Chapter 295: Changes in the Shadow Guard, Cultivation Method for Weapon Martial Soul Beast Transformation

After leaving Dugu Bo's residence, Ning Tianchen immediately headed to his own fief without stopping.

The Shadow Guard was founded by him, so naturally, it was up to him to manage it.

Having neglected the affairs of the Shadow Guard for a long time, Ning Tianchen had originally expected chaos within its ranks. However, upon entering his fief, he found everything proceeding in an orderly manner.

On his territory, several buildings had been constructed, resembling imperial offices, with people constantly coming and going.

Upon entering, he happened to run into Zhao Wuji, who then led him to an office on the upper floor.

As an assistant to the Shadow Guard, Zhao Wuji reported to him on the organization's development over the years.

During the time Ning Tianchen had left Tiandou City, the Shadow Guard had been temporarily taken over by the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.

Seeing the state of the Shadow Guard, Ning Fengzhi had given them a few ways to make money.

Namely, they established a brand-new merchant association and transformed the original Shadow Guard headquarters into the merchant association's headquarters. This way, they could significantly conceal their true identity.

Among the members of the Shadow Guard, there were already many presidents of various merchant associations. These individuals working together managed the association very successfully. Now, they didn't even need financial support from the sect—they were self-sufficient and even had a surplus.

Zhao Wuji smiled and said, "Young Master, after you left, the Shadow Guard recruited many new members. No one has seen you, and coincidentally, everyone is at headquarters now. Would you like to meet them?"

The Shadow Guard was, after all, an organization under his command—Ning Tianchen had no reason not to meet them.

"It would be good to meet them. I also have something important to announce to everyone. By the way, Old Zhao, where is Old Zhang?"

Zhao Wuji chuckled. "Old Zhang has been out running errands for some time now. He should return soon."

"Since you agree to meet everyone, I'll go call them."

Before he left, Ning Tianchen grabbed his arm. "Only bring those who are absolutely loyal. Don't bother with the newly joined or those whose loyalty still needs to be tested. What I'm about to say is of great importance."

Zhao Wuji nodded solemnly.

"Almost forgot—here's the dossier on the three single-attribute families. It's already been compiled."

After he left, Ning Tianchen opened the dossier and began to carefully review it.

It had to be said that under Zhao Wuji and Zhang Erhe's leadership, the Shadow Guard's operational efficiency was impeccable.

The dossier clearly recorded the personalities of key figures in the three families and their attitudes toward certain matters.

With this material, he would hold the upper hand when recruiting the three families.

"Hah, even Yang Wudi's request for the Aromatic Silk Beauty is recorded." Ning Tianchen was both excited and surprised.

It seemed that even without his direct command, the Shadow Guard could function smoothly.

Zhang Erhe and Zhao Wuji truly deserved immense credit.

As a leader, when subordinates performed well, they deserved rewards.

---

Not long after, Zhang Erhe returned to the Shadow Guard headquarters. After handing over work to Ning Tianchen, they both went to the confidential meeting room on the top floor of the headquarters.

There weren't many people qualified to enter this meeting room—only about thirty individuals.

Apart from Zhao Wuji and Zhang Erhe, the others were all dressed in fine attire, indicating that they were people of some standing.

As soon as Ning Tianchen sat down, Zhao Wuji introduced him loudly, "This is the founder of the Shadow Guard, and also our leader."

These were all influential figures, and seeing that the founder of the Shadow Guard was a youth under twenty, they whispered among themselves, almost visibly expressing their dissatisfaction.

"Silence!"

Ning Tianchen let out a cold snort, and his Killing God Domain spread, enveloping everyone in the room.

If these people harbored resentment toward him, leading this group in the future would be difficult.

No matter what, he needed to assert his authority.

"This is… a domain!"

Everyone immediately quieted down.

Both Zhao Wuji and Zhang Erhe looked at Ning Tianchen in astonishment.

After all, a domain was a symbol of strength and talent!

One person stood up and said, "I remember now—you're Ning Tianchen, the number one genius of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect."

The stout middle-aged man beside him quickly apologized, "Harmony brings wealth. We're all part of the Shadow Guard—there's no need to cause unpleasantness."

The name of the number one genius was well-known to them.

However, being a genius before reaching maturity didn't equate to being a powerhouse. After all, a genius who hadn't yet grown could easily be killed by rival forces.

Thus, they didn't think Ning Tianchen was capable of leading the Shadow Guard well.

"Quiet!" Zhang Erhe barked, and the group quickly stopped their discussion.

Over the years, Zhang Erhe had been their direct superior, and his abilities and strength had earned their recognition.

Ning Tianchen slowly rose to his feet. "Hmph, the Shadow Guard has been established for more than four years. During this time, Zhao Wuji and Zhang Erhe have managed everything. Therefore, I've decided to award them with a special contribution prize."

The two were somewhat confused.

They were already receiving salaries from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect—how could they dare ask for more?

Before they could refuse, Ning Tianchen took out two lotus seeds emitting a chilling aura from his soul tool.

"These are ice snow lotus seeds I accidentally obtained during my training in the Extreme North Ice Plains. Consuming them can quickly stop bleeding and heal internal injuries, with no side effects."

One of the attendees exclaimed, "These are genuine ice snow lotus seeds! They can only be found deep within the Extreme North Ice Plains."

Someone asked, "How much are they worth?"

"They're priceless. This is a rare healing medicine sought after by all. Any soul master below the Title Douluo level can recover fully from any injury after consuming it."

Someone explained further, sparing Ning Tianchen the trouble of elaborating.

Just the words "deep within the Extreme North Ice Plains" were enough to show the value of Ning Tianchen's recent training.

For a moment, some people's resolve began to waver—they felt that Ning Tianchen's strength was sufficient to lead them.

"Young Master, aren't these too valuable?" Zhao Wuji and Zhang Erhe hesitated to accept them immediately.

Ning Tianchen replied, "Rewarding those who contribute and punishing those who err—that's the iron rule of the Shadow Guard. The two of you have worked hard and deserve these ice snow lotus seeds."

Upon hearing this, the two stopped refusing and stored the lotus seeds in their soul tools.

Ning Tianchen turned his gaze to the others and continued, "Before entering the meeting room, Old Zhang handed me a list detailing the date each of you joined and your contributions. Next, I will reward you according to your merits using the treasures I brought back from the Extreme North Ice Plains."

During this training journey, they had passed through numerous caves and collected countless natural treasures.

To be in this meeting room, these people must have made some contributions, big or small.

People love a bargain, especially when it's a reward.

For a moment, voices opposing Ning Tianchen gradually disappeared, replaced by admiration.

After all, the rewards he distributed were all valuable items—none of them were filler.

After the rewards were handed out, Ning Tianchen raised his hand, and everyone immediately fell silent.

"I know what you're thinking—you believe I'm too young and lack experience to accomplish anything significant. But have you ever considered why the Shadow Guard, an organization meant to gather intelligence covertly, recruited you?"

These people hadn't really thought deeply about this question before.

None of them were fools. After some discussion, they quickly realized the reason.

"Because we already have existing resources, and more importantly, we have the ruffians and scoundrels you need under our control."

Businessmen naturally understood the essence of things, and these individuals couldn't help but admit that this was a brilliant move—both parties gained what they wanted.

Zhang Erhe laughed. "This idea was formulated by Young Master and implemented by me and Old Zhao. Not only that, but some of you have been wondering who proposed the planning for the Seven Treasures Commerce Guild!"

"Could it be Young Master Ning?" someone asked.

Zhang Erhe nodded with a smile.

At once, these merchants were utterly astonished.

Indeed, they had been fleeced by the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect in the past. But compared to losing some money, recognizing the person behind this idea was far more important to them.

After all, if Ning Tianchen could fleece them once through the Seven Treasures Commerce Guild, he could do it again in other ways. Following him, how could they worry about not making money?

In an instant, these people became sincerely convinced of Ning Tianchen.

Ning Tianchen smiled. "Since none of you oppose me, I also have an important announcement to make."

"In the future, I plan to establish a sect. The Shadow Guard will become a part of it, handling intelligence operations for the sect. Additionally, some of you will be assigned to the sect's commerce guild."

Establishing a sect? These people certainly didn't object. They had already benefited from banding together, and forming a sect would further increase their influence and allow them to earn even more.

But Ning Tianchen was the number one genius of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. Could he really leave the sect to start his own venture? Was that realistic?

Ning Tianchen didn't explain their concerns and instead demonstrated his strength.

"I can guarantee that the sect I establish will have at least one Title Douluo-level powerhouse overseeing it. And as for my own strength—you've seen it. Do you still think I'm not qualified?"

Six black rings and one red ring—was this really still a Soul Sage?

Regardless, based on Ning Tianchen's current soul ring configuration, he was destined to become one of the continent's peak powerhouses in the future. Following such a person, their future was bound to be bright.

As for how he would separate from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, it had nothing to do with them.

"All will be arranged by the sect leader," a quick-witted person quickly declared.

Those who reacted half a beat slower couldn't help but curse the others for being disloyal.

Ning Tianchen waved his hand. "It's too early to call me sect leader now. For now, everything in the Shadow Guard remains the same—there are no special tasks for you to handle. You've all had some contact with the operation of merchant associations in the past or present. Before the sect is established, I hope you can develop markets for mid-to-low-end medicinal herbs and construction materials."

The Breaking Clan excelled in alchemy and herb cultivation, overlapping with Dugu Bo's herbal business.

Ning Tianchen planned to divide them specifically: Dugu's pharmacy would focus on selling high-grade medicinal herbs, while the Breaking Clan would handle mid-to-low-end herbs.

Upon hearing this, these individuals chose not to ask further questions but silently took note.

If Ning Tianchen could create the Seven Treasures Commerce Guild, then whatever he said must surely be a profitable venture.

---

The Shadow Guard was like his backyard garden—if it "caught fire," it would spell disaster.

After handling the affairs of the Shadow Guard and giving everyone peace of mind, Ning Tianchen finally let out a sigh of relief.

However, at this moment, he couldn't afford to rest yet.

Through his godlike perspective, he knew that the Spirit Hall's soul-hunting operation wasn't far off. Moreover, Xue Qinghe had already begun poisoning Emperor Xue Ye, and the coup in the Tiandou Palace was approaching.

He had to make preparations.

To be honest, Ning Tianchen didn't care who sat on the throne.

But from the current situation, as long as Qian Renxue's original intentions remained unchanged, having Xue Qinghe ascend to the throne would be far better than Xue Beng.

In the original timeline, after Xue Ye passed away, Xue Beng became nothing more than Tang San's lackey. Any national policy decision in the Tiandou Empire almost always required consulting Tang San.

In the end, although Tang San didn't rule the continent, he had already become the invisible hand pulling the strings. Everything's development on the continent was dictated by him.

---

Not long after, Ning Tianchen arrived at the entrance of the Crown Prince's residence.

After presenting the token of Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, he was allowed entry by the guards.

On the way to the study, Ning Tianchen ran into the young man surnamed Qing.

"Brother Qing, it's been a while."

The young man surnamed Qing smiled faintly. "More than four years, breaking through from level 54 to level 74—you've done quite well."

Ning Tianchen wasn't surprised.

He surmised that the young man surnamed Qing's strength was at least at the Soul Douluo level or higher. As for his youthful appearance, Ning Tianchen attributed it to the consumption of rare treasures that granted eternal youth—his actual age must be quite advanced.

"To be seen through so easily by Brother Qing shows I still have much to improve on."

The young man surnamed Qing pointed toward the back courtyard. "The Young Master isn't in the study—he's feeding fish in the back garden. You can head there directly."

Back Garden of the Crown Prince's Residence

Xue Qinghe held a large loaf of bread in his hands, tearing off pieces and tossing them into the pond to feed the fish.

"Brother Tianchen, you're back." He didn't turn around, his gaze fixed pensively on the surface of the pond.

Ning Tianchen walked up beside him and asked with a smile, "Does Brother Xue have something on his mind?"

Xue Qinghe countered, "What do you see?"

Ning Tianchen didn't rush to answer, instead gazing at the murky water. "When the water is too clear, there are no fish. Such turbid waters allow the fish to hide their forms to a great extent, avoiding capture by fishermen."

"And by feeding them, you're providing bait to lure out the greedy ones. In doing so, the life and death of these fish depend entirely on your word."

Xue Qinghe let out a hearty laugh and tossed the remaining bread into the pond.

In an instant, the fish hiding in the pond went wild, surfacing to fight for the food.

"The fact is, as long as the bait is big enough and tempting enough, someone will always take the bait."

Ning Tianchen asked curiously, "It seems Brother Xue has a hidden meaning. Could you elaborate?"

Xue Qinghe didn't conceal anything and candidly replied, "Tang Yuehua's identity raises too many suspicions—it's hard for me to investigate everything thoroughly. Having someone like her under my nose makes me uneasy."

Ning Tianchen wasn't surprised.

Xue Qinghe preparing for the palace coup would naturally involve clearing all obstacles around him.

He said, "Tang Yuehua is Tang Hao's younger sister and Tang San's aunt. She's also a forward outpost planted by the Hao Tian Sect on the continent. Her primary purpose is to gather intelligence and provide logistical support for the Hao Tian Sect."

Xue Qinghe looked at him in surprise, puzzled. "How do you know this?"

Ning Tianchen chuckled. "Tang Yuehua's identity is quite concealed. However, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and the former Hao Tian Sect were both part of the Upper Three Sects, so they have records of internal matters within the Hao Tian Sect."

"Additionally…"

Ning Tianchen informed Xue Qinghe about the Hao Te team transporting grain.

Xue Qinghe suddenly understood. "So, what you said is completely correct. No wonder Father kept her identity hidden. To think the Hao Tian Sect is behind her!"

The lingering influence of Tang Chen was still present—Xue Ye naturally wouldn't dare cause trouble for Tang Yuehua.

Moreover, Tang Chen was only missing, not dead. That name alone was enough to intimidate most people.

After a pause, Xue Qinghe suddenly laughed. "It seems you've taken my words to heart. The Killing God Domain—tsk tsk, your luck is truly remarkable."

Ning Tianchen smiled faintly. "I just happened to pass by the Killing Town, so I went in for some training. But the Slaughter City is no place for humans—I never want to go back there."

Xue Qinghe interrupted, "Besides you, two others have recently obtained the Killing God Domain. One is Hu Liena of the Spirit Hall, and the other is a student of Yue Xuan—someone Tang Yuehua has taken good care of…"

He suddenly realized.

If Tang Yuehua was from the Hao Tian Sect, then this Tang Yin must also be a disciple of the Hao Tian Sect!

Currently, the only wandering disciple of the Hao Tian Sect was Tang San—could it be him?

Ning Tianchen casually remarked, "While I was in the Slaughter City, I heard the Slaughter King talk about the stories of two gods of slaughter. One was the current Pope, and the other was Tang Hao."

"Tang Hao is desperate for his son to succeed, so he'll likely bring Tang San to the Slaughter City. The person you mentioned is most likely Tang San."

This statement was pure foresight.

However, Xue Qinghe's failure to uncover Tang Yuehua and Tang San's identities would later sow the seeds of failure for his coup.

Having decided to ally with Qian Renxue, Ning Tianchen naturally had no reason to conceal the truth.

"Hmph, very good. This aunt and nephew pair have put on quite the show right before my eyes," Xue Qinghe sneered.

"You've helped me greatly. If there's anything you need that I can provide, I won't refuse."

Without even investigating, Xue Qinghe concluded that Ning Tianchen was telling the truth. Clearly, before this, he must have uncovered numerous clues.

Ning Tianchen's main purpose in coming here was to obtain the secret manual for the Beast Transformation of Weapon Martial Souls.

Xue Qinghe wasn't surprised.

During the Soul Master Tournament, he had originally intended to use this as leverage to win over Ning Tianchen. However, during their subsequent conversations, the two sides smoothly established a cooperative relationship.

"Grandpa She, you decide."

With that, Snake Spear Douluo appeared beside Ning Tianchen in a flash.

"It seems you've already attempted the True Body Beast Transformation of a Weapon Martial Soul." She Long's gaze was incredibly sharp—he judged based on the aura emanating from Ning Tianchen.

Ning Tianchen didn't deny it but voiced his current issue: "Two True Bodies may seem powerful, but my Beast True Body can't unleash its full potential. It can't even be maintained for long."

"Elder Snake Spear, would you be willing to help resolve my doubts?"

She Long didn't hold back. "Of course—we are allies after all. However, you'll need to promise to help us with one task."

Ning Tianchen bowed. "Elder, please don't hesitate to speak. If it's something I can accomplish, I won't refuse."

She Long said, "The Young Master's identity is special—he can't eliminate Xue Xing and his nephew. I hope that before the Young Master ascends to the throne, you can deal with these two. At the very least, prevent them from interfering with our grand plan."

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