Before long, inside a conference room of the main teaching building, all the titled experts of the Elemental Sacred Academy had gathered together.
"Xiao Yang, what's the matter that you called us all over for?"
Huo Lie asked curiously toward Mu Yang, who in recent times had been in "seclusion."
As his words fell, everyone in the room turned to look at Mu Yang.
"There's good news—and not just good news, but world-shakingly good news."
Mu Yang said with a smile.
"Oh? World-shaking good news? Did you break through to the Peerless realm?"
Huo Lie perked up immediately and asked quickly.
If Mu Yang had advanced to level 99 Peerless Douluo, that indeed would be world-shaking news for the Elemental Sacred Academy.
After all, looking across the entire continent's soul master world, the only one confirmed to have reached level 99 Peerless Douluo was Spirit Hall's Grand Worship, Qian Daoliu—the sole example.
Of course, Pope Bibi Dong as well, though this cunning Pope never revealed her true soul power level.
Mu Yang waved his hand. "Not that. Instead, I've worked out a secret method that could be called heaven-defying."
"A heaven-defying secret method? I remember back then when you came up with the Spirit Core Method and the Ring Condensation Method, you never once used the words 'heaven-defying.' Seems this one must really be something extraordinary."
Raising her brows slightly, Shui Yanyu said with a smile.
"Little brother, stop keeping us in suspense. Hurry and let us see!"
The eldest cousin, Huo Wu, urged.
Mu Yang nodded lightly. "I've named this method the Spirit Ascension Method. It can absorb the essence of heaven and earth to raise the years of spirit rings and spirit bones."
"Hiss—!"
At once, the entire room drew in sharp breaths.
Soon after, recovering his wits, Huo Lie asked, "Xiao Yang, what is the upper limit of this Spirit Ascension Method's effect on rings and bones?"
Mu Yang smiled. "All of you here in the future will be able to raise every one of your spirit rings and bones to the hundred-thousand-year level."
"One hundred thousand years?!"
As expected, the entire room was once again shocked.
"Xiao Yang, with the Spirit Ascension Method so heaven-defying, can our academy even protect it?"
After a pause, Huo Lie spoke gravely.
If Mu Yang's words were true, then indeed the Spirit Ascension Method was heaven-defying. But precisely because its effect was too heaven-defying, the Elemental Sacred Academy might not be able to guard such a fortune.
Once word of the method leaked, the academy would not fear any enemy in the open.
After all, with Mu Yang and Shui Bing'er together wielding a god-level martial soul fusion technique, even Spirit Hall, ruler of the soul master world, would not be feared.
But the profit involved here was simply too immense. Secret plots from countless forces in the dark would be unending.
Unless Mu Yang and Shui Bing'er stayed in the academy at all times, and those who learned the method never left the grounds, otherwise, once alone, they would be seized by other experts seeking the method and tortured into revealing it.
And besides those coveting the method, there would also be countless thieves lusting after the spirit bones themselves.
After all, if the Spirit Ascension Method could raise bone years, in the eyes of outsiders, you would be covered in hundred-thousand-year bones.
If your strength was great enough, that was one thing. But if you were weaker, you'd surely be treated like a boss monster to be hunted by groups of powerhouses.
"Of course we can guard it! Perhaps once the method is exposed, the academy will become the target of all, but as long as our strength is enough, then all those schemes are no more than paper tigers."
Mu Yang waved his hand firmly.
To become the "enemy of the continent"—what of it? As long as the fist was hard enough, other forces would only be left with envy and jealousy.
Mu Xiyue nodded. "Exactly. Xiao Yang is right. With such a heaven-defying method in front of us, should we really shrink back out of fear that others might covet it?"
"In fact, that worry isn't really a problem. Extraordinary spirit ring configurations are glaringly obvious in others' eyes. But if we first only raise the years of spirit bones, who would be able to tell?
Before one has sufficient strength for self-protection, just raise the bones first. Once cultivation is accomplished, then raise the rings.
With Spirit Gold battle armor in hand, and both all rings and bones at the hundred-thousand-year level, as long as one reaches nine rings in soul power, across the entire continent's soul master world, that would definitely count as a top-tier powerhouse.
In the future, as long as the academy doesn't go around exterminating entire clans, the other powers of the continent should be grateful—not daring to covet our academy's secret method."
Mu Yang declared sonorously.
"Then how can we ensure the method doesn't leak?"
At this moment, Feng Zhen spoke.
Hearing this, Mu Yang replied, "Uncle Feng's concern is one I've thought of as well. For this, I created another special secret art: the Heart Demon Lock.
The effect of the Heart Demon Lock is simple. After being planted, the soul master swears upon it. It won't affect them in daily life, but they cannot break the oath in any form. Otherwise, they'll suffer its backlash.
And this backlash is enough to obliterate the soul of the oath-breaker.
This way, we need not worry about traitors, or others using spiritual arts like Soul Capture to extract the method."
Huo Lie nodded. "If this Heart Demon Lock works as you say, then it could indeed ensure the Spirit Ascension Method is not leaked. And if, for now, it is only used to raise bone years, then while others don't notice, our academy could still enjoy a period of peaceful development."
"Not just that! The Heart Demon Lock's use isn't limited only to the Ascension Method. It can apply to all our secret arts."
Shui Yanyu interjected.
"Xiao Yang, how do you plan to arrange the Spirit Ascension Method? What range will you spread it to?"
Huo Lie turned to Mu Yang.
Thinking for a moment, Mu Yang said, "First, I'll carry out a thorough investigation for spies. After that's done, I'll spread the Ascension Method to all teachers and students who will serve at the academy for life."
As one of the continent's top forces in overall strength, the Elemental Sacred Academy naturally had no shortage of spies planted by other powers.
This wasn't to say those powers were enemies of the academy—it was more like placing a casual piece in advance, just in case.
In fact, many couldn't even be called spies. As an academy-type force, the Elemental Sacred Academy admitted even the direct descendants of other powers, as long as their talent was sufficient and they paid tuition.
Therefore, the "spy investigation" Mu Yang spoke of referred only to teachers serving lifelong at the academy, and gifted students who would remain on staff after graduation.
For only these two groups could be called true insiders. As for the other students, once they graduated, they were no longer people of the academy. At most, out of alumni sentiment, they could be considered half-insiders.
But those not true insiders—Mu Yang would never open such secret methods to them. No need to let other powers benefit cheaply.