"Fengzhi, why did you agree to Rongrong's request? You're going to ruin her." On their way back, the Sword Douluo's tone carried clear displeasure, his face openly displaying anger.
"Indeed. This time I stand with this sword bastard." The Bone Douluo unconsciously used his usual nickname for the Sword Douluo. "The zhenqi Rongrong cultivates is completely incompatible with soul power. Most importantly, we have no way of knowing the future consequences."
Ning Fengzhi stopped walking, causing both Title Douluo to halt as well. They stared at their clan leader, hoping for a proper explanation.
After a prolonged silence, Ning Fengzhi sighed: "Uncle Sword, Uncle Bone, we've observed Rongrong's cultivation many times. Recently, the pressure she emits during practice isn't weaker than a Soul Elder's. That's why I'm willing to take this gamble."
"But Fengzhi," the Bone Douluo interjected, "have you considered the possibility of this cultivation causing negative martial soul mutations? The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has documented cases of martial soul mutations - some victims never even broke through rank 30."
"Let's wait three years. Rongrong just gave me a list of medicinal ingredients. Gathering them quickly is our current priority."
Choosing not to argue further, Ning Fengzhi produced from his sleeve a list containing hundreds of herb names. When he looked up, he saw the dissatisfied expressions on both Title Douluos' faces. With a bitter smile, he shook his head:
"You know that child's temperament. Even if I refused, she'd secretly continue cultivating. Rather than that, it's better to agree to this three-year period."
"I see in Rongrong an opportunity for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda to break its limits. At this point, we can no longer call her behavior mere childish willfulness."
The Sword Douluo, well acquainted with Ning Rongrong's stubbornness, sighed helplessly: "Sometimes I truly wish Rongrong would act more like a willful child rather than... this."
While the two Title Douluo debated with Ning Fengzhi...
Ning Rongrong had already left her bed and sat on a nearby chair, quietly observing the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda floating above her palm.
"Do martial souls involve... rules?"
Her earlier blood-spewing collapse had been within expectations.
To prevent soul power from corroding her unopened meridians, she needed to ensure all twelve meridians were nourished by zhenqi rather than washed by soul power.
Thus, she forcibly channeled zhenqi into her six unopened meridians, creating protective barriers while achieving innate full soul power - a method somewhat similar to how Tang San opened his meridians, though she cultivated zhenqi rather than soul power.
This confirmed her theory: innate full soul power could be artificially achieved, albeit through extremely complicated methods. Without her past life experience of opening twelve meridians to reach the Great Completion of Houtian realm, she wouldn't have dared attempt this.
"With the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's wealth, gathering my required herbs should be quick." She thought of the list given to Ning Fengzhi.
To prevent further soul power erosion, she needed to quickly open all twelve meridians. If soul power permeated the remaining six, her current cultivation method might become unusable. The Sword Douluo's soul power backflow had been caused precisely by the conflict between zhenqi and soul power.
Her cultivation method from the previous life was called "Everlasting Life Art," divided into four stages:
Houtian (Postnatal)Xiantian (Innate)Zhizhen (Perfection)Changsheng (Everlasting Life)
Opening and nourishing the twelve main meridians with zhenqi constituted the Houtian realm. Nourishing six meridians was called Minor Completion, while all twelve marked Great Completion.
Beyond this, opening the Ren and Du meridians to connect with the twelve main meridians, enabling external zhenqi release, marked the Xiantian (Innate) realm - also called Grandmaster realm. Reaching this level qualified one to establish their own school.
As for Zhizhen and Changsheng realms? Ning Rongrong only knew the general descriptions - she'd never witnessed them personally.
Legends said the Zhizhen realm represented the pinnacle of Xiantian, touching upon the rules of heaven and earth. The sensations from her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda combined with her understanding suggested martial souls might relate to these fundamental rules.
Her inability to utilize full power despite reaching Minor Completion might stem from martial soul-imposed restrictions. As a weak support-type soul master - not some Pagoda-wielding heavenly king - she couldn't exactly smash enemies with her tower!
Though uncertain about martial souls involving rules (with insufficient evidence), she knew the legendary Changsheng realm transcended mortality itself - where every action could alter heaven and earth, stirring storms of blood.
"Ugh, why is a small fry like me thinking so big?" Ning Rongrong mocked herself upon regaining focus. She hadn't even reached Xiantian realm yet fantasized about Zhizhen and Changsheng?
One shouldn't stretch their legs too far lest they tear something. Her immediate priorities were:
Open all meridians to resolve the zhenqi-soul power conflictConsider other matters afterward
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's wealth proved staggering - they collected all required herbs in just three days, even exceeding her requested amounts.
Staring at the medicinal plants piled like hay in the bathing chamber, Ning Rongrong's eyes sparkled:
"Incredible! So this is how rich lolis feel!"
Had she been this wealthy in her past life, she wouldn't have trekked mountains and rivers searching for scant resources. Truly, the treatment of a wealthy clan's young mistress differed completely from that of a ragged, barefoot rogue cultivator.
While all roads might lead to Rome, some were born in Rome itself.
Following precise sequences based on medicinal properties, she added herbs to the bath before igniting and adjusting the heating system.
As layers of luxurious silk garments slipped away, Ning Rongrong lightly stepped into the multicolored, glowing medicinal pool.
"I can only hope the meridian-opening method described in the cultivation manual works... These herbs should suffice for all twelve meridians."
Submerging everything but her head, she closed her eyes and began circulating her energy to absorb the medicinal properties. Gradually, mist rose from the pool as the luminous liquid turned turbid from rapid absorption.
Hours passed. Beads of sweat formed on Ning Rongrong's forehead despite the warm bath. A trickle of blood escaped her lips - forcibly opening meridians while stabilizing them with zhenqi brought tremendous pain even with abundant medicinal support.
Frowning, she accelerated her Everlasting Life Art circulation:
"Eleventh meridian opened... Just one remains now. Success or failure hinges on this."
As zhenqi flowed through her meridians, the surrounding air seemed to coalesce into a peculiar energy. Suddenly, her zhenqi transformed into a raging torrent, smashing through the final bottleneck. Her body instantly brimmed with power, glowing like a newborn star.
A tremendous aura erupted outward before the profound sensation gradually faded.
"That feeling just now... Xiantian?"
Her eyes opened wide with lingering astonishment. The medicinal boost had briefly let her transcend her realm to touch the threshold of Xiantian. Though fleeting, this glimpse helped her comprehend what Xiantian truly meant.
Gazing at her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda floating atop the water, emitting faint green light, she murmured:
"So it's confirmed - my inability to use full power is indeed related to my martial soul."