One More Way of Seeking Death

Faced with Ning Fengzhi's probing, Lin Nuo's thoughts raced, but he immediately composed himself on the surface, revealing not the slightest flaw.

A complex expression of inferiority and yearning appeared on his face at just the right moment. He slowly replied,

"Uncle Ning, logically speaking, Spirit Hall brought me out of a remote little town like Nuoding City. Joining Spirit Hall's advanced academy truly would have been the best path for me."

"But I am merely an orphan raised on the charity of many families, with no background whatsoever.

"Even if I went to a place like Spirit City, where geniuses gathered, what would I have to compete with the descendants of bishops and elders for resources?"

Lin Nuo smiled self-mockingly and turned his gaze toward Xue Qinghe beside him.

"But His Highness the Crown Prince is different.

"Your Highness does not disdain my humble origins. Not only have you treated me with respect, but you are also willing to spend heavily to pave the way for me.

"With such recognition and kindness, what reason would I have to refuse?"

Lin Nuo spoke with deep feeling, fully playing the part of a lowborn nobody who had never seen the world and was terrified of poverty. His logic was practically flawless.

After hearing his declaration, the gentle smile on Ning Fengzhi's face did not diminish in the slightest, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking.

Secretly, however, he calmly transmitted his voice to Chen Xin and asked,

"Uncle Sword, what do you think?"

*"Fengzhi, the boy's reaction does not seem feigned. It is understandable for commoners at the bottom to covet immediate gains.

"But this matter is of great importance. We must have our people investigate Nuoding City and Spirit City thoroughly before reaching a conclusion."*

Ning Fengzhi deeply agreed.

As long as subsequent intelligence confirmed that Lin Nuo's background was clean, let alone allocating him more resources, even marrying Ning Rongrong to him and completely binding this peerless genius to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's chariot would be a deal guaranteed to turn a profit.

"To rise from the bottom to your current position through your own efforts, Lin Nuo, you truly deserve to be called a genius."

Ning Fengzhi nodded approvingly, finally revealing his true purpose.

"However, Uncle Ning is very curious. Soul Masters have always followed strict iron laws regarding the age of Soul Rings they absorb.

"Could you clear up my confusion? How exactly did your second Soul Ring successfully surpass the age limit?"

The fox's tail had finally been exposed.

They wanted to freeload off the secret method for absorbing Soul Rings beyond one's level?

Lin Nuo sneered inwardly.

Way of Seeking Death warning!

"Uncle Ning misunderstands. What secret method could there possibly be?"

Lin Nuo put on an entirely matter-of-fact expression.

"Different martial souls naturally strengthen the body to different degrees.

"For example, the difference in physique between auxiliary-system Soul Masters and battle Soul Masters with top-tier beast martial souls is as vast as heaven and earth. Naturally, the age limits they can withstand are different."

"Before coming to Heaven Dou City, Bishop Salas of Spirit Hall personally tested my physical strength. Only after confirming that I could withstand the impact of a thousand-year Soul Ring did he dare let me absorb one."

The moment he finished speaking, Chen Xin, who had remained silent all along, suddenly made his move.

A broad hand landed on Lin Nuo's shoulder without warning. A sharp, domineering surge of Soul Power instantly entered his body and began probing him without restraint.

The humiliation of being forcibly searched by someone of higher status made Lin Nuo's eyes turn cold, but he firmly suppressed his instinctive resistance and allowed the other man to do as he pleased.

At that moment, the only thing Lin Nuo felt fortunate about was

that he had not directly absorbed the Blue Silver Emperor's hundred-thousand-year right leg bone back then.

Otherwise, this matter would probably not have ended so easily...

Of course Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin understood that beast martial souls possessed powerful physiques.

But being powerful enough to absorb a thousand-year Soul Ring at the second ring was beyond common sense.

They immediately suspected that Lin Nuo might be concealing an extremely high-quality Spirit Bone within his body, one that had greatly enhanced his physical constitution.

However, Chen Xin's Soul Power circulated through Lin Nuo's extraordinary meridians and eight channels. Apart from sensing that violent spider Soul Power, he found no trace of any Spirit Bone fluctuations.

Chen Xin withdrew his hand and gave Ning Fengzhi an almost imperceptible shake of his head.

Noticing the gesture, Ning Fengzhi understood that they likely would not be able to squeeze any useful information from him today.

He could not help but feel a wave of disappointment.

Still, as someone exceptionally skilled at maintaining appearances, Ning Fengzhi continued his performance.

He rose smoothly to his feet, his smile still as gentle as a spring breeze.

"Little friend Lin Nuo, if you ever grow weary of academy life, you may come to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect as a guest with Qinghe at any time.

"Uncle Ning looks forward to our next meeting."

As his words fell, Ning Fengzhi nodded to Xue Qinghe. He then turned and left the private room with Chen Xin.

Only once the door had fully closed did Qian Renxue's tightly wound nerves finally relax.

Chen Xin's rash move just now had practically been a frenzied stomp across every one of her boundaries.

Even taking a step back, if Lin Nuo truly possessed a secret method for absorbing Soul Rings beyond his level, it would still be one of Spirit Hall's most confidential foundations.

No matter what, it was not the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's place to forcibly seize it!

And what had Chen Xin's action just now meant?

Did he suspect that her "younger brother" possessed a top-grade Spirit Bone?

If that were confirmed, would they not kill him and steal the treasure?

This time, Ning Fengzhi had truly crossed the line.

"Brother Lin Nuo, keep this token safe."

Xue Qinghe removed a golden token symbolizing the Crown Prince's status from his waist and stuffed it into Lin Nuo's hand without giving him a chance to refuse. His tone carried undisguised recruitment and reassurance.

"If you encounter any trouble in Heaven Dou City in the future, simply bring it to the Eastern Palace and seek me out.

"If there are any cultivation resources you fancy that require spending, simply charge them to the Eastern Palace as well."

"Ultimately, you have been wronged by what happened today."

Naturally, Lin Nuo had no reason to refuse.

He casually tucked the golden token into his robes and replied with an unchanged expression,

"Your Highness overstates it. What happened today cannot truly be considered a grievance."

Lin Nuo was telling the truth. Given the current situation, he had practically won big; no matter how he calculated it, he had not lost out.

But when those words reached Qian Renxue's ears, their meaning changed completely.

Looking at this extraordinarily gifted "younger brother" before her, after he had endured the lofty probing and search by the Upper Three Sects,

he still put on such a cautious, submissive posture. Qian Renxue felt a nameless rage surge through her chest, nearly burning through her reason.

What the hell had that damned woman been doing?!

It was one thing for her to have ignored her since childhood and ruthlessly thrown her into the Heaven Dou Empire to carry out undercover work.

But now, toward the younger son she had borne, she was showing the same irresponsible, hands-off attitude!

He clearly possessed such heaven-defying talent, yet she had not even arranged a protector to watch over him in secret.

She had forced an eight- or nine-year-old child to endure being bullied and manipulated outside, to bow his head and suffer in silence!

She was utterly unworthy of being a mother!

"Ah, Brother Lin Nuo, what happened today was also my fault as your elder brother. I failed to consider things in advance. If there is anything you want, simply tell me."

"There is nothing I will not grant."