In the early morning, the sky outside the huge crystal window was gradually changing from dark blue to bright blue.
Today, the sky outside the window was exceptionally clear and blue.
The brilliant golden morning sun filtered through the silk curtains into a spacious room. Xu Tianyang, lying on the soft, large bed, slowly opened his eyes, his long eyelashes trembling slightly. His clear, ruby-like eyes met the morning sun directly, reflecting a hint of magnificent light.
He got up and went to the windowsill. What met his eyes was a vast, boundless azure sea, and the sound of waves crashing against rocks was clearly audible.
He stretched his body slightly, and the feeling of comfort, from his mind to his body, almost made him groan aloud.
"I've been watching it for almost half a year, and every time I see the sea, it always makes me feel relaxed. No wonder so many people like to watch the sea."
After watching for a while, Xu Tianyang dressed himself and went to the en-suite bathroom to wash up.
He lived in a three-story house with a huge courtyard outside, large enough for horses to run around.
When he came down the stairs to the first-floor hall, a maid had already prepared a meticulously cooked breakfast for him.
A large piece of pan-fried whale tail meat, crispy and tender. This whale tail meat came from a 100,000-year-old Dragon Marked Whale. Because it possessed Dragon race bloodline, its physical body was extremely powerful, making it a top overlord in the ocean.
Its flesh and blood were of great benefit to human Spirit Masters, not only nourishing their vigor but also having the effect of strengthening tendons and bones, especially for minors whose skeletons had not fully developed.
Another dish was a large bowl of clear soup stewed with century-old jade ginseng and gastrodia elata. This soup nourished the brain and body, and could be considered an excellent nutritional supplement.
After breakfast, Xu Tianyang felt a warmth spread throughout his body, an indescribable comfort.
A year and a half ago, the Sun Moon Empire annihilated the Moonflow Empire, and the Sun Moon Continent was unified. The former emperor of the Sun Moon Empire, Xu Tianyang's grandfather, after hearing the news of unification, laughed heartily three times before finally succumbing to his old age and passing away.
Xu Yunxiao, unable to deal with the various matters after unification, rushed back to the Imperial Capital to attend the old emperor's funeral, and then formally ascended the throne as emperor. The former Imperial Capital was officially renamed Ming City.
Not long after, Xu Tianyang was also conferred the title of Crown Prince, and Mu Mengyu became the Empress.
After spending a lot of time dealing with imperial affairs, finally, half a year ago, a search party dispatched by Xu Yunxiao discovered this 100,000-year-old Dragon Marked Whale in a coastal area.
Coincidentally, at this time, Xu Tianyang had broken through to level 20 spirit power.
Xu Yunxiao made a decisive decision, taking Xu Tianyang and gathering a large number of the empire's top powerhouses. It took countless spirit tools to successfully hunt down that 100,000-year-old Dragon Marked Whale. After absorbing its spirit ring and Spirit Bone, Xu Yunxiao successfully advanced to a level 93 Titled Douluo, with the title of Glorious Dragon Douluo.
Xu Tianyang also absorbed a thousand-year-old Dragon Marked Whale at this time, successfully advancing to the Spirit Grandmaster realm.
The residual energy from a 100,000-year spirit ring was enough to push Xu Yunxiao smoothly to level 95, which is the realm of a Super Douluo.
As for realms above level 95, the breakthrough was not so simple; it required the Spirit Master to comprehend it on their own.
After Xu Yunxiao and Xu Tianyang broke through, Xu Yunxiao hurriedly returned to Ming City. This newly unified dynasty had a myriad of affairs, and it could not do without him, the emperor.
Xu Tianyang did not follow him back but stayed behind. He had a cultivation method he had long intended to try; he hadn't had the opportunity in Ming City before, but now that the chance presented itself, he certainly wasn't going to give it up.
Xu Yunxiao did not object to this. He brought Xu Tianyang to a coastal city called Zhenhai City and began his secluded cultivation.
After breakfast, Xu Tianyang felt a warmth spread throughout his body, an indescribable comfort.
"Has Shuang'er not broken through yet?"
"Princess Shuang'er's room often emits active energy fluctuations, so it should be today." Hearing Xu Tianyang's question, a woman with a lithe figure like a leopard emerged from a dark corner of the room and said in a hoarse voice.
Her name was Min Yingying, her Spirit was the Shadow Leopard, and she was a level 77 Spirit Saint. She was left by Xu Yunxiao to protect Xu Tianyang's safety.
As for Xu Nianshuang, she had arrived three days ago. The second-year courses had already ended, and Xu Nianshuang came, claiming to seek an opportunity to break through to level 20.
Mu Mengyu and the other did not stop her. They sent someone to deliver her to Xu Tianyang's residence. Upon seeing Xu Tianyang, Xu Nianshuang immediately said that the opportunity for a breakthrough had arrived, and she had been cultivating in her room for a day and a night already.
He nodded, confirming Xu Nianshuang's safety, then Xu Tianyang gently instructed, "Shuang'er, I'll trouble Sister Yingying to look after her. There's still a good amount of that Dragon Marked Whale left; have someone stew it. It'll be perfect for her after her breakthrough."
Walking out of the first-floor hall of the house, before his eyes were two flowerbeds blooming with various precious flowers, and a walkway paved with marble extended from the castle on the mountain all the way to the inner bay.
"Your Highness, the sea breeze has passed, and today's waves are suitable for cultivation." In the flowerbed, a middle-aged man seemed to have been waiting for a long time. Upon seeing Xu Tianyang emerge, he immediately led a few people forward to greet him.
"Thank you, Uncle Tao," Xu Tianyang said to them in a gentle tone.
Meng Tao and the others smiled and nodded upon hearing this, their respect for Xu Tianyang growing even deeper, and not just out of deference to his status.
Although martial power could suppress everything in this world, a benevolent ruler was clearly more appealing than a tyrant.
In Xu Tianyang's eyes, as an emperor, only by combining internal sageliness with external kingship, and both benevolent rule and hegemonic power, could one be invincible. However, his current strength was still very weak, so hegemonic power was not suitable for him.
Taking a few people with him, Xu Tianyang slowly walked along the path towards the inner bay.
The inner sea was extremely vast, with a majestic warship, entirely covered in metal armor, anchored on its surface. This was a Sun Moon Empire naval battleship, and the dozens of ferocious cannons on the warship were enough to support it in sailing to the depths of the sea.
Three people followed Meng Tao. The group of five did not board the huge warship but instead took out two narrow small boats from their spirit tools. These two small boats had no sails and could be propelled simply by injecting spirit power.
Xu Tianyang lightly tapped his toes and landed on the bow of one of the small boats.
The two small boats sailed out of this inner sea, one after the other, and then traveled approximately one thousand meters south along the island, stopping at the edge of a ten-meter-high rock.
"Let's stick to the previous rhythm, but this time, Uncle Tao, you can slightly increase the intensity. If I can't hold on, I'll release a signal."
Xu Tianyang skillfully landed on the top of this rock. The area at the top of the rock was extremely small, only able to accommodate three people standing normally. From time to time, waves splashed onto the sea surface, wetting this small platform.
"Begin!"
Immersing his body in the seawater and pressing close to the rock, Xu Tianyang looked at Meng Tao and the others and said in a serious tone.
Meng Tao, with his Spirit attached, retreated slightly, vigilantly observing the surrounding sea conditions. This place was close to the coastline and located within the inner sea. Although sea Spirit Beasts rarely came here, nothing was absolute, and given Xu Tianyang's safety was involved, Meng Tao couldn't afford to be anything but cautious.
The remaining three also released their Spirits, and fifteen spirit rings appeared. The three stood in a row. Without exception, their Spirits were all water-attribute Spirits. Relying on the abilities of their Spirits, they could float on the sea surface in front of Xu Tianyang.
As Xu Tianyang gave the command, rich blue spirit power shimmered on the bodies of the three, and they each activated their Spirit Abilitys.
Their Spirit Abilitys were all different, but they shared one common characteristic: they could control ocean waves.
The surrounding seawater began to boil, then instantly returned to calm.
But this was only the calm before the storm.
In the distance, one wave after another could be seen approaching. Before long, a giant wave was already upon them, rising to exactly the same height as the rock behind Xu Tianyang. With a thunderous roar, it crashed heavily onto Xu Tianyang's body.
That's right, Xu Tianyang was undergoing tidal body tempering.
In the eyes of Xu Yunxiao and Mu Mengyu, his Sun Pupil Spirit had the same effect as Tang San's Blue Silver Grass Spirit; both were auxiliary Spirits meant to better attach spirit rings to the second Spirit in the future.
However, Xu Tianyang knew that his Sun Pupil Spirit, as a top-tier Body Spirit, had potential no weaker than the Purple Emperor Sky Destroying Dragon. He had not given up on the second awakening of his Sun Pupil.
Even though he didn't know how to achieve a second Spirit awakening, the cultivation of a Body Spirit lay in excavating one's physical potential, pushing oneself to the brink of limits again and again, and then breaking through those limits.
Xu Tianyang's tidal body tempering over the past six months was precisely this kind of cultivation, constantly excavating his physical potential.
With a formidable momentum, the waves crashed against his body, yet there wasn't a strong, fierce impact. Although being completely submerged in the water caused him a momentary suffocation, the sensation was entirely bearable.
Submerged by the waves, Xu Tianyang struggled to open his eyes. Before him was an entirely azure world. His muscles tensed throughout his body, and the spirit power within him circulated rapidly, but he was still dragged into the vast ocean by the powerful waves.
During this process, his body repeatedly struck the rock behind him. Even with his physical conditioning, he couldn't help but let out a few muffled groans, immediately followed by gulping down several mouthfuls of seawater.
At this moment, he was clinging tightly to the crevices in the rock with both hands, barely managing to resist being swept away by the waves.
Before he could stabilize himself, another wave, even stronger than the previous one, once again engulfed his body.
This cycle repeated itself. Xu Tianyang didn't know how many times he had been hit by the waves. He only felt a numb sensation spreading throughout his body—in his meridians, flesh, and bones. All parts of him felt numb, to the point where he couldn't even feel the existence of his hands.
Feeling he had reached his limit, Xu Tianyang squeezed out the last bit of strength in his body and crushed a circular object on his waist belt.
The next moment, a dazzling flash of light rose from the seabed. Meng Tao quickly moved to block the endless waves from afar and went into the sea to rescue Xu Tianyang.
He brought Xu Tianyang back to his residence and placed him in a prepared wooden tub. Various medicinal herbs floated in the tub, all precious and expensive herbs for strengthening the body and cultivating vitality, yet at this moment, they floated in the tub as if they were worthless.
"Move aside." At this moment, an old man who had been waiting nearby pushed Meng Tao away. A pink spirit power rose, and flowers exuding vital energy fell into Xu Tianyang's body. Seeing Xu Tianyang recover, the old man couldn't help but advise, "Your Highness, why go through such hardship? The continent is at peace now, and the empire is thriving under His Majesty's rule. With Your Highness's talent, cultivating step by step will surely lead to achievements no less than His Majesty's. Why torment yourself so!"
"Elder Li, this is my own choice. Heaven has given me the best talent. If I cannot push it to its limits, when I grow old and look back, I will regret it." Xu Tianyang, slowly recovering, looked at Li Ran, who was full of concern, his eyes filled with an unshakeable determination.
How could one gain the power to sweep away everything without paying a price? His goal from the start was not just Titled Douluo, but Evil Emperor, and even becoming a god.
"Alas!" Li Ran sighed faintly. This was not the first time he had advised the Crown Prince in the past six months, but each time, the result left him both moved and helpless.
Unable to do anything about Xu Tianyang, Li Ran could only turn back and glare angrily at Meng Tao, making the latter look completely wronged.
After confirming that Xu Tianyang's body had no hidden injuries, the two exited the room, leaving Xu Tianyang to cultivate in peace.
Xu Tianyang took out a golden object from his spirit tool. This was the whale blubber from the Dragon Marked Whale. The energy from a 100,000-year Spirit Beast's whale blubber was too immense. Even after half a year, Xu Tianyang's current body still hadn't fully absorbed it all.
After consuming a portion, Xu Tianyang, while soaking in the medicinal bath, quickly entered a state of cultivation.
Although he had endured immense pain earlier, it was all worth it. After his body reached its limits, both his cultivation speed and the speed at which he absorbed the whale blubber and medicinal bath were significantly faster than usual.