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Feng Xiao's fingertips gently rested on the zither strings, and a sudden realization flashed in his mind.
He finally understood why even a strong individual like Tang Hao failed to detect Tang San's Mysterious Heaven Skill cultivation—in the perception of orthodox Spirit Masters, body cultivation mostly remained at a superficial, external level.
Techniques like the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Method and Clear Sky Nine Absolutes, which combined body strength with spirit power circulation, were already considered closely guarded secrets.
"Without the complete mental cultivation method of Mysterious Heaven Skill, without detailed annotations and guidance… for Qian Renxue…"
Feng Xiao sighed inwardly, the zither strings trembling slightly with his thoughts.
"To fully comprehend its mysteries through observation alone, unless one already possesses a certain foundation in yin-yang and the five elements, and meridian circulation, like me."
Feng Xiao patiently began explaining the intricacies of Mysterious Heaven Skill to Xue Qinghe, but he quickly noticed that when discussing concepts like yin-yang, the five elements, and meridian circulation, Xue Qinghe's eyes were filled with confusion.
"Your Highness can simply understand it as a special meditation method," Feng Xiao said, gently stroking the zither strings, his spirit power flowing like water around them.
"It's just that it offers more benefits to the body and has higher cultivation efficiency."
"Are you saying you've uniquely created a brand-new meditation method?" Xue Qinghe's pupils contracted slightly, his teacup suspended in mid-air, the tea rippling subtly.
Feng Xiao nodded helplessly: "You could say that.
Right now, I'm using the zither music as a guide to help Your Highness clear his meridians, while also guiding his spirit power to circulate along specific routes."
He lightly tapped the zither body with his fingertip, "Your Highness must firmly remember these circulation paths; cultivating with this method in the future will far surpass ordinary meditation."
"Then what does 'ensemble' mean?" Xue Qinghe pressed, leaning forward unconsciously.
"It's like when an orchestra plays together, different instruments can resonate with each other."
Feng Xiao lightly twisted his wrist, and the zither's sound suddenly became richer, "If Your Highness masters this method, our spirit power can resonate harmoniously like music, forming a larger 'vortex'."
A hint of a smile flashed in his eyes, "At that time, both cultivation speed and the quality of spirit power will greatly improve."
A sharp glint appeared in Xue Qinghe's eyes; this simple analogy made him suddenly enlightened.
He then chuckled, "How audacious, to dare ask me to cooperate with your cultivation?"
Feng Xiao plucked the zither strings, neither humble nor arrogant: "There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world, just as students join your ranks, the path of cultivation is even more so.
To gain something, one must first learn to give."
"How much faster is this cultivation method compared to ordinary meditation methods?" Xue Qinghe asked after a moment of thought.
Feng Xiao gently plucked the zither strings, emitting a clear, resonant tremor: "It varies from person to person, and also depends on timing, location, and human harmony.
If Your Highness is free tonight, your student can take you to Heaven Dou Royal Academy's Ni Tai Training Field for a try; I believe the results will satisfy you."
"Good! I look forward to it." A rare flicker of excitement appeared in Xue Qinghe's eyes, but he quickly returned to his usual composure.
"But for now…" He smiled slightly, "Let's put cultivation aside and accompany me for a good stroll."
A hint of surprise flashed in Feng Xiao's eyes—this seemed somewhat different from the Qian Renxue he had expected, who was extremely eager for power.
The carriage slowly stopped, and as Feng Xiao stepped out, a magnificent building came into view.
White marble pillars supported a gilded dome, and the five gilded characters "Heaven Dou Auction House" on the main entrance shimmered under the sunlight.
"Your Highness, this is?"
"Heaven Dou's largest auction house." Xue Qinghe's lips curved slightly, "You've given me such a grand gift, how can I not reciprocate?"
Sharp-eyed greeters quickly stepped forward, respectfully ushering the two into the inner hall.
Even with Feng Xiao's extensive experience, he couldn't help but secretly marvel at the sight before him—dozens of maids in white gowns stood in two rows, their meticulously tailored dresses perfectly outlining their graceful figures.
The low-cut necklines revealed delicate collarbones, and beneath their short skirts, their long, beautiful legs appeared even more elegant, accentuated by high heels.
Most remarkably, these were all naturally beautiful women, without any trace of artificial enhancement.
Feng Xiao instinctively touched the tip of his nose.
As a normal male, he naturally appreciated beauty, but then he remembered that this body was only thirteen years old.
Normally, when he saw Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling, he only saw them as younger sisters in his heart, and any hint of impure thoughts was immediately followed by a strong sense of guilt.
Now, seeing these clearly mature maids, he couldn't help but feel…
"What? Stunned?" Xue Qinghe teased, a playful glint in his eyes.
Feng Xiao lightly coughed, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the zither strings: "Your Highness jests.
I merely feel… that this auction house's grandeur is even more elaborate than Moon Pavilion's."
"Just grander?" Xue Qinghe raised an eyebrow and chuckled, giving a meaningful look that suggested, "We're all men, why hide it?"
Feng Xiao lightly coughed, his fingertips unconsciously plucking the zither strings: "Your Highness… is discerning."
He bowed slightly, but a faint, almost imperceptible blush appeared on his earlobes.
Xue Qinghe suddenly leaned closer, his warm breath brushing Feng Xiao's ear: "The maids here are all carefully trained by the Heaven Dou Grand Auction House…"
He lowered his voice, with a hint of teasing, "If you like, I can give you one?"
The zither string in Feng Xiao's hand trembled slightly, then he recovered his composure: "Thank you for Your Highness's kind offer."
He looked up and smiled faintly, "It's just that your student worries about getting lost in a gentle embrace and delaying his cultivation; these matters can wait until I'm older."
A hint of surprise flashed in Xue Qinghe's eyes, and his gaze lingered on Feng Xiao for a moment—with the talent he displayed and his status as a Moon Pavilion student, if he truly desired, he could probably choose any noble young lady from Moon Pavilion.
"Good! Self-disciplined and self-controlled.
If all the nobles of my Heaven Dou were like you, we wouldn't have failed to cultivate a Titled Douluo for so many years."
Xue Qinghe clapped his hands in praise, his admiration growing stronger, "I am deeply comforted that Feng Yao possesses such a temperament."
"Your Highness overpraises me," Feng Xiao said with a smile.
Xue Qinghe's lips curved slightly, and a knowing look flashed in his eyes.
After these few short hours of interaction, he had already seen through Feng Xiao's character—this young man had his own scale in his heart, measuring his unique path and righteousness.
"Such a person…"
Xue Qinghe's fingertips gently caressed the jade pendant at his waist, thinking, "Perhaps difficult to control like an arm, but if I can gain his recognition…"
His gaze swept over the graceful maids, and his peripheral vision glanced at Feng Xiao.
If Feng Xiao had already achieved great cultivation and reached marriageable age at this moment, he would surely have accepted this gift frankly.
But precisely because he adhered to his true self, he could remain unmoved in the face of such temptation.
Xue Qinghe knew that his power might force the other party to yield to him due to external pressure, but to truly win this young man's loyalty, relying on power or beauty would be futile—only by sharing his aspirations could he willingly walk alongside him.
The two walked along a corridor carpeted with dark patterns and were soon led into an elegant private room.
The four walls of the room were inlaid with soundproof spirit tool crystals, and through the one-way transparent floor-to-ceiling windows, the entire auction hall could be seen clearly.
"Please sit." Xue Qinghe elegantly raised his hand to signal, his moon-white cuff sliding down to reveal an ancient jade bracelet on his wrist.
"No need for formalities today; if there's anything you fancy, just say so." His lips curved into a smile, "Consider it a congratulatory gift from me to the future Royal Fight team captain."
Feng Xiao gently stroked "Fuxi" as he sat down, blue spirit power flowing over the zither strings: "Your Highness's generosity, your student feels unworthy."
The attendant timely served fragrant tea, and amidst the rising steam, the auctioneer had already ascended the stage.
The first item—a ten-thousand-year Spirit Bone glowing with a faint light—was slowly pushed onto the display stand, causing a stir in the hall.
Xue Qinghe took a sip of tea, his gaze, however, remained fixed on Feng Xiao's profile.
He wanted to know what choice this young man, who remained unmoved by beauty, would make when faced with truly precious cultivation resources.
The scent of agarwood wafted through the private room, and outside the window, bidding voices rose and fell.
Feng Xiao's fingertips unconsciously tapped the zither body; each slight sound seemed to strike a chord in Xue Qinghe's heart.
Xue Qinghe gazed deeply at Feng Xiao's calm profile, thinking, "Even a ten-thousand-year Spirit Bone can't move him?"
He lightly tapped the table with his fingertip, then suddenly smiled broadly: "Little Feng, aren't you trying to save me money?"
Saying that, he raised his hand and signaled to the attendant, "Go fetch that Spirit Bone just now."
Feng Xiao's fingertips paused upon hearing this, and the zither string emitted a clear, resonant tremor: "Your Highness, this…"
"What?" Xue Qinghe interrupted with a half-smile, "Could it be that you dislike my gift for not being sincere enough?"
Feng Xiao shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Your student just feels that I don't need a Spirit Bone right now, and this Spirit Bone isn't suitable for your student either.
If there's something suitable, your student will certainly not be polite with Your Highness."
Just then, the auctioneer's booming voice resounded throughout the hall: "The next item up for bid is a rare treasure from the extreme north—a Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow!"
On the display stand, a translucent blue crystal was slowly raised, its surface surrounded by visible ripples of cold air.
The temperature of the entire auction hall seemed to drop by a few degrees.
Soon, this Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow was bought by an ice-attribute Spirit Master.
The auctioneer's voice sounded again: "The next item up for bid is a fragmented ancient zither score, which, according to research, may have originated from a music-type Titled Douluo a thousand years ago!"
Feng Xiao suddenly looked up, his gaze like lightning shooting towards the display stand.
He saw that on the yellowish, tattered zither score in the auctioneer's hand, several ancient musical notes were glowing faintly under the Motivation of spirit power.
"Starting bid, one hundred thousand gold coins!"
The auctioneer's booming voice echoed through the hall, but no one responded.
The nobles were uninterested—to them, it was just a fragmented musical score; while ordinary Spirit Masters secretly shook their heads—even if it truly came from a Titled Douluo as the auctioneer claimed, how much value could a fragmented score have?
Xue Qinghe keenly noticed the strange glint in Feng Xiao's eyes, and with a slight curve of his lips, he elegantly raised his bidding paddle: "One hundred and ten thousand."
The entire hall immediately erupted in an uproar!
Guests turned their heads in surprise, and even the auctioneer was momentarily stunned—someone actually bid on this unwanted, fragmented score, and it was from the distinguished guest in Private Room A!
"One… one hundred and ten thousand, going once!" The auctioneer's voice trembled with excitement.
He had originally prepared for it to go unsold, as this zither score, if not for its special material that even they couldn't identify, probably wouldn't even be worth fifty thousand.
Feng Xiao also smiled at this moment: "Your Highness has gone to great expense."
Xue Qinghe merely took a calm sip of tea: "Consider it the tuition fee I'm paying you."
Upon hearing this, Feng Xiao's mouth twitched involuntarily.
One hundred and ten thousand gold coins for Mysterious Heaven Skill?
If Tang San knew, wouldn't that be courting death?
The auctioneer excitedly struck the gavel three times, his voice still trembling slightly: "Sold… sold!
Congratulations again to Private Room A!"
When the attendant brought the zither score, Feng Xiao carefully took it.
The moment his fingertips touched it, the musical notes on the fragmented score glowed with a faint light.
Then, Feng Xiao unceremoniously put the zither score into his spirit tool, to study it when he had free time.
As the final item was sold with the fall of the gavel, the crystal chandeliers in the auction hall gradually lit up, bringing a perfect close to the grand event.
As dusk settled, Xue Qinghe's gilded carriage slowly departed from the auction house.
Four snow-white steeds trotted in unison, casting long silhouettes in the afterglow of the setting sun.
"Today's harvest was quite bountiful." Xue Qinghe looked at the flowing twilight outside the window, his fingertips lightly tapping the window frame, "But the most precious thing is still you, Little Feng."
Feng Xiao looked up, only to see the last ray of sunset falling on Xue Qinghe's handsome profile, gilding him with a hazy golden edge: "Your Highness's generosity, your student feels unworthy."
After an unknown period, as the last trace of sunset faded, the Crown Prince's gilded carriage slowly stopped in front of the magnificent gates of Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Four snow-white steeds exhaled white mist, and the carriage adorned with the imperial crest still shimmered brightly in the twilight.
Feng Xiao, holding "Fuxi," was the first to alight, his blue robes gently fluttering in the evening breeze.
Xue Qinghe then stepped down, his moon-white long robe subtly revealing gold embroidered patterns, and the jade pendant at his waist made a crisp sound with his movements.
"Now, it's time for Feng Yao to take me to experience that miraculous cultivation method." Xue Qinghe's lips curved into a smile, his eyes holding a hint of anticipation.
Feng Xiao bowed slightly: "It is your student's honor to guide Your Highness."
He gestured with an inviting hand, "The Ni Tai Training Field is not far ahead; it should be unoccupied at this hour."
The academy in the twilight was exceptionally quiet, with only the soft echo of their footsteps on the stone path.
The spirit tool lamps along the path lit up one by one, casting a warm glow on their figures.
The two walked through the academy's quiet path and soon arrived in front of the uniquely shaped Ni Tai Training Field.
The crystal dome glowed faintly under the starlight, and the spirit tool lamps at the entrance cast long shadows of their figures.
Feng Xiao took out his student ID and handed it to the guard.
Just as the guard was about to stop Xue Qinghe, a golden light flashed—the Crown Prince's golden token shimmered in the twilight.
"Your… Your Highness the Crown Prince!" The guard hurriedly knelt in salute, his voice trembling with nervousness, "This humble one was blind and failed to recognize Your Highness; I deserve ten thousand deaths!"
Xue Qinghe calmly raised his hand: "You may rise."
His gaze swept over the empty training field, "Convey my oral decree: the Ni Tai Training Field will be temporarily closed today, and no one is allowed to approach."
"As Your Highness commands!" The guard bowed deeply and immediately withdrew to arrange for the clearing of the area.
Feng Xiao watched this scene, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the zither strings.
Xue Qinghe turned to him and smiled faintly: "Now, we can begin our 'ensemble'."
As the heavy stone door slowly closed, the entire Ni Tai Training Field became completely silent.