Silver hair and a white beard fell like snow. His tall, slender frame was clad in a plain white martial outfit, and pale golden sword qi coiled around him, held in check. The sharp sword intent in his brows and eyes pierced straight into the clouds.
The harshness of a sword master lay hidden beneath his skin. He stood still like a cold blade newly drawn, without a single unnecessary ornament. In every movement, the domineering force of his mighty swordsmanship intertwined with the chilling gloom of his sword domain. Sword Douluo Chen Xin stood before them just like that.
Dugu Bo was certain that if Qian Yu had taken a few more minutes to come out, this medicinal garden would have been utterly ruined by Chen Xin's sword intent.
"Heh heh heh, everyone, relax." Hearing Dugu Bo mention Chen Xin, Qian Yu spoke up.
Qian Yu had more or less figured out what was going on.
He hurriedly led Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan out of the cave.
The two groups came face-to-face.
Sword Douluo's terrifying sword intent had already locked onto Dugu Bo.
The trouble with Dugu Bo's Martial Soul and snake venom had been resolved, and his Soul Power had advanced another step.
Although he couldn't defeat Sword Douluo,
he was certain that if he wanted to, everyone present besides Sword Douluo would have to die with him.
"Senior Sword Douluo, I'm Qian Yu. This is all a misunderstanding. Please put away your Martial Soul."
As he spoke, Qian Yu looked toward Ning Rongrong and walked over to her, Zhu Zhuqing, and Xiao Wu.
Seeing that Qian Yu was unharmed and could walk over to them freely,
Sword Douluo finally relaxed and put away his Martial Soul.
Qian Yu casually made up an excuse, saying that Dugu Bo had taken a liking to his potential and wanted to make him his disciple. That was why he had been so eager to take him and Senior Dugu Yan away together.
Ning Rongrong and the others were skeptical, but Qian Yu was unharmed.
And Dugu Bo hadn't forced him to stay.
So no one said anything more.
Just like that, Sword Douluo set off with Qian Yu and Ning Rongrong.
The Three Education Committee Members took Zhu Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, and Dugu Yan back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Qian Yu really didn't want to go.
But Ning Rongrong's Protector Douluo had come to rescue him, so he had to do her this favor.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo stood beside a man.
The man wore a moon-white brocade robe and a dark jade belt. He was tall and handsome, with a face as fair as jade. His brows and eyes were gentle, as if brushed by a spring breeze, and three wisps of green beard beneath his chin lent him an air of refined elegance.
His gaze was calm, yet sharp with insight into the ways of the world. A gentle current of Soul Power lingered around him. Even standing still, he exuded the refined nobility and deep heritage of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's leader.
Qian Yu knew without guessing that this was Ning Fengzhi, the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
"So you're the young friend Qian Yu. I hear you and my daughter made quite a stir at Shrek Academy and forged a deep friendship."
The Sect Master was indeed the Sect Master. With just one sentence, he had already brought Qian Yu and Ning Rongrong closer.
"I wouldn't say we made a stir at Shrek. I just couldn't stand by while Shrek Academy led its students astray." Qian Yu answered Ning Fengzhi without fawning or groveling.
"Well said. Speaking of academies, our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect also has a place for our disciples to train, and we can provide resources even better than those offered by the two empires' royal academies. I wonder if you'd be interested in making your mark at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, young friend?"
Ning Fengzhi truly lived up to his reputation as the shrewdest businessman on the Douluo Continent. He changed the subject in a flash, quickly set his sights on Qian Yu, and started trying to poach him right in front of the three people from Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
"Heh heh heh."
"Sect Master Ning, an academy is an academy, and a sect is a sect. Our Heaven Dou Royal Academy doesn't demand that its students repay the academy in the future. We only hope every student can make the most of their talents, grow bigger and stronger."
Meng Shenji immediately answered Ning Fengzhi, afraid that if he waited even a second, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would poach Qian Yu.
"Damn, I knew we shouldn't have come to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
"So the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was planning to poach him all along."
"Thank you for your kind offer, Sect Master Ning. Right now, I only want to finish my studies. As for serving the sect, that's something for the future."
Qian Yu didn't shut the door on the idea completely.
After all, Ning Rongrong was his daughter.
Hearing Qian Yu's answer,
Ning Rongrong felt quite disappointed.
Ning Fengzhi did too, but he quickly hid his feelings.
The Three Education Committee Members, on the other hand, looked delighted. "Qian Yu's a fine young man. He's good-natured and worth cultivating."
All three committee members thought the same thing.
"Oh, I see. I was being too forward. How about this? This is a token of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. With it, you can choose any item for free from any Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect merchant house on the Douluo Continent."
Ning Fengzhi smiled at Qian Yu as he spoke.
"What?"
The three committee members gaped in shock.
What was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect best known for? Besides being the continent's foremost Support System sect, it was also the richest sect on the continent.
Their merchant houses could be found all across the Douluo Continent, and they had a countless number of fine treasures.
Of course, they kept the very best things for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
But even so, their merchant houses were still packed with treasures.
"This..." Qian Yu hesitated. This was a hot potato. Accepting it meant that, in the future, he would owe the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect a favor.
When the Spirit Hall moved against the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect in the future, it would be a serious problem deciding which side to take.
"Don't be silly, take it."
Only after Meng Shenji reminded him did Qian Yu finally accept the token.
At most, when the Spirit Hall destroys the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect in the future, I'll ask Xiao Xue to spare its important members. Qian Yu thought helplessly.
"Good."
Seeing Qian Yu finally accept the token he had offered, Ning Fengzhi breathed a sigh of relief.
His goal today hadn't been to recruit Qian Yu into the sect in the first place.
Making a favorable connection with a genius like Qian Yu would give the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect another safeguard for the future.
As for money and possessions, they were merely worldly things.
Besides, Ning Rongrong and Qian Yu already got along fairly well.
If necessary, he could always have Ning Rongrong use a few tricks.
After Qian Yu accepted the token,
Ning Fengzhi arranged for everyone to rest for the night.
That night, Ning Fengzhi summoned Ning Rongrong to a secret chamber.
Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo stood on either side inside the chamber.
"Rongrong, what do you think of Qian Yu?" Ning Fengzhi asked Ning Rongrong with a serious expression.
Seeing how serious her father was, Ning Rongrong answered just as seriously. "A peerless genius. No, 'genius' can't even describe how monstrous he is. Dad, do you know his Soul Ring Configuration?"
"Hmm?" Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo all looked intently at Ning Rongrong, waiting for her answer.
"His Spirit Rings are yellow, purple, purple, and black."
Ning Rongrong told the three elders in an admiring tone.
"What? A purple Second Soul Ring and a black fourth ring. If that's true, 'monster' really is the only word for him."
Sword Douluo couldn't help praising him.
"Exactly," Ning Rongrong agreed.
"Then, Rongrong, what if I told you that I wanted you to use every means at your disposal to bring Qian Yu into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—and that, if necessary, I wanted him to become your future partner? What would you do?"
Ning Fengzhi asked Ning Rongrong with a serious expression.
Ning Rongrong felt as if a bomb had gone off inside her. "Future partner?" Her face instantly flushed red.
Before you continue