How about we get engaged?

Inside Suotuo City.

Flender led several teachers in a thorough search of the city, but they found none of the anticipated "culprits."

What was more, under their crackdown, even the city's criminals had begun behaving themselves. For some time afterward, hardly any serious crimes occurred in Suotuo City.

Meanwhile, the letter he had written arrived at the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect with remarkable speed.

While Ning Rongrong was in Suotuo City, Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect Disciples had indeed been secretly following her.

But when she left the city, she had ridden in Wu Qi's carriage.

Though she had interacted with Wu Qi, it had not been for long, and the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect Disciples had not believed they would ride in the same carriage.

Only after the carriage had gone far away did the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect Disciple realize something was wrong. Coupled with the news from Flender that Ning Rongrong had gone missing, how could he dare linger? He swiftly returned to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect to report.

Inside the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.

Ning Fengzhi received Flender's letter, but it did not draw his attention. He casually tossed it aside.

He had personally arranged Ning Rongrong's itinerary, while Sword Bone Douluo knew nothing about it.

Upon learning that Ning Rongrong had gone missing, Sword Bone Douluo stormed into the sect's main hall in fury to demand an explanation from him.

Ning Fengzhi waved away the disciple who had come to report, then gave a bitter smile. "Uncle Sword, Uncle Gu, you—"

Before he could continue, Sword Douluo said in an unfriendly tone, "Fengzhi, Rongrong running away from home was entirely your doing, wasn't it? Now that Rongrong has gone missing, if anything happens to her, this old man will hold you accountable!"

Gu Rong's words were more tactful, but they too carried an undertone of reproach.

Ning Fengzhi sighed and took a letter from his robes. "Uncle Sword, Uncle Gu, this is a letter secretly sent by the Dragon Serpent Family. Once you read it, you will know where Rongrong is."

Chen Xin took the letter with suspicion.

The letter naturally contained the Dragon Serpent Family's apology to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.

Back in the Star Dou Great Forest, Chao Tianxiang had verbally threatened Ning Rongrong. If the matter could not be explained clearly, Ning Fengzhi would inevitably hold them accountable.

Upon receiving the news, Meng Shu had not dared take the matter lightly. He immediately sent the letter in the family's name.

Ning Rongrong's appearance in the Star Dou Great Forest proved that she had not gone missing.

After reading the letter, Chen Xin's expression softened somewhat, but he still had doubts. "Rongrong has been away from home for less than a month. By all reason, her strength could have risen by only one level at most, far from the point where she would need to acquire a Soul Ring. Why did she appear in a Soul Beast Forest?"

Before Ning Fengzhi could speak, Gu Rong snapped irritably, "You old sword freak, look carefully!"

The letter clearly mentioned that two others were with Ning Rongrong.

Moreover, Meng Shu had asked in the letter whether they were disciples of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.

Wu Qi's looks had already deeply captivated Meng Yiran. If the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect was willing to let him go, the Dragon Serpent Family was willing to form an alliance with them.

"The Dragon Serpent Family has quite the ambition. They even want to use us as their backers!" Gu Rong curled his lip.

Still, he had one question: who were the two people beside Ning Rongrong mentioned in the letter? They were not very old either.

Ning Fengzhi smiled as he explained, "They are two geniuses Qinghe recruited—Wu Qi and Qian Gu Changkong."

When the two had participated in Soul Battles at the Great Soul Arena, their spirit information and Soul Power Levels had been gathered by Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect Disciples.

"Azure Luan Spirit?" Chen Xin murmured.

Six years ago, he had seen Azure Luan Douluo in Heaven Dou City. Could this Wu Qi be that boy from back then?

But why had the genius taken away by Spirit Hall appeared in the Heaven Dou Empire now?

"You old sword freak, have you guessed something?" Gu Rong asked with a half-smile.

Chen Xin frowned. "If he is the boy Azure Luan Douluo took away back then, then they are pawns Spirit Hall planted at Xue Qinghe's side!"

Ning Fengzhi said indifferently, "If he really is one of Spirit Hall's people, that may not be a bad thing for us."

The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's commercial expansion overlapped with Spirit Hall's interests, and they had suffered no small amount of suppression because of it.

Azure Luan Douluo's status within Spirit Hall was not low. His disciple was surely one of Spirit Hall's core members.

If Wu Qi could mediate between them, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect would only gain more benefits.

Ning Fengzhi's stance was flexible. Whichever side offered greater benefits was the side he would lean toward.

Ever since the Clear Sky Sect had been forced into seclusion, the Upper Three Sects' so-called shared cause and mutual support—a community of interests—had long existed in name only.

Spirit Hall's influence was enormous. If the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect sided with them, they could gain protection as well as greater benefits. Why not?

Gu Rong saw through his thoughts and said with a chuckle, "Fengzhi, if Wu Qi truly is that boy from back then, he cannot be older than thirteen now."

"A Soul Elder under thirteen—throughout the history of the entire continent, such people are as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. Even Tang Chen might not have possessed such cultivation at his age. In the future, he will surely become part of Spirit Hall's core leadership."

"If his identity is confirmed, since Rongrong has taken a liking to him, why not arrange an engagement early and bind that kid to our chariot?"

Chen Xin did not object.

Ning Rongrong's birth had determined her future fate. It was already exceedingly rare for her to find someone she loved who also served the sect's interests.

Ning Fengzhi nodded with a smile. "Uncle Gu is right. It is just that my disciple will have to suffer a little."

Taking Xue Qinghe as a disciple was also driven by self-interest.

Whatever the Heaven Dou Empire could give them, Spirit Hall could provide in the future as well.

Besides, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect could always keep a foot in both camps and reap double the benefits.

Time flew by, and the sun set in the west.

Suotuo City received an unexpected visitor.

A middle-aged man with a crew cut stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the plaque above the city gate with deep emotion.

"More than ten years have passed, yet Suotuo City is still the same. I wonder how Little San has been performing in his new environment?"

"By now, he should have broken through to level thirty, shouldn't he?"

The newcomer was none other than Yu Xiaogang.

Many years ago, he and Flender had traveled here together. Back then, Flender had boldly declared that he would build the most unique soul master academy on the entire continent in Suotuo City.

Yu Xiaogang had already heard of Shrek Academy's reputation back when he was in Notting City.

Although the academy's current development had not entirely followed Flender's original plan, it was still quite commendable.

Yu Xiaogang believed that with Tang San joining them, Shrek Academy would only grow better. Moreover, it would serve as Tang San's stepping stone. After participating in the Spirit Master Competition, Tang San would become famous across the continent, and Yu Xiaogang would share in the glory.

Lost in thought, he unknowingly passed through the city gate.

The guards immediately stopped him. "Halt! Anyone without local registration must pay one Gold Soul Coin as an entry fee."

His thoughts interrupted, Yu Xiaogang flew into a rage. "Are you blind, you mutt?!"

As a soul master, he had never needed to pay an entry fee to enter a city.

How dare a mere brute block his path!

The guards did not indulge him. At a single command, a fully armed squad surrounded Yu Xiaogang.

"Suotuo City is not a place where you can run wild!"