Flender's Worries

Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. The main assembly hall.

On the north side of the hall, facing south, sat a grand chair carved from rosewood. Seated upon it was none other than Ning Fengzhi, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

He was currently reviewing the dossier his subordinates had compiled on Su Ming.

Just then, a vigorous and resonant voice echoed throughout the hall, seeming to emanate from every direction, causing the very structure to tremble. "Tell me, Fengzhi, how can you be so at ease letting Rongrong head to that Shrek Academy? Do you truly believe they can teach her better than we can?"

As the voice faded, Sword Douluo Chen Xin stepped off his Seven Kill Sword, having flown into the hall. He retracted his Martial Soul and sat down nonchalantly in a chair beside Sect Master Ning Fengzhi.

"If she absolutely had to go to another academy, wouldn't the Heaven Dou Royal Academy suffice? I am going to bring Rongrong back. I cannot rest easy with her out there."

Ning Fengzhi set aside Su Ming's file, a look of helplessness crossing his face. "Uncle Chen, between you and Uncle Long, I have no choice but to let the girl leave the sect. You two spoil her far too much."

"The girl has become impossible to discipline at home. Letting her receive an education elsewhere might bring about some change. Besides, Rongrong is right here in Heaven Dou City; if you and Uncle Long miss her, you can visit at any time."

"There is a reason I let her go to Shrek Academy."

With that, Ning Fengzhi handed Su Ming's file to Sword Douluo Chen Xin.

Chen Xin took the file but did not look at it, instead saying with some dissatisfaction, "Who says we spoil Rongrong? You only see the side of her that likes to play, not the side that is well-behaved. You have many sons, but only one daughter. How can you bear it?"

Ning Fengzhi said firmly, "Uncle Chen, no matter what, I will not go to find her this time, and neither you nor Uncle Long may go either. Furthermore, look at the file I gave you before you make any decisions."

Hearing Ning Fengzhi speak in such a tone, Chen Xin ceased his protests and began to examine the file on Su Ming in earnest.

Seeing that Chen Xin had stopped arguing and was reading the file, Ning Fengzhi waited quietly for a moment.

After finishing the file, Chen Xin returned it to Ning Fengzhi.

"This is why you let Rongrong enter Shrek Academy? Because Su Ming can cause different Martial Souls to evolve, and you want to see if he has the ability to evolve the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda into Nine Treasures?"

"That is correct, Uncle Chen."

"If he is a talent capable of Martial Soul evolution, why didn't you go personally to invite him to join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? Why send Rongrong to get close to him? And once he joins the sect, would you still fear he wouldn't contribute?"

Ning Fengzhi offered a wry smile.

"Uncle Chen, we can no longer do that. He has already established a connection with Poison Douluo Dugu Bo, and the relationship is quite deep."

"Also, Uncle Chen, do you know why I even know of this person's existence?"

"Why?"

"The file you just read only covers Su Ming's arrival in Heaven Dou City; there is nothing after that."

"The reason I say he is linked to Dugu Bo is that after Shrek Academy changed its name, Dugu Bo, Dugu Yan, and Su Ming vanished for an entire month. Dugu Yan reappeared three days ago at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, and by then, her Martial Soul had already completed its evolution."

"Furthermore, just three days ago, someone witnessed Dugu Bo at the entrance of Dugu Manor and saw that he had grown younger. His soul power must have increased; I suspect he is now at level 93, or perhaps even 94. It is already too late."

"Even if you, Uncle Gu, and I were to use my support to try and forcibly take Su Ming, we might be able to defeat Dugu Bo, but Dugu Bo could leave our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect with nothing but the three of us left."

"We can only seek to be on good terms with him now, which is why I sent Rongrong to Shrek Academy."

Heaven Dou City, city gates.

Su Ming was currently flying toward Shrek Academy. After five more days of travel, he had successfully arrived at Heaven Dou City.

After telling Dugu Bo that he would contact him if he needed help, the two parted ways, and Su Ming flew toward Shrek Academy alone.

What Su Ming did not know was that several groups of people were already waiting quietly at the gates of Heaven Dou City, having waited for several days just for news of his return.

Sure enough, upon seeing Dugu Bo and Su Ming return, they rushed back to their respective factions to report the news of Su Ming's arrival in Heaven Dou City.

Su Ming flew to the entrance of Shrek Academy, greeted the guards, and flew directly toward Dean Flender's office.

He intended to gather some information while he was at it—to see if Ning Rongrong had arrived, if Zhu Zhuqing would come, and what the status of Tang San and Yu Xiao Gang was.

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

"Dean, I'm back."

Flender was in the office; he had sensed Su Ming as he flew toward the floor. He looked at Su Ming, who had entered without knocking.

"It's good that you're back. And remember, knock next time."

Su Ming did not stand on ceremony, sat down on the sofa, and replied:

"Understood, Dean."

"Dean, has our academy received any students from major factions recently?"

"I knew you would ask that. Two have arrived."

"One is Mu Bai's fiancée, Zhu Zhuqing. We met her while hunting for a Soul Ring, and she followed us back to Shrek Academy."

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

After Flender finished speaking, he asked Su Ming with a look of concern and worry.

"Kid, what exactly is your relationship with Senior Poison? The news of Dugu Yan's Martial Soul evolution has become common knowledge among the major factions in Heaven Dou City. Several groups have already been investigating Shrek Academy, both openly and covertly."

"I only just realized you could cause Martial Soul evolution. Although I had my suspicions when you helped Mu Bai plan his Soul Rings, Dugu Yan's Martial Soul has indeed evolved."

"And that kid Wang Sheng—his Martial Soul was just an ordinary War Tiger with an Innate Soul Power of level 2. Now, his Martial Soul has evolved into a Blazing War Tiger, and at eighteen, he has already reached level 35 soul power."

"His current leveling speed is already on par with those who have seven or eight levels of Innate Soul Power."

"I am merely a lowly Soul Sage, and even with the other academy teachers, we wouldn't be able to stop three Soul Douluo, so what exactly is your relationship with Poison Douluo?"

Su Ming listened to Flender's concerned words and felt genuinely moved, then proceeded to explain his relationship with Dugu Bo.

"Dean, you can rest easy. Before I had the certainty to protect myself, how could I have let the secret of my ability to facilitate Martial Soul Evolution be exposed?"

"If it can be exposed, it means I already have the confidence to withstand the threats, kidnappings, and assassination attempts from other factions; let me put it to you this way."

"I founded a sect, and when I invited Poison Douluo to join, there were only two people in the entire sect, yet he joined without the slightest hesitation; he is now the Sect Guardian Elder of my sect."

"Furthermore, Dugu Bo has become younger. Dean Liu must have told you, right? Take a guess as to why I helped Dugu Yan with her Martial Soul Evolution? And take another guess as to why he has become younger?"