Chapter 15: The Library Tower

After becoming a Soul Master, Yang Xiong's training regimen underwent a complete overhaul, or rather, he added many new training plans.

Although only eight years old, thanks to long‑term training his height has already reached 1.4 meters, even taller than those children with Beast Souls.

Yang Xiong went straight to a blacksmith shop in Seven Treasures City to have many items forged for himself, a total load of about thirty jin covering his body, including four wrist bracelets each weighing five jin and a chest armor weighing ten jin; he also had a sandbag made from small iron beads and an iron wooden dummy post.

The so‑called wooden dummy post isn't complicated in structure; it's a common ancient martial‑training device from Blue Star. Its base is a large platform, and the main shaft is an iron pole over 1.5 meters long with many holes, which can rotate on the base according to applied force.

Each hole can accommodate various oddly shaped iron arms, which can be designed according to one's own needs.

The wooden dummy post can be called the ultimate synthesis of ancient martial training in Blue Star's Hua Country, a simulated practice that merges attack methods, hand techniques, footwork, and leg techniques, fully reflecting the ancient emphasis on combat awareness and fighting methods.

However, ancient wooden dummy posts of Blue Star were made of hard wood, whereas the one Yang Xiong commissioned is forged from pure iron, with interchangeable arms; it is thus more convenient, adaptable, and sturdier than the ancient version.

After all, the Douluo Continent is a fantasy world; Yang Xiong feels that after becoming a Soul Master his strength and physical qualities have improved dramatically, and even at only eight years old he is probably far stronger than those adult practitioners of Blue Star.

Each morning Yang Xiong gets up, besides ordinary training, he spends most of the time striking the wooden dummy post and the sandbag—this is the true simulated combat training.

When hitting the wooden dummy post, as it spins, any slight delay in reaction will be struck by the iron hand; the greater the force, the faster the speed, the higher the chance of being hit, but Yang Xiong's primary martial soul grows stronger through such blows.

As for the sandbag, although it looks crude, it is one of the essences of boxing.

The sandbag's interior is entirely made of fine iron sand, wrapped outside with a layer of soul‑beast hide; even with all his strength Yang Xiong cannot break it, and each morning he strikes it with full force, truly pushing his fists and feet to the limit.

Especially after delivering full‑force blows to the iron sandbag, the skin and flesh on his hands and feet are battered, leaving him in severe pain, and at that moment his primary martial soul shows its effect; its terrifying regenerative power even amazes Yang Xiong.

In the morning, Yang Xiong rarely attends class; instead he plans to go to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's Library Tower to read, where there are many valuable items.

In the afternoon he focuses purely on physical training, carrying an even heavier load while running, swimming, and the like, squeezing his stamina to the limit.

The days may look simple, but Yang Xiong clearly feels his body gradually growing stronger.

Of course, every three to five days Yang Xiong challenges his father to a bout; although he gets badly beaten each time, he still accumulates some combat experience.

What surprises Yang Xiong the most is the collection of books in the entire Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect Library Tower.

The Library Tower has seven floors, each housing a variety of books, and the higher the floor, the more secretive the volumes.

The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect truly lives up to being the richest sect on the Douluo Continent; it seems to have spent a fortune on its collection, encompassing everything imaginable—not only countless cultivation notes from Title Douluo masters, various Self‑Created Spirit Skills of High-level Soul Masters, even knowledge of poisonous flower Spirit Herbs, making it one of the most extensive libraries on the Douluo Continent.

Especially as the floors rise, the books' value increases, with many out‑of‑print unique copies and some secrets of the Soul Master World's history.

When Yang Xiong reached the sixth floor, he was astonished to find the Clear Sky Sect's Chaotic Splitting Hammer Technique, the Haotian Nine Absolutes, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's Dragon Transformation—though clearly compiled from past masters' battles and somewhat incomplete.

Access to the seventh floor requires a command from the Sect Leader or the two Protector Elders, but Yang Xiong possesses the token given by Ning Fengzhi, so he can pass freely.

If the first six floors of the Library Tower are renowned for their abundant and precious collections, the seventh floor is comparatively modest in quantity, yet its value is astonishing.

Even on his first entry, Yang Xiong's eyes widened, for this floor contained Divided Mind Control and the Seven Kill Sword Technique, even a cultivation method of the Bone Douluo, though it seemed only to be lower‑level arts, lacking the highest tiers that likely require oral transmission.

Divided Mind Control is touted as a secret of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect; although not necessarily exclusive to it, it can amplify the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda's enhancements to the utmost, even applying the boost to multiple people simultaneously.

The Seven Kill Sword Technique claims to be the world's top‑most art, the pinnacle of sword techniques.

What interests Yang Xiong most is the Bone Douluo's cultivation method; the Bone Douluo's martial soul, Bone Dragon, is reputed as the most mysterious master in the Soul Master World, yet the Bone Douluo actually excels at defense.

Purely in terms of Defense Path, it even surpasses Hu Yanzhen and the Yu Yi Zu's Niu Gao, besides its unique martial soul it also has its own exclusive cultivation method.

Beyond that, Yang Xiong even discovered many defensive families' cultivation methods in the Library Tower, including unique training techniques and some drug‑based methods to boost defense.

Within the Library Tower, Yang Xiong feels as if he is immersed in an ocean of knowledge, especially since many things will be highly beneficial for his future, such as various Self‑Created Spirit Skills that he might reference to develop his own.

Of course, Yang Xiong also found many Medicine Bath methods in the Library Tower, generally originating from various great families; although not necessarily the world's best, each has its own distinct merits, or is especially suited to a certain type of martial soul.

Lin Gong, the homeroom teacher of Class One at the school, places great importance on class discipline, yet feels somewhat helpless regarding Yang Xiong.

After all, all the students in the class are only eight years old, receiving only basic Soul Master knowledge education, with virtually no real combat.

Originally Yang Xiong would just read during class, never paying attention; now he doesn't even show up, taking leave to run to the Library Tower to read, leaving the old man quite frustrated.

Nevertheless, Lin Gong is also helpless; this child has read so many books over the years that he has his own unique insights into martial soul cultivation, even being able to recognize his own martial soul at a glance, likely surpassing many teachers in knowledge.

But Lin Gong requires Yang Xiong to attend school one day each week; otherwise he would fall out of sync with the class, and Lin Gong also needs to understand Yang Xiong's specific situation, for a homeroom teacher unaware of a student's condition cannot report properly to the sect.

(End of Chapter)