Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Seizing Mid-Tier Fate! A 20,000-Year External Soul Bone!
Inside the dean's office—
Tang Lan and Ning Fengzhi sat across from each other, both with serious expressions.
"Tang Sect Master, please elaborate."
Tang Lan pulled out the blueprints for the Python Revolver, Uzi, and Communication Soul Tool and slapped them onto the table.
"We're both smart men, so I'll be direct."
"The Tang Sect is newly established. Even though I hold two major soul tools, 'a man's wealth is his own ruin.'
"I need a relatively safe environment to grow."
"By giving these blueprints to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, you gain large-scale production while ensuring my safety."
"As the sole designated manufacturer, your sect's profits are obvious. But what you truly value… is the prestige, isn't it?"
"This is a mutually beneficial deal—neither of us loses."
Ning Fengzhi nodded slightly, agreeing with Tang Lan's logic.
But he immediately pinpointed the key issue—
"According to Rongrong, firearm soul tools require something called 'bullets' to function properly?"
Fast information gathering, as expected.
Tang Lan admitted frankly—
"The Tang Sect will handle all bullet production. However, I'll need manpower and financial support from Sect Master Ning to build the production lines."
Ning Fengzhi Realizes the Scheme
Damn!
Tang Lan was obviously trying to "borrow a chicken to lay eggs."
But—
Ning Fengzhi couldn't refuse.
—The firearm soul tools were Tang Lan's invention. Keeping control of the core technology was perfectly reasonable.
Being able to mass-produce some soul tools under Tang Lan's authorization was already a massive share of the profits.
"No problem. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will assist in setting up these production lines."
"Much appreciated, Sect Master Ning." Tang Lan smiled and pushed the blueprints over.
This time, Ning Fengzhi picked them up and skimmed through them.
Just as expected—
The Barrett Sniper Rifle and Fire God Gatling Gun were missing.
Ning Fengzhi wasn't angry.
On the contrary—
He approved of Tang Lan's caution.
Even if the Tang Sect controlled the bullets,
the Barrett's ultra-long-range assassination and the Fire God Gatling Gun's battlefield slaughter
were both potential threats to the Tang Sect and Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect themselves.
So even unloaded firearms needed strict distribution control.
Ning Fengzhi tested the waters—
"When I return, I'll select a group of core disciples to train with the Barrett and Fire God Gatling Gun."
"I'll be relying on Sect Master Tang for guidance."
Tang Lan nodded in agreement.
These side matters weren't of great concern.
The real negotiation was about to begin.
The Core Issue: Controlling the Communication Soul Tool
Ning Fengzhi extracted the blueprint for the Communication Soul Tool,
his eyes shining with ambition.
—This was the key to unifying Heaven Dou!
—This was the key to making the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect legendary!
Therefore—
He needed absolute control!
"Sect Master Tang, it seems this blueprint is missing a core component?" Ning Fengzhi stated directly. "The control module is blank."
But Tang Lan simply spread his hands.
"It's not that I won't give it to you—it's that even if I do, it's useless."
"Sect Master Ning should know my background, correct?"
Ning Fengzhi nodded knowingly.
"I once met His Eminence Haotian Douluo."
"Back then, Sword Uncle noticed that the woman beside him bore a strong resemblance to your sister, Xiao Wu."
—A not-so-subtle hint.
"Correct. My mother was a 100,000-year Blue Silver Emperor."
Tang Lan admitted openly—
"My martial soul, Blue Silver Grass, underwent a second awakening to Blue Silver Emperor the day it awakened, granting me partial inherited memories."
"And the core of the Communication Soul Tool…"
"It requires direct control over Blue Silver Grass."
"On this entire continent, only I can create it."
As he spoke—
Tang Lan took out a Communication Soul Tool and peeled open its outer casing.
Inside the core of the Communication Soul Tool, a branch of Blue Silver Emperor was connected to countless intricate circuits.
Ning Fengzhi chuckled in realization.
—Good thing he hesitated earlier due to Tang Hao's existence.
If he had tried to seize it by force only to discover it was useless without Tang Lan,
he would have lost this golden opportunity!
Still—
Ning Fengzhi wasn't giving up.
—If he couldn't control the soul tool, then he would control the person!
Ning Fengzhi's Unexpected Proposal
"What do you think of my daughter, Rongrong?"
Damn!
Ning Fengzhi was ruthless—even his beloved daughter was a bargaining chip.
Unfortunately for him—
"Not interested." Tang Lan shook his head. "On her first night at Shrek, she snuck into my room to steal from me. Hard to like someone with that kind of behavior."
Ning Fengzhi: "…"
Yep, that's something Rongrong would do.
"Then I must thank Sect Master Tang for his mercy."
Ning Fengzhi sighed and switched tactics—
"In that case, let the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect fund and establish a dedicated production base for the Communication Soul Tools."
"To make things convenient for you, let's place it in Soto City?"
But Tang Lan shook his head again.
"No need." Tang Lan said. "Let's establish the production base near the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect instead."
Ning Fengzhi Misinterprets the Move
Ning Fengzhi was overjoyed!
Was Tang Lan changing his mind and preparing to join the sect?
Just as he was about to probe further—
Tang Lan continued—
"The production of the Communication Soul Tool's core doesn't have to rely on me personally."
"Any Blue Silver Grass over 70,000 years old evolves into a 'Blue Silver King'."
"We can use them to manufacture the Blue Silver Chips. They won't be as high-quality as mine—the signal will be slightly slower—but it's functional."
Tang Lan took out a map and handed it to Ning Fengzhi.
"After completing the first Communication Soul Tool, I sent a signal across the continent to locate Blue Silver Kings over 70,000 years old."
"I found nine. Here are their exact locations."
"As their Emperor, I've already negotiated with them. Sect Master Ning, please arrange for their relocation."
"Additionally, there are fifteen Blue Silver Grass over 50,000 years old and fifty-seven over 10,000 years old."
"They should be moved as well, closer to the Blue Silver Kings, so they can grow faster."
"If they're fed with heavenly treasures, they can even evolve into Blue Silver Kings within a short time."
Ning Fengzhi: "This Guy Is a Genius… and a Schemer."
Damn!
This wasn't setting up a production base—this was Tang Lan becoming a hands-off boss!
But Ning Fengzhi happily accepted the map.
He was more than willing to handle this.
It all came down to one fact—
Tang Lan held the core technology. Ning Fengzhi had the money and manpower.
Their cooperation benefited both sides.
However—
Tang Lan could find a different partner if he wanted.
Ning Fengzhi, on the other hand, had no alternative but Tang Lan.
In this power dynamic, Ning Fengzhi was actually at a disadvantage.
Protecting Blue Silver Grass—A National Policy
"I'll arrange for their relocation immediately." Ning Fengzhi said seriously. "I'll also advise His Majesty to issue a royal decree declaring Blue Silver Grass a nationally protected plant."
"Anyone who destroys it will face criminal punishment!"
That's more like it.
This fulfilled Tang Lan's earlier promise—to protect his 'people.'
"Sect Master Ning is thoughtful."
"It's only natural." Ning Fengzhi smiled. "Since we're going to be partners, let's not be so formal."
An Unexpected Brotherhood
Tang Lan raised an eyebrow.
What was Ning Fengzhi planning?
Adopt him as a disciple?
Or make him call him 'Uncle'?"
But what he didn't expect—
"I enjoyed our discussion today. Why don't we become sworn brothers?" Ning Fengzhi suggested.
Tang Lan: "…?!"
This guy—
He really had no shame!
His daughter was just a year younger than Tang Lan, and yet he wanted to swear brotherhood with him?
Still—
It was amusing.
And Tang Lan had nothing to lose.
"Sounds good to me."
"Great!" Ning Fengzhi was overjoyed. "I'll arrange—"
But Tang Lan waved him off.
"No need for any ceremony. From today onward, you're my big bro."
—No need to be so serious. It's all just for show.
Ning Fengzhi paused—then smiled without pushing further.
The Gift of a 70,000-Year Treasure
His storage ring glowed—
He took out a golden plant, radiating an intense blood energy.
"This is a 70,000-year-old Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng. It's perfect for your foundation."
"Or…"
"You could give it to Xiao Wu—it would allow her to permanently take human form in advance."
Oh?
Now that was a valuable treasure.
Tang Lan accepted it without hesitation.
Of course, he wasn't taking it for free.
Activating Blue Silver Domain, he condensed a spiritual energy sphere and flicked it over to Ning Fengzhi.
"Inside are two self-created soul skills of mine."
"You can cultivate 'Rippleless Steps' yourself. Once mastered, even slower Titled Douluos will find it nearly impossible to kill you."
"As for 'Undying Seal,' it's a perfect match for Bone Douluo."
Ning Fengzhi had obviously heard about these techniques.
He absorbed the spiritual sphere seriously, taking a moment to comprehend its contents.
Then, he pulled out a book.
"This is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's secret technique—'Divided Mind Control.'
"It will help you better control your Blue Silver Emperor martial soul."
Damn!
This guy really just wanted Tang Lan to owe him more favors.
Tang Lan gladly accepted it—he was shameless enough to never hesitate to flip the table if necessary.
Ning Fengzhi smiled, pleased with the exchange.
At that moment—
A long-awaited system prompt finally arrived.
[Host has partnered with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and sworn brotherhood with Ning Fengzhi, cutting off one of Tang San's major allies. Stolen a moderate amount of Tang San's fate!]
[Reward: 20,000-Year External Soul Bone – Ice Jade Scorpion Tail!]
(ω)!!
A 20,000-year external soul bone?!
Absolute profit!
Not only had he used the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's resources to expand his own influence,
but he had also tied their interests to his own, indirectly aligning himself with the Heaven Dou Empire.
Even Spirit Hall would hesitate to move against him now.
And on top of all that—
The system had gifted him an external soul bone?!
This was way too good!
Tang Lan's smile was wider than a Barrett's muzzle.
Seeing his reaction, Ning Fengzhi was satisfied.
—It seemed that Tang Lan really liked this gift.
Ning Fengzhi even added—
"Rongrong is also training 'Divided Mind Control.' If you need help with the basics, you can ask her."
"Even though we're sworn brothers, let's keep things professional."
"No need to hold back around Rongrong."
No need to hold back?
You mean "no need to be polite," right?
Tang Lan was eager to absorb his external soul bone, so he didn't bother dragging the conversation out.
Just as he was about to wrap things up,
he suddenly remembered something.
Casually, he asked—
"My father once told me that my mother mentioned a treasure found by the sea, called 'Whale Gelatin'."
"Big Bro, do you know anything about it?"
Ning Fengzhi's Suspicious Reaction
Ning Fengzhi froze momentarily, his expression turning slightly odd.
Not only did he know about it…
He had used quite a lot of it.
"I do know a bit… Why do you ask, Little Brother?"
A kid this young—he wouldn't be thinking about using it for that already, right?
That would be…
Tang Lan instantly saw through Ning Fengzhi's thoughts and rolled his eyes.
"Big Bro, Whale Gelatin is commonly known as an aphrodisiac, but in reality, it has incredible restorative properties for soul masters."
"It strengthens the body, enhances muscles, bones, and meridians, and significantly improves endurance."
"You should know exactly what that means, right?"
Ning Fengzhi was too sharp—he immediately realized the significance!
With a flash of light,
he retrieved seven pieces of deep yellow material—pure Whale Gelatin.
Though they were only about a thousand years old,
why the hell was Ning Fengzhi still carrying this around if his wife was long gone?
Tsk, tsk!
Ning Fengzhi cleared his throat.
"These are some of my old reserves. If you hadn't mentioned it, I would've completely forgotten about them."
"Take these first, and I'll send people to gather more."
Tang Lan accepted them without hesitation, then stood up.
"Big Bro, make sure to mobilize your people and resources as soon as possible."
"I'll be waiting for your updates at Shrek Academy."
Ning Fengzhi stood up as well.
"I'll handle everything as quickly as I can. You just focus on your cultivation."
"With your talent, you'll definitely surpass your father and become the next Haotian Douluo."
Tang Lan smirked silently.
Haotian Douluo?
His lowest goal was becoming a Sea God, at least.
A Parting Gift for Sword Douluo
As the two left the office—
They saw Chen Xin waiting outside.
After a moment's thought,
Tang Lan condensed another spiritual energy sphere and transferred the first three levels of the Nine Yang Divine Skill into it.
Tang Lan pushed the spiritual energy sphere toward Chen Xin.
"This is my self-created soul power circulation technique. It enhances soul power with extreme Yang energy."
"It's best suited for martial souls that focus on attack."
"In exchange, may I learn your secret technique for integrating soul rings directly into a martial soul?"
As a Titled Douluo, Chen Xin had obviously heard everything discussed inside the room.
Naturally, he knew—
Tang Lan and Ning Fengzhi, as well as the Tang Sect and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect,
were practically inseparable at this point.
This exchange was fair.
Chen Xin reached into his robes, pulling out a book and handing it to Tang Lan.
"These are my insights into the way of the sword. The method you seek is included."
Tang Lan accepted it with both hands,
stored it in his Blue Silver Emperor,
then took out two storage rings.
"I crafted these myself. One is for you, Sword Uncle. The other—please deliver it to Bone Uncle."
Even Chen Xin's eyebrows twitched slightly.
What can't you do?!
Storage soul tools were incredibly rare.
In the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, only Ning Fengzhi and Ning Rongrong had one.
Chen Xin had secretly wanted one for a while now.
So he accepted it without hesitation.
He then touched the spiritual energy sphere, closing his eyes for a few moments.
When he reopened them—
His gaze was filled with awe!
A true genius!
This technique could even refine the meridians?!
If he mastered the Nine Yang Divine Skill,
he could break through at least one more rank!
This was a huge win for him.
At once, he made a solemn promise—
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Tang Sect will stand together as one. If you ever need me, just ask."
Tang Lan nodded in satisfaction.
—That favor is secured.
As for Xiao Wu—
A 100,000-year soul beast?
She was now one of Chen Xin's cherished juniors. Anyone who dared touch her… would have to answer to him.
Parting with Ning Fengzhi
"Well then, Little Brother, I'll be heading back to the sect."
Ning Fengzhi gave a farewell nod.
"In about a week, my men will arrive for the collaboration."
"I won't be coming personally—I need to visit the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace."
"When the time comes, I'll introduce you to my disciple, Xue Qinghe. He's the crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire."
Xue Qinghe?
You mean Qian Renxue?
Tang Lan was intrigued.
So he agreed.
He watched as Ning Fengzhi stepped onto Chen Xin's Seven Kill Sword and soared into the sky.
He even saw the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul manifest—
boosting Chen Xin's flight speed.
Looks like Ning Fengzhi is really in a hurry.
Tang Lan didn't bother going to the training grounds.
He turned straight back to his dorm.
Absorbing the 20,000-Year External Soul Bone!
'System, extract the external soul bone.'
A two-meter-long emerald light appeared, revealing a scorpion tail within the glowing haze.
Ice Jade Scorpion Tail!
Tang Lan barely had time to admire it before a sudden realization hit him—
His Nine Yang Divine Skill was pure Yang energy…
While the Ice Jade Scorpion Tail was obviously ice-attribute!
Could they even be compatible?!
If an external soul bone or soul bone didn't match his attributes,
it would cause serious conflicts!
'System, care to explain?'
…
No response.
Tang Lan fell into deep thought.
Then—
He decided to take the risk!
If the system provided it, it had to be top-tier.
Tang San had Ice-Fire Body Tempering—why couldn't he develop an Ice-Fire Combination Technique?!
And besides—
It was an external soul bone attached to the tail.
If it didn't work, he could just cut it off—
He had the Blue Silver Right Leg Bone, which could regenerate his body anyway.
"Let's do this!"
Tang Lan grabbed the external soul bone and attached it to his tailbone—
"PUCHI—"
Immediately—
He entered a trance-like state.
This time, it took three full hours—
By the time he was done, it was already lunchtime.
As soon as Tang Lan returned to consciousness,
the first thing he did was summon the Ice Jade Scorpion Tail.
And what he saw…
(End of Chapter)