This time, they were heading to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect for two reasons. First, Ning Rongrong hadn't seen her family in a month. Second, Yu Yuanzhen, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's 95th-level Super Douluo clan leader, was coming.
Although Yu Yuanzhen was coming to negotiate, they could have managed without Ning Fengzhi and the Sword and Bone Douluo. But then Su Ming's terms would certainly have been less favorable; they wouldn't carry the same weight as they had a month ago, when a Titled Douluo was present.
They needed that same backing, so this time they'd come specifically to invite Ning Fengzhi, Sword Grandpa, and Bone Grandpa to visit Shrek Academy.
The second reason was that it had been over a month since Ning Fengzhi received the pills, yet there still hadn't been any major developments at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Su Ming wanted to see whether Ning Fengzhi had advanced to the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, and ask when they planned to change the sect's name.
Su Ming and Ning Rongrong soon flew to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Seeing them standing on a cloud, the guards didn't stop them.
The two flew straight to the meeting hall. Under ordinary circumstances, Ning Fengzhi, the sect leader, would be there handling sect affairs.
Sure enough, Ning Fengzhi was there. As soon as Su Ming and Ning Rongrong stepped down from the cloud, Su Ming greeted him.
"Father-in-law, we're back."
"Dad!"
After calling out to her father, Ning Rongrong ran into Ning Fengzhi's arms.
Su Ming sat down in one of the chairs nearby. Once they had finished embracing, he spoke:
"Father-in-law, we came mainly because it's been over a month and Rongrong misses you. The other reason is that we need a little help. I was hoping you, Sword Grandpa, and Bone Grandpa could lend a hand."
"What do you need help with?"
Just then, Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong heard from a servant that Su Ming and Rongrong had arrived. They hurried to the meeting hall.
"Sword Grandpa, Bone Grandpa! It's been so long. I missed you both."
Ning Rongrong ran from Ning Fengzhi's side and hugged the Sword and Bone Douluo in turn.
After exchanging greetings, everyone took their seats. Ning Rongrong sat beside Su Ming, while Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo sat on either side of Ning Fengzhi. Su Ming began to explain.
"Here's the situation, Sword Grandpa, Bone Grandpa. Yesterday afternoon, Yu Xiao Gang came by—the so-called Master."
"He wanted to use my connections with Dean Flender and Dean Liu Erlong to get me to help evolve his Martial Soul. I figured that even though he was a fake Master, as long as he paid enough, I could still fully evolve it for him. But he got greedy and wanted it for free. Of course I refused."
"So I told him to bring over Yu Yuanzhen, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's leader, and have him discuss the terms with me."
At this, Su Ming glanced at Ning Fengzhi and the Sword and Bone Douluo, then continued:
"Father-in-law, I wanted to invite you, Sword Grandpa, and Bone Grandpa to visit Shrek Academy again—and help make an impression while you're there."
Ning Rongrong chimed in at just the right moment.
"That's right, Dad, Sword Grandpa, Bone Grandpa. Come visit Shrek Academy!"
Sword Douluo Chen Xin glanced at Ning Rongrong, sitting beside Su Ming, and smiled.
"Of course. We'll go to Shrek Academy first thing tomorrow morning. I'll answer for your father and Bone Grandpa."
Bone Douluo Gu Rong, seated nearby, wasn't having it.
"You old Sword! Did I say I wasn't going? How can you answer for me?"
Gu Rong then turned to Ning Rongrong with a kind smile.
"Rongrong, no problem. We'll go first thing tomorrow morning."
Ning Rongrong smiled.
"Thank you, Dad, Sword Grandpa, Bone Grandpa."
Hearing that the Sword and Bone Douluo had both agreed, Su Ming was delighted. He'd accomplished his goal of keeping up appearances; now they could simply chat. They talked about Rongrong's hard work at school and how she'd performed in the Great Soul Arena team matches.
"By the way, Father-in-law, it's been over a month. You've taken the pill, so your Martial Soul should have evolved into the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda by now. When will the sect's name be changed from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect?"
Ning Rongrong, sitting beside Su Ming, looked at Ning Fengzhi expectantly. After all, her sect was changing its name from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. As the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, she was eager to see it happen.
"There's no rush. We'll wait until this year's Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament, when Rongrong makes her official debut using the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda. Then I'll announce to the continent that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has officially changed its name to the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect."
Meanwhile
Just after leaving Heaven Dou City, Yu Xiao Gang was preparing to take Xiao San to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan when a man in black blocked their way.
The man in black was Tang Hao. Just moments earlier, Su Ming had said that Tang San's Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul might be a king or an emperor, then explained that with the Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul alone, Tang San could normally reach the Super Douluo level through cultivation.
Tang Hao then thought of Tang San's second Martial Soul, the Clear Sky Hammer. He realized he'd underestimated his son's talent. With Twin Martial Souls, Tang San could even reach the same Peerless Douluo level as his grandfather, Tang Chen—or surpass him and become a god from legend.
Thinking of how he'd neglected Tang San over the past few years, Tang Hao wanted to slap himself. He decided he wouldn't let Xiao San keep training under Yu Xiao Gang and would teach him personally instead.
When they saw someone blocking their path, Yu Xiao Gang and Tang San immediately went on guard. But the instant the man in black pulled down his hood and they saw his face, Tang San's guard vanished. He ran over in delight, shouting:
"Dad!"
Tang San reached Tang Hao's side and immediately asked:
"Dad, where have you been all these years? I missed you so much."
Tears spilled from Tang San's eyes.
Seeing his tears, Tang Hao embraced him without a word. Once Tang San had calmed down and stopped crying, Tang Hao spoke for the first time since appearing.
"Come on. Your father is a Super Douluo. I'll explain later why we lived in Saint Soul Village. From now on, you'll cultivate with me."
Tang Hao then prepared to take Tang San away.
Yu Xiao Gang knew they were in trouble the moment he saw Tang Hao's face. When Tang Hao moved to take Tang San away, he hurried to stop him.
He barely got a word out before Tang Hao's Soul Power sent him stumbling back several steps and knocked him onto his backside.
"Get lost. I never thought the so-called Master would be such a useless fraud. If you weren't that old dragon's son—and if you hadn't trained Tang San with such dedication all these years, useless as you are—I'd have slapped you to death long ago."
"Hmph!"
Tang San didn't move. He made no attempt to help Yu Xiao Gang up. After Su Ming's relentless barrage of criticism, Tang San had come to think Yu Xiao Gang was a fraud. I must have been blind back then to take him as my master and kowtow to him.
Tang Hao then took Tang San into the sky and flew toward Saint Soul Village.
After watching Tang Hao fly away with Tang San, Yu Xiao Gang stared into the distance, seething.
"Once I return to the clan, Father will take me to Su Ming to fix the failure of my Martial Soul Mutation and fully evolve my Luo Sanpao into the Radiant Sacred Dragon. Then, once I reach the Titled Douluo level, I'll make everyone who looked down on me pay!"
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