The Sword Chain suspended in midair fell with the momentum, firmly pinning him to the ground.
"This thing's pretty sturdy." Sword Douluo tried to shatter the chains with his Seven Kill Sword, but it only produced a few sparks.
Nan Xuan watched Sword Douluo with a wicked grin, thinking, If I hit him with a Saint Emperor Judgment right now, would he be finished?
Under Nan Xuan's malicious gaze, goosebumps rose all over Sword Douluo's body.
"Hey, hurry up and release me. We've tested the sword techniques enough already, so quit dragging this out." Sword Douluo urged Nan Xuan, feeling extremely unsafe under that stare.
Nan Xuan smiled and waved his hand, turning all the chains into points of light that vanished from the area.
Sword Douluo brushed the dust off himself, straightened his clothes, and walked toward Ning Fengzhi.
"Uncle Sword, is that guy the one from the Network World?" Ning Fengzhi asked in disbelief.
Nan Xuan's standing in his eyes had risen several levels. From gambling stone master, to Title Douluo, and finally God of the Network—he had gone numb. This world seemed rather unfriendly toward him.
Sword Douluo nodded, indicating that Nan Xuan was indeed the person Ning Fengzhi had in mind.
Bone Douluo was preparing to use spatial travel. He knew no one on his side was a match for Nan Xuan anymore. If the other side wanted to make a move, they could only run if they could.
"Don't be nervous, everyone. I said I came for two reasons: first, to ask for guidance on sword techniques; second, to discuss something." Nan Xuan flew down, walked over to them, and said with a smile.
"What is there to discuss? You probably don't need my help anymore, do you?" Ning Fengzhi said with some displeasure.
"Seven treasures becoming nine treasures. Are you sure you don't want to hear about that?" Nan Xuan sneered.
"What? You really have a way?" Ning Fengzhi grabbed Nan Xuan's shoulders with both hands and asked excitedly, completely losing the bearing of a sect master.
"Of course. I'm sure you've already guessed my identity. I'm not one for airs, and Sword Douluo should have felt that just now. Since I said it, naturally I have a way to do it." Nan Xuan looked leisurely at the people before him.
"Then let's go into the main hall and discuss it in detail." Ning Fengzhi said excitedly.
"Senior Bone Douluo, I'm also a level ninety-five Title Douluo. My martial soul is the Soul-Eater Spear. I would like to experience the elegance of the greatest defensive Douluo in the world. Would you honor me with a match?" Chen Gao asked Bone Douluo with a smile, rubbing his fists together.
"I haven't heard of that martial soul before. In that case, let's have a fight. We aren't taking part in their conversation anyway." Gu Rong replied casually.
After realizing that Chen Gao bore no ill intent, Bone Douluo agreed to his request. Ning Fengzhi no longer needed his protection; more importantly, they could not defeat the others. If they wanted to keep them here, it would be effortless.
Seeing this, the Yang Fei brothers did not go to the main hall either. Instead, they stayed behind to watch Chen Gao and Gu Rong fight. When they had the chance, they wanted to challenge them as well.
Ning Fengzhi led Nan Xuan toward the main hall. He was deeply interested in this matter that could resolve the flaw in his martial soul that had troubled him his entire life.
Inside the main hall.
"Mr. Nan Xuan, what exactly is the solution you mentioned?" Ning Fengzhi did not address him as Your Majesty or God. He felt that calling him Mister would make them seem a little closer.
Nan Xuan unhurriedly took out the Aromatic Silk Beauty.
"This is... an herb?" Sword Douluo asked in surprise as he looked at the flower-like plant.
"That's right. This is the method to make up for the flaw in your martial souls." Nan Xuan answered calmly.
"Mr. Nan Xuan, this won't damage our foundation or anything, will it?" Ning Fengzhi was a sect master after all, and he had heard certain rumors.
"If it were truly harmful, I wouldn't give it to you." Nan Xuan looked into his eyes and answered with certainty.
"Then what do we need to pay?" Ning Fengzhi would not naively believe that Nan Xuan would give away such a great opportunity for free.
Nan Xuan smiled faintly without rushing to explain the price.
Nan Xuan quietly watched the two men across from him. After a long while, he finally said, "I suggest giving this Immortal Herb to a talented junior. If Sect Master Ning takes it now, I'm afraid the effects will not be obvious."
Hearing Nan Xuan say this, Ning Fengzhi felt no disappointment. He had never intended to use it himself anyway.
He truly wanted to become someone who had broken through level eighty, but his Innate Soul Power had gradually failed to keep up later on.
"I plan to give it to my youngest daughter. She just awakened her martial soul this year, and her Innate Soul Power is level nine." When Ning Fengzhi spoke of his daughter, Ning Rongrong, his eyes were filled with pride.
"That works. She truly is the most suitable person for this Aromatic Silk Beauty." Nan Xuan replied softly.
After pondering for a moment, Nan Xuan smiled and said, "Since the candidate has been decided, I'll tell you what you need to pay."
"I want your daughter to work at my company after she turns twelve. Also, your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect must provide me with certain materials in the future and establish a cooperative relationship with me."
Nan Xuan had considered this request for a long time. He did not want to give away an Immortal Herb for free, but neither did he want to give up a future god. He would not comment much on Ning Rongrong's personality, because he would be meeting that little demoness soon enough.
He did not mind lending a hand to a god who could be shaped.
He did not care about people with outstanding talent. What he cared about were people who were valuable to him and had passable character.
As for the cooperation, he already knew that Qian Renxue had not gone to the Heaven Dou Empire to become crown prince. If things followed the normal course, the current crown prince, Xue Qinghe, was still fighting his brothers. Without Ning Fengzhi's involvement, he believed their country would collapse into chaos on its own.
"What is a company?" Ning Fengzhi did not understand the term. If it was too excessive, he would choose something else instead. As for the later cooperation, he would not refuse it.
"It's a place similar to a merchant association. Don't worry, she won't suffer any harm." Nan Xuan knew Ning Fengzhi doted on his daughter, so he had no intention of playing any tricks.
"Then I agree." Ning Fengzhi's thinking was not so outdated. Since Nan Xuan had given his word, he believed that a god would not make things difficult for a child.
"Now that the matter of the Immortal Herb is settled, shouldn't we discuss the promise you lost to me in that gambling stone match more than ten years ago?" Nan Xuan said with a narrowed smile.
Ning Fengzhi had been cheerful one second ago, but the next, he looked at Nan Xuan with a face full of dark lines.
"How do you still remember that?" Ning Fengzhi said, looking utterly dead inside.
"Abandon all political cooperation with the Heaven Dou Empire." Nan Xuan ignored Ning Fengzhi's complaints. He had not come here just to show off.
"Impossible." The moment Ning Fengzhi heard Nan Xuan's words, he rejected them outright.
Chen Xin, Sword Douluo, beside him also looked at Nan Xuan with some anger. This request was indeed excessive.
"Mr. Nan Xuan, I'm afraid I cannot agree to that request." Ning Fengzhi replied with an ugly expression.
His Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect existed to maintain the tripartite balance on Douluo Continent. Among the current Star Luo Empire, Spirit Hall, and Heaven Dou Empire, the Heaven Dou faction he supported was the weakest.
As the second-ranked of the world's seven great sects, aside from Spirit Hall and the Star Luo Empire, he held the greatest influence. Yet as a sect, his decision to support the Heaven Dou Empire was meant to shed its public identity and make the Heaven Dou Empire the third major power with a voice.
If they withdrew from Heaven Dou at this time, he would be completely unable to withstand the pressure from the various imperial factions.
"I can make Spirit Hall stop targeting you, but the one you support must be me instead." Nan Xuan looked calmly at the two men and explained what he could do.
"Wouldn't that just mean changing investment targets? Why would we take such a risk?" Ning Fengzhi would not be swayed by a single sentence like that.
"I can help Sword Douluo break through to level ninety-seven." Nan Xuan took a sip of tea and spoke steadily.
"What? You can't joke about something like that. Do you know how difficult that is?" Ning Fengzhi could not understand Nan Xuan's intentions. Such words were far too exaggerated.
Sword Douluo said nothing from the side, but he clearly also believed those words were false.
"If I can call myself a god, then surely I have something special about me, don't I?" Nan Xuan asked the two men, meeting their eyes as he watched their reactions.
"This isn't something from a fallen soul master, is it?" Sword Douluo asked with a trace of mockery.
"Not at all. If I can help your Soul Power Level break through normally to level ninety-seven, what will you choose?" Nan Xuan looked at Ning Fengzhi, because he was the sect master.
Ning Fengzhi pondered, then turned to look at Sword Douluo.
The moment he looked at Sword Douluo, Nan Xuan knew he had already made his choice.
"Mr. Nan Xuan, if you can accomplish what you said, our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is willing to abandon the Heaven Dou Empire and support you instead." Ning Fengzhi looked at Nan Xuan and spoke sincerely.
"Fine. Since you've agreed, let's begin. I trust Sect Master Ning will not break his word." Nan Xuan sneered.
"Of course not." Ning Fengzhi felt that the man before him had underestimated him by actually doubting his character.
Nan Xuan did not continue wasting words. He stretched out his right hand and pressed it heavily onto Sword Douluo's shoulder. A stream of deep blue Soul Power flowed from his hand and spread throughout Sword Douluo's body.
"Absorb it quietly." Nan Xuan said coldly.
Sword Douluo did not hesitate and immediately began to absorb it.
More than an hour later, a sharp, icy sword aura burst forth.
"As expected of a god." Sword Douluo was overwhelmed with emotion. The cultivation he had been unable to advance after years of training had actually broken through after Nan Xuan sent him some Soul Power.
After sensing this Soul Power fluctuation, Bone Douluo immediately opened a spatial gate and traveled over.
Chen Gao and the others walked over at an unhurried pace.
"You bastard, what level did you break through to?" Bone Douluo Gu Rong asked absentmindedly.
"Yes. Thanks to the God of the Network, I finally crossed this step." Sword Douluo said excitedly.
Although Bone Douluo was happy for Sword Douluo, he felt even more frustrated, because now he was completely no match for him.
"Now that Sword Douluo has completed his advancement, let's resolve the matter concerning your daughter." Nan Xuan said to Ning Fengzhi, who was still rejoicing.
"Oh, right, yes, yes." Ning Fengzhi hurriedly ordered someone to bring his daughter in from outside.
A light green figure ran in from outside.
"Hello, Dad. Hello, Grandpa Sword. Hello, Grandpa Bones." Ning Rongrong greeted the people she knew, then urged Sword Douluo to pick her up.
"Rongrong, Grandpa will hold you later, all right? Let this uncle perform a magic trick for you first and turn your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda into a Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, all right?" Sword Douluo said to Ning Rongrong dotingly.
In her little girl form, Ning Rongrong looked up at Nan Xuan and suddenly found him quite interesting.
Seeing that Nan Xuan did not speak, Ning Rongrong asked on her own.
"Grandpa Sword, is what he said true?" Ning Rongrong stared at Nan Xuan with doubtful eyes and asked.
Before you continue