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"Dad! Grandpa Sword!"
Seeing her family return, Ning Rongrong immediately wanted to rush over for a hug. However, she remembered she was still upset and stopped after taking half a step, turning back around.
With her arms crossed and a puffed-up expression, she looked incredibly cute.
"Haha, silly girl, how can you greet your dad with your back turned? I've brought you a gift."
Ning Fengzhi spoke warmly. There was no helping it—daughters were meant to be spoiled. Ning Fengzhi had many wives and sons, but Ning Rongrong was his only daughter. If he didn't spoil her, what else was there to do?
"A gift?! Daddy, my good daddy, let me see it!"
At the mention of a gift, Ning Rongrong couldn't hold back any longer and immediately gave in.
Ning Fengzhi truly had a knack for appeasing his daughter. This time, he had indeed made a discovery—a soul bone hidden within an unassuming stone. Moreover, it was a gemstone-type soul bone, which was extremely suitable for their Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda spirit masters.
Gemstone-type soul bones were exceedingly rare because gemstone-type soul beasts were even scarcer than those with golden bloodlines. The chances of obtaining a gemstone-type soul bone were minuscule.
Another way to obtain gemstone-type soul bones was through mining. Occasionally, certain mineral veins would produce them, though this was even rarer than drops from gemstone-type soul beasts.
As Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda spirit masters possessed exceptional appraisal skills, Ning Fengzhi had originally planned to visit the Tian Dou auction house with Sword Douluo. However, he stumbled upon this stone in a small shop.
The stone appeared ugly but was exceptionally hard. The shopkeeper thought it was a valuable piece of material and decided to keep it for auction.
Ning Fengzhi sensed something unusual about the stone and purchased it. He handed it over to Sword Douluo for inspection, as his powerful spiritual power allowed him to detect a soul bone hidden inside.
Subsequently, Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo went to one of the Seven Treasures Sect's facilities to cut the stone open. They eventually revealed a left leg bone, much to Ning Fengzhi's disappointment.
While gemstone-type soul bones were highly compatible with Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda spirit masters, the most compatible were head bones. Other parts were less useful. However, this soul bone's years were quite high, reaching the forty-thousand-year tier.
Unfortunately, Ning Fengzhi already had a left leg bone, so he decided to give this one to his daughter. He believed it would enhance her speed.
Both Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo would surely agree, and since gemstone-type soul bones were of little use to them, they would likely offer it to Rongrong to curry favor.
"Rongrong, look. Daddy has prepared a soul bone for you."
Ning Fengzhi took out a pale blue-white left leg bone. The soul bone was perfectly intact, with a strong fluctuation of spirit power. The moment it was revealed, Ning Rongrong felt an intense attraction to it.
"Daddy, how did you get such an amazing soul bone? I can feel that this soul bone is incredibly powerful, and its skill must also be extraordinary."
Ning Rongrong gazed at the soul bone. Not only did she feel an overwhelming urge to absorb it, but she also sensed that it was extraordinary.
"Hmm? Rongrong, can you perceive how powerful this soul bone is?"
Ning Fengzhi was surprised. While he could sense the immense energy of the soul bone and recognized it as a gemstone-type, he couldn't discern its abilities.
"Yes, I can feel that this soul bone is very powerful. If I absorb it, I think I'll gain a very strong skill. But enough about that—Daddy, let me show you the surprise I prepared for you!"
Ning Rongrong suddenly remembered the surprise she had for her father. She immediately released her martial soul.
"Nine layers, nine colors—the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda."
A nine layered Glazed Tile pagoda appeared in Ning Rongrong's hand. In an instant, Ning Fengzhi felt his own Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda bow in submission.
"One, two, three... eight, nine! Nine!!! The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda!!"
Ning Fengzhi's years of cultivation and self-discipline shattered. What was this? The Nine-Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda—the highest achievement of their sect—was now before him in his daughter's hands. How many years had passed?
Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo were equally shocked. Not only had Ning Rongrong's martial soul evolved into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, but her spirit power had also reached level thirty-eight. Their little princess had advanced twelve levels in just one year?
The two exchanged glances and nodded. Simultaneously, the two Super Douluos appeared beside Ning Rongrong, placing a hand on her shoulders to examine her body using spirit power.
They feared that Ning Rongrong might have consumed something that depleted her potential, damaging her innate talent. To their relief, they found her body to be in perfect condition, with physical attributes equivalent to at least a level forty-five Soul Ancestor. Her spirit power was abundant, showing no signs of wasted potential. Only then did the two elders breathe a sigh of relief.
"? Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Bone, what are you doing? Why are you putting your hands on my shoulders?"
Ning Rongrong looked puzzled, not understanding why the two elders appeared so grave.
"We were just checking our little princess's cultivation progress to ensure she hasn't harmed herself. It seems fine. Rongrong, how did you advance so quickly? Twelve levels in a year?"
Sword Douluo chuckled nervously, voicing his question. Ning Fengzhi was equally stunned. His daughter had advanced twelve levels in a single year? Was this even possible?
"That's right. This is what I wanted to tell you. When I first arrived at Shrek Academy, I realized it truly lived up to its reputation as a 'monster academy.' I was the weakest in terms of strength.
There was a food-based senior who was only two years older than me but already at the Spirit Ancestor level, and he possessed the strength of a battle spirit master.
All the seniors were incredibly strong, especially Director Li—the youngest genius spirit master, Li Luochen—who came to teach us.
He gave me a ten-thousand-year Whale Jelly. Not only did it increase my spirit power by more than one level, but it also improved my physical attributes. My third soul ring absorbed nearly two thousand years' worth of spirit power.
Later, he took me to Shrek City to train. There, I reached level thirty-two. Afterward, he gave me a golden pill called the Beautiful Silk Pill, refined from a plant called the Beautiful Silk Tulip.
After consuming it, my spirit power reached level thirty-eight, and my martial soul evolved. Moreover, Director Li's teaching methods are very rigorous. He gave us a month-long break, after which we'll prepare for the Advanced Spirit Master Tournament.
He believes we can win the championship, so once the vacation is over, he plans to start training us."
Ning Rongrong recounted everything she knew. Both the use of Whale Jelly and the existence of the immortal herb Rare Orchid Tulip left the three of them astounded.
"Oh, and Dad, Director Li gave me a letter for you."
Ning Rongrong took out a letter from her storage soul-guidance device. This letter was indeed given to her by Li Luochen, addressed only to her father. Of course, Ning Rongrong had already read it—it mostly contained details about a trade.
Ning Fengzhi opened the letter, which read:
"To Lord Ning,
Junior Li Luochen once obtained a Beautiful Silk Tulip in a peculiar place and had Elder Dugu refine it into a pill. This Beautiful Silk Tulip, an immortal herb that absorbs sunlight, moonlight, and starlight, is elegant and majestic, making it extremely suitable for the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda.
I initially intended to boost Rongrong's spirit power and strengthen her foundation. However, I never expected your daughter to evolve her martial soul. Thus, I propose a trade with Lord Ning.
Let me be clear—I have one more Beautiful Silk Pill. Lord Ning has likely been stuck at level seventy-nine for a long time, and I assume you'd be willing to pay a significant price to acquire this pill.
However, let me clarify: while this is a trade, I won't make things difficult for the Seven Treasures Sect. We'll simply exchange what we need. I require soul bones—hundred-thousand-year soul bones. The exact number can be discussed in person.
Additionally, I understand that the direct-line disciples of the Seven Treasures Sect lack offensive capabilities. Recently, I've developed something that will surely impress you—an attack-type spirit-guidance weapon. Rongrong already possesses one. You can ask her to demonstrate it. Once again, I wish to trade with Lord Ning, each party gaining what they need. Surely, Lord Ning wouldn't resort to killing and looting, would he?
Sincerely,
Li Luochen of Shrek Academy."
Ning Fengzhi stared at the letter, his expression shifting between light and shadow. Seeing that there was still one Beautiful Silk Pill remaining, he sighed in relief. His first thought had been to kill and loot.
But was Li Luochen so easy to kill? Behind him stood Poison Douluo, who had already reached level ninety-seven—stronger than Sword Douluo—and he alone could annihilate the entire Seven Treasures Sect.
Ning Fengzhi immediately dismissed the idea. It wasn't worth it. However, Li Luochen's request for hundred-thousand-year soul bones in trade made him deeply uneasy. The Seven Treasures Sect did possess many soul bones.
Most were at the thousand-year level, with some at the ten-thousand-year level. These were mostly purchased at auctions. The Seven Treasures Sect had no shortage of money, and most soul bones from the Tian Dou auction house and other major auctions were bought by them.
However, their soul bones weren't particularly high-level, with most ranging from ten to twenty thousand years. A few reached thirty thousand years, while those above fifty thousand years were reserved for Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, and himself. The sect only had one top-tier soul bone.
Trading away these accumulated treasures, built over the sect's history, was painful for Ning Fengzhi. He was reluctant to part with them.
But Li Luochen had a solution to address the safety concerns of the sect's direct-line disciples, providing them with offensive capabilities through spirit-guidance weapons. This intrigued Ning Fengzhi. He looked at his daughter, realizing she had kept something from him.
"Rongrong, the protective spirit-guidance weapon your Director Li gave you—let us see it. What kind of treasure is it?"
Ning Fengzhi asked gently.
"Alright, Daddy. This was actually the second thing I wanted to show you. Let's go outside and test it."
Ning Rongrong smiled and suddenly produced a small black object in her hand—the soul-guidance pistol, one of the items Li Luochen had sold her.
To be precise, it was a flintlock-style spirit-guidance gun with a range of several dozen meters. Its power was impressive, capable of killing a Spirit Ancestor. This was the "treasure" Li Luochen wanted Ning Fengzhi to see.
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