Yu Xiaogang knew it was time to drop the subject and not press too much about how Su Ming and Tang San knew about the concept of meridians. Despite this, Yu Xiaogang's desire to learn Lingbo Weibu grew even stronger.
If he could learn the method behind Lingbo Weibu and research it himself, he might deepen his understanding of meridians. If he could publish his findings, who in the entire continent would dare to look down on him? Even the Spirit Hall and his own family wouldn't be able to dismiss him.
With a smile plastered on his face, Yu Xiaogang addressed Su Ming, "Well, if that's the case, we'll be heading off. Su Ming, I hope you can teach Rongrong Lingbo Weibu as soon as possible!"
He then led the others away, seemingly in an uncharacteristically calm manner.
If Su Ming's student hadn't been Ning Rongrong, Yu Xiaogang would have demanded a thorough explanation about Lingbo Weibu's usage and the meridians. He would have shamelessly stayed to observe and learn what he could. But Ning Rongrong was the treasured daughter of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, and Flender had reminded him that if she got injured or if her foundation was harmed due to their interference, Ning Fengzhi and the two Title Douluo who guarded her would lose their minds.
Yu Xiaogang had heard that Ning Rongrong was extraordinarily talented, setting records in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. She was the first innate full soul power cultivator in the clan's history, and after her awakening at the age of six, she was immediately designated as the sole heir to the clan leadership. This alone showed how important Ning Rongrong was to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, and the three figures who doted on her would stop at nothing to protect her.
Once Yu Xiaogang and the others were out of sight, Ning Rongrong turned to Su Ming and asked, "Why did you mention meridians to them? Now Master will be even more eager to get his hands on your soul skill!"
Su Ming shrugged, "So what if he wants it? Unless he can offer the Dragon Transformation Technique from his clan, or something of equal value, I won't give it to him!"
"And if he tries to stand on the moral high ground and demand I share it for the good of all, we can start by having Tang San hand over his Mysterious Heaven Skill first!"
Hearing Su Ming mention the Dragon Transformation Technique, Ning Rongrong nodded knowingly. She was familiar with it; it was like her clan's Split Mind Control—a secret passed down only within the family. It was never shared with outsiders.
But in her opinion, Lingbo Weibu was far more valuable than the Dragon Transformation Technique. While Lingbo Weibu required a lot of knowledge and guidance to master, it had a broad appeal and didn't depend on specific martial spirits or bloodlines.
"Su Ming, the Dragon Transformation Technique wouldn't suit you, would it? From what I know, it requires the user to have a dragon-type martial spirit and, at the very least, a trace of dragon bloodline in their veins."
"For you, it's practically useless—like a chicken rib."
Su Ming, of course, understood this, but what Ning Rongrong didn't know was that he possessed the Azure Dragon bloodline. Though his Wood Release ability wasn't exactly a dragon-type martial spirit, he figured he could adapt the technique to create dragon-like armor for himself.
Still, even if the Dragon Transformation Technique wasn't something he really wanted, it was the most valuable thing Yu Xiaogang had. If Yu Xiaogang wanted Lingbo Weibu, Su Ming figured he might as well demand the Dragon Transformation Technique in exchange, whether or not he actually used it.
Seeing Su Ming had made up his mind, Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu dropped the subject. But they both wondered whether Yu Xiaogang would be willing to offer the Dragon Transformation Technique, or if Tang San would consider trading his Mysterious Heaven Skill.
Deep down, they already knew the answer—probably not.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through Ning Rongrong's mind. Su Ming had mentioned that to enter Sage Mode, he needed to remain undisturbed and focus on gathering natural energy. But what if Su Ming could gather natural energy while fighting? Wouldn't that eliminate the five-minute time limit?
The issue, she realized, might be that it was impossible to split one's focus between battle and the delicate task of balancing natural energy with soul power and spiritual energy. But what if the Split Mind Control technique from her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan could solve this problem?
If Su Ming could divide his attention and gather energy while fighting, the five-minute restriction of Sage Mode might be completely eliminated!
Excited by her realization, Ning Rongrong couldn't wait to help Su Ming. She still had five days of vacation left, more than enough time to visit her clan and return. Plus, after another hour, Su Ming wouldn't need her help with training anymore. She was eager to do something for him.
But before running off, she decided to ask Su Ming to see if her idea would work—no point in rushing off if it wouldn't help.
Meanwhile, Ning Fengzhi and the two Douluo guarding her would be slightly offended if they heard her referring to visiting as "a wasted trip."
"Su Ming, you said earlier that Sage Mode has a flaw, that it only lasts five minutes, and using soul skills shortens the time even further, right?"
"That's right. Why do you ask?" Su Ming was curious about her sudden interest.
Ning Rongrong continued, "Why can't you gather natural energy while fighting? Wouldn't that solve the time limit issue?"
Su Ming paused as he recalled how Jiraiya had overcome this flaw in Sage Mode by having the two Toad Sages help him gather natural energy during battle. The problem was, Su Ming didn't have anyone like that. Natural energy was so overwhelming that he had no confidence in balancing it with soul power and spiritual energy during combat. If he tried, he might turn to stone long before defeating his opponent.
He explained his concerns to Ning Rongrong, not realizing the full extent of her intentions. Since he had no interest in the Split Mind Control technique, his thoughts hadn't even gone in that direction.
Ning Rongrong muttered to herself, "So, the issue is that you can't maintain balance between the three energies while fighting…"
Seeing her deep in thought, Su Ming became a bit suspicious. "Rongrong, why are you asking me all these questions? You're acting a bit strange…"
Ning Rongrong decided not to beat around the bush. "Su Ming, what if... the Split Mind Control secret technique from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan could help you balance the three energies during Sage Mode?"
Hearing this, Su Ming's eyes widened in surprise. "Whoa! That's right!"
He had nearly forgotten about the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's unique ability to control multiple things at once through the Split Mind Control technique. He couldn't be certain if it would work, but it was definitely worth considering.
The system chimed in: "Ding! Host, it might be worth a try. You never know—it could work!"
Su Ming playfully retorted, "System, you gave me toad oil and the beating stick. Why didn't you give me something that could help me gather natural energy?"
The system responded with a sarcastic tone: "Ding! Host, that line of thinking is wrong. If I gave you everything, you'd be a useless slacker. What would I need you for? And besides, rewards are random. If you have bad luck, don't blame the system."
Su Ming: …
Fine, he was just venting to the system, but it wasn't wrong. If everything was handed to him, he really would be worthless. The system seemed to be challenging him to grow, rather than just handing out solutions.
For example, even after all these years with the system, he still hadn't received a hundred-thousand-year soul bone. He had a few below that level, but he didn't care for them. As someone with a system and knowledge of the story, how could he be satisfied with less than the best? However, the lesser soul bones could still be useful in the future for his allies or to gain influence.
These were considerations for later. Right now, his strength didn't rely heavily on soul bones. High-quality auxiliary soul bones were rare, and the only one he had was the Blue Silver Emperor's right leg bone.
He wasn't in a rush to absorb it, since doing so would reveal Ah Yin's presence. He could wait until he either joined the Spirit Hall or until Ah Yin fully recognized Tang Hao's true nature. At that point, revealing it would be the perfect timing for their confrontation.
Of course, it didn't have to be an auxiliary soul bone, since those were particularly rare. Most soul bones provided offensive or defensive abilities, with auxiliary effects being secondary. If he had no other options, Su Ming hoped that any future soul bones he absorbed would have the highest possible age, though he wasn't sure if the system could enhance a soul bone's age.
The system responded vaguely: "Guess you'll have to wait and see..."
Since the system had suggested trying the Split Mind Control technique, it was probably effective. Su Ming was familiar with how the system worked: it didn't appear unless something was important. Otherwise, no amount of shouting could summon it. If it had emerged now, it meant the technique was valuable.
However, Su Ming wasn't eager to approach Ning Fengzhi for the secret technique just yet. He preferred to strengthen his relationship with Ning Rongrong first—otherwise, it might look like he was trading with Ning Fengzhi, rather than building a genuine bond.
"Your clan's Split Mind Control technique would likely be useful for me, but I can't be sure how effective it will be. Are you suggesting that...?"
Before Su Ming could finish, Ning Rongrong confidently declared, "Yes! I want to bring the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's Split Mind Control technique to you. I'll head home this afternoon and convince my father!"
Su Ming hesitated, "Rongrong, I didn't teach you Lingbo Weibu just to get your clan's secret technique..."
Ning Rongrong smiled warmly, "I know that! But I want to contribute. You mentioned that when you're in Sage Mode, your entire body is enhanced, but the short duration is a flaw because you can't gather natural energy while fighting. That's why I thought Split Mind Control could help you. So don't refuse!"
Ning Rongrong playfully turned to Xiao Wu, "Xiao Wu, help me convince your brother!"
Xiao Wu had already noticed how much closer Su Ming and Ning Rongrong had become during their training. Ning Rongrong was even willing to share her clan's secret to help Su Ming. Naturally, Xiao Wu wanted to support this and chimed in, "Brother, Rongrong means well. You should accept her offer."
Seeing how determined they both were, Su Ming finally relented, "Alright, I'll wait for your good news."
"But are you sure it's safe for you to go alone? Do you need me to accompany you?" Su Ming asked, still concerned.
Ning Rongrong waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. I've got Lingbo Weibu now—if I run into danger, I can escape easily. Besides, I believe the clan has people secretly protecting me, though I've never seen them."
After a moment of consideration, Su Ming agreed, "Alright, but be careful. As for Master and the others, we'll keep them in suspense, hehe..."
Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu both giggled, "Su Ming, you're so mischievous!"
Su Ming's plan was simple: by not revealing the real reason for Ning Rongrong's departure, Flender and Yu Xiaogang would naturally assume she was going back to complain about their interference. But in reality, she had another purpose, leaving them to their own speculations.
"Alright, Su Ming. Now that we've rested enough after Master interrupted us, let's get back to training!" Ning Rongrong said with determination.
She wasn't sure when it happened, but over the past couple of days, she had grown deeply fond of Su Ming—perhaps because of everything she had personally witnessed and experienced with him.
As the next hour passed, Su Ming finally began to master the initial process of absorbing natural energy. No longer did it rush into him violently, like when he first applied the toad oil. However, due to the earlier interruptions, it was nearly time for lunch, so Su Ming decided to pause and continue in the afternoon.
"Let's go grab some food. And before you leave later, Rongrong, I'll give you something—just a little trinket to keep you safe."
Hearing this, both Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu became curious about what Su Ming had in mind.
Feigning a pout, Xiao Wu teased, "Su Ming, you're playing favorites. Why don't I get one too?"
Of course, Xiao Wu wasn't truly upset. She knew a protective item would be more useful to Ning Rongrong than to her.
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