Xue Qinghe, Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin

The moment Lin Nuo stepped down from the Soul Fighting Arena, two attendants dressed in royal uniforms blocked his path.

"Student Lin Nuo, His Highness the Crown Prince requests your presence."

The attendants were respectful, but they kept their voices low.

"Additionally, Sect Master Ning of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Sword Douluo are currently in the private room upstairs."

Hearing this, Lin Nuo's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

That dog Ning Fengzhi, always jumping around everywhere—he had caught the scent and come looking already?

Fortunately, he had already gotten in touch with the Angel Lady, who possessed equally World-Shocking Wisdom.

Otherwise, facing the sect master of one of the Upper Three Sects, he truly would not have known how to handle things for the moment.

"I understand. Lead the way."

Lin Nuo suppressed his emotions and gave a slight nod.

Following the attendants into the lavish private room, his view immediately opened up.

Not only was the room extravagantly decorated to the extreme, but rows of beautiful, graceful maids stood on either side, ready to attend to them at any moment.

As expected of this vile feudalism!

Seeing Lin Nuo enter, "Xue Qinghe" immediately put on his trademark refined smile and took the initiative to greet him.

"Little friend Lin Nuo, I have already learned everything that happened on the Soul Fighting Arena."

"That Yu Tianheng relied on his age to bully you. Later, I will certainly give the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan a proper warning. This is truly outrageous!"

"Furthermore, I will also explain the full matter to Poison Douluo afterward. You need not worry about anything else."

As she spoke, Xue Qinghe's face displayed just the right trace of righteous indignation.

Lin Nuo promptly went along with it and cupped his hands.

"Your Highness need not be angry. I did not suffer much of a grievance, really. I merely treated it as a chance to stretch my limbs."

Seeing this, Xue Qinghe smiled and shook her head. She stepped forward naturally and gave Lin Nuo's shoulder a familiar pat.

"Little friend Lin Nuo, I am not actually much older than you.

"If you do not mind, you may call me Brother Xue in private. Do not keep calling me Your Highness the Crown Prince. It makes us seem distant."

It had to be said that if Lin Nuo had not already seen through this disguise, the imperial crown prince's method of winning people over—so humble and as refreshing as a spring breeze—would have made any common-born genius offer up his loyalty on the spot in tearful gratitude.

She wanted him to call her big brother, huh?

Lin Nuo would call her big brother first today. As for the future...

Sooner or later, he would show this Angel Lady through practical action who the real "brother" was.

"Alright, Brother Xue." Lin Nuo raised his head, his gaze clear and sincere.

Seeing how tactful Lin Nuo was, Xue Qinghe nodded in satisfaction before turning to introduce him to Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin, who were seated nearby.

"Lin Nuo, come. Let me introduce you.

"This is Ning Fengzhi, Sect Master Ning of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Not only is he the strongest support-system Soul Master on the continent today, he is also my mentor."

Xue Qinghe's tone was full of admiration.

"There is a universally acknowledged saying in the Soul Master world: 'No team would ever refuse the addition of a Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Soul Master.'

"The moment my teacher heard of your stunning performance, he could not wait to meet you."

After a pause, Xue Qinghe pointed to the white-haired man beside him, who was resting with his eyes closed.

"As for this gentleman, he is the senior Sword Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

"He stands alongside senior Bone Douluo in renown. Both are the towering pillars and mainstays of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

Ning Fengzhi clearly enjoyed his disciple's flawless praise.

He rose to his feet, wearing the same gentle smile as Xue Qinghe—though one of an even higher caliber.

"Little friend Lin Nuo, I heard Qinghe mention that an unparalleled genius had arrived at the academy, and my interest was piqued.

"Please do not take offense at Uncle Sword and me paying you such an abrupt visit."

Listen to that. The sect master of one of the Upper Three Sects was being so humble and courteous. How could anyone not be moved?

Though Ning Fengzhi smiled throughout, and there was not the slightest fault to pick in his tone,

Lin Nuo found this old fellow deeply uncomfortable. That smile on his face was far too practiced, far too fake.

Still, one spoke human words to humans and ghost words to ghosts.

Lin Nuo immediately adopted a flattered expression, gave a deep bow, and said excitedly,

"I never imagined that this junior's meager talent could warrant the presence of Sect Master Ning and His Excellency Sword Douluo. This is truly this junior's fortune across three lifetimes!"

"Ah, little friend Lin Nuo, do not call me Sect Master anymore."

Ning Fengzhi waved his hand with a smile, his tone growing even more kindly.

"If you do not mind, simply call me Uncle Ning."

Seriously? Again? You people in high positions just loved claiming relatives at the drop of a hat, didn't you?

"Yes, Uncle Ning..." Lin Nuo nodded obediently.

Immediately afterward, Ning Fengzhi acted like a kind elder, chatting casually with Lin Nuo about everyday matters.

Yet beneath that seemingly casual conversation, every word concealed a sharp edge as he continuously probed into Lin Nuo's background and origins.

And throughout the entire exchange, Sword Douluo Chen Xin, standing nearby, did not say a single word.

However, his sharp eyes, like tangible swords, remained fixed on Lin Nuo the entire time.

The invisible mental pressure he exuded seemed as if it wanted to thoroughly see through every part of Lin Nuo, inside and out.

Amid this seemingly harmonious conversation, Ning Fengzhi suddenly changed the subject.

He set down his teacup and looked at Lin Nuo with deep eyes carrying a gentle smile, asking in feigned curiosity,

"Little friend Lin Nuo, I have actually had a question in my heart all along."

"With supreme talent like yours, rare even once in a century across the entire continent, Spirit Hall should by all rights spare no cost to bring you under its banner and devote all its resources to nurturing you.

"So why did you not choose Spirit Hall Advanced Academy, but instead travel all the way to study at Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"

There it was!

Lin Nuo remained outwardly calm, but inwardly thought, Just as I expected.

He had known it. This old fellow had spent so much effort dragging him into idle small talk for half the day with no good intentions. So this was what he had been waiting for.

Hearing this extremely sensitive question, "Xue Qinghe," seated nearby, also paused her breathing slightly.

Others might have been deceived by Ning Fengzhi's scholarly and easygoing facade, but Qian Renxue knew better than anyone.

In order to suppress Spirit Hall's rise from the grassroots, her good teacher had never shown mercy in the secret hunts he carried out against common-born geniuses.

Although the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect handled every move flawlessly and erased all direct evidence, the faint clues left behind by those prematurely fallen geniuses all ultimately led back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

If Lin Nuo's next answer was even slightly careless and aroused Ning Fengzhi's suspicion—or even his killing intent...

Qian Renxue took a deep breath, and a trace of resolve flashed through her lowered eyes.

If the situation truly worsened to that most terrible point,

Even if it risked exposing flaws in the Heaven Dou Nation-Stealing Plan, she had to immediately send word back to the Worship Hall and let her grandfather learn of this little brother's existence ahead of time.

No matter how irresponsible that woman was, Qian Renxue's family was absolutely not something the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had any right to lay a hand on!