Of course, Ning Feng had no idea what was happening inside the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
After that, Ning Feng continued training quietly within the Body Sect.
His days passed in a fairly regular routine.
Every morning, he went to the Training Ground, where he trained on his own or tempered his body with the "Might of Heaven and Earth"...
Once he had finished, he would head to the Martial Arts Arena to spar with his senior brothers and practice combat techniques...
At night, he returned to the Meditation Room to circulate his cultivation technique and meditate.
This high-intensity routine brought obvious progress.
A month passed, and Ning Feng's Soul Power Level increased by another level, reaching thirty-four.
More importantly, by reading books in the Scripture Pavilion and seeking advice from several senior brothers who specialized in fist- and head-type Martial Souls, he had combined the strength of his arm Martial Soul with the principles behind the combat techniques of his head Martial Soul. He had also learned several practical techniques.
Even without activating a Soul Skill, his control over his body alone made him far stronger than before.
The sunlight was a little harsh on the Training Ground that day.
Ning Feng stood before a Practice Stone that was five meters tall.
He took a deep breath, planted his feet firmly on the ground, and sent the Soul Power in his body coursing through his meridians and into his arms.
In that instant, he activated his Three Heads and Six Arms Martial Soul, and the muscles in all six arms tensed at once.
"Ha!"
With a deep, muffled shout, Ning Feng struck out with all six fists.
Six streams of force converged on a single point in midair and slammed into the center of the Practice Stone.
A sharp crack rang out. The hard stone caved in at the center, then shattered completely, scattering rocks across the ground.
Ning Feng slowly drew back his fists, and his six arms shrank back as well.
His arm muscles felt sore and swollen, and he had used up most of his Soul Power. Sweat covered his forehead.
He turned and went to sit in the resting area, panting heavily.
He should have entered a meditative state at once to recover his Soul Power, but after sitting down, Ning Feng did not close his eyes.
He looked down at his hands, his expression troubled and thoughtful, as if weighing something.
Vina and Mu Xue happened to see him like this as they approached.
Vina hurried over and sat beside Ning Feng. Seeing the serious look on his face, she asked with concern, "Junior Brother, what's wrong? You seem distracted today. You're usually the most diligent when you train. Is something troubling you?"
Hearing Vina's voice, Ning Feng came back to himself and looked up, offering a helpless smile. "It's not exactly a problem. I'm just a little torn about something."
"Junior Brother, if you're comfortable talking about it, why not tell me?" Vina handed him her waterskin.
"Is there something in the sect that's troubling you? Or has someone given you a hard time?"
Ning Feng shook his head, took the waterskin, and drank. He gave a wry laugh. "It's not about the sect. It's about me."
Ning Feng continued, "Senior Sister, do you remember when I told you how I came here?"
"You ran away from home?" Vina asked.
"That's right. I ran away from home." Ning Feng sighed and looked toward the distant, rolling mountains.
"Back then, I was unhappy with my father's arrangements, so I acted on impulse and made that choice."
"In the blink of an eye, I've been away from home for nearly four months."
"I've settled in here now, and my strength has improved. I should at least let my family know I'm safe, so they don't worry too much."
Vina understood what he meant and teased, "Afraid you'll get scolded?"
Ning Feng looked a little embarrassed and scratched his head. "A little."
"The main thing is, my father is too stubborn."
"He's always been decisive and forceful. If I just went home on my own, he'd probably lock me up and stop me from staying in the Body Sect."
"But if I sent someone to deliver a letter, I was afraid he'd relentlessly pursue me and cause more trouble. That's why I've been so conflicted."
Vina fell silent for a moment, then gave a wry laugh. "Junior Brother, I have an idea."
Ning Feng sat up straight and looked at her. "Please, go ahead, Senior Sister."
Vina spoke calmly. "Junior Brother, you told me before about your father's character and how he handles things, so I have some understanding of him. You can tell me whether you think my assessment is right."
"I think your father insists that you attend Shrek for two reasons. First, he has high hopes for you and has great faith in Shrek's education."
"Second, he believes Shrek can help you build an extensive network of contacts, which will be important to your future."
Ning Feng listened carefully and nodded. "That's right. That's exactly what my father said."
Vina continued, "So if we can address those two concerns at their root, your father may not necessarily object to you staying in the Body Sect."
Ning Feng raised an eyebrow. "How can we address those two concerns, Senior Sister?"
Vina smiled slightly. "Why don't I write your father a letter myself?"
"I can make it clear in the letter that you asked me to write, and then explain how things have been going for you in the Body Sect."
"I'll describe your rapid improvement and breakthrough in cultivation, as well as the systematic training you've received here. Once your father learns how much your strength has improved, he'll surely approve of your current approach to cultivation."
Ning Feng pondered this.
Vina went on, "As for the second concern, the matter of connections, even if I'm not much else, I'm still a princess of the Heaven Dou Empire."
"When it comes to making connections and accessing imperial resources, knowing me and the entire Body Sect is no worse than knowing the other major powers' disciples at Shrek."
"In fact, our network of resources is even broader within the Heaven Dou Empire."
"If we make that clear in the letter, I think it'll put most of your father's concerns to rest."
Ning Feng's eyes lit up, and the weight that had been pressing on his heart lifted in an instant.
It really was an excellent solution. It would let his family know he was safe, while Vina's position would indirectly show that his plans for the future made sense—and might even hold more promise than attending Shrek.
"This plan will work. Thank you, Senior Sister," Ning Feng said gratefully.
Vina waved a hand. "I'm glad I can help, Junior Brother. This way, you can focus on cultivating without worry."
She turned to Mu Xue, who was beside her. "Mu Xue, bring me paper and a brush."
Mu Xue nodded and quickly brought over the four treasures of the study.
Vina sat at the table, thought for a moment, then began to write.
Her handwriting was neat and elegant. In the letter, she described Ning Feng's daily life in the Body Sect in detail, emphasized his great achievements in tempering his body, and tactfully outlined the Body Sect's recommendations for his future career, writing in her capacity as princess of the Heaven Dou Empire.
When she finished, she solemnly stamped the seal of her royal status on the bottom of the envelope.
"Mu Xue, find the disciple in charge of transmitting information within the sect and have them send this letter to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect at once." Vina handed her the envelope.
"Yes, Princess." Mu Xue took the letter and quickly went to carry out the order.
Ning Feng watched Mu Xue walk away. With his doubts dispelled, he clasped his hands toward Vina. "I owe you one, Senior Sister. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known what to do."
Vina waved a hand, her expression easygoing. "All the disciples of the Body Sect are family. We should support one another here. You don't need to be so polite, Junior Brother."
Ning Feng smiled.
Before long, Mu Xue hurried back, looking as though she had completed the errand.
But when she returned to Vina and Ning Feng, her expression was rather serious, with a hint of surprise.
"Princess, the letter has been sent," Mu Xue reported first, then continued.
"But the senior brother in charge of delivering messages just told me that Sect Master Du Busi has sent word. He wants to see the three of us about something, and told us to go to the Main Hall immediately."
Ning Feng froze for a moment, then asked in confusion, "Oh? The Sect Master wants to see us? What could it be?"
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