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*****
"Nana, what do you think of Tang San?"
In the Pope's Palace, Bibi Dong's voice echoed through the hall.
"Confident, easygoing, and with a touch of humor."
"Strong, confident, with a gentle heart."
Hu Liena thought for a moment and gave her evaluation before adding, "As for whether he has any hidden motives, I don't know. But he is undoubtedly worthy of being the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall."
"Yes, he is worthy. But you, as the Holy Maiden, still haven't gained the recognition of those elders." Bibi Dong's tone shifted, becoming more serious.
Tang San has the strength to be the Holy Son, and even the Hall of Elders acknowledged it. Despite his lineage from the Haotian Clan, his exceptional talent and upbringing outside the clan meant he wasn't influenced by their ideology. Thus, he is considered clean.
Moreover, Qian Daoliu has other plans, treating Tang San as a backup option—
If Qian Renxue fails to inherit the Angel God position (as per the book's setting: if the previous Angel God falls, the successor's failure doesn't lead to death), she can combine with Tang San. Their union, combining two highly talented soul masters, would produce offspring with even greater talents. Due to the overpowering nature of the Angel Spirit, their descendants would undoubtedly possess the Angel Spirit.
Even if the child has twin spirits, one of them would certainly be the Angel Spirit.
And what about Hu Liena?
Although she was named the Holy Maiden, the elders didn't recognize her, and those Spirit Hall members loyal to the Angel lineage showed only superficial compliance with Bibi Dong.
If not for certain considerations (Qian Daoliu's power and Qian Renxue's feelings), she would have dealt with Qian Daoliu long ago!
Hu Liena felt a pang of concern and said, "The offerings from the Elder Hall are indeed difficult to deal with."
Unless the entire Spirit Hall is under Bibi Dong's control, she will always remain a nominal Holy Maiden. Even if their great plan succeeds, she won't be able to take over.
"Though those old men are persistent, their influence in the Spirit Hall surpasses mine. You must earn their approval, and the best way is to demonstrate your talent." Bibi Dong said seriously, "Earlier, I discussed the grand unification plan with Tang San. He said that productivity determines production relations, and the economic base determines the superstructure..."
Hearing these concepts, Hu Liena absorbed the knowledge rapidly like a dry sponge, her eyes almost sparkling. She murmured, "He sees things so clearly! I can't compare! But—"
"But what? Speak freely; it's just us here. You are my disciple, like a daughter to me. There is nothing to hold back." Bibi Dong gave her an encouraging look. "If the Spirit Hall establishes an empire, it will be for you, and Tang San... I can tell he is a pure person, focused on research and cultivation, not on power."
Hu Liena, deeply moved, slowly said, "But according to Tang San, our preparations are far from sufficient. Or rather, our initial approach was wrong."
"Even if we consider only the army—"
"The Spirit Hall has a vast number of soul masters, and with Tang San joining, many civilian soul masters across the continent have also joined. However, it's merely a numerical advantage."
"In terms of discipline, each branch hall operates with considerable independence, training grassroots personnel in slightly different ways. Although similar, they aren't fully aligned. This lack of coordination would cause chaos if they were to unite, especially during wars against other nations."
"While the situation in Spirit City is stable, the number of soul master troops here is not large enough."
In summary, even in terms of the military, the Spirit Hall's advantage in the number of soul masters doesn't guarantee victory against the two great empires.
Furthermore, Hu Liena noticed that for the Spirit Hall to unify the continent, the war must end quickly. The Spirit Hall lacks sufficient supplies.
Its members are soul masters who don't engage in production. Previously, their wealth came mainly from the two great empires. If they can't end the war swiftly, internal depletion would lead to mutiny.
War drains money and lives. Aside from merchants profiting from selling weapons, no one wants prolonged conflict.
The Spirit Hall can least afford a protracted war.
According to Tang San, the Spirit Hall's productivity is almost zero, relying on the two great empires for development. Once war begins, this economic foundation will collapse!
And without an economic foundation, no power can last long!
This is the Spirit Hall's fatal flaw!
Although now, due to Tang San's concepts of "intellectual property" and "patents," the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and other sects and families contribute significant amounts annually, creating a network of interests.
However, if the Spirit Hall starts a war, who knows how many connections in this network will be severed?
The Spirit Hall's foundation is severely lacking!
Under such circumstances, even if they quickly defeat the two great empires, it won't achieve true unification.
"Productivity determines production relations, and the economic base determines the superstructure."
Hu Liena came back to her senses, rubbing her temples, and sighed, "These two sentences reveal the rise, development, prosperity, decline, and eventual demise of all sects, families, and nations throughout history."
Suddenly, Hu Liena felt drawn to Tang San's talent, experiencing an urge to understand him better.
Bibi Dong felt the same way.
Unfortunately, Tang San wasn't interested in these grand plans; he focused on martial spirits and personal cultivation theories. Even Bibi Dong was amazed by his theory of controlling the "three treasures of essence, qi, and spirit" within one's microcosm to reflect the macrocosm of the universe, making her want to try it herself.
This was the instinct of a soul master, always pursuing higher realms!
"Teacher, how should I treat Tang San in the future?" Hu Liena suddenly asked.
"You are the Holy Maiden, and he is the Holy Son, naturally sharing honor and disgrace together," Bibi Dong smiled slightly. "What does it matter if the elders in the Hall of Offerings don't recognize your title? Now and in the future, the Spirit Hall is under my command!"
"Yes..."
Hu Liena lowered her head, a blush spreading across her cheeks. She unconditionally accepted her teacher's arrangements...
...
"Huo Wu, you should continue to focus on gravity; don't attempt the fusion rings."
Compared to Xiao Wu, Huo Wu's physical strength was much weaker. Without the jade bones and golden muscles technique, her body, merely comparable to a Soul Emperor, couldn't withstand the strain of fusion rings. Specializing in gravity was more beneficial.
Huo Wu knew her body wasn't as strong as Tang San's. The path of gravity was vast and profound, enough to occupy her research for a lifetime, leaving no time for physical tempering.
Moreover, in her study of gravity, Huo Wu discovered it could passively and comprehensively strengthen her bones, organs, and muscles.
Thus, there was no need for separate physical training.
For Ning Rongrong, Tang San advised, "Rongrong, continue to enhance your mental strength and practice controlling your soul power to perfect your Nine Treasures Array."
"Then, practice the basics of martial arts."
"In the Continental Elite Tournament, this weakness didn't matter much because your teammates protected you. But outside the arena, it's a different story."
Ning Rongrong smiled sweetly and said, "No problem. But will you personally guide me, Third Brother?"
"Of course—"
Tang San noticed Xiao Wu and Guang Ling's glances and quickly corrected himself, "No. Xiao Wu and Guang Ling can accompany you. They've learned from me and can teach you the basics of martial arts."
Ning Rongrong pursed her lips and agreed, thinking, "To win over San Ge, I need to deal with Xiao Wu and Guang Ling, my 'good sisters.'"
Then, Tang San turned to Lan Yinzi and said, "You already have your plans, right? No need for me to elaborate."
"That makes me sad! Boohoo!" Lan Yinzi pouted, her tearful expression pitiful.
However, Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Guang Ling remained unmoved.
Huo Wu and Ning Rongrong were puzzled but chose to stay silent, considering fewer competitors a good thing.
"Seriously? Not one of you has any sympathy? I'm crying here!" Lan Yinzi wiped her tears and stared at Tang San, as if he owed her a fortune. "At least say something! Your favoritism is making me jealous."
"Fine. My suggestion is to strengthen your Wind Blades. They suit your desire to be a battle soul master." Tang San's response was dismissive.
Even as a transmigrator, Tang San felt awkward dealing with his biological mother, even in spirit form. It was a moral boundary; if this were an adult novel, he would have already conquered Lan Yinzi!
Putting aside his stray thoughts, Tang San sighed and said, "Your soul skills are similar and complementary, allowing for ring fusion. But your body is too weak. Train with me when you can."
Tang San planned to teach Lan Yinzi the Jade Bones and Golden Muscles Technique as a token of gratitude for her giving birth to him. He wasn't worried about her passing it on to others, like Tang Hao.
The reality is that while everyone's bones, muscles, and organs appear similar, slight differences arise due to lifestyle, habits, martial spirits, soul characteristics, and other factors. When Xiao Wu and Guang Ling started learning the Jade Bones and Golden Muscles Technique, Tang San personally guided them through it over a hundred times before they could barely grasp it.
Even though Xiao Wu has now refined her jade bones and has considerable knowledge of medicine and the human body, her mental strength isn't strong enough to fully teach this technique to others. An incomplete transmission and careless manipulation of qi and blood would likely cause problems.
It's crucial to emphasize again:
Productivity is the foundation of everything.
The Spirit Hall's productivity is almost non-existent—their support for civilian soul masters comes from resources taken from the two great empires, which is the best proof.
Such a force suddenly establishing a nation without people knowledgeable in managing national affairs like economy, politics, and military, is only suited for a blitzkrieg. After such a war, they must rebuild the destroyed infrastructure quickly—an unlikely scenario. The hatred from a devastated nation would lead capable individuals to sabotage efforts, while the Spirit Hall's soul masters lack the necessary knowledge. Yet, they would still need to reward their own to keep morale high, creating a deadlock.
In conclusion, the Spirit Hall's productivity and economic foundation are severely lacking! Coupled with the original work's portrayal of gods, establishing a nation for the Spirit Hall is a dead-end—though it's clear that Bibi Dong in the original work managed to destroy the Spirit Hall.
These chapters primarily outline the future development trends of the Spirit Hall but won't focus heavily on it. Instead, they provide a backdrop for future chapters.
(End of Chapter)