After dinner, Wang Chen went upstairs to his room, lay on his bed, and sank into thought.
Never had he expected that Wang Yan, the patriarch of the Wang family, would openly declare allegiance in court to support the Second Prince, Xu Tianyu.
The court was no place for jest. Every move was watched by civil and military officials alike. With that declaration, the Wang family was now branded as part of the Second Prince's faction. From now on, their fortunes would rise and fall with his.
Wang Chen was speechless at such a decision. A life of stability was within reach, yet Wang Yan had chosen to wade into the storm of succession. Was he not gambling with the lives of the entire clan?
And worst of all, people, he had chosen to support Xu Tianyu.
With his cultivation as a Soul Master, Wang Chen's spiritual power had grown stronger, his memory sharper—even fragments of his past life had become clearer.
He remembered distinctly that in the original story, it was Xu Tianyu who had orchestrated the assassination of Xu Tiannan. That ambush left Xu Tiannan crippled and infertile.
Later, once Xu Tiannan uncovered the truth, he exacted brutal revenge. Using unknown means, he had Xu Tianyu slain within his own palace and wiped out every trace of his faction.
Now, with the Wang family tied to Xu Tianyu, they would inevitably be dragged into Xu Tiannan's purge years later.
This realization jolted Wang Chen.
At first, he had watched the imperial succession as if it were a distant spectacle. After all, he possessed a golden finger—the Black Book—and knowledge of the original timeline. As long as he grew steadily, he could seize future opportunities, skyrocket in power, and eventually ascend to godhood with ease.
But with Wang Yan's reckless choice, his peaceful days were over.
In the future, when Xu Tiannan's vengeance came, Wang Chen could perhaps flee early with his parents, leaving the Sun Moon Empire behind.
But the hundreds of households that made up the Wang family? They couldn't escape. Too large, too obvious.
Wang Chen was not cold-hearted. He had lived with the family for eleven years, and he did feel attachment. If he had the ability, he would certainly try to save them.
But if things truly became hopeless… he would not be foolish enough to perish with them. He would take his parents and run. Later, once he reached the level of a Super Douluo, or even an Ultimate Douluo, he would return to exact vengeance.
For now, there was still time. Xu Tiannan was not yet Crown Prince—only the First Prince. The struggle among the princes had only just begun. By the original timeline, at least two to three years remained.
That gave Wang Chen room to maneuver—to use his knowledge to reap great benefits in the struggle.
But first, he needed power.
Without strength, even the most brilliant schemes were castles in the air, destined to collapse.
Resolving his heart, Wang Chen sat cross-legged and closed his eyes.
His consciousness sank into his soul.
There, a tattered Black Book floated, radiating faint light.
This was his golden finger. Heavily damaged during his transmigration, many functions were broken.
Only the most basic remained: the ability to record—and allow him to swiftly master—skills he had recorded.
He turned to the latest page. Two entries glowed there: Sovereign's Descent and Ring Tempering.
Sovereign's Descent required the spiritual power of a Soul Sage to wield, far beyond him for now. He skipped it and focused on Ring Tempering, whose requirements were far lower.
His consciousness merged with the book, quickly finding the entry for Ring Tempering.
In an instant, a torrent of knowledge poured into his mind—how to correctly draw power from soul rings without damaging them, how to stabilize the energy with spiritual power, and how to channel it to strengthen his body.
When his awareness returned to his body, his frame trembled. He opened his eyes, clutching his head as the flood of information roared through his mind. Only after a long moment did he calm.
Exhaling, he smiled. "So that's how it is. I've learned it."
At once, he activated Martial Soul Possession.
A faint, hazy white phantom shimmered around him. Two yellow soul rings rose, circling him.
In his dark eyes, a flash of brilliance shone. One by one, the soul rings lit.
Wisps of pale white mist rose from them, flowing into his body.
Under the glow, his already handsome figure gained an ethereal aura, like an immortal descended from the heavens, dazzling to behold.
Even his eyes gleamed faintly white, adding a layer of mystery to their depth.
As the soul ring's power surged within him, his soul power and aura soared at astonishing speed.
From his base of rank 28, his strength spiked in an instant to rival that of a Soul Ancestor.
His body brimmed with explosive might, a fullness so intoxicating he nearly roared at the sky.
And with his reborn soul, his spiritual power far surpassed his peers—greater even than some Soul Elders.
Thus, channeling the strength of two-hundred-year rings posed no strain. He easily kept control, weaving their force into his body.
The truth was clear: Ring Tempering suited Wang Chen perfectly.
On his first attempt, he had already mastered it.