"Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect?" Qin Ze asked in confusion. "Senior, do you want me to join the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect?"
As far as Qin Ze knew, Du Busi had no connection to the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
Du Busi shook his head. "Why would you join them? Do you think it would be better for you to join an academy now, or temporarily attach yourself to some faction?"
Qin Ze frowned slightly, unable to understand what Du Busi meant.
Du Busi continued, "Originally, I planned to have you join the Heavenly Soul Empire, but one issue made me abandon that idea."
"Please explain, Senior," Qin Ze said respectfully.
Du Busi nodded. "Our Douluo Continent originally had only two empires: the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire. Thousands of years ago, the kingdoms and duchies within the Heaven Dou Empire rebelled and ultimately split away, forming what are now Heavenly Soul and Dou Ling. But the Heavenly Soul Empire never escaped the same crisis that once plagued Heaven Dou."
"The Royal Family's internal struggles are far too fierce. People dying without a sound is commonplace. If your strength had reached Soul Saint level, that would be one thing, but you haven't. You're just a little brat who has only just awakened your Martial Soul. In this kind of conflict, how do you think the Royal Family's opposing factions would treat you?"
"They'd secretly get rid of me," Qin Ze replied.
"Exactly." Du Busi grinned. "The reason I intend to take you to the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect is that the competition within it is relatively fair. The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda is purely a Support Type Martial Soul. The reason they have stood firm for ten thousand years is because they possess sect-protecting Soul Masters with formidable offensive power, such as Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo from ten thousand years ago. Once you display your talent within the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, they will certainly provide you with abundant cultivation resources."
"So, do you understand what I mean now?"
"I understand, Senior." Qin Ze nodded in realization. What Du Busi had told him was simple: go to the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, display his talent, gain their attention, and acquire resources for cultivation. As for joining them, once he became strong enough, who could stop him?
Qin Ze had also come to understand Du Busi's personality. Good heavens, this was outright freeloading.
Still, Qin Ze had a few thoughts of his own. If the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect stood behind him in the future, handling matters might become much easier.
Once he became powerful enough, he could even use the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's resources to establish his own faction.
With that thought, an idea immediately arose in Qin Ze's heart.
"Then when are we leaving?" Qin Ze had made up his mind to go to the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
Du Busi noticed the change in Qin Ze's gaze. He nodded slightly. "Tomorrow morning. This week happens to be when the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect recruits disciples."
"Alright!"
Above the firmament, dark clouds gradually covered the moon. The night had grown late.
The next day.
The weather was clear. White clouds drifted with the wind, while the ginkgo tree continuously shed its leaves.
Qin Ze kowtowed several times before Zhu Xiyan's grave. "Grandma, I'm leaving."
As he looked at the gravestone, determination flickered in Qin Ze's eyes. One day, he would make the name Qin Ze resound throughout the entire continent.
"Let's go. I've already placed your letter at your village chief's home." Du Busi stood behind Qin Ze.
"Alright." Qin Ze nodded, then rose to his feet.
Du Busi grabbed Qin Ze by the shoulder. "Do you want to experience what flying feels like?"
"Flying?" Qin Ze froze. In that instant, Du Busi suddenly shot into the air. Qin Ze's head spun as he was carried along, and by the time he came to his senses, he was utterly stunned. He had already reached an altitude of several hundred meters.
High in the air, Du Busi used his soul power to shield Qin Ze, so Qin Ze could not feel the howling wind rushing past him.
Qin Ze was already dumbstruck. The entirety of Maple Leaf Village below, along with the maple forest in the distance that resembled a sea of fire, entered his sight.
Within the dense forest, rivers sprawled across the land like long snakes, while the emerald leaves resembled rolling green waves.
Fields of flowers swayed in the breeze, wild beasts darted through the woods, and winding mountain paths led among rows of houses.
Beside the wheat fields stood windmills. The golden wheat gleamed, and scarecrows stood there as though gazing up at the sky.
So this was flying!
Qin Ze had once imagined what it would feel like to soar through the sky without relying on any tools, but that had only been imagination. Now, things were different. Although Du Busi was carrying him, this was real flying, and it felt fucking amazing!
He even nearly blurted out, "Wuhu!"
I'll be back. Watching the village gradually blur into the distance, Qin Ze silently vowed.
Du Busi's speed grew faster and faster. Before long, Qin Ze could no longer make out the scenery.
Within Maple Leaf Village.
A new day awakened along with the rising sun.
Inside a three-story house, Ke Lan stood on his balcony. A pot of hot tea sat beside him, steam curling above it.
His withered hand held a letter. After Ke Lan finished reading its contents, a smile appeared on his face, and he murmured softly, "The child has grown up. It's time for him to leave home."
"Village Chief! Is the Village Chief here?"
Suddenly, an urgent shout shattered the quiet. On the balcony, Ke Lan turned his head in confusion toward the small path leading to his home. A figure was rushing toward him.
Ke Lan frowned and hurried downstairs. By the time he reached the ground floor, someone had emerged from the path.
"What happened?" Ke Lan asked.
The newcomer was Zheng Long. His face was flushed, clearly showing that he had encountered something extremely exciting.
Zheng Long took a breath. "A cage appeared out of nowhere in the square. There's an Evil Soul Master inside it."
"What?" Ke Lan cried out in astonishment. He thought he had heard wrong. "Come, take me to see."
Soon, the two headed toward the square.
By the time Ke Lan arrived, the square was already packed with people.
"The Village Chief is here!" Zheng Long shouted. At his voice, everyone hurriedly made way.
Ke Lan quickly stepped forward. Once he entered the crowd, he saw the cage in the center of the square.
Inside the cage lay someone who looked like a dead pig. His limbs were twisted into grotesque angles, clearly having been broken.
This person was none other than the Evil Soul Master called Earthworm, a beast who enjoyed eating hearts.
Ke Lan took a deep breath and recalled the letter Qin Ze had given him. In it, Qin Ze said that he had left with the Soul Master who had previously saved the village. Now that this Evil Soul Master had appeared, it meant that great man had left him behind for them to deal with however they wished.
"Village Chief, how should we deal with this beast?" Zheng Long asked Ke Lan, suppressing the killing intent in his heart.
"He's yours to handle." Ke Lan glanced at the cage before stepping back.
The moment he left, the gazes of more than two hundred people all converged upon Earthworm inside the cage.
The metal tools clutched in the villagers' hands seemed to come alive at that moment.
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