Ning Tian Seeks an Opportunity for the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda
6:45 PM.
As the sun completely set, the campus Soul Guidance Lamp began to illuminate the school grounds one by one, casting a warm yellow glow on the stone paths.
Dai Huabin led Zhu Lu Ice Empress, Snow Empress, Xiao Xiao, Cui Yajie, and Wang Dong'er to the entrance of the Treasure Gathering Pavilion.
"Let's go." Dai Huabin held up the invitation in his hand and led the way into the Treasure Gathering Pavilion.
Upon entering, the first floor is a regular exhibition hall, displaying some low-level Soul Tool and common medicinal herbs.
There were quite a few people, mostly second and third grade students wearing yellow school uniforms, gathered in twos and threes in front of the display case, discussing and appraising the exhibits.
A maid in a light purple uniform came forward, glanced at the invitation in Dai Huabin's hand, and her expression immediately changed.
"Are you all core disciples of the Outer Academy? Please follow me; everything is prepared for you on the second floor."
A maid led the way, and the group of seven passed through the first-floor hall and went up the spiral staircase.
The second floor and the first floor are not even in the same league.
The lighting was soft, the display shelves were covered with velvet, and each exhibit had a detailed information plaque in front of it.
The space was much quieter than the first floor, with only a few students wandering around.
The maid led them to a semi-enclosed viewing area, poured them tea, and then withdrew.
Dai Huabin didn't rush to drink the tea; he stood up and walked around the display case.
Not long after, Dai Huabin stopped.
Inside the brocade box lay a dark yellow, gelatinous object with an oily sheen, about the size of an adult's fist.
The label reads, "Millennium Whale Rubber, superior quality, can be used for crafting high-level Soul Tool and bonding Soul Bone. Priced at six Gold Soul Coin."
Millennium Whale Rubber.
Dai Huabin stared at the piece of glue for three seconds.
His mental energy swept across the Whale Rubber within his detection range, and the life force fluctuations contained within were far more concentrated than those at the thousand-year level.
As expected, the target was a thousand years, but it was actually ten thousand years.
Buying a piece of Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber for six Gold Soul Coin is ridiculously low.
The college must genuinely not know the actual age of this Whale Rubber, otherwise they wouldn't have priced it at that.
Dai Huabin didn't rush to make a move; he continued watching.
The fourth display case contained a white skull-shaped Soul Bone, its surface covered with pale blue ice patterns.
50,000-Year Cold Crystal Snow Spider Skull, ice attribute. Priced at 15 million Gold Soul Coin.
Dai Huabin glanced at it and then looked away.
A 50,000-year-old ice-attribute skull, and he already had a 100,000-year-old Ice Jade Scorpion Tail External Soul Bone, so this thing really held no appeal for him.
This Soul Bone was most likely deliberately placed here by the Sea God Pavilion.
Unfortunately, the effort was put in, but not in the right place.
But what if it were External Soul Bone? Perhaps that would be feasible.
Dai Huabin walked forward while pondering.
The fifth display case.
Inside the brocade box was a bone fragment radiating a soft golden light. It was arc-shaped and had fine golden patterns on its surface.
Golden Radiance Left Arm Bone, Light Attribute Soul Bone. Priced at 9.5 million Gold Soul Coin.
This Soul Bone was dropped by the Golden Earth Dragon King, who possessed the bloodline of the Golden Earth Dragon King Radiant Dragon Clan, so his Soul Bone was naturally powerful.
Dai Huabin lingered in front of this display case for a few more seconds.
"What have you taken a fancy to?"
Zhu Lu had somehow walked up behind him and followed his gaze.
"That left arm bone."
Zhu Lu glanced at the information board but didn't say anything.
On the other side, Wang Dong'er was also moving between the display cases.
She walked slower than the others, carefully examining each display case for a while. When she reached the fifth display case, she suddenly stopped.
The Golden Radiance Left Arm Bone.
Light attribute.
Wang Dong'er's heart raced. Her Light Goddess Butterfly was a light-attribute Martial Soul, and this Soul Bone seemed tailor-made for her.
She glanced down at the price.
Nine and a half million Gold Soul Coin.
Wang Dong'er bit her lip.
Nine million five hundred thousand.
She didn't even have enough money to make a decent amount. Although the Clear Sky Sect wasn't poor, she had only brought limited travel expenses with her when she came to study, and her daily expenses were also considerable, so she couldn't afford to buy anything.
She stood in front of the display case for a while, then turned and walked away.
He took a couple of steps and then came back for another look.
Then they left.
Xiao Xiao watched the whole scene from the side, feeling anxious for Wang Dong'er.
She knew Wang Dong'er too well. This young lady of the Clear Sky Sect was so concerned with saving face that she would suffer for it. Even if she wanted something desperately, she would never ask others for money.
"Dong'er, that Soul Bone is perfect for you, isn't it?" Xiao Xiao asked softly.
"Hmm," Wang Dong'er uttered only one word.
"And you..."
"Just take a look," Wang Dong'er interrupted her.
Xiao Xiao opened her mouth, but ultimately said nothing.
Cui Yajie and Ice Empress huddled in front of another row of display cases. Ice Empress showed no interest in the Soul Tool and medicinal herbs, but a piece of ice-blue ore caught her eye.
"Is this Cold Iron Essence?" Ice Empress leaned over the display case, her nose almost touching the glass.
"Bing'er, don't lie so close. You can't afford to pay for it if you break it." Cui Yajie pulled her aside.
"Thirty thousand for this piece of junk? Are you kidding me? They're everywhere in the Far North." Ice Empress scoffed.
Snow Empress stood in the corner, not moving around. She wasn't very interested in these human trades; she simply quietly took a sip of her tea and thought the tea was alright.
Just then, footsteps came from the stairwell.
Dai Huabin turned around and looked back.
Ning Tian and Wu Feng walked up to the second floor side by side.
Ning Tian wore a light gold outer robe today, with the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's patterns embroidered on the collar, looking clean and neat.
Wu Feng followed half a step behind her, dressed in a dark red outfit with faint scale-like patterns visible on his shoulders—a characteristic of the Dragon Martial Soul.
The two of them also held dark gold invitations.
Ning Tian saw Dai Huabin as soon as he went upstairs.
She paused for a moment, then resumed her normal pace and walked towards Dai Huabin.
"Huabin, what a coincidence."
"Yes," Dai Huabin turned around, "Long time no see."
Ning Tian smiled, her gaze shifting from Dai Huabin to the display cases beside her. Then she noticed the 50,000-year-old ice-attribute skull.
Ning Tian slowed his pace slightly in front of the display case. Ice attribute, 50,000 years, 15 million.
She quickly realized that this Soul Bone was definitely intended for Dai Huabin. The academy's intentions were too obvious.
Wu Feng followed behind Ning Tian and also saw the skull. She frowned and whispered in Ning Tian's ear:
"Young Master, the starting price for this Soul Bone seems off; it looks like it was deliberately lowered."
"I know," Ning Tian replied softly.
Wu Feng glanced around at the people on the second floor; Dai Huabin and his group of seven occupied half of the exhibition area.
Ning Tian didn't linger in front of the ice-attribute skull; she walked towards Dai Huabin.
"Huabin, do you have time to chat for a bit?"
Dai Huabin glanced at her. "What are you talking about?"
He naturally knew Ning Tian's purpose in coming, but knowing it didn't mean he had to ask.
Ning Tian hesitated for a moment.
She spent the entire afternoon in the classroom thinking about how to bring up the topic of Martial Soul Evolution with Dai Huabin.
After much deliberation, she decided that being direct was the best approach. Beating around the bush wasn't her style, and Dai Huabin wasn't one to fall for that kind of thing.
But there are too many people here.
"After the Treasure Appreciation Fair ends?" Ning Tian conceded.
Dai Huabin looked at her for two seconds, then nodded. "Okay."
Ning Tian breathed a sigh of relief and led Wu Feng to the other display case.
After Wu Feng caught up, he whispered, "Young Master, do you want to talk to him about that matter?"
"Um."
"But that matter..." Wu Feng hesitated, "What if he refuses?"
"If you refuse, you refuse." Ning Tian didn't stop walking.
"What if his demands are too high?"
Ning Tian glanced back at Wu Feng:
"If he really has a way to evolve the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda into the Nine Treasure Pagoda, what conditions do you think would be considered high?"
Wu Feng shut his mouth.
That's something that can't be refuted.
For the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, transforming from Seven Treasures to nine treasures is not just a simple upgrade of their Martial Soul; it signifies the fulfillment of the school's centuries-old aspiration and a rewriting of the entire landscape of support-type Soul Master.
For something like this, regardless of how high the conditions are, it would be worth it even if it meant exhausting the entire sect's resources.
Wu Feng was only worried about something else...
If Ning Tian gets too close to Dai Huabin, will he be able to maintain his independence as the young sect leader in the future?