The shop had been turned into a general store, run by Chen Ze, who sold all kinds of odds and ends.
This was prime real estate in the city. Even ordinary goods could be sold at a hefty markup.
And since the shop had no rent to pay, Chen Ze could buy goods cheaply in the outer city, bring them back, and sell them at a high price. His earnings were substantial.
He had also left up the sign Qin Yuan had put outside the shop.
Few people came to place commissions. One young woman, however, often stopped by to ask how hers was coming along.
Qin Yuan hadn't told him what the commission was, so all Chen Ze could do was fob her off time and again.
At that moment, Chen Ze sat behind the counter and couldn't help sighing.
It was obvious the young woman was in a hurry. He couldn't keep lying to her forever.
Just then, Ning Rongrong bent down and sneaked into the shop. Catching him off guard, she covered his eyes.
"Guess who I am?" Ning Rongrong said with a grin.
"Huh? Miss Rongrong!" Chen Ze lurched, nearly falling off his chair.
When she heard it wasn't Qin Yuan's voice, Ning Rongrong immediately lost her enthusiasm and asked, "Where's your boss?"
Chen Ze rubbed his forehead helplessly. Great, another person looking for the boss.
Ning Rongrong was a major client, and the shop belonged to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. He wouldn't dare offend her.
"The boss took a commission and left two months ago. I don't know exactly where he went. He didn't say when he'd be back, and he hasn't written me a letter, either."
Ning Rongrong's shoulders slumped. Looking dejected, she walked out of the shop.
She didn't even have anyone to talk to. Life was unbearable.
Fortunately, powerful members of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect soon found her and took her back, so she didn't cause much trouble.
Qin Yuan kept moving without stopping, and five days later, he arrived in Heaven Dou City with Ye Lingling.
Heaven Dou Royal Academy was outside the city, so Qin Yuan took Ye Lingling into town to rest first, then asked what she planned to do.
"Would you rather go to Heaven Dou Royal Academy first, or go Soul Hunting?"
Ye Lingling didn't have much money. Fortunately, Qin Yuan said he was only helping out along the way, and Dugu Yan had already paid him. He only charged Ye Lingling a few Gold Soul Coins as a token fee.
Right now, she did want to see Dugu Yan. But once she entered the academy, it might not be easy to leave again. Besides, the admission requirement for an Advanced Soul Master Academy was at least twenty-one levels of Soul Power.
If she completed her Soul Hunting first, she could stay in the academy long-term without worrying about her safety.
Of course, wasn't this also a sign of trust?
With Ye Lingling's talent, plenty of teachers would be willing to help her with Soul Hunting once she joined the academy. Yet she had specifically sought out Qin Yuan because she trusted his character.
"Teacher Qin, I'd like to go Soul Hunting first," Ye Lingling said seriously.
Qin Yuan waved his hand and smiled. "I'm not a teacher. I only took a job at the academy to make things easier while I was working for Dugu Yan. You don't have to call me that. Just call me big brother."
Ye Lingling shook her head and didn't respond.
She hadn't known Qin Yuan for long, but on the journey, he had talked with her at length about theories of the Soul Master World.
Qin Yuan might not be a teacher at the academy, but in Ye Lingling's heart, he would always be her teacher.
By the time they had rested for an hour, it was already afternoon. Fortunately, most of Ye Lingling's target Spirit Beasts were Plant-type Soul Beasts with healing abilities. Plant-type Soul Beasts couldn't leave the places where they were born, which made them relatively easy to hunt. They also didn't have to waste time searching for them.
The two headed into Sunset Forest as quickly as they could.
Meanwhile.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had plenty of informants in the city. Ning Rongrong had asked them to keep an eye on Qin Yuan's movements, and she soon got the news.
By evening, class was over. Ning Rongrong looked dejected. "When will this ever end?"
The teachers' lessons were so dull and rigid, and she had to deal with all kinds of examinations. At such a young age, she was carrying burdens she shouldn't have had to bear.
Of course, there was no way around it.
To wear the crown, one must bear its weight.
If she wanted to become the future head of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, these studies were something Ning Rongrong had to complete.
If she slacked off, her lessons would pile up, and she would only have even more to do later.
Just then, a disciple of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect came to tell her where Qin Yuan was.
"He's back?" Ning Rongrong's face lit up with delight, and all her unhappiness vanished.
"But, miss, the sect master won't let you sneak out on your own," the disciple hurriedly reminded her.
Ning Rongrong's eyes darted about. "What do you mean, sneak out? Rongrong is simply going to the night market with her clansmen."
As she spoke, Ning Fengzhi walked over. "Rongrong, it's getting late. Don't do anything reckless."
"There's no market tonight, and you're not going anywhere. If you want to go out, wait until tomorrow morning."
Ning Rongrong was reluctant, but she didn't dare go against Ning Fengzhi.
Her shoulders drooped, and she had no choice but to go back to her room early.
Ning Fengzhi was troubled by Ning Rongrong's situation, too.
He had hired plenty of teachers to teach Ning Rongrong about Soul Masters. Some were teachers from Heaven Dou Royal Academy, while others were scholars from the royal family.
But what was the result? Ning Rongrong not only refused to pay attention in class, she had also developed an antagonistic attitude toward her teachers.
With an ordinary student, a teacher might have been able to discipline them physically. But Ning Rongrong was the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Who would dare lay a hand on her?
Ning Fengzhi understood that if things continued this way and Ning Rongrong fell behind in her studies, then once she came of age, she would inevitably have to take time away from cultivation during her golden years to make up for what she had missed. That would slow her progress.
One thing affected everything else!
If someone could guide Ning Rongrong onto the right path in her studies, Ning Fengzhi would be willing to pay any price.
"Ning Wu, what did you just say to Rongrong?" Ning Fengzhi asked.
For any capable leader, remembering every disciple's name was essential.
Calling disciples by name and knowing about their families gave them a stronger sense of belonging.
Ning Wu didn't dare hide anything. He told Ning Fengzhi all about Ning Rongrong's thoughts.
"Qin Yuan—the captain of the Golden Saber Squad?" Ning Fengzhi asked.
After Ning Wu confirmed it, the doubts in Ning Fengzhi's mind only deepened. "Rongrong has only met him once. Why is she actively looking for him? And has he ever approached Rongrong?"
Ning Wu hurriedly replied, "Sect master, Qin Yuan left Heaven Dou City two months ago. It's always been Miss Rongrong looking for him. He hasn't gone looking for her."
Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. "Sect master, could it be that miss doesn't have any friends? Qin Yuan may come from humble beginnings, but he has a certain pride about him. He won't bow or scrape."
"Perhaps miss feels that when she's with him, she can forget who she is and the burdens she carries."
Ning Fengzhi was about to argue, but the words died on his lips.
That was true. He had protected Ning Rongrong too well from the time she was little. The guards he assigned to her would talk with her, but the master-servant relationship between them was too pronounced.
Everyone always did exactly as Ning Rongrong wished. In time, that could only make her lose interest.
Though Ning Wu's suggestion had been unpleasant to hear, it could add a touch of color to her life.
Ning Fengzhi sighed. "Give Rongrong a day off tomorrow. Then go find Qin Yuan and ask him to guide her onto the right path. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will reward him well."
Before you continue