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In the morning light, everyone quietly ate a simple breakfast.
Yue Guan took a sip of clear tea and smiled at Feng Xiao, "This time, it's all thanks to Little Feng.
Last night, Old Ghost already sent a message confirming that the intelligence is true." He lightly tapped his fingertip, and a golden chrysanthemum bloomed in his palm, "He should have returned to the Supreme Pontiff Palace to report by now, and I expect His Excellency the Supreme Pontiff will personally arrive in a few days."
Feng Xiao slowly tore the flatbread in his hand, and upon hearing this, he looked up and smiled, "Senior, you're too kind.
Speaking of which..." A hint of curiosity flashed in his eyes, "I'm also very curious, why did His Excellency the Supreme Pontiff specifically summon me here?"
Yue Guan gave him a meaningful look, "Well, that's hard to say."
Hu Liena's gaze towards Feng Xiao already held a hint of respect—after staying up all night studying that book, she was completely convinced by the exquisite cultivation theories within it.
Now, her red lips parted slightly, and her tone was filled with surprise, "You don't even know why Teacher summoned you here?
I thought..." She paused, "Teacher specifically invited you to quickly pinpoint the whereabouts of that 100,000-year Spirit Beast."
Feng Xiao gently shook his head, the morning light casting a faint shadow on his refined profile, "It shouldn't be just for that.
Even without me, with Spirit Hall's manpower conducting a carpet search, finding the target is only a matter of time." He lightly tapped his knee with his fingertip and added thoughtfully, "Besides, given His Excellency the Supreme Pontiff's style of doing things, if it were only for hunting a Spirit Beast, he wouldn't need to go through so much trouble."
Xie Yue gently pressed his sister's shoulder and lowered his voice, "Nana, watch your words.
How can we casually speculate on His Majesty's thoughts?
We just need to strictly obey the order." A hint of warning flashed in his deep eyes.
Yan, who was nearby, snorted softly, unconsciously rubbing his fingers, "Presumptuously discussing His Majesty... some people seem to have forgotten Spirit Hall's rules." He glanced at Feng Xiao meaningfully, "Don't blame us for not warning you about the consequences later."
Yue Guan took in everyone's reactions, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
He gently stroked the Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum in his hand, understanding in his heart—there was already a World of difference between Feng Xiao and Hu Liena, and Xie Yue and Yan.
This gap was not only reflected in their strength and realm but also in their respective future positions within Spirit Hall.
Xie Yue and Yan's admonitions were naturally reasonable for ordinary Spirit Hall members.
However, they clearly did not realize that Hu Liena, as the Supreme Pontiff's personal disciple, and Feng Xiao, as a special existence holding an Elder's token and supported by the Angel lineage, were destined to stand at a higher position and look down upon all living beings in the future.
Upon hearing this, Hu Liena pursed her lips, a complex emotion flashing in her golden eyes.
She subconsciously looked at Feng Xiao, but saw that he was still elegantly sipping his morning tea, as if those words were nothing more than the morning breeze passing by his ears.
Hu Liena first gave Yan a faint glance, then nodded slightly towards her brother—after all, she had to save her brother some face.
Feng Xiao finished his breakfast in a few bites and was about to get up and return to his tent for his morning practice when he heard Hu Liena call out with a hint of hesitation, "That..."
Feng Xiao smiled knowingly, "It seems Holy Maiden has gained something from her study last night.
If you have any questions, feel free to come with me." With that, he elegantly rose and walked towards the tent.
Just as Hu Liena was about to follow, Yan suddenly said urgently, "Nana!"
She paused slightly but did not turn back.
Yue Guan spoke up at the right time, saying leisurely, "Go on, girl.
Little Feng has many things worth learning from him." The Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum on his fingertip glowed golden in the morning light, "Remember, to receive guidance from a master is a rare opportunity on the path of cultivation."
"Yes, Grandpa Ju," Hu Liena respectfully replied, catching a glimpse of Yan's instantly dimmed expression from the corner of her eye.
She saw him clenching the dry rations in his hand so tightly that his knuckles turned white, yet he ultimately did not dare to speak up and stop her again.
The morning breeze blew, rustling a few fallen leaves.
Hu Liena's golden hair swayed lightly in the wind, and soon her figure disappeared around the corner of the tent.
Only Yan remained, sitting dejectedly, the dried meat in his hand already deformed from being squeezed.
Hu Liena followed Feng Xiao into the tent, where the morning sun filtered through the tent fabric, casting dappled light and shadow inside.
Feng Xiao sat casually on the edge of the bed and patted the spot next to him, "Sit wherever you like, no need to be formal."
Hu Liena looked around and finally chose to sit on a flattened tree stump.
Her hands were clasped in front of her knees, her posture dignified yet with a hint of restraint, "Studying your work last night indeed benefited me greatly, but..." A hint of confusion flashed in her golden eyes, "I still haven't found my own answer."
Feng Xiao chuckled upon hearing this, tapping his knee lightly with his fingertip, "That book is like your Slaughter God Domain; although valuable, it is not your true path." He looked at the Holy Maiden before him with a gentle gaze, "What you need is to learn to adapt."
"Adapt?" Hu Liena frowned slightly; this word had almost never appeared in her rigorous training.
She subconsciously rubbed her fingers, but for the first time, she questioned it.
"The original intention of that book was to guide entry-level Spirit Masters in their cultivation direction." Feng Xiao lightly tapped his fingertip, and a wisp of clear breeze circulated within the tent, "Those are just basic theories, and what you need is..." He deliberately drew out his words, a hint of mischief in his eyes.
Hu Liena's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of displeasure flashing in their depths.
She had always disliked such pretentious ways of speaking, and her slender fingers unconsciously tightened their grip on the corner of her clothes.
Feng Xiao chuckled upon seeing this, "Holy Maiden, that expression doesn't look like someone seeking guidance, does it?" He shook his head, his tone suddenly becoming serious, "Forget it, for His Excellency the Supreme Pontiff's sake, I'll temporarily act as your teacher and give you some pointers."
Hu Liena pursed her red lips and gave Feng Xiao a deep look.
Although she felt indignant, she ultimately did not retort.
The morning light filtered through the tent fabric, casting delicate speckles of light on her exquisite profile, making her golden eyes appear even deeper.
Feng Xiao lightly tapped the edge of the bed, creating a rhythmic sound, "Do you remember how I explained the strength of a Spirit Master in the book?"
Hu Liena pondered for a moment, then answered fluently, "A Spirit Master's strength is the result of the combined action of multiple factors such as spirit power, physique, Spirit, and mental force."
"Not bad." Feng Xiao nodded in approval, then changed the subject, "Then, in your opinion, what are your strengths in these areas? And where are your weaknesses?"
Hu Liena closed her eyes and focused, the contents of the book quickly flashing through her mind.
After a moment, she opened her eyes and said, "My spirit power cultivation is decent, my physical quality is average, and my Spirit quality is acceptable..." As she spoke, she lightly tapped her temple, "Only my mental force can be considered outstanding."
The tent was silent for a moment, with only the faint rustling of the tent fabric as the morning breeze blew.
Feng Xiao's gaze fell thoughtfully on Hu Liena, as if waiting for her to continue.
Hu Liena unconsciously straightened her back, her golden hair glowing softly in the light filtering through the tent fabric.
Feng Xiao nodded slightly, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes, "Your self-assessment is quite fair, perhaps even a bit too harsh." He lightly tapped his fingertip, and a wisp of clear breeze circulated between the two of them, "With Spirit Hall's full cultivation, you will eventually gather Spirit Bones for your entire body, and your spirit ring configuration will also reach its peak.
At that time, your spirit power, physique, and Spirit will all reach top-tier levels."
He leaned forward slightly, his voice deepening a bit, "But for true powerhouses, the key is not to compensate for weaknesses, but to..." His finger suddenly stopped in mid-air, "maximize your strengths."
"Strengths... my mental force?" Hu Liena unconsciously touched her temple.
"Precisely." Feng Xiao suddenly snapped his fingers, and an invisible mental fluctuation rippled within the tent, "What if you consider all the theories about spirit power in my book, and replace them with mental force?" He asked meaningfully, "Like 'Soul Shock,' a basic mental ability, does it really need to rely on a Spirit Bone to be cast?"
Hu Liena's pupils constricted, "You mean..." Her slender fingers unconsciously drew circles on her knee, "for me to develop mental Spirit Abilities on my own?"
The morning light filtered through the tent fabric, casting dappled light and shadow on her exquisite face.
Feng Xiao noticed that the light in her eyes was no longer confusion, but a kind of eager anticipation.
Feng Xiao clasped his hands on his knees, his voice flowing like a clear spring, "You might think that no matter how you acquire a skill, the result is the same.
But I want to tell you—" His fingertip suddenly condensed a wisp of materialized mental force, "the process of acquiring power itself is the most precious cultivation for a Spirit Master."
That wisp of mental force changed forms in the sunlight, and Feng Xiao's voice deepened accordingly, "Those omitted processes of comprehension are precisely the treasures a Spirit Master should cherish the most.
Every bit of understanding of the Spirit, every refinement of the ability..." The mental force suddenly transformed into a blooming golden chrysanthemum, "will bring you one step closer to your true innate Domain."
Hu Liena's eyes sparkled, and after a moment of contemplation, she suddenly looked up, "But you still haven't told me exactly how to cultivate!"
Feng Xiao chuckled, and the wisp of mental force in his hand suddenly divided into three realms: initially like a thin mist, then like flowing water with form, and finally solidifying into substance.
His voice was like the wind rustling through willows, "I divide the use of mental force into three realms—formless and insubstantial, formful and insubstantial, and formful and substantial.
How do you understand them?"
"Is it that..." Hu Liena unconsciously stood up, her eyes bursting with astonishing brilliance, eager to try, "the higher the realm, the more powerful the Spirit Ability that can be created?"
Feng Xiao gently shook his head, the mental force on his fingertip flowing like water between the three realms, "Yes, and no.
These three realms inherently have no superiority or inferiority; the key lies in..." He flipped his wrist, and the mental force suddenly transformed into an invisible clear breeze, "how you shape your mental force."
"The formless and insubstantial," Feng Xiao's voice was like a whisper, "is the most difficult to detect.
mental force probing is like this; the higher the realm, the more it can permeate silently." As Feng Xiao spoke, the mental force suddenly transformed into a visible, biting killing intent, "The formful and insubstantial, like your killing intent and Charm, though intangible, can awe people's hearts."
Finally, that wisp of mental force solidified, transforming into a fine needle in his palm, "As for the formful and substantial, it is techniques like mental shock that can directly harm enemies." He looked up at Hu Liena, "Understanding these, I presume you already know how to cultivate?"
Hu Liena stared blankly at the three transformations, her eyes shimmering.
Feng Xiao's words were like opening a brand new door before her, and countless cultivation inspirations burst forth in her mind.
She solemnly straightened her robes and bowed deeply to Feng Xiao, "Thank you for your guidance, Elder Feng."
Feng Xiao couldn't help but smile upon seeing this, a hint of playfulness flashing in his eyes, "Holy Maiden, I still prefer your previous unyielding appearance." He deliberately drew out his words, "This level of respect makes me a bit unaccustomed."
Upon hearing this, Hu Liena's ear tips instantly turned crimson.
She lightly bit her lower lip, and a soft hum escaped her nose, yet she uncharacteristically did not retort.
She simply turned around hurriedly, her skirt tracing a graceful arc in the air, already impatient to find a secluded spot to verify the many inspirations that had surged into her mind.
Watching the golden figure depart in such a flurry, Feng Xiao couldn't help but shake his head and smile.
He lightly stroked the zither strings, muttering to himself, "I hope that after her mental force improves, this girl's mind will also become a bit sharper..."
Outside the tent, a few early-rising larks swept over the treetops, their clear chirping intertwining with the fading footsteps, adding a touch of vitality to this morning.
After Feng Xiao watched Hu Liena leave, he lightly stroked the jade pendant at his waist.
A flash of light appeared, and the ancient Fuxi Zither materialized out of thin air, quietly suspended before him.
His slender fingers lightly pressed the zither strings, and an invisible Domain quietly unfolded.
In an instant, the air inside the tent seemed to solidify, and even the floating dust particles became still in mid-air.
"Zheng—"
The first zither note sounded, like a clear spring striking a stone.
Feng Xiao slowly closed his eyes, completely immersing himself in the World of music.
The seven zither strings glowed faintly one after another, and each sound wave materialized mysterious patterns within the Domain.
His breathing gradually synchronized with the zither music, and the spirit power around him flowed like a gurgling stream, rising and falling with the melody.
Occasionally, a note would leap out of the Domain, creating tiny ripples on the tent fabric, but it would quickly be drawn back.
In this small Domain, time seemed to lose its meaning.
Feng Xiao's brows were filled with concentration, as if only this ancient zither and a clear melody remained between heaven and earth.
Yue Guan, hidden in the shadows, watched Feng Xiao, who was completely immersed in the zither music, with a complex gaze.
His discourse on the three realms of mental force not only enlightened Hu Liena but also stirred ripples in his own heart.
"This kid..." Yue Guan's Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum on his fingertip unconsciously bloomed and closed, "not only is his strength unfathomable, but he also possesses such wisdom in nurturing others."
He looked at the spirit power ripples flowing with the music within the Domain and couldn't help but recall his own confusion when he first became a Titled Douluo many years ago.
If only he had received such guidance back then...
A soft sigh dispersed with the wind.
Yue Guan took one last deep look at the young figure playing the zither and quietly disappeared.
In the morning light, only the clear zither music continued to echo through the camp, as if recounting some kind of enlightenment beyond realms.
At the same time, Heaven Dou City, Tang Sect headquarters.
A swift figure swept across the mist-shrouded street and suddenly stopped in front of Tang Sect's vermilion gate.
The person took out a profound iron token from his Pregnant, on which the seal script character "Tang" gleamed coldly in the morning sun.
The guards immediately stepped aside, saying in a low voice, "Please enter."
The person nodded slightly, and with a rustle of his robes, he flashed inside the gate.
The heavy gate slowly closed behind him, shutting out the morning light.
Passing through the winding corridor, his footsteps startled a few homing pigeons roosting under the eaves, who flapped their wings and flew towards the brightening sky.
"What happened?" Tang San, who had woken up early, happened to walk out of the forging room, still holding the Hidden Weapons blueprint he hadn't put away.
The person knelt on one knee, his voice hoarse, "Sect Master, an urgent report has come from below; Spirit Hall seems to be taking action in the Star Dou Great Forest..."
Before he could finish speaking, the blueprint in Tang San's hand had already floated to the ground.