“Eh? Big brother Xue, do you know something concrete?”
Tang San somewhat anxiously asked. According to what Strength Clan chief Tai Tan and Ning Fengzhi said, his father was one of the twin Douluo of the first ranked of the seven great schools, Clear Sky School. With such a venerable position, how could he have degenerated into a drunkard blacksmith? The reasons for this had always been what Tang San wanted to know.
Xue Qinghe didn’t keep him in suspense, nodding:
“What I learned was this. Approximately fifteen years ago, counting back, it should have been before you were born. Spirit Hall was apparently looking for something. That thing was extremely important to Spirit Hall. Consequently, Spirit Hall dispatched a formidable line-up to search all over. Not only did four platinum bishops all participate, but even the Supreme Pontiff at that time as well as his two personal guards participated. The people I talked to didn’t know what specifically they were looking for, but from the way Spirit Hall’s senior members came out in force, that was certainly something extremely important.
“And this thing seemed to have fallen into your father’s hands. At that time your father wasn’t at the Clear Sky School, but should have brought your mother to travel the Continent. Abruptly getting involved in this matter was presumably also made things extremely difficult. I also don’t know the details of the negotiations between him and Spirit Hall. I only heard that your father declared his separation from Clear Sky School not long after. At that time, your father was still a Spirit Douluo and hadn’t yet reached the Title Douluo realm.
“Not long after this was another piece of news. It was said your father and Spirit Hall had a decisive duel somewhere, and was injured. But they apparently still didn’t successfully obtain that thing. It was precisely from that battlefield that it was known your father had already reached the Title Douluo stage. Spirit Hall admitted to this themselves, and said your esteemed father had become the nowadays youngest Title Douluo.”
Hearing this, Tang San couldn’t help asking:
“Then my mother?”
Xue Qinghe shook his head, saying:
“My information doesn’t have anything pertaining to your mother. Only that less than a month after that battle, Spirit Hall announced the death of the Supreme Pontiff, and the succession of the new Supreme Pontiff. Therefore, my sources judged it very possible that the Supreme Pontiff was severely wounded in the battle with your father, dying not long after, and that your father chose to go into seclusion for this reason. Even though he had separated from Clear Sky School, he was after all still their most important direct disciple. His hiding was presumably also to keep the School from getting involved. After all, Spirit Hall really is too powerful, even so much that they’re on an equal footing with the two great empires, not something a single school has the capability to resist. Even the present age’s number one great school wouldn’t be capable. It was also starting from this time that the Clear Sky School distanced itself from peoples’ eyes, and very rarely moved in the Spirit Master world.”
Ning Fengzhi interjected:
“If all this is true, then what’s most important is finding out just what that thing Spirit Hall fought over was, and the true circumstances of that fight. This is perhaps also something only those involved would know. Only, it’s certain that battle is closely related to your father’s reason for going into seclusion.”
Tang San silently nodded. Even though Xue Qinghe’s words were somewhat discrepant from his own conjecture, it was still extremely reasonable. In the Douluo Continent, only Spirit Hall would have the strength to force a Title Douluo into seclusion, and force the number one great school into seclusion. If his father had really killed the Supreme Pontiff, then the hatred and desire for revenge between him and Spirit Hall were enormous. In order to avoid implicating the School, in order to avoid pursuit, he had brought him to live in a small mountain village.
But in Xue Qinghe’s entire story there was no mention of his mother. Could it be that his mother had been killed by Spirit Hall in that battle?
Unconsciously, Tang San’s fists gradually tightened. Even if he had no relationship with his mother in this world, his life was after all given him by this mother. In his body flowed the blood of her and his father. He could not live under the same sky as his parents’ enemies. If it truly was done by Spirit Hall, then…...
Thinking of this, an uncontrollable threatening cold light appeared in Tang San’s eyes.
Xue Qinghe said:
“That’s all I know, I truly find it embarrassing. I’ve dispatched people to investigate, but it’s already been more than ten years, and I’m afraid it won’t be very effective.”
“Many thanks for the information, big brother Xue. As far as I’m concerned, being able to learn this is already very useful.”
Tang San’s expression very quickly recovered to normal.
Xue Qinghe smiled faintly, saying:
“No need for brother Tang to be polite, it’s as easy as lifting my hand.”
With the serious matters concluded, the trio drank tea and chatted idly. Tang San discovered that this Xue Qinghe wasn’t only extremely entertaining in conversation, but also had extensive knowledge and learning. His style of conversation relaxed people, and throughout the conversation he never argued. Tang San discovered from his own observations that this person’s mind was extremely broad, different as black and white from prince Xue Beng and prince Xue Xing.
“Brother Tang, it would be better to eat lunch together.”
Xue Qinghe proposed.
Tang San shook his head, saying:
“No, I’ll still return to the Academy.”
Xue Qinghe smiled faintly, and pulled out a golden medal from his chest. The golden medal design was simple, but it contained a stream of unusual energy, and on the surface was carved a Heaven character[2].
“Since it’s like that, as a brother I won’t keep you. I’ll give you this medal. If there’s any matter later on, use it to come find me at the imperial palace.”
Tang San hesitated a moment on seeing the gold medal, and Ning Fengzhi to the side said:
“Qinghe doesn’t have any other intentions, take it. This badge is only Qinghe’s personal seal, there are no other uses.”
Hearing Ning Fengzhi say this, Tang San didn’t decline. Picking up the heavy gold medal, he put it into his Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges.
Xue Qinghe and Ning Fengzhi personally saw Tang San to the door of the teahouse, and Tang San bid farewell to the two and returned to Shrek Academy.
Seeing Tang San’s gradually disappearing back, Xue Qinghe praising said:
“Teacher, you’re right. He really isn’t like an only fourteen year old child. Not only does he conceal his thoughts, but his discourse and manner are all very steady. Truly worthy of being a child of the Clear Sky School.”
Ning Fengzhi smiled slightly, saying:
“This child’s brilliance can’t be accorded the Clear Sky School, it all relies on his own capability. Even I can’t see his future clearly. If it was another Spirit Master, it would be very difficult to succeed with Blue Silver Grass as a spirit, but he’s different. At such a young age he has not only already reached the fortieth rank, but the strength he has displayed is also not a bit different from fortieth ranked Spirit Masters with first rate spirits. In the future, if he can settle the issue of twin spirit backlash, this child is bound to become a character who calls the wind and summons the rain in the Continent, he will even surpass his father.”
Xue Qinghe thought deeply and nodded,
“I will pay special attention to researching the matters related to Clear Sky Douluo’s withdrawal, I hope I can find some accurate information soon. As for Tang San, I’ll first build a good relationship with him. Even though he’s outstanding, right now he’s still too young.”
Part 2 (TL by Bagelson)
Ning Fengzhi sternly said:
“Qinghe, I must remind you of one thing. Judging by the
time I’ve interacted with this child, if you want his assistance in the future, then you can’t try to recruit him, only try to be a true friend.”
Xue Qinghe looked distracted a moment, his gaze meeting Ning Fengzhi’s. After a long time, he slowly nodded,
“Teacher, I understand. Thank you for your directions.”
On the way back to the Academy, Tang San’s head was filled with what Xue Qinghe said. ‘Father, for what reason did you clash with Spirit Hall, what about mother? Even though what Xue Qinghe had talked about hadn’t mentioned his mother, Tang San still felt that his father’s seclusion was directly related to his mother.
The teahouse wasn’t far from the Academy, and Tang San returned very quickly. He headed directly to the log cabin in the Academy forest, it had practically become their exclusive training spot.
Right now, not only had the team returned, but Grandmaster and Liu Erlong were also back. Only Flender wasn’t present.
“Little San, you’re back.”
Grandmaster saw Tang San return, and waved at him.
“Teacher, are you looking for me?”
Tang San asked as he walked over.
Grandmaster shook his head, saying:
“I will train Rongrong alone, you come too. What I say should be useful to you as well. Training her also needs your cooperation.”
“Eh?”
Tang San looked at Ning Rongrong to the side. Right now the others were all in the vicinity of the log cabin, perhaps cultivating, or perhaps sitting together and chatting, but Ning Rongrong was at Grandmaster’s side.
“Follow me.”
Grandmaster brought Tang San and Ning Rongrong into the depths of the forest, and not even Liu Erlong followed.
Having walked several hundred meters, Grandmaster stopped in a relatively spacious area.
Ning Rongrong somewhat nervously asked:
“Grandmaster, what special training do you have in mind for me?”
Even now she still had a trauma from Grandmaster’s special demonic training.
Grandmaster said:
“Rongrong, if I’m not mistaken, your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School should have a technique called Heart Separation Control[3]. To what degree have you cultivated it?”
Ning Rongrong looked distracted a moment, afterward answering:
“Right now I’ve just cultivated it to Three Aperture Governing Heart. I can just manage to use it.”
Grandmaster’s brows wrinkled slightly,
“Which means, still only the most elementary level. My special training for you is in this special area.”
“Even though the battle today was an easy win over the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy second team, their second team absolutely doesn’t represent the overall strength of all advanced Spirit Master academies. Especially now that Tang San and Dai Mubai’s strength has already been revealed. The opponents you will confront in the future will only be stronger and stronger. And that evolved Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Spirit of yours can be said to be extremely gifted and rich in resources, one might say that your ability will have an extremely effect on whether you will be able to become champions.”
Ning Rongrong giggled, saying:
“Grandmaster, are you praising me?”
Grandmaster’s complexion was stiff:
“I’m not praising you. Rather praising your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School’s spirit. It’s still very difficult to reveal its might with your present capability. It doesn’t have a very large effect on the team in a fight.”
To the side, Tang San astonished said:
“Teacher, Rongrong is already on the fortieth level, her auxiliary is already outstanding. Able to simultaneously boost us fifty percent in four categories at the same time, that instantly erupting strength is practically enough to let us promote one class!”
Grandmaster calmly said:
“You’re not wrong, right now she can boost you fifty percent in four attributes. Then, you ask Rongrong, if you Shrek Seven Devils were in a fight together, and she boosted the six of you at the same time, how long could she keep it up?”
Tang San puzzled looked at Ning Rongrong, whose complexion had also changed somewhat,
“Grandmaster, how do you know the secrets of our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School?”
Grandmaster said:
“Don’t forget that I come from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, also one of the three upper sects. The secrets of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School’s Spirit aren’t so secret, it’s not strange that I know about it. Not just me, but practically all formidable Spirit Masters would know. But despite this, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is still the most powerful auxiliary system Spirit Master clan, do you know why this is?”
Ning Rongrong blankly shook her head.
To the side Tang San couldn’t help saying:
“Don’t tell me it’s because of that Heart Separation Control you mentioned? Teacher, can’t you explain it clearly, what’s the secret of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Spirit?”
Ning Rongrong looked at Grandmaster who nodded, saying:
“Right, the reason why the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda holds the title as the number one auxiliary system spirit is admittedly related to the spirit itself, but this Heart Separation Control is even more important. It’s admittedly important to raise spirit power, but to your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, this Heart Separation Control is even more important. If my guess is correct, then Rongrong’s father, school master Ning’s ability in Heart Separation Control should already have reached the Seven Aperture Exquisite Heart level. Tell me if I’m wrong, Rongrong.”
Ning Rongrong nodded, and at the same time cleared Tang San’s doubts,
“Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Spirit’s secret lies in spirit power consumption. The higher the level of spirit power, the higher the spirit ring, the more clear the disadvantage is. In my present condition, if I simultaneously boosted the six of you fifty percent in all four aspects, at most I could only endure for three seconds.”
“Three seconds?”
Tang San was gobsmacked.
Grandmaster lowered his voice:
“I called out Rongrong alone in order to keep everyone from hearing this secret. This world is impartial. Even though the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda is powerful in support, it also has its limitations. Because a Spirit Master’s spirit power is finite, no matter how good your spirit is, if you don’t have spirit power to support you it won’t be able to show sufficient results. Because the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda’s support ability is too powerful, its spirit power consumption is subsequently also frightening. Consider, for Rongrong to boost all six of you with fifty percent in four attributes with her fortieth level spirit power, what kind of concept is that? If it could be kept up for a long time, then wouldn’t it be unparallelled? I recalled this issue that day when Rongrong assisted Flender and the others in when we were hunting spirit beasts. If it can’t be settled satisfactorily, then it will be very difficult for her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Spirit to show adequate results in your future matches.”
Tang San now understood,
“Then you’re saying that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School’s Heart Separation Control is the way to deal with it?”
Grandmaster nodded, saying:
“That’s right. What’s called Heart Separation Control has the effect of controlling different spirit abilities at once. This control method is useful to any Spirit Master, but the effect is particularly pronounced for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. For common Spirit Masters, more powerful abilities consume more spirit power, but this isn’t the case for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. Each of their spirit abilities will consume the same amount of spirit power on the same level. Simply put, if Rongrong was a twentieth ranked Spirit Grandmaster, then the spirit power consumption of her two spirit abilities would be the one. Once she reached the thirtieth rank, the spirit power consu
mption of her three spirit abilities would still be the same. But because the boost rate has gone up, the spirit power consumption has also changed to two, and so on in a similar fashion. Thus, if she simply releases all her spirit abilities to boost at once, the spirit power consumption would be an astronomical figure. Let alone her, even a Title Douluo would find it very difficult to support that kind of drain.”
“And Heart Separation Control is the key point to settling this issue. One might say that in battle, the support needs of each combatant is different. For example, with Rongrong’s current four spirit abilities, what’s most important for you is only the spirit power boost, and her other three effects would be useless, it would only drain her spirit power. But Dai Mubai needs attack, defense, and spirit power boosts, agility amplification isn’t as important. Being able to amplify them all would admittedly be good, but when spirit power is limited, boosting the key areas is undoubtedly where the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda can completely display it’s support capability.”
“The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School’s Heart Separation Control is split into five levels, Three Aperture Governing Heart, Four Aperture Constant Heart, Five Aperture Dispersed Heart, Six Aperture Wishful Heart, and Seven Aperture Exquisite Heart. Each level represents how many spirit abilities can be controlled at once and how many times they can be released. Such as Three Aperture Governing Heart, it indicates you can simultaneously manipulate three kinds of spirit abilities to accurately support three targets, Four Aperture Constant Heart indicates the ability to simultaneously manipulate four spirit abilities to support four targets. And under such accurate control, you can accomplish the degree I spoke of before, conducting the most suitable support to the people that need them the most.”
Here, Grandmaster paused a moment, continuing after giving Tang San a meaningful glance:
“The effect of Heart Separation Control isn’t very large for common Spirit Masters, because the spirit power consumption of each spirit ability is different and there is little need to release all spirit abilities in one. Consequently, the cultivation method for this Heart Separation Control has been gradually lost with time. Only the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School would have it. Rongrong, I hope that before the finals you will be able to at least reach the Four Aperture Constant Heart stage. Like that, you can at least support four of your comrades at once, releasing different supporting spirit abilities at different times. This is the true secret of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. Understand?”
Douluo Dalu - Volume 14 - Elephant Armored School Page 3