After becoming a Soul Master, Yang Xiong's training regimen underwent a complete transformation. Rather than simply modifying his existing routine, he added numerous new training programs designed to maximize his unique martial soul's potential.
Although only eight years old, his extensive training had already brought his height to 1.4 meters - taller than many children who possessed Beast Spirit martial souls and benefited from their enhanced physical development.
Yang Xiong visited a blacksmith shop in Seven Treasure City to commission specialized training equipment. He ordered approximately thirty kilograms of weighted gear distributed across his body, including four 2.5-kilogram wristbands and a 10-kilogram chest plate. Additionally, he had the craftsmen create sandbags filled with small iron beads and an iron training dummy for combat practice.
The training dummy's design was actually quite sophisticated, based on martial arts practice equipment from ancient Earth. The structure featured a large base platform supporting a main iron pillar over 1.5 meters in length, riddled with holes at various positions. The pillar could rotate freely on its base according to the force applied to it.
Various oddly shaped iron arms could be inserted into each hole, allowing the configuration to be customized according to specific training needs and combat scenarios.
This training dummy represented the culmination of ancient martial arts practice from Earth's Chinese traditions, integrating attack techniques, hand methods, footwork, and leg techniques into comprehensive simulated combat training. It perfectly embodied the combat awareness and fighting methodologies developed over centuries of martial arts evolution.
However, while the ancient Earth training dummies were constructed from hardwood, Yang Xiong's commissioned version was forged from pure iron with replaceable arms. This made it more convenient, practical, and significantly more durable than traditional wooden training equipment.
Douluo Continent was, after all, a world where supernatural powers were commonplace. Yang Xiong realized that after becoming a Soul Master, his strength and physical capabilities had improved dramatically. Even at only eight years old, he was probably far stronger than most adults from his previous world.
Every morning, Yang Xiong supplemented his ordinary exercise routine with extensive training sessions using the iron dummy and sandbags - this represented his primary simulated combat training.
When striking the training dummy, the rotating mechanism meant that even slightly slow reactions would result in being hit by the iron arms. The greater the power and speed he applied, the higher the probability of taking counterstrikes. However, Yang Xiong's Body Martial Soul actually required this kind of impact to grow stronger through adversity.
Sandbag training, while appearing simple, represented one of the fundamental essences of combat sports. The interior of each sandbag consisted entirely of fine iron sand, while the exterior was wrapped in durable Soul Beast hide. Even Yang Xiong's current strength could not break through this construction despite his best efforts. Every morning, he struck the sandbags with maximum force, pushing the power of his punches and kicks to their absolute limits.
After delivering full-strength blows to the iron-filled sandbags, the skin and flesh on his hands and feet would suffer considerable damage. The resulting pain was severe, but this was precisely when his Body Martial Soul demonstrated its remarkable capabilities. The terrifying recovery power it provided actually surprised Yang Xiong with its effectiveness.
During morning hours, Yang Xiong rarely attended regular classes anymore. Instead, he planned to spend this time in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's library, which contained numerous valuable resources for his development.
Afternoons were dedicated purely to physical conditioning - carrying heavier weights while running, swimming extensively, and similar activities that pushed his physical stamina to its absolute limits.
Although this lifestyle appeared relatively simple from the outside, Yang Xiong clearly felt his body becoming progressively stronger with each passing day.
Of course, every three to five days, Yang Xiong would seek out his father for sparring matches. Although he was consistently defeated quite thoroughly, these sessions allowed him to accumulate valuable real combat experience.
What surprised Yang Xiong most was the incredible collection housed within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's library system.
The entire library was divided into seven floors, each containing various categories of books. As one ascended to higher floors, even more secretive and valuable texts became available.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School truly deserved its reputation as the wealthiest sect throughout Douluo Continent. Enormous amounts of money had clearly been invested in building their book collection. The various holdings were comprehensive beyond imagination, featuring numerous cultivation notes from Titled Douluo masters, self-created soul skills developed by advanced Soul Masters, and extensive knowledge about poisonous plants and spiritual herbs. It could rightfully be called one of the richest libraries in the entire continent.
As the floors increased in height, the value of the available books also rose correspondingly. The upper levels contained many out-of-print rare texts and secrets from Soul Master world history that existed nowhere else.
When Yang Xiong reached the sixth floor, his amazement increased even further. The collection actually included the Clear Sky School's Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique, the Clear Sky Nine Wonders, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's Dragon Transformation methods. Obviously, these had been compiled from observations of past masters' battles and were somewhat incomplete, but they still represented invaluable resources.
Accessing the seventh floor required either the Sect Master's personal token or those belonging to the two Grand Elders. Fortunately, Yang Xiong possessed the special token that Ning Fengzhi had given him initially, allowing him to pass through without obstruction.
If the first six library floors were renowned for their rich and precious collections, then the seventh floor took a different approach. The quantity was smaller, but the value of individual texts was absolutely astounding.
Yang Xiong's eyes widened in disbelief during his first visit, because the collection actually included Mind Control techniques and Seven Kill Sword methods, along with Bone Douluo's cultivation practices. However, it appeared that only the fundamental levels were documented here, lacking the highest-tier techniques that would require personal oral transmission from the masters themselves.
Mind Control was recognized as the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's greatest secret. While not necessarily unique to their sect, this technique could maximize the amplification capabilities of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda through mental focus and could even enable simultaneous amplification of multiple targets.
The Seven Kill Sword Technique was acknowledged as one of the supreme combat methods in the world, representing the absolute pinnacle of swordsmanship development.
What interested Yang Xiong most was Bone Douluo's cultivation methodology. Bone Douluo's martial soul was the Bone Dragon, making him known as one of the most mysterious masters in the Soul Master world. In reality, Bone Douluo excelled particularly in defensive techniques.
From a purely defensive perspective, his capabilities might even surpass those of Hu Yanzhen and Niu Gao from the Defense Clan. Beyond his special martial soul properties, this superiority also stemmed from his unique cultivation methods.
Additionally, Yang Xiong discovered numerous cultivation techniques from various defensive-focused families throughout the library. Beyond unique exercise regimens, these included methods for stimulating and enhancing defensive capabilities through medicinal treatments.
Yang Xiong felt as though he was swimming in an ocean of knowledge within the library. Many of these resources would prove tremendously beneficial for his future development, particularly the various self-created soul skills that could serve as references for developing his own original techniques.
Yang Xiong also found extensive collections of medicinal bath formulas throughout the library, originating from various prominent families. While these might not necessarily represent the world's absolute finest techniques, each possessed unique characteristics and proved particularly suitable for specific types of martial souls.
Lin Gong, serving as the homeroom teacher for Class One, placed great importance on maintaining classroom discipline, but he felt somewhat helpless when dealing with Yang Xiong's situation.
After all, everyone in the class was currently only eight years old, and they were receiving basic Soul Master knowledge education without any actual combat training components.
Yang Xiong used to simply read books during class time without paying attention to lectures at all. Now he did not even attend classes, directly requesting leave to spend his time reading in the library instead. This behavior left the elderly teacher feeling quite frustrated.
However, Lin Gong found himself in a difficult position. Young Yang Xiong had read extensively over the years and developed his own unique insights into martial soul cultivation. He could even identify martial soul types at a glance. From a pure knowledge perspective, he had probably surpassed many of the school's teachers already.
Nevertheless, Lin Gong required Yang Xiong to attend classes at least one day per week. This prevented him from becoming completely disconnected from his classmates and also allowed the teacher to monitor Yang Xiong's specific progress. Without understanding his student's current situation, it would be difficult for any homeroom teacher to provide adequate explanations to the sect administration.
Yang Xiong accepted this reasonable compromise, understanding that maintaining some connection to formal education was important even as he pursued his unconventional training path. His mornings in the library, combined with his intensive physical training and occasional sparring sessions, were steadily building the foundation he would need to achieve his ambitious goals.
The comprehensive resources available through the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's library system provided him with theoretical knowledge that complemented his practical training perfectly. As he continued to grow stronger through his unique combination of physical conditioning and academic study, Yang Xiong felt increasingly confident that his chosen path would lead to unprecedented achievements in the Soul Master world.
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