Ning Fengzhi's Shock!!

Not far after exiting the woods, a familiar figure appeared on the dirt road ahead.

Qian Renxue was sprinting toward this direction, panting heavily, her usually impeccable poise abandoned as her footsteps appeared somewhat chaotic.

Her cloak fluttered wildly in the night wind.

Upon seeing Gu Qing walking toward her, Qian Renxue came to a sudden halt.

By the faint moonlight, she scrutinized the man before her from head to toe several times over.

Only after confirming that Gu Qing's limbs were intact and his breathing steady did the heart that had been lodged in her throat finally settle back into her chest.

Her tense shoulders slumped, and she let out a long, relieved sigh.

Gu Qing naturally saw Qian Renxue standing in the middle of the road as well.

He walked up to her with a faint smile on his face.

"It's the middle of the night; why aren't you sleeping in the manor instead of running out here?"

Qian Renxue was caught off guard by the sudden inquiry.

She subconsciously straightened her cloak, forcing herself to adopt an air of nonchalance.

"I heard there were unusual soul power fluctuations outside the city, and since I was bored, I just came to take a look."

This excuse sounded incredibly pale and weak; even she felt it lacked any real persuasiveness.

Gu Qing chuckled, piercing through the facade directly.

"Running over here in such a hurry without even bringing a guard—could it be that you were worried something happened to me?"

These blunt words caused Qian Renxue's heart to skip a beat.

Gu Qing's gaze met hers without reservation, carrying an intense, aggressive quality.

Qian Renxue dared not meet his eyes and quickly turned her head to the side.

Though the night was dim, it could not hide the alluring flush rapidly spreading across her earlobes.

"Don't flatter yourself! Who would worry about an annoying guy like you!"

She bit her lip, attempting to mask her inner turmoil with a harsh tone.

"Stop talking nonsense."

Gu Qing's smile faded, his expression turning somewhat serious.

He stepped right in front of Qian Renxue and grabbed her slightly cold right hand.

The sudden physical contact made Qian Renxue tremble, but this time, she did not pull away immediately.

"You are currently operating in Heaven Dou Imperial City under the identity of Xue Qinghe; your position is incredibly sensitive."

Gu Qing's voice was crystal clear in the night wind, carrying a hint of reproach.

"You encountered me today, but if there had been other complications and your identity were exposed, it would surely invite the raging fury of the entire Heaven Dou Empire."

He squeezed Qian Renxue's palm with moderate force.

"In the future, if you encounter such things again, you must protect yourself. Don't go rushing out so brainlessly."

Qian Renxue was left speechless by these words, which were a mixture of reprimand and concern.

She stared blankly at Gu Qing's face, which was mere inches away, feeling the warmth radiating from her hand.

The retorts she had prepared could not find their way out.

In the end, she could only emit a faint sound from her nose.

"Oh..."

This obedient appearance was a far cry from the high-and-mighty Martial Soul Hall Young Master she usually projected.

Watching the woman before him with her head bowed in submission, Gu Qing suddenly released her hand.

The next second, he raised his right hand and, before Qian Renxue could react, brought it down with a slap.

The crisp sound of the impact rang out with startling clarity on the quiet dirt road.

Qian Renxue felt as if her entire body had been electrocuted.

She was left completely dazed, her eyes wide with disbelief at what had just transpired.

It took several seconds for her to realize, belatedly, that her backside had been soundly struck.

A jolt of electricity surged from her tailbone straight to the crown of her head.

Gu Qing had already withdrawn his hand and was striding toward Heaven Dou City.

"This is just a small warning to help you remember your lesson."

His voice drifted back on the night wind.

"If you dare to act so recklessly again, disregarding your own safety, don't blame me for being impolite."

Watching that silhouette gradually merge into the night, Qian Renxue finally snapped back to reality.

A mixture of shame and anger instantly filled her chest.

She clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned a pale, sickly white.

That damned bastard, he actually hit her there again!

"You stop right there!"

Qian Renxue stood in place, gritting her teeth in silent fury before quickening her pace to chase after him.

However, there was a distinct lack of her usual killing intent in those hurried, angry footsteps.

Heaven Dou Imperial City, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect grounds.

The main assembly hall was brightly lit.

Ning Fengzhi sat upright in the Sect Master's throne, holding a cup of tea that had long since stopped steaming.

In the center of the hall, Sword Douluo Chen Xin, who had just returned to the sect, stood waiting.

His pristine white robes were now stained with dirt and dust, and a corner of the hem had even been sheared off by sword energy.

The man looked uncharacteristically disheveled.

Ning Fengzhi listened quietly as Chen Xin finished his detailed report on the night's encounter.

The Sect Master, usually a man of calculated strategy, fell into a long, heavy silence.

The hall was so quiet that a falling needle could be heard, broken only by the occasional chirping of insects in the distance.

After a full cup of tea's time had passed, Ning Fengzhi finally set his cup down.

He raised his head, his gaze heavy and solemn as he looked at his right-hand man.

"Uncle Sword."

Ning Fengzhi's voice was dry.

"In tonight's battle, how much of his strength did that Gu Qing actually use?"

Sword Douluo took a deep breath, the image of that unavoidable emerald-green sword flashing through his mind once more.

He gave a bitter smile and shook his head.

"This old man dares not speculate."

The elder straightened his back, meeting Ning Fengzhi's gaze directly.

"But I can say with certainty that for that move, Ten Thousand Swords Return to Origin, I had already exerted a full ninety percent of my power."

A deep sense of powerlessness permeated Sword Douluo's tone.

"Yet even so, he remained completely at ease when facing such a lethal strike."

Recalling the composure with which Gu Qing had casually shattered his strongest attack, Chen Xin's eyes grew complex.

"That boy definitely still hides cards he has yet to reveal; his strength is terrifyingly profound."

He paused for a moment before dropping a conclusion that would shake the entire soul master world.

"To display such earth-shattering combat power at this age... this child has the potential to become a god."

At the mention of "becoming a god," the corner of Ning Fengzhi's eye twitched violently.

He drew a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the stormy waves surging in his heart.

As the helmsman of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, he knew exactly how much weight those words carried.

A living Martial Soul Hall Holy Son with the potential to reach godhood was an existence that no sect could afford to provoke.

Ning Fengzhi stood up, bracing his hands against the table as his gaze swept across every corner of the hall.

"Pass on my orders."

His voice was grave, echoing throughout the hall.

"From this day forward, no one in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is to oppose Gu Qing in any form."

Ning Fengzhi clenched his fists, his knuckles prominent.

"Even if you encounter him outside, you must give him a wide berth. Under no circumstances are you to engage in any conflict."

Sword Douluo nodded; he had no objections to this decision.

"There is one more thing I feel it is necessary to report to the Sect Master."