Douluo Continent: Starting with a Tom Cat

However, Flander agrees that Tang San's potential far exceeds Shen An's, as having twin martial souls is an exceptionally advantageous destiny.

Tang San was also invigorated upon hearing this. A temporary setback was nothing; his future achievements were destined to be incredibly brilliant, and Shen An was merely a passerby in his life.

However, a cold glint flashed deep in Tang San's eyes. Even so, he would definitely avenge Xiao Wu's injury and his own defeat in the future!

Yu Xiaogang said in a deep voice, "Flander, call the other students over. I want to give them special training. Let me see just how powerful that so-called genius boy really is."

"Isn't he supposed to be the so-called Rookie King of the Soto Arena? Within three months, I can get Tang San to fight him and defeat him." Yu Xiaogang said confidently, a confidence that came from the bottom of his heart in his extraordinary wisdom.

The title of master is not undeserved.

-

After Shen An agreed to Ning Rongrong's request, Ning Rongrong readily taught Shen An the method of controlling distraction.

The two took the cat to a quiet place outside Soto City to cultivate, leaving Zhu Zhuqing alone in the teahouse.

The method for cultivating distraction control is not complicated, but different Soul Masters cultivate this skill in different ways.

"Shen An, you can try shifting your gaze between three different trees and unleashing sword energy. Ideally, the order of the sword energy should be spaced one second apart."

When Ning Rongrong taught Shen An how to control distraction, Shen An instinctively felt that this secret technique would be of great help to him.

When distraction control is cultivated to its extreme, one can perfectly control every change in the surroundings and respond calmly, while also becoming more proficient in using soul power.

Shen An believed that if he could truly reach the first level of distraction control, the Three Apertures Control of the Heart, then the sword flight that had been troubling him would be easily solved, and it would play a greater role in battle.

When Shen An used his sword-controlling soul skill to fly with the Nine-Leaf Sword Grass, he already expended a great deal of energy just to keep himself from falling.

However, if he can learn to control his distraction, Shen An will not only be able to fly on his sword, but also fight enemies in the air, giving him an unparalleled advantage.

Moreover, the Nine-Leaf Void Sword can only be split into one at present, but the number will increase as soul rings are added in the future.

Shen An couldn't help but sigh, this distraction control was practically tailor-made for him.

However, the highest level of distraction control is only the Seven Apertures Exquisite Mind, which made Shen An slightly regretful.

Fortunately, Shen An was very open-minded. He thought it was too hasty to run before he could even walk. He should first cultivate his ability to control distractions to the point of mastering the Three Apertures of the Heart.

On the first day of cultivation, Shen An really felt overwhelmed. Multitasking was not difficult for Shen An, but multitasking was a bit challenging.

The cultivation process is extremely tedious and maddening.

Ning Rongrong hid to the side and chuckled, seeing Shen An as if she were seeing her past self.

She suffered a lot back then in order to achieve the Three Apertures Control Heart, so much so that she stopped learning after she entered the gate.

Tom looked at Shen An with a bored expression, while Ning Rongrong petted the cat and suddenly thought of something.

"Tom, do you want to learn? It's a lot of fun, I can teach you." Ning Rongrong suddenly felt playful. Since she was free anyway, she might as well teach Tom.

"Dad said we can't teach it to outsiders, but he never said we can't teach it to outside cats," Ning Rongrong thought mischievously.

Tom was taken aback at first, then shook the cat's head, instinctively refusing. Why should a house cat learn so many things? Catching mice is enough.

"Oh, please, Tom, just learn it, and I'll buy you lots of dried fish to eat, okay, Tom?"

If others heard this, they would be incredibly envious. It's a secret technique that others would desperately want, yet Ning Rongrong is here begging a cat to learn it.

What's even more infuriating is that this cat doesn't want to learn; you have to give it treats and coax it to do so.

Upon hearing about the dried fish, Tom's ears twitched. "Alright, since you're so sincerely begging me, I'll reluctantly learn it."

Tom immediately stood up, his cat paws grasping Ning Rongrong's small hand, a beaming smile on his face.

Ning Rongrong excitedly told Tom about the techniques for controlling distraction. Although Tom didn't have soul power, it didn't hinder him from learning this secret technique.

Ning Rongrong was talking, and Tom was listening attentively, occasionally nodding his cat head in a serious manner.

"Alright, Tom, you've become a cat that only knows how to control distractions. Try drawing two different pictures on the ground at the same time. Keep it simple."

Ning Rongrong looked at Tom with a mischievous grin. She had seen too many amazing things about Tom. He was proficient in everything from swordsmanship and cooking to chess and housework.

Tom certainly won't be able to learn this thing that was just taught, or at least it will take him some time to learn it.

Tom nodded and took out a white easel as tall as himself and four paintbrushes from behind his back.

Ning Rongrong didn't even have time to think about how Tom managed to take out so many things before she witnessed the unbelievable scene that followed, which even severely damaged her Dao heart.

Tom stands on one leg, each of his three paws holding a paintbrush, and another in his mouth. The four paintbrushes transform into a whirlwind, and four lifelike portraits are painted simultaneously.

Tom painted each portrait of Shen An, Tom, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing so lifelike that they looked exactly like the real people.

Ning Rongrong felt that her long-held Daoist conviction had been severely damaged by Tom and was on the verge of collapse.

Back then, she suffered so much to learn how to control her distractions, but Tom, he can tell it one minute and it can perfectly demonstrate it the next. Even the Four Apertures of Constant Mind is no more than that.

Moreover, Ning Rongrong's intuition told her that Tom's four-pronged operation was not because it could only operate in four directions, but because it only had four paws and one mouth.

Tom stood proudly in front of the easel, waiting for Ning Rongrong to praise him.

Ning Rongrong's eyes were glazed over, her body slumped backward, and she murmured:

"I never imagined that the gap between me and Tom would be even greater than the gap between a person and a dog. I think I understand what it means to be a mayfly seeing the blue sky."

Tom was quick enough to run over and help Ning Rongrong up, preventing her from falling to the ground.

Shen An was getting a little frustrated with his distraction control practice. This secret technique really required a lot of practice to master, so Shen An decided to pet the cat and chat with Ning Rongrong for a while before continuing his practice.

But when Shen An turned around, he saw Ning Rongrong teaching Tom how to control his distractions. Shen An had been watching with great interest, planning to share his experience with Tom after he failed.

As a result, Shen An's Dao heart also collapsed.

I'm reporting someone for cheating!

Shen An turned and left, as if he had made up his mind, without looking at Tom again.

How foolish I was! I actually thought of giving Tang Tiandi pointers. How incredibly presumptuous of me!

Chapter 76 The Spirit Hall's Actions (Revised)

In the grand hall of the Soto Spirit Hall, white-robed deacon Ma Shan knelt before black-robed bishop Feld.

"Oh? You mean a genius youth has appeared in the Soul Arena, invincible among those of the same level?"

Ma Shan was still kneeling respectfully. The black-robed bishop was an absolute powerhouse in terms of both status and strength, while the one in front of him was said to be just a few achievements away from being promoted to cardinal!

“Yes, Your Excellency, most importantly, his second spirit ring is at the thousand-year level,” Ma Shan said, his voice trembling slightly.

Upon learning that his nephew had died at the hands of Shen An, Ma Shan began plotting how to make Shen An suffer a terrible death.

However, when the Soul Arena's publicity for Shen An came out, Ma Shan went to see it in order to know himself and his enemy. This made him despair. After witnessing Shen An's strength, he knew that with his Soul Master strength, he had no chance of revenge.

However, the hatred of killing one's family member must be avenged, so Ma Shan decided to use someone else to do the dirty work and rely on the power of the Spirit Hall to help him get revenge.

Feld became interested. There are countless geniuses with high combat power, but a second spirit ring that is a thousand years old is unprecedented.

After pondering for a moment, Feld said, "Then let's recruit him. Such a gem should not be revealed to the world. The growth of a genius is always fraught with difficulties. Only our Spirit Hall can provide him with reliable protection."

“Otherwise, the path of a Soul Master is very dangerous. Since you discovered it, I’ll leave it to you to handle,” Feld said with a hint of deeper meaning.

Ma Shan suppressed his excitement. He had achieved the result he wanted. Feld's meaning was clear: if he couldn't recruit Shen An, he should cause an accident.

All that's needed now is to incite conflict between Shen An and the Spirit Hall. If the Black Cardinal fails to recruit him, he will swiftly eliminate him, thus avenging his nephew.

“Yes, Your Excellency!” Ma Shan bowed deeply once again.

"I think I've basically mastered the Three Apertures Control of the Heart," Shen An muttered to himself with a hint of excitement.

After being struck by Tom's terrifying talent, he held his breath and finally, under the cover of darkness, he gained a preliminary understanding of the Three Apertures Control of the Heart.

According to Ning Rongrong, it took her more than a month to master this skill. Shen An estimated that he could master it in an afternoon, which should be related to his inexplicably strong mental strength.

Before this, Shen An could multitask, simultaneously operating the Nine-Leaf Sword Grass and the Nine-Leaf Phantom Sword to fight enemies, but flying on a sword required even more mental effort.

Shen An excitedly extended an invitation: "Rongrong, Tom, I think I've mastered flying on a sword. Do you want me to fly you back?"

Ning Rongrong's face stiffened, and she politely refused, "Forget it, you take Tom instead, I'm afraid of dying."

Tom, who had been shaking his head like a rattle-drum, suddenly froze. What are you saying? You're afraid of dying, but I'm not!

Besides, even if I don't die from falling from the sky, I'll still be covered in bruises.

Seeing the girl and cat's firm refusal, Shen An could only say dejectedly, "If you don't want to, then I'll just fly back myself; it's much faster."

Shen An summoned the Nine-Leaf Sword Grass and stepped onto it. After mastering the Three Apertures Control Heart, he could skillfully use his soul power to merge himself with the sword grass.

A streak of blue light traced across the night sky, and Shen An excitedly experienced it all; his dream of flying had come true today.

Unlike his previous cautious maneuvering of the flying sword when he left the city, Shen An now felt like a seasoned driver, maneuvering in the sky with ease.

The power of the sword-wielding soul skill depends on Shen An's soul power output.

Therefore, with Shen An's deliberate restraint, he was able to fly for two hours at the full speed of a Soul Venerable.

Shen An stood on his flying sword, breathing freely in the air, letting the breeze caress his face—it felt wonderful!

Ning Rongrong and Tom stood there dumbfounded, gazing up at the conspicuous blue streak of light in the night sky as it disappeared into the distance.

Ning Rongrong and Tom exchanged a glance, then shrugged helplessly. "Fine, let's slowly walk back."

"Zhu Qing, Zhu Qing, come out quickly, I'll show you something fun."

Shen Anqing's clear voice rang out outside the teahouse. Zhu Zhuqing, who was meditating, immediately noticed it and wondered what was so interesting.

Shen An's voice came from the rooftop. Zhu Zhuqing walked lightly to the teahouse and soon arrived.

Zhu Zhuqing stood gracefully on the rooftop, looking up slightly at Shen An, who was riding a flying sword under the moonlight.

Shen An extended his hand to Zhu Zhuqing with a smile and said, "Zhuqing, I've learned how to fly on a sword and even carry people. Would you like to try it out?"

Zhu Zhuqing's eyes flickered, she nodded slightly, said nothing, and directly grabbed Shen An's hand to step onto the flying sword.

Shen An smiled and thought, "Ning Rongrong and Tom are too cowardly. Neither of them dares to draw my sword. Zhu Qing is much better."

"Zhuqing, hold me tight, raise the sails, and set sail!"

Zhu Zhuqing's cool and beautiful face froze for a moment. She stretched out her arms and hugged Shen An tightly, her little resentment from being left in the teahouse during the day completely disappearing.

As Shen An was embraced by Zhu Zhuqing, he instantly felt a huge softness press against his back, and a faint fragrance quietly arrived at the same time, which made Shen An's heart tremble.

Shen An tried his best to appear nonchalant and said calmly, "Zhu Qing, hold on tight, I'm about to start." At the same time, a strange feeling was stirring within him.

Zhu Zhuqing was behind Shen An. She felt her face burning and her heart pounding.

For some reason, even though she knew that Ning Rongrong and Shen An were just friends, Zhu Zhuqing still felt unhappy when Shen An and Ning Rongrong went out alone.

She spent the entire day lost in thought, so much so that she didn't meditate or cultivate properly.

Zhu Zhuqing was probably aware that she had a strong liking for Shen An, to the point of having a possessive desire for him.

Even though she knew Shen An was cultivating, Zhu Zhuqing was still very unhappy when he left her sight and went out with other girls.

This feeling was as if someone she cherished was about to leave her and run off to someone else, which made Zhu Zhuqing very flustered.

Therefore, after Shen An extended the invitation, Zhu Zhuqing did not hesitate at all and took the plunge, making such a bold move.

Before this, she had never had any physical contact with any man, let alone had her breasts almost touching him at close range.

A streak of blue light cut across the sky. Shen An tried his best to control the flying sword, but he could still feel an amazing softness and warmth behind him.

"Shen An~" Zhu Zhuqing called softly.

"Hmm, what's wrong, Zhuqing?"

"Hmm, it's nothing. It's just that the moonlight is so beautiful tonight, and the wind is so gentle."

"Yes, it's very comfortable," Shen An replied.

Zhu Zhuqing didn't say anything more, but silently hugged Shen An tighter. Shen An also fell silent, and the two enjoyed the quiet night.

"It's Tom and Rongrong, they've come back too." Shen An's eyesight was astonishing; he spotted Ning Rongrong carrying Tom as they walked into the city.

Actually, Ning Rongrong wasn't a very diligent person, but Tom's behavior was too exaggerated. He would stagger after taking a few steps and even stick out his tongue and pant heavily. Ning Rongrong, feeling sorry for him, took the initiative to carry Tom.

Ning Rongrong was muttering under her breath, "That jerk Shen An, he flew away without even picking us up. This is such a long way, I'm exhausted."

Upon hearing this, Tom first tilted his head and revealed a sly smile, then immediately nodded obediently and seriously, indicating his agreement.

The cat was pretending to be tired, and Ning Rongrong had carried it all the way. What could it say? Of course, it would just go along with Ning Rongrong.

Upon hearing Shen An's words, Zhu Zhuqing's eyes flickered as she said, "Shen An, why don't we go down and see them? Rongrong must be tired from carrying Tom."

Shen An had no doubts and flew away on his sword.

In the blink of an eye, they were in front of Ning Rongrong.