Martial Soul Completion, Ning Wuque's Repayment

"An idea?"

Ning Tian was puzzled, but out of her trust in Ning Wuque, she still nodded for him to continue.

Across from her, Ning Wuque had two reasons for asking Ning Tian at this moment.

First, just as he had said, he truly wanted to help Ning Tian's martial soul evolve, repaying her for investing in him without holding anything back.

Over a year ago, Ning Tian had said something like this:

"I'll pay you depending on my mood~"

It had sounded like a casual remark, but afterward, it gave Ning Wuque the feeling that a scholar would die for one who understood him.

Ten million Gold Soul Coins had merely been the most basic investment.

After that, she had lent him the expensive Soul-Nourishing Jade, regularly fed him food made from priceless heavenly treasures, recommended the sect's top chefs to make better compressed food for him, and more.

Ning Tian's help truly could be described as sparing no effort!

He had wondered before whether he was really worth Ning Tian treating him this well. What reason could she possibly have?

But... the truth was simple. Ning Tian regarded him as a good friend, an indispensable part of her life just like Wu Feng. She did not want him to suddenly die at any moment while pursuing his ideals.

That was all.

Ning Wuque was not an ungrateful wretch. Since he accepted the benefits Ning Tian brought him, once he had finished all his other matters, he would use whatever time he could squeeze out to study how to evolve the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.

Did a martial soul's evolution necessarily have to rely on immortal-grade treasures?

No, it definitely did not.

Thus, Ning Wuque found records on Tool Souls with Beast Spirit Infusion, such as the "Coiling Dragon Staff," "Black Tortoise Shield," and "Serpent Cane." From those materials, he confirmed that the evolutionary methods of Tool Souls were far from so absolute.

Using Ning Tian's status, he also borrowed some advanced books from the sect's collection, looking through information on martial souls born with innate flaws, as well as Gem Martial Souls.

In the end, combining that research with the most basic and simple evolutionary path of Beast Soul Spirits—"devouring"—he reached a conclusion:

It was not that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda necessarily needed immortal-grade treasures to complete it. They simply had not found a path that could complete it.

Perhaps the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect of ten thousand years ago had been exploring the right direction. But after that ancestor ascended, they charged onward along the wrong track and never once considered turning back!

As for the second reason...

The plot was about to begin, which also meant Ning Tian would soon head to Shrek Academy to recruit talent according to sect tradition and... find her future other half.

"Mm, I've looked through a lot of materials and compiled them into a booklet. But it's still an unfinished product that needs testing. Whether you want to try it or not..."

Taking out a small booklet he had compiled from his Storage Soul Tool, Ning Wuque handed it to Ning Tian and said:

"You don't have the authority to decide this. Your father needs to judge and approve it. I think you understand what I mean. We're friends."

"Thank you... I'll take it to my father for him to review. But let's not talk about that for now. What kind of soul ring are you planning to hunt for your Second Soul Ring? I'll ask someone to reserve it for you in advance."

A gentle smile hung on Ning Tian's face. Like a spring breeze melting ice and snow, it made Ning Wuque feel healed.

He nodded and voiced the plan he had formed long ago.

"A Dark Gold Terror Ant between seven and eight thousand years old. There are such soul beasts in the sect's Soul Hunting Forest. When the time comes, I plan to see whether I can hunt one with my own strength."

"That's amazing!"

"It's all thanks to you, Ning Tian. Without you, I couldn't have afforded those two lumps of fifty-thousand-year Top-Grade Whale Blubber. I probably would have topped out at around four thousand years."

Ning Wuque spoke honestly.

Of the ten million Gold Soul Coins, Ning Wuque had only a little over three million left. The two lumps of fifty-thousand-year Top-Grade Whale Blubber accounted for the bulk of the spending.

Each had been acquired at auction for the staggering price of more than one million Gold Soul Coins.

After all, Gold Soul Coins were not sect contributions and could not be exchanged for them. Whale Rubber of that grade could only be obtained by attending auctions through Ning Tian's information network.

Then there were all kinds of nourishing herbs, soul beast meat, and other expenses.

After being built up with millions of Gold Soul Coins, Ning Wuque's physical body alone was now comparable to that of an ordinary level thirty-six or thirty-seven Beast Soul Master!

After opening the First Gate, he was directly comparable to a level forty-one Soul Ancestor with a high-grade Beast Soul Spirit!

But... this also brought a huge problem, which was why Ning Wuque planned to challenge a seven-to-eight-thousand-year soul beast soul ring.

"Hehe, then why don't you call me Young Mistress and let me hear it~ If you praise me enough to make me happy, big sister here might help you ask around about eighty- or ninety-thousand-year Whale Rubber."

"Young Mistress! I'd brave fire and boiling water for you, Young Mistress!"

That night.

At Ning Wuque's request, Ning Tian went to her parents' residence to meet her father, Ning Fengxiao.

In the study, the tall and imposing middle-aged man stood by the window with his back to Ning Tian, posing coolly. Only after Ning Tian came to a stop a short distance behind him did he slowly turn around and say:

"What is it, Tian'er? Coming to see me so late—do you need to ask something of me? Like helping Ning Wuque find high-quality Whale Rubber and heavenly treasures for body tempering?"

"No, that's not it, Father!"

Ning Tian blushed a little. She was still young; how could she have many information channels? Her only channels were her father and her older brothers and sisters. But that was not what she had come to discuss today.

Without hesitation, she took out the small booklet Ning Wuque had given her today from her Soul Tool, handed it to her father, and said:

"Wuque gave this to me. He said it contains some of his own insights into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and wanted me to pass it to you for review.

Father, Wuque... he's always been helping me too. It's not like I've been the only one helping him!"

She deliberately emphasized that point, afraid her father might really think she had other feelings for Ning Wuque and take the initiative to separate them.

Ever since her conversation with Ning Wuque before the assessment, she had come to understand some things she should not yet have understood. On top of that, her mother had started teaching her certain matters lately...

She was truly afraid that her father would take this good friend away from her.

"Oh? I understand."

Ning Fengxiao nodded. Although his expression did not change, anticipation had already begun rising in his heart.

It seemed that... he could see hope of winning that gamble!

Tell me, what was Douluo Continent never short of?!

"This... this is!"

Opening the booklet, Ning Fengxiao looked over the clearly organized theoretical knowledge within. His initial delight abruptly turned into a drastic change of expression, followed by a mix of frustration and wild joy flashing across his face.

Snap~

Closing the booklet, Ning Fengxiao handed it back to Ning Tian. Rather than deliberately concealing his loss of composure, he slowly took a glassy, seven-colored token from his Storage Soul Tool and handed it to her along with the booklet.

"Tell Ning Wuque not to put too much pressure on himself. Whenever he has time, he can finish the rest of what's written here and give it to me. The sect will not treat him unfairly."