**CHAPTER 08: CLAN IMPROVEMENTS **
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Two days had passed since Tianlong's intense training with Yu Zhenhai. The time was short, but sufficient for Tianlong to work on something of utmost importance.
The morning opened with a gentle breeze, the sun filtering through the tall treetops, casting dancing shadows over the stone paths of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. In front of the imposing residence of the patriarch, where the dark-blue tiled roofs gleamed like dragon scales under the sunlight, Tianlong paused, taking a deep breath.
He raised his hand and knocked softly on the intricately carved dark wooden door, where two entwined dragons seemed to come alive with the silvery glow of the engravings.
"Grandpa, are you home?" His voice was firm but carried a hint of expectation.
The door creaked open almost instantly. Standing before him was Yu Yuanzhen—his silver hair tied in a high bun, his eyes still gleaming with the vitality of someone who carried an entire clan on his shoulders.
"Hmm? Xiao Long... Finally came to visit this old man? Come in, come in," he said with a smile that mixed surprise and joy.
Tianlong stepped inside, observing the details of the residence. His gaze fixed on a portrait hanging on the wall—it was a painting of a younger patriarch alongside another man, whom he recognized almost immediately as the patriarch's son who had left the clan nearly eight years ago, now known as Grandmaster... Yu Xiaogang.
He lingered on the painting for a brief moment before moving forward, hearing his grandfather's voice calling from deeper within.
"So, tell me, why did my grandson finally remember that his grandpa still exists? Don't tell me that bastard Zhenhai has been pushing you too hard in training?"
"No, it's not that, Grandpa. Actually, I've finished the theoretical part of the techniques you asked me to create..."
With that, Tianlong pulled a small manual bound in dark leather from inside his shirt.
"What? You actually did it?" The patriarch was stunned.
In truth, Yuanzhen had never truly believed Tianlong would complete that task. The boy's martial soul was entirely different from the clan's traditional lineage, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon—which, in itself, already made him an outlier among the heirs. That request was, in reality, nothing more than a political maneuver, created only to appease the elders and more conservative clan members who pressured Tianlong to share the extraordinary techniques he had been demonstrating in combat.
"Let me see this quickly," said Yuanzhen, taking the manual with eager hands.
As he flipped through it, his eyes gleamed at the names of the techniques listed:
1. Chidori
2. Chidori Senbon
3. Chidori Sharp Spear
4. Lightning Armor
5. Liger Bomb
6. Hell Stab
With the speed of lightning, Yuanzhen read each technique and the methods described for their execution.
"These techniques...! You wrote this all by yourself?" he asked.
"Yes... But although I created these techniques, I'm not sure if they'll work perfectly. They require a high level of control over the lightning element. Probably, only someone above rank 30 could execute them. Unfortunately, my lightning element isn't that strong yet."
Because these techniques were so powerful and required a strong lightning element to perform, Tianlong hadn't been able to create them in practice, only in theory. As such, he had never tested any of these techniques to see if they actually worked.
These were techniques inspired by the anime *Naruto* from his past life.
Although his martial soul granted him affinity with nearly all elements, his passive control—that is, without the aid of a spirit ring skill—was still very weak. An example of this was his recent fight against his father, when he used the light element only to create a glowing sphere to momentarily blind his opponent. That was one of the few things he could do with the light element.
"I see, but... looking at this manual and the way you described the details, principles, and applications, I believe, yes, they could actually work," said the patriarch, closing the manual with reverence.
"If what you've written here is feasible... then we have something this clan has never had before. Our own techniques. A true legacy. You have no idea how much this means to us," he said with a smile, on the verge of doing something.
In an unexpected gesture, Yu Yuanzhen rushed to Tianlong, knelt before him, and hugged him tightly, overcome with emotion.
"G-Grandpa?" Tianlong was startled, unsure how to react at first.
"Thank you, Xiao Long. With this, our clan can hold its head high before others with more than just inherited pride. Now we'll have real power... a legacy built with our own hands."
They remained silent for a few seconds until Yuanzhen seemed to remember something and stood up.
"Hoho! How could I forget? Wait here, you deserve a reward," he said, stepping away.
He disappeared into the inner corridors of the residence, his footsteps echoing on the wooden floor. In no time, he returned with a small black pouch embroidered with silver threads.
"Take it!" He tossed it lightly to Tianlong, who caught it in the air quickly.
"This is...?" He turned the pouch in his hands, noting its unusual texture.
"It's your reward. I promised you something if you completed this task, remember? It may look like an ordinary pouch, but it's actually a spatial storage device. The interior is the size of a house, and it can also preserve living beings inside," said the patriarch.
Tianlong's eyes widened.
"Seriously?! That's incredible! Thank you so much, Grandpa!" said Tianlong, grinning from ear to ear.
In his heart, he envied the devices Tang San had received from Yu Xiaogang and Dugu Bo. He had always wondered how he could one day acquire one himself.
Unexpectedly, he had gotten one just like that.
"Although it's a rare treasure, it's still insignificant compared to these six techniques you created," replied the patriarch.
Tianlong attached the storage pouch to his belt, carefully securing the clasp. For a moment, his eyes gleamed with satisfaction—this gift would be extremely useful in the future.
But today, he hadn't come here just for that.
He raised his gaze to Yuanzhen, now more serious.
"But Grandpa, I also came here today for another reason..."
Yuanzhen, still smiling with the pride of a grandfather gifting his grandson, raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? And what else does the young genius of our clan want now?" he said with a slight teasing tone, crossing his arms.
Tianlong smiled, but his tone remained focused:
"Do you know of a material called Whale Rubber?"
Yuanzhen's smile faded slightly. He furrowed his brow, thoughtful.
"Whale Rubber...? Yes, of course. It's a common ingredient in medicinal formulas. It's used in tonic remedies, recovery balms, skin whiteners... those sorts of things. Quite versatile, but nothing special. Why?"
Tianlong tilted his head slightly, and his smile became enigmatic.
"Because it has a hidden effect that no one knows about. An effect that, if properly explored, could change a lot of things."
"I'm listening..." said Yuanzhen, now attentive.
"When melted under extremely high temperatures and consumed in its liquid form, Whale Rubber strengthens a spirit master's body, increasing their resistance to rejecting higher-level spirit rings. Someone who could only withstand thousand-year rings could, after consuming enough of it, absorb rings up to fifteen hundred years."
There was an immediate silence. Yuanzhen stared at his grandson as if he had just announced he'd discovered a new route to another continent.
"Is this serious...?" he asked, his voice low, almost suspicious.
Tianlong merely nodded and said:
"Very serious. We can test it now if you want. Do you have any stored? If not, someone in the clan probably does."
Yuanzhen coughed lightly and looked away, visibly flustered.
"Hmph... as it happens, I do have some. I use it occasionally... for medicinal reasons, of course," he said, adjusting his sleeves as if trying to regain his composure.
Tianlong crossed his arms, a mischievous smile on his lips.
"I see. So that's why Grandpa looks younger than some fifty-year-old elders..."
"Quiet, you cheeky brat," grumbled Yuanzhen, holding back a laugh.
"Wait here."
He disappeared into the house's corridors and returned a few minutes later with a small crystal vial containing a solid, dark substance with a faint glossy sheen.
"Here it is. Will this do?"
"I think so. Now we need extreme heat. Much more than a common furnace could produce," replied Tianlong.
Yuanzhen smirked.
"That, at least, I can do easily."
Yuanzhen stepped forward, closing his eyes for a moment before summoning his martial soul. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon appeared behind him in all its majesty. Nine spirit rings spun beneath his feet with intensity.
With a subtle gesture, lightning shot from his palm, enveloping the vial with precision. The Whale Rubber began to melt slowly, bubbling until it turned into a glossy, slightly reddish liquid.
Tianlong approached, observing closely.
"Alright... now let it cool a bit. If ingested too hot, it could cause internal damage. It should be warm, not boiling."
Yuanzhen waited the right amount of time. Then, without hesitation, he tilted the vial and drank its contents in one go, fully trusting Tianlong.
For a few seconds, nothing happened.
But then, a surge of energy erupted around the patriarch's body. His aura visibly intensified, as if his muscles expanded slightly and his posture became even firmer.
"This... this is really effective!" exclaimed Yuanzhen, clenching his fists. "My physical strength increased almost instantly! And I feel my body... more resilient."
Tianlong smiled.
"And now imagine the potential of this. If we distribute this substance to clan members before they absorb their spirit rings, we can raise the average power of the entire new generation. And if we go further..."
"Further?"
"We can turn this into a business. Acquire Whale Rubber in large quantities, stockpile it, and wait for the right moment. When we reveal its effects to the world, its value will skyrocket. By controlling the supply, we control the market. And with that, our clan could compete financially even with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan."
The patriarch laughed loudly, incredulous.
"Hahaha! You've really thought of everything... And tell me, young strategist, what do you want in return for this brilliant idea?"
Tianlong crossed his arms, still smiling:
"Fifty percent of the profits."
Yuanzhen coughed and nearly fell backward.
"Fifty? Don't you think that's a bit much?"
"It was my discovery, Grandpa. And besides, with the resources I plan to acquire in the future, this money will be crucial for that. Plus, the things I'll do in the future will surely bring enormous benefits to the clan," replied Tianlong.
Yuanzhen fell silent for a few seconds, weighing all the possibilities. Then he let out a long laugh and nodded, his eyes carrying a mix of pride and relief.
"Alright. Fifty percent for you. I'll consider it an investment in the future of our clan."
He turned and walked to a discreet piece of furniture in the corner of the room. From there, he retrieved a simple disguise mask made of dark fabric with subtle silver details.
"Tianlong, I must now bid you farewell... I'm going personally to Vast Sea City. I want to deal directly with the major suppliers before any other sect or family discovers the true value of this substance. Lately, we've been watched too closely."
His tone lowered as he let out a faint sigh.
"Since we made the decision to isolate the clan from the outside world, several sects and powerful families have shown growing unease. Many have sent spies to infiltrate or settle in the surrounding areas, trying to understand the reason for our sudden isolation. They know something big must have happened for us to make this decision—and that's dangerous."
Tianlong nodded, attentive. He knew it was natural for any major power to send spies to investigate why the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had chosen to isolate itself.
Yuanzhen continued, his voice now graver:
"If what you told me is true...
If that future you saw in your dreams is real, if there's really a possibility that our clan could be massacred by the Spirit Hall... then we have to prepare. Not just with strength. But with strategy, intelligence, allies, and above all, a lot... a lot of resources and money," said the patriarch in a serious tone.
Tianlong nodded, agreeing with the patriarch's words and not regretting in the slightest having revealed this secret to him.
"I hope, at least for now, you won't reveal this information to anyone," said Yuanzhen, crossing his arms.
"Revealing this kind of information too soon would only cause panic and instability within the clan. But either way, I believe in you if you decide to tell someone."
"I don't plan to reveal it to anyone for now," replied Tianlong.
The patriarch nodded and then let out a heavy sigh, staring at the floor for a moment before continuing:
"If there really is a war like the one you described... the prices of everything will skyrocket. Medicinal herbs, rare metals, remedies, weapons... even food. An unstable economy can weaken a clan before the first battle even begins."
He raised his head again, determined:
"Strengthening our economic foundation now is as important as training our members. If we want to survive what's to come..."
Tianlong listened to everything in silence. This was exactly why he had come. Hearing these words from the patriarch himself reinforced that they were on the right path.
"Besides," Yuanzhen resumed, more restrained, "our economy was already weakened. Since the isolation, we've lost trade routes and support from smaller allies. If this plan with the Whale Rubber works, it could be the boost we need to improve the clan and stabilize everything."
Tianlong seized the moment and the opportunity:
"Grandpa... can I come along?"
Yuanzhen paused mid-gesture as he was putting on the mask, turning slowly.
"Come along? And why exactly?"
"I've always wanted to see the sea," replied Tianlong with a somewhat dreamy expression. "To hear the sound of the waves, feel the salty breeze..."
The patriarch looked at him with a raised eyebrow, clearly unconvinced by the boy's poetic response.
"Hmph... You want to see the sea... Or are you trying to escape the clan's walls?"
Tianlong let out a light, sincere laugh.
"Maybe both."
Yuanzhen sighed but ended up smiling softly.
"Alright. But on one condition: you need your parents' permission. I'm not getting involved in that."
"Got it, I'll talk to them right now," replied Tianlong, his eyes already shining with excitement.
Yuanzhen then warned him:
"Remember: Vast Sea City isn't just around the corner. It's in the far west. It'll take at least two full days to get there, even with reinforced transport. It'll be your first time leaving the clan's territory, so pack your bags and be prepared."
"Understood," said Tianlong, already turning to leave with hurried steps.
.....