This Thing Is Called Qian Renxue!

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

Ning Rongrong spent most of her time working through the process of Ring Condensation.

Before the Clear Sky Douluo arrived to deliver the Soul Bones, she had finally resolved most of her current issues.

Looking at the three purple Soul Rings quietly floating above the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, Ning Rongrong revealed a satisfied smile.

"I've basically sorted out the structure of Thousand Year Soul Rings. As for Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings, I'll probably have to wait until all twelve Meridians have been nourished to perfection—or until I reach Acquired Realm Major Completion—before considering them."

During this time, Ning Rongrong had roughly figured out the connection between Soul Rings and Martial Souls.

If a Martial Soul was compared to a weapon used by a game character, then Soul Rings were gems embedded into that weapon. The strength of a Soul Ring counted as the gem's attribute bonus, while Soul Skills were the special abilities possessed by the gem.

As a special gem-type Martial Soul, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda possessed Soul Skills of its own.

After absorbing a Soul Ring, it replaced the Soul Beast's Soul Skill with the Martial Soul's inherent skill. As a result, when the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda absorbed Soul Rings, there was no need to care about the type of Soul Beast.

This led to the following outcome.

Ordinary Spirit Masters could only grind maps, grind Soul Ring years, and grind Soul Ring skills.

Spirit Masters with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda only needed to grind Soul Ring years.

Transformed Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts used the Soul Power contained within their bodies, which they could not yet use at their current stage, to create Soul Rings suited to their own Martial Souls. Once created, those Soul Rings usually could not be altered.

Ning Rongrong, however, had taken a different path. Borrowing the malleability of True Qi, she turned the Soul Rings she constructed into blank Soul Rings. Without True Qi infused into them, the rings were transparent and completely invisible.

When the infused energy reached ten years, one hundred years, or one thousand years, the Soul Rings would change accordingly.

This True Qi would not normally remain within the Soul Rings. It would return to Ning Rongrong's body.

The idea was that they would only appear when needed.

The limit of Soul Power a blank Soul Ring could contain was related to factors such as physical strength and spiritual strength.

As her strength increased, the blank Soul Rings would likely be able to hold up to 9,999 years of Soul Power.

Next, she would need to reforge all her Soul Rings so that they could reach ten thousand years.

"There's no need to rush the condensation of Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings. There's still plenty of time before the War of the Two Gods."

"Speaking of time, Tang Hao should be arriving soon." Ning Rongrong could not help looking out the window. As a sect wealthy enough to rival a nation, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect naturally stayed in the best hotel accommodations even when traveling.

From here, she could overlook the most prosperous district of Notting City. Compared to the bustle of the Heaven Dou Empire's capital, this place was like a small village.

Then again, what nation's capital was not prosperous?

"One Ten Thousand Year spiritual-type Soul Bone, plus another Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone."

"With the abilities of a Titled Douluo, obtaining them shouldn't be difficult." After letting the cool breeze clear her head a little, Ning Rongrong closed the window.

She pushed open her room's door and headed into the adjoining chamber.

"Dad, Sword Grandfather, I'm coming in!" Ning Rongrong knocked hard on the door. After receiving a response, she pushed it open and walked inside at an unhurried pace.

The moment she entered, she heard the two discussing something.

And she heard the name "Xue Qinghe."

Come to think of it, once the Notting City incident was over, they would be heading to the Heaven Dou Empire's capital.

Whether it was Tang San or Qian Renxue disguised as Xue Qinghe,

Ning Rongrong did not want to get too close to either of them. As a Support Spirit Master, she was naturally insecure.

It seemed unlikely that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect could stay out of this. Perhaps, in the near future, it would have to make a choice as well.

Ning Rongrong walked over to Ning Fengzhi and asked, "Dad, are you discussing Crown Prince Xue Qinghe?"

"That's right, His Highness the Crown Prince. There's no avoiding it." Ning Fengzhi sighed.

"You don't seem very willing to become His Highness the Crown Prince's teacher." A puzzled expression appeared on Ning Rongrong's face.

In the original story, Ning Fengzhi had been Xue Qinghe's teacher, but the exact reason was completely unclear.

"It was the Crown Prince's own wish. We've made rather significant moves recently."

Over the past few years, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had gathered a great quantity of medicinal herbs. Without the Royal Family's convenience, it would not have been so easy to collect them. They still had to give Xue Ye some face.

Xue Qinghe wished to become Ning Fengzhi's disciple.

A dignified imperial crown prince, the future emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire, wanted to become the disciple of the sect master of a support sect. What was this supposed to mean?

Even if he wanted to win over the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, there was no need to go this far!

Or had the Heaven Dou Empire decayed to such an appalling extent that it had no choice but to seek outside aid?

Everything about accepting Xue Qinghe as a disciple felt strange.

"Can you turn down taking him as a disciple?" Ning Rongrong asked tentatively.

"It'll be difficult." Before Ning Fengzhi could answer, Sword Douluo shook his head. "Your father discussed it with Xue Ye before, and we've also received many conveniences over the years. When you've benefited from an exchange of interests, it's hard to refuse."

"I see... so that's how it is." Ning Rongrong sighed.

Sure enough, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had the makings of a fence-sitter.

If the Star Dou Great Forest and Shrek Academy were added in, it would make for a perfect three-way fence-sitter.

"Rongrong, what do you think of His Highness the Crown Prince?" Ning Fengzhi could hear Ning Rongrong's dislike of Xue Qinghe in her tone.

"Either gentle and refined, or ruthless and merciless."

"Oh? Why do you see him that way?" Ning Fengzhi asked again.

"Xue Qinghe wasn't the best candidate for crown prince, yet the Second Prince and Third Prince, who competed with him for the position, died under rather suspicious circumstances. As for the Fourth Prince, Xue Beng, he gives people the impression that he's avoiding Xue Qinghe."

"I see." Ning Fengzhi's eyelids twitched slightly. After pondering for a long while, he stood up.

"Sword Elder, after hearing Rongrong's words, I've decided to accept Xue Qinghe as my disciple."

Sword Douluo: "..."

Ning Rongrong: "?"

What the hell?

Ning Fengzhi, did your brain short-circuit?

When did I say you should accept Xue Qinghe as your disciple? Can't you see I've been rejecting the idea the entire time?

Seeing the confused expressions on Sword Douluo's and Ning Rongrong's faces, Ning Fengzhi explained:

"Xue Ye is old. The Heaven Dou Empire needs a strong ruler. If Xue Qinghe truly has the methods Rongrong described, then the Heaven Dou Empire will certainly enter an age of prosperity."

"Feng Zhi! A strong Heaven Dou Empire may not necessarily be friendly toward the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect." Sword Douluo could not help saying.

"No. Spirit Hall's influence is growing larger and larger, and I feel deeply uneasy about it. The stronger the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire are now, the better."

"Only then can the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect profit amid the flames when a crisis comes." Ning Fengzhi said, "No matter what kind of person Xue Qinghe is—whether he is Goodness or whether he has methods—before the threat of Spirit Hall disappears, he will not do something as foolish as killing the goose that lays the golden eggs."

"What truly made me decide was Rongrong's attitude toward Xue Qinghe." A smile appeared on Ning Fengzhi's face. "Even if Xue Qinghe is ruthless and merciless, I needn't worry about Rongrong being deceived by him."

Ning Rongrong: "..."

What kind of bizarre train of thought was that?

So you were hesitating over whether to accept Xue Qinghe as your disciple because you were worried I'd be fooled by him?

Heavens, could this really be so absurd?

Damn it, if I'd known, I wouldn't have said anything.

The real Xue Qinghe's ashes probably don't even have a burial place anymore. The thing you're planning to accept is called Qian Renxue.

Ruthless and merciless, and a love-struck fool to boot!