A Thousand-Year Fox Pretending to Be a Ghost

"What a talent!"

Although Sword Douluo is older, he is focused on cultivation and is not completely ignorant of human relationships, but he is not as insightful as Ning Fengzhi.

When Zhou Qing politely replied to Sword Douluo, Ning Fengzhi had already noticed the same cunning in the young man's eyes as his own...

The light of wisdom.

Moreover, it seems that this kid never intended to have much contact with their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect in the first place—his current behavior of wanting to avoid them without hesitation is the best proof of that.

Playing hard to get?

Ning Fengzhi, however, felt that this was unlikely.

Because it's pointless!

After all, this cunning... clever boy should also know that if he wants to truly catch the eye of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, he must demonstrate genuine ability or reveal corresponding potential.

Those who only know how to talk a good game will be despised in a sect where strength is paramount, and at best will only be a laughingstock.

"Stop!"

Sword Douluo called out to Zhou Qing, "Since you're Rongrong's new friend, why don't you come have lunch with us? It's lunchtime."

"Isn't this inappropriate?" Zhou Qing scratched his cheek, expressing his unwillingness to bother the other person.

"Not giving me face?"

"Then I shall accept it without hesitation."

Zhou Qing noticed that Sword Douluo's gaze had become much sharper, to the point that his skin trembled slightly and he felt a Sisi pain. He immediately followed the choice that was most honest in his heart, stood tall and walked up to the two of them, like a rooster pretending to be a phoenix.

Ning Fengzhi was speechless.

That kid really knows how to seize the moment!

Inside the private room.

At the dinner table.

Looking at the delicious food, Zhou Qing ignored the strange looks from Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo and ate heartily, his mouth greasy with oil.

Seeing Zhou Qing's rather hearty eating manner, gnawing on a pig's trotter while trying his best to avoid spilling juices and soup on the table, and seeing that her father and Grandpa Jian didn't seem to mind, Ning Rongrong also put down her knife and fork, picked up her chopsticks, stabbed a pig's trotter into her hand, and started gnawing on it, just like Zhou Qing.

[Sure enough, eating like this is much more enjoyable!]

Seeing Ning Rongrong like this, Ning Fengzhi's eye twitched.

Although most of the disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect did not have real noble titles, Rongrong, as his daughter, also began to learn the corresponding noble etiquette from a young age so that she could come into contact with the powerful and noble children of the Heaven Dou Empire in the future.

Not to mention, he is now Xue Qinghe's teacher. His son and daughter will definitely need to contact Xue Qinghe in the future. If they don't know the proper etiquette, it will be his responsibility as a father!

but--

Seeing Rongrong eating heartily with a big smile on her face, Ning Fengzhi suddenly had the thought that "as long as my daughter is happy, that's all that matters."

As for Sword Douluo?

He always doted on Ning Rongrong and didn't care about her eating manners at all, only reminding her to eat slowly so she wouldn't choke.

"Little friend, are you full?" Ning Fengzhi didn't want to disturb Ning Rongrong's "outrageousness" at this time, so he could only start with Zhou Qing.

"It's alright, I'm about 70% full."

Zhou Qing put down the pig's trotter bone in his hand and said this.

Ning Fengzhi glanced at the empty dining table and Zhou Qing's round belly, and joked, "Shall I order another table? I just hope you won't waste any food."

"Seven-tenths full is enough!" Zhou Qing said without changing his expression. "As a Soul Master, eating too much is not a good thing. You need to focus on cultivation!"

"Heh!" Sword Douluo chuckled. "You're quite the expert. How old are you? What's your Martial Soul? What's your Soul Power level? How many hundred years First Spirit Ring?"

Zhou Qing was taken aback, feeling that this series of questions was like the bride's family wanting to find out about the groom's material conditions when discussing marriage. But she still told the truth, "I hope Sect Master Ning Sword Douluo know that I have lived for six years, my Martial Soul is my heart, and my Soul Power is level sixteen."

As for the issue of Soul Ring, it was left unsaid.

Sword Douluo and Ning Fengzhi a glance, both able to see the surprise in each other's eyes.

Six years old!

Level 16!

Such strength already surpasses that of the geniuses within the Upper Three Sects!

The fact that their Martial Soul was their heart puzzled them somewhat.

To be honest, the heart is indeed very important, but it's not really clear what role it can play after becoming Martial Soul.

The only known information about the Heart Martial Soul so far comes from the "Friendly Tournament" in Nuoding City, where a boy named Zhou Qing displayed formidable close-combat talent, possessing great strength, stamina, and even extremely high attack power...

"Wait, your name isn't Qing Zhou, it's Zhou Qing, right?"

Ning Fengzhi stared directly at Zhou Qing.

"What? You actually lied to me!" Ning Rongrong furious when she heard that Zhou Qing had lied to her and called her "Qing Zhou". She threw the pig's trotter in her hand at him.

Zhou Qing hurriedly reached out to grab the pig's trotter and put it back on Ning Rongrong's plate. He said in a serious tone, "If you like, you can call me Qing Zhou. I don't mind."

"Snort!"

Ning Rongrong snorted and was about to say something else—

"Rongrong!"

Ning Fengzhi's tone turned serious as he stopped her, then said to Zhou Qing, "So, you're the Zhou Qing who won the championship at the Nuoding City Friendly Tournament?"

"This is not a championship for one person, but a glory for the entire team!"

Zhou Qing dared not take credit. If it were only Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Romantina, without the cooperation of Wang Sheng, Qingzhu Zhu, and Mo Hen, it would not have been so easy to win the championship!

"It really is you." Ning Fengzhi smiled and said with emotion, "You are truly a young prodigy. Not only do Innate Full Soul Power, but you are also extremely cautious in your actions. I can already foresee the scene of you and your companions showing off your skills in the Continental Elite Tournament in the future."

With talent like Zhou Qing's, even if he came from a commoner background and had no connections or influence, Ning Fengzhi was certain that he would be exceptionally admitted to various Advanced Academy in the future.

Even if all else fails, there is a Advanced Academy within Heaven Dou City that only admits children from commoner families...

but--

"I would like to invite you and your friends to join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

[Here you are...]

Faced with Ning Fengzhi's almost unquestionable tone, Zhou Qing calmed down. He picked up a napkin from the table, wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth, and slowly got up from his chair. He didn't care at all that the Soul Power that Sword Douluo was pressing down on him was getting heavier and heavier. He shook his body, making cracking sounds, as if he was loosening his muscles and bones.

He first bowed to Ning Fengzhi, as if to submit, but the words he uttered were—

Thank you for inviting me to dine with you.

"But."

"You think you can recruit me into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect School with just one meal? That's too cheap for me."

Sword Douluo's eyes were solemn as he signaled to Ning Fengzhi that he had already increased the pressure of his Soul Power on Zhou Qing to Level 30 or higher, and was still increasing it. Yet, Zhou Qing was still able to resist this pressure and stand up straight!