Su Cheng's decision to leave the sect at this time was carefully planned.
Considering the timing, it was almost time for the events of Ah Yin's sacrifice, Qian Xunji being heavily injured by Tang Hao, and then being finished off by Bibi Dong.
The reason for timing it at this point was simply because he didn't want to waste energy gaining Qian Xunji's trust in advance, especially since he was a dead man walking anyway. Besides, dealing with how to switch allegiance to Bibi Dong after the power shift would be a hassle.
...
Holding the address given by Ning Fengzhi, Su Cheng went to a bookstore operated by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School after leaving the sect. After stating his identity, he smoothly met the person in charge of the bookstore, Yan Mo.
"Mr. Su, may I ask what aspect of cultivation your book is about?"
Yan Mo naturally knew that Su Cheng had already left the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, but he was just an ordinary businessman who knew how to seek profit and avoid harm, so he still spoke respectfully.
"About cultivation," Su Cheng said as he took out some prepared materials from his soul tool.
However, among them, there was only the method for cross-year absorption of the first and second soul rings. He wanted to save the subsequent content to lure fish.
Yan Mo quickly took it over with a respectful demeanor on the surface, but inwardly he was somewhat disdainful.
In his view, with Su Cheng's measly 0.5-level innate soul power, if he hadn't been born into a good family, he might not even have reached level ten in cultivation by now. How dare someone with such a level publish a book about cultivation? It's simply inviting ridicule.
Thinking he could just brush it off casually and then send this guy away, Yan Mo's expression changed drastically when he glanced over the contents.
"Mr. Su, I'm sorry, but we can't publish this."
"Why not?"
"Well..." Yan Mo hesitated for a moment, but couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation, so he just firmly refused.
Su Cheng had anticipated this situation long ago. He extended his right hand and said, "Don't worry about publishing it. I'll go to the Martial Soul Hall later to evaluate my soul power level."
At this moment, a broken sword, full of cracks, hovered silently above his right hand.
But this martial soul wasn't the key.
The faint purple of the second soul ring nearly blinded the bookstore owner's eyes.
Su Cheng understood that the other party was merely concerned about the authenticity of the content in the book and the potential consequences if problems arose.
This was just human nature, after all. These theories essentially broke the rules of soul cultivation on the Douluo Continent that had been in place for centuries.
Without relying on innate talent, without the need for precious high-aged soul bones, the cost was merely stimulating a few acupoints for a short time and applying some relatively inexpensive medicinal liquid.
"You... This is..."
Yan Mo looked at the broken sword martial soul, then at Su Cheng, and finally at the book in his hands. He rubbed his eyes and locked his gaze onto the second soul ring that wasn't dazzling.
As the person in charge of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's bookstore, and accustomed to the bustling life in Tian Dou City, Yan Mo, despite his low cultivation level, had a wealth of knowledge.
Ironically, the more he knew, the more shocked he became.
Mumbling for a while, he couldn't find words to say.
"Now, can you believe the content I wrote?" Su Cheng said casually. "It explains the methods for cross-year absorption of the first and second soul rings, and I am a successful example. What do you think?"
"Are you really going to make these methods public?" Yan Mo asked, his gaze now completely changed.
If the surface respect maintained earlier was because of his adoptive father, Sword Douluo Chen Xin, then now it was entirely due to Su Cheng's ability to break through limits and his spirit of selfless dedication.
"Of course, I'm a good guy," Su Cheng said with some impatience. "Are you willing or not? If you're not, I'll find another place to discuss this."
This was the advantage of being born into a good family.
If he didn't have Sword Douluo as a backer, even if he researched such methods, he wouldn't have had the chance to promote them. Instead, he might have faced life-threatening situations.
If his luck were a bit worse, he might have been confined by some major sect, with no room for maneuvering or operations.
"You can tell Sect Master Ning Fengzhi about this, but don't let it affect the speed of publishing my theory," Su Cheng warned, glancing at Yan Mo. "Otherwise, I'll switch to another sect. Even if I go to the Tian Dou Royal Family, I think there's a chance this method will be promoted."
"Of course, of course..." Yan Mo's expression stiffened at the words, and he suppressed his original scheming thoughts.
Joking aside, he was just a manager of a bookstore. What business did he have worrying about the affairs of those big shots? If he accidentally got involved, he might not be able to handle the aftermath.
After settling the publication of the book, Su Cheng proceeded to the branch hall of the Martial Soul Hall in Tian Dou City.
The order of events here was also important. Even though at this point, Qian Xunji and Bibi Dong might not necessarily have time for him, it was always good to be cautious.
Exaggerating a bit, this could also be considered as innovation that could partially subvert the cultivation system of the Douluo Continent.
Moreover, different physiques varied, and for those talented individuals, combining this method with their innate talent might not necessarily elevate the theoretical limits of the first soul ring to new heights.
Even in the imperial city of Tian Dou Empire, the Martial Soul Hall was the most prominent building.
"Halt!" The guards stationed at the entrance stepped forward to block Su Cheng.
"Step aside!" After the guards let him through, Su Cheng entered the Martial Soul Hall in Tian Dou City.
"Hello, I'm here to assess my soul power level."
As he looked at the imposing and orderly hall and the numerous guards stationed in the branches, Su Cheng couldn't help but sigh inwardly. This was the real top power in the world.
It wasn't easy to overthrow it.
Comparing it to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect where he had previously stayed, there was really no comparison between the two.
One was a family martial soul heritage, and the other was a gathering place for talents from all over the world. Just this point alone put them in completely different leagues.
"You are... Mr. Su from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"
Su Cheng turned around to see a female receptionist from the Martial Soul Hall recognizing him somehow.
"I'm no longer a disciple of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect," Su Cheng calmly retorted.
"Yes, I'm sorry." The receptionist smiled apologetically and then asked, "Is Mr. Su here today to assess your soul power level at the Martial Soul Hall?"
She had just noticed Su Cheng heading towards the Soul Power Assessment Hall.
"Yes."
"Please release your martial soul and soul rings first."
Su Cheng nodded and didn't bother to hide, directly revealing his Broken Sword Martial Soul and two soul rings.
"A Second Ring Grand...Master..." The receptionist's voice warped slightly.
"What's this?" She pointed to the purple second soul ring, looking puzzled.
"Oh, I've developed some little tricks to help soul masters absorb soul rings across age limits," Su Cheng explained.
"All soul masters?!" The receptionist looked at Su Cheng in astonishment.
"All soul masters," Su Cheng nodded, "but currently, it's only limited to the first and second soul rings. I have some ideas for the third soul ring, but it's not completely certain yet."