation.

Ning Fengzhi's face showed a wry smile: "Jian Shu, Gu Shu, you have been teaching Yang Xiong for almost a month now; how do you find the kid?"

Gu Douluo spoke first: "Fengzhi, Yang Xiong's innate talent is flawless and he is very perseverant; in Defense Path he should be able to receive my true transmission, and perhaps in the future he will surpass his master."

The Jian Douluo beside him also nodded: "Yang Xiong's talent is outstanding; his comprehension and willpower are excellent in every respect, essentially possessing all the potential to become a top master. It's a pity he does not have a sword‑type martial soul, otherwise my sword technique would have a perfect heir."

Ning Fengzhi said: "It seems I still underestimated Yang Xiong's talent. Do you think he could ever truly reach the level of that person from the Clear Sky Sect?"

Jian Douluo shook his head: "That's hard to say. Back then that person brought the Clear Sky Sect to an unprecedented pinnacle, earning it the reputation of Number One Sect Under Heaven, and was hailed as the greatest talent in Yi Wan Nian. Both his talent and methods were unmatched. Had he not vanished suddenly, perhaps the Clear Sky Sect could have truly ruled the world."

Ning Fengzhi thought for a moment before speaking: "Fine, Jian Shu, Gu Shu, devote yourselves entirely to cultivating this disciple. Perhaps Yang Xiong can indeed lift our Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect to an unprecedented height, and perhaps his little scheming could truly reshape the Soul Master World."

After Yang Xiong left, he reconsidered his plan; compared with Ning Fengzhi, he realized he had been overly presumptuous and somewhat idealistic.

It seemed he needed to re‑plan everything, even adjust certain layouts, lest unforeseen troubles arise later.

(End of Chapter)