As Qian Renxue presented him with a pitch-black divine-grade spear and a thick scroll of spear techniques, Ye Yu's eyes lit up.
On the cover of the manual were two bold characters: "Soulbreaker."
Ye Yu instantly guessed the origin. This was most likely the soul skill manual Spirit Hall had seized from the Clan of Po during their retaliatory assault on the Clear Sky Clan following Qian Xunji's death.
There was a high chance this was one of the Po Clan's secret spear techniques—a self-created soul skill passed down through their line.
Soulbreaker Spear Art, huh…
Ye Yu was very satisfied.
On the continent, the Po Clan's "Soulbreaker Spear" was widely acknowledged as one of the most powerful spear-related martial souls.
A technique inherited from such a clan was bound to be brilliant.
This manual alone would be enough for him to study and refine his skills for a long time.
"Many thanks, Your Highness."
Ye Yu offered Qian Renxue a sincere bow, his expression earnest as he clasped his fists.
He had to admit—Qian Renxue was truly generous when it came to talent.
She didn't hold back when giving rewards.
In fact, she was so generous that Ye Yu almost started to feel sorry for her inevitable tragic fate in the original timeline.
But Ye Yu was well aware—
As a transmigrator without a system, relying purely on wit and hard work to grow stronger, he currently had no way to change Qian Renxue's fate.
Because in the original timeline, Spirit Hall's fall… was far more complicated than it seemed.
At Jialing Pass, Tang San had actually already lost.
He died at the hands of Bibi Dong, who had successfully ascended as the Rakshasa God.
But the tide turned only when Poseidon (Sea God) and the Asura God—both divine beings—intervened from the God Realm, breaking their own laws.
They enabled Oscar and Ning Rongrong to inherit divine power as the new God of Food and Seven Treasures Goddess, granting them the strength to use a fusion skill and resurrect Tang San.
Then, the Asura God went a step further—he directly empowered Tang San, merging the Sea God and Asura God authorities within him, creating a dual-god vessel.
Only then was Tang San able to defeat Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue, toppling Spirit Hall.
From what Ye Yu knew about later events in the Douluo series, it didn't seem like the Asura God originally intended to give Tang San dual divinity.
If he had, he would've done so from the start.
It was only because Tang San was losing to the combined power of Rakshasa God Bibi Dong and Angel God Qian Renxue that the Asura God was forced to break the rules.
And that decision completely messed over the God of Destruction in later timelines.
As for why the Sea God and Asura God acted the way they did?
Ye Yu had two guesses:
First, Tang San was genuinely talented and seen as a worthy successor by both gods.
Second, it was all about divine politics.
The Asura God and the Rakshasa God were mortal enemies.
Had Bibi Dong unified the continent under Spirit Hall in the Rakshasa God's name, Rakshasa faith would have flourished—threatening the Asura God's influence.
Thus, the Asura God had every reason to sabotage that future.
The Sea God had similar motives.
The vast oceans were his domain, but if Spirit Hall unified the continent, they would inevitably expand toward the seas, threatening Sea God Island and diminishing his divine influence.
So whether Tang San ever reached Sea God Island or not, Ye Yu believed Poseidon would have acted regardless.
In short, Spirit Hall's eventual downfall was the product of a divine power struggle between four gods: the Asura God, Sea God, Angel God, and Rakshasa God.
And Ye Yu?
He was just a nobody with no divine backing—far from qualified to get involved.
Trying to support Spirit Hall now would be suicide.
At present, that wasn't even on the table.
"Your Highness," Ye Yu asked, accepting the spear and manual, "does this divine spear have any special qualities?"
Qian Renxue smiled faintly and nodded.
"It's called the Longyuan Blacksteel Spear, forged from molten blacksteel ore—a rare metal only found within active volcanoes.
Not only is it nearly indestructible and highly heat-resistant, but when soul power is infused into it, the spear can release intense heat energy, boosting its offensive power.
Not just any weapon qualifies to be called a divine armament."
"Impressive." Ye Yu was clearly fascinated.
He stored the Soulbreaker Spear Art into his Jade Dragon Bracelet, then carefully examined the Longyuan Blacksteel Spear—feeling its smooth finish, weight, and faint warmth radiating from the shaft.
Yes, this was no ordinary weapon.
(Longyuan Blacksteel Spear – Concept Art)
Unfortunately, after Ye Yu returned home, he still planned to feed the weapon to his external soul bone—Thunderhowl Infernal Lance—to enhance it.
"By the way…"
Qian Renxue seemed to remember something as she smiled warmly.
"Didn't you ask me to help you arrange a meeting with my teacher, Ning Fengzhi, to talk about doing business with the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan?
I've spoken to him already. He's interested in meeting you.
Get yourself ready today. I'll take you to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan tomorrow."
"Understood, Your Highness!"
Delighted at the opportunity to meet Ning Fengzhi at last, Ye Yu returned home with renewed energy.
It was time to prepare—he sorted and packed samples of his three proposed products: snowflake sugar, snowflake salt, and soap.
These high-end, consumable luxury goods had massive market potential.
An untapped market… ripe for the taking.
The Next Morning
After breakfast, Ye Yu asked Dugu Yan to request another leave of absence from Heaven Dou Imperial Academy on his behalf.
Then, he made his way to the prince's estate.
At the entrance, a luxurious horse-drawn carriage bearing the Heaven Dou Imperial Crest was already waiting.
Qian Renxue, disguised as Prince Xue Qinghe, stood calmly with his hands clasped behind his back, dressed in golden robes. He'd clearly been waiting.
"Had breakfast already?" he asked with a polite smile.
"I have. What about Your Highness?"
Ye Yu responded with a respectful clasp of fists.
After confirming both were ready, they boarded the ornate carriage and departed the capital.
Several hours later, they arrived at their destination:
Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan
Located deep in the wilderness outside Heaven Dou City, the clan was built atop a soaring mountain, flanked on three sides by sheer cliffs—accessible by only one path.
An ideal defensive location.
Upon arriving at the mountain's base, Qian Renxue and Ye Yu disembarked from the carriage.
"Your Highness!"
The disciples guarding the entrance immediately bowed in greeting.
"Ye Yu, we'll climb from here," Qian Renxue said with a warm smile.
"The carriage can't go any farther—we'll have to walk up ourselves."
Ahead lay a long, marble staircase winding its way up the mountain. At the summit, elegant pavilions and towers peeked out from the mist.
But most eye-catching of all was the structure at the mountain's peak—
A dazzling seven-story tower, seemingly forged from pure crystal and glass, gleaming with rainbow light in the sun.
It was the famed Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda—
The heart and soul of the entire clan.