The Wise Must Know Themselves and Their Enemies

"Um... how about you reconsider?" Ning Rongrong cautiously advised.

"I've already made up my mind, girl, so don't worry! Xue Qinghe can't stir up much trouble." What Ning Fengzhi feared most was Xue Qinghe getting his hands on his family's precious cabbage.

When Xue Ye proposed that he take Xue Qinghe as his disciple,

Ning Fengzhi had been extremely hesitant at first.

So, he had sent people to investigate Xue Qinghe's personality, background, and so on.

The intelligence that came back basically indicated that Xue Qinghe was a rather benevolent Crown Prince.

However, there were also many suspicious inconsistencies.

For example, the accidental deaths of the Second Prince and Third Prince made Ning Fengzhi question whether Xue Qinghe's character truly matched his outward appearance.

That was why Ning Fengzhi had brought up the matter when Ning Rongrong asked, hoping to hear his daughter's opinion.

Ning Fengzhi was quite satisfied with Ning Rongrong's answer.

At last, he could set his mind at ease and no longer worry about Xue Qinghe poaching his daughter.

No matter what, an appropriate alliance was necessary to contend against Spirit Hall.

Nothing was more valuable than becoming an Imperial Tutor to an empire.

Xue Ye was growing increasingly frail with age and was basically incapable of having any more children. Xue Qinghe was bound to become the future ruler of the Heaven Dou Empire.

For the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, this risk was worth taking.

"Dad, it wouldn't hurt to think about taking Xue Qinghe as a disciple a little longer." Ning Fengzhi snapped out of his thoughts and looked at his daughter tugging at his sleeve, trying to persuade him not to accept Xue Qinghe as his disciple.

Ning Fengzhi waved his hand and smiled gently. "Rongrong, you haven't even met His Highness the Crown Prince once, yet you hold such a strong prejudice against him. For a wise person who oversees the bigger picture, that is a very imprudent judgment."

"You must understand that before making any decision, you should know yourself and your enemy as thoroughly as possible. No matter what kind of personality Xue Qinghe has, he will not affect the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. As long as that remains unchanged, it is enough."

Seeing Ning Fengzhi's earnest expression, Ning Rongrong nearly lost her composure.

Do you need to tell me what Xue Qinghe is really like?

If Ning Fengzhi took Xue Qinghe as his disciple, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would only have two options left.

Either stand with Spirit Hall, or stand with Shrek. They would not even qualify to remain neutral.

Qian Renxue's teacher—if you did not join Shrek,

then you were definitely with Spirit Hall. Even if you were not, you would have to be.

Neutral?

That only counted if others believed you were neutral! When the time came, there would inevitably be only one thing said:

"Spirit Hall's lapdog, you are Seeking Death."

Why had she not completely offended Clear Sky Douluo before? For example, by bringing Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo to forcibly surround and kill Tang Hao, even taking his two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones for herself.

Before coming to Notting City, Ning Rongrong had planned to tell Ning Fengzhi Xiao Wu's identity outright and reveal that Tang Hao possessed an unequipped 100,000 Year Blue Silver Emperor Soul Bone.

Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo would most likely have moved out together, perhaps even bringing a group of core members to ensure the plan succeeded.

The Upper Three Sects were bound by a shared spirit?

That was just something said for show. Anyone who believed it was a fool.

Who would not be tempted by two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones and a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring?

Especially when Tang Hao's severe injuries had yet to heal. Theoretically, the rewards far outweighed the risks.

For the greater glory of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, was taking such a tiny risk really not worth it?

Besides, how long could a gravely wounded and listless Tang Hao last?

They could wear the bastard down until he died.

In the original story, Tang Hao rescued Tang San after fighting Bibi Dong.

Tang Hao spat out a mouthful of blood when they exchanged moves. Clearly, the legendary Clear Sky Douluo did not have much endurance.

And Bibi Dong's strength was probably around Level 97 or Level 98, yet because of the Rakshasa God's divine trial, she had been unable to attack with her full strength.

By that logic, with Ning Fengzhi's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda enhancement, Level 96 Gu Rong, who was close to Level 97, together with Level 97 Chen Xin, might not have been unable to defeat Tang Hao.

More directly, they could attack Tang San to threaten Tang Hao and force him to divide his attention in battle.

Yes, it was a despicable method.

Even Ning Rongrong admitted that she was despicable!

In the end, she had still given up on the plan to kill Tang Hao.

Aside from worrying that Tang Hao might suddenly explode with power and go berserk, there was another reason. According to unreliable rumors, the Asura God stood behind Tang San.

For something like that, it was better to believe it existed than to believe it did not.

After casting aside the notion that a man could not grow rich without windfall wealth, nor a horse grow fat without night grass,

Ning Rongrong upheld the principle that the Upper Three Sects were bound by a shared spirit and that everyone should prosper together. She brought Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo to negotiate with Tang Hao—or rather, to fleece him.

Just as Ning Rongrong had expected, the deal with Tang Hao had gone rather smoothly.

But Ning Fengzhi taking Qian Renxue as his disciple gave Ning Rongrong a terrible headache. Right now, her father's face practically had the words "I must take Qian Renxue as my disciple" written all over it.

I really picked up a rock only to smash my own foot with it. Ning Rongrong could not help grumbling inwardly. She rubbed her temples with her palm, thought briefly, and prepared to make another attempt at salvaging the situation.

Before Ning Rongrong could speak, however, the conversation between Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo suddenly stopped.

A barely concealed fluctuation of Soul Power came from outside the window.

Then, two Soul Bones were tossed into the room as though they were trash. After bouncing across the floor with a few crunching clatters, they lay still on the floorboards.

"One is a Spirit-type Soul Bone, and the other is a defensive Soul Bone. Both are thirty thousand years old."

"Don't forget what you promised." After saying that, the transmitted Soul Power fluctuation rapidly weakened and vanished. Tang Hao had clearly already left.

Sword Douluo waved his hand, closing the window, then set up a soundproof barrier inside the room.

"I thought they would be two Soul Bones that had only just passed ten thousand years. I never expected them to be thirty thousand years old. Tang Hao really managed to obtain them in such a short time."

Once a Soul Bone surpassed ten thousand years, its value multiplied exponentially with every additional ten thousand years.

After briefly checking the Soul Bones' attributes and safety and confirming there were no issues, Sword Douluo said,

"Neither Soul Bone suits Old Bone or me. That smaller Spirit-type Soul Bone is gem-like and is very suitable for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. Rongrong and Feng Zhi can both absorb it."

As the wealthiest sect, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect naturally did not lack hard currency such as Soul Bones.

But most of them were only hundred-year or thousand-year Soul Bones.

Ten-thousand-year Soul Bones were rarely seen, and those that appeared were usually unsuitable.

Equipping an incompatible Soul Bone would instead hinder a Soul Master's cultivation.

That was precisely why Ning Fengzhi and the two elders had not equipped any Soul Bones.

Hundred-year and thousand-year ones were too weak to be of much use.

And they had no suitable ten-thousand-year ones.

"Rongrong, can you use this gem-like Spirit-type Soul Bone?" Ning Fengzhi asked curiously when he saw Ning Rongrong pick up the gem-like head Soul Bone.

"I can't use it." Ning Rongrong examined the Soul Bone for a while before handing it to Ning Fengzhi. She had little interest in the Illusionary Wisdom Skull.

However, the Illusionary Space skill engraved within the Soul Bone gave Ning Rongrong some ideas for a self-created Soul Skill.

The rules of Martial Souls restricted the use of True Qi, but they did not impose strong restraints on spiritual power.

"Perhaps I can give it a try..."