Chapter 139: 156. The Asam Song
On Douluo Continent, the Seven Treasure Ning family, the Blue Electric Tyrannosaurus Jade family, the Haotian Tang family, and the Angel Qian family are unquestionably the Brahmin class. They stand proudly above the nation, transcendent and aloof. One sect alone can support an empire and challenge that empire's authority.
Below them are the nobles who control fiefdoms and wealth. Their martial souls are inferior to those of the super sect powers but sufficient to maintain their status and identity. They are the Kshatriya class of Douluo Continent. The Tiandou Xue family is a typical Kshatriya class. Their inherited Swan Martial Soul is not powerful, but they could ascend to the emperor's throne because the Kshatriya lords of Tiandou required a weak monarch to balance the interests of all parties.
Below them, because the Martial Soul Hall awakens martial souls, there will always be a small portion of the general public who awaken martial souls. Once they possess a martial soul, their fate changes. Some with exceptional talent rise in class, establish family sects, or join empires to receive titles, becoming new Brahmins or Kshatriyas. Ma Hongjun and Oscar rose up from the lowest plebeians to Brahmins. But more soul masters of humble origins became the Vaishya class, working as members of hunting squads or in business.
Below that are those who awakened martial souls but have useless martial souls, only able to engage in agriculture and handicrafts — the Shudra class. This group accounts for 99% of the continent's population, colloquially called "mud legs."
Even further below are the slave class and the untouchables.
From this viewpoint on Douyi World, it can be summarized simply: the Martial Soul Hall has united the largest Vaishya class on Douluo Continent, attempting to conquer all forces and establish a Martial Soul Hall–dominated centralized power. The Martial Soul Hall's ambition was defeated by the Brahmin (top three sects) and Kshatriya (two great empires) classes led by Tang San. Tang San restored order and preserved the continent's long-standing balance. With the Martial Soul Hall's downfall, Brahmins remained aloof, Kshatriyas held fiefdoms and wealth, Shudras stayed Shudras, and untouchables remained untouchables, but the Vaishyas declined.
Thus was born the famous "Asam Song":
Tang San's spirit, mysteriously manifested, with a thousand heads, thousand eyes, and a thousand feet; encompassing the earth, spanning four dimensions; standing erect, beyond ten fingers; only Tang San, the one above all, belonging to both past and future; only Tang San, the undying lord, enjoying sacrifice and transcending the worldly.
From Tang San's mouth grew Brahmin (Tang Hao, Ah Yin, Tang Wutong, Tang Wulin), his arms producing Kshatriya (Haotian Sect, Shrek, Tang Sect directly under Tang San), his legs producing Vaishya (two great empires and sect forces of Douluo Continent), and his feet producing Shudra (followers awakened by lords and nobles who joined as soul masters). Tang San's feet also trample upon a group of untouchables (mud legs).
Ahem, drifting off-topic, our protagonist, Luo Xingqi, is of Vaishya descent for generations!
A century ago, under the Martial Soul Hall's awakening, Luo Xingqi's ancestors awakened the Zodiac Cat martial soul.
This martial soul had little combat power but a unique characteristic—attracting wealth, like the Seven Treasure Exquisite Pagoda, perfect for business.
Thus, their family started in trade and gradually grew, running enterprises between the two great empires.
Until their wealth caught the eye of the Seven Treasure Glazed Pavilion Sect.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Pavilion sought to buy their business cheaply; the Luo family head could not give away the family's century-old foundation, so he refused.
However, despite their wealth, the Luo family was just a small fish compared to the giant Seven Treasure Glazed Pavilion. Through a small maneuver, the Glazed Pavilion quickly dismantled the Luo family's foundation, bought it at a low price, and the Luo parents incurred massive debts to the Glazed Pavilion. To repay the loans, they turned to high-interest lenders, who drove them to despair, and eventually both parents committed suicide.
Death did not erase the debts. Young Luo Xingqi became collateral for the debt, mortgaged as a slave in the Tiandou royal auction, becoming a slave.
Fate, however, was strange. Losing freedom, Luo Xingqi met the benevolent and righteous Ning Fengzhi, who kindly bought her, gave her some money, and set her free.
Little Luo Xingqi did not enjoy freedom long before being caught by the slave-hunting team, leading to the earlier scene.
"Can you grant me the power to change everything?"
"Of course, will you join us?"
"I'm willing."
"Welcome to join Spark."
Why did Ning Fengzhi invite Huo Qiqiang to Seven Treasure Glazed Pavilion? Nothing special, just to exchange relations, strengthen the bilateral alliance, and firmly maintain an unbreakable bond.
Ning Fengzhi even brought out three arrows, saying, "Lord Huo, your main sect, our Seven Treasure Sect, and the Blue Electric Tyrannosaurus Sect are like these three arrows." He snapped one arrow in half, saying, "A single arrow is easy to break."
Finally, he placed the three arrows together and bent them; this time, the three arrows could not be broken. He said, "Only with these three arrows together are they hard to break."
"The Martial Soul Hall has the power to suppress all. If our three sects act individually, we can be defeated one by one by the Martial Soul Hall. Only united can we confront the growing threat of the Martial Soul Hall and achieve the strategic balance on Douluo Continent."
"Master Ning's insight is profound. I, Lord Huo, am not as capable. Indeed, our three sects must unite, bonded by shared blood. But…" Huo Qiqiang timely raised a small difficulty his own sect faced, hinting Ning Fengzhi for generosity.
Ning Fengzhi was magnanimous; his sect would give whatever his original sect needed.
So Huo Qiqiang accepted the small local specialty from Seven Treasure Glazed Pavilion and returned to his own sect.
Thus ended the visit to Seven Treasure Glazed Pavilion.
"Master, why are you sending money again?" asked Gu Rong, puzzled.
Ning Fengzhi adjusted his glasses, a gleam of wisdom in his eyes: "Uncle Gu, our Seven Treasure Glazed Pavilion has never lacked money. Spending money can maintain good relations with the original sect, establish a nexus of interests, and form bonds of shared blood. What could be better?"
Gu Rong and Chen Xin: "..."
(END CHAPTER)
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