Douluo Continent: Ink Bamboo as a Cauldron to Break Through Ten Thousand Heavens

"Why is he saying he wants to take me as his disciple now? Does he want to use me to further his relationship with Huo Yuhao? Does he realize that our relationship is special and want to use me to bind Huo Yuhao? Let's put this aside for now. Should I agree?"

"First, agreeing to this agreement is equivalent to being bound to the Soul Guidance System. When you interact with the Martial Soul System in the future, it will almost represent the affairs of two different systems, making it difficult to have the same influence as before. Second, becoming Qian Duoduo's disciple will place an extra layer of constraints on Shrek Academy, and your personal freedom may be restricted in the future."

"However, becoming his disciple also has many advantages. First, looking at the Soul Guidance Department, the materials for making Soul Guidance Devices will no longer be scarce, and the cultivation resources available will also increase. Moreover, compared to the other elders of the Sea God Pavilion, Qian Duoduo has no major problems except for some emotional frustrations. If I want to change the Tang Sect and Shrek Academy in the future, I will need a powerful backer..."

With that thought in mind, Chen Cheng no longer hesitated and bowed down.

Qian Duoduo smiled so hard his eyes narrowed into slits as he handed over the same silver badge, announcing that the two of them were now his disciples! He was certain they would achieve great things under his tutelage.

Time passed by little by little, and two months went by in the blink of an eye.

During this period, Chen Cheng and Huo Yuhao's schedules were packed. Before sunrise, they prepared their Purple Demon Eyes, then went out to practice Tai Chi and Tang Sect's secret techniques. Afterward, Huo Yuhao went to class, while Chen Cheng studied at the Soul Guidance Department. Huo Yuhao also squeezed in time to study at the library, using his powerful mental strength to memorize various books at a glance. In the evening, the two went to the Soul Guidance Department together to study under Qian Duoduo. Finally, after finishing their studies, they each went to cultivate to improve their soul power.

At first, Qian Duoduo was worried that the two wouldn't be able to hold on, and sometimes he even considered giving them a break. But he found that the two were like springs; the more they were squeezed, the more power they unleashed, which put him at ease. At the same time, he became even more certain that the two were excellent candidates for the Extreme Individual Soldier Project.

In line with Qian Duoduo's expectations for the two of them, he also invested heavily in them. Not to mention the unlimited supply of rare metals, since becoming disciples, the two of them have never been to the canteen. Every day, they eat in the Soul Guidance Department's dedicated kitchen, where the food is prepared and delivered. While it may not be the finest natural treasures, the ingredients are at least extremely rare, and the food nourishes their soul power and bodies.

Every night, Huo Yuhao would drag Wang Dong along to cultivate using the power of Haodong. If his soul power cultivation speed before was like a gently flowing stream, then with the help of Haodong's power, his cultivation speed had become a turbulent river. In just two months, he had already reached level 20.

Afterwards, Huo Yuhao found Chen Cheng, and after discussing it, he asked Qian Duoduo for leave to go and obtain his second soul ring.

Chen Cheng roughly guessed why Huo Yuhao was looking for him. After all, Chen Cheng had helped Huo Yuhao cover for him many times before, and with Tianmeng involved, he guessed that he probably knew something. However, he was firmly on Huo Yuhao's side, so he decided to have Huo Yuhao come along as an official endorser.

So, the two asked Qian Duoduo for leave and headed to the far north together. Qian Duoduo wasn't puzzled by their "refusal to let their teacher accompany them," after all, in his opinion, Huo Yuhao's second spirit ring was no more than a thousand years old, and with Chen Cheng's strength, achieving that should be effortless.

"Brother Chen Cheng, this flying soul tool is so fast! When will I be able to fly in the sky like this?"

Another major reason Huo Yuhao wanted Chen Cheng to take him was that he needed to go to the far north to obtain his second spirit ring and the Ice Emperor spirit. The distance from Shrek Academy to the far north was estimated to be over 8000 li (approximately 4,000 kilometers), and a round trip would take more than half a month just to travel at full speed. Adding the time spent fusing the spirit ring and searching for it, a month's vacation wouldn't be enough. Therefore, with some time still remaining before his vacation, Huo Yuhao chose to set off directly with Chen Cheng.

"Generally, the flying soul tools we make in the Soul Guidance Department are designed according to the individual needs of the soul masters. So, they can usually be used at level 3. However, some soul masters with more concentrated and higher-quality soul power may be able to use them close to level 3. The level 4 soul tools I'm making now have some unique designs that reduce energy consumption. Even if you're flying with them, you can fly at full speed for an hour and a half, covering at least a thousand miles. Then, we'll need to go down and replenish our soul power before flying again."

Huo Yuhao's eyes sparkled after hearing this; after all, he was still just a child. What child hasn't dreamed about the sky?

From afar, Chen Cheng saw a river. With his soul power nearly depleted, the two of them slowly descended there.

Needless to say, Huo Yuhao knew what Chen Cheng was thinking, so he rolled up his sleeves and trouser legs and went to the river to catch fish.

By the time Chen Cheng had recovered his soul power, Huo Yuhao had already caught more than a dozen fish of suitable length, processed and marinated them, and started grilling them over the fire as soon as Chen Cheng woke up.

As the aroma of grilled fish wafted far and wide, Chen Cheng suddenly sensed that someone was observing them from a distance. He stood up, bowed in that direction, and said, "We two juniors are resting here. My brother here is quite skilled at grilling fish. If you don't mind, senior, why don't you join us for a taste?"

Upon hearing this, Huo Yuhao's expression immediately tightened. However, the next moment, a hearty laugh rang out from afar, and a fat figure and a young girl appeared. The voice came from the fat old man.

"I just saw you two young friends traveling using flying soul tools. Judging from your seemingly low levels, the flight duration and speed of your soul tools are remarkably similar. Also, you two look unfamiliar, which piqued my curiosity. Please don't mind, this is my granddaughter. I'm taking her on this journey to obtain a soul ring. Judging from your direction, it seems you're also heading to the far north?"

Chen Cheng bowed and invited the two to sit down and enjoy the grilled fish: "Senior, you flatter us. We came out of the academy this time to help my brother find a suitable spirit ring in the far north. However, their family's spirit is inherited from a specific lineage, and the requirements for the spirit beast are quite demanding, so it will probably take some time. As for flying spirit tools, if you are interested, please give us some pointers. It just so happens that the grilled fish will take a while to cook through."

As he spoke, Chen Cheng handed over the level-four flying soul tool he had just used. Actually, this flying soul tool wasn't anything special. In the original story, Huo Yuhao, using only his mental detection, copied down every soul tool he could find and sent them to Shrek Academy, which advanced Shrek's soul tool technology by thousands of years. And the old man's clothing was exactly what nobles of the Sun Moon Empire could wear.

Therefore, in the old man's view, the soul tool used by Chen Cheng might be acceptable in terms of practicality, but its manufacturing was indeed somewhat unsatisfactory. However, considering the actual situation of the three great empires, it could be considered to have some merits in its production.

Thinking of this, the old man's face showed a hint of appreciation for talent. However, just as he handed over the soul tool and was about to speak, Huo Yuhao's grilled fish was already cooked. Seeing that the girl beside him had already handed him one and was eating it eagerly, he didn't say anything more.

At this moment, Chen Cheng was frantically trying to figure out the old man's origins. During his last vacation, Chen Cheng not only spent some time back in Chenzhuanggou, but also went to the Sun Moon Empire for an investigation. However, because the identity checks were quite strict for entering Mingdu, he ultimately only managed a one-day visit before leaving.

Chen Cheng had learned from his previous exploration of local customs and traditions that the old man's attire belonged to someone of high status. The people of the Sun Moon Empire, on the other hand, generally didn't have such high standards for spirit beasts; they would mostly choose the Jingyang Mountains or the Demon Forest, hunting down spirit beasts of suitable age. The fact that the old man before him was of such high status, and had brought his granddaughter to the far north specifically to obtain a spirit ring, immediately sparked many speculations in Chen Cheng's mind.

  

While pondering, Chen Cheng also picked up a grilled fish. It could only be said that with Chen Cheng's guidance on seasoning, Huo Yuhao's grilling skills had reached new heights. Glancing at the girl devouring her fish, a sudden thought struck him, and a possibility dawned on him.

"No, isn't this butterfly effect a bit too much? This girl has wine-red hair, hmm, almost the same red as a running track. While hair colors are possible in the Douluo Continent world, red is relatively rare. In the original work, red hair, stunning beauty, the Sun Moon Empire, granddaughter, and needing to travel to the far north to obtain a spirit ring—these labels seem to only fit Meng Hongchen. So, this plump old man in aristocratic attire is probably Jing Hongchen!"

Chen Cheng glanced cautiously at Jing Hongchen and saw him discussing the taste of grilled fish with his granddaughter. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief and continued to think.

"I didn't say I was from Shrek Academy from the beginning because I saw he was a nobleman from the Sun Moon Empire, and I was afraid he would attack us after hearing the name Shrek. I sensed his aura just now; he's at least a Title Douluo level. Now it seems I have to keep up the act. However, to be honest, Jing Hongchen isn't a bad person, and he probably won't attack two unknown guys like us. After all, he still has his pride in front of his granddaughter."

"In the original story, Meng Hongchen was already a five-ring Soul King during the competition. His main mission here should also be to obtain his fifth Soul Ring. The demand for ten-thousand-year-level Soul Beasts shouldn't have driven them to Bingdi's place, right? But there's no need to worry too much. According to Tianmeng and Bingdi's words, no one can leave alive after seeing the Ice Jade Scorpion Clan. Jing Hongchen probably won't go there rashly. Therefore, their appearance shouldn't hinder their acquisition of the Ice Emperor Martial Soul."

Four more grilled fish were ready. Huo Yuhao enthusiastically invited the two of them to have as many as they wanted, and Meng Hongchen readily accepted. Jing Hongchen pretended to decline for a moment, but then picked up another one. After all, who would turn down delicious food!

"I was on guard earlier, worried that they might help find a soul beast to repay the favor of the grilled fish. If that happened, Huo Yuhao, who hasn't fused with the Ice Emperor Martial Soul, would only be able to carry a soul ring for less than a thousand years, and the secret of the Ice Silkworm's simulation would also be revealed. If they bring up the topic of traveling together later, we should still decline."

"However, Jing Hongchen is actually a decent person. Maybe I can use this opportunity to build a good relationship; we might be able to use this connection in the future. As an outsider, someone who transmigrated from the modern world, I'm genuinely not interested in the politics and stances of the mainland. As the Romance of the Three Kingdoms aptly put it, 'The world, after a long period of division, tends to unite; after a long period of unity, tends to divide.' The world of Douluo Continent has never been completely unified, so people's perception is always one of imperial division. If someone were to truly unify the land like the First Emperor, even if it were to split again in the future, the ultimate ideal of all emperors would still be unification."

"Moreover, from the perspective of soul tools and ordinary people, a unified situation is more conducive to economic development, civilizational progress, and the research of soul tools. No matter how you look at it, unification is all benefits and no harm."

With this in mind, Chen Cheng made a plan.