Yu Xiaogang knew it was time to drop the subject and not press too much about how Su Ming and Tang San knew about the concept of meridians. Despite this, Yu Xiaogang's desire to learn Lingbo Weibu grew even stronger.
If he could learn the method behind Lingbo Weibu and research it himself, he might deepen his understanding of meridians. If he could publish his findings, who in the entire continent would dare to look down on him? Even the Spirit Hall and his own family wouldn't be able to dismiss him.
With a smile plastered on his face, Yu Xiaogang addressed Su Ming, "Well, if that's the case, we'll be heading off. Su Ming, I hope you can teach Rongrong Lingbo Weibu as soon as possible!"
He then led the others away, seemingly in an uncharacteristically calm manner.
If Su Ming's student hadn't been Ning Rongrong, Yu Xiaogang would have demanded a thorough explanation about Lingbo Weibu's usage and the meridians. He would have shamelessly stayed to observe and learn what he could. But Ning Rongrong was the treasured daughter of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, and Flender had reminded him that if she got injured or if her foundation was harmed due to their interference, Ning Fengzhi and the two Title Douluo who guarded her would lose their minds.
Yu Xiaogang had heard that Ning Rongrong was extraordinarily talented, setting records in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. She was the first innate full soul power cultivator in the clan's history, and after her awakening at the age of six, she was immediately designated as the sole heir to the clan leadership. This alone showed how important Ning Rongrong was to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, and the three figures who doted on her would stop at nothing to protect her.
Once Yu Xiaogang and the others were out of sight, Ning Rongrong turned to Su Ming and asked, "Why did you mention meridians to them? Now Master will be even more eager to get his hands on your soul skill!"
Su Ming shrugged, "So what if he wants it? Unless he can offer the Dragon Transformation Technique from his clan, or something of equal value, I won't give it to him!"
"And if he tries to stand on the moral high ground and demand I share it for the good of all, we can start by having Tang San hand over his Mysterious Heaven Skill first!"
Hearing Su Ming mention the Dragon Transformation Technique, Ning Rongrong nodded knowingly. She was familiar with it; it was like her clan's Split Mind Control—a secret passed down only within the family. It was never shared with outsiders.
But in her opinion, Lingbo Weibu was far more valuable than the Dragon Transformation Technique. While Lingbo Weibu required a lot of knowledge and guidance to master, it had a broad appeal and didn't depend on specific martial spirits or bloodlines.
"Su Ming, the Dragon Transformation Technique wouldn't suit you, would it? From what I know, it requires the user to have a dragon-type martial spirit and, at the very least, a trace of dragon bloodline in their veins."
"For you, it's practically useless—like a chicken rib."
Su Ming, of course, understood this, but what Ning Rongrong didn't know was that he possessed the Azure Dragon bloodline. Though his Wood Release ability wasn't exactly a dragon-type martial spirit, he figured he could adapt the technique to create dragon-like armor for himself.
Still, even if the Dragon Transformation Technique wasn't something he really wanted, it was the most valuable thing Yu Xiaogang had. If Yu Xiaogang wanted Lingbo Weibu, Su Ming figured he might as well demand the Dragon Transformation Technique in exchange, whether or not he actually used it.
Seeing Su Ming had made up his mind, Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu dropped the subject. But they both wondered whether Yu Xiaogang would be willing to offer the Dragon Transformation Technique, or if Tang San would consider trading his Mysterious Heaven Skill.
Deep down, they already knew the answer—probably not.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through Ning Rongrong's mind. Su Ming had mentioned that to enter Sage Mode, he needed to remain undisturbed and focus on gathering natural energy. But what if Su Ming could gather natural energy while fighting? Wouldn't that eliminate the five-minute time limit?
The issue, she realized, might be that it was impossible to split one's focus between battle and the delicate task of balancing natural energy with soul power and spiritual energy. But what if the Split Mind Control technique from her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan could solve this problem?
If Su Ming could divide his attention and gather energy while fighting, the five-minute restriction of Sage Mode might be completely eliminated!
Excited by her realization, Ning Rongrong couldn't wait to help Su Ming. She still had five days of vacation left, more than enough time to visit her clan and return. Plus, after another hour, Su Ming wouldn't need her help with training anymore. She was eager to do something for him.
But before running off, she decided to ask Su Ming to see if her idea would work—no point in rushing off if it wouldn't help.
Meanwhile, Ning Fengzhi and the two Douluo guarding her would be slightly offended if they heard her referring to visiting as "a wasted trip."
"Su Ming, you said earlier that Sage Mode has a flaw, that it only lasts five minutes, and using soul skills shortens the time even further, right?"
"That's right. Why do you ask?" Su Ming was curious about her sudden interest.
Ning Rongrong continued, "Why can't you gather natural energy while fighting? Wouldn't that solve the time limit issue?"
Su Ming paused as he recalled how Jiraiya had overcome this flaw in Sage Mode by having the two Toad Sages help him gather natural energy during battle. The problem was, Su Ming didn't have anyone like that. Natural energy was so overwhelming that he had no confidence in balancing it with soul power and spiritual energy during combat. If he tried, he might turn to stone long before defeating his opponent.
He explained his concerns to Ning Rongrong, not realizing the full extent of her intentions. Since he had no interest in the Split Mind Control technique, his thoughts hadn't even gone in that direction.
Ning Rongrong muttered to herself, "So, the issue is that you can't maintain balance between the three energies while fighting…"
Seeing her deep in thought, Su Ming became a bit suspicious. "Rongrong, why are you asking me all these questions? You're acting a bit strange…"