The history of the Body Sect was a tapestry of lost glory. Rumors whispered that the original Seed of Inheritance—carried by the legendary Poison Immortal—had been entrusted to the Spirit Ice Douluo, Huo Yuhao, ten thousand years ago. Yet, like a bad debt in the ledgers of history, it never returned. The sect had been forced into exile, their legacy fractured, until the second-generation Seed was forged.
Unlike its predecessor, this Seed was not meant for portability; it was a fortress. Connected to the jagged peaks of Tianqian Mountain through a massive, ancient array, it featured a final self-destruct mechanism that ensured the sect's secrets would burn to ashes before they were stolen.
Deep within the concealment of the clouds, Qian Gu Zhangting followed Mu Ye through the shimmering gateway of the spatial vault.
Inside, the silence was absolute. Rows upon rows of categorized scriptures stretched into the gloom: Self-created combat techniques, acquired secret techniques, and the fabled innate secret techniques.
"Han Tianyi and I have discussed your path," Mu Ye began, his voice echoing off the crystalline walls. "You come from the Spirit Pagoda and the Qian Gu family. You do not lack flashy skills or destructive soul techniques. Most of what is recorded here would be a waste of your time."
He paused, pointing toward a scroll that radiated a soft, rhythmic pulse.
"The only combat technique worth your focus is 'Harmony Between Heaven and Man.' The deeper your resonance with the world, the more raw power you can siphon from the environment. For a Panlong Staff user, whose style is built on explosive, crushing force, this is the perfect amplifier. Your family likely has something similar, but our version is... purer."
They walked past the combat scrolls, entering the sanctum of Body Refining. Zhangting's eyes lit up, the golden reflection of the soul-lamps dancing in his pupils. This was why he had traveled across the continent. This was the missing piece of his divinity.
Mu Ye noted the hunger in the boy's gaze and felt a swell of pride. In this specific field, not even Shrek or the Tang Sect could touch them.
"Basic body training is for children under six. You've passed that stage, and I must admit, your foundation is terrifyingly solid—likely better than mine was at your age," Mu Ye explained. "But once the Martial Soul awakens, the body undergoes a metamorphosis. The basic methods become obsolete; they can no longer push the limits of a soul master's evolving physique."
Mu Ye's expression turned solemn as he gestured to the two main sections of the vault.
"There are two paths. The Acquired Secret Techniques and the Innate Secret Technique. There is only one Innate method. It is the strongest, yes, but its demands are monstrous. In ten thousand years, no one without a Physical Martial Soul has ever reached its supreme realm—the Flawless Golden Body."
Mu Ye shook his head, his voice tinged with the bitterness of his own past.
"I do not recommend it. Without the right bloodline, you will achieve mastery at best, wasting decades for a result that could be matched by an Acquired technique. Take Elder Poison's 'Poison Body' or the 'Jade Body' of the Long lineage. They use external catalysts—toxins, rare irons, or life-essences—to temper the flesh. They are practical. They are efficient."
He looked at Zhangting with the genuine concern of a mentor. "Furthermore, these techniques are designed to trigger a Second Awakening of the Martial Soul. But for a non-physical soul like the Panlong Staff... the probability is near zero. Unless you reach the Flawless Golden Body, your staff will not evolve further."
Mu Ye's explanation was exhaustive, honest, and logical. It was the advice of a man who had seen too many geniuses break themselves against the wall of the impossible.
But Zhangting didn't move toward the Acquired section. He didn't even look at the Jade Body or the Poison techniques. He walked straight to the central pedestal and picked up a jade slip engraved with three words that seemed to bleed light: Innate Secret Method.
Mu Ye's chest tightened. Arrogance, he thought. The same arrogance that had once ruined him. He had spent his youth obsessed with mecha, wasting the resources of the sect, failing to reach the rank of Super Douluo despite his innate full soul power. He couldn't watch his disciple commit the same slow-motion suicide.
"Zhangting..." Mu Ye began, his voice rising in warning. "Don't let your talent blind you to reality. To cultivate this without the proper bloodline is to pour water into a sieve."
"Teacher, do not worry," Zhangting interrupted, his voice calm, almost clinical.
He turned the jade slip over in his hand, a cold, focused light in his eyes.
"I am well aware that I lack the Physical Martial Soul. I know I do not possess the natural bloodline or the primordial qi required to fuel this technique. But where nature was stingy, I have 'external forces' to provide the balance."
Before Mu Ye could argue, Zhangting reached into his robes and handed the Sect Master a ring-shaped storage soul tool.
"I don't need luck, Teacher," Zhangting whispered. "I have the Spirit Pagoda's treasury."
Chapter 18: If You Lack Talent, Make Up for it With Resources
Mu Ye took the ring, his mental sense dipping into its interior. His eyes widened, and for a moment, the Sect Master of the Body Sect actually stumbled back.
Inside the spatial storage was a collection of resources that would make a Titled Douluo commit treason. Bottles of Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue, essence from the Ice God Pearl, and vials of Dragon-Blood Marrow—materials so rare they were spoken of in whispers.
"You..." Mu Ye gasped, looking at the child in front of him. "You intend to forcibly pave the road to the Flawless Golden Body with pure wealth?"
"If the bridge is broken, I will build one of gold," Zhangting replied. "The Innate Secret Method requires an absurd amount of vitality and energy. If my bloodline cannot produce it, I will consume it. If my body cannot store it, I will forge it until it can."
He looked at the jade slip in his hand.
"The Panlong Staff is already a top-tier martial soul. But 'top-tier' isn't enough for what's coming. I don't just want a second awakening, Teacher. I want to shatter the ceiling of what is possible for a human being."
Mu Ye looked from the ring to Zhangting's face. He saw no hesitation, no childish delusion. He saw the cold, calculated strategy of a boy who was treating his own body like a laboratory.
"You are a madman," Mu Ye whispered, but a spark of fire—one he hadn't felt in decades—ignited in his own soul. "But if you are willing to endure the pain of a thousand deaths to reach that summit... I will be the one to push you."
Zhangting bowed deeply. "Then let us begin, Teacher. I have two hours before I need to 'sleep'."
As they prepared the first tempering bath, the mysterious scent of lilies returned, mingling with the bitter aroma of the medicinal herbs. Zhangting ignored it. Whether it was Gu Yuena or his own hallucination, it didn't matter.
In this vault, beneath the clouds of Tianqian, he was no longer a child. He was a blacksmith, and his own flesh was the iron.
Wait for me, Tang Wulin, Zhangting thought as the first drop of searing medicinal essence touched his skin. By the time you wake up, I won't just be your senior brother. I'll be the world you have to overcome.
Cliffhanger: As the medicinal liquid began to boil with Zhangting inside, the jade slip of the Innate Secret Method began to vibrate, emitting a low, haunting frequency that resonated not with his body, but with the Panlong Staff dormant in his soul. Something was changing... something the Body Sect records had never mentioned.