Chapter 7: Midnight Sparring, Shearing Tang San

It was evening.

Xiao Xian's eyes were half‑open, faintly revealing a trace of regret.

"Xuan Tian Gong is indeed complex, far more advanced than the Meditation Method I'm using now…"

"After a hard afternoon, at most I managed to record three or four layers; the gap is still far too large."

"My perception is vague…"

"If I could get closer, have more contact…"

"Fortunately, Tang San hasn't become suspicious; my widely praised positive image must have helped a lot."

"Even Wang Sheng's Water Sac? Xiao Chenyu is so easy to manipulate; a slight irregularity in his soul power made him so irritable that he went straight after those part‑time student troublemakers to vent his anger."

"Sigh, it has to be this exhausting."

"After all, they're disciples of the Tang Sect from Shu, adept at poison and Hidden Weapons; Sunlight Spores entering the body are still too conspicuous. Though I can suppress them and prevent strong effects, I still must be careful."

"Everything is going smoothly; Xuan Tian Gong First Layer, almost there…"

"Once the first layer is attained, it doesn't matter whether Tang San becomes a disciple or not."

If Tang San succeeds in taking a master, the next day he'll go with the Master to the Soul Hunting Forest; when he returns, Xuan Tian Gong will have broken through to the second layer.

After that, Xiao Xian fears he will never get to see the first layer again.

Can one cultivate the second layer directly without the first?

Even a fool knows that, whether possible or not, it's best not to take the risk.

As for switching to Xuan Tian Gong, does it require discarding the current soul power?

Xiao Xian snorted coldly in his mind. Do you think he'll believe it? He's seen Dou 2, 3, 4 plenty.

In the evening, Nording Academy became lively again.

For most people, the happiest time of day is mealtime.

"…"

Xiao Xian bought several dishes at lightning speed and delivered them to the Master, who was still in the dormitory, painstakingly researching.

After eating quickly, he, as usual, left Xiao Jue behind and returned to his dormitory.

Sitting cross‑legged on the bed, he waited quietly.

Tang San and the other part‑time students had already returned from Shi Tang to Qi She and began cultivating; the Er She trainees did the same.

Nording Academy's students had little evening entertainment; after dinner, most sat cross‑legged to meditate.

"…"

The sky darkened completely; the night sky was clear and cloudless, speckled with stars hanging silently high.

A moment later.

Xiao Xian's eyes flickered slightly.

He sensed a large mass of Sunlight Spores stirring.

From Qi She, they went straight to the playground and then vanished from his perception.

"Did Xiao Wu still drag Tang San to spar?" Xiao Xian mused.

"Go take a look."

Xiao Xian made the decision immediately.

Besides Xuan Tian Gong, Tang San also possesses Xuan Yu Hand, Ghost Shadow Maze, Purple Extreme Demon Eye, Control Crane Capture Dragon, and even Hidden Weapon Technique.

Gaining another is still a gain.

The night was hazy.

Xiao Xian stepped out of the dormitory door and could already see, far at the far end of the playground, two tiny silhouettes battling at speed.

"How about it? Do you accept?"

Soon, one silhouette swiftly knocked the other down and, with two small hands, pressed firmly on the fallen figure's shoulder joint.

"Not satisfied? Come again!" Tang San on the ground was clearly frustrated. In his previous life, as a tech otaku, he had spent his whole life in the Tang Sect, lacking combat experience; in close combat, although Xiao Wu's strength was not as great as his, she could still easily bring him down.

"What are you doing?! …" From afar, a female teacher suddenly appeared, furious.

The two silhouettes on the ground instantly rose awkwardly.

"…"

Xiao Xian leaned in the shadows, waiting silently.

If I recall correctly.

After Xiao Wu deals with the female teacher, Tang San will unleash Ghost Shadow Maze and Purple Extreme Demon Eye, continuing their 'sparring'.

Finally, he also used a Hidden Weapon Technique, easily striking Xiao Wu along a bizarre trajectory.

Tang San now lacks close‑combat experience. But once distance is created, he can employ Hidden Weapons and instantly return to his familiar lane.

Sure enough, before long.

The female teacher was violently tossed by Xiao Wu's soft technique, leaving with a dusty, bruised face.

Xiao Xian hid in a corner, evaded the teacher, and quietly moved a bit closer.

"When it comes to speed, I'm still afraid you can't!"

On the playground, the two quickly chased each other.

"Here it comes!" Xiao Xian silently sensed his Sunlight Spores flowing into his eyes, following Tang San's soul power.

It seemed to be a very subtle circulation path.

At the same time, the soul power in Tang San's legs became complex and active, adjusting rapidly with his steps.

"Purple Extreme Demon Eye, Ghost Shadow Maze, so that's how it works?" Xiao Xian silently marveled.

The circulation of soul power within Tang San's body was highly structured, rhythmic, and exceedingly complex.

The two of them, after a short while, ran across half the playground.

The distance to the dormitory kept getting shorter.

Xiao Xian, seeing this, did not hesitate to return to Er She, sat cross‑legged in meditation, focused his mind and fully sensed the movement of the Sunlight Spore inside Tang San.

Tang San had already re‑entered the fifty‑meter range, so there was no need to risk staying outside.

A little less than half an hour passed.

Their sparring ended, they looked a bit weary, and laughed as they returned to the dormitory.

Xiao Xian still sat cross‑legged on the bed, a faint soul power ripple emanating from his body, as if cultivating calmly like a still ancient well.

But…

Only Xiao Xian himself knew how much effort he had wasted to forcibly suppress the ecstatic joy within his heart!

"So that's how it is!"

"Soul power can operate like this!"

Did Xiao Xian focus on the Purple Extreme Demon Eye and the Ghost Shadow Maze?

No.

What Xiao Xian coveted was Tang San's method of using soul power!

A little less than half an hour.

Xiao Xian fully sensed Tang San's manipulation and deployment of soul power!

How to control soul power, channel it into both eyes to gain near‑dynamic vision, yet without damaging the delicate meridians inside the eyes.

How to use soul power to stimulate muscles, achieve faster steps and cover greater distances, yet without causing blood surge injuries.

How to mobilize soul power to fling a Stone, granting the Stone a variable trajectory in the air, while ensuring the wrist remains intact and unscathed by soul power impact.

Soul Masters on Douluo Continent control soul power in a very crude manner.

They are basically trapped by the abilities granted by their own soul rings.

After all, it is indeed too convenient and powerful.

Spending a lot of time researching soul power usage is less worthwhile than meditating with it.

If one breaks through early and obtains a good soul skill.

It can easily double one's own defense and strength.

If traditional martial artists from other worlds who practice "Golden Bell Shield" or "Iron Cloth" wanted the same effect, they might need to spend several years, perhaps even a dozen years of hard labor.

For ordinary Soul Masters in this world, it is merely a matter of a single soul ring.

Moreover.

For Soul Masters, achieving the same effect is not through cultivating "Golden Bell Shield" or "Iron Cloth," but through creation!

The difficulty suddenly jumps by dozens of times!

With this time, isn't meditation appealing?

If a shortcut exists, why take the long way?

You spend twenty years creating a Golden Bell Shield, then another ten years perfecting it—can that compare to my Hundred-Year Soul Ring?

You then spend fifty years mastering an ancient, dazzling technique—can that match my Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring?

This soul ring, with ten thousand years of power, can you block it? What will you use to block?

This also leads to Self-Created Soul Technique being extremely scarce on Douluo Continent, never forming a system.

If possible.

Xiao Xian also wishes to meditate effortlessly, obtain a soul ring, and then become stronger.

But…

His talent is too poor.

The first soul ring has no combat ability.

What about the second soul ring?

According to his current plan, it still won't grant him any combat power.

He can only devise his own ways, using all his knowledge.

For example, the Suction from his palm.

It employs the most basic scientific principle: pressure difference causing flow.

It was originally somewhat difficult, but his First Soul Technique, the Sunlight Spore's alteration of soul power vitality, lets him easily create soul power pressure differences, even strong ones.

The greater the pressure difference, the faster the flow.

Thus, his first Self-Created Soul Technique, Suction Palm, was born.

It sounds simple.

But in actual use, his enhanced vitality and high‑speed soul power always cause injury to his palm and meridians.

Having taken up the path midway, he can only keep advancing through trial and error.

At this moment, Tang San arrives powerfully, bearing the legacy of another world.

To Xiao Xian, it truly is a generous gift!

…