Flender's Worries

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. The main council hall.

At the north end of the hall, facing south, stood a large, ornately carved rosewood chair. Seated in it was none other than Ning Fengzhi, the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

He was looking over the information on Su Ming that his subordinates had gathered.

Just then, a resonant voice rang out through the hall, seeming to come from every direction. The sound shook the hall until it rattled. "Fengzhi, how can you be so at ease letting Rongrong go to that Shrek Academy? Could they really teach her better than we can?"

As the words faded, Sword Douluo Chen Xin flew into the hall on his Seven Kill Sword. He put away his Martial Soul, then sat down quite unceremoniously in a chair beside Sect Master Ning Fengzhi.

"If she really has to go to another academy, why not Heaven Dou Royal Academy? I'm going to bring Rongrong back. I can't feel at ease with her out there."

Ning Fengzhi put away Su Ming's file and gave a helpless smile. "Uncle Jian, after all the spoiling you and Uncle Long have done, I can't keep that girl cooped up in the sect any longer. You've indulged her far too much."

"She's impossible to discipline at home now. Letting her get some schooling elsewhere might change her a little. Besides, Rongrong is still in Heaven Dou City. If you or Uncle Long miss her, you can visit her anytime."

"I have my reasons for sending her to Shrek Academy."

As he spoke, Ning Fengzhi handed Su Ming's file to Sword Douluo Chen Xin.

Chen Xin took the file Ning Fengzhi offered but didn't read it. Instead, he said with some displeasure, "Who says we've spoiled Rongrong? You've only seen her playful side, not how obedient she can be. You have plenty of sons, but only one daughter. Are you really willing to let her go?"

Ning Fengzhi replied firmly, "Uncle Jian, no matter what, I'm not going to visit her this time, and neither you nor Uncle Long can go. First, take a look at the file I gave you, then decide."

Hearing Ning Fengzhi say this, Chen Xin said no more and carefully examined Su Ming's file.

Seeing that Chen Xin had stopped talking and was studying Su Ming's file, Ning Fengzhi waited quietly.

After reading it, Chen Xin handed the file back to Ning Fengzhi.

"So this is why you sent Rongrong to Shrek Academy. Su Ming can evolve different Martial Souls. You want to see if he can evolve the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda into the Nine Treasures?"

"That's right, Uncle Jian."

"If he can evolve Martial Souls, why didn't you personally invite such a talent to join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? Why send Rongrong to teach him? And once he joins the sect, won't you be able to count on him to help?"

Ning Fengzhi gave a bitter smile.

"Uncle Jian, we can't do that anymore. He's already connected with Poison Douluo Dugu Bo, and they're quite close."

"Besides, Uncle Jian, do you know how I found out about him?"

"How?"

"The file you just read only says that Su Ming arrived in Heaven Dou City. There's nothing about what happened afterward."

"I say he's connected with Dugu Bo because after Shrek Academy changed its name, Dugu Bo, Dugu Yan, and Su Ming all disappeared for an entire month. Dugu Yan appeared again at Heaven Dou Royal Academy three days ago, and by then her Martial Soul had already evolved."

"And just three days ago, someone saw Dugu Bo at the entrance to Dugu Manor. He looked years younger, and his Soul Power must have increased. I suspect he's already at level 93, perhaps even 94. So it's too late now."

"Even with you and Uncle Gu, plus my support, if we went and forcibly took Su Ming, we could beat Dugu Bo, but he could still leave the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect with only the three of us standing."

"Now all we can do is build a good relationship with him. That's why I sent Rongrong to Shrek Academy."

Heaven Dou City, city gate.

Su Ming was flying toward Shrek Academy. Just moments ago, after five more days of flying, he had finally arrived in Heaven Dou City.

After telling Dugu Bo to expect him to come back if he needed help with something, the two parted ways, and Su Ming flew alone to Shrek Academy.

What Su Ming didn't know was that several groups of people were already waiting quietly at the city gate. They had been there for days, waiting for news of his return.

Sure enough, when they saw Dugu Bo and Su Ming return, they hurried off in different directions toward their respective factions, rushing to report that Su Ming had come back to Heaven Dou City.

Su Ming flew to the entrance of Shrek Academy, greeted the guards, and headed straight for Dean Flender's office.

He might as well ask around and see if Ning Rongrong had arrived. He also wondered whether Zhu Zhuqing would come, and what about Tang San and Yu Xiaogang?

As soon as he reached the office door, Su Ming pushed it open without knocking.

"Dean, I'm back."

Flender was in his office. He had sensed Su Ming as he flew up to the office floor, and now watched him walk right in without knocking.

"Good to have you back. And remember to knock next time."

Su Ming didn't stand on ceremony. He headed for the sofa and replied,

"Got it, Dean."

"Dean, have any students from powerful factions joined the academy lately?"

"I knew you'd ask. Two have."

"The first is Mu Bai's fiancée, Zhu Zhuqing. We met her while Soul Hunting, and she came to Shrek Academy with us afterward."

"The second is Ning Rongrong, the daughter of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's sect master. She joined Shrek Academy two days ago."

After saying this, Flender asked Su Ming with concern and worry written all over his face,

"Su Ming, what exactly is your relationship with Senior Poison? The news about Dugu Yan's Martial Soul evolving has spread through every major faction in Heaven Dou City. Several groups have already been snooping around Shrek Academy, openly and in secret."

"I only just found out that you can evolve Martial Souls. I suspected as much when you helped Mu Bai plan his Martial Soul and Soul Rings, but now Dugu Yan's Martial Soul really has evolved."

"And there's Wang Sheng. At first, his Martial Soul was just an ordinary War Tiger, and his Innate Soul Power was level 2. Now his Martial Soul has evolved into a Blazing War Tiger, and he's reached level 35 at just eighteen."

"His leveling speed is now on par with those whose Innate Soul Power is level seven or eight."

"I'm only a Soul Sage, and even with the academy's other teachers, we couldn't stop three Soul Douluos. So what exactly is your relationship with Senior Poison?"

Hearing Flender's concerned words, Su Ming was genuinely touched. He immediately told him about his relationship with Dugu Bo.

"Don't worry, Dean. Before I had the means to protect myself, why would I let anyone find out I could evolve Martial Souls?"

"If the secret is out, that means I'm confident I can withstand threats, kidnapping, and assassination attempts from the other factions. Let me put it this way."

"I founded a sect. When I invited Poison Douluo to join, there were only two people in the entire sect, but he joined without hesitation. He's now the Sect Guardian Elder of my sect."

"And Dugu Bo looks years younger now. Dean Liu must have told you, right? Guess why I helped Dugu Yan evolve her Martial Soul. Then guess why he looks younger?"