Hu Jie couldn't help but marvel at the surging blood essence emanating from Xu Yuan.
"Who is your teacher?"
"Mu Ye."
Xu Yuan answered honestly.
For a fleeting moment, Hu Jie's gaze wavered, and his expression became slightly unnatural.
Upon seeing Xu Yuan, he had already guessed his origins and knew that Xu Yuan's master would be Mu Ye. After all, the current Body Sect was in decline, and the only person capable of nurturing someone like Xu Yuan as the next generation was undoubtedly Mu Ye.
"He certainly has taken on an excellent disciple."
Hu Jie scrutinized Xu Yuan with admiration.
"Your blood essence is incredibly pure—have you practiced the Innate Secret Technique of the Body Sect?"
"No," Xu Yuan shook his head.
He was familiar with the Innate Secret Technique.
Aru Heng, Xu Yuan's senior brother and Mu Ye's eldest disciple, was the one who practiced the Innate Secret Technique of the Body Sect.
Hu Jie asked a few more questions and gained a general understanding of Xu Yuan's situation.
"Well then, what brings you here?"
"The Body Sect is about to re-emerge into the world, and I've come to invite you, Senior Ancestor, to return to the sect," Xu Yuan said earnestly.
"Re-emerge?" Hu Jie frowned.
Though he expressed doubt about the idea of the sect re-emerging, his true resistance lay in returning to the sect itself.
He bore no grudge against the sect. His departure years ago had been rather dramatic—he had pursued Mu Ye's mother, Xu Yuan's grandmaster, and left after being rejected.
As the Body Sect declined, his actions drew little criticism.
However, deep down, Hu Jie knew how serious his departure had been.
Over time, he came to realize this, but pride prevented him from returning to the sect, so he remained with the Tang Sect instead.
Now, with Xu Yuan suddenly appearing and inviting him back, Hu Jie felt a tremor in his heart, but his resistance persisted.
It was unavoidable—having left the sect for so long, his perspective had shifted too much.
His current stance was this: while he could care for and offer guidance to disciples of the Body Sect, he no longer acknowledged his former identity as a member.
A deeply conflicted mindset.
"On what grounds does the sect plan to reemerge?" Hu Jie asked with a self-deprecating tone.
"On the strength of my senior brother and me," Xu Yuan replied calmly.
"My senior brother practices the Innate Secret Technique. According to our teacher, he is nearing its highest level. He will become the greatest master of the Body Sect's secrets in the past hundred years. As for me, though I haven't specialized in the sect's secret techniques, my cultivation of blood essence has never faltered." Xu Yuan looked at Hu Jie and continued steadily: "With the two of us, does the Body Sect not have the qualifications to reemerge?"
Hu Jie was stunned.
Mu Ye has another disciple?
Being stationed in Star Luo for so long, he was unaware of Mu Ye's recent disciples.
Now, through Xu Yuan, he learned of Aru Heng's existence.
Practicing the Innate Secret Technique and nearing its highest level?
The Flawless Golden Body?
If achieved, it would indeed make him a grandmaster of the Body Sect's secrets, and attaining the Flawless Golden Body would put him on the path to becoming a Limit Douluo in no time.
And not just any ordinary Limit Douluo.
Adding Xu Yuan to the equation, the Body Sect truly did have the qualifications to reemerge.
But—
"The decline of the Body Sect is not due to a lack of powerful figures overseeing it," Hu Jie shook his head.
---
The true decline of the Body Sect stemmed from a lack of fresh blood.
As times changed, finding disciples became increasingly difficult for the sect.
Some of the techniques for the second awakening of Body Martial Souls had been uncovered by other factions. Organizations like the Spirit Pagoda were now capable of assisting Body Martial Soul masters with their second awakenings, albeit without the systematic approach of the Body Sect. However, their methods were safer.
With access to the most comprehensive soul master information across the continent, the Spirit Pagoda had encountered countless Body Martial Soul masters over the past ten thousand years. Following the first successful second awakening of a Body Martial Soul within the pagoda, they conducted extensive research and combined it with insights into the habits of the Body Sect. Over time, the Spirit Pagoda became increasingly proficient in facilitating second awakenings.
After ten thousand years, they had developed a relatively stable method for awakening.
As for Shrek Academy, the same principle applied. Compared to the Spirit Pagoda, their stringent admission criteria attracted only the most exceptional Body Martial Soul masters. These individuals often achieved their second awakenings independently through their own opportunities and talents, without needing the academy's intervention. The knowledge was passed down through generations in Shrek's library, forming a stable system for awakenings.
If there was anything unique left to the Body Sect, it would be their numerous secret techniques.
Blood essence cultivation remained the foundation of the Body Sect.
But how many people today actually cared about cultivating blood essence?
A strong martial soul and robust soul power sufficed.
Of course, the most critical factor was the Spirit Pagoda's monopoly.
Their control over soul master information was overwhelmingly comprehensive. Once they identified an outstanding soul master, they extended invitations immediately.
Even if a soul master slipped through the cracks during their initial awakening, the Spirit Pagoda could still reach them later during spirit registration, battle armor certification, or when ascending the Spirit Ascension Platform.
Every exceptional soul master inevitably went through at least one of these processes.
While spirit registration could be avoided, battle armor certification was mandatory, and the Spirit Ascension Platform was an essential step for any top-tier soul master.
These layers of checks ensured that a significant portion of society's best soul masters fell under the Spirit Pagoda's radar and received invitations.
Beyond that, some talented soul masters already belonged to other factions, while the rest aspired to enter Shrek Academy.
After these successive divisions, the Body Sect had very few opportunities left.
The absolute best Body Martial Souls were already claimed through these layers of screening.
"Senior Ancestor, I am well aware of all this. If the Body Sect plans to re-emerge, it must have newfound confidence," Xu Yuan said as he summoned his martial soul.
When Xu Yuan released his martial soul, Hu Jie wasn't surprised.
But as a spear materialized in Xu Yuan's hand, Hu Jie was astonished.
Not a Body Martial Soul?
No, that wasn't right!
Hu Jie's gaze turned grave. He stared intently at the spear in Xu Yuan's hand, releasing all his spiritual power to press down on Xu Yuan and carefully sense the fluctuations of his blood essence.
"Is this your martial soul? A Body Martial Soul?"
A spear-form Body Martial Soul?
Never seen before.
Xu Yuan smiled.
"This is the confidence I spoke of. The foundation of the Body Sect lies in blood essence cultivation, with the Body Martial Soul being secondary. Strengthening the body is the true purpose. Cultivating blood essence and cultivating the Body Martial Soul are fundamentally the same."
This explanation was new to Hu Jie, but he instinctively agreed.
Indeed, as long as one cultivated blood essence and the body, they could rightfully be considered a disciple of the Body Sect.
Connecting this to Xu Yuan's spear and his words, Hu Jie formed a bold hypothesis.
His eyes widened, and his plump body trembled.
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