Douluo: Martial Soul Seven Kill Sword, The Sword Opens Heaven's Gates

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"Xiao San, all my theoretical achievements rest on you. Tomorrow, when you're in Tiandou City, speak out on my behalf and let those people see the results of my theories!"

Tang San's expression remained unchanged as he shook his head and declined. "Teacher, it's not possible for now."

"My current appearance is unknown to the outside world, giving me the upper hand in many situations. Father said that unless it's absolutely necessary, I can't reveal my identity yet."

"Teacher, I hope you can understand my predicament."

Yu Xiaogang was anxious.

If Tang San didn't publicly disclose his theoretical achievements, Yu Xiaogang would have to bear the blame indefinitely.

"Xiao San, are you saying you don't acknowledge me as your teacher?"

Tang San quickly explained, "Teacher, a teacher is like a father for life—I've always regarded you as such. However, this matter is significant, and we're not in a position of advantage. Without the cover of my identity, many things will become passive."

"However, rest assured. In the future, when I have enough strength, I'll prove your research results to the entire continent. I'll also expose the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and the scholars who colluded against you."

Yu Xiaogang wanted to insist further but hesitated, unable to speak.

Though Tang San was essentially making promises without guarantees, it couldn't be denied that Yu Xiaogang was moved.

After all, Tang San was only at the Soul Emperor level. Even if he spoke out, how many people on the continent would listen? It was better to wait until Tang San grew into a true powerhouse. By then, he'd use facts to slap everyone in the face.

Leaving the room, Tang San chatted with Tai Long for a while before departing together to visit the Power Clan.

Tang Hao had already said that the Power Clan were their family's loyal supporters, and maintaining this relationship was crucial.

Tai Tan's strength was nothing to scoff at, and for Tang San at this stage, he could provide immense assistance.

Entering the residence of the Power Clan, after Tai Long's explanation, Tai Tan finally believed that Tang San had altered his appearance.

"Young Master, how is Master doing? Only after this little brat Tai Long returned did I learn about what happened in front of the Pope's Hall. I deeply regret not being there in person—otherwise, I wouldn't have let Young Master suffer any harm."

Seeing Tai Tan's loyalty, Tang San waved his hand and said, "Elder Tai Tan, there's no need to blame yourself. No one expected the Spirit Hall to forcibly attack us."

"This matter is in the past, Elder. There's no need to bring it up again. I've come here today with an important matter to discuss with you."

Tai Tan understood. He glared at Tai Long, who immediately left the room and closed the door.

"Young Master, please speak. If there's anything the Power Clan can do, this old servant won't hesitate."

Tang San retrieved several design blueprints for ordinary mechanical hidden weapons from his soul-guiding device. "Elder Tai Tan, if you have time, you can craft some of these weapons. In the future, they might become our key tools in fighting against the Spirit Hall."

The Spirit Hall had caused immense harm to the Power Clan, so he wasn't worried that Tai Tan wouldn't stand by his side.

Tai Tan agreed and, upon receiving the blueprints, was awestruck by their ingenious design. "Young Master, these weapons are incredibly intricate—they're practically perfect works of art. This old servant dares to ask: who designed these weapons?"

Tang San proudly replied, "I researched them in my spare time. Elder Tai Tan, these blueprints must remain confidential. If we assign assembly to the clan disciples, each person can only handle one step of the process, and the final assembly must be done by you."

Before coming to the Power Clan, he had already formulated a plan.

Commissioning Tai Tan to manufacture hidden weapons was just one aspect. His larger idea remained unspoken.

Tai Tan asked in confusion, "Young Master, though these weapons are intricate and require high precision, with my abilities, producing a hundred pieces within a month would be more than sufficient. How many do you need?"

Tang San replied, "Prepare a hundred pieces of each type first. These are just the most basic hidden weapons. I also have more sophisticated designs, but for now, there's no need to produce them. First, let the disciples familiarize themselves with the manufacturing process so that production can be scaled up quickly in the future."

Upon hearing this, Tai Tan roughly understood his intention.

The Power Clan had fewer than two hundred members. Producing a hundred pieces of each type of weapon was just a warm-up. Expanding production in the future to create thousands of pieces wasn't out of the question.

Such a large number of hidden weapons clearly couldn't be used solely by the Power Clan.

It was highly likely that Tang San intended to use hidden weapons as the main weapon against the Spirit Hall, and they would likely gain more allies in the future.

Tang San continued, "Elder Tai Tan, to be honest, I plan to establish a sect called the Tang Sect."

Whether or not the Hao Tian Sect would truly accept him and his father remained uncertain. Moreover, founding the Tang Sect in this alternate world had always been his long-held wish.

Since Tai Tan was a servant of the Tang family, establishing the Tang Sect based on the Power Clan could save him a lot of resources.

After all, Tang San hadn't received sponsorship from Ning Fengzhi, a major financial backer, and his current financial situation was quite tight.

Tai Tan explained, "Young Master, founding a sect and maintaining a family are two entirely different matters."

"A sect requires not only disciples from the main family but also a large number of external disciples. Additionally, an internal reward and punishment system must be established to regulate the disciples' behavior."

In short, founding a sect was far from easy.

There were many preparations to make, countless hours to invest, and most importantly, sufficient funds to purchase land and construct the sect's headquarters.

This entire process would cost at least tens of millions of gold spirit coins.

"Elder Tai Tan, there's no need to worry about finances. I already have a plan."

Tang San's idea was simple. Back when he was at Shrek Academy, Ning Rongrong had shown great interest in hidden weapons. Later, during the Tiandou Auction, Ning Fengzhi had purchased his hidden weapons at a high price.

At the time, due to lack of opportunity, he couldn't reconnect with Ning Fengzhi, so the hidden weapons weren't marketed. Now, the batch of hidden weapons Tai Tan was crafting was intended for sale to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.

These ordinary mechanical hidden weapons had significant limitations, so he wasn't worried that the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect could drastically improve their strength using them.

The key was that he needed an opportunity to connect with the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and lay the groundwork for his plan to drive wolves and devour tigers.

In the process, he could continuously obtain funds from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect to help build the Tang Sect.

Tai Tan shook his head. "Young Master, your thinking is too naive. Master once said that Ning Fengzhi is a man of great talent. If your intentions are too obvious, he'll surely see through them."

But Tang San wasn't foolish.

A plan was just a plan; its implementation depended on the individual.

Most of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's disciples were auxiliary-type soul masters without much combat ability, so hidden weapons were essential for them.

Moreover, his mechanical hidden weapons were single-use. After use, only he or someone with the blueprints could reload them.

Coupled with the thousand-year wisdom of the Tang Sect from Bashu, each hidden weapon had a perfect anti-theft mechanism. Any attempt to open the mechanism would render the weapon useless.

In this way, he created a long-term demand for the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.

It could be said that the more hidden weapons the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect obtained, the deeper their ties to him would become. At that point, it wasn't impossible for them to completely follow his commands.

Tai Tan didn't understand political affairs well and couldn't judge whether Tang San's ideas were right or wrong.

"Young Master, before taking action, you can discuss more with Master. Of course, no matter what decision you make, this old servant and the Power Clan will unconditionally support you."

Afterward, the master and servant discussed other matters.

In the afternoon, Tang San didn't stay long at the Power Clan's residence. He didn't even eat dinner before setting off for the Star Dou Great Forest to meet Xiao Wu.

He hadn't seen Xiao Wu for many years, and his longing for her was evident.

---

Seven Treasures Academy

After a period of preparation, a temporary sparring platform was set up on the academy's large playground.

It was common practice for senior students to spar with current students at various advanced soul master academies.

These sparring sessions were mostly instructional in nature, and the senior students usually held back during the matches.

"Who wants to go first?" Ning Tianchen's gaze swept over Feng Xiaotian and the others.

With his Soul Sage-level strength and ten-thousand-year soul ring, sparring with a group of Soul Elders and Soul Ancestors would be overwhelmingly one-sided.

Since this year's Soul Master Tournament hadn't been held, the newly formed Seven Treasures Team's captain and vice-captain had already applied for graduation. Their strength had reached the Soul King level, continuing the lineup from Ning Tianchen's generation.

"I'll go play around." Chen Huayu was the first to jump onto the stage.

His physique was exceptionally robust, and he had grown taller in the past five years. When he landed on the stage, the ground trembled slightly.

Many students, seeing his fierce appearance, immediately abandoned the idea of sparring.

After a pause, Chen Huayu bowed to the students. "Chen Huayu, martial soul: Black Rock Giant Bear, Level 61 strong-attack battle soul emperor."

"Level 61?! Good heavens, isn't Chen Senior the youngest Soul Emperor on the continent at his age?"

Tang Hao had broken through to Soul Emperor in his twenties, but Chen Huayu was only nineteen years old, surpassing Tang Hao's record significantly.

Of course, Ning Tianchen had broken through to Soul Emperor earlier, but since he hadn't revealed his strength, the students were unaware.

Ke Jie chuckled. "You all weren't clamoring to challenge the seniors earlier? Why are you scared now?"

The students in front of the stage lowered their heads in shame.

For Soul Dukes and Soul Lords to challenge a Soul Emperor would be a one-sided beating.

Suddenly, a loud voice rang out from the crowd. "I'll go!"

A woman wearing training attire and a high ponytail stepped forward with determination.

This person was none other than Hong Xinyue, sent by the Hong family to study.

She was also the main member of this year's Seven Treasures Team, with a soul power level of 47. Unfortunately, since the Soul Master Tournament hadn't been held, she had originally planned to return to her family. However, due to the turbulent situation on the continent, the Hong family feared for her safety on the journey back and decided to let her continue studying at the academy.

Under the protection of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, at least her life was guaranteed.

"Hey, it's been a while," Chen Huayu waved at her.

Hong Xinyue smiled. "Please, Senior, guide me."

Hong Xinyue was an advanced student, far stronger than the average student. Moreover, she knew Chen Huayu, which sparked discussions among the students.

Afterward, the two displayed some ambiguous interactions during the sparring session, further fueling the students' speculations.

Watching the match, Ning Tianchen felt slightly awkward. He hadn't expected that after a few years, Chen Huayu had matured so much.

Yu Die chuckled softly, "This shy little fatty has finally grown up."

Everyone couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Since this was a guidance-oriented sparring session, the battle on the stage wasn't particularly intense.

After about an incense stick's time, the two simultaneously retracted their martial souls and ended the match.

"Who's next?" Chen Huayu beckoned to those below with a wave of his hand.

Seeing him once again reveal his fierce demeanor, no other student dared to step forward. In the end, Ke Jie reluctantly signaled for him to step down, and Oscar took the stage next.

Ke Jie also wanted to see how far Oscar had progressed in his cultivation as a battle soul master over the years.

However, the students were unaware of this and began discussing among themselves. "This senior is a food-based soul master. Does this mean the next match will be between food-based soul masters?"

But how would food-based soul masters spar? Would they compete to see who could make more sausages within a set time?

If it came to that, higher-level soul masters would always have the advantage over lower-level ones no matter what.

Oscar smiled and gestured toward the students. "Come on, let a battle soul master come and spar with me."

Unable to resist, Yu Die asked Ning Tianchen, "Has this guy Xiao Ao really become a battle soul master?"

Ning Tianchen nodded. "Just watch his performance next."

The students, however, were confused. A food-based soul master sparring with a battle soul master? Wasn't this just asking to get beaten?

Forget about a food-based soul master at the Soul Emperor level—even a Soul Sage-level food-based soul master wouldn't stand a chance against a Soul Ancestor-level battle soul master.

Ke Jie teased with a smile, "Don't worry about your senior; worry about yourselves. Are you saying you don't even have the courage to face a food-based soul master?"

"I'll go," a tall and sturdy student immediately stepped forward onto the stage.

This person was named Zhang Hu, and true to his name, he was large and imposing.

"Zhang Hu, martial soul: Mountain Climbing Tiger, Level 43 strong-attack battle soul master. Senior, please be careful."

Oscar nodded.

As Ke Jie announced the start of the sparring session, the sixth soul ring beneath Oscar's feet suddenly lit up.

Zhang Hu trembled and slowly backed away.

A Soul Emperor unleashing his sixth soul skill was no joke—how could a mere Soul Lord like him possibly withstand it?

Suddenly, he furrowed his brows. "Senior is a food-based soul master—his sixth soul skill probably doesn't have any offensive power."

With his mind made up, he activated his first soul skill and cautiously extended his hand forward, intending to test the effects of the opponent's sixth soul skill.

Oscar consumed a sausage, and a golden longsword appeared in his hand.

"A food-based soul master can use a sword-type martial soul? Could it be that Senior's sixth soul skill temporarily grants a combat martial soul to a soul master?" The students buzzed with discussion.

Yu Die and the others turned their gazes toward Ning Tianchen—not because of anything else, but because this was his martial soul.

Ning Tianchen quietly explained, "Xiao Ao's sixth soul ring allows him to copy anyone's martial soul for battle. With just a drop of blood, he can use someone else's martial soul."

---

Although Oscar had never used a sword-type martial soul before, the Seven Killings Sword in his hands now moved with great ferocity, its powerful sword techniques seeming to swallow his opponent whole.

Despite Zhang Hu's towering physique, under Oscar's Seven Killings Sword, he had no means of resistance.

His tiger claws simply couldn't withstand the sharpness of the Seven Killings Sword.

This sparring session was purely to showcase Oscar's ability to fight as a battle soul master.

In terms of actual strength, his power among Soul Emperors at the same level was undoubtedly the weakest. However, the fact that a food-based soul master could fight like a battle soul master had already set a historical precedent.

After the sparring ended, the food-based soul masters among the students erupted in astonishment, bombarding Oscar with questions about how he became a battle soul master like him.

Oscar didn't know the underlying principle either and could only attribute it to a stroke of luck.

After all, the soul skills provided by the Mirror Image Beast weren't all about copying. Even if they were, it wasn't guaranteed that one could copy a martial soul.

Ke Jie raised his hand to calm everyone down. "Regarding this research, the academic community is still actively studying it. Of course, it might just be a unique case. Everyone, please remain calm and don't disturb your senior. If there's any conclusion, I'll announce it to you."

Upon hearing this, the students immediately quieted down.

After all, the next academic exchange conference would definitely discuss this issue—it was just a matter of waiting a little longer.

"If you're reluctant to interact, then next, let's watch the seniors and teachers duel," Ke Jie arranged.

Of course, ordinary teachers weren't a match for Ning Tianchen and the others, especially not when all eight of them were present.

Therefore, Ke Jie had three Soul Sage-level headmasters take the stage to challenge them.

Ning Tianchen and the others habitually gathered together to discuss tactics.

"The teachers are three Soul Sages. Once they activate their true martial soul forms, we'll be hard-pressed to handle them," Feng Xiaotian said nervously.

Ning Tianchen hadn't revealed his strength, nor did he know the extent of the opponents' abilities. Based purely on the numbers, they were far from being a match for Soul Sages.

Ning Rongrong blinked and said, "Are we taking this too seriously? This is just a friendly sparring match—there's no need to be so serious, right?"

To put it bluntly, this was just a performance match where both sides exchanged moves to maintain appearances.

In terms of actual strength, the three headmasters who spent most of their time sitting in offices weren't even a match for Ning Tianchen alone.

After pondering for a moment, Ning Tianchen said, "Even in a performance match, we must demonstrate tactical proficiency. It's been five years—let's see if everyone still remembers our tactical coordination."

Everyone couldn't help but chuckle. Clearly, they still remembered their past tactics vividly.

On the stage, everyone took their positions according to their previous arrangements.

Among them, Chen Huayu and Ning Tianchen swapped places. Ning Tianchen stationed himself at the back of the team to command and protect the rear line, while Feng Xiaotian and Chen Huayu formed a dual frontline.

The three headmasters changed into their training attire and stepped onto the stage.

"Hehe, dear alumni, go easy on us. These old bones of ours can't compare to you youngsters," they joked.

Their martial souls included the control-type Eastern Sun Branch, the strong-attack-type Long Curved Dance Staff, and the defensive-type Wu Xu Cauldron.

Moreover, these three had been close friends for a long time, having previously served as members of the teaching committee at a prestigious soul master academy in the Star Luo Empire. They had joined the Seven Treasures Academy due to the high salaries and promising career prospects offered.

These three martial souls combined offense, defense, and control, making them quite formidable opponents.

As Ke Jie gave the signal, the match entered its preparatory phase.

Ning Tianchen didn't activate his martial soul, but among the remaining seven, Ning Rongrong's soul rings were the most eye-catching.

"The first and second soul rings are purple thousand-year soul rings. Good heavens, how did she manage that?"

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