Not bad.
With this, Blue Silver Academy's cultivation environment would surpass every blessed grotto-heaven on the continent.
By then, wouldn't the talented disciples be fighting tooth and nail to get in?
The grand undertaking of taking on disciples was within reach.
Chen Xuan collected his thoughts and turned his gaze back to the person before him.
Ning Rongrong was still kneeling on the ground, her excited little face flushed red, her eyes full of admiration and adoration.
Only after Chen Xuan accepted her did she belatedly realize that she still didn't know the name of this master who seemed as extraordinary as a celestial being.
She cautiously lifted her head, her voice trembling slightly.
"D-Disciple... disciple Ning Rongrong pays her respects to Master."
"I... I haven't yet asked for your esteemed name, Master?"
Chen Xuan's expression remained calm as he casually replied, "Chen Xuan, dean of Blue Silver Academy."
Boom!
Those few simple words rang through Ning Rongrong's mind like a thunderclap from the highest heavens!
Chen Xuan!
He was Chen Xuan!
The dean of Blue Silver Academy, who was rumored to be able to evolve Trash Martial Souls!
The fraud whom Yu Xiaogang had denounced as a purveyor of heresy who led his students astray!
The mysterious figure who had granted Xiao Xiao a new life and transformed her completely!
So...
So it was this handsome, otherworldly man before her, as beautiful as an immortal descended from heaven!
Ning Rongrong was utterly stunned. Her beautiful eyes opened wide as she stared blankly at Chen Xuan, and her heart began pounding wildly against her will.
Under the moonlight, Chen Xuan's white robes were as pristine as snow. His features were sharply defined, and beneath his unruffled air was a gentle warmth that put people at ease.
He was so handsome.
More handsome than any man she had ever seen.
Thinking of how she had believed Yu Xiaogang's nonsense, been prejudiced against this senior, and even come to the academy to cause trouble, Ning Rongrong felt her cheeks burning.
Her figure looked even more curvaceous beneath her pink dress. Her long, straight, snow-white legs pressed nervously together, and her whole demeanor was that of a young girl shyly meeting the man she adored for the first time.
If only she'd known...
If only she'd known the dean was so handsome, and his methods so extraordinary, why would she ever have gone to Shrek?
Why suffer the poison of Yu Xiaogang's rigid theories, or put up with the strange tempers of Tang San and Dai Mubai?
Staying by her master's side was the true road to the heavens!
Seeing that she had remained silent for so long, staring straight at him, Chen Xuan couldn't help asking:
"What's wrong?"
Ning Rongrong jolted back to her senses. Her little face turned even redder in an instant, and she quickly lowered her head, waving her hands incoherently.
"N-Nothing! Disciple was just... just too excited!"
She took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and raised her charming face, her eyes shining with hope.
"Master, when will you have some free time? Rongrong would like to invite you to visit the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Father, Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Bone, and the others would surely be delighted to welcome you!"
She wanted her father and the sect's elders to see her master's peerless bearing with their own eyes!
Chen Xuan merely shook his head.
"I've been busy lately."
He truly was busy. He had to bury the spiritual leyline, guide his disciples, and study Ah Yin's cultivation method.
Visiting the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect wasn't part of his plans for now.
Rejected outright, Ning Rongrong immediately felt a little dejected.
But the temper of a young lady flared within her, and that stubborn streak in her nature drove her to make a daring move.
She actually got up from the ground, hurried forward, and grabbed Chen Xuan's arm, gently swaying it as her voice turned soft and sweet.
"Master~"
"Just come once, please? Rongrong's Martial Soul can evolve—that's a momentous occasion! Father will surely prepare a generous gift to thank you!"
The girl's soft, warm body pressed against his arm, her fragrant scent drifting over. The way she wheedled would have softened any man's heart.
Chen Xuan hadn't even reacted yet when the expressions of the three women beside him changed in an instant.
"Outrageous!"
A sharp rebuke rang out.
A chill flashed in Qian Renxue's golden eyes as she glared at Ning Rongrong, her tone hostile.
This shameless little minx had only just become their teacher's disciple, and she was already putting her hands all over him?
Dugu Yan was even more direct. She crossed her arms, rolled her eyes at Ning Rongrong, and curled her lips. "Vixen" was written all over her face.
Even Ah Yin, who was usually gentle and composed, looked at Ning Rongrong with hostility.
It was an instinctive rejection, as if an intruder had invaded her territory.
The air seemed to drop several degrees.
Ning Rongrong had never faced anything like this. She felt three gazes stab into her like three sharp swords.
She shuddered, let go of Chen Xuan's arm as though electrocuted, and hurriedly took two steps back, her pretty face pale.
"I... I didn't mean it like that..."
She stammered out an explanation. "I just wanted to show how sincere I was. I didn't mean anything else, really!"
Oh, heavens!
Ning Rongrong wailed inwardly.
Why was every woman around Master more terrifying than the last?
The blonde one was so dignified and noble, she clearly wasn't an ordinary person.
The purple-haired one was Poison Douluo's granddaughter, notorious for being someone you didn't want to cross.
Even the blue-haired sister who seemed the gentlest looked as though she might eat Ning Rongrong alive!
It seemed she would have to work twice as hard to secure her place by Master's side!
Chen Xuan appeared not to notice the undercurrents stirring in the courtyard. He merely gave Ning Rongrong a calm glance.
"There'll be a chance to visit the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect later."
Those few words of promise instantly turned Ning Rongrong's despair to joy.
"Really?!" She looked up in delight.
"Mm."
"That's wonderful! Rongrong will be waiting for you, Master!"
Ning Rongrong bowed deeply to Chen Xuan in her excitement. Her pink skirt billowed, and her long, slender legs looked even fairer in the moonlight, stirring the heart.
Time passed slowly.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, main hall.
Sect Master Ning Fengzhi sat in the seat of honor, his brows slightly furrowed, a cup of fragrant tea long gone cold in his hand.
Below him, Sword Douluo Chen Xin sat with his eyes closed, while Bone Douluo Gu Rong looked rather impatient.
"Blue Silver Academy... Chen Xuan."
Ning Fengzhi broke the silence in the hall. "This man appeared out of nowhere, and in just a year, he's stirred up such a storm in Heaven Dou City. Uncle Bone, Chen Xin, what do you think?"
Gu Rong snorted and spoke in a booming voice:
"Martial Soul Evolution? I say it's all just a bag of tricks to fool people."
"Or he just got lucky and somehow found a few immortal herbs, then put on airs to mystify everyone."
Sword Douluo Chen Xin slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calm.
"We shouldn't underestimate him."
"That old poisoner Dugu Bo is as aloof and arrogant as they come, yet he sent his precious granddaughter there.
"And according to our intelligence, Dugu Yan's Martial Soul really did change, and her strength increased greatly."
He paused before continuing, "I'm afraid this matter is not so simple."
Ning Fengzhi sighed and rubbed his brow.
"Indeed. Martial Soul Evolution... if it's real, it'll overturn the entire Soul Master World."
"What place will that leave our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"
As the three of them pondered, a sect disciple hurried into the hall and respectfully presented a letter.
"Master, a letter from the young lady."
Chen Xin raised a hand, and the letter floated into it. He passed it to Ning Fengzhi.
"Master, a letter from Rongrong."
A rueful smile appeared on Ning Fengzhi's face.
"That girl's probably been mistreated at Shrek Academy again and has run to me to complain."
He shook his head, his voice tinged with affection. "She's always getting into mischief. Yu Xiaogang's theories may be a little old-fashioned, but he does his best to teach his students. We've simply spoiled her."
As he spoke, he opened the envelope without much thought.
But the moment he glanced at the letter, the smile on his face froze.
His eyes widened, and his breathing grew quick and shallow.
Smack!
Ning Fengzhi slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet!
The letter crumpled in his grasp, and his whole body trembled with shock.
"Fengzhi, what's wrong?"
"Did something happen to Rongrong?!"
Chen Xin and Gu Rong were startled by his violent reaction. They both stood up, their faces tense.
Ning Fengzhi didn't answer. He held up the letter, his lips moving a few times:
"Rongrong, she..."
"She left Shrek and joined Blue Silver Academy! And... she even became Chen Xuan's disciple!"
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