After Ning Fengzhi spoke, not only Yang Lin and Yang Xiong were surprised, but even Sword Elder and Bone Elder showed a hint of astonishment. Clearly, Ning Fengzhi held this discovery in extremely high regard.
Ning Fengzhi didn't hesitate to share the news with Yang Lin and his son present. "Uncle Jian, Uncle Gu, take a look at this. Perhaps our sect is on the verge of an unprecedented leap forward."
In the world of soul masters, whale glue—a substance capable of enhancing physical fitness, increasing soul power levels, strengthening muscles, bones, and meridians, and ultimately enabling the absorption of higher-year soul rings—was an exceedingly rare treasure. Moreover, its acquisition wasn't particularly difficult or rare, making it all the more valuable.
After reviewing the details on the paper, both Sword Elder and Bone Elder, who had previously been calm, now appeared extremely serious. Bone Elder's eyes even glinted with a hint of ruthlessness.
Ning Fengzhi smiled. "Uncle Jian, please examine Steward Yang Lin and young Yang Xiong's bodies to confirm whether their condition has truly improved."
Sword Elder nodded and approached Yang Lin and his son.
"Relax your minds. My soul power won't harm you."
A terrifying aura of sword energy emanated from Sword Elder, pressing heavily on the father and son. Streams of information entered their bodies as he simultaneously assessed both their soul power and physical conditions—despite their differing states.
Under the influence of his sword intent, Yang Lin and Yang Xiong summoned their martial souls. Sword Elder's intent penetrated their martial souls, seemingly examining every organ, blood vessel, and even their bone marrow.
"Hmm, interesting."
A flicker of surprise crossed Sword Elder's face before he withdrew his energy.
"Fengzhi, their physical conditions are excellent. There are no hidden injuries in their meridians or organs, and their physical fitness surpasses that of soul masters at the same level. The effects of the whale glue appear to be genuine."
Ning Fengzhi smiled again. "Excellent. You two have done a great service for the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. Is there anything you desire? Our sect always rewards those who contribute, and we will not shortchange anyone."
Yang Lin quickly responded, "Sect Leader, I am a member of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. Contributing to the sect is my duty."
Ning Fengzhi nodded approvingly. "As expected from a loyal elder of the sect. Young Yang Xiong, do you have any requests?"
Yang Xiong thought for a moment before replying, "Sect Leader, I enjoy reading. I've already gone through most of the books at school. I heard there is a library within the inner sect—may I be granted access?"
Ning Fengzhi frowned slightly. "Young Yang Xiong, aside from reading, don't you have other interests? Wealth, cultivation resources, or perhaps I could arrange for a master to guide your training."
Yang Xiong quickly responded, "Sect Leader, for now, I only wish to study and read more. I'm not particularly interested in other matters."
"Oh, and Sect Leader, could the discovery of the whale glue remain confidential? After all, I'm only eight years old."
Ning Fengzhi chuckled. "No problem. Aside from us, no one else will know that you discovered the secret of the whale glue."
Ning Fengzhi then handed Yang Xiong a jade-green token. The token was crafted from a single piece of polished jade, featuring a Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda on the front and the character "Ning" engraved on the back.
Seeing this, even Sword Elder and Bone Elder were visibly surprised—the token was no ordinary item.
Ning Fengzhi continued, "Our sect always rewards fairly. From today onward, your entire family of four will enter the inner sect. Additionally, Yang Xiong is granted special permission to access the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's library. We hope you will continue to contribute to our sect in the future."
"However, remember this: the secret of the whale glue must not be divulged to anyone. If it is, you will face the consequences according to sect rules."
Yang Lin and Yang Xiong quickly nodded in agreement.
After they left, Bone Elder expressed some doubt. "Fengzhi, aren't you placing too much importance on this family? Entering the inner sect of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect isn't easy. Their family's strength is rather low."
As Bone Elder pointed out, for one of the top three sects, entering the inner sect required either significant contributions to the sect or having a Soul Douluo-level expert in the family. Not to mention, the family's background had to be impeccable and fully trusted by the sect.
Ning Fengzhi smiled. "Uncle Gu, you worry too much. Since Yang Xiong enjoys reading, we can grant him access to our internal books. Perhaps our sect might gain a genius researcher. Besides, this family has lived within the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect for generations—they're trustworthy."
What Ning Fengzhi didn't say aloud was that bringing the Yang family into the inner sect would make it easier to both cultivate and observe them. If any issues arose, they could be dealt with swiftly.
Bone Elder nodded reluctantly. If the effects of the whale glue were as remarkable as claimed, the sect's overall strength could indeed reach new heights.
"Uncle Jian, what did you observe about their bodies? Does the whale glue harm their foundation?"
Sword Elder's expression turned peculiar. "Fengzhi, they have no internal injuries or hidden ailments. Their meridians are exceptionally broad, and the effects of the whale glue may even exceed their expectations. Especially Yang Xiong—though he hasn't yet obtained a soul ring, his physical fitness surpasses many soul masters at level sixteen or seventeen."
"Perhaps his love for reading stems from his desire to find a cultivation path for his martial soul. I sense that his chosen path may hold great promise in the future."
Bone Elder snorted coldly. "This boy is overly optimistic—or perhaps naive. Finding a cultivation path for such a unique martial soul is no simple matter."
After some discussion, Ning Fengzhi made his final decision. "Uncle Gu, secretly arrange to purchase a batch of whale glue. Once acquired, we'll verify its effects internally. If the results are as good as expected, Uncle Jian and Uncle Gu, you may break through once more."
"Many of our sect's elders are stuck at bottlenecks. Perhaps after consuming premium whale glue, one of them might advance to the Title Dou Luo level."
…
If Yang Xiong had overheard Ning Fengzhi's words, he would have found them somewhat amusing. While whale glue did indeed benefit soul masters' cultivation—especially during the first consumption of top-grade whale glue—the effects were far less pronounced for top-tier experts attempting to break through.
Unless an individual was very close to a bottleneck or constrained by physical limitations—such as elderly practitioners whose bodily functions had deteriorated, preventing further progress—whale glue wouldn't suffice for such breakthroughs.
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