Douluo; Zhongli Adventures in Mortal World with Paimon

The outskirts of Heaven Dou City, Body Sect Sect.

Figures darted through the mountains and forests like nimble hares, their movements swift and natural.

For them, body-strengthening training was a way of releasing their instincts, even if it occasionally resulted in hidden injuries.

However, the moment they saw their Sect Master, it was as if they were bathed in a spring breeze, feeling as though all their hidden injuries had been healed.

Of course, this wasn't just an illusion. Their injuries were truly healed.

Zhongli would visit the Body Sect Sect every month, no matter how busy he was, secretly observing each and every disciple.

When it came to body-strengthening training, the most important factor was not willpower.

Yes, that's right.

Willpower only made a person more fearless in their training, but it couldn't change their physique.

A talentless individual could never reach the peak of body training through sheer willpower alone, it was almost impossible.

Body training relies on resources!

The saying "Poor scholars, wealthy warriors" precisely illustrates this point.

Without sufficient training resources, willpower alone was meaningless.

Besides resources, the other crucial factor was recovery ability.

The difficulty of body training lay in its tendency to cause hidden injuries, which could have long-term negative effects.

Zhongli meticulously monitored his disciples, and whenever hidden injuries arose, the power of faith would perfectly restore them.

As for training resources, thanks to the sales of perfumes and other products, combined with the marketing strategies of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, the Body Sect Sect was never short on funds.

Beyond perfumes, sachets, and soaps, the Body Sect Sect also ran other businesses.

They weren't unimaginably wealthy, but providing for the disciples' training needs was more than manageable.

---

"Du Siji, tell us again, how did the Saintess kick Tang San out of the arena?"

"Yeah, tell us again!"

A group of young disciples eagerly surrounded Du Siji and his companions, their eyes filled with anticipation.

Because they had lost, they had missed their chance to compete.

They hadn't even been able to attend the competition in person.

For young soul masters, the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament was a highly exhilarating event.

If they had been able to participate, even if they didn't win first place, they believed they could have secured a top ranking.

Of the 100+ youths who had fought alongside them in the past, seven or eight had already reached the Soul King level.

Gathering another full team wouldn't be an issue at all.

Even the weakest among them had reached above Level 45, achieving the rank of Soul Ancestor.

Here, those with the lowest cultivation were already considered team leader-level figures.

And these were all young men and women under the age of twenty-five!

Du Siji and his companions helplessly spread their hands, they had no choice but to retell the scene.

With over a hundred excited brothers surrounding them…

Honestly, they weren't even sure they could win in a fight anymore.

Back when everyone was weaker, they could easily overpower them, especially in a chaotic free-for-all where everyone was an "enemy."

But now? A hundred versus six in a targeted assault…

Yeah, no chance of winning.

Faced with their brothers' enthusiasm, Du Siji and the others could only recount the entire event in full detail.

This was their way of sharing the joy.

"Man, I'm so jealous. If it weren't for Siji chasing me around back then, maybe I could have gone to see the match too…"

A Level 58 Soul King sighed with disappointment.

It wasn't that he lacked strength, he just lacked luck.

The six who had emerged from the hundred-man battle were the "chosen ones".

Even though his strength was slightly higher than some of those six, he had just been unlucky.

It was like in novels, where side characters of the same age as the protagonist, sometimes even younger, were stronger than them…

Yet they weren't the chosen one. They lacked that destined fortune.

"Yeah… same here…"

Another Level 57 Soul King chimed in.

The crowd: "…"

"Now that I think about it, have you guys ever found something strange?"

Suddenly, the Level 58 Soul King spoke with a complicated expression.

"What is it?"

"Our rate of progress in cultivation."

Does effort really make a difference?

Only geniuses truly benefit from hard work.

For everyone else, the rewards of effort don't even come close to what a genius achieves.

"Our innate soul power levels are different, so theoretically, our cultivation speeds should also differ significantly."

"But despite that, our growth rates have remained… relatively balanced."

"Especially for you guys, when the sect was first founded, your levels were all roughly the same…"

The ones who had already reached Soul King level had already been stronger than the others when the sect was established.

Even as everyone advanced, they wouldn't suddenly fall behind, right?

Hearing this, the crowd was momentarily stunned, looking slightly dazed.

"If I remember correctly, you had innate soul power level nine, right?"

"That's right."

"I was only level six, not too far behind you…"

They exchanged glances in confusion.

Could this really be achieved just through effort?

Innate soul power determines cultivation speed, this was common knowledge.

If someone with level one innate power could cultivate as fast as someone with full innate power, the entire Douluo Continent would undergo a massive upheaval.

With equal cultivation talents, it would become a matter of who lived the longest and who worked the hardest.

Comparing themselves carefully, the realization sank in, something was off with their cultivation speed!

"I think it must be the Sect Master improving our talent. Only he could achieve something like this."

Even those with innate level nine soul power felt that their cultivation speed had increased.

A sect-wide boost in talent… that was terrifying.

"I agree… Only the Sect Master could have done this."

As they spoke, someone suggested going to thank Zhongli.

The crowd immediately nodded in agreement.

Being grateful members of the Body Sect Sect, that was only right.

"The Sect Master is currently in the sect. Let's go see him now."

Du Siji grinned.

Zhongli and Paimon had returned with them.

As for Chi Yu, she had gone off to "act" with Qian Renxue.

Hearing this, the group didn't hesitate.

A grand procession set off toward the sect headquarters.

This area was the back mountain of the Body Sect Sect, a place for regular training.

To meet Zhongli, they naturally had to return to the main sect hall.

Inside the Body Sect Sect's council hall, Du Bafang sat beside Zhongli in the position of acting sect master.

On his table was a cup of tea.

Suddenly, he noticed Zhongli shaking his head with a smile and was taken aback.

Did the Sect Master dislike his tea?

Impossible. His tea-making skills weren't flawless, but they were at least master-level.

Zhongli wouldn't dislike it.

That meant… Zhongli must be thinking about something else.

"Zhongli, what are you smiling about?"

"And why are you shaking your head?"

Du Bafang didn't dare to ask, but Paimon never had such reservations.

She always spoke her mind.

There was no way she wouldn't get an answer!

Zhongli calmly sipped his tea before finally looking at Paimon…