Douluo: When the piano sounds, the hidden weapon returns to the factory

In the morning light, everyone quietly ate their simple breakfast. Yue Guan took a sip of tea and smiled at Feng Yao, "This time, we owe it all to Xiao Feng. Last night, Old Ghost sent a message confirming that the intelligence was accurate." He tapped his fingertip, and a golden chrysanthemum bloomed in his palm. "He should have already returned to the Papal Palace to report. His Holiness the Pope will likely arrive in person soon."

Feng Yao slowly tore at the dough in his hand, then looked up and smiled, "Senior, you flatter me. Speaking of which," a hint of inquiry flashed in his eyes, "I'm also very curious, why did His Holiness the Pope summon me here specifically?"

Yue Guan gave him a meaningful look: "Well, that's hard to say."

Hu Liena's gaze towards Feng Yao now held a hint of respect—after studying that book all night, she was completely captivated by its ingenious cultivation theories. At this moment, she parted her red lips slightly, her tone revealing undisguised surprise: "You don't know why Teacher summoned you here? I thought..." She paused, "Teacher specifically invited you here to quickly locate the 100,000-year-old soul beast."

Feng Yao gently shook his head, the morning light casting a soft shadow on his handsome profile. "It should be more than that. Even without me, with the Spirit Hall's manpower conducting a thorough search, finding the target is only a matter of time." He tapped his knee with his fingertips, adding thoughtfully, "Besides, given His Holiness the Pope's style, if it were just for hunting spirit beasts, there would be no need for such a grand scheme."

Xie Yue gently pressed his sister's shoulder and lowered his voice, saying, "Nana, be careful what you say. How can we presume to know His Majesty's thoughts? We only need to obey his orders." A warning flashed in his deep eyes.

Yan, standing to the side, snorted coldly, his fingers unconsciously rubbing together. "Speaking ill of His Majesty... some people seem to have forgotten the rules of the Spirit Hall." He glanced meaningfully at Feng Yao, "Don't blame us for not warning you of the consequences later."

Yue Guan took in everyone's reactions, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. He gently stroked the rare and precious chrysanthemum in his hand, understanding dawning on him—there was a world of difference between Feng Yao and Hu Liena and Xie Yue and Yan. This difference wasn't just in their strength and realm, but also in their future positions within the Spirit Hall.

Xie Yue and Yan's warnings would be perfectly reasonable for ordinary members of the Spirit Hall. However, they clearly failed to realize that Hu Liena, as the Pope's personal disciple, and Feng Yao, as a special being wielding an Elder's Token and supported by the Angelic lineage, were destined to stand in a higher position and look down upon all living beings in the future.

Hu Liena pursed her lips upon hearing this, a complex emotion flashing in her golden eyes. She subconsciously glanced at Feng Yao, only to see him still elegantly sipping his morning tea, as if those words were merely a morning breeze brushing past his ear. Hu Liena first gave Yan a faint glance, then nodded slightly to her brother—ultimately, she had to save face for him.

Feng Yao finished his breakfast in a few bites and was about to get up and return to his tent to continue his morning exercise when he heard Hu Liena call out hesitantly, "Um..."

Feng Yao smiled knowingly: "It seems that Your Highness has gained something from your studies last night. If you have any questions, please follow me." With that, he gracefully rose and walked towards the camp.

Just as Hu Liena was about to follow, Yan suddenly called out urgently, "Nana!"

She paused slightly, but didn't turn around. Yue Guan spoke at the opportune moment, leisurely saying, "Go, girl. There are many things you can learn from Xiao Feng." The rare chrysanthemum on his fingertip gleamed golden in the morning light. "Remember, receiving guidance from a master is a rare opportunity on the path of cultivation."

“Yes, Grandpa Ju.” Hu Liena responded respectfully, her eyes catching a glimpse of Yan’s instantly dimmed expression. She saw him clutching the dry rations in his hand tightly, his knuckles turning white, but he ultimately didn’t dare to say anything to stop her.

A morning breeze swept by, swirling up a few fallen leaves. Hu Liena's long golden hair fluttered in the wind, and she quickly disappeared around the corner of the camp. Only Yan remained, sitting there dejectedly, the dried meat in his hands already crumpled and deformed.

Hu Liena followed Feng Yao into the tent. The morning sunlight filtered through the tent flaps, casting dappled shadows inside. Feng Yao casually sat on the edge of the bed and patted the spot beside him: "Sit wherever you like, no need to stand on ceremony."

Hu Liena looked around and finally chose to sit on a flattened tree stump. She placed her hands clasped in front of her knees, her posture dignified yet slightly reserved. "I certainly benefited greatly from studying your work last night," she said, a hint of confusion flashing in her golden eyes, "but..."

Feng Yao chuckled softly, tapping his fingertips lightly on his knee. "That book is like your 'God of Slaughter Domain'—it has value, but it's not your true path." He gazed gently at the saintess before him. "What you need is to learn to be flexible."

"Flexibility?" Hu Liena frowned slightly; this word had almost never appeared in her past rigorous training. She subconsciously rubbed her fingers, but for the first time, she had a question about it.

"The original intention of that book was to guide novice Soul Masters in their cultivation." Feng Yao tapped his fingertip lightly, and a wisp of breeze flowed within the tent. "Those are just basic theories, what you need is..." He deliberately dragged out his words, a hint of mischief in his eyes.

Hu Liena narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly, a hint of displeasure flashing in them. She had always disliked this kind of pretentious way of speaking, and her slender fingers unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes.

Seeing this, Feng Yao chuckled, "Your Highness, this expression doesn't seem like one of seeking guidance." He shook his head, his tone suddenly becoming serious, "Fine, for the sake of His Holiness the Pope, I'll temporarily assume the role of your teacher and give you some pointers."

Hu Liena pursed her red lips and gave Feng Yao a deep look. Although she was indignant, she ultimately did not utter a word in rebuttal. The morning light shone through the curtains, casting dappled patterns of light on her delicate profile, making her golden eyes appear even more profound.

Feng Yao tapped the edge of the bed lightly with his fingertips, making a rhythmic sound: "Do you still remember how I described the power of Soul Masters in the book?"

Hu Liena pondered for a moment, then answered fluently, "A Soul Master's strength is the result of the combined effects of many factors, including Soul Power, Physical Fitness, Martial Soul, and Spiritual Power."

“Not bad.” Feng Yao nodded approvingly, then changed the subject, “In your opinion, what are your strengths in these areas? And where are your weaknesses?”

Hu Liena closed her eyes and concentrated, the contents of the book flashing through her mind. After a moment, she opened her eyes and said, "Her soul power cultivation is average, her physical attributes are mediocre, and her martial soul quality is acceptable." She then lightly tapped her temple with her fingertip, "Only her spiritual power is truly outstanding."

A moment of silence fell over the tent, broken only by the soft rustling of the morning breeze through the curtains. Feng Yao's gaze lingered thoughtfully on Hu Liena, as if waiting for her to continue. Hu Liena unconsciously straightened her back, her long golden hair gleaming softly in the light filtering through the curtains.

Feng Yao nodded slightly, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes: "Your self-assessment is fairly fair, even a bit too harsh." He tapped his fingertip lightly, a wisp of breeze flowing between them, "With the Spirit Hall's full support, you'll eventually collect all your soul bones, and your soul ring configuration will reach its peak. At that time, your soul power, physique, and martial soul will all reach top-tier levels."

He leaned forward slightly, his voice lowering: "But for true powerhouses, the key isn't to compensate for weaknesses, but rather..." His finger suddenly stopped in mid-air, "...to maximize their strengths."

“Advantage. My mental strength?” Hu Liena unconsciously touched her temple.

“Exactly.” Feng Yao suddenly snapped his fingers, an invisible mental wave rippling through the tent. “What if we replaced all the theories about soul power in my book with mental power?” He asked meaningfully, “Does a basic mental technique like ‘Soul Impact’ really require a soul bone to perform?” Hu Liena’s pupils contracted slightly: “You mean—” Her slender fingers unconsciously drew circles on her knees, “that I develop mental soul skills on my own?”

Morning light filtered through the curtains, casting dappled shadows on her delicate face. Feng Yao noticed that the light in her eyes was no longer one of confusion, but rather a gleam of eager anticipation.

Feng Yao placed his hands on his knees, his voice like a clear spring: "You might think that no matter how you acquire skills, the result is the same. But I want to tell you—" A wisp of tangible spiritual energy suddenly condensed at his fingertips, "...the process of acquiring power itself is the most precious cultivation for a Soul Master."

The wisp of spiritual energy shifted and changed shape in the sunlight, and Feng Yao's voice deepened accordingly: "Those omitted processes of enlightenment are precisely the treasures that Soul Masters should cherish most. Every understanding of your Martial Soul, every refinement of your abilities..." The spiritual energy suddenly transformed into a blooming golden chrysanthemum, "...will bring you one step closer to the true realm of your talent."

Hu Liena's eyes flashed, and after a moment of contemplation, she suddenly looked up: "But you still haven't told me exactly how to cultivate!"

Feng Yao chuckled, and the wisp of spiritual energy in his hand suddenly split into three realms: initially as ethereal as a thin mist, then as tangible as flowing water, and finally solidified into a substantial form. His voice was like a gentle breeze rustling willow branches: "I divide the application of spiritual energy into three realms—formless and intangible, tangible yet intangible, and tangible yet substantial. How do you understand this?"

"Is it true?" Hu Liena unconsciously stood up, her eyes gleaming with astonishing light, eager to try, "that the higher the cultivation level, the more powerful the soul skills one can create?"

Feng Yao gently shook his head, his spiritual energy flowing like water between the three realms: "Yes and no. There is no inherent superiority or inferiority among these three realms; the key lies in..." He flipped his wrist, and his spiritual energy suddenly transformed into an invisible breeze, "...how to shape your spiritual energy."

"Those without form or substance," Feng Yao's voice was like a whisper, "are the most difficult to detect. That's how spiritual power probes; the higher the level, the more subtle and insidious it becomes." As Feng Yao spoke, his spiritual power suddenly transformed into a visible, chilling killing intent, "Those with form but no substance, like your killing intent and allure, though untouchable, can still intimidate the heart."

Finally, that wisp of spiritual energy solidified, transforming into a fine needle in his palm: "As for something tangible and substantial, that refers to techniques like spiritual impact that can directly injure the enemy." He looked up at Hu Liena, "Now that you understand these things, you must know how to cultivate?"

Hu Liena stared blankly at the three transformations, her eyes gleaming. Feng Yao's words were like a new door opening before her, countless inspirations for cultivation bursting forth in her mind. She solemnly straightened her robes and bowed deeply to Feng Yao: "I have learned much, Elder Feng."

Seeing this, Feng Yao couldn't help but smile, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes: "Your Highness, I still prefer your previous unruly demeanor." He deliberately dragged out his words, "This kind of respectfulness makes me a little uncomfortable."

Hu Liena's ears instantly flushed crimson upon hearing this. She bit her lower lip lightly, letting out a soft hum, but unusually, she didn't utter a word in rebuttal. She quickly turned around, her skirt tracing a graceful arc in the air, eager to find a quiet spot to test the many inspirations welling up within her.

Watching the golden figure rush away, Feng Yao couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle. His fingertips lightly traced the strings of his zither, and he muttered to himself, "Hopefully, with the improvement of her spiritual power, this girl's mind will become a bit sharper."

Outside the tent, a few early-rising larks skimmed over the treetops, their clear chirping mingling with the fading footsteps, adding a touch of life to the morning.

After watching Hu Liena leave, Feng Yao lightly stroked the jade pendant at his waist. A flash of light appeared, and the ancient Fuxi Qin (a type of zither) materialized out of thin air, hovering quietly in front of him.

His slender fingers lightly touched the strings, and an invisible domain quietly unfolded. In an instant, the air inside the tent seemed to freeze, and even the floating dust particles stood still in mid-air.

"Zheng——"

The first note of the zither sounded like a clear spring striking a stone. Feng Yao slowly closed his eyes, completely immersed in the world of music. The seven strings glowed in turn, each sound wave manifesting mysterious patterns within the field.

His breathing gradually synchronized with the music, and his soul power flowed like a gentle stream, rising and falling with the melody. Occasionally, a note would leap out of his domain, stirring up tiny ripples on the tent, only to be quickly drawn back in.

Within this small space, time seemed to lose its meaning. Feng Yao's brows were filled with focus, as if only this ancient zither and a clear melody existed in the world.

Hidden in the shadows, Yue Guan gazed at Feng Yao, who was completely immersed in the music, with a complex expression. His discourse on the three realms of spiritual power had not only enlightened Hu Liena but also stirred ripples within him.

"This kid," Yue Guan thought, the wondrous chrysanthemum at his fingertips unconsciously blooming and closing, "not only is his strength unfathomable, but he also possesses such a wise and nurturing heart."

He gazed at the soul power ripples within his domain, flowing with the rhythm of the music, and couldn't help but recall the confusion he felt when he first became a Title Douluo many years ago. If only he had received such guidance back then...
A soft sigh dissipated with the wind. Yue Guan took one last deep look at the young figure playing the zither, then quietly disappeared. In the morning light, only the clear and melodious sound of the zither still echoed throughout the camp, as if telling of some kind of enlightenment that transcended realms.

Meanwhile, at the Tang Clan's base in Tiandou City.

A swift figure swept across the misty streets and abruptly stopped before the vermilion gates of the Tang Clan. The newcomer took out a black iron token from his robes, the seal script character "Tang" on it gleaming coldly in the morning sun.

Seeing this, the guard immediately stepped aside to make way, and whispered, "Please come in."

The man nodded slightly, and with a flick of his robes, he slipped inside. The heavy door closed slowly behind him, shutting out the morning light. As he walked through the winding corridor, his footsteps startled several pigeons perched under the eaves, which fluttered away towards the brightening sky.

"What happened?" Tang San, who had gotten up early, happened to walk out of the forging room, still holding the hidden weapon blueprints in his hand.

The newcomer knelt on one knee, his voice hoarse: "Sect Master, an urgent report has arrived. The Spirit Hall seems to be taking action in the Star Dou Great Forest."

Before he could finish speaking, the blueprint in Tang San's hand had already fallen to the ground. (End of Chapter)