Douluo: Qian Xunji's Joyful Life

Chapter 39: Yu Xiaogang Goes to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan

Wuhun City, library.

A young man clad in the uniform of the Wuhun Hall's library editors sat there. His bone age showed him to be barely in his early twenties. Slender, of average height, he had trimmed hair and a fair complexion. He wasn't handsome by any stretch, but his looks were clean and pleasant.

This person was none other than Yu Xiaogang, son of Yu Yuanzhen of the top three sects. Because his martial soul had mutated, he had not inherited the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's strong physique and commanding features. Yet the fundamental genetics of an upper-three-sect lineage meant he certainly wasn't ugly.

At the moment, Yu Xiaogang's cultivation was stuck at rank 29. Born with only half a rank of innate soul power, no matter how hard he worked, breaking past rank 10 was all but impossible. Still, because Yu Yuanzhen was the sect master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, they poured resources into him, and that allowed him to reach rank 29. But beyond that, he seemed entirely unable to progress.

Previously seen as a failure in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, this complete inability to break through confirmed people's suspicions. They made no secret of their scorn: because Yu Xiaogang had consumed massive training resources—some that belonged to others—he'd earned only their resentment.

Unable to find a path to advancement and tormented by the clan's endless ridicule, Yu Xiaogang left the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan for the Wuhun Hall, hoping that the Hall's library might hold the key to his breakthrough. After all, the Wuhun Hall was the oldest force on the continent, possessing knowledge surpassing even that of the two great empires, as well as serving as the soul master world's sacred ground. Its theoretical research was unmatched.

Even so, Yu Xiaogang's face was still marked by worry. He was only a rank-and-file librarian, with minimal privileges. The advanced lore he desperately needed remained out of reach. Much the same existed in his own clan's library, too.

"Yu Xiaogang."

An even but imposing voice spoke. Yu Xiaogang whirled around to see a tall, strikingly handsome man with golden hair. Clad in luxurious attire and emanating a godlike dignity, he had appeared behind him without Yu Xiaogang noticing.

"S-sir, and you are...?" Yu Xiaogang didn't recognize Qian Xunji, having never once laid eyes on the Pope. But he felt the other's aura—sacred, noble, and awe-inspiring.

"Qian Xunji."

"Q-…Greetings, Your Holiness." Yu Xiaogang bowed, trembling somewhat. As a member of the Wuhun Hall—albeit nominally—he should technically kneel on one knee. But the pride of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon still ran in his blood, and he never truly considered himself a part of Wuhun Hall.

"No need to be nervous," said Qian Xunji in a placid tone. "I'm here to inform you of something."

Yu Xiaogang's heart pounded. He felt rather flattered. "Is there something Your Holiness wishes of me?"

Qian Xunji answered calmly, "I know that the reason you came to our Hall was to address your mutated martial soul—this pig-like variant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. I've heard all about it."

Hearing that, Yu Xiaogang's eyes flickered with shame. He'd gladly have forgone a martial soul altogether rather than be lumbered with this useless pig form that subjected him to scorn.

"Your Holiness, I've been stuck at rank 29 for so long, unable to advance. Do you know how to fix my defective martial soul? If you have a solution, I'm willing to serve you with my life!"

He bowed at a right angle. Despite his cunning, he regarded Qian Xunji's identity—a Titled Douluo and Pope—as reason enough not to suspect deceit. After all, why would such an exalted man bother tricking a rank 20-something soul master?

Qian Xunji sighed. "Honestly, I have no solution. Neither does the entire Wuhun Hall."

At that, Yu Xiaogang sank into despair. He didn't doubt Qian Xunji's sincerity; someone of the Pope's station had no reason to lie to a mere rank 29. If even the Wuhun Hall was at a loss, then maybe no one in the entire world could fix his martial soul. He would remain a 'waste' forever.

"But based on what I know," Qian Xunji went on, "there is only one place in this world that might accomplish it."

Yu Xiaogang snapped his head up, hope rekindled in his eyes. "Where is it, Your Holiness? Where?!"

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan."

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan?"

"Yes. In terms of theoretical knowledge, they don't rival our Wuhun Hall, but when it comes to rectifying a malignant mutation of the martial soul, I believe they have greater experience, because for them, studying martial soul theory is a necessity."

Seeing Yu Xiaogang's confusion, Qian Xunji patiently elaborated, "Yu Xiaogang, you know the defect of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, right?"

Yu Xiaogang nodded. The Pagoda was lauded as the continent's number one support-type spirit, but it couldn't surpass rank 79, because it possessed only seven floors, only enough to hold seven soul rings.

"Compared to other martial souls that can potentially reach Titled Douluo, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda peaks at 79. You think they wouldn't urgently research ways to evolve it into the Eight Treasure or Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda?"

"I see. Thank you, Your Holiness, for pointing the way!" Yu Xiaogang was overjoyed. By far the wealthiest sect, with a maximum training limit of 79, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan would presumably invest huge sums of money, plus plenty of time, to study martial soul evolution far more intensively than the Wuhun Hall had.

And being among the top three sects, they would likely treat him better than the Wuhun Hall had.

"But, Your Holiness—why tell me all this?" Rational thought returned, and caution flared. After all, the Wuhun Hall and the top three sects were basically enemies. Why would Qian Xunji help a son of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?

"It's nothing," said Qian Xunji. "All I want is that if you do manage to fix your mutant martial soul, you record that knowledge. Eventually, someone in our Hall might need it. Our Wuhun Hall commands the largest number of soul masters, so we need that theoretical basis."

"I see. If I manage to fix my martial soul, I'll be sure to share that knowledge with you, Your Holiness."

But Yu Xiaogang was mentally rolling his eyes. Of course, if he succeeded, the information would remain with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Why help a hostile Wuhun Hall? He wasn't a fool.

He silently concluded that Qian Xunji was too naive—foolish, even. No wonder he'd done something as ridiculous as trading Bibi Dong to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.

Ten minutes hadn't passed since Qian Xunji left the library when Yu Xiaogang grabbed his belongings, leaving Wuhun City for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. As for the Hall's rules or his duties as a librarian, he gave them no mind.

But that, too, was all in Qian Xunji's plan. While many soul masters roamed the world, few were as thick-skinned, fame-seeking, and shameless as Yu Xiaogang. Once he reached the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, he'd produce some half-baked "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls," messing up the clan in some ways.

For the wealthy and noble families, knowledge the Hall considered basic leftovers might not matter much. But if Yu Xiaogang spread that knowledge—some flawed—among aristocrats and lesser families, it could spark trouble. The soul master world's resources were limited; fewer people jockeying for them was better. Uplifting the common soul masters? That only enlarged the crowd around the "cake," which the established sects and nobility would refuse to tolerate. This was a dog-eat-dog world, after all.

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