"Hmm." Ning Fengzhi nodded, then glanced at the books and notes on the table. Smiling, he asked, "I see you've been reading about soul beasts—are you choosing one for your Martial Soul?"
His wife, Chen Xin, and Gu Rong also turned their attention to Xu Yang, curious to hear the boy's thoughts.
"Yes," Xu Yang replied confidently. "My Martial Soul is the Sun, which carries both fire and light attributes. So, I chose the Sunflower as my first soul ring. Its attributes match mine perfectly, and the soul skill it grants is extremely practical."
Hearing this, the five adults frowned slightly. As top experts from the most powerful support-type clan, they were well acquainted with the Sunflower. It typically granted a healing skill called "Morning Light," which summoned a ray of light to restore health and stamina. Many support-type Soul Masters used it as their first skill.
But Xu Yang's Martial Soul clearly leaned toward the Power Attack type—choosing a healing skill seemed counterintuitive.
"Xu Yang, do you know what type your Martial Soul is?" Ning Fengzhi asked, crouching to meet him at eye level.
"Yes, it's definitely a Power Attack type," Xu Yang replied firmly.
"Then why choose the Sunflower? Haven't you read that it provides support skills that don't match your soul's nature? A Soul Master only gets nine soul rings in their life—every one is crucial!"
Ning Fengzhi was visibly upset. It wasn't easy to find a genius like Xu Yang, and he didn't want to see such talent wasted.
Xu Yang was startled by the reaction but quickly understood. Ning Fengzhi saw his potential and wanted to recruit him but was unfamiliar with the Sun Martial Soul's unique traits. He was frustrated out of concern.
Normally, Power Attack Martial Souls should prioritize offense, amplification, defense, and speed. Choosing a support skill early was often considered wasteful. But for Xu Yang and his Sun Martial Soul, the Sunflower was the best choice—it could later be complemented by offensive skills.
Besides, after becoming a Titled Douluo, the first three skills generally lost effectiveness.
Plus, "Morning Light" wasn't useless. It would allow him to recover quickly during high-intensity training—extremely beneficial in the early stages.
Most importantly, the sunflower could gather and channel the power of the sun—perfectly enhancing his cultivation.
Xu Yang explained, "Sect Master, my Martial Soul is the Sun. During the day, I can absorb solar energy to speed up my cultivation. The Sunflower helps concentrate that energy. It's the best choice for my first soul ring."
Rather than hide his abilities, Xu Yang laid everything out. The more Ning Fengzhi recognized his value, the more resources he'd gain from the sect. Even just help with hunting the right soul beast made the risk worth it.
"You… is that true?" Ning Fengzhi asked in disbelief.
Xu Yang nodded. "It's true! As real as a pearl!"
"Wonderful!" Ning Fengzhi shouted with excitement, losing his usual calm and gentle demeanor. If what Xu Yang said was true, then the Sunflower really was ideal.
Even a 5% increase in cultivation speed, over years, could give him a massive edge.
In Soul Master training, everything before the age of twenty was critical. If Xu Yang's pace stayed ahead, he could easily surpass others by ten soul power levels by then.
And those ten levels could make the difference between failure and becoming a Titled Douluo.
"Good! Very good!" Ning Fengzhi was more and more impressed. A top-tier Martial Soul, plus the wisdom to choose optimal rings—this was a true genius.
"Xu Yang, would you be willing to become my disciple?" he asked solemnly.
Xu Yang bowed instantly. "Disciple Xu Yang greets Teacher, Madam, and Elders!"
Now was no time for hesitation—only a fool would play coy. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan was one of the three upper sects, just below the Spirit Hall. Its knowledge and resources were exactly what Xu Yang needed.
And since the sect raised him, as long as they treated him fairly, he would serve them loyally.
As for the future, when the clan would decline due to the war between Tang San and the Spirit Hall—Xu Yang believed he could prevent that with proper planning.
He didn't particularly like Tang San—he even felt a little disdain—but he didn't plan to target him without reason. They were strangers, after all.
That said, he would absolutely intercept key opportunities—like the celestial herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well of Sunset Forest. With those, he could lay the foundation for godhood.
"Do you need to pack anything?" Ning Fengzhi asked. "If not, we'll head back to the sect."
"Just give me a moment, Teacher—I do have a few things to gather."
Xu Yang quickly packed his notes and ran to the dormitory. He didn't own much, but there were two things he couldn't leave behind.
Inside, he grabbed more notes from his cabinet, then pulled out a box hidden under his bed.
Opening it revealed two lumps of yellow-black gelatin—hard from long storage. Anyone with experience would recognize it instantly: whale rubber.
Whale rubber came from the brains of whale-type soul beasts. A potent yang-natured tonic, it boosted vitality and stamina. It also improved physical strength, allowing Soul Masters to withstand higher-level soul ring absorption.