Ning Family

Two months had passed since Xueqin accepted Xiaoran's proposal to be Weilan's guardian. As a guardian, Xueqin should help Weilan, being her partner in training for her to be able to train her support abilities. However, in these months, Xueqin didn't do anything like that.

Before anything, he was taught about being a Ning. Xueqin was expecting a lot of prohibitions and protocols for such a noble and ancient family with more than 20.000 years old history, but contrary to his expectations it didn't require much, only a minimum of manners and show his strength, never embarrassing the family.

Xiaoran prepared all the official documents to make the adoption lawful. And just like this, Qian Xueqin an orphan of Greenground City became Ning Xueqin, the son of one of the most powerful and influential clans.

Today, Xueqin entered the Spirit Pagoda's headquarters, calmly walking across the reception. He walked with a noble manner full of confident while the workers who already know him, bowed as he passed. Then, he reached an exclusive elevator and went towards the 99th floor.

The 99th floor was the personal floor of Ning Xiaoran, nobody could enter without her consent, not even the head of the Spirit Pagoda. Xueqin walked over finally arriving a room with some machines and Xiaoran already waiting for him.

"Look at you, Xue'Er. With only months of practice, you already seem like the perfect prince" Xiaoran praised "Such mannerism, you really learned quickly."

"Hello, Grangran" Xueqin's perfect posture broke, the noble air around him disappeared as he sighed "It's really tiring to keep such stuck position. Now I can understand Weilan exploding every time that we are alone. She needs to vent."

Xiaoran giggled "You would get used to, becoming second nature for you in the future. Anyway, you don't need to worry, you can be yourself, it really doesn't matter." Xiaoran said unworried "You would be shocked to how peculiars could become people. As strength grows, it also goes followed by perks, becoming very eccentric people."

"Yeah, but I don't really want to embarrass you" During this time Xueqin had received some etiquette and manners lessons, all of them being directly taught by Ning Xiaoran. Even if she was usually very busy, she took her time to directly teach him, full of care and patience. It would be a lie if Xueqin said he wasn't a little touched. He really didn't want to embarrass himself and cause Xiaoran to lose face "Moreover, if someone as Weilan is able, I will be ashamed to not be."

"That girl is always causing problems" Xiaoran sighed but with a smile "I think that the only reason that she trains so hard is my promise forgetting about her additional classes once she becomes a Spirit King." Xueqin smiled with a knowing smile.

"Now, let's start for what I called here. Please seat here, Xue'Er" Xiaoran said indicating a chair in a corner of the room.

Xueqin recognized the chair from the day he went to obtain his first spirit soul "Are we going to measure my spiritual power?"

"Exactly" Nodded Xiaoran "Spiritual power is extremelly important, especially for our family. I will like to test your spiritual power before starting."

"Starting with what?" Xueqin asked confused.

"To teach you our techniques, of course" Xiaoran said "You are already part of the clan, so it's normal that you start to train our special techniques. But first, let's test you."

Xueqin nodded excitedly, quickly sitting over the chair. Those were secret techniques of a family with 20.000 years old under them, the techniques should be incredibly strong.

Xiaoran pressed some keys and light fell over Xueqin's head, creating discomfort as it pushed over his mind.

"It's quite impressive" Ning Xiaoran said surprised as she saw the results "I expected you to be at the Spirit Sea Realm, seeing that you were able to grow the Myriad Color Being to 1.000 years old, but I didn't expect to be so high. Your spiritual energy is 4349. You are at the advanced level of the Spirit Sea Realm, close to the Abysm Realm. At 9 years old, I don't think that there had never been a documented case like you. That with your 33 soul rank, made you truly a monster" She praised him. "Did you surely didn't cultivate some spiritual technique before?"

"No" Xueqin shook his head "I only focused on cultivation the sword."

"Cultivation the sword really helps, it's one of the reasons sword cultivation became so popular. But these results are too monstrous. I could only imagine what would be your limit" She mumbled for herself.

"Now I will teach you the Nine Treasure Pagoda Clan's techniques. You should never teach anyone outside the family, even if there were some cases" She mumbled in low voice the last part "Your fighting style is focusing on the sword, your spirit skills making you more versatile but didn't directly help you becoming stronger."

In this time, Xueqin had explained everything about him and his fighting process, not hiding anything with the exception of his Seraphim spirit.

"You are only strong due to your high comprehension, but your spirit makes everything more complicated, needing to focus on many intents, being at risk of becoming a Jack of all trades master of none." Xiaoran explained, Xueqin nodded knowing about it, being one of his worries.

"Our signature technique would be very beneficial for you. It could be said that it was thanks to it that the Sword God Bai was able to reach his strength, mastering every sword" That caused Xueqin's eyes to shine.

Xueqin knew that it was a great problem, the Golden Dragon Sword Intent, the Holy Sword Intent and the last that he had learned due to his third ring, the Offense-Defense Sword Intent. He found it very exhausting to practice everyone and that was taking into account that he really didn't need to soul cultivate. However, if the intents grow in the future, he had no way to practice all of them, forcing him to abandon them. He was really curious how the Sword God Bai was able to master so many of them. Now it seemed that the answer appeared, a technique of the Nine Pagoda Clan.

Xiaoran gave an old book to Xueqin "It's called the Heart Separation Control. It's a spiritual power technique that helps in controlling simultaneously different things, creating a somewhat of multitasking, permitting us to use our Pagoda to support different people with different skills at the same time. It also serves as a great training method of spiritual energy."

"That was why Weilan was able to shoot with both guns, perfectly alternating her skills?" Xueqin asked as he read over the book. For what he could read, it was a method of using soul and spirit power as a sort of meditation, passively improving the mind of the user, boosting it to have a better control of his surroundings and spirit. It was also divided on 9 apertures, each level representing the control over it. At the 9th level, you would be able to control 9 spirit skills at the same time like if there were 9 people working together, their coordination being flawless.

"Exactly. Wei'Er is truly gifted with it, already having reached the Three Aperture Governing Heart with her grandmaster soul realm." Xiaoran explained "You should also have noticed her control over her surroundings" Xueqin nodded remembering how she had locked every time his position even with her eyes closed. "This was due to another technique, the Mind Eye. It a spiritual technique that enables you to sense your surroundings. Reaching enough comprehension, nothing would be able to escape from you, making it easy to predict your opponents movements and be able to control a chaotic battle."

Xueqin was really excited. These techniques would be especially great for him. A method to exploit his great spiritual power and pushing it forward.

"Sat down and start meditating. I will help you with opening the first aperture." Xiaoran approached him as he sat down cross-legged and started meditating like the book explained, not much different than his usual meditation after his sword practise.

Xiaoran rested her hand over Xueqin's forehead "It could be a little painful the first time, especially for someone without a familiar linage for it. But bear with it" Xiaoran closed her eyes and started pushing her spiritual energy over Xueqin.

"What?!" Xiaoran unconsciously said, opening her eyes shocked, blinking in surprise.

"Something happened?" Xueqin asked worried for something bad happening.

"No, no. You can continue, I will help you with it" Xiaoran quickly reassured him, Xueqin returning to meditate.

'How could it be so easy?' Xiaoran thought 'It's like his mind is already prepared to take it. It's equal if not more fluid than with Weilan and she was very compatible with it, even more than the usual of the family and we have ten thousand of years cultivating, already our minds and spirit used to it. How could he be so compatible?'

They continued meditating for an hour until Xueqin opened his eyes. He was a little tired due to the new meditation, but there wasn't any pain over him, he could even feel a refresh feeling over his mind, becoming much clear than before.

"Could I try something?" Xueqin asked Xiaoran.

"Of course. Come here" She approached a door of the room. Opening it, it revealed a big training room.

"Thanks!" Xueqin thanked as he entered the room. He invoked his spirit, two swords appearing over his hands, one white and the other black. He started to swing them. His moves were very smooth and perfect, not a single flaw could be seen at them like he had trained all his life with two swords.

"Like I thought" He mumbled. He had had some difficulties with his Twin Swords as he was too used to a single one, making it difficult to change his style to twin swords that really resembled when he was blacksmithing. While his blacksmithing's techniques really resembled a sword technique, it wasn't the same, causing a not very useful style.

Changing from a greatsword to a saber had been far easier for him. However, now he could use his Twin Swords far better, using two becoming a natural thing for him.

"You really are full of surprises" Xiaoran smiled at him "You directly had broken through the second aperture Separating Heart. I'm glad that our technique really fits you."

Xueqin closed his yes and clenched his swords, a smile appearing over his face. He could feel his mind speed having increased, even resonating with his skull spirit bone. With this his comprehension speed would shoot, making being capable to master 9 sword intents, not an impossible task. The Heart Separation Heart was truly perfect for him.

"Let's measure your spiritual power again." Xiaoran commented, curious of the changes of it. It must be known that a breakthrough with the Heart Separation Heart technique is usually followed by a great boost in spiritual power.

Xueqin went again towards the chair, repeating the test. Seeing the number, Xiaoran's eyes shined, a grin appearing over her face as the 4.999 number was written over the screen. He was just before breaking through to the spirit abysm realm. If he was able to break through, he would be able to take whatever aged spirit soul for his four spirit ring.

"Great, truly great!" Xiaoran praised. She turned to Xueqin "Be sure to practice the Heart Separation Control whenever you are able" She gave him another book, containing the Mind Eye technique "It should be easy with your high spiritual energy, so try to practice it."

Xueqin nodded excitedly, looking forward to learning and mastering them.

"Ah! I forgot to say that it has already been decided" Xiaoran changed the theme "You should be ready for next week."

"What exactly happened next week?" Xueqin frowned confused, not knowing what it was.

"Starting next week, you will assist with Weilan to her classes" Xiaoran explained "At Shrek Academy."